“Yes, Father,” Knuckles and Picasso chimed simultaneously.
As soon as Lord Tremaine left the room Knuckles beat Ashe with his fists until he finally grew tired. Picasso took over and started to carve swirls into his chest with a scalpel until he grew bored by Ashe’s lack of screaming. The brothers untied Ashe’s restraints and he fell to the floor. Knuckles and Picasso chuckled as they stared down at Ashe’s fallen form.
“He acts so tough, but he fell right over,” Knuckles jeered.
“He’s boring.” Picasso let out a disappointed sigh. “He doesn’t scream like he used to. We should ask Father to get us a new plaything. Preferably a woman.” A twisted leer spread across Picasso’s face at the thought, and he rubbed his hands together in an eager fashion.
“A woman?” Knuckles raised an eyebrow at his brother and nodded. “It may be fun to give a woman a spanking. I’d really make her squeal.”
“I’d like to decorate her flawless skin with scars,” Picasso said in a dreamy tone. “I’d create a true masterpiece.”
“Cowards,” Ashe muttered.
Knuckles kicked Ashe in his stomach for being a smartass. “You say something, Ashe?”
“No,” Ashe said.
“That’s what I thought,” Knuckles said.
“Come on, it smells in here,” Picasso complained, referring to the scent of spilled blood. “Make sure you clean up this mess, Ashe.”
Knuckles and Picasso left the room and closed the door behind them. Ashe lay bleeding on the floor for a few minutes while trying to regain his strength. He knew that he needed to get up and tend to his wounds before he bled to death on the floor.
Ashe pushed himself up off the floor and staggered over to a table that had a porcelain bowl, pitcher of water, bandages, unguent, salve, and other medical supplies on it. He removed the ruined vest, shirt, and jacket, which were really just strips of fabric at this point.
Ashe cleaned his open, bleeding wounds as best he could before applying a salve to them. Lastly, he wrapped bandages around his torso. By the time he was finished, Ashe was beginning to feel like a Mummy.
Ashe took a deep breath, slapped his cheeks, and tried to gather his strength for what he had to do next - clean the room. He filled a bucket with water, grabbed a mop, and set to work mopping up all the blood on the floor that was around the X-cross. His blood.
Ashe knew that he was also expected to clean the cat-o-nine whip that Lord Tremaine had just used on him. After he’d finished mopping the floor he approached the table where the broken cane sword was. He picked up the ivory handle and his eyes burned with unshed tears. “One day, Lord Tremaine…you’ll get what’s coming to you. One day, I shall have my revenge!”
To be continued in…Chapter 3:
Chapter 3:
The following morning Ashe awoke to discover that he was lying on the attic floor. He’d been up all night mending one of his father’s old suits - a red one with golden embroidery this time. Gustava was playing with a spool of thread and rolling it across the floor with her little paws.
Ashe sat up and groaned. He had a crick in his neck from sleeping on the floor instead of his bed, but that was the least of his injuries thanks to Lord Tremaine and his sadistic sons.
“Ashe!” someone was yelling his name. This was followed by the sound of bells being rung. Shit. His stepfather and stepbrothers were already awake, and probably wanted breakfast. Ashe stuffed the suit into a burlap sack and stealthily made his way down to the kitchen. He quickly made breakfast, brought it into the parlor on a silver tray, and set the tray on the round table.
It hurt to move. Ashe winced as he set the tray down, and Knuckles and Picasso chuckled and smiled evilly at his discomfort. He was just their ‘plaything’. Lord Tremaine was seated on his usual wingback chair and was currently petting his cat Lucy. The cat was giving Ashe a condescending look. “How are you feeling, Ashe?” Christian asked in a casual tone.
Was that a trick question? “I’m feeling…fine, Lord Tremaine,” Ashe answered through gritted teeth.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Christian said with an approving nod. “The floor in the foyer needs to be mopped. I want to be able to see my reflection on those marble tiles by lunch time.”
Ashe clenched his hands into fists at his sides as he tried to hold back his anger, and grinded his back molars. He had no choice but to say: “Yes, Lord Tremaine.”
Despite the fact he was gravely injured Ashe filled a bucket with water, grabbed a mop, and started to clean the floor in the foyer. His movements were causing some of his wounds to reopen and he started to bleed through the dirty, white cotton shirt he was wearing. Ashe winced in pain when he moved the mop across the floor a little too hard. Fuck, Lord Tremaine and his fucked up sons. Ashe thought venomously.
Lord Tremaine was probably listening to Ashe mop the floor from the parlor and waiting to hear a whimper of pain slip past Ashe’s lips. Ashe was determined not to give him the satisfaction.
Hours later, Ashe was nearly finished with the floor, but when he turned around he saw that Lucy had dirtied the floor with a series of paw prints made out of ash. “You have got to be shitting me! Fuck you, you damn cat! What did I ever do to you?” Ashe chased Lucy out of the foyer with his mop held high. He could have sworn Lucy was cackling as she ran away, but cats didn’t cackle. Did they?
By the time Ashe finished redoing the floor in the foyer he was ghostly pale, his body was trembling slightly, and sweat was beaded on his brow. Blood was also seeping through his white cotton shirt at an alarming rate. A wave of dizziness swept over him, and he must have passed out at some point because the feeling of someone shaking his shoulder awoke him. “Ashe.”
Ashe blinked his bleary eyes and stared up at Lord Tremaine. “Lord Tremaine…?” he asked in a raspy voice. His throat was incredibly dry. He swallowed a few times in an effort to clear it.
“You’re bleeding on the floor.” Christian let out an irritated sigh. He took out a cigar, lit it, and started to smoke while he looked down at Ashe. “I think that’s enough for today. You’re going to do more harm than good if you continue to try and clean. Go up to your room and rest. I don’t want my servant dying on me.”
Ashe let out a soft sigh of relief. “Thank you, Lord Tremaine.” He made his way up to the attic, entered, and locked the door behind him. Ashe smiled grimly. Now he had the perfect alibi. He’d be able to sneak out of the château, borrow a horse, and meet up with Snow at the front gate of the castle just as planned. There would be no resting for him.
Ashe took a quick sponge bath, cleaned and re-bandaged his wounds, dressed in the mended suit, and lastly brushed and tied his hair back into a ponytail. He looked at his reflection in a full-length mirror. Ashe looked like a noble again. Unfortunately, he also looked pale and was visibly sweating. “Whatever,” he said with a shrug.
Ashe spotted the broken cane sword and hesitated before deciding to bring it with him. Perhaps, he could get Blacksmith Rapunzel to re-forge the sword. Ashe opened the window and climbed down using the ivy that was clinging to the outer wall of the château. Miraculously, he made it to the ground in one piece. After that Ashe made his way to the stables in a stealthy manner and tacked up a white horse.
Ashe led the horse out of the stables and into the nearby forest. Only once Ashe deemed himself far enough away from the château did he mount the horse and ride off in the direction of Apple Kingdom.
Prince Snow Flurris was already at the front gate and waiting for Ashe when he arrived. Snow was dressed in a white, button-down shirt, blue vest, black pants, and a red cape. His enchanted sword was strapped to his side. Ashe noted that the suit appeared to be brand-new, made of silk, and that his leather boots had been shined until they gleamed. He felt a twinge of envy at Snow’s well put-together appearance.
Snow grinned and waved as soon as he caught sight of Ashe riding up to the gate. He held up a rolled-up piece of parchment in a triumphant manner. “I got the map!”
/> Ashe gave Snow a wan smile. “Great.”
Snow had expected a much more enthusiastic response, and his shoulders drooped with disappointment. At least, until he looked Ashe over. The young man was pale, there was sweat on his brow, and was he trembling slightly? “Hey, are you okay, man? You look ill.” Snow’s smile dipped into a concerned frown.
Ashe stiffened and offered Snow a curt reply: “I’m fine.”
“We could always go another day,” Snow suggested tentatively.
“No. It has to be today,” Ashe said in an insistent manner. I have no idea when I’ll be able to sneak out of the house again like this. He thought.
Snow shrugged. “Well, alright, if you’re sure you’re up to it. Bones Kingdom is a long ride from here. Think you can make it?”
“Yeah,” Ashe said.
Snow gave Ashe a skeptical look. “Okay…take a look at this.” He unrolled the map and showed it to Ashe.
Ashe’s golden eyes widened as he looked at the map of the Land of Fantasia. It showed all four Kingdoms: Glass Kingdom, Apple Kingdom, Bones Kingdom, and Rose Kingdom. But it was no ordinary map - it was enchanted. Ashe and Snow were showing up on the map as two green dots positioned before the gate. When Ashe looked ahead at Bones Kingdom he saw that the forest was filled with red dots. “What do those red dots signify?”
“Enemies,” Snow revealed with a proud note to his voice. “As you know Bones Kingdom is ruled by the Demon King Gothel. It’s where the demons live, as well as the undead, Dark Elves, Dark Fairies, skeletons, incubi, succubi, vampires, devils, slime monsters, and insect monsters. We’ll be able to avoid them by avoiding those red dots.”
Ashe was impressed by the map’s abilities and relieved they could avoid fighting. He wasn’t a coward, but in his current condition he would rather avoid any unnecessary conflict. And his cane sword was broken. “Brilliant. Would that map show any assassins that are after you?” Ashe asked.
Snow stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner. “Any being with malevolent or murderous intent will appear as a red dot to whoever is holding the map. I suppose it would work as a way for me to avoid my enemies, but…I borrowed this map from King Reginald. He’s always been kind to me, but I don’t want to risk getting on his bad side. There’s something about him that I don’t trust.”
Ashe could understand the consequences of borrowing something all too well. “That’s a shame. It would be useful.”
“Yeah,” Snow agreed with a wistful note to his voice.
With Prince Snow Flurris leading the way they rode down the dirt road, entered the forest, and started to head towards Bones Kingdom. By late afternoon, they’d crossed the border of Apple Kingdom, and had entered Bones Kingdom. The calm, tranquil forest’s atmosphere changed at once, and grew darker and more ominous.
Snow kept a close eye on the map so that they were able to avoid any enemies and monsters that lurked in the spooky, misty forest. There were hundreds of red dots and this caused Snow to gulp nervously.
Snow frowned when he noticed a green dot following them. He glanced over his shoulder, but there was no one there. Snow pulled back on his horse’s reins and brought his black stallion to a stop. “Whoa.” He looked around at the surrounding trees.
Ashe rode up next to Snow. “What is it?”
“Someone’s following us.” Snow showed Ashe the map. “See, this green dot. But there’s no one there. You don’t think it’s a kind, beautiful female ghost do you?” Snow was equal parts intrigued and frightened by his own suggestion.
Ashe looked behind them. He could hear something tramping through the woods after them, but Snow was right - there appeared to be no one there unless they were invisible. An amused smile curled Ashe’s lips as he realized just who it might be. “I know who is following us. There’s no need to worry.”
“Who?” Snow asked with a curious gleam in his sapphire eyes.
“My stalker,” Ashe revealed in a blasé tone.
“Stalker?” Snow couldn’t decide whether or not he wanted to smile or frown. “Are we talking male or female here?”
“Female.”
Snow suddenly looked very interested and glanced around the forest with a gleam in his eyes. “Is she cute?”
Ashe frowned at the philanderer’s sudden interest in Julie. “How the hell should I know? She’s always wearing a mask. But my guess would be that she’s…attractive. High-class ladies usually are, and the rest of her is…well, but she’s only a silly little girl.”
“How young are we talking here?” Snow asked.
“Too young for you,” Ashe snapped hotly.
Snow put his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Whoa. Sorry I asked. I was just curious. I didn’t know you liked her.” The glint in Snow’s eyes had turned mischievous.
Ashe gave Snow an incredulous look. “I don’t. She’s a very strange girl.”
“Mmhm,” Snow hummed.
“Besides, I hate women,” Ashe grumbled.
“Why?” Snow asked.
“Women are selfish and duplicitous,” Ashe said in a matter-of-fact tone. “They’re not to be trusted.”
Snow reached out and placed a hand on Ashe’s arm out of concern. “Who hurt you?”
“My own mother. She…” Ashe bit his lower lip to stop himself from saying more and shook his head. “That’s none of your business, you womanizing fop.”
“When my mother married Reginald…I felt betrayed at first,” Snow revealed in a casual tone. “But I don’t hold this betrayal against other women. I love the ladies.” A lascivious grin spread across the prince’s face. “And I enjoy sex, so I’m not giving that up.”
Ashe was surprised that he and Snow had something in common - that their real fathers were dead and now they were dealing with stepfathers. “Pervert,” Ashe sneered in disgust.
Snow gave Ashe a keen look. “Oh, come on, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy sex? You’re not a virgin, are you?”
“I’m not a virgin,” Ashe snapped. “And I don’t find sex to be all that enjoyable.”
Snow gave his companion a piercing look. “Then you’re not doing it right. You know…I’ve heard rumors of a handsome lord that seduces mature women for money in Glass Kingdom. Are they talking about you?”
Ashe stiffened. Shit.
Bull’s eye. Snow thought. “Why do you need money so badly? Aren’t you a noble?”
“That’s none of your fucking business,” Ashe growled.
Snow put his hands up before him in a surrendering gesture again. “Whoa. Touchy. Sorry, Mr. Sensitive. But maybe I could help-”
“I don’t need anyone’s help,” Ashe said fiercely. “I’m fine on my own.”
“That…must be lonely,” Snow said with a sympathetic look on his face. “I, on the other hand, need people’s help all the time. The Royal Guard is always coming to my rescue. I’m a lousy fighter and a dismal wizard. I’m a lover. Not a fighter. I’m pretty useless in combat. The only thing I’m good at is sex. Or so the ladies tell me.” Snow threw Ashe a roguish wink.
“You’re not useless,” Ashe murmured. “You’re helping me, aren’t you? I never would have gotten this close to Blacksmith Rapunzel’s Tower without your help.”
“Thanks.” Snow looked down at the map, and spotted the tower that was conveniently marked ‘Rapunzel’s Tower’. “We’re almost there. It should be just up ahead through those trees. Oh, shit.” Snow noticed a red dot approaching the tower at high speed from the North.
“What is it?” Ashe asked.
“A red dot is approaching the tower,” Snow explained. “Let’s dismount and approach the tower on foot in order to see who or what it is.” Ashe nodded in agreement to Snow’s plan.
The two young men dismounted and tethered their horses to some nearby trees. Next, they started to creep through the forest towards the tower as stealthily as possible. Just before they would have entered the clearing where the tower stood, Ashe and Snow crouched down and peered out past the trees that line
d the edge of the forest.
Rapunzel’s Tower was forty-feet-tall and had a circular room at the top that almost looked like a small, Tudor-style house with a pointed, sloping roof. The only entrance to the tower appeared to be the window at the very top. Mysterious stone ruins surrounded the tower and were covered with moss and vegetation.
From the other side of the clearing a cloaked and hooded figure emerged, and started to stalk towards the tower with purposeful steps. Ashe and Snow both stilled and held their breaths. The figure had a very oppressive and malevolent aura. He stopped below the window and paused, glancing in Ashe and Snow’s direction. Snow sucked in a startled breath as he caught a glimpse of what was beneath the hood.
“What?” Ashe whispered.
“I thought I saw…” Snow shook his head in a disbelieving manner. “His face looked like a skull with glowing red eyes, but that can’t be right. If that man is who I think he is…then he’s a demon and not a skeleton.”
The man looked away and glanced up at the tower window. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair so that I may climb thy golden stair,” he chanted in a deep, throaty voice.
At that moment, a long cascade of golden hair was tossed out the window. The man grabbed it and started to use it to climb up the tower. The figure disappeared inside of the tower for several minutes and then exited carrying a large burlap stack filled with weapons. The swords’ hilts could be seen poking out of the top of the sack.
Ashe’s hand twitched and automatically went to the hilt of his cane sword. That bag is probably filled with enchanted weapons. Ashe thought. I could kill that man and steal a sword or two. But something told Ashe, a gut feeling, that if he attacked that figure it would be the last thing he ever did. And I thought Lord Tremaine was scary. But he’s a cuddly pussycat compared to that creepy bastard.
Snow reached out, placed a hand over Ashe’s, and shook his head. Ashe swallowed and nodded. He didn’t have a death wish. The duo watched as the figure climbed back down the tower, hefted the bag of weapons over his shoulder, and stalked off into the forest.
Ashe and the Glass Sword Page 6