The Tattooed Woman

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The Tattooed Woman Volume 2 - Chapter 6:

Cassie sat in the bed and wept in abject misery and shame. She had watched, helpless as a woman trying to protect her had been murdered right in front of her. It was true the woman was a Dark Elf, and that she had bought her as a slave, but she'd never treated her as such. She'd had to work and work hard enough at that, but she was well used to it and had watched as Narissa worked just as hard.

And the woman had been strangely friendly for all she was a Dark Elf, always cracking a joke or teasing, teaching her how to swear in the Dark Elven language, and how to use a knife of all things. She'd had a room of her own for the first time, ever, and at meals, Narissa sat at the same table as her workers and ate the same food, nobody went hungry.

And now she was dead.

A cool hand stroked her brow and Cassie started, realising that one side of her head had been shaved and ached abominably. Her vision swam, dizziness made her stomach churn, and she leaned over the side of the bed to vomit into the bucket held before her as a soft voice spoke, "There, there, the nausea will pass in time girl, and fear not, your pretty hair will grow back soon enough."

Cassie looked up from the bucket and used the soft cloth she was given to wipe away the drool and bile from her lips. She expected to see the strange blonde woman from the inn, the one with the sinister blue eyes but the person before her was different. She still had fair hair and her eyes were just as blue, but she looked... younger. She smiled and poured liquid from a long-necked jug upon the bedside table into a goblet and held it out to her, "Here, drink this, it is a little watered wine, the taste is not unpleasant, and it is not strong enough to addle your wits."

The young serving girl sipped the drink, it cooled her throat and settled her nerves and she found herself asking, "Who are you?"

The girl smiled, "I am Ellén, daughter of Fair Shalidar, Dragon of the South, and you are Cassie," she gave the girl an impish grin, "sometimes called 'Little Cassie', but in truth you are not fond of the nickname, though I think it sweet."

"How do you know that?"

"Oh, magick of course."

"W-what happened to me? My head hurts."

"You were cruelly struck, in truth, it was near enough a mortal blow, and would have left you maimed and... crippled, but I have healed you."

Cassie touched her head gingerly before looking back at the woman, "Why?"

Ellén smiled, "Why what Cassie? Why did I heal you, or why were you taken?"

"Yes."

The woman laughed, "Oh, I like you, human, you're brave. It is not my place to tell you, but I always despised it when my mother was all mysterious and answered my questions with such a reply, so I will try to explain as best I can. But first, are you hungry? You have been asleep for some time, and I wondered if my healing might... drain you, I suppose?"

Cassie was about to shake her head, but her stomach rumbled noisily, causing the woman to laugh again, "I think I have my answer. I told you the nausea would pass quickly. Let me fetch you something to eat first and then I will try to address at least some of your questions."

"Am I a prisoner?"

The woman had risen from the bed to go but paused and turned back to the girl, "Hmm, an interesting question, I should say you probably are, for the moment anyway. But it would please me if I could instead consider and treat you as a guest, for you are still unwell," she smiled mischievously, "and dungeons are such dreary places I'm told."

"You said you were the daughter of... Shalidar? Is that the woman who took me? The one who murdered my friend?"

Ellén's smile faded, and she sighed, "I'm sorry about your friend Cassie, truly. I do not think it was to my mother's design that she was killed, but you have the right of it, for she was the one who took you, and thus must ultimately bear the responsibility for the deed."

Cassie stared at the woman coldly for a long moment and when she spoke her voice quivered with defiance, "I'm young, and a nobody, but I don't turn my back on my friends, or those who tried to help me. So, you best put me to your dungeon Miss. For I am your prisoner and not your guest, and if I ever get the chance, I will cut her throat for what she did."

The woman stared into the young girl's eyes for a long moment and shook her head sadly, "It's fair I suppose, but in the interim or until you see evidence to the contrary will you perchance accept that I had no part of it?"

Reluctantly Cassie nodded.

"Then please be

my

guest, for now, at least until you are well, then we can talk again of dungeons and throat cutting. If it makes you feel better and more like a reluctant prisoner, I will place a guard upon the door to bar any escape, for in your weakened condition you would only harm yourself in making such an attempt, and in truth, we have some very large... ah,

cats

here, that would make quick work of a small mouse such as you."

"I'll make no promises of good behaviour that I can't keep Miss."

The woman chuckled, "I was right Cassie, you truly are a brave girl. Let me fetch you something to eat, and we can mayhap talk a little more if you are not too fatigued by my presence."

As she reached the door Ellén paused and looked back at the girl, "Cassie, I truly am sorry for your friend, and you are not a nobody."

The slave girl said nothing, but after the woman had left, she wiped away her tears and looked about the place carefully.

She found herself in a well-appointed bedroom of sorts, far better than any she had ever been allowed to sleep in before, better even than the innkeepers, whose wife had been so fastidious, and proud as she was of the new linens she had Cassie spread upon their bed every so often. The bed was incredibly comfortable, with soft sheets and many pillows and there were bedside tables on both sides, one bearing the wine and goblets, and the other holding a silver bowl containing berries and fruit. The chamber had a wardrobe of prodigious size placed against one wall and in the far corner was a dressing table with an actual reflecting glass and Cassie would have marvelled at the thing had her circumstances not been quite so frightening. She had only ever seen two of the things before, one belonged to a noble lady who was travelling and passed by the inn. A servant had held it for the woman as she examined her hair. The other was the great mirror behind the bar at the Raven's Nest, but it was cracked. Thinking of the bar brought Narissa to mind, but she forced away the tears for she required a clear head if she hoped to survive this place.

There was a fireplace with a witchfire burning and it warmed the room, but Cassie shivered as she looked about. The walls were decorated in green, with frescoes of trees and other pleasant woodland scenes, and it was illuminated with cunningly crafted witchfire lanterns, which was just as well, for there were no windows, and Cassie nodded to herself.

It was a jail cell, a pretty and comfortable one to be sure, but a jail cell nonetheless.

There were two doors to the chamber. The one used by the woman when she left presumably led outwith, but the other opened into a private bathing area with yet another door that gave access to the water closet and Cassie giggled at the marble, porcelain and polished wood contraption for it was a far cry from what she was used to,

"Wouldn't be surprised if they kept some poor souls around to wipe their arses for them."

The door to the room opened and Ellén returned carrying a large silver tray bearing numerous covered dishes. She smiled to find Cassie up and giggled merrily at her appearance.

Cassie looked at herself in the mirror and could not help but chuckle herself for she was wearing a silk bedshirt that was clearly far too large for her, the bottom trailed across the floor like the train of a wedding gown and she looked like a small child dressed in her mother's nightdress. Even so, it was beautifully embroidered for all that and she marvelled at its softness.

Ellén smiled, "I think my nightshirt is perhaps a little roomy for a slender thing such as yourself Cassie, if it comes to pass that you are to remain here for any length of time then needs must I should make one more suited to your proportions."

"You made this?"

The taller woman smiled broadly, "Indeed! And without magick, well without much magick, to boot. Do you like the embroidery? It took an age to get it just so."

As she spoke the woman placed the tray upon the bed, "Here! I did not know what you would enjoy so I brought a selection. Would you mind if I ate with you? I know you must have apprehensions about me so if you wish I will leave you alone for a spell, but I do enjoy company and would very much like to stay."

Cassie frowned, "It's your jail, you can do as you please, I suppose."

Ellén laughed, "Oh, I like that, just enough bite to express annoyance, but not so much as to descend into insult and insolence. You truly have learned well from the Dökkálfar. But come, sit across from me and see if I have brought anything to your taste."

There were many dishes under the silver coverings, some she recognised, but many she did not, "What are those?"

"Oh, those are mussels, I always enjoyed seafood, this is lobster and yonder is pieces of cooked fish," she gestured to the green vegetables, "this is seaweed would you believe? It is gathered from the shore. But look here, if the fish is not to your taste, I have brought some slices of pork, some beef and cooked woodpigeon, which I always like. Please, indulge yourself, though I can fetch another selection if this is not to your liking."

Cassie was suspicious but the woman grinned and as if reading the very thoughts from her mind she reached across and helped herself to a small selection from a number of plates before sitting back to enjoy the repast. The younger woman gingerly nibbled at a bit of fish and found she was so ravenous she could barely stop herself from eating her fill.

The blonde woman chuckled merrily and plucked apart some woodpidgeon for herself, "I had thought the healing would give you an appetite. Please! Do not stand on ceremony, eat hearty, I can always fetch more if you desire."

The young woman ate until she felt she was fit to burst, but eventually, even her great hunger was finally abated and, unable to eat another morsel, she flopped back in her place upon the bed sated and... well, not happy as such, but not as miserable as she had been.

Ellén moved the tray to the dresser with a smile, "I had thought the healing would affect you thus, but even so, for such a small girl you did the tray proud," she smiled mischievously, "but what of dessert?"

Cassie groaned.

"I'll not force one upon you this night, but mayhap tomorrow you will perchance leave just a little room, my mother says I make a most delicious custard."

"You made that?"

"Well, I did cheat a little for it would have taken too long to cook otherwise, but yes, I... made it, I suppose one could say."

She settled herself upon the bed and her face took on an almost serious expression, "Now, to indulge your questions. I'm afraid after eating such, in your condition, you will doubtless begin to feel very sleepy quite soon, so I will restrict you to two questions for now. I will offer another two on the morrow," she grinned, "if you behave."

Cassie thought hard. There were many questions she was bursting to ask, but if she only had two, then she'd best not squander them on things she might discern for herself.

Looking up she pursed her lips, "Why was I taken?"

Ellén laughed brightly, "Oh, that's good! No wasted queries upon the frivolous or obvious, you are such a clever girl."

Cassie stared, "Indeed."

The woman giggled, "I'm sorry, I'm speaking to you as though you are a toddling child who just learned to use a chamber pot. I apologise, it's just that you are so very young, but then," she mused, "you all are I suppose."

Gathering her thoughts, the woman tried to form a reply, "Now, some of this is conjecture and so may not be entirely correct, you would have to seek an answer from my mother as to the finer details and reasoning, but I think, Cassie, that you have stumbled into what might be described as a strange and bizarre family squabble."

The woman held up a hand to forestall the girl before she could speak, "Do not waste a question Cassie, for I am serious when I make a bargain. In the meantime, I will offer some clarification if I may."

Cassie nodded and the woman continued, "So, as I said my mother is Shalidar, her 'husband' was my father, Typhonos, sometimes called "Typhonos the Great" or "Typhonos the Mighty", though to give him his due he always disdained such flattery. Now his brother, was Eber, the Dragon of the North."

The young woman interrupted, "Eber? I know that name."

"Indeed? I wondered if you might. But to continue, now my.. er, 'House' is bound in service to another, and this entity determined that Eber was keeping a great treasure from him and thus was a threat, so he commanded Eber's destruction. Knowing such a course of action might not sit well with my father and being a malicious sort who did not brook even the possibility of defiance he gave the task to my step-brothers, and they, being the vicious little bastards they were, accomplished the deed with relish, though not without cost, for even taken unawares by treachery Eber was no weakling."

She sighed, "But the idiots failed! For while they were dab hands at murder, they were too stupid and bloodthirsty to remember the primary purpose of their task was to recover the 'treasure' desired by their Master and this proved utterly ruinous for a surprisingly large number of my kind."

Cassie yawned and Ellén tilted her head, "Are you weary Cassie? Shall I continue my tale tomorrow?"

Her eyes felt increasingly heavy, but she sat up, "No, please, keep going, I want to hear more. Besides, I have a second question still, do I not?"

"I won't cheat you out of your question Cassie, if you fall asleep you can have three tomorrow, I promise."

"Please, I can stay awake a while yet, and I really want to hear the rest."

"As you please, but if you fall asleep you may miss the detail, and as you should know, that's where the Devils reside. But anyway, Eber, had a wife, and when she found her husband murdered, she was... erm, vexed."

"Adair! You mean my sister Adair, don't you? Oh, shit..."

Ellén laughed, "Oops! It's not so easy treating with my kind is it not? But yes, I mean Adair, though for you to say she is your 'sister' if that is true, is a terrifying concept, and I begin to think this idea of taking you might not be such a wise plan after all. But mayhap we can speak more of this on the morrow. Now, to bed young lady."

"Wait! I may have wasted my second question, but you did not finish answering the first. Please..."

Ellén sighed, "Very well, your 'sister' was not content to calmly allow the murder of her husband to pass unanswered, as any feckless idiot with but half a brain could have well predicted given the temper of her dam, but I digress, so once she had raised a barrow and properly interred him, she went out seeking vengeance. She hounded my stepbrothers to the very ends of the earth, smashing and burning everything and everyone in her path until she ran them to ground. Then she destroyed them, utterly."

"Now my father was no less proud than Adair, and he could not let the deaths of his children pass any more than she could forgive the murder of her husband, so he and his younger brother Demeritus sought out Adair and offered battle.

"From what I have heard it was a hard fight, one that burned the sky and scorched the earth, and in the end, none of the combatants left the field without wounds. My father never recovered, being for all intents and purposes maimed beyond all healing. Demeritus crawled from the field a shattered husk, but his wounds were eventually 'treated', and it appears Adair also suffered great harm and thereafter lost her wits to grief and loss. Yet, now she returns, and my mother seeks to draw her out without risking battle, for only an idiot would covet exchanging blows with such a creature. Shalidar seeks to discern Adair's strength and purpose I think, and to that end she has taken you Cassie, as a hostage of sorts, hoping that concern for your safety may cause the woman to stay her hand, and hold back her anger long enough for discourse."

Ellén looked at Cassie and frowned, "I'm beginning to wonder if she has perhaps made a grievous error in this."

"Are you truly a dragon? I thought it was a title, like "Knight" or "Wizard". Dragons are creatures of legend and myth, surely."

The woman chuckled, "Is that so? Well, young Cassie, you must wait until tomorrow if you wish to ask me that, for it is not my fault you squandered your second question. But... If you promise to behave, I may be inclined to be more fulsome with my answers, maybe."

Cassie swallowed nervously and quietly asked, "What will your mother do to me?"

"Yet another question! I should scold you," she looked down at the frightened girl and sighed, "I do not think she means you harm child, truly, so go to sleep Little Cassie, you are safe for now at least."

The woman's blue eyes, so like her mother's, glowed and as the witchlamps dimmed in response Cassie found her eyelids growing impossibly heavy, and she slipped into a warm, enveloping darkness.

...

"Bought! Who bought you?"

Dana stirred her uneaten supper and shook her head miserably, "I do not know, for the guards would not say. But I am to be taken away from here come morning."

Gorsini stared at the woman and then snarled, "Stay here!"

She grabbed his arm before he could rise, "No! There is no way to fight this, and to make the attempt now would be beyond foolish. Let us... at least be friends again, even if only for one last night. Will you do this, for me?"

He sniffed and looked away a moment before turning back to her and she could see that he was making an effort to smile, "I would like that lass. And it won't be forever, I'm sure we'll meet again, and if it makes you feel better, I'll have Magda break my nose on your behalf."

Dana smiled and patted his hand gently, "Thanks, you're still a total prick for drugging me, but you were a good Captain for all that and... I'll miss you. And don't have Magda do that, it just got healed up after all," she grinned, "and besides, I'd rather wait and do it myself someday."

He looked at her and rose, "Wait here, I have an idea," he held up a hand before she could protest, "don't worry, it's nothing foolish, but give me a moment."

The man walked over and spoke to a nearby guard who looked across at Dana and after a moment nodded and walked off. Soon enough the overseer appeared, and more words were exchanged, and Dana began to worry as to what mad nonsense the man had initiated.

Eventually, Gorsini returned, but would say nothing as to what had transpired and only grinned at the girl, despite her irritated questioning.

After supper and a period of exercise, those enslaved were ordered back to the cells for the evening, but Dana was surprised when a guard stopped her and led her aside to another cell making her wonder if she was to be moved all the sooner. To her amazement, she found Magda and Gorsini within, along with a few bottles of booze. The man smiled at her as Magda wrapped her arms about the woman in a fierce bearhug.

Gorsini spoke, "I ransomed back the cousin of one of the slavers once and she said her cousin would make attempt to purchase me so she could repay the debt, but given all that awaits me back home is torture and a fucking bonfire I convinced the overseer that I would rather have some time with my friends and a few bottles of whatever the fuck this stuff is," he grinned, "what say you, girls, shall we get shitfaced together one last time?"