Kingdom Born

Chapter 13: The Scarlet Arena

The atmosphere of the city had changed since Karl and my arrival two days ago. The hurried concern of business had sped to sudden desperateness which cleared the stall of all goods as the citizens didn't know how long the closure of the harbor was going to last. Those with coin were sending their women to carry loads that nearly buried them while the poor stood aside and watched with envy, longing, and hatred.

I shivered in the light silk tunic, the smithy family found, as the cold wind ripped through the busy streets. People stared their loathing at me, but my size and my blade kept them from rushing forward. I walked with confidence. Anyone who looked even moderately well off and weak would be targeted for attack. Edna had protested when I explained my plan, warning me of the dangers that a wealthy women faced when the harbor closed. There was nothing I could do though. A rich woman could get into a brothel; a poor commoner wouldn't. So I was walking with my life in my sword calloused hands, dressed in rich looking but thread bare silks that offered no warmth at all.

Edna had given me all the current information that she could find without arousing any suspicion. Apparently it was common for the poor to sell their comely sons to the services of the brothel believing their sons would have fine garments and all the food they wanted to eat while the family had enough coin to last the coming year. I found it revolting. My insides churned with revulsion. Edna could accept this of others but not of her sister.

She tried to explain the acceptance of this practiced slavery, "Those without families have no option, but Isaac's mother had me. I could have given her coin for Bittergrass if that was what she wanted."

I couldn't agree with her reasoning. A son was to be cherished and provided for to the best of a woman's abilities. Selling a male for coin was not acceptable not by the Goddess nor by me.

Grey uniforms of the Coveport Protectors were on every street corner, watching the crowds for the tell tale flash of red hair. I had never thought that red was such an unusual color. I smiled as I sauntered passed them with the air that I had the right to be in the streets. Only the guilty appear guilty if they want to get caught. I had no intention of dying tonight.

My mind was working feverishly as I made my way back to the upper half of the city. Misha would want to keep Karl close to her. She had always wanted to watch or be a part of her enterprises. I couldn't see why she would want to be too far away from her business. You can never change entirely. Misha had to be the best at her chosen endeavor. She had two brothels that Isaac knew of. She spent her time between both of them. From her schedule she spent the latter half of the week at the Scarlet Arena. The arena was the most notorious in the city where forms other than sexual entertainment could be indulged. How could the Goddess allow this to exist?

The twilight of the evening cast shadows deep into the streets, masking most of the ugliness and decrepitude, but I knew that it was still there. My stomach was knotted with anger and dread as I crossed over the Perfumed River. I was close to Karl now. I had to be careful.

"Halt!" I stiffened at the shouted order but stopped making sure that my hands were close to my sword hilt without looking like I was prepared for a battle.

"Breaking curfew is a serious offense." Three grey uniformed Protectors came out of the shadows. The strong scent of ale wafted from them all.

"There is a prison term to be faced if you get arrested, woman. Unless you make worth our while not to arrest you." The Speaker stood in front of me while her companions flanked behind, each with a hand on their sword hilts. They had no need to be subtle - the odds were in their favor even if they were drunk.

"I didn't know there was a curfew. I'm visiting . . ." I began regretfully, trying to placate them.

"Ignorance is no excuse." Speaker returned motioning her companions to move around behind me.

"Now that I know, I'll get off the streets." I made a motion to start on my way but Speaker pushed me back warningly.

"Where to?"

"The Scarlet Arena."

The Speaker looked me up and down. The silks that I had on were old and wouldn't stand up to intense scrutiny but this moonless night was working in my favor. So I hoped. "You don't look like you could afford to pay the gate fee."

"Sometimes looks are deceiving." My placating tone was hardening even though it would have been wiser to take the ridicule these bullies wanted to deal me. The guards looked at each other and I felt that they were beginning to draw courage to do something rash. I had to scatter them, now.

"Look, I have a personal invitation from Mistress Righthander herself to come to the Arena tonight. She will not be impressed with my arriving late for the show because of three drunken guards. Now, get out of my way or will I have to take this incident to Misha who will then take it to your Commander..." I stressed the face that I was on first name bases with the brothel mistress of the town.

The woman in front of me turned ashen. "I'm sorry Mistress. Be on your way."

One of my flankers protested, "Jana..."

"Shut up. We gotta get back to our posts." The Speaker stepped out of my way and pulled her companions after her into the darkness.

Misha had power everywhere in the city. She controlled the harbor by paying the guilds, the Protectors by offering coin un-numbered and from those two she controlled the whole city. I would have to be extra cautious.

The Scarlet Arena was as spectacular and more debauched than the Golden Palace. It was a massive; three story high, made of red glass blocks. Somehow, Misha had gathered enough of ancient glass to build its outer walls. The glass was stained red but you could still see a glow from the light inside, though you couldn't make out what was going on inside. The unbroken smoothness of it suggested forbidden sensualities. Somewhere in there was my husband and I would find him and free him or die trying.

The gate fees were three gold coins but when I looked like I was going to bock, the gatekeeper assured me that it was to pay for anything that I wanted. The gatekeeper looked at my clothing and pursed her lips as if she were deciding to allow me inside when I handed over the coin making sure to jingle my purse to show that I was wealthily enough to be admitted.

The gatekeeper held the red door open for me and ushered me inside. I followed the dim torch light down a narrow corridor that twisted and turned until suddenly I came out into a main courtyard. Isaac had never been to the Arena. No man was ushered back and forth between the two brothels; too much training had gone into preparing them for certain tastes. The maps Isaac had drawn were of the Golden Palace, I was going in blind.

Torches and candles blazed tightly, enough of them to make the night seem like day. Red and gold silks hung from the ceiling fluttering in the faint breeze that enormous turning fans created. The scent of rich spices and perfumes hit my senses. The lavishness the exotic greenery only enhanced the entire scene. Men wore nothing but a scrap of cloth that wrapped their privates and separated their buttocks lewdly as they served drinks and foods to women lying on over stuffed pillows.

"Good Evening Mistress." A handsome man a few years older than I, with long blonde hair, and wrapped in a short red kilt bowed lowly to me then offered me a goblet of wine. "What is your pleasure this evening?"

I swallowed my repulsion and smiled winningly at him. "This is my first time here."

"Ah, a virgin." He smiled widely and clapped his hands over his head, "I will send one of our highly praised to show you the delights of the Scarlet Arena. If you have any preferences, you need only tell him and he will arrange it."

"Are there any rules that I must know about?"

"You are here. You are the Mistress. You can take who you want if he is unencumbered, you can join in if you are invited...if you would like to see something...well, your escort will help you any way he can."

A young man, probably a few years younger than myself, bowed to me. Unlike the serving men, he was dressed in a scarlet kilt that ended near the tops of his thighs. "I am Silk."

I wanted to throw up. Instead I gestured for the young man to lead the way into the courtyard. He leads me down into the pillows and then dropped to his knees. He sat back straight, eyes downcast and his legs opened wide so his kilt was hiked up to show what the Goddess had blessed him with. I had to look away.

"Do you find me unappealing?"

I shook my head then forced myself to look at him, waist up. "Silk, that isn't your real name."

"No, but silk the name I prefer. Are you thirsty or hungry Mistress?"

"No...I am...bored..." What the couple next to us was engaging in made my cheeks flush crimson. I had to look back at Silk and his lewd offering posture. "Do you have any new men?"
Silk leaned forward and grabbed my tunic bottom desperately then quickly dropped his hands back to his upper thighs, "You don't want a newcomer... I can be everything you want." There was quiet despair in his voice.

"What will happen if I choose another?"

"I will be whipped." He crawled onto the pillow and rested his face against my upper thigh, "I don't want to be whipped again. I can do anything you command. I can be anything you desire."
The host was staring at us. I pulled Silk off me, rolled him onto his back then sprawled across him. "He's watching..." I whispered into his ear. "I won't let them whip you but you have to help me."

I regretted not having my curtain of hair to hide our conversation. I shifted to the far side and buried my face near his ear then urged his face close to mine so no one could hear us. "I'm searching for a grey eyed man with brown hair that's cut really short. Mistress Righthander would have brought him in yesterday."

"I've seen him."

"He's my husband."

Silk stiffened beneath me. I dropped my and down into his kilt then laughed loudly. I rested my finger tips along the top of his waistband. The heat of his skin burnt my fingers.

"I've seen him. He's down in the training rooms. He's been . . . un-cooperative” Silk’s face took on an uncomfortable air.

"They hurt him?" I pressed my ear close to his mouth, looking like we were engaging in preliminaries rather than talking.

"Drugged him. There's nothing you can do."

Goddess forgive me. I grabbed Silk's manhood roughly. He grunted and tried to double over. "Take me to him or I'll hurt you more than the whip ever could. Get up."

I let go of him. He slowly climbed to his feet. I took him by the back of his hair and pushed him forward. He gestured toward a silk curtained arched doorway. I pushed him toward it. The host at the door just nodded at us and turned back to greet the newest arrival. We disappeared behind a curtain of red silk and started down a wide corridor flanked every few paces by brightly painted doors.

We came to an intersection. Silk paused until I tightened my hold on his hair. He turned right and leads me toward a staircase that descended into darkness. I drove him ahead of me, carefully looking around for watchwomen. Torches were less abundant here. We crossed several hallways then descended another staircase. There were no watchers on guard in these lower levels. At the bottom of the staircase, Silk pointed to the left. "The first room on your right down this way. Let me go, Mistress. I've brought you here."

"I can't have to running to the first guard you see."

He opened his mouth to scream. I clapped my hand over his mouth and dragged him hard against me. He stood still and shivered in my arms. "I won't hurt you. I just want to free my husband. You can come with us if you want. If you want to stay that's all right but I can't have you telling anyone about us. Don't me hurt you. I'm going to take my hand away now."

I let go of his hair and dropped my hand away. He turned and looked up at me with tears streaking down his face. "I can't go. I can't leave Davy here!"

"Is he why you were whipped?"

He grabbed desperately at my arm, "They tell me it's wrong to love him."

I knew women who preferred loving women and that was right with the Goddess. Men preferring men had to be right also. Only here, in this place, it wasn't something they could make coin on.

I held Silk's hand reassuringly and lead him to the first door on the right side of the hall. It opened easily. A brace of torches on either side of the bed illuminated the horror I had only dreaded.

Karl, my beautiful grey eyed scholar, lay tied with silken ropes hand and foot to the bedposts. A silken blindfold and gag wrapped his head but I knew that it was him. Sweat caked his body and musky scent of sex filtered up from the bed. He had tensed as the door opened as he lay there, helpless and naked.

I left Silk at the door and climbed onto the bed. Karl started twisting and fighting against his bonds. I pulled the blindfold off. He stared up at me unseeing for a moment then stopping fighting...I lifted his head and unknotted the gag. "Karl..." I kissed his lips hard with relief, then reached up and began to work on his tied wrists.

"Phara...?" He touched my face when I finally worked one knot free. It was taking too long. I pulled my dagger out and cut through the other bonds. "Phara....You're hair." His voice was horse and cracked as he spoke.

I caught him up in a desperate embrace. I pressed his head to my shoulder and breathed in his strong scent. I finally allowed the small fear that had hidden in my heart of not finding him some acknowledgement. I crushed him tightly to me. I had thought I might never see him again. "Come on..." I pulled him upright.

"Phara, I tried to stop them but...they gave me something in the water...I couldn't...they..." His voice was slurred and his eyes were still dark with what ever drug they had forced into him.

"I love you, nothing can change that." I ripped a silk curtain from the bed and wrapped Karl in it.

"Can you walk?"

He stood up and nearly fell over. ". . . sorry."

I re-sheathed the dagger and bent and lifted Karl in my arms. He felt lighter than I remembered. But it couldn't be, we had been separated less than a week. Still, this mistreatment! The exhaustion that was lingering in the back of my mind was blasted away by the anger and outrage.

Clapping rang out behind me. I turned and saw Misha, Kayla and eight watch guards standing in the doorway. Misha slapped her hands together a few more times then dropped them to her sides. "That was every entertaining, Phara."

"It almost brought a tear to my eye." Kayla jeered.

"I knew you would come for him. When my Watch and the Protectors couldn't find a trace of you, I knew you were still in the city. I only had to let a little bit of information loose among the gossiping men. I knew you'd get it eventually."

I let Karl slide to his feet. I pushed him behind me and reached for my sword hilt.

"Uh, uh." Kayla grabbed Silk from his position against the wall and held a dagger to his throat.

I let my hand drop away. Misha shook her head slowly. "You don't know your limits yet. I learned mine the hard way." She gestured to the long scar across her left cheek, "You are a far superior blade than any one in this room . . .”

Kayla's eyes narrowed at the insult but she just tightened her lips and shot daggers of hate from her eyes.

Misha continued, ". . . however, you probably have the most conscience in this room as well. His death would be on your hands. He cost me good coin but there are others out there that could take his place." The watch guards encircled us as Misha talked, "You are a better swordswoman, Phara, but I am an exceptional tactician. Captain, I believe we have something that you're looking for."

A large hulking shadow appeared in the doorway then stepped into the faint light. Sanderson. His dark skin was mottled with black and green bruises from my attack. A large bruise started at his chin, extended down his throat then disappeared into his leather amour.

His icy blue eyes pinned me on the spot. I felt his gaze rake over me, "You shouldn't have cut off your hair. It was part of your charm."

"Phara . . . ?" Karl's voice was dry and weak.

"Boy, you're not the only one who's been entertaining." Kayla returned gleefully.

Something broke inside. The Goddess would not allow this to happen. It was against all her laws. I tossed Karl my dagger and drew my sword. I screamed and lunged at Kayla who hadn't done anything but look surprised. My arms went numb as the flat of Sanderson's broadsword slammed across my forearms. My blade hit the ground but I used my forward momentum to jump on Misha. Kayla had shoved Silk to the floor and was drawing her sword as my hands closed around Misha's throat.

Light exploded from the back of my skull and I was pulled away as if I were a child. One of Sanderson's massive hands caught me round the throat and pinned me to the floor as two guards locked my hands and ankles into metal cuffs.

"You chose how it was to be, Crimson. I would rather have had you come to me of your own volition, but if this has to be the way so be it."

I stared wildly back to Karl. He was on his knees with a watchwoman's sword pressed against his neck. He stared over at us with a dull sheen in his grey eyes.

"You will look at me when I talk to you." Sanderson pulled my face toward him. I spat at him. A loud wind went rushing through my head as I rocked from his blow to my face.

"Phara!" Karl's voice was pure anguish. He began to struggle weakly.

"Shut up, boy!" The words were followed with a sharp slap.

I started struggling as a band of silk was forced between my teeth and tied roughly. I kicked out at Sanderson and caught him on the leg. My head suddenly rocked the other way. My face stung and tingled. The sharp iron taste of blood filled my mouth as my thoughts were grown musty.
"Now that my property has been found, I'll be leaving harbor. I'll inform my father of your good wishes and eagerness to establish formal trading agreements."

Misha pulled a green flask from her belt. "You saw how effective this was on the man here. I give this to you as a present. May the Goddess guard your trip home, Captain."

I found myself easily hoisted off the ground and tossed on his wide shoulder. I twisted my head around and saw Karl being held by four women while another stood mixing the drug in another green flask. He struggled weakly as they ripped the silk covering so he was naked again.

"I'm sorry..." Silk stood in the corridor as Sanderson carried me passed.

Kayla stepped up behind him and knocked him to the ground. "Where you given permission to speak?" She kicked him. Silk curled into a ball and lifted his hands over his head as Kayla continued on with her beating.

I tried to scream and struggle but my words were muffled and my movements useless. Sanderson tapped me lightly on the buttocks as he carried me up the stairwells. I pulled at the cuffs. Once, we were on the water I would be really helpless when the sea sickness came on. We were near the top of the stairs and I began to wiggle and thump my knees into his chest. Sanderson lost his balance and stepped backwards once then slapped my rear, harder. We cleared the stairs and he strode down the corridor brushed aside a tapestry and walked to a hidden but guarded door, then we were out in the clear cold night.

He tossed me roughly into the back of a wagon then climbed in. I tried to kick out at him. He deflected my kick, edged closer then sat on my hips and stomach. His face broke out into a wide smile and I screamed stifled insults at him. "You're a lioness. One day you'll fight as hard for me as you did that slave boy."

I tried to buck him off. "No more merry chases. We're two days behind schedule all ready." He reached over and worked a black bag on my head. I fought him through the darkness. His laughter goaded me on. I fought him all the way to the wharves. I struggled uselessly as I was carried up the plank to the Kingdom ship.

Karl!

Men's voices greeted Sanderson and comments were made about the sight of me over his shoulder. His hands reached up and caressed me in a familiar manner as his men laughed. I twisted my body away from his shoulder and levered my knees into his chest. I hit the deck hard on my back. My head bounced off the wooden deck but it wasn't worse than the slaps I had taken at the Arena. I laid still.

"Damn, get the Surgeon." The laughter trailed off. I listened to the creak of amour as someone leaned over me. I lashed out with my bound feet. I caught whoever it was full force. He fell over backwards.

"Get her down into my cabin!. Keep her chained. I want out of this god forsaken city now."

Sanderson's voice came from the direction of the thump I had heard. I smiled around the gag.
Two sets of hands carried me down stairs away from the deck noises. I fought their hold but I still ended up face first on a soft mattress.

"Good god, what the hell did the Lord bring back?"

"Lady Merric isn't going to be pleased."

"I don't think Lord Matthais is going to get pleased either. Come on, we got work to do."

Blood slicked my wrists as I pulled against the metal. I could hear the urgency of the Kingdom men as they rushed about and cried out to each other. The ship groaned as it began to move. I worked harder on my wrists, enjoying the sharp pain that accompanied it. The ship rocked again.
"We're clear!"

I felt the sickness creeping up on me. I vomited choking on it as the gag leaked it slowly down face and into the bag that was still over my head.

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