Tiff - Chapter 2 - Part 2

Chapter 2 - Part 2

A small square cell, barely four paces across. Steel bars criss-crossed along the front. Three hard smooth walls, a low ceiling and solid steel grating on the floor completed the room. There was a basic straw mat by the wall, a stinky metal pail in the corner for defecating, and another pail at the front with strange-tasting fresh water.

That was Lyannas' small lonely world.

It was dark, but not completely pitch black, thank the gods. Her eyes had adjusted to the very dim ambient light as much as they could. She had been stripped naked, not even given the barest scrap of rags to cover herself. Just like with the darkness, she had adjusted to the feeling of the cool damp air on her exposed skin.

Now and then, drow guards, usually male, would walk by her cell and peer in at her like she was some exotic curiosity. She would be brought a few of meals, trays of simple meat, grains and mushrooms that was barely enough to stave off her hunger. It was difficult to measure the time down there, but she estimated that it was around twelve hours between meals. That would mean she would have been down there for only a little over twenty four hours. It felt like much longer.

As she sat there on the mat with her back to the cool hard rear wall, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. She thought about her sweet lover, Pia. That first night they met, in the private room of the Lionshead Inn. She drank the sweet wine and watched the pretty blonde bard in her brightly colored outfit as she sat with such feminine grace and looked her over with her sultry brown eyes.

And the beautiful melodious music filled the air as she elegantly plucked at the strings of her lute. She couldn't recall the words of the song, but remembered her bewitching silky voice which had her feeling warm and light-headed. That may have also been the wine, which she was quite unaccustomed to, but there was no doubt that the two of them shared a deep connection. And later, when the beautiful bard swept her off into her warm bed, it was not only Lyannas' first time with a woman, but the first sexual experience she had truly enjoyed.

It was one of the best nights of her life.

Lyanna sighed as she shook the images from her head. Pia had followed her there, far from home. She put her faith in Lyanna to keep her safe. And the princess rogue had got her lost in the underdark and captured by drow. She may even be dead. A tear rolled down Lyannas' face. It was too sad to think about.

Lyanna sat there, not allowing herself to remember her radiant bard, who she was responsible for. She felt like an empty husk; so hollow and empty. She had felt like that before... one time.

One time, she had been an innocent, care-free Princess.

Some say her father, the King, was a great leader, who was inexplicably betrayed by his closest allies. Others say that he got too greedy, and was blinded by the power his allies, the mighty Dhorn Empire had afforded him. He refused to see the threat that they posed to his own kingdom. The pious Dhorn weren't interested in gaining allies; only dominance. Pretty Princess Lyanna had no concern for such things, she left those games to the men in power.

Her father assured her that there was nothing to worry about when the Dhorn invaded their borders--it was all just a misunderstanding, and would be amended promptly. Then the Dhorn forces took the city. Her father still calmly assured her that their secure castle would never be breached, things would be all right. Lyanna trusted him, even though, deep down, she was more frightened than she had ever been in her life.

And then that horrifying night came. She could hear the fighting slowly getting closer, like an unstoppable tide. The clashing of blades, loud shouting, agonized screams, she heard it all as she cowered in her bedroom with her handmaiden, Tina. Finally, she couldn't take the waiting any longer and left the bedroom against her handmaidens' protests.

That was when she confronted true evil for the first time in her young life. Tina was cut down in front of her without warning. Then the Dhorn officer coldly ordered her own execution. Lyanna didn't know how she got away from the soldiers, but she ran. She ran and she ran through the castle, but everywhere she looked, her fathers' men were dead, and there were only her red-caped enemies.

It was in that moment, fleeing for her life in absolute terror, that she first encountered Vico. The black-clad criminal snatched her away into one of the castles' secret tunnels. He then delivered the devastating news; her parents had been murdered. The Princess was still reeling in shock, when he did the unthinkable--he tore her clothes off and raped her.

Lovely innocent Princess Lyanna had died that night. That was when she had become an empty husk; after having everything--her whole life torn away from her in one unbelievably cruel blow. Eventually, she began to fill that husk, as she began her new life. The criminal organization she had fallen in with; The Family, taught her the tricks of their underworld trade, and she was determined to become the best rogue she could be.

She saw the city of Betancuria in a much different way; not looking down on it from the keep, but being in there amongst it, a part of the chaos. The city could be colorful, vibrant and welcoming, as well as sleazy, dark and dangerous. She learned the hard way about black-hearted men who would prey on pretty young women like herself for a fleeting moment of power and gratification. There was no one there to protect her any more, she could only count on herself.

And so she trained in combat with Master Hatori, a long-time member of the Family. The patient master would spend hours with her in the basement below his tea shop, teaching the arts of dodging, blocking and striking. It was not easy for her, but her master could see her strength and determination, and pushed her hard. As a result, she was able to hold her own in most every combat situation, inside and outside of the city.

It didn't help her when she walked blindly into the drow ambush, though. Once again, she cursed herself for being so stupid. She felt tremendous guilt for the deep peril her party was in.

Now, everything had been taken away from her again. Once again, she felt like a hollow husk. Was Lyanna the rogue dead? Would she have no choice now but to become Lyanna the slave? How cruel the fates could be.

No. She couldn't accept this fate. There were people depending on her; Master Nathan, who gave her a second chance at life. Chella, who gave her care and comfort when she needed it most. Anden, who showed her there are still some men who still had honor, loyalty and chivalry. Pia, who she loved dearly, and who brought joy into her life once again.

Even Vico, he was an insufferable bastard, but he had saved her life more than once. And there was no doubt that he was loyal to The Family, for reasons she had not yet discovered. She needed his help. They were all counting on her. Lyanna the rogue was much stronger and wiser than Princess Lyanna. She would find a way.

She looked up and saw him standing there--the male drow from the audience chamber when she was brought in. Was he her master? Lyanna picked herself up off the floor. She stood in the middle of the cell to face him, not attempting to cover her nakedness. She just stared back. He was obviously a fighter, by the way he carried himself, and his attire--black and purple light armor, which covered his whole lean, but muscular frame. He also had a black cape draped over his shoulders and a thin longsword sheathed at his belt.

His head was shaved on each side, around his pointed ears, and he had a thick mane of white hair running down the middle. He continued to calmly stare with his intense red eyes. Lyanna had wondered if he wanted to have sex with her, but his eyes never wondered over her body with a lustful gaze. He also didn't have the look of a master reveling in the power he held over his slave. She knew what that looked like.

His face was hard to read, it was almost like he was measuring her somehow. Was he waiting for her to do something? He wasn't giving any indication of wanting anything from her.

Lyanna stayed quiet, even though her mind was bubbling with questions. She couldn't understand their drowish tongue, she wondered if he could understand hers'. More than anything, she wanted to know what they were going to do with her, how long she would be left in her cell. She had a terrible feeling that when she would be taken out, it would not be good for her, but it could possibly present an opportunity.

Lyanna crossed her arms in front of her, beneath her large pale boobs as she waited. She didn't know what she was waiting for. For a few more minutes, the drow just stared at her, appearing very calm and patient. Then, without saying a word, her turned and walked back down the dungeon corridor. Lyanna was left standing there naked in her small gloomy cell.

Continued in Chapter 2 - Part 3