Forty Six
"Ahh!"
"Will you stop screaming?".
"Well what do you want me to do? I wake up in an unknown place in nothing but lace underwear, my hands and legs cuffed to the bed. What do you expect me to do huh?".
She rolled her eyes. "Well not scream obviously".
Now I roll my eyes. "Yeah right. Like you won't do the same if you were in my shoes".
"Probably not".
"I can tell you're lying".
I look at the girl again. She's not the little girl I met in the forest but she must be a relative. The girl has dark kohl lined around her eyes. Her lips are a dark red and if my guess is right, she should be around Eloive's age.
"Why am I cuffed to the bed?".
"I wish I knew", she says grumbling.
The little girl from earlier pos her head in the doorway. "Oh, I know".
"Tell us Toreh, why is she cuffed to my bed?".
Toreh steps into the room looking between us. "Well, after you slept in the tub, mother brought you here. You kept touching yourself in your sleep, so mother cuffed her hands to the bed. Oh, and she kept saying these names while she was at it. Something along the lines of Ruarc and Sia", she said fake gagging.
I blush furiously.
"Ew. And she did that on my bed?", the other girl said annoyed.
I roll my eyes and turn to Toreh. "How long have I been asleep?".
"Six days".
Six days? I had been away from my men for six days. What if they had gone to the palace without me?
"Um, as much as I appreciate your help, I need to go now so please uncuff me".
The minute the cuffs came off, I raised my hand and smacked Toreh across the face. Not too hard, but nothing she can't handle.
"There. That's my farewell. Maybe later, you can pass it on to the rest of your family.
...
"Sia? Ruarc? Massa?", I call out into the afternoon sun as my leather boots trudged up against the snow. It's been a while since I left Toreh's and I can't find the three brothers anywhere.
Maybe they did leave me after all.
I can't help the tears that prick at my eyelids. Sighing, I sit on the ground, hugging my knees to my chest. If I had just listened and actually obeyed his instructions, I wouldn't be here alone. I draw circles on the snow with my thumb, wishing for him to come and get me, and save me from this loneliness, but nothing happens.
"Depressed much?".
My eyes widen. I'm not alone. And that voice, why does it sound familiar? I look up and my jaw drops when I see him, in a blue vest and sweatpants.
"Cocci!", I scream as I tackle him to the ground. He laughs as I straddle him, running my hands up his arms, just to make sure that he is real.
He is.
His eyes brighten as his laugh quietens. "You seem really happy to see me".
"I am. What are you doing here in this forest?".
"I should be asking you the same. What are you doing here?".
"It's a long story. Have you seen Ruarc? Sia? Or even Massa?".
"They're in the palace. That's where I'm headed right now".
So they did leave me.
My smile drops and I scoot away from Cocci, standing up shakily.
They...they just left. Didn't they bother to look for me?
I don't realize I'm crying until Cocci wipes a stray tear away from my face.
"Crinka, what happened?".
"Nothing. Just take me with you".
"Crinka! You know I can't do that! It's too risky".
"I don't care. Just take me with you".
"Ruarc will kill me if he finds that I brought you with me".
So that's why he left me. Because he didn't want me there. He didn't want me to meet his wives.
"That is if I don't kill you first. Cocci please".
"I can't argue with you now can I?".
"Nope".
...
Cocci has been nothing but a darling. Even as I rode on his golden brown wolf, he had been very considerate, stopping at one point for me to cater to my personal needs. He feeds me even when I am not hungry and now is one of those times.
"Come on Crinka, just eat it".
I shake my head. "No. I'm already full".
Night is around the corner, but Cocci still made a fire and another plate of steak just for me.
"Don't be like this. Here take it".
"No, you take it. I don't think I've seen you eat anything".
"Today's the last day you can eat because tomorrow I'm not stopping till we arrive at the palace".
Grumbling, I take the steak from him and eat it.
"So", I say, after swallowing the last chunk of meat. I'm so full I don't think I'd be able to walk. "Why exactly are you going to the palace?'.
"I have been summoned", he said annoyed. "Massa had his trial a few days back, but we won't know who won until tomorrow".
The trial I had missed, all thanks to my heat.
"But why do you need to be there?".
He takes in a deep breath before answering, "To uphold customs and traditions".
"What customs?".
"Well if Massa loses, he is going to die".
"I know that. He already said that if he loses, the council will put him to death".
"They won't do that until he has been punished".
"Punished? Who is going to give him the punishment?".
"His very own brothers".
Not nice. Not nice at all.
"So you see why I need to be there. If I don't show up, I'll get punished too".
"It's not fair".
"Life has never been fair sweetheart".
"So what do we do now?".
"We pray, Crinka we pray".
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