Chapter 6: Eye for an Eye
Heed the anger of the beast for it will spell your doom. Fear the beast for it is all-powerful.
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The Prince soared through the air above his lands, the winds whistling past his wide leathery wings. The air was punctuated with a thunderous roar as Prince Aries saw the farm come in sight, circling it like a vulture.
The sound shook the house and sent the occupants inside running outside. Trina and Samantha looked up, saw the creature and promptly fainted.
Jacob and Josiah clung to each other and Victor just stared before shaking his fist at the sky and running inside to grab his sword.
The winged beast swooped low over the two sons, claws slicing at their arms and backs as he passed, only wounding them however.
He swooped round once more, in front of the group and roared at the top of his lungs, shaking the house once more.
Jacob and Josiah stayed low on the ground, cowering in fear. Victor came out of the house, his sword ready. "Come to me you foul beast!"
And come the beast did, claws extended, razor sharp and ready to disembowel any who got in his way. His speed was immense, moving in a blur that few could follow. He attacked Victor from the side, claws slashing at his arms and chest.
Victor grunted and felt the blood running down his body as he tried to parry the beast's claws.
Prince Aries quickly grew tired of the game and grabbed Victor's sword arm in his huge claw, crushing the bone in his strong grip.
This time Victor bellowed in agony as he looked at his mangled arm. He grabbed the sword awkwardly in his left arm. "C'mon you foul beast!"
The beast seemed to laugh at this and repeated the action with Victor's left arm. The next pass, however, he grabbed Victor by the throat and lifted him effortlessly off the ground. "This is the price you pay for beating your daughter!"
Victor's face turned an ugly purple color. "What do you know about my daughter?" he wheezed.
Another long, sadistic laugh was heard from the beast as he brought Victor close. "You never know what monsters you might meet in the forest at night Victor. I wonder how you will fare against the wolves with two broken arms?"
"Why do you care about her? She's nothing but a lying whore!" Victor struggled uselessly in the beast's grip.
"Oh really Victor? This coming from a man who tries to kill his ruler. Lets see how you fare in the forest, shall we?"
Claws slashed deep into Victor's leg as the prince took to the air once more, heading for the forest and the predators that waited.
*****
Lilandra stood inside the house she'd been dragged to. She was still nude and she shivered in the cool air. She whirled when the door opened and a surly woman came in with a pail of steaming water and a cloth.
"Here!" the girl snarled and threw the cloth at Lilandra before slamming the pail down on the table, stalking out the door and slamming it closed behind her.
Lilandra blinked in astonishment before going to the pail and dipping the cloth in it. She began slowly wiping the grime off her arms, legs, and butt. She couldn't, however, get her back cleaned. She covered her face with her hands. She wanted to find a place to hide and just cry.
The door opened once more, but only for a moment before the mayor stepped in and closed it behind him, locking it. "I thought you might need a hand with your back." The mayor was still trembling a little; the fear from the attack had shaken him to his core.
Lilandra's head snapped up and she eyed him warily. "I'm fine," she said quietly as she began backing up. She didn't trust this man. He had taken advantage of her.
The mayor held a hand out for a moment. "Please, this is for the good of all of us. If you aren't prepared correctly then he will kill you and return for another. Do you really wish to be the cause of someone else's death?"
That gave Lilandra pause. "No sir." She didn't want that on her conscience.
The mayor nodded and spun his finger a moment. "I didn't think so, now turn around so we can finish here."
Her instincts told her not to trust him but since no one else seemed inclined to assist she had no choice. She turned around.
He picked up the washcloth and dunked it into the steaming pail, gently washing away the dirt and grime from her back, watching with growing lust as the water trickled between her buttocks and over her puckered anus.
She was feeling really drowsy. All she wanted to do was sleep. Exhaustion was pulling at her.
After a moment his hands bent her over slightly, the washcloth sliding over her buttocks and between her legs, lingering for much longer than necessary.
She stiffened and shifted to the side. She was not going to let him help anymore. "Don't," she stated flatly.
His hot breath fell upon her neck, his hands still insistent, sliding now between her buttocks, rubbing her tight rear entrance.
"Stop it!" she cried and tried to move away from him.
He held her arms though, pushing her against the wall face first, pressing his aroused groin against her. "The Prince only checks if your pussy is untouched, not your ass, so relax and don't make this hard for yourself."
Her eyes were wide in fright and she screamed for help as she wildly struggled. He was going to force himself on her!
Immediately there was a harsh pounding at the door, the handle rattled with strength, and the wood creaked under the strain. A loud male voice could be heard. "Open this door immediately! Or it will be broken down!"
The mayor cursed and backed away but not before slipping a finger in her pussy to finger it one last time. He leered at her and went to the door and opened it. "Can I help you?" he demanded crossly.
The mayor was grabbed and dragged out of the house, held up off the floor by the powerful arms of the Prince's manservant Lynn. "What are you doing here? You know the rules! No one other than the old maid is to help sacrifices prepare!"
"The maid said the wench attacked her! So I decided to come and see what the wench was up to," the mayor whined.
"Oh really? Is that why the maid was uninjured and grumping about how timid the girl seemed? You are pathetic!" Lynn pushed the mayor away from him into the street. "If you come near this woman again I will insure it is your hide that hangs upon the Prince's walls next." He turned back towards Lilandra. "My apologies, my lady, it will not happen again. This is for you to wear at the prince's request." He laid down a wide package, opening the lid and revealing an exquisite dress. "If you need help then call and the maid will return and help under my supervision."
When the new man had arrived, Lilandra had frantically searched the room and finally snatched up a blanket to wrap around her body. Her face was red and she was feeling humiliated. She didn't know how many more nasty surprises she could handle. She watched the man lay down the bundle. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the dress. She'd never seen anything so beautiful or so expensive in all her life. She numbly nodded and timidly headed to the table. She carefully caressed the dress. It was made of silk. "I can't wear this," she whispered. "I'll get it dirty." Tears filled her eyes. She knew the mayor hadn't completely cleaned her back and she was afraid that if she put the dress on her welts would bleed again and the dress would be ruined.
He smiled a moment and motioned to the table by the bed, upon its surface were bandages and a soothing ointment. "If you wish, my lady, I can aid in applying the bandages. If you do not trust me I can have the maid help."
He seemed kind. She walked over to the bed and turned around so that her back was to him. She gulped and dropped the towel.
He moved almost soundless trough the room and gently examined her welts and wounds, tutting occasionally, "That man may be good with numbers but when it comes to cleaning wounds he is a complete buffoon."
Gently the washcloth was applied, properly cleaning out the dirt and grime. The soothing salve was next applied into each open wound. He professionally ignored the hiss of stinging breath as it was applied, "Don't be afraid to curse my work my lady, I have felt such a potent sting before and so know just how tempting it can be. My name, by the way, is Lynn." Lastly the soft fluffy bandages were applied and secured to her back.
It hurt, the cleaning of her wounds but not as much as the wounds themselves. She felt nothing but relief when the salve was applied and her back and butt went numb. She thanked the fates for the loss of pain.
"Thank you," she said softly, her back still to the kind man.
He soundlessly stood up again and gently removed the dress from the box, holding it up for Lilandra to view. "I hope this is in your size, my lady, otherwise it will take some time to find one that fits."
The dress looked like it would fit. She'd never had one that fit right in her entire life. Her mother had always made her clothes a size or two too big so that she could wear them for a few years. She stepped into the dress and slid it up on her shoulders. It was a perfect fit.
Slowly Lynn slid the hooks together, securing the dress in place and smiled as he looked Lilandra up and down. "Perfect." He offered his arm to her and motions towards the door, where outside awaited the palace carriage.
She slid her arm through his. She was still feeling self-conscious and her hair was a mess but there was nothing she could do about that. It took five hours just to be able to brush all the tangles from her hair. She only did it once a week at home.
They walked in silence towards the carriage, the door opened for her by one of the guards and she was helped up into it. The door was closed and Lynn climbed aboard, jerking the reins to begin the horses.
Lilandra studied the inside of the carriage in awe. It was made of the finest of silks as well as dazzling gemstones. She was overwhelmed. She was to be a sacrifice. That meant she was going to die. Well at least she would die quickly rather than slowly on her father's farm.
As the carriage rumbled along the long cobbled road, the beating of wings could be heard as the prince returned. The wind was blowing towards the side of the carriage and a wet smack was heard as a piece of blood drenched cloth struck the window. It was the patch Victor always wore above his heart.
Lilandra let out a scream and then paled when she saw what it was that was on the window. She felt herself get lightheaded and she fainted.
The coach immediately pulled over and Lynn quickly dismounted and entered the carriage, "My lady!"
