Three

Chapter three.

Alukas, you have failed today’s orders,” said the queen, avoiding the boy’s gaze as he knelt before Her throne with painful eyes. “You know of the punishment.”

“Your Divinity, I-” Alukas started. The queen raised a hand to cut the boy’s plea off short.

“Don’t make excuses. Accept your failure and take the punishment,” commanded the woman.

“If I may intrude,” came an airy voice from the throne room doors, “this young man fought admirably today. Must he be given punishment?”

Alukas turned his gaze to the grand doors and saw the girl from before, her golden hair smoothed and tied back into the silk bonnet. The golden decals jingled softly with every one of her movements. When she walked, she had a sort of musical, restful swaying gait, as if she were taking steps into a dance. Her enormous, unblinking eyes pierced into Alukas’s own gaze with a quick glance towards him.

“Hai, were you the one causing trouble in my City?” demanded the queen, taking a look of familiarity towards the intruder. “I thought I had already told you to keep your magic quiet around here or there would be consequences.”

“Ah, but Your Majesty, the grand City just drives me mad with Her black magic,” said the girl dreamily. “It is simply delightful.”

“No matter, you must obey orders or you will be exiled.”

“As you wish, Your Grace,” said Hai, bowing deeply, her left hand tucked into the folds of her dress. “But I still do ask that you let this boy off without punishment. Quite a magician, this one is.”

“If I may ask,” Alukas finally spoke up, “who are you?”

The girl turned to Alukas and grinned spacily, stepping closer to the boy and grabbing his left hand gently. “I am Farseer Hai,” she introduced herself, kissing Alukas’s hand. “It is a great honor to meet you, young Master Alukas.”

Alukas blinked and nodded in consideration to Hai’s introduction. She is a Farseer? Ah, a mindreader, thought Alukas.  I’ve also heard lore of Farseers that could see the past and future from any given point of view.

Those tales are of my ancestors, replied Hai, her eyes piercing Alukas’s.

Alukas did not respond to the girl, but instead turned to the queen and stood.

“I will accept my punishment. I did not do as you ordered me,” he declared loudly. “Thank you for your concern, Farseer Hai, but I must act properly and with dignity.”

The girl simply stepped back with a smile on her face, one that Alukas had a twisted feeling about. He wasn’t sure what to think of this mindreader past the fact that her magic may even surpass his…

“How noble of you, Alukas,” said the queen, a smile twitching along the corners of her painted lips. “Please go directly to the White Room for your punishment.”

Noble, indeed, giggled Hai in Alukas’s mind. He shot her a quick glare but she was no longer standing in the throne room with everyone as she was a moment earlier. Alukas was grabbed by both of his wrists and led to his room by a heavy-armored guard. Alukas felt a sting on his skin from the guard’s magic-repelling gear. He did not fear the torture that he would be given.

 

“Sit down on the floor and release your magic,” ordered the guard. Alukas did as he was told and felt a small pang of pain as he gave up every ounce of magic that he had. He held his head low, his hair covering his eyes, and his wrists tied with magic-proof shackles behind his back. He attempted to physically prepare his body to endure the pain without the aid of his magic.

“Now, keep quiet and this will go by quickly,” rasped the man, taking the long weapon from a pouch. The whip glowed a faint orange hue and emanated magic that was created to destroy. He walked behind Alukas and used a dagger to slice open the back of his shirt. The boy’s entire back was bare and vulnerable as the guard took a deep breath and ran his metal glove along the rope of the whip.

Lash.

The whip sliced into Alukas’s flesh, scarlet blood seeping out of the wound. Lash. Another slash of the whip. Lash, lash, lash, lash. Alukas cringed and clenched his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white. Lash. Hot, salty tears began to run down his cheeks.  Lash. He heard the guard sigh, almost in regret. Lash. Just one more… Alukas braced himself. Lash.

Alukas held his head in between his knees, trying to subside the agonizing pain and the feeling of blood gushing down his skin. The man unlocked the shackles from Alukas’s wrists and walked out of the White Room. Once the guard was out, Alukas glanced at the door, trembling violently as his chest heaved in heavy breaths of agony. His vision was blurred and almost fading into white.

He screamed.

 

“Would you like some tea, young Master?” asked Gerad, applying a cool gel remedy to Alukas’s lash wounds, which were gaping and angrily turning his skin crimson. The blood had caked over and now reduced the pain to a bad sting. Alukas cringed and wiped the dried tears from his cheeks. His eyes were swollen and itchy.

“Yes, Gerad,” he whispered. His older friend stood from his chair and poured hot green tea into a teacup. The aroma calmed Alukas. Gerad handed the cup to the boy, who thankfully drank it all in one swig, the soothing drink warming his dry throat and giving his busy mind a sense of peace. There was still the pain in his flesh, only somewhat helped by the remedy gel.

“Thank you,” said Alukas, glancing warmly at his companion. Gerad nodded, his aging eyes saying You’re welcome. He sat back down and continued putting the remedy on Alukas’s back gently.

“I can’t blame the queen for this,” Alukas said quietly, as if he expected Gerad to put the blame on the woman. “It was my own fault for not committing myself.”

Gerad did not reply.

“I’ve just been sensing this strange energy that prevents me from connecting to my inner self,” continued the boy. “It’s as if my importance in this world is diminishing. I feel weaker every day, and my magic abilities are suffering because of it. I feel that Her Grace will soon find no need for me anymore, and I will be exiled from the City. I have so much doubt in myself, Gerad, it is overwhelming me…”

Gerad placed a hand on Alukas’s shoulder.

You will always be needed, Alukas, he said to him.

How can you say that with certainty? replied Alukas. My magic is failing. The queen has no use for those with no purpose.

Perhaps your purpose is needed within goodness, not the queen’s personal desires.

Alukas looked at Gerad in shock. He had never before spoken against the queen.

The queen is not…

You know what she is, Alukas, and you know that you only stay in fear of losing importance. Do you realize that there are people in need of goodness, and that you could provide that with your magic?

The queen has always been kind to me.

Do you feel loved when you are being lashed with the whip? Do you feel loved when your blood seeps down your skin and your magic leaves your body?

Alukas did not respond, no words being able to form in his mind.

We leave this place at midnight. Prepare yourself, young Master. We will not be coming back.

Reviews

[(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞Emmett..]

CHILD ABUSE!!! DX Alukas, why do you love the Queen oh so much!? Her methods are so gruesome! It makes me glad that all I received was just licks from my Dad's belt! Yes Gerard, leave this place and take Alukas with you! Ohhhh, I must see what happens next, on to the next chapter!!!

[Alexis]

It got a little morbid, but it was still a good chapter. Sadly, I could imagine the whipping part in my head so perfectly. Then again, I've seen it in several movies before... It disturbs me. It's so cruel and terrible. I don't know about this queen so far...
Reading on. --->

[Keevan]

I am liking the start to this! This is my kind of story. Keep writing!