Codex Mortem

Challenge

Endrine

Pitch black. This is how it was in this muddy hole half under the ground they call it dungeon. She was the only one there; she knew this. Someone's else presence would've been noticed by now. She couldn't see a thing, but she was not deaf.

The only time she could see a bit of light was when a guard would open the door at the end of the row of cells passage in the daytime.

With nothing to eat or drink since the Sun knows when, her only thought was death. She was sure that they won't allow her to die here in this cell. They needed her at the stone. As a dawner, her death would be an example. They will take out the whipping pebble because no dawner is allowed the chance to live. And she was looking forward to that. According to her calculations, it would be in a bit over a fortnight.

Lost in her thoughts, she heard the door open and a wolf's heavy steps approached with someone following. She couldn't see who it was, but certainly it was a lower, just another unfortunate prisoner. A lone, lost moon ray announced the nightfall.

The cell's door next to her opened and closed fast at the click of the iron key.

She lowered her head on her arm again for her prayers to be disturbed by the guard's harsh tone. "You there! Get up."

She got herself up on her feet and waited.

"C'mon! Don't make him wait!" He nearly shouted.

She took a few steps into the dark, reaching with stretched till she touched the bars in the darkness.

'Him'... did he mean the Prince? Surely he had slaves waiting in line, willingly. Why would he summon her?

The impatient beast grabbed one of her arms and yanked her out. Her shoulder and hip collided with the iron frame of the door and she screeched in pain, but the animal just laughed and pulled her forward harder.

"You filthy dawner, you shouldn't be allowed to get comfortable in here. You should be out, tied to the pole and whipped at out pleasure! If the old king would be alive still..."

She tried to match his big strides and kept her mouth shut. Endrine knew better than to reply to the dumb head.

As they approached the hall house, she scanned her surroundings.

On the left side of the path was what looked like a tall barn. At some distance, a few cottages still held some light from the warming fires inside. The trees stood proud behind, praying with their mighty arms at the Moon. On the right, an open space surrounded by a decayed fence was filled with the silhouettes of grazing animals.

They walked on the path near the fence in silence. Everything looked peaceful.It seemed like they the only ones walking at that time outside, but Endrine felt that someone is lurking in the dark. Of course, this was the king's seat. But it looked more like a peasant's.

Guards would be on their watch, ready to fight an attack at every moment.

The werewolf entered the great hall, nearly dragging her by the elbow, where a few men were sleeping. She could tell by the snores that they were beast. No human made such noises in their sleep... like they were in a pig chorus.

He ushered her towards the door that flanked the raised platform, at the end of the rectangular room, leading her to what it seemed to be the solar.

Uncommon was the fact that the fireplace was built in the inner wall of the place, not like the open ones from the Midland halls. No smoke filled the air, as all rose out through the stone chimney that pierced the high ceiling. When she stood here earlier, her mind couldn't process anything, being fogged by grief and sorrow.