Dragon - Chapter Four

A Chapter by Michelle_H

She sat in contemplation for a few moments, considering her possible courses of action. She could sit here and wait for him to return. But what if he didn't? She could try to escape, possibly run into another Stygian, and get herself killed or put into a worse predicament. Or she could....

Well, those were her options it would seem.

Although attempting escape held the highest risk, it also held the largest chance of actually freeing herself of captivity. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. She, at this moment, could possibly be choosing death over captivity.

It was a risk she was willing to take.

She crawled off the large bed and landed silently on her feet as she dropped to the stone floor. For a barbarian, the chamber was in immaculate condition. She felt nothing but cold stone beneath her bare feet as she crept along the side of the chamber, listening intently for any sound of outside movement.

Hearing nothing, she continued along, breaching the threshold of the chamber. The corridor was large, but provided nothing to hide herself if someone started down the hallway. She quickly walked along the passage, keeping herself low to the ground, hidden in the shadows. She arrived at the branch in the corridor and knew that she was close to escape. She looked to the left of her and saw nothing, heard nothing.

She ran.

And was immediately haulted by the iron grip of two large hands about her waist. She struggled, beating down at the hands that held her, kicking any part of the obstacle she could reach even as the stranger pulled her close to his abnormally-warm body and encircled her arms, holding her in place.

“What do we have here?” Searing heat cascaded over her neck as the stranger bent his head to hers. “An Elf in Stygian territory?” The deep rolling mixture of a growl and laugh reverberated through her. “And to think I wasn't going to have any fun today.”

He pulled her backwards into the middle corridor, carrying her easily in one arm that continued to hold her arms at her side. She began to struggle once again, but it was only in vain as the man pulled her through the dark tunnel of stone. She finally relented, deciding to keep her strength for whatever lied ahead.

They came to another branch of four passageways, he entered the furthest to the right. As they continued along the dimly lit corridor, she began to hear the low roar of male conversation. The sound became increasingly louder as the stranger walked along.

Bright light filtered in slowly as the tunnel neared the room of males until the light was blinding after the darkness of the tunnel. The male holding her began to speak.

“'Hey boys, look what I found. Seems we've got a little spy on our hands.” He unceremoniously dropped her to the floor. She was barely able to brace herself as her hands and knees came into stark contact with the rough stone floor. She raised her head slowly and looked around even as the stranger continued to speak to the Stygians before him.

Thirty pairs of eyes turned to her as they stood in preparation to attack. The bronze skinned, dark haired race a perfect complement to their darker souls. Ten of those eyes belonged to women, she found. She was momentarily surprised to find women alongside the brutish males, before she realized that the women were no different than the men.

Though her own race of people seemed to find a balance of gentility, femininity, and grace alongside their inner warriors, these females wore their warrior status as a badge. The stoic expression and lithe, hardened muscle spoke nothing of tenderness. Their own eyes, a mixture of amber, black, and green, bore down on her in hatred. The barely leashed violence in the depths of the eyes around her had her feeling as small and helpless as she probably looked.

A large man in the middle of the room stepped forward and unsheathed a sword that was longer than she was tall. “Let us be done with her then. One less Elf to burden Ashzara.” He began to stalk towards her, two hands gripping the sword he held in preparation to swing.

“She is mine.” She turned to the deep voice coming from the entrance on the far side of the room. He was hardly a shadow in the still darkness of the tunnel, but she knew his voice. Her Dragon.

The man stalking towards her paused and looked to the other entrance. “Kane,” the man spoke in reverance to the shadowed male. “Jarl has found a spy in our hold,” he gestured towards her with the tip of his sword before speaking again, “I was simply going to rid us of her existence.”

“I said she was mine.” The shadowed male stepped into the light of the room. Though she had found his stature overwhelming, she had not realized that he was large even for his race. He was nearly four inches taller than many of the men in the room and broader.

The inky depths of his eyes found the ice blue of her own as she remained on the floor, not daring to stand up and bring further attention to herself though her blonde strands trailed the dusty stone floor. “Stand, Elf. I will deal with you privately.” He turned his gaze to the room, daring anyone to object. The Stygians remained silent as Kane waited for her to come to him.

She rose slowly, body taut with preparation. She did not trust the Stygian race to not attack her on sight, despite the order from their leader. She stood upright, feigning confidence though fear coursed through her like poison.

Kane stood motionless as she made her way slowly to him. Despite her distrust of the race, she would rather deal with the devil she knew than thirty devils she didn't.

She reached him after navigating around the fire in the middle of the room and passing by the stranger that had brought her here. She came within five feet of him, not willing to step closer. Seemingly pleased with her compliance, he turned towards the entrance he had come out of and began walking down the dark hallway.

He did not wait for her to follow, but she followed anyway, not wanting to remain in the room with thirty Stygians that wanted nothing more than to kill her.

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