I would do anything to go home.
Isellta resumed his hair stroking activity. That is the truth, but what does it mean? I’ve already surrendered my body to Her Majesty with the full knowledge of what that would entail. What more can I do? What more can I surrender and give away so I can see my Robin again?
Should I offer myself to Mark Caten as well?
He shuddered at just the idea of it. No mental images. Just the very idea of being intimate with Mark Caten. He doesn’t even want me, though. He said that I’m not his type. And…I don’t want to be with him. He would hurt me the way he hurts Her Majesty.
Maybe even worse than that?
Besides, it would only serve to prove that he’s right about me: I am nothing but a whore.
But.
What if it worked?
But it hasn’t worked for Her Majesty. Why would it work for me?
But.
I will do anything to go home again. To see my Robin again. I need to see him again. Truly see my beautiful Robin again. Oh. Ohh, to touch him…
Isellta kept his head bowed and pressed against her arm. “Your Majesty?”
“Yes?”
He scrunched his eyes in fearful anticipation of her reaction. “I need you to lower the barrier on me?” He tensed up.
“Why? So you can go running back to that guard and cuddle with him?”
“I would like that, but no. That isn’t the reason why I’m asking.” Isellta lowered his hand. “I have an idea that might set us both free, if I can…if I can just..” He looked up at her.
Preyuna still had her head bowed. Her hands were still splayed on the counter.
He stood a little straighter. “I want to offer myself to Mark Caten.”
She turned quickly to face him. Her eyes were wide with shock. “You want to what?”
Isellta trembled, but he held his ground. “I want to go home, Your Majesty. I will do anything to—”
“You STUPID boy.” She punched his right shoulder.
He cried out and covered his shoulder with his opposite hand.
“So STUPID!”
He flinched as if her words were another punch.
“Look at me, Isellta. LOOK. AT. ME.”
He whimpered and rubbed his shoulder. But he did look at her.
“I went through a LOT of trouble putting this barrier around you to protect you from him. And you’re just what? Going to throw yourself at him? Why? Do you really think you’ll be able to accomplish what I’ve failed to do? Do you really think that you’ll be able to sway him? Do you? If you really think that, you are so much more stupid and naive than I thought you were.”
Her words were a barrage of savage hits. Isellta could almost feel them strike his shoulder, his face, his stomach. He cringed and backed away from her. “I…I…This is something I…I need…I—”
“No. That man has no heart, no mercy. He is nothing but cruelty. He will destroy you, Isellta Mal Hoven, and all of the good things you are. I know him. I know the games he plays. I know…” Her voice wobbled. She stopped talking and turned to face the hole in the wall that should have been a mirror.
He shivered and kept rubbing his shoulder. “Your Majesty, please. I just want to go home.”
Her hands glowed as she apparently tapped into her base magic. She made a quick hand gesture. All of the bits of wall reassembled. All of the mirror shards flew back into place. “That man will never lay a finger on you, Isellta. I swear it.”
ambroseandelsie 