by K. E. Young
"When I was thirteen he had a big problem at work and he packed up what he could and moved away with his sons, leaving me locked up in the basement. I had water, but no food. A couple weeks later, some homeless men found me when they broke in to stay in the empty house. They gave me a little food but didn't free me until they were ready to move on. They didn't want the police to know they had broken in.
"When they left, they unlocked the door for me. A neighbor found me wandering around and called the police. They put me in a foster home since I had no relatives. The first one was the worst. I couldn't do anything right and they didn't understand me. They were extremely religious and seemed to think what happened was my own fault. As if I had asked for it, divine retribution for some crime. In time, I went to other foster homes, but most weren't much better. I ended up spending a lot of time in libraries. Books don't judge you.
"When I turned eighteen, they kicked me out to fend for myself. I got a job as a waitress and an apartment I shared with three other women. Amy was a prostitute, Lara worked in a bar, and Stephanie cleaned houses. Amy's pimp used to come over a lot. He kept trying to convince the rest of us to work for him.
"One day I came home late from work to find he had gotten doped up, beat Amy half to death, and raped Stephanie. He tried to grab me, but I ran. I spent the night in the alley behind the restaurant where I worked. When daylight came, I went home and found Lara had come home after he left and took Amy and Stephanie to the hospital."
My voice hitched and I paused for a moment before continuing. "The next night he came back. That time, I didn't get away. Lara got me to the hospital too. While we were there, he set fire to the apartment. An old man next door died from the smoke. We all lost everything. I ended up losing my job because I couldn't work for a few days. So… I had no home, no money, no belongings, and no job. I ended up living on the street. A few months later, a church group took me in. They gave me a place to live and helped me find a job and a scholarship.
"I did well in school and finished a two-year degree. It helped me get a better job so I had more money and I could pay them back. My life was going well and I thought the nightmare was over…" I had to take a deep breath. No matter how many times I had been over this part with the lawyers it never got easier.
"Then one day I passed Amy's old pimp on the street. He looked me right in the eye and grinned. I panicked… I ran until I thought I lost him. I kept watch for him for a week, terrified that he'd find and catch me, but I never saw him. Two weeks after I passed him on the street I came home to find him waiting for me inside my apartment.
"He drugged me and took me somewhere else. He kept me for almost a week. If I fought him, he beat me. The first time, he broke all the fingers in my right hand and cracked my jaw, knocking out a few teeth. The second time, he threw me down and kicked me over and over. When he finished, I couldn't feel my right leg anymore, and I had broken several ribs and a vertebra. When he tired of playing with me, he poured fuel on me, set the shack on fire, and left me to die. I crawled out, but I was seriously burned."
The tears wanted so badly to come. I didn't want to talk about the next part. "They had to amputate my left foot and two fingers. The left side of my head was so terribly burned I lost the ear and eye on that side and they needed to take skin from my thigh to replace the missing tissue on my neck and cheek. I had to wear a wig to cover some of the scars. My legs didn't work anymore so I used a wheelchair to get around."
I paused, unsure of how much more to tell him. "My testimony sent him to jail. They asked me question after question while everyone stared at me and my scars. I hate being watched. It's never a good thing." My breath caught with a gasp. Too much. Just stick to the story he needs to know.
"We found out afterward he had killed Amy and burned her body. It helped knowing he was in prison. It made me feel safer, but the knowledge didn't stop the pain when children ran away from me in terror or when people turned away so they didn't have to look at me."
I paused again for a moment trying to stop the tears. I was falling apart and couldn't seem to stop it. Those last few moments in the rain next to my father's grave drifted through my mind.
I shook myself. "When the Goddess intervened, I was hours from ending it all. I just wanted to visit my father's grave first to say goodbye. I was so grateful to her for bringing me here. The pain was gone, I was whole and unscarred, at least on the outside, and I could walk again. It was a fresh start… It didn't go the way I hoped though." I couldn't stop the tears anymore so I buried my face in my hands and let them come.
Kaio: 31st of Hunting, 3837
Kaio had listened with mounting horror to the story Sara told. He wished he could say that was all it was, a story, but dragons and dragonkin could read the spirits of those about them when they called on their other-sight and he knew she did not lie. He hadn't looked directly at her since it seemed to make her anxious but he had watched her intently enough.
Her strength in surviving what had happened to her was daunting. If it had been him, he was sure he wouldn't have survived it.
He greatly wanted to punish those who had put her through so much pain, but they were far out of his reach. Only Fanul and his men were within reach and he vowed they would pay.
It was a relief when she succumbed to the tears so he could finally appease his dragon's urge to comfort her. He gently gathered her into his arms and comforted her as best he could until she had wept herself dry. "You will have your fresh start, my lady. I promise you on my honor I will let no one ever hurt you that way again. Fanul and his men are dead, they simply haven't stopped breathing yet.
"You will heal. I'll bring people from Drakken who will respect you the way you deserve to teach, protect, and serve you. You will help us rebuild Therys the way it was in the days of the Mage-Kings, change the attitudes of the people and show them a woman can have power, can think, and be as strong as a man or even stronger." He was babbling again but he didn't care. He continued to murmur words of comfort and encouragement to her until she fell asleep.
Her rest didn't last. She roused a few minutes later when the servant returned with food. She fell on the meal as if she was starving. He supposed she was. Her face was gaunt and he doubted Fanul had fed her. And the magic assists to her healing would drain her all on their own. Afterward, she settled into a deep sleep.
He continued to watch her for a while mulling over what she had said. He thought back over the past months, his growing obsession with her kept tightly in check and hidden from everyone, his quiet wistful dreams. Dreams made hopeless, he thought, by Sara's lack of magical ability.
Now he felt his newfound hopes strained. Her tormentors had violated her so many times he wondered if she could ever find joy in the act. Sara would need time at the least. She needed to feel safe. She would need support and encouragement.
He was still tired and the light around the edges of the drapes showed it was late afternoon, but he had work to do. It would be another late evening. He silently gathered clothing and shut himself in the bathroom, feeling better for a bath and fresh clothes.
Kaio wrote a letter to his father explaining the situation, asking for help in obtaining guards and a teacher for Sara. A missive to his mother asked for her help in outfitting Sara and finding an appropriate servant. He knew his mother would have a much better idea of what Sara needed than he had.
He spent the rest of the evening going over the reports from the raid on Fanul's mansion. He also wrote a report on Sara's testimony and Bedin's evidence, making a note to amend the report as soon as he got the balance of her testimony.
Dragos: 31st of Hunting, 3837
Dinner in the great hall was quiet and tense. His fellow dragonlords were uniformly grim and the court was showing equal parts anxiety and anger. None of the dragonlords felt much like eating. They knew what was about to happen and it was enough to sour anyone's stomach.
Kaio handed his report off and Dragos read it through before nodding gri
mly. He had feared Sara's condition was worse than first appeared and he was right. Kaio's report left no room to quibble. He knew Kaio felt guilty for his treatment of Sara and he had cause for guilt, but he wasn't the only one who owed her. Dragos had failed her horribly and had his own account to settle. Perhaps this night would help balance that a little.
As the servants cleared the plates, Dragos stood. He hated this part. No matter what he said, they never listened. They were spoiled children, so self-centered nothing outside their own interests ever caught their attention. He would get his point across this time though. "Lords and Ladies of Therys, no doubt there have been a great number of rumors circulating today. It seems I must address those rumors with the court. You may have heard Lady Sara has proven herself an earth mage. This is true. You may have heard, or believe she stole the power from another. This is not true. The gods alone give such power, no matter how mortal men may desire otherwise. No mortal can either steal or give away the ability. Not even the Mage-Kings of old could steal another's power. Drakkeni would treat her with the same respect as any other mage and I expect the same here."
His expression turned sour. "Try to keep in mind that earth mages have enormous power and self-defense is not a crime. She is my ward, per Drakkeni law she is part of my family so if you wish to 'teach her a lesson' you'll have to get through me first."
He could see Kaio noting the Lords' reactions. The ones most openly negative were the ones he would watch for overt action. They may not be the most dangerous, but their temper and pride would force them to act first.
"You may have also heard Lady Sara is in Lord Shalatu's quarters unchaperoned. This is true in part. Someone attacked and injured Lady Sara. At the time we discovered it, her tormentor was still at large. Due to her injuries and the danger she was in, Lord Shalatu took her to his chambers so she could be properly cared for and guarded. She has been under the constant supervision of a guard contingent and a nurse ever since. When she recovers sufficiently, she will move to new quarters."
The looks on the faces of the lords told Dragos he had made an error. He should have known better. Dragos knew he would have to remind them Sara was under his protection. Forcefully.
The number of imbeciles who had petitioned him for a night with her still made his dragon growl. He had pinned them to the wall for their temerity but their expressions showed him they hadn't gotten the message. In Therys, a man could 'loan' a woman under his protection to another, often for a price. The practice was an abomination to Drakkeni and Dragos vehemently discouraged it. Sara's time in Kaio's rooms would fuel their belief she was 'available' for the right price.
If he hadn't been so certain the Goddess needed her here, he would have sent her to Drakken with the sole purpose of getting her away from these idiots.
"I have one last item for you. You may have heard I arrested Lord Fanul. This is true. Lord Fanul and his Guard Captain are guilty of multiple cases of kidnapping, slavery, rape, murder, and torture. Fanul's guardsmen are guilty of their own crimes. For their crimes, they will all be executed and all holdings seized for the recompense of the survivors and relatives of the dead. However, I do not expect you to take my word for it alone. He was one of you. So, I will show you what we found in his house and you can see for yourself why he will die."
With that, he signaled to Durra who ushered the servants out. Girru picked up the box holding the memory stone and moved to the center of the room. The grim expressions of the dragonlords clued a few of the more observant lords and ladies that what was about to happen would be unpleasant, but the servants had closed the doors behind them. There was no escape.
For the next hour, Girru replayed the horrors he recorded on the memory stone, showing the Court in explicit detail everything found in the house and the injuries to the maids and Lady Loyas. Several ladies fainted and the room reeked of vomit when Dragos stood again. Not a single lord spoke up when he asked if anyone wished to contest Lord Fanul's order of execution.
Dragos looked over the court. His dragon's rage simmered in the background. Maybe they would finally listen but he wouldn't place any wagers on it. "You all seem to have assumed the opinions others have of Therys were due to jealousy, greed, or political manipulation. I assure you, they are not. The fact you live with it every day, and you know no other way to be, makes you blind to its wrongness and that must change. If you are not willing to work to help save Therys, then you are as bad as Fanul and deserve to share his fate. Even animals treat each other better. No one wants anything to do with Therys because they see you as rabid beasts that corrupt and destroy everything you touch. IT STOPS NOW! I will no longer coddle you. You are the face of Therys. You are the ones who forged its reputation. You made this mess, so you must work to fix it. Do you understand?"
The lords were silent. Hopefully, what they had seen shocked them enough for Dragos' message to pierce through their selfishness and sense of entitlement. They could no longer deny there was a problem with Therys or that they were part of that problem. Dragos hoped the lesson stuck, but he had little faith it would.
He dismissed them, sat, and turned to Kaio. "How is Sara?"
Kaio frowned, his eyes focused on his cup. "She seems to be recovering well. Mostly, she sleeps which is a good thing. She needs time. I'm glad the assisted healing has her sleeping too deeply for nightmares." Kaio wiped his frown and turned his head towards Dragos.
"I have letters I want to go to Drakken as soon as possible. We need dragonkin to guard her. I've written to my parents requesting aid in procuring guards, a servant, and a teacher."
He paused as if trying to decide what to say. "Sara told me something of her life before she came here. Fanul's treatment of her was nothing new. She mentioned what Fanul did to her could have been so much worse — then she told me how. When the Goddess brought Sara here, she erased the outward scars but didn't erase the memories. I need to make sure she never suffers that again Dragos."
Dragos winced. He had wondered. "No wonder she acted as if she expected someone to beat her at any moment. However, her experience gave her the strength to survive this."
Kaio looked ill at the thought. Dragos didn't blame him. As valid as the concept was, it still turned one's stomach.
He nodded to Kaio. "Arhis is heading to Drakken in the morning. He can take your messages too. This incident has changed the situation here. We have the opportunity to force the lords to learn how to behave in a civilized nation, but they need teachers. I'm sending for enough administrators to post them with each of the major lords. The lords will learn — or I will replace them. We've wasted enough time on trying to lead them temperately. It's time to try force. At least, it's a language they understand. And on that note, I'm making Girru my Enforcer. He should enjoy thumping a few heads."
Kaio chuckled. "Oh yes." He quickly sobered though. "Taking her to my quarters rather than to her own will be a problem."
Dragos tipped his chair back before righting again with a thump. "You spotted the looks between the lords."
Kaio grimaced sourly. "The ladies laughed."
Dragos had tired of the attitudes he had to deal with daily long ago. "In retrospect, I should have left that part out. I had hoped explaining would prevent this exact issue. I hadn't realized the rest of the court thought so little of her."
Kaio snorted and sipped his wine. "They find her a convenient or safe target. She doesn't fight back." It was an old argument for him but this time it wasn't a rant. This time it was an acknowledgment of an unfortunate situation.
Dragos looked at him askance. "And you hope to cure her of it?"
"One can always hope." Kaio shook his head, his frustration rearing its head again. "She's been through so much though. It will take time. I don't think she trusts anyone and she has considerable reasons not to. I don't know how to help."
Dragos frowned. "How bad was her past?"
Kaio suddenly looked devastated. "Bad. Fanul was evil, but those who hurt her in her old world were
as bad or worse and there were more of them. She was a child when it started, a couple years older than that poor child in Fanul's mansion. She suffered for years, Dragos. The scars they left behind crippled her and worse." Kaio turned his head to look Dragos in the eye. "She was hours from suicide when the Goddess transported her here. How must it have felt when she came here? Her scars erased, and she could walk again — then this happens."
Dragos' sharp gaze was calculating. He didn't think Kaio had meant to let those details out. It was a measure of his friend's distress. "I see."
His expression at this told Dragos more than Kaio realized. Other bits of odd behavior coalesced in Dragos' mind. His friend had fallen hard and hadn't even realized it yet — or was hiding it. He clearly cared deeply about her.
Sara was an earth mage. When Urash heard… No. Urash's reaction was predictable, but it was the wrong choice. If Sara became Empress, everyone would lose. Urash needed an Empress whose strengths covered his weaknesses and Sara could never do that. What Kaio had revealed about her past, while lacking detail, put certain aspects of her behavior into perspective. She needed care and support. Being Empress would be a disaster for her and eventually a disaster for Urash and the Empire.
Kaio cared enough to need to help her even if he didn't know how. His dragon had already chosen whether Kaio realized it or not. No one else but Sara would do now. She would be good for him, as he would be good for her. Now Dragos had to figure out how to make it happen. If he supported Kaio, some would argue it was treason unless Urash could be convinced first. Perhaps there was a better solution.
Dragos let him stew for a few moments. "You like her, don't you? You always have, you simply didn't like how timid she was. Is she why you fought so hard the past couple of weeks against your father? Usually, you quietly spoil his plans in the background, this time was different."