The days passed slowly for Rowan. She spent much of her time with Caladon while Arris was away overseeing the with drawl of his army. He had summoned her before he left, the first time since he had been brought here. He made it clear that she was the first person he was to see waiting for him on his return, or else there would be dire consequences. He mounted and rode out of the courtyard, accompanied by several solders.
In those days she discovered much about Arris. Caladon spoke at length about his childhood without a mother, and without a father too. Caladon spoke of his failure as a father and Arris' dependence on only himself. Rowan learned of his studies in the dark arts, and his experiments with the castles servants. She shuddered whenever Caladon spoke of such thing, but knew it was necessary for her survival. They often spoke about other things, Caladon's summer manor, on the eastern coast of the kingdom. They took long walks through the dark passageways, for Rowan feared becoming lost in the winding labyrinth.
Days passed and then one night Arris returned. Lia awakened Rowan in the darkness of night. Rowan drew her robe and followed the girl to the courtyard. They sky was clear and Rowan looked at the stars. Some of those familiar to her were lost past the horizon, and new ones took their place. She felt very small at that moment, lost in a sea of endless stars. The clattering of horse's hooves broke her daze and she stepped forward and Arris stopped his horse. She bowed and waited. He dismounted, and walked past her.
"Very good. You learn quickly. Follow." And follow she did. He lead the way to his study and waited and she removed his overcoat. When she was done waiting on him he motioned her to sit.
"I have fulfilled my part of the bargain. My army has withdrawn to the borders. You father on the other hand is pressing forward. If he attacks I will not sit idly by and watch him." Rowan nodded, she understood. But the with drawl of Arris' army from Gonador did fulfill his promise to her. She waited patently and after a few moments he dismissed her.
A week passed and an ambassador from Rholan was heralded into Caladon's Court. Rowan was in the great hall when the ambassador was announced. He read Rholan's demands; the return of his daughter, or he would attack the mountainous kingdom. Caladon sighed wearily. "The decision is not mine to make, it is my son's. She was promised to him at birth, he has every right to claim her." The emissary spat on the ground. "Your son is a monster and has no claim on her Highness." Rowan emerged from the shadows and addressed the court.
"I made the choice to come here. I have given my word that I will stay. Please tell my father I am sorry, but for the sake of peace, I belong with Arris." The emissary stepped forward and whiped the tears from Rowan's eyes.
"Your mother would be very proud of you, little one. I will tell the King, but I fear he is becoming mad with rage over your desertion. May the gods keep you safe, Highness." The emissary bowed to Caladon and left the hall. Arris watched all this from the shadows of the balcony. He smiled.
The days passed uneventfully for Rowan. She spent much time with Arris, but he never spoke to her. She was simply a decoration for him, until one day as winter began releasing its icy grip on the land. Rowan was walking down the stairs to the courtyard. Caladon had brought a horse for her, and Arris commanded her to ride with him. As she came out of the doorway into the courtyard she saw Arris beating something with his riding crop. At first she thought it was a dog until he kicked it and she saw it was a small boy, most likely a stable hand. She raced forward and grabbed Arris' arm as he raised it for another blow. He spun around, the child forgotten and his anger burned in his eyes.
"You forget yourself lady. You must be taught." He grabbed a handful of her hair and dragged her back inside, and to his study. He slammed her against the wall. "You are never, NEVER to raise a hand to me." He slapped her again. "You wish to save the troublesome boy? Very well then his punishment shall be yours." He beat her. He beat her almost to the point of death. She was thankful when she blacked out.
She awoke believing she had died. Never had she hurt so much. She tried to open her eyes but discovered one was swollen shut while the other could only open a crack. Caladon's warm smile greeted her.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, my Lady." He stroked her hair as tears formed in his ancient eyes. I never thought he would hurt you like this, but I promise it will never happen again." Rowan closed her eyes and once more passed into sweet oblivion.
Caladon found Arris in his study, cleaning Rowan's blood off his crop.
"Proud of yourself son? I'm sure she was a terrible opponent."
"Be gone old man, I have more pressing problems than that of an old sentimental fool."
"If she is lucky, she will be able to see when this is over. You have gone to far this time Arris. You are not to see her, summon her, or have any dealings with her until I say she is fully recovered."
Arris smiled. "And what will you do old man, if I choose to."
Caladon drew himself up. "You are not the only one with secrets boy. Stay away from her."
Something in the way Caladon carried himself out of the room made Arris nervous. He had never seen his father like this; he would have to be careful.
"William." At the sound of his name William emerged from the shadows.
"Yes Master?"
"Watch her." William bowed and shuffled out of the room.
William was a grotesque excuse for a man. He stood about 5'5" and weighed at about 400 lbs. His body was so obese he had trouble walking and it seemed he waddled. He was unclean and smelled like death. His pig-like eyes watched Rowan for days while she recovered.
The winter gave way to spring and Rowan recovered from her ordeal. It was in these days that Rowan grew despondent. She would neither eat nor drink. She became gaunt and pale, as though death was claiming her body. This troubled Arris, she was of no use to him if she were dead. He spoke of his concerns to Caladon, but the old king turned his back on him.
"You have driven her to this, how proud you must be at her demise."
Arris prowled the hallways lost in thought. He didn't want her to die, that would gain him nothing. But she was his pet, and he treated her as he would a pet. In silence he wandered, his thoughts consuming him. Rowan too was wandering the halls that day. She was thinking of riding. It had been so long and she longed to feel the wind in her hair. So lost was she in her thoughts that she didn't notice William following her. He had watched her for weeks now, reporting to his master. But it seemed that Arris didn't care, and really had no use for her other than as a bauble. Well, William certainly had a use for her, and if Arris wasn't going to, then William would. He stole up and her and grabbed her from behind.
Arris' thoughts were cut short by a scream from farther down the hall. It was Rowan, he was sure of that much. He raced forward as the scream was cut off.
Caladon also heard Rowan scream and left his library. He came to a stop in the hallway. From here he was he could see William club Rowan over the head with a blunt object. She fell to the ground, but was not knocked unconscious. William fell upon her and began pulling ant her clothes. Caladon was about to shout when he saw Arris appear. Arris rounded the corner to see William pawing at Rowan's dazed form. Within seconds he had William by the throat. He pinned him against the wall.
"You were told to watch her. You watch with eyes, not hands. Obviously you get them mixed up." He hissed. "Well do not fear, you will never have to watch anything again." With that he jabbed his thumbs into William's eyes and pulled them out, dropping them to the floor and crushing the eyes under his boots. He made several gestures and the shadows came alive.
"Take him to the tower, I will deal with him later." In a blink William and the shadows were gone. Arris turned back to Rowan and found her curled into a ball sobbing. He knelt down and picked her up. Caladon smiled as he watched Arris lift and carry her towards her rooms. Lia was sitting by the fire when Arris brought Rowan in. Laying her on her bed he sent Lia for his father's physician. After she left he knelt beside the bed and stroked Rowan's hair.
"You are mine, I will never let anyone touch you again." He rose when Lia and the physician returned. He left the room and ascended his dark tower. There he found William moaning in the darkness.
"You should not have touched what is mine, now you will feel pain unlike anything you have ever experienced."
William began to beg, whimper and finally pray. Arris smiled, "Prayers are no good here." He closed in and began incanting. Williams's screams echoed through the dead halls and empty rooms. In her room, Rowan closed her eyes and tried to block out the terrible sounds. Eventually it became too much for her and she wept, Lia holding her as Rowan's tears fells into the darkness she felt consuming her.
