I waited until Anithis had completely re-laced my bodice to my dress before responding to his request. There was no way I could let him know the words to make the portal to my world. If he was able to carry 'druidic' powers with him, who knows what kind of mayhem he could cause there? I wouldn't do it.
"I can't tell you that." When I gave him my answer, I knew it was not what he was expecting. As if he thought I'd just bend to him like I did to him in bed! Remembering giving in so easily, I felt like kicking myself in retrospect. What power he had over me now was of my own doing. Once more vines crept up my legs and arms, holding me in place where I stood. Anithis stood glaring at me, his expression overflowing with anger as I struggled against my newest bonds.
"You tell me or I will have them slowly pull your limbs apart!" His words were so full of cruel anger that I was dumbstruck for the moment.
"You... you promised you'd never use the vines on me again!" I tossed back at him, angered that twice he had gone against his promises. The man would have made a great politician, I thought humorlessly as I fought against the bonds with all I had.
"Tell me, you stupid whore!" He slapped my face hard, my head ringing from the blow. But the term 'whore' hurt worse. He did it once more and I felt it shake my body as his hands were brought to my head. Once there, they grasped double handfuls of hair and pulled, causing me to yelp.
"You tell me the words or I will rip you apart. I am not toying with you so TELL ME!"
When he bellowed in my ear, I was so angry tears began to leak out of the sides and I felt my bottom lip begin to tremble in fear and loathing. He slapped me a couple of times until I could taste blood.
"Stop it!" I screamed at him, continuing to struggle against the vines. "I will never tell you!" My words brought a few more smacks against my cheek.
"Tell me now!" His voice was losing steam, which encouraged me. I was holding fast against his brutality and he knew it. With a few soft words, I felt my feet free of the vines, but my arms were still tied tightly. I struggled to remain on my feet as he pushed me back to the main part of the palace. We walked through his room and down the hall. The looks the guards gave was one of shock and fear, which made me wonder just how bad my face looked that they would react that way. I knew I was bleeding in several places, but I still felt strong enough to try and fight him as we walked the halls, heading to some unknown destination.
Once we traveled down a spiral staircase, which caused me to nearly fall twice without any way of stopping myself until Anithis caught me roughly and righted me both times, we entered into what appeared to be under the palace marble as it was made of dirt instead of the hard white stone. Was it a dungeon? There were torches not made of the orbs that normally lit the grounds, giving the place an eerie and frightening look to it. Once inside, I saw the entire place was made of dirt -- dug from underneath? I was not sure how it had been created, but it was dark, dank and smelly.
Anithis snapped for a couple of the guards to unlock a cell and inside we went, the men brought lanterns to hang on the walls to grant us light as we did. At the very back of the cell, lying on his side was a naked man with long pointed ear and black skin so dark it nearly blended into the chambers dark dirt walls. He stirred at the sound of our entrance, which had not been soft, and I gasped when I recognized the swollen face of the prisoner.
"Vytex?" I would have rushed to him, but Anithis held on to one of the vines that held my arms tightly in place so I turned to the pale man and screamed, "Let me go! Now!" The look in Anithis' eyes was that of amusement; he was obviously enjoying my suffering. When I felt the vines shrivel and fade into dust, I shoved the pale elvish arm away and dashed to the injured Drow's side. He was not truly conscious of what was happening around him, having been beaten badly during his stay. There was an ugly, puckered, festering wound on his side and I grimaced at how bad he looked. It was a wonder he was even alive.
"Oh Vytex." I bemoaned and then began to chant softly, touching the places I could and letting the druidic magic flow as I healed each place until he was lying with his white-haired head on my lap, sleeping peacefully for once.
"Wake the fool." Anithis snapped, but I just glared at him. "We shall add that healing spirit spell to the list you shall teach me. I do wonder what else you know." He tapped his chin and then snapped his fingers, waving them in the air. From out of thin air water splashed upon us, drenching both Vytex and I; this caused me to shriek in surprise. It did the intended job and the Drow woke with a start, sitting up in alarm as he did.
"K-Kendall?" His voice was a welcomed treat and I wrapped my arms around him, holding him tightly to me. I could feel myself tremble with emotion as I struggled not to weep on his shoulder. Touching his skin was like magic and I decided right then and there I would never let him out of my sight once free of Anithis' grip. "Is it really you?" He frowned when he squinted and saw my face. I looked down at my dress to note it was torn and raggedy from the vines. If I could have had a choice of reunions with him, it would not have been like this.
