Rise of Darkness (The Watchers Book 2)

by M. Lee Holmes

  “Welcome!” Warden Daren said with a strange, cheery tone. His eyes were aglow with glee as he looked over the men standing before him. His lips were formed into the biggest smile he could conjure and his hands were held out as though he were welcoming guests to a party.

  “My name is Daren,” he said, looking directly at Lord Ivran now and giving him a slight bow, “warden and protector of Stonehill.” He stood up tall and turned halfway towards the doorway. “And the beast you see lurking there in that doorway is named ‘Clunk’- or so I have come to call him. Do not be alarmed by his appearance, he is my assistant and keeper of the keys.” Warden Daren smiled at Clunk. “He is the only one of his kind- half giant, half ogre. I am uncertain of where he came from but he has been here longer than I have and is loyal only to me.” The warden turned back to Lord Ivran and said; “you must be Lord Ivran Cassius of Ylia?”

  Ivran, who had only just been able to turn his attention away from the monstrosity standing in the doorway, gave Warden Daren a curt nod.

  Daren smiled humbly back at Lord Ivran then cocked his head and directed his black eyes at Rhada. She felt the chill of the room run down her spine as she gazed into the warden’s eyes. He looked at her as though he had never seen a woman before, like she was some strange creature he had to get his hands on and study.

  “And there is no doubt this is the High Protector?” He asked with a chuckle. His cheerful demeanor turned into a mischievous posture. He wrung his hands together as his smile turned into a sneer.

  “Yes.” Lord Ivran replied, coming back to his senses. “And I have been told by my messenger that you have prepared for her the room I requested?”

  The warden turned back to Lord Ivran and began to chuckle. “Oh yes, indeed I have!” His eyes glowed with excitement and Rhada got the sick feeling that he was not going to just throw her in a cell and be done with her- this was a man who collected his prisoners and kept them as prizes. He tortured them- she could see it in the gleam of his eyes. He has made plans for me! She realized with horror.

  “I have for her a cell located in the deepest, darkest corner of the fortress. It is hidden beneath the many layers of dungeons in the castle- a small corridor with a cell at the very end. I have reserved this room for someone very special.” He turned back to Rhada with his evil grin. “And today, that someone has been brought to me.”

  Rhada could not contain herself any longer. She struggled and tried to pull away from Lord Ivran but his grip on her was strong and when Protector Thomelin saw her struggling, he rushed to Ivran’s aid. The two of them held fast to Rhada’s arms and pulled her towards the giant who stood waiting in the doorway. She tried to ground her feet and push against her captors but it was no use- she could not escape.

  Rhada could hear the warden laughing behind her- finding humor in her feeble attempt to flee.

  “It matters not how stout a heart one possesses- in the end, they are all afraid of Stonehill!”

  Once Lord Ivran and Protector Thomelin had pushed her close enough, Clunk reached through the doorway with his colossal hand and grasped her by the shoulder. Rhada cried out in pain as the half-giant, half-ogre monster squeezed tightly, pulling her through the doorway and into the lit corridor. Lord Ivran and Protector Thomelin did not follow her through the doorway but stood on the other side looking in, afraid to step within the giant’s reach.

  Clunk held fast to Rhada and she knew that if she struggled, he would squeeze harder and break every bone in her shoulder, so she gave up her struggle and stood as still as a statue. The only thing she moved was her head to gaze out the doorway at her captors one last time. Her eyes grazed over all the men except Emeric. She locked onto his one good eye, as though staring at him long enough would save her. She pleaded silently with him to rescue her, just as she had rescued him, but he looked away from her quickly in discomfort, ignoring her begging stare.

  “Do not worry, my Lord. Clunk and I will take good care of the prisoner.” Warden Daren said as he passed Lord Ivran and stepped through the doorway. He snapped his fingers at Clunk, a signal that he seemed to understand as ‘follow me’. But before Clunk could pull Rhada farther down the corridor, Lord Ivran spoke directly to her.

  “Farewell, Rhada. May the walls of your prison cell bestow upon you the same kindness you have shown to the people of this realm.”

  Rhada no longer had any hardness left in her eyes. When she looked back at Lord Ivran for the last time, it was with a weary and fearful gaze. She said nothing in reply, knowing there was nothing to say. Lord Ivran had defeated her and there was nothing she could do but be dragged to her fate. She lowered her gaze in shame and allowed the monster to pull her roughly forward. She nearly lost her footing but quickly regained it and began walking at a quick pace to keep in step with the Giant’s long stride. It was not long before the doorway to the outside world vanished from her view and the corridor they traveled down opened up to the rest of the fortress- the gaping maw of the monster, Stonehill.

  Chapter 38

  Warden Daren walked with an annoyingly joyous step in his gait. He whistled an upbeat tune that Rhada did not recognize but knew it must have been a song meant for celebrations.

  What exactly is he celebrating; my imprisonment perhaps? The thought disturbed her greatly.

  She followed behind the warden, watching his every move. His remaining hair flopped behind him like a dozen dead snakes, dangling by the tips of their tails from the top of his head. Clunk kept a firm hand on her shoulder, pushing her forward each time she began to fall behind, which was often. A sudden exhaustion had taken hold of her and she found it difficult to keep her legs moving at a pace that was consistent with the giant’s.

  They had traveled down corridor after corridor- each one darker than the last. The flickering light of the torch Daren held in his hand was the only thing lighting their path. Rhada began to think there would be no end to the winding tunnels of Stonehill.

  And just as she was beginning to worry she would not be able to move on any farther- her legs were threatening to give up on her- the dark corridor ended into a well-lit stateroom. The walls were lined with enough sconces to make it bright as day, and though there were not many luxuries within the room, Rhada was surprised at how well-kept it was. A large rug covered the floor, hiding the drab stone underneath. There was an elegant oak-wood desk centered on the rug. Stretched out on the desk was a long scroll of parchment with hundreds of names scribbled down the length of it. An ink well and quill sat idly next to the parchment, dust lining the rim of the small clay pot. Daren walked around the desk and settled himself into the over-sized chair, facing Rhada.

  Finally, Clunk released Rhada’s shoulder and she instinctively tried to reach up to rub the soreness away from where he had been squeezing, only to be reminded that her hands were still tied behind her back.

  Daren stopped whistling his happy tune and reached for the quill. He lifted the pen from the ink well and allowed the extra ink to drip from the tip before placing pen to paper and writing. Rhada leaned forward slightly to see what it was he was jotting down.

  Rhada- High Protector,

  Prisoner no. 385

  Arrived on the 7th day of the month of the Stag

  Possessions-

  At this point, Daren looked up from his parchment and studied Rhada attentively. He smiled, seeming to find something of value on her person, then continued writing in his log.

  Possessions- leather jerkin, leather trousers, leather boots, hair.

  Rhada let out a surprised gasp at the last word. What could he want with my hair?

  Daren set the quill gently back in the ink well and stood. He smiled warmly at Rhada, as though they were old friends who had just recently been reunited. She scowled at him in reply.

  “I am so glad you are here.” He said, ignoring her harsh gaze. “Clunk and I have been alone for some time now. We were beginning to think we had been forgotten.” He waved a dismissive hand as he walked around the desk to s
tand next to her. “Of course, there are the prisoners, but they make for lousy company. They are only fun for the first few days they are here and then their incessant whining always gets on my nerves. So I lock them away and simply forget about them.” He chuckled at that.

  “You, on the other hand, are my most prized prisoner.” He reached a slithering hand forward and ran his fingertips through her hair. It had been tangled from the wind and sea water and his fingers pulled harshly, ripping a few strands from her scalp. His smile seemed to grow even wider as he pulled his hand free.

  “We are going to have some fun, aren’t we Clunk?” He turned his eyes towards the giant and Clunk let out a low bellow that seemed to satisfy Daren as a reply.

  “Yes indeed.” Daren whispered.

  He looked back to Rhada and suddenly his smile vanished. His eyes lowered and his hands reached upwards to open the front of his robe. Rhada quickly looked away, hoping she was wrong in her assumption of what was about to happen.

  I could easily kill this fool with my bare hands- if only I had use of my hands. She was not tolerable of any man who desired to touch her and the thought made her stomach churn. I can do nothing though. The giant would certainly see to it this warden gets his way.

  Rhada felt herself stiffen. Her heart was pounding furiously with fear and with anger. Never before had she felt as helpless as she felt now. She just hoped he would get it over with quickly and lock her away, never to think of her again, as he seemed to do with all his prisoners.

  There is no punishment greater than this. She suddenly regretted giving herself up to Lord Ivran. I should have run with my men, into the woods. I could have disappeared for good, never to return. But she knew then what she had always known- there was no place she could hide. Someone would have found her eventually.

  I could have turned Bloodbinder on myself. I should have. She cursed herself for not having the courage to end things on her own terms.

  And now I am here, with a monster and a snake, and I am at their mercy. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, but she held it all in and hardened herself, not wanting to give Daren the satisfaction he so eagerly desired.

  After all of Rhada’s worrying, she was surprised when Daren did not remove his robe completely. Instead, he pulled a dirk from his waist belt and let his robe fall closed once more. He took a small step closer to Rhada and reached behind her, grasping her bound hands in his and she could feel the dirk slicing and hacking at the ropes that tied them together. Instant relief came to her pained wrists as the ropes were cut away. She pulled her hands forward and began rubbing the cuts and bruises. She closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure as the burning itch dissolved.

  “Clunk,” Daren said with a firm, commanding voice, “hair.” The giant knew what was meant by this command and before she knew it, Clunk’s large palm was pushing on her back and thrusting her into the desk.

  Rhada cried out in pain as her stomach slammed into the pointed edge of the desk. She was leaned over it, with her face smashed into the solid wood. She struggled and tried to break free of the giant’s grasp but she soon realized there was no point. The giant easily held her down with one hand, like a helpless animal in the mouth of its predator.

  Then the snake’s slimy fingers were groping her hair. He gathered her thick waves into the palm of his hand and pulled tightly. She felt the dirk slice through the strands with ease and then the pressure from his grasp was gone. What remained of her hair fell into her face and eyes, now resting at ear’s length.

  Clunk released Rhada from his tight grip and she stood immediately. Warden Daren stood before her with her black waves resting in his hands.

  “Our supplies are limited on this island. I take my resources from wherever I can. Your thick hair will make a nice rope.” He smiled sheepishly at her and set the dirk and chunk of hair on the desk.

  Rhada could not help but be glad her hair was gone. She suddenly felt lighter and the lightness was a relief. She knew in a place such as this, it was better to have no hair at all.

  “Now then,” Daren continued, “next, I want those leathers you are wearing. Such fine armor should not go to waste, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Rhada said nothing. She scowled at him, wondering if this was the moment she had dreaded.

  I will not submit without a fight. She decided, not caring for what the giant might do to her.

  “Take them off!” Daren commanded but Rhada did not make a move to obey his command. She shook her head and said “no” in defiance. Warden Daren sighed in frustration and turned to Clunk then gave him the slightest nod of the head. “Teach our guest the rules of the house.”

  It only took one of the giant’s massive hands to knock her off her feet. It came towards her so quickly; she had no time to brace herself. The giant’s fist struck her on the temple and she was pushed into the adjacent wall, slamming the other side of her head into the hard stone.

  She did not feel any pain. One moment, she was standing on her feet and the next, all was dark. She fell into an unconscious heap on the floor, unaware of the giant’s hands grasping her feet and dragging her to where the warden could easily strip her of her fine leathers- leathers that had been made special for her when she became High Protector.

  She stood in the doorway; one hand apprehensively placed on the frame, and peered into the darkness of the room. Her bare feet were cold against the freezing stone of the hall and her arms and legs were covered in goose bumps. The only thing shielding her small frame from the coldness of the drafty halls was a thin nightgown that had been provided for her as her only nightgown. She had not even been given a shawl to cover her arms with. Her blanket was as thin as the clothes she wore and did nothing to shield her from the cold.

  She felt her tiny body begin to shake as she looked into the darkness. She could hear breathing on the other side, a woman fast asleep, unaware of her presence.

  Full of fear, she pressed on, taking a small step into the darkness of the room. She released her grip on the doorframe as she took another step then another. She continued to shake as she moved closer to the bed.

  She waited several moments for her eyes to adjust and when they did, the form of a large, round woman took shape. She lay on her stomach with one arm outstretched over the edge of the bed. Her mouth was gaped open, releasing a bellowing snore.

  Rhada shook from fright as she stared at the woman. She wrapped her arms tightly; one around the other, and began to question her decision to wake the nanny. But as she looked at the nanny’s bed, she suddenly became aware that the woman had four hefty blankets spread out across her bed to keep the cold at bay. Apparently, four was too many because one of them had been carelessly thrown off and dangled halfway onto the floor at the foot of the bed.

  Surely she can spare that blanket. She doesn’t even want it. Rhada knew she could not return to her cold bed without something to keep her warm through the night. So she took a deep breath and reached up with her hands and grasped one of the nanny’s sausage-like fingers and tugged.

  She tugged several times before the nanny snorted and moaned. She turned onto her back and rubbed desperately at the sleep in her eyes, as though that would make her less tired.

  She did not seem to notice Rhada standing there in the dark so Rhada spoke up with a shaky voice.

  “Nanny Obina,” she said softly.

  Nanny Obina jerked upright at the sound of Rhada’s voice, taken by surprise that someone was in her room.

  “Who’s there?” She shouted in anger, making Rhada shrink in fear. She immediately regretted her decision to wake the woman.

  Nanny Obina turned her head and saw Rhada standing in the dark. She narrowed her eyes at the child and angrily swung her feet over the edge of the bed, reaching for her night robe as she did so.

  “Why have you woken me? What do you want, you little brat?” She hissed at Rhada in anger.

  Rhada swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She tried to back away as Nanny Obina
stood but was not quick enough. Nanny Obina reached out and grasped her small wrist with her thick hand and squeezed. Rhada cried out in pain but Nanny Obina pulled her closer and grasped her by the jaw.

  “Why have you woken me in the middle of the night?” Rhada was overcome with fear and wished that she could run away from this awful place and this awful woman. She had considered it many times but the thought of scrounging for food in the streets of the over-populated city was unbearable.

  “I…” She tried to reply but her voice caught in her throat.

  “I… I… I…” Nanny Obina mocked. “Spit it out!”

  “I’m cold!” Rhada began to cry. The tears streamed down her cheeks and fell onto Nanny Obina’s arm, making her even angrier.

  “Cold, are you? Ha!” Nanny Obina laughed. “And just who do you think you are? You think you are special? You think you deserve more blankets than the rest of us?” She turned her head and spat onto the floor of her bedchamber.