The Chronicles of Onyx: Book 1

Chapter Nine

Onyx stood before the Queen, unbound, with no Orcs waiting to show her out. It was a feeling she couldn't understand, having no boundaries; it almost felt like a dream. "Nothing comes without a cost," she warned herself.

"Why have you come to me? What more could you possibly want?" Queen Demeter asked, her voice commanding as she regarded Onyx with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Onyx took a deep breath, gathering her composure as she met the Queen's intense gaze. "I stand before you because, for the past many years of my life, I have lived with the enchanted Magik cuffs that you imprisoned upon me" Onyx began, her voice steady, "I want to know your plan for me. If I am to remain here, why keep me powerless and weak? What purpose do I serve to you?"

The Queen leaned forward, "I give you the freedom to roam my castle, and the first thing you do is demand answers from me?" The Queen said with disbelief, rising from her position on her throne. "Onyx," she started, a hint of frustration in her voice. "You should know that you are merely a vessel. You, yourself, mean nothing to me, only the power that runs through your veins."

"I may be an object in your eyes, but I am a living, breathing being," Onyx stated firmly, "I have dreams, desires, and emotions; even if I don't show them." She looked dominantly into the Queen's eyes, her golden eyes boring deep into her soul.

"This talk is over," Queen Demeter stated, dismissively waving her hand. "Why don't you go to your new chamber, change, perhaps even take a bath. And put on something nice; you reek like a wet dog."

-ooooo-

Stepping into her new chamber, Onyx was met with space, luxury and comfort. The bed was clothed with soft, silken sheets, and the room was dressed with beautiful tapestries and detailed artwork. As she walked barefoot on the soft, plush carpet, she took a moment to relish the feeling of softness against her feet. It was a stark contrast to the rough and unforgiving ground she had grown accustomed to during her captivity.

The thought of having her own space was foreign to Onyx, and she couldn't help but marvel at the new items she now possessed.

Her eyes caught sight of a bathing area, lit by candle light and complete with a large tub filled with steaming water. The warm, inviting scent of the water was irresistible, she couldn't resist the temptation to indulge in a proper bath.

She walked excitedly over to the bath, finding it surrounded with a stone tile floor. The cold stone was a sudden shock to her feet as it took a moment for them to adjust. Eagerly, Onyx undressed and sank into the soothing water. The warmth, inviting to her bruised body, offering slight relief to the sores along her skin. She closed her eyes, fully submerging her body in the welcoming warmth. The comfort was something she wished would never end.

Emerging from the bath, she inhaled the fragrant air, feeling refreshed and renewed. As she looked around in curiosity of her new surroundings, she caught a glimpse of a black dress nearby.

An elegant dress that the Queen had left for her to wear. Onyx stared at it skeptically as she stepped out of the bath and dried herself off. The dress was a far cry from the tattered rags she had been clothed in.

Reluctantly, but curious of how she would look, she slipped into the gown, wincing at the tightness around her waist. "Well, this is new," she muttered under her breath. With each step, she felt restricted, almost as if she were constantly tripping on loose fabric yet held back by tightness and suffocation. "She must enjoy seeing people squirm in these torturous things," Onyx mused.

She walked over to a full-length mirror and examined herself with amusement. "Well, Onyx, you look like a noble lady today," she said with a sarcastic grin, imitating the elegant voice of the Queen.

Onyx twirled and attempted to dance, however her playfulness almost led to a mishap on the wet stone floor. "Well, maybe not so noble after all," she scorned herself with a playful grin.

However it quickly vanished as she looked in the direction of the twin, wood carved, doors that led towards the outside of the castle. To the Queen, and a fancy feast. With a hard sigh she closed her eyes, "So this is what being a gust to a queen is like, no wonder why the castle stays so empty all the time" She caught herself smiling at her own jest, "Now is not the time to jest Onyx!" She scolded herself, this time harshly.

"Well, it's time to show your face to a lot of Orcs Onyx," she whisper to herself, preparing herself for anything. Quickly she pulled down the sleeves of the black drees to conceal the iron cuffs from sight, before walking barefoot towards her new doors. Onyx inhaled deeply before pushing them open, letting herself out in the Queen Demeter's domain.