30 Day Image Prompt Competition - August

Day 2 Prompt 2 - Slumbering No Longer

Winter’s chilly fingers crept around the chamber, fighting a never ending battle against the heat thrown out by the large fire roaring in the hearth. Keira was oblivious to this battle that fought itself out every evening during the long winter months. She stood at the window, watching the snow swirl up and down, tossed around by the swirling wind. A long, knitted tunic protected her too slender frame of the chill of the room that threatened to seep through her skin down to her bones.

For almost a year she had stood at this window every evening, her eyes seeking out the distant mountain range, searching for a sign that he would come for her. Not that he would come. He had sacrificed himself to save her and her family that dark and fateful night. Despite endless searches they had never found his body after that night. Her family had said that it was obvious he was dead because he had never returned to her but she had always kept a flickering flame of hope inside her heart that he would return. Now, though, the flame was dying, starved of any signs that he was still alive, out there somewhere.

“My lady?”

The gentle voice of her maid interrupted her musings and she turned to greet the young lady who had become a close friend over the past year.

“Yes, Giselle?”

“Your father wonders whether you will be joining him for dinner. He is keen for you to spend your last evening within the embrace of your kin.”

Her eyes drifted over to the wooden chair standing in front of the fire. Draped over the ornately carved back was a drab looking brown dress with a white pinafore. Tomorrow she would don those garments before taking her vows at the nearby abbey and joining other young ladies entering a life of serving those in need. A life so different from the one she had led before.

“Thank you, Giselle. Tell my father I shall be down shortly and will sit with him and my family this evening for dinner.”

The maid nodded her acceptance before backing away and retreating from the room, closing the heavy oak door behind her. Alone once more, Keira turned back to the window. Tomorrow night her view would be through a narrow window, overlooking the small collection of huts and canvas dwellings that had appeared over the years since the war. No more mountains and vibrant pastures to gaze upon.

Her parents questioned whether she was making the correct decision, fearful that she was throwing her life away. They didn’t realise that she saw no future for herself any more. Hadn’t seen one since that night, twelve months before. Everything came back to that one night, one night that had changed everything for her.

Determined not to allow her thoughts to drag her down, she untied the window drapes and allowed the heavy velvet to sweep across the windows, hiding the mountain range from view. Tonight was an evening to share with her family, not her memories.

The corridor was quiet as she walked towards the stairwell. Torches flickered in the iron sconces, casting jumping shadows across the  stone floor as she hurried along the passageway. She thought it odd that she encountered no one as she made her way towards the dining hall. Guards were often patrolling the various corridors of the castle yet she saw no sign of their reassuring presence. A flicker of unease teased along her spine before she ruthlessly quelled it. No one would dare to threaten the castle and its occupants. She was safe and her family was safe.

Repeating her mantra over and over in her head she pushed open the vast oak doors to the dining hall and stepped into the large chamber where her family would be dining, a wide, loving smile lifting the corners of her full lips to  deter their probing questions about her future.

Inside the chamber she stumbled to a halt at the scene unfolding before her. Both her mother and her younger sister sat bound to their chairs, dirty rags tied across their mouths to prevent them speaking. Terrified eyes met her own and she ached to cross to them and remove their bonds. Her father lay slumped against his chair, his face battered and bruised. A slow trickle of blood traced its way down his craggy features to drip on to the fine, white linen shirt he wore.

“My dearest Keira, so nice of you to come and join us.”

She dragged her eyes from her father’s features to look into the face of the man who had brought her world to its devastating end a year before. Determined not to show fear to this man, she met his gaze full on, her head held high as she stood before him.

“Lord Borat, what a pleasant surprise to see you here.” Sarcasm dripped from her softly spoken words as she watched him walk towards her.

“My dear Keira, so beautiful and welcoming as always. Seeing you standing here only reinforces my decision that it would be wrong to allow you to join the abbey on the morrow. You are too good for that kind of life.” His words were pleasantly spoken yet there was a cold cruelty in his eyes that sent shivers down her spine. “You are far more suited to the role of my loving wife.” A cruel, thin smile twisting his florid features.

“I believe that my father has refused your offer of marriage, repeatedly.” Despite the fear coursing through her body she was determined not to allow it to show.

“He has but I would not accept his refusal. He needed to be taught a lesson in respect for his overlord.” Borat passed a dismissive glance over the slumped figure of her father.

A spark of anger ignited deep within Keira sending tendrils of warmth along her veins. Her fingers clenched into tight fists at her side as she stepped towards Borat. “You are not our overlord. You murdered the man who was our overlord and killed the man who would have inherited the title!”

Borat took a step towards her, his smile disappearing as he used his vast bulk to intimidate her. “I would watch your words, my lady, if I was you. Accidents have been known to befall those who question my authority.”

“You do not frighten me, Borat. I know who you are and what you are. Someday, someone will come and reveal the true Borat and then you will be nothing!”

“Someone tried that once before and failed, remember?” He gripped her arm, dragging her to him. “Your precious Jayden could not stop me. No one can.” Hot, fetid breath brushed across her face as he stood close before her. “Just as no one can stop you from being my wife.”

“No one would permit a marriage to go ahead knowing that it was against my wishes.” The anger coursing through her was tempered by the panic starting to stir at his words. She would not become his wife, not at any price.

Borat nodded to one of his guards standing in the shadows of the room. He pushed a man forward into the room, his face also battered with blood splatters staining his white robes. He clutched a leather bound volume in his arms that Keira recognised as being his book of his sermons, including his marriage readings.

“Your chaplain was keen to agree to perform the wedding ceremony this evening rather than the committal ceremony tomorrow. I’m sure you would rather be wed by someone you know rather than a stranger.”

Keira paled at his words, feeling the walls of her prison closing in around her. There was no escape for her. She looked over at her family wondering at their fate. Borat would not allow them to live for they would know what he had done and could talk to those in the know. She would not allow their deaths to be in vain.

Raising her chin, she glared up at Borat whilst her hand disappeared up the sleeve of her tunic. “I would rather die than be your wife!” she spat whilst her hand slashed at his features, the sharp blade cutting deep into his fleshy cheek.

“Bitch!” Borat yelled as his hand slapped her hard across the face sending her crashing to the floor.

She lay battered and winded on the cold, stone floor, blood seeping from a cut on her face from where Borat struck her. As she tried to collect her scattered thoughts and plan a route of escape an angry roar split the evening air. Such was the level of rage echoing through the castle that Keira felt glad she was not on the receiving end of such a level of anger.

Borat paled slightly as the cry faded away, his eyes darting around the room as though he was searching for someone but there was nothing to see. The roar sounded again, causing the earth to tremble beneath their feet. Something stirred within Keira, some emotion that she had never expected to feel again. She climbed to her feet, her aching face forgotten as she listened intently to what was happening outside.

“You will pay dearly for your actions here,” he warned, advancing towards her, murderous intent showing in his eyes.

Before he could lay a hand on her the earth shook violently as a loud explosion ripped across the valley. Outside, the night sky was illuminated by vivid orange tongues of fire that reached up towards the clouds. Rolling clouds of dirt and debris were spat from the mouth of the volcano as the power built up beneath the rocky surface. Wide bands of lightening arced across the sky, an impressive display of violent power that terrified those watching.

Keira did not feel afraid as she witnessed the power of nature. Hope was rising inside her, lighting her up as the lightening arced across the sky. She knew what the violence represented and her heart felt light.

“He comes,” she whispered, her face radiant with hope and love.

“You lie!” Borat thundered, his face pale and beaded with sweat. He too had recognised the signs but he refused to believe him. “I killed him!”

“No, you didn’t. You don’t know Drakos if you believe that you killed him that night.” Feeling emboldened she took a step towards Borat, her confidence growing in leaps and bounds. “A dragon will always protect his host and keep him from death until it is his time to ascend to the heavens. Jayden was placed in a deep sleep to allow his body to recover. Now he has healed and regained his strength he seeks his revenge against you.”

Now it was Borat’s turn to step backwards, his feet stumbling across the stone floor. “No, that cannot be. I killed him, plunged my knife deep into his chest and watched him die. He cannot come back from that.”

“No? Jayden is a Drakos, descended from a line of Drakos who hold powerful magic within them. You cannot kill them. He will come for you, Borat, and he will kill you.”

Sweat trickled down Borat’s face as she spoke, knowing that her words were true. He would not give up his position without a fight. “I will just have to ensure that I kill him for good.”

Another roar split the heavens, the growl of the earth echoing the violent anger pulsing from him. “I think you will find it is he who kills you, for good.” She laughed as Borat hurried from the dining hall, calling his men to follow him as he raced for his carriage and instructed the driver to leave immediately. Her eyes caught sight of the great black dragon emerging from the ash cloud in a great burst of energy and swooped down towards her.

The dragon slumbered no longer.