Trials Chapter 5: Servitude
His heart burned. Literally, the scar on his chest stung with every pulse. Ramsey stared at it; the same image he saw painted on the cave walls of a crescent moon inside of a sun. He could see the sun rise over the trees. It was morning all ready? He hadn’t slept all night. For the most part things had calmed down after the events of last night. The two women stood and talked for a short time and Ramsey noted a particular change in dynamic. It was a complete one-eighty; Kiri who had become solemn and reserved since the appearance of blue eyes became cheery and almost smug to the woman who for her own part was decidedly grouchier than before. It was almost if they had bet on who would get to brand him. Then blue eyes was gone as suddenly as she had appeared and he was alone with Kiri once more. Ramsey remained bound to the wall for the rest of the night the pain of his mark preventing him from any peace rest might have offered. He hung his head the mark consuming his thoughts. Focusing on it helped him stifle other more disturbing revelations. Why was all this happening to him? What had he done to disserve this torture? His captor didn’t seem fit to answer. After blue eyes left she retreated to the back of the cave most likely relaxing in the hot springs located there and for the rest of the night Ramsey stood there alone in the dark.
Ramsey heard footsteps coming from the back of the cave and the distinct voice Kiri in a chipper tone obviously reflecting her joy in the night’s events. She seemed to be addressing him but Ramsey didn’t see fit to lift his head to spurned by hurt by her betrayal, but was it a betrayal really? He didn’t really even know Kiri. Still he ignored her; afraid of what might happen if he were to look in her eyes. Suddenly she slapped him in a quick bracing motion that immediately stung his cheek and even drew blood from his nose. He quickly snapped lashing out at her in rage gritting his teeth. She took one look at his feral eyes and slapped him again.
“You bitch!” he barked through a strained jaw earning him another slap. “Dammit! Enough already!”
“Kerla Si!” she said pressing her finger against his mark and making him spasm in pain.
“What do you want?!” Ramsey screamed all the rage and confusion rushing out. He closed his eyes fighting the forming tears. He felt her fingers firmly grip his chin raising his head to face her. She looked down at him with those same piercing eyes almost scolding him like and angry mother. She took a few steps and turned her back to him. She was wearing some sort of robe made of white fur. In one motion she dropped her garment revealing her bare backside. Ramsey jaw dropped as he admired her naked form in awe of her musculature. Even more impressive was an intricate pattern of marks that surrounded a familiar symbol, one of a white crescent moon inside of a yellow sun. She turned to face him in all her naked glory. He looked at her face with was strangely flushed for some reason. This seemed odd to Ramsey until he became aware of his body’s reaction to her. Suddenly pain shot through his nethers as she kicked him swiftly in the groin. Ramsey buckled the bindings the only thing keeping him from collapsing on the floor.
“What the fuck.” Ramsey groined two octaves higher than he thought he could. Then he felt his binding loosen and gravity took him to the floor’s rigid embrace. He heard a metallic clang and opened his eyes to see his blade cast at Kiri’s feet before him. He looked up at her and she looked back exspectantly. He gripped it in his good arm and used it as a prop to stand up. Again he was intimidated by the sheer ridiculousness of her size. He tried to step back but the wall stopped his retreat. She turned and picked up a spear resting in a corner. The same spear he saw her use to impale and nearly decapitate a rage beast only a day earlier. Slowly Ramsey put things together as she raised her spear in that same confident way she had before.
“I can’t fight you.” Ramsey said looking at his bandaged sword arm. Truthfully he doubted if that would matter she was clearly stronger than he was even without the height advantage and he wasn’t exactly a ‘trained” swordsmen. The basics he learned at the academy only a foundation for a sloppy unrefined style he only used as a last resort. She noticed his apprehension and slowly approached his cast. He flinched as she gently rubbed his arm in far more expression tender than he expected. She removed a strand and all at once it fell around them. To his amazement his arm had healed to near entirety. She stepped back and faced him once more with a look of determination. Ramsey clearly wasn’t escaping his fate.
A tense wind blew into the cave as the sun rose to a peek in the sky glowing brightly and washing Kiri in its light. She was truly a vision poised at the ready framed in the brightest of the sun and looking more angelic than ever. Ramsey for his part stood hunched one hand bracing himself against the ground his blade tilted in his sword arm draped in the shadows cast against him. He rushed her hoping to surprise like he had before but she was prepared for this easily blocking his swing with the broad of her spear. The sword cut the wood but it did not break and Ramsey found himself struggling to free it. She looked at his disapproving and pressed a giant foot against his chest. He and the sword were flung across the room crashing against the wall. Then she was on him immediately pressing her advantage quick slashes and swipes came at Ramsey in a flurry from every direction. With no blade to defend himself he was forced to dodge to the best of his ability. He ducked the first strike and rolled forward and slid clumsily between her open legs. In a panicked scramble he rushed towards his blade fallen next to the fire pit. As he grabbed for it he felt her hand on his leg and felt himself being dragged backwards. He made a desperate swipe that forced her to relent. He regained his footing shaking with unease. She stood before him proud silhouetted against the morning sun her shadow cast over him and all at once Ramsey knew he couldn’t win. Not in a thousand years would he even hope he could, but he was not a man who would so easily give into another’s will he stood proud before her sword gripped tight in his hand his body riddled with tiny cuts from her previous assault. His mark burned and for once his eyes matched hers in its determination and controlled fierceness. He only had one hope a move his teacher had taught him and one he never really practiced by himself a moved that went against everything he was taught at the academy. He took his blade in a reverse grip and bent his knees creeping forward. She intern held her spear out with both hands in a guarding position. They circled each other the fire pit separating the two and in the back of his he heard his teacher’s voice.
“When the chips are down and fate is against you. When life has taught you its cruelty and you realize there are no heroes. When you have ran out of options and all else has failed you.” Ramsey paused for a moment preparing to strike. “YOU CHEAT!” his teacher’s voice rang loud in his ears. In a instant he kicked the entirety of the fire pit in the air the ash and soot obscuring her vision then he rushed her in a tackle raising the blade toward her throat.
As the dust settled he found himself pressed firmly against her tight midsection his sword arm wrenched behind his back and a spear head pointed at his face. He looked up and saw Kiri smiling down at him. In a fluid motion he was pinned to the ground his sword arm held in her tight grasp and the entirety of her weight crushing his ribcage. She continued to stare and smile. For minutes he struggled but had no leverage and no energy. He soon relented and still she continued to stare not once breaking the gaze. He soon realized what she was waiting for. The words that started all this and at once he truly knew what they meant.
“Kerla Si.” He whispered and all at once he was hers.