Chương 55: Subjugated Squirt

When Squirt made her way into the stable an hour later than normal, there was already an attendant waiting for her with buckets of water and a disgusted expression, having heard from the keep gate guards and the castle gate guards who had both sent ahead runners to alert the servants of her state. She was doused and hosed off, but as she had already learned herself, the stench was stubborn and clung to her skin no matter how much water she had scrubbed with.

The attendant gave her a thoroughly annoyed look and said, "Wait here." Squirt obeyed with a sigh, shivering in the rare cold of an impending summer storm. The water he'd dumped over her head had been ice cold, which hadn't helped matters. The attendant returned with another that cast a cleansing spell on her, but based on the sniff, it wasn't enough yet. The first one said, "Follow me." Squirt obeyed, trudging along after the man through the servants' halls to Lady Hawthorne's office.

Only it wasn't the lady waiting for her. Instead, it was Silva, Lady Riverlands' attendant daughter, several other attendants, and a tub. She wrinkled her nose as soon as Squirt stepped in.

"Gods, that's disgusting. I can't believe I have to deal with this…" She didn't deal with it, of course. Instead, the other attendants began stripping Squirt, snatching her things from her before she could protest as another dragged her towards the tub, muttering, "Greenling filth—what'd she do, roll around in the pig slop?"

"Pigs smell better. Gods, you sure she had a cleansing spell?" They cast another on her as they finished stripping her roughly, their grips strong enough for bruising as one commented, "Looks like she's needed to be punished before," about her scars. They shoved her into the ice-cold bath water, dunking her and pulling her up before scrubbing her raw.

"Gods, can you believe it?"

"I knew a man who liked shit with his sex."

"Honestly? That'd make more sense to me. How does the queen put up with it?" Silva sniffed and said, "Because she's a greenling. She'll take his cock without it being anything more when he's on long trips away from his mate. It happens all the time." Squirt had enough time to catch the bitterness of that statement before she was once again dunked under the water with enough force she inhaled some, coming back up coughing and sputtering and shivering. At least they were cleaning her and not beating her.

"How did she even get this pouch?"

"You know, with a good cleansing spell or two…" They cast more spells on her belongings than they did on her, the daughter's eyes gleaming as she held up her cloak.

"This fur… oh my gods! This is that famous fur that is all the rage in the Capital!" One snorted.

"And I bet the prince gave it to her as thanks for sucking his cock."

"What a waste. On a greenling."

"I'm sure she won't mind."

"Gods, look at this!"

"A dimensional pouch?" The one left scrubbing her dunked her again before hauling her out of the tub.

"What is this?"

"Why is it glowing —" The greedy eyes of Silva lit up as she scooped up the glowing egg.

"Fancy." Pure panic hit Squirt as the tub was emptied and refilled, and she was then shoved back under the water for another scrub. She came up gasping for air, her eyes wide in fear on the egg— And that was her mistake. Because the bitch caught her gaze. Saw the panic in her eyes as she held the egg up. Her smile dripped with cruelty as she said, "What a strange little thing. I'll take this off your hands—" Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"No!" The whispered, panicked word slipped from her lips before she could think better of it.

"No? No?" She tutted.

"Oh, you didn't just order your superior. I get that his highness's cock makes you think you're special, but you don't get to go around giving me orders." Her eyes turned to the egg.

"… maybe I should smash it, just to teach you a lesson—" Panic consumed Squirt. The woman's hand with the egg turned in slow motion to drop it, and she snarled and leapt at the bitch just as the door opened. It was in vain, naturally, as the attendant who had been scrubbing her grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back.

"Gods, she's feral —" Lady Hawthrone's voice cut in, "What is the meaning of this?" The daughter turned on the most innocent, tear-filled expression as she clutched the egg and said, "I-I don't know, she just, just attacked me."

"Over what? Give me that." The daughter reluctantly handed over the glowing egg as the stern lady glared at the young fey, admonishing her.

"This? Is this what you were fighting over?" The daughter lowered her eyes demurely.

"Yes, my lady." She turned to Squirt, struggling still in the other attendant's hold.

"You tried to attack her because of this?" True terror blanched Squirt's face at the fury in the woman's eyes, and she hissed out, "Yes, my lady."

"Then let this be a lesson on respecting your betters—" her arm lifted, her intent to smash the egg clear. Time slowed as Squirt's mind raced, desperately trying to come up with a solution, any solution, anything at all— She blurted out, "I stole it!" The lady froze.

Squirt continued in a tumbling rush, "I stole it from the prince, it's his, he'll know if you break it, you can't—" Rage burned in the older fey's eyes as she said icily, "You dare steal from your own master—" Tears filled Squirt's eyes as she knew exactly what would happen now, but as she stared at the egg, she made the sacrifice, anyway.

"Yes. I stole it. Stole it from the palace. It belongs to him, a gift to him from his mate. I was jealous and stole it. He doesn't know." The tears spilled over. Defeat made her go limp. The silence that followed was deafening.

"… I knew there was something wrong with you. A thief in my own gods blessed house." Then a sharp exhale.

"… I will show mercy in that you have sacrificed yourself to protect what belongs to your master, even if you stole." The painful flame of hope lit in Squirt's chest even if she knew it was a mistake.

"Take her to the dungeon. One hundred lashes, ten for each finger of the hands that stole. I'll inform his lordship." She then turned and muttered, "I can't believe I ordered my staff to not touch you, and you being a thief of your own master…" Squirt sobbed, caught between relief and terror that the woman had had enough mercy to not give her the true judgement of the crime and take her offending hands, as the attendant gripping her hair picked her up and dragged her naked and shivering through the castle keep.

Ranin swirled the glass in his cup. He'd heard already that the little pixie huntress had taken down a tenth form creature in front of the relief battalion, but it had been well over an hour since she normally appeared, and he had heard nothing. He was starting to worry. There was a knock on the door, and he turned expecting to see her only for Brock to stride through with a grin.

"Ranin, why so dour? You don't have to look so put out just because I'm here." The door shut behind him and he greeted his brother-by-mating tiredly but pleasantly.

"I heard you had an adventure in the woods today?" Brock wandered over to pour himself a glass of whiskey.

"You should have seen it, Ranin. It was glorious—a giant creature of death taken down by that little spitfire." He turned, sipping his drink and leaning against the table, his eyes darting around before lowering his voice to a whisper.

"And, you're sure?"

"About as positive as I can be without asking directly." He chuckled, wandering over to the seating area to take a seat.

"He's always been so perfectly composed, but with the slightest provocation? His eyes turn amber and he growls to defend her." Brock's eyes widened in surprise.

"Huh. I always thought either Kenna or Tobias would…"

"They still may, who knows. Especially if she centers them. But there was also…" he cleared his throat and waggled his eyebrows, " suggestions of more." Brock grunted.

"Let's hope that damn prince shares." Ranin snorted.

"Nah. Ten moons he doesn't even come back for her, driving her right into Bartos's arms." Brock barked out a laugh.

"You're on. You didn't see the way he looked at her."

"Yeah, but it's Feldan. Between him and Bartos? I know who I'm rooting for." Coming over to take a seat, Brock asked, "What about the redcap? Or Zhadin? They were besides themselves when she landed the final blow and watching them work together to take that thing down was incredible." Ranin found himself leaning forward.

"What happened?" Brock grinned savagely as he gave an animated retelling of the message they received, the crashing of trees as the warriors prepared, the beast as it crashed and the huntress as she jumped like she had leapt straight from the heavens themselves to then blow it up with a bolt of lightning, all without an ounce of fear or hesitation. He spared the gorier details. He finished the only slightly embellished tale when there fell a brief silence between them. Brock asked, "Where is the lass?

Asleep, I assume?" Ranin chuckled.

"No. I wouldn't trust she was fully asleep. The longer I know her, the more I start to see the truth of Bartos's words."

"Which ones?"

"She's the elusive white stag, and to treat her as such. Shy."

"… shy isn't one of the words I'd use." Ranin chuckled out, "What do you mean? She's timid and shy and slow to trust." Brock gave his brother-by-mating a long, hard stare.

"… timid. Her." They had that moment where they suddenly wondered if they were talking about two entirely different people, pausing the conversation again as they studied each other. Then spoke simultaneously.

"We're talking about the greenling—"The lass is the one named Athereon—" They both paused and nodded, then fell into quiet thought. Just as Brock's brows furrowed and he asked, "So where—" the bells began to toll. Screams and shouts sounded as the alarm for a surge was called. Cirn was the first to move, opening the door as the men swiftly followed her out to the wall. In less than a minute, they were standing by the Riverlands Captain of the Guard, scanning over the wall at the incoming horde of beasts.

"Up for a fight?" Ranin asked Brock. His brother-by-mating gave him a feral grin.

"Can't have the lass outshining me." Ranin smirked and Cirn grinned behind her veil. She was getting tired of standing around in a gods damn castle. Athereon couldn't have all the glory.