Underestimate Me

Rowen felt the bone crack as her fist connected with his face. A metallic taste filled his mouth, but it was by far not the worst thing he ever experienced. Did this woman, cold and fearsome to most, believe that a little broken bone would faze him in a manner of speaking? He spit on the tent floor, just beside her boot, before smiling. The action sent waves of scorching pain through his temple, but he did not flinch from it, just as his father taught him all those years not to flinch before his punishers.

“Really? Simply one broken bone is supposed to bring you severe satisfaction? I am mortified by your lack of technique.” Rowen let the smile fade from his features, not able to hold onto it any longer. “You should take lessons from my father.” He spat once more, keeping his eyes from the young girl they forced to bring him here. Did they force her to watch this act of horror?

The woman before me balled her fingers again, but she did not strike yet. “Question him before he loses the ability to answer, Sister Meredith,” Josselyn’s harsh tone filled his ears. Her voice caused him more pain than anything this icy woman could, but he dared not show it. He knew she already saw one of his weaknesses, the damnable wound on his shoulder, but he would not give her another to pick at until it festers and boils into nothing more than the tortures he brings upon himself every waking hour and occasionally during his sleeping hours as well.

“Tell me about your armies,” Meredith growled.

“Ask your leader!” Rowen hissed. “I hear she used to be quite close to The Head’s son…” Meredith’s fist connected again with his broken cheek. A groan left his lips unwillingly before he averted his eyes from his punisher, and mistakenly met the wide eyes of the little girl. Horror creased her features as she watched. He steeled his jaw before he looked away from her. The memories of such a familiar gaze echoed through mind, though his soul.

“Is this what you thought would happen?” Elrik bellowed. A much smaller Rowen’s eyes watered, but he knew if he was not on his knees before his father’s wrath then Merek would have to face his own charges. Merek, barely eight years old, did something to upset his father. Rowen did not question his brother’s actions, for whatever he did the consequences were not meant for a boy of Merek’s fragile size. A tear slipped from the eldest son, who was merely thirteen, which was not an action that pleased Elrik.

“I expect an answer,” the tall dark haired man growled, but on this occasion he took pleasure in the hilt of his new sword. The injury left a small imprint on Rowen’s chin that stayed for three whole days; the imprint kept him locked in his room for a whole day. The mark was not nearly as wretched as the bruise left on his ribs.

Rowen sniffled, wiped his eyes, and shook his head. No, this was not what he expected when he shoved Merek away from his father’s harsh hand, but this is the punishment he received. Elrik came down again away from his face this time. His people could not see the bruises on his child, he would not let them, but Rowen should have known his place, should have stayed out of the way. He saw his eldest son turn those black eyes they shared toward the blue eyed monster across the room. Elrik followed his gaze toward the wide eyed child. “You will not be able to protect him forever, Rowen.”

Meredith’s thumb found its way into the wound on Rowen’s shoulder. He gritted his teeth causing the searing pain from his cheek to rush to the rest of his body. A long moment later, she removed her horrid finger and smirked in his face. “You left the wrong woman in your bed, Son of Elrik! You left the wrong woman to die!”

Her words knocked the air out of him. His lungs would not take in new oxygen while his eyes swelled. He felt like that little boy so long ago, but this was different. Rowen was no longer a child; he was stronger than that, and he did not leave…

“Is that what you have been told?” He shook his head. “I will tell you nothing of my father’s realm except this. The only woman I ever had real feelings for died two years ago.”

“Tell me about your supplies? When do they come? I do not care for your history for I know enough to sicken me!” Meredith growled. Rowen could see it in her eyes. She was losing patience, losing control.

“She had the most beautiful black hair that seemed like silk beneath your fingers.” Rowen watched Meredith as she glanced to the corner. The direction his head would not quite turn to. “And the purest blue eyes you ever saw. Her skin was perfect, but for the longest time I never knew any of this because I never saw her until one day I woke up and realized how blind I had been. My young brother saw beauty where I saw companionship.”

“Shut him up, Sister!” Josselyn’s voice echoed in his ears.

“Merek loved her! Until the day she accepted her betrothal!” Rowen yelled toward the dark corner before Meredith’s fist connected with his ribs. It took him a moment to regain his breath before he began laughing. “Maybe you did take that class from my father after all,” Rowen smirked at her. “That rib has been broke thrice, four times if you break it today.”

Meredith growled viciously while her fingers wrapped around the edge of her blade. “I never left the girl I loved in my bed,” Rowen spat. “When I came back for her she had quit me, nowhere to be found. No one except my brother!” He turned as far as he could to the corner. “Merek will die because of you, and you can be sure that I will never forgive you for what you have done.”

The eyes of the little girl looked more alarmed than horrified this time Rowen met their gaze. One of her hands covered her mouth while the other reached for her precious leader, though Josselyn did not meet her hand. Her voice echoed around him until he could no longer feel anything except emptiness as she spoke. “I shall never forgive you, Son of Elrik, and no one has to die for that to be decreed.” Her words were colder and sharper than the blade Meredith held between her fingers. He could tell the woman worked hard to keep control of her hand. She held the knife to his broken cheek with a sadistic grin. A smile that Rowen remembered all too well. For a moment he wondered if this wench could be another of his father’s offspring, but the thought vanished as soon as it sprung to mind. Elrik never had more than two sons.

“I told you, I’d enjoy this severely,” Meredith whispered sending chills through his body that froze his blood.