Author's Note:
Wow I am so surprised to see all the positive feedback I received for part 2!
Part 2 was honestly the hardest thing I ever had to write. I don't think I will ever be fully pleased with how it's been written. The style, the dialogue, everything just seems clunky to me. And I think its because it leads up to a scene I took no pleasure in having to write.
I even walked away from the last scene of part 2 just to write everything else before I went back to write it. By that point so much had changed that I had to go through and change up other details, rewrite earlier scenes. A whole character even got written out. Maybe one day I'll go back and redo part 2 (once I figure out how to edit published stories) I'm assuming since you made it to part 4, you didn't let part 2 get to you. So congrats and thank you for sticking with me.
Anyways without further ado
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Aurelia woke up and stretched feeling surprisingly good for someone who had been taken prisoner by an Elvish prince who desired to do gods knows what with her, having already had his way with her body. Energized even.
She glanced around the room and spied a tray beautifully laid out with a selection of cured meats and pillowy soft bread. Beside that was a neatly folded tunic.
Of course
. She rolled her eyes at that one, as she bounced out of bed and walked across the cabin toward the table. She slipped the tunic on before sitting down to pile various meats on her bread.
She never had so much rich food available to her before. Back in the camp, food was shared, often consisting of game from the days hunt with dry bread made from old flour. Simple watered down stews would be the main evening meal unless it was winter and vegetables weren't available. Then meals were just some variation of pickled vegetables. Definitely not the same decadently spiced food that the elves seemed to consume.
Everything seemed sumptuous when it came to elves though. Her beds had been soft and lush, covered in an assortment of silks and furs. Pillows stuffed full of wool and down. Any one of which would have sold for at least a few weeks worth of food if not more. Elven made objects were such a rarity on the market and elven artisans were protective over the art of their craft.
Without a care for table etiquette she crammed her lunch into her mouth with childlike glee. She continued shoveling fistfuls of bread and meat enjoying this brief freedom to choice. Choosing to eat like a savage, loudly chewing her food. She smiled as she imagined the dismayed look she'd get from Illandriil if he caught her eating like this, his nostrils flaring out in disgust.
Illandriil, is that what I'm calling him now?
She giggled at the thought.
That's when it dawned on her. How much of her feelings right now were because of the ritual? Could she trust any of her feelings for him? She tried to think about any attraction she had prior to this. She came up with moments of her captivity where he had lovingly held her, pet her, and slept with her at night. She shook her head, straining to think of the bad memories, when he kicked her, forced himself on her, held her against her will. She grew frustrated when she couldn't quite conjure the feelings of anger for him.
She sighed, shaking her head as the same thoughts came back.
Why should I care? My people wanted me dead, whereas he's offering me life. Even if I did escape where would I go? I'm dead if I leave here but if I don't I'm betraying everyone.
The sound of a throat being cleared sounded from behind her broke her from her reverie. She jerked her head up in surprise at the robed figure standing by the cabin door. She hadn't heard him opening and shutting the door.
"My lady, I'm sorry to interrupt your-" the stranger frowned with disgust, "meal."
Aurelia quickly swallowed the food in her mouth with an audible gulp and put the remaining food in her hands back on the tray.
"-But his highness has sent me to examine you and check in on your health."
"My name is Osdon, I am a High Mage of the Faenanore Mages Order, a most prestigious order of mages reserved for only those with a deep knowledge of the arcane arts" he said, somehow both puffing up his chest with pride at his own introduction and sweeping into a graceful low bow.
"Before I get started I thought you might like to wash up a little" he said wrinkling his nose in disgust.
Aurelia blushed, aware he had seen the barbaric way that she had devoured her lunch.
"I will have someone bring in clean water for the washbasin and washcloths for you."
With that he turned and left.
It feels like I have no privacy.
After a few minutes a knock came at the door and before she could answer, an Elvish servant came into the cabin. She placed a large bowl of water along with a few clean towels and walked out without so much as a glance in her direction.
Aurelia stood up and proceeded to slowly clean her body off, tenderly scrubbing away the stiff substance away from her legs. Carefully ensuring no evidence remained of the previous night's passions. Aurelia sat down on the bed and drew her knees toward her chest, hugging them.
Osdon came into the room with a scroll of paper in hand, with another younger looking man dressed in a similar style robes. This younger man was introduced as his assistant who was here to help in his examination. Aurelia nodded, wishing to just get through with it. Osdon proceeded to move her limbs around, checking for wounds on her body and examining the symbols on her hands. As he moved along he spoke with his assistant.
"Remarkable, just like his highness, a quick recovery from the ritual. As you know Men's bodies are weaker and lack the superior bodily healing of elves, so this should have taken much longer to heal and even then, it would have left a scar."
"-Mark this bit down here and get a good illustration of the symbol on her palms" he commanded, pointing at her palm as though Aurelia wasn't even there.
He seemed more keen on seeing the Source in real life than to acknowledge the person behind it. Releasing her hands he continued grabbing hold of her jaw like he was examining a prized cow.
"It's a wonder how this species even survives, it's as I suspected, poor nutrition, the female's bones are too brittle. A clear sign of years of poor diet. Not a big surprise here, men are rather simpleminded. They lack the intelligence to understand the contents of a proper diet."
Annoyed, Aurelia clenched her fists, digging her nails into her skin.
The arrogant mage spent his time snidely making remarks whenever he could on supposed weaknesses that humans had. Arbitrary comparisons between body sizes, or whatever else he saw. With each insult Aurelia felt her patience wearing thin.
Aurelia's face burned hot.
