The Tattooed Woman

THE TATTOOED WOMAN - Chapter 21

I hope folks are enjoying the story so far. Please leave comments, as criticism both positive and constructive is inherently useful. Plus, I like reading comments, so that's cool.

The Tattooed Woman Volume 2 - Chapter 7: Dining with Dragons

It was the sensation of fingers gently stroking the shaved side of her head that eventually woke Cassie from her deep slumber. The dream had been a pleasant one and it was with reluctance that the conscious world intruded itself and her eyelids slowly fluttered open.

The blood-red eyes of the Drow stared back at her as he loomed so close that she could feel his breath upon her cheek.

His hair was silver, his skin as black as ebon and his torn face was split in a sardonic smile that revealed white teeth.

Cassie drew a terrified breath and would have shrieked had he not pressed a finger gently against her lips and whispered in his cold, cold voice, "Quiet."

The creature tilted his head slightly as it regarded her, "Your wound has been well tended, little mouse. The healing trance has done its work, but the skin is so smooth and unblemished I have to wonder if the hair will ever regrow."

His fingers moved to touch its own scarred features, "They did not think to waste such healing spells on me."

Cassie swallowed, "I... "

The thing sat back and regarded her with a look of calculated malice, "Clearly you are of greater value than I it seems," it grinned, and its voice was heavy with sarcastic humour as it feigned a pout, "alas, poor me."

Rising from the bed with a fluid cat-like grace the creature stalked about the room, looking at the comfortable surroundings with obvious disapproval before turning back to the girl. The Drow wore its dark mail and rested one hand upon the ornate hilt of the sword at its side. The menacing-looking falcata had a heavy curved blade and a scabbard of dark red leather.

It spoke in a sneering tone of command, "Up! Rouse yourself slave, and dress. For your Mistress would have words with you."

Cassie looked about desperately until the thing pointed towards the wardrobe, "Your rags are in there, now stir yourself from your sloth, otherwise I shall gladly whip the skin from your hide should you keep Lady Shalidar waiting."

Moving quickly the terrified girl went to the wardrobe and fetched her clothes. The creature watched smiling as she looked about nervously before moving towards the door to the bathroom.

"Stop!"

She looked back at him, and he gave her a wicked smile, "I am your guard this day, you may not hide yourself from me," he pointed to a spot on the carpet in front of him, "dress there!"

"But..."

The thing took a menacing step towards her, "Dress now! Or I shall strip that nightgown from you and march you through these halls naked."

Quivering, blushing in embarrassment and shame Cassie turned her back on the dark figure as she drew the nightdress over her head and dropped it to the floor. She reached for her skirt but froze with a terrified whimper as the menacing figure silently moved closer and idly traced a finger down her spine as it whispered in her ear, "You are a scrawny thing, but passing comely for all that. I think, when these creatures are done with you and cast you aside, I shall save you from being so thoughtlessly discarded by taking you for myself. Would this not please you?"

Cassie shuddered at his touch and swallowed, "I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be, and I can feel your trembling, you fear me well enough."

The girl drew a breath and turned to face him. It was hard, but she forced herself to meet its gaze, "So you say. But I think instead you would be wise to fear me!"

The thing laughed, "Fear you? You are helpless and alone. I could throw you to the floor and indulge whatever vile impulse I wished, and no one would raise a hand to protect you," it leaned closer and snarled, "so I would advise you to tread carefully, and speak softly when you address your betters,

girl

."

Cassie laughed, "Softly? Why bother? You will do as you please and I cannot stop you so why should I treat you as anything other than the murdering bastard that you are? Yes, I fear you! I'm no bold warrior. As you say, I am helpless, but I am

not

alone! When my sister finds you, and she

will

, it will be a race to see if she can rip you limb from limb faster than Nyx can skewer you," she giggled, "I have some gold now, perhaps you'd care to wager who gets to you first. But either way, you are utterly fucked! Now do what you will or leave me be!"

The Drow's hand slashed across her face with a venomous snarl, "Insolent slut!"

Cassie's vision blurred and pain seared across the side of her head as the blow rocked her. She staggered and would have fallen had not the creature grabbed her hair in a painful grip as he drew back his other hand to deliver another blow.

"What goes on here? What offence has she committed that you chastise her so and why do you have her parading naked in the middle of the room?"

Ellén stood in the open doorway regarding the tableaux before her and her eyes narrowed, "Release her! Cassie, take your clothes into the other chamber and dress yourself."

Cassie's legs almost collapsed beneath her when the Drow reluctantly released his grip but biting her already bloody lip, she was able to force herself to remain on her feet. Snatching up her spilt clothes she staggered unsteadily to the bathing room.

When the Drow moved to follow, Ellén snapped, "Stand fast! There is no need to torment the girl further by following, there is nowhere for her to go."

The dark-skinned creature turned and snarled angrily, "You do not command me! I serve your moth- uurk."

With surprising speed, the woman strode forward and taking the creature by the throat she effortlessly yanked him from his feet and held the struggling figure aloft with one hand as though he weighed nought, "You dare to speak to me with such disrespect!"

The nightling grasped uselessly at her hand as its eyes bulged, "I... serve... you're... mothe-"

Her eyes blazed and her hot breath all but singed the creature's skin as Ellén spat, "I know who and what you serve, and it is NOT my mother you witless cretin. If it were I would have already killed you for your staggering incompetence! You are heralded as the First Sword of her personal guard, yet she returns to me with her arm all but severed and YOU! You who were trained by the finest swordsmasters, alleged victor in twice a hundred duels, equipped with eldritch blade and enchanted armour, you allow yourself to be mauled by a barmaid wielding a STICK!"

With an angry snarl of disgust, she flung the creature away from her. The Drow was hurled through the air before smashing into the wardrobe, crushing the door with a crash of splintering wood, and Ellén pointed from the chamber, "Begone fool! Stand guard outside the door like the cur you are and await our pleasure."

As the thing crawled from the debris and staggered upright, she spoke again and with such lethal calm that the Drow paused in its tracks, "That girl is of use to us for now, so you best guard her well. Should any undue harm befall her, even so much as a scratch, I will repay your careless malice a thousand times over," she turned her gaze directly upon him and her eyes glowed like burning hot sapphires, "and if you ever speak so to me again, I will devour you!"

The thing roughly wiped the blood from its mouth with the back of its hand, and its eyes blazed with a furious hatred, but it was wise enough to make no reply and instead, it cast a baleful eye at the door through which Cassie had retreated as it slunk from the room.

Ellén blew out a disgruntled breath before moving across the chamber where she paused a moment before calling out in a soft voice, "Cassie, he's gone, may I enter?"

Hearing no reply, she slowly opened the door but instead of entering she cautiously remained in the doorway, thinking to perchance avoid unduly frightening the young woman. Within she saw Cassie, now dressed, sitting morosely upon the side of the bath. The side of her face bore a livid red welt where the Drow had slapped her and Ellén shook her head and spoke in a disgusted voice, "I had only just healed that and the vicious little fool inflicts more harm, and for no more reason than petty spite. What a vile creature."

Cassie simply sat and said nothing.

Ellén pursed her lips and took a small step towards the young woman, "Cassie, I know you must be frightened. Now I know his mind I'll not allow the swine to harm you further," her voice softened, "please girl, let me help you."

"Do as you will."

The blonde woman paused and stared for a moment longer, "Very well, I shall!"

Without another word she abruptly left the chamber.

Cassie looked after her as she strode from the bedroom, leaving the door open behind her, but she had only a few moments to ponder the meaning of her actions before she came hurrying back into the room. The young woman was immediately wary when she saw the wry smirk on Ellén's face and how she held one hand behind her back in a distinctly suspicious manner.

The younger woman stood nervously, "What are you up to?"

Ellén grinned and held her hand out, "I do not know what happened to your little knife Cassie, the one you impaled through that arrogant buffoon's foot. I suspect he withdrew the object and discarded it when you were taken, but here, take this."

The blade in her hand looked to be as long as Cassie's forearm and held in a scabbard of strange dark leather. Drawing the weapon revealed an engraved curved blade made from some strange substance that did not look like metal. It had a hilt of shaped bone that had a heavy rear bolster carved to resemble the head of some great serpentine creature.

Ellén looked down at the thing and smiled as if recalling some half-forgotten memory, "I made this a long time ago Cassie, it is as sharp and as strong a blade as I could craft at the time, though I suspect I might do better now I suppose," she shrugged, "I'm afraid I do not think you have the strength to penetrate a dragon's scales even with such a dirk, but against such flimsy protection as mere mail, it will be more than sufficient. I want you to have it."

Cassie stared at the thing and then looked back up into the woman's eyes, "B-but why? Are you not afraid I'll use it for some mischief?"

The blonde woman smiled as she pressed the weapon into the girl's hands, "Sometimes you must take a thing on faith Cassie, so no, I will trust you not to abuse my gesture, and if you are someday forced to use the thing to defend yourself from those who seek to harm you then I will not feel betrayed. In truth, I enjoy your company girl, for I get lonely here in my near solitude, and I would prefer you to be, well I know you cannot be happy in captivity, but I hope you might become at least content in my presence, and having the means to defend yourself at hand may make you feel perhaps at least a little more at ease."

The younger woman stared at the blade in wonder, for its balance was near perfect and the edge appeared sharper and harder than the keenest of razors. Peering at the strange material she murmured, "What is it made from? It does not have the appearance of steel, and it's so light."

"T'is made from a tooth Cassie, and I doubt there's another blade like it in all the world, for no craftsman among Human, Elf, or even the Dwarves ever learned to work such a rare material."

"A tooth! What creature could have teeth so big?"

Ellén laughed and her eyes sparkled, "What indeed? Now come here girl, for I would not have you attend my mother looking like you've been in a brawl."

Pulling the young woman close Ellén raised her hand to touch her bruised cheek and her eyes glowed brightly, a flickering of what looked like witchfire illuminated the tips of her fingers and Cassie felt a strange warmth on her skin that made her squirm. Ellén grinned and her brows furrowed in concentration, "Hold still now, for this is not as easy as it looks, and if I'm not careful I might mar your appearance or turn one of your eyes blue or something," she smiled, "and that would be a shame I think."

Cassie held herself still but murmured, "Are you a wizard that you cast spells thus?"

The blonde woman watched the livid bruising on the younger woman's face fade under her ministrations and chuckled, "Not as such, though my mother knows many spells and has oft tried in vain to instruct me in the arcane crafts. I do have the gift of healing though, which strangely my mother has never been able to master. I can restore limbs well enough and have some skill at fleshcrafting, but I can barely conjure the puniest of thunderbolts. I think it vexes her significantly."

"Fleshcrafting? That has a strange and troubling air to it."

"It's nothing more than what it sounds. I can shape and mold the meat, bone and marrow of a living thing, altering their shape and features, in the same way, I suppose as one might shape the clay upon a potter's wheel. I suspect it is linked in some way to my abilities as a healer."

Cassie looked up, "Wait? You could change my shape?"

Ellén laughed brightly, "I am not enlarging your bosom girl, no matter how you plead."

"How did you..."

"My kind has always been gifted when it comes to discerning the desires of others, and I can see it in your eyes. Your curves will come in time all on their own."

"That's what everyone always says, but I still look more like a stick, than a woman."

Smiling at the younger woman's childish ire Ellén tilted her head as she peered into the girl's eyes, "How is it then if you truly appear like a knotted stick, that I find you pretty to look upon? Answer me that."

Cassie blushed and looked away, "You're just being kind."

Ellén laughed again, "Me and mine are not well known for our kindness. We are known for certain other things, but not that. I say you are already pretty, and that in time you will be beautiful, it is up to you whether to believe me or not. Now come! Your bruises are gone, my mother has summoned you and it would be best not to keep her waiting overlong."

...

Ellén led the way from the chamber and for the first time Cassie was able to peer about the halls and passageways of the place where she was being kept. It had the look of some great palace with walls lined with ancient carved oak and illuminated by cunningly wrought witchlamps that burned low. They passed several guards, mostly Drow garbed in dark mail, but a few taller, heavier creatures that looked more like men, but with something of an Orcish appearance and Cassie whispered, "Who are they, are they Half-Orcs?"

"They are the Firbolg, one of the ancient tribes who once dwelled in the Fae. They warred with the Danu and their allies the Elves and were driven away, forced to live in remote places and in caves. They are many, but these few you see here now serve my mother."

As they walked, they passed several halls and openings out into gardens and cloisters, all empty of people, save a few guards. The gardens were filled with flowers and Cassie would have stared in wonder, but she still felt the hot stare of the Drow that followed silently behind her. She peeked back over her shoulder at her ominous shadow and seeing his hate-filled gaze fixed upon her she shivered and edged closer to Ellén.

The tall woman smiled and took her hand, "Fear not, I will not allow him to harm you child," she looked down at her charge, "I saw you looking into the gardens we passed, another of my many, many hobbies and pastimes that I have picked up over the long years of my seclusion here. After your audience with my mother, if you wish I can arrange for us to dine in one of them. What say you?"

Cassie swallowed and looked up at the blonde woman's face, "Is the Drow invited?"

Her escort chuckled but before she could answer they came upon a pair of great double doors at the end of a tall passageway and Ellén paused, "Shalidar awaits you in the hall beyond," she looked down at the younger girl, "now Cassie, you must be on your best behaviour when you speak to my mother for her wounds were slower to heal than yours, she is still in some pain and may thus be somewhat testy. So, no more nonsensical threats of violence against her. You cannot harm her, even with yon knife and it would be me she chastised should you attempt it, and I have no more desire to feel her strap upon my backside than you wish to feel mine upon yours, but I tell you now that both will result if you are rude here, so do me this small courtesy at least I beg you."

Cassie sniffed and looked back at the woman stubbornly, "I make no promises."

Ellén shook her head and rolled her eyes, "I swear, you have more courage than wits girl but have it your way. You cannot claim you were not well warned if you end up suffering a thrashing for your defiance."

"I've been thrashed before."

With an exasperated sigh, the tall woman released Cassie's hand and rapped once upon the portal. The two great wooden doors slid silently open revealing a vast shadow-filled hall beyond, with a high ceiling that was lost in the gloom above. A few witchlamps burned here and there, but the patches of illumination they created seemed to make the greater darkness that surrounded them all the more oppressive.

At Ellén's urging Cassie moved forward and was peering about when the doors closed behind her, startling the young woman and cutting off the light from the corridor outside. With heart thumping in her chest, she looked into the shadows and risked another furtive step towards the nearest of the burning witchlamps.

At her movement came a strange and peculiar sound that reverberated about the hall, very much like that of something drawing a deep breath, and it was followed by a slithering sound of some form stirring in the shadows.

Cassie could see that two of the witchlamps burned blue and had been set at the far end of the hall, and she watched with some amazement as they rose high and glowed all the brighter.

From the darkness came a voice that echoed about the hall, "Ssoo, here stands Little Cassie. I see you bear a dragon-tooth blade. Have you come to murder me child? Is your heart still set upon cutting my throat?"

Cassie swallowed and her hand drifted towards the hilt of the dagger that was tucked into the waistband of her skirt, "Y-you killed my friend. Why shouldn't I cut your throat or try to at least!"

The sound of booming laughter echoed about the hall, "Are you so eager to see blood flow? You'll play merry Hell getting the deed done with that toothpick girl. Still, I see you have courage at least, but do I fairly deserve your anger? For it was not I who killed your friend. In fact, I made effort to resolve things peacefully if I recall."

"It was by your design!"

A low growl shook the hall and Cassie saw a great dark shape shifting amongst the shadows, and the two blue witchlamps burned ever brighter as they drew closer, "It was YOU who struck the first blow human! You bear as much guilt as I for what happened thereafter."

Cassie staggered at the accusation, "but... I."

There was the sound of another deep rasping breath being drawn followed by a sigh, and Shalidar's voice was gentler as she spoke from the gloom once more, "I'm sorry child, that was a cruel thing to say, and unfair. My arm hurts still and I am easily angered but that is a poor excuse for tormenting you. You are correct, I bear responsibility for what happened, for it was me who set about to take you as hostage, but I can honestly claim I did not know the woman was your friend for I thought her your Mistress, who had purchased you as a slave. And I can also fairly say that it was not my design to harm her. I would have stopped it if I could, but your stroke all but crippled me, and it took all my will to simply stand and keep you from entering the fight."