Legend of the Auruman- Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

          Sydney sulked on the luxurious mattress in the middle of the massive bed in the middle of la-la land. She wrapped her arms around her knees, trying desperately not to cry. The sun had started setting, and the light was quickly fading. She had no idea how long she’d been locked in her room, but it seemed like hours. The prince hadn’t taken the slap across the face very well to say the least. He had stood over her, and Sydney had felt his anger radiating out of his skin as if it were a visible odor. He hadn’t, however, looked angry, his eyes were maddeningly devoid of emotion, though his chiseled physique had hardened to resemble one of the statues from his great hall. He had turned and walked succinctly from the room without a single word, the only sound was that of a key turning in the door.

          She’d railed at him, and threw every item that wasn’t bolted down at the locked door. Now, she felt his absence keenly, not because she missed him, but without someone to talk to, or rather, berate, she was alone in her madness. She was quickly coming to realize, that if it had been a dream it would have been over long ago, and she wouldn’t be so damnably tired.

          A sound at the door had her almost scrambling off the bed, then she decided against it. It wouldn’t do to appear eager to be in his company again. She forced herself to settle back onto the bed, head down, spine stiff.

“I have brought you supper, though you scarcely deserve it. I ought to turn you over my knee, in fact, I may well still do so.” He announced matter-of-factly from his post against the doorjamb.

          She decided a good dose of the silent treatment ought to serve him right, and declined to respond to him.

“Oh, my Sydney, so stubborn, so full of temper.” He sighed, “have it your way then, I’ll see if your mood improves by morning.” He turned to leave.

“No! You can’t leave me locked in this room!”

“Ah! So she wasn’t struck mute. Amazing. Come here, woman, and have your supper with me.” He ordered imperiously.

“I won’t have you ordering me around, Prince.” She sneered at his title. “If you were a decent man, you wouldn’t lock a woman away in a room.”

“You are mine, and you will listen to me.”

“Used to ordering women around, are you? Well, that’s not going to work on me.” She threatened.

“Listening to me is what will keep you from the dangers of this land. Insulting me will not help you. It merely causes us both inconvenience.”

“Don’t act as if my insults have made a dent in your heartless tyrant shield. And as for the inconvenience, I plan on being a giant inconvenience, so maybe you should rethink your imprisonment of me.”

“I cannot. Fate has chosen, and there is nothing that you or I can do about it. Best just accept your position in life, and act accordingly.”

“Says the kidnapper.” She muttered angrily.

“I care not what you have just said.” He announced, as if he were sharing his decision to forgo a piece of bread with dinner.

“That I believe. You don’t care what anyone says, you just do as you wish.” She glared at him, her eyes full of rage.

          Jameson set the basket of food down on the table in the corner of the room, and pulled back a chair, gesturing for her to sit down. Amazingly, she slunk over to the chair and sat of her own volition, and here he’d been thinking he’d have to drag her. He shook his head as if to clear it, thinking while he did, that he hadn’t been thinking clearly since he’d met the little viper. The viper in question had her arms folded petulantly under her breasts, still prepared to fight every step of the way- until he removed the contents of the basket. The bread, still hot from the kitchens vented a bit of steam, and the pies of several different varieties, lent the room a pleasant aroma of seasoned meat, and spiced fruits. He set a plate in front of her, and a goblet of wine.

“There is something for any palate here.” He waved his hand over the spread of food.

Much to his surprise, the stubborn woman soon had a heaping plate of food in front of her, and was working rather single-mindedly on getting the food to her stomach. The most curious sensation began to spread low in his belly, making him distinctly uncomfortable. He tried to tamp down the feeling, but it was a hopeless effort, for he looked back at Sydney who had a slice of fruit pie poised between her lips. She bit down, a bit of juice from the fruit dripping down her lips. He looked wildly around for a strip of linen to hand her so she might wipe her mouth, but before he could mention it she was licking her lips clean. A moan escaped his lips before he could stop it. She looked up at him, a question on her face. He stood quickly and was out the door, before she had swallowed her bite of pie.

For the second time that day, he left her without a word. 

Legend of the Auruman- Chapter Six

Chapter Six

“This will be your bedchamber, you should find everything you should need in the wardrobe, but if you should need anything else, you need only ask.” Jameson offered, gesturing inside the room. It was as different from the room she’d woken up in as it could possibly be, he knew. The room was outfitted with a large wood framed bed, intricately carved and stained with the blood of an Azarath warrior. Not that Jameson planned on explaining that to Sydney, somehow he thought she wouldn’t appreciate the knowledge. In addition to the bed, there was a massive wardrobe that had been prepared for her arrival, and was filled with garments sufficient for any outing she might endeavor to participate in. Including a nightdress to be worn as enticement for mating activities. On that note, he wasn’t much pleased with his seeming lack of progress.

          Sydney was standing in the middle of the elaborate bedroom feeling a wave of nausea, accompanied by pangs of panic, and far too much emotion. It wasn’t easy going mad, she decided, which was a real shame. If she had to go insane, one would think one should have a bit of fun along the way.

          She hated to admit it, but she was feeling tired, which she shouldn’t be, seeing as how this was a dream. One didn’t get tired in dreams, did one? Perhaps a person could get tired in their dream if one dreamed of a crazy golden man who wanted her to tour what seemed like miles of castle. It had all been rather interesting, though she didn’t want to acknowledge that. In this world she’d dreamed up, everything and everyone had a place and a purpose. The people didn’t seem to know the meaning of superficial, though if the Prince had seemed to give a thought to his extraordinary looks he might have been considered so. He didn’t seem to notice, however, that he was absolutely stunning.

“Have you decided, finally, that you lust for me?” He asked her, seemingly out of nowhere, unless he was a mind-reader, which Sydney refused to countenance. And as to his question, well, he was the exact opposite sort of man she would ever go for, were she doing the selecting. Oddly enough, that didn’t seem to smother the strange feelings he provoked in her. She wouldn’t call it lust, exactly, though in the absence of a better term, it would have to do.

“I see you are experiencing the proper reactions to me, yet you choose to fight it. I am glad. I have admiration for your powers of resistance, yet do I know that when you succumb to me it will be that much sweeter.” His mouth quirked in what Sydney assumed was supposed to be a smile.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Prince. I am not attracted to you.” She lied. “Nor do I plan on “succumbing” to you!” She hoped.

“Lies do not become you lass.” He reproached.

“I am not lying!” She lied.

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I am not, you arrogant ass!” She shouted.

“You will not call me such names, in our bedchamber, no less.” He informed her, superciliously.

“Our bedchamber!” She sputtered.

“Yes, it will be ours, you will share your bed with me willingly when your mind begins to function as it should.” He was calm in the face of her fury, which only angered her more.

“Men, no matter the species are exceedingly stupid! Obtuse! Fools, all of them! You arrogant, ignorant idiot! I have no desire to be in your bed, nor shall I ever change my mind!” She stabbed him in the chest with her fingers, and instantly regretted it. “Jesus Christ! I think I broke my fingers! What are you made of, steel?” He looked about to respond, so she cut him off, declaring, “Nevermind! I don’t want to know.” She bent over holding her injured fingers with her other hand, panting at the pain.
“Let me assist you.”

“Stay away from me. Just go away!”

“I shall not, not when you are in pain.” He lifted her easily off the ground, and placed her gently on the bed. He pried her uninjured hand away and examined the fingers.

“They are sprained, not broken. Still, I imagine it hurts. This desire of yours to gravitate towards violence is troublesome, for you and others. If you are so inclined, to fight with your mate, however, best that you hit with an open palm.” He lectured.

“Well you asked for it.” She used her good hand, and slapped him across his too-handsome face, palm open, just as he’d suggested. 

Legend of the Auruman- Chapter Five

Chapter Five

          Sydney could think of not a single thing to say to the Auruman, nothing civil in any case. She felt so ill at ease, felt like she was slipping into madness, and worst of all, she didn’t really even mind- it kept her anger stoked, which was the only thing propelling her on into the arresting beauty of the land before her. She was still trying to formulate something to say when she noticed her feet were no longer treading a dirt path, but a cobbled street instead. In front of her was an outrageously elaborate version of a fairytale castle. The imposing structure was made completely of golden colored brick and set in amongst the trees. The trees seemed to be growing not among the castle, but throughout, making the structure a part of the landscape, not an imposition on the landscape.

“What is this, the set of Wizard of Oz?” Sydney grumbled.

“I am unfamiliar with this Wizard of Oz?” The Prince remarked, perplexed. “I know the Wizard of Azarath.” He offered.

“Just forget it.” Sydney sighed.

          When they had reached the iron gates set into the brick wall, the prince grabbed a hold of her elbow and steered her closer to his side. She was too exhausted to demand he unhand her, or even audibly complain. She shrugged tiredly and rolled her eyes as if to say “what now?” Then she noticed the gigantic golden creature that moved in front of the gates.

“Welcome, Prince Jameson. Who do we have here?” The golden creature stretched her paws delicately and licked her razor sharp teeth.

“You know well who it is Seranthias.” The prince chided.

“Do I indeed? Perhaps a riddle today, for the lady?” Seranthias inclined her head questioningly.

“None of your games, beast. Move aside.” He commanded.

          With a petulant roll of her shoulders, she sighed, and stood to showcase her full height. She was magnificent. Awe-inspiring, to be sure. Sydney stared dumbfounded at the lioness-woman. She was the same tawny gold color of the castle bricks, and large. Sydney had been eye-level to the beast when the sphinx has been sitting on her haunches, but once standing, she towered over Sydney. After a terrifying stare down, she finally ambled to the side and let them pass.

“What was that?” Sydney whispered after they had moved safely away from the beast.

“A sphinx, of course.”

“Of course.” Sydney repeated dumbly.

“Never approach that creature on your own. You are safe with me, of course, but she wouldn’t hesitate to kill you if you were alone.” He warned.

“Kill me?” Sydney stumbled over her own feet, and grabbed hold of his arm. “Why?” Even as she asked the question, she felt stupid, of course the thing would kill, it looked like a damn monster.

“She loves riddles. If you fail to answer a riddle correctly, she will tear you apart and eat you. That is why we installed her at the gate, to keep out our enemies.” He blithely informed her.

“Enemies? You have enemies?” She couldn’t seem to stop herself from asking stupid questions.

“Well of course, who doesn’t? Without evil, goodness could not exist. The Azaraths are our most formidable enemies, yet the Olympians do sometimes cause us the most hardship. Fool women.” He muttered, and then continued, “And of course, those in Eden are neutral to all others.”

“Oh, mm hmm, of course.”

          The prince grabbed her hand and dragged her into his castle. She dug her heels in, forcing him to slow his pace. She couldn’t imagine anyone could walk so nonchalantly through the grand entry. The brick walls may as well have extended into the heavens, the ceiling was so far out of her reach. The walls were hung with magnificent tapestries featuring depictions of battle, and what she’d always thought were mythological creatures, until now. She could have spent an entire day examining the entry hall.

“What do you think of the castle?”

“It’s beautiful.” She admitted, reluctantly.

“Something pleases the woman at last, had I but known you would enjoy this, I would have brought you directly to the castle.” He murmured, satisfied. “Shall I show you the rest?”

“May as well, right?” She rolled her hand, and gestured for him to proceed with the tour.

Jameson shook his head warily, and continued on in front of her. His woman was somewhat hard-headed, though so could be Nolan, her father, though Sydney didn’t accept him as such. Perhaps Jameson was too quick to supply information to her that she didn’t want to hear. She hadn’t brought up Nolan again, and that was probably all for the best, as he wasn’t sure what he could say to convince her. Again, he wasn’t sure of his approach, and he wasn’t used to not being sure of himself. Perhaps the old adage, “seeing is believing” would ring true in this. Maybe it was time for Sydney to meet her true father.