Lord Ravenscrest sat and waited for the woman with the sad eyes, she had not appeared the last two times he had passed this way and waited for her. He needed to see her to hear her voice, the vision he waited to behold, and the reason he sat in the tree sweating in the summer heat be. He fidgeted impatient, Waiting and hoping that today she would come to her window to sing. He stared at the rough grey walls of the tower that jutted out of the trees, its roof piercing their foliage and reaching for the sun.
Then he saw her she was a vision to behold as she stood at the single window, thick black –blue hair fell down her back in waves that curled to her hips. Her breasts strained against the tread bare gown, her body tapering to a thin waist before being obscured by the window sill. He wished he could see the rest of her as her sad green eyes swept of the trees and fields below her lonely domain. As he had so many times he wondered who she was and why she was locked in the tower, and his gaze travelled up her body to rest at her throat where the thick silver collar glinted as she swallowed, the key hanging out of her dress bobbing slightly as each breath made her bosom swell.
The music started softly hauntingly, the sound sad and thin. As she sang the sound swelled and grew, changing on the air as her eyes began to gleam and in that brief moment, for the duration of the song, he saw her happiness. This was what had drawn him here and drew him back time and time again. The air was filled with beauty and he smiled. He had heard her as he rode home, and he knew he had to find the singer, had to hear that voice again, so here he was sitting uncomfortably in a tree for the chance to hear her sing and to see her again.
Her voice faltered and the song stopped, tears dripped down her cheeks her eyes now sparkling with unshed tears as her joy faded. He saw her fingers trace the collar that trapped her slim neck before dropping to the key that hung between her breasts. He wanted to call out to her to try to bring the happiness back to make it shine in her eyes again, he wanted to raise his hand and wipe away her tears and snap the collar from her neck but he couldn’t. Swearing softly, he made a vow on her tears that he would find out who she was and why she was locked in a tower without a door. He promised himself that he would solve her mystery and free her.
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the rider and the horse until the man dismounted by the base of the tower. Shocked for he had never seen anyone in his many visits he silently swung out of the tree and crept closer to watch. Raising his hands the stranger began to speak, the words slithering off his tongue as a section of the tower wall swung open. The stranger entered and the wall sealed itself behind him.
Lord Ravenscrest smiled to himself he now knew how to enter the tower, just a simple spell of opening laughing softly he scrambled back up the tree to see if he could see what was going on in the tower. Was this a lover who locked her up in a fit of jealousy? His fists clenched at the thought but he settled down to wait and to watch – He may be able to get in the tower but he had yet to find out how to get out. Being trapped inside with her would not aid either of them.
She appeared suddenly backing away from the stranger inside, till her thighs hit the window frame. Even over the distance he could see her body tremble and her knuckles whiten on the sill. Her head shook furiously, whipping from side to side but she did not utter a word. He saw the fist fly out and slap her across the face before the sharp crack of flesh striking flesh reached his ears. With a cry, that made his fists clench and his eyes see red, she fell to the floor. Then the man began screaming, a furious rant as the he stood over her, his back to the window. “How dare you, you stupid bitch! Is this how you repay me, sister dear, for my protection? By singing! By attracting attention!” each shouted exclamation was punctuated by a whimper from the woman on the floor as he struck her.
“How many times do I have to tell you? How many times do I have to punish you?” The man’s face was flushed as he turned and scanned the trees outside the window. Lord Ravenscrest froze in his hiding place but the man inside, her brother, just turned around. Raising his voice again his face flushed with anger he started fiercely at the girl who lay sobbing at his feet
“No-one must know you are here, do you understand?” He briefly bent out of sight “You are mine! No one will ever find you and do not think about escaping I would kill you before I let another use you! Answer me! Do you understand?” As Lord Ravenscrest’s blood boiled below with a slow anger, he strained his ears to here her muffled reply. He almost sobbed to hear the pain drown that beautiful voice that had sung so freely only moments before. The mans voice came again harshly demanding “Now tell me sister dear what I need to know”…. “Tell me”
“Please … No”. Again the sound of flesh on flesh and then a sharp piercing cry and from the trees Lord Ravenscrest could not endure any more he climbed down the tree and ran to the tower muttering the spell to open the door. He would worry about escaping the tower later but he couldn’t sit by and se another man hurt and terrorise her… her own brother he thought incredulously.
He slipped into the tower and then looked desperately for somewhere to hide as he heard footsteps on the stair. The stranger was leaving. The lord quickly crept behind the stairs as he heard the man cruelly call over his shoulder to his sister “It has been a pleasure sister dear… until next time”
Silently Ravenscrest waited listening for the exit spell. As soon as the door closed he sprinted up the stairs checking carefully for any other inhabitants. He passed three floors leading off the central spiralling staircase as he climbed upwards, a kitchen, a storeroom and one empty room, all devoid of life before he reached the door at the top of the stairs. He paused out side it to calm himself slightly, he did not what to scare her.
Taking a deep breath he pushed the door open and looked around for her. At first he thought the room was impossibly empty but then he saw her curled in the shadows her emerald eyes closed, tears leaked out under her eyelids to spill down her cheeks. One hand was pressed to her mouth the other wrapped around her knees as she shivered on the floor. His breath caught in his throat and he had to swallow hard to control himself. She looked so fragile so delicate lying on the floor; he could not imagine being able to leave the bruises that were blossoming on her face, or being able to cause the tears the fell from the lovely eyes.
