~~~Jameen~~~
Glacial drops of water rained onto my head from the ceiling of my cavern cell. The rhythmic spattering keeping me focused while searing pain coursed through my body. My daily ritual of flexing my fingers and gritting my teeth did nothing to abate this hellish torture that attempted to split my soul in two. No, it only got worse. So much so, that the groans I had promised myself I would never give 'them' the chance to hear; finally left my throat.
The guttural sounds echoed off the walls of this cave-like prison, signaling I had finally given them what they wanted, which I was sure was my complete and utter despair. Every day the separation grew more intense, leaving me weaker, powerless, a failure to my people, and to my love. I rotted away in this dank, shadowy cave, year after year; I became less of a person and more of a body in which they took from. My captors, Lygos and his mistress, of whom I called the Cloak, were the epitome of devilry, nothing more than mindless whores for power.
In the beginning of my stay here, I had tried to escape, using what power I had left after the initial attack against me, to try and flee my confines. But in the end, it was of no use, and I learned that their black magic was stronger in numbers against me. There were no plans to flee anymore, no one was coming to my rescue, and little by little I lost my faith in the Great Mother.
Why would she allow this to be? Why would she let my Jillian die? Why would she never let me know the boy that was my own flesh and blood?
The Mother was everything to the world, but suddenly, she became nothing to me. This great and powerful deity, that held every scrap of life in her ancient hands, made no move to help her own child. I had been her warrior, a protector and provider for her people, my heart and soul were with her always, and yet she denied me now. As a warrior, I had been dignified and proud, but now I was hopeless and nothing more than skin and bones. The tears fell and the last of my manhood slipped into the dark void where my heart used to be.
Weeping was beneath what came from me as the pain stopped. I broke apart screaming and writhing, my wrists were raw from the animalistic thrashing. I felt my Jillian's soul begin to leave this earth, lost to me forever. The mist infused manacles clanked violently away from the rock wall and I howled at the shadowy barrier that sealed this end of the cavern.
Where are you Great One? Why have you forsaken me!
I fell to my knees, threw back my head, and screamed the cry of a lost soul.
Just kill me! Please!
I begged for her to answer me, whisper in my ear, or send me a sign that this was all a mistake.
What have I done to deserve this life?
A warm breeze stole my hoarse cries, settling around me with the strangest sense of security.
My eyes widened and I whipped my head around the dim earthy room, looking for something out of place.
Surely after all this time, it could not be her.
The warmth grew stronger, relaxing my shaking body until I was leaning back against the wall.
"Are you there?" I breathed, afraid of what I would hear.
Small footprints appeared in the earth, walking towards me. I held my breath and clutched my knees to my chest. The imprints on the dirty cave floor stopped at my toes. Warm air, in the form of invisible fingers, ran down my cheek and over my drying tears.
A chilling whisper came next to my ear, "Never question the creator of the grass and the sun. Never ponder whether your Mother loves you and watches over you. Your pain is my pain, your heart is my heart, and I carry it with me always. To walk the earth is a gift of which I have given you and I make no mistakes. Things must happen for a reason my child, even if the journey to your answers is a burden you don't think you can bare. Have faith in yourself and you shall have faith in me. Show me my warrior and I will give you her light."
"What does that mean?" I answered frantically, searching the air for her with my aching fingers.
Something like a kiss was pressed between my eyes, a heated tingle left on my skin.
Be strong my son.
All the heat that had built within my confines vanished, replaced with the dreary cold yet again. I flinched at the abrupt change and the footfalls of heavy boots nearing. Taking a deep breath, I stretched, cracking my spine, and rolling my neck. I remained on the floor with my legs in front of me, letting my arms hang at my sides.
The wall of mist parted, creating an opening for Lygos and his cloaked consort. He studied me for a few moments as I looked into the black slits of his eyes. I had seen some Fae that would be considered comparable to a nightmare, but never had I seen a being so ugly. Lygos was completely hairless, his face nothing more than skin pulled tight over ill-sculpted bone. His cheeks were hollow with a flat swine reminiscent nose centering his face. In short he was disgusting, and when he pulled his chapped lips back, showcasing his decaying teeth with a grin, my stomach rolled, the non-existent contents threatening to come up.
"This is rich," Lygos bellowed, the sound vibrating around the flesh of his pudgy belly.
"The Prince of Fae with tears running down his cheeks like a fucking babe. What happened to...What was it darling?" He turned with a smile to the darkness behind him.
"Oh, yes I remember now. 'You'll never break me, you pig faced bastard'," Lygos ended with a wicked cackle. "What do you say now little babe?" The ogre of a man crouched to my eye level, his leather pants squeaking under his displaced weight.
"Do you remember what I said when I first brought you here, Jameen of Fae?" He cocked his head waiting for my reply, but I didn't answer him.
"Let me refresh your memory then. I believe I said that when I broke you, I would show you the torment you caused me when you killed my sister," He licked his grimy teeth.
I couldn't stand him or his accusations any longer and I jumped at him, landing on my feet in a crouch like a feral cat. Maybe I had no power and I was of a human standard at this point, but I couldn't give in to him...I just couldn't. My body was on fire, the countless beatings and daily surges of 'separation anxiety' having taken their toll. I stood fast though, never flinching as he brought his face within inches of mine.
"Your sister was greedy. Although her death was not by my hand, I am not sorry for what my people did to her. She abused her gift for power, not to protect those weaker than her. The shadows are created of the darkness, but with the right person, and a pure heart, they can be tamed. She was never going to change and the Fae court knew that. She would never be that right person. Her mind was set on the destruction of my people and I could not stand at her side a minute longer. I hated her and even still, I hate her now..." I seethed.
He slapped me with the back of his hand and blood filled my mouth. I spit it out and hissed like the animal I had become. We stood off, my chains still binding me to the wall, with only the slightest bit of slack to work with.
"Enough," Cloak's raspy voice haunted our ears. She was in glamour. That much I knew to be true. Her voice was not the one she was born with, but then again nothing about her was all that met the eye. Even though I was powerless, I still recognized her as Fae, and more importantly a traitor to our kind.
Thick yards of folded velvet flowed across the floor, the slithering sound as she crossed the dirt made me shudder. Her covering was equivalent to something out of a gothic fairy tale, dark greens fading into black, and shimmering like a snake as she passed the lone torch in my cell. The train of her hooded cloak splayed around her small figure, making the garment all the more eerie. One would have the impression that if the hood was pulled off, the face of darkness itself would stare back at you.
