King Corbenic woke and stretched his aching back. A solid night of flogging and flaying village virgins really took it out of him these days. It had not become any less fun however.
As he rose from the feather bed the silk sheets stuck to him. The dried blood was uncomfortable now and irritated the plump old man.
"Sansan come! I would have this mess cleaned and my breakfast served!"
Sansan rolled into the room on her little cart with a silver tray of steaming eels and boiled grouse eggs balanced on the stumps of her legs. She had once tried to escape Castle Corbenic, back when she was young and stupid. Now she would never run anywhere again. In her youth she had been a pretty thing. After years of beatings and mutilations she was barely human any more. King Corbenic made her dress in a black leather bodyglove with a mask that had no eye holes. Which was fine since her eyes had been burned out long ago.
"My Liege, eel and grouse egg, I hope it satisfies His Greatness."
"This is the reason I keep you around Sansan. you really know how to treat a man after a hard night of playtime."
"Thank you your grace, you honor this lowly scum with your kind words."
"Now now my daughter, you are not lowly scum, one day if I die you will inherit this land until our son is of age to rule."
Sansan set the platter on the breakfast table by the window and wheeled her way back out of the room. She knew better than to linger.
Sansan went back down the hall to call on the house maids. They were all standing board stiff and strait backed in a perfect row as she approached. She of course couldn't tell as she had no eyes but the captain of the King's Guard, Lord Vordemance, was inspecting them to insure they were fit to clean the King's quarters. All of them wore the skins of the house maids who came before them and heavy iron collars. Upon purchase they each had the words Property of King Corbenic 20 Silver Reward carved into their faces chests and backs then filled with ink to form crude tattoos. In a different life any of the girls could have been beautiful. Now they were broken tongueless husks.
"Do they pass inspection M'Lord?" Sansan could always tell if it was Vordemance giving the inspection by his sour smell and raspy breath.
"All but number five, It's hair is starting to grow in again."
San San rolled to in front of the 12 year old girl and said in a low voice "kneel number five" then she removed her leather glove and rubbled the top of the girls head, feeling the stubble growing there.
"A bit hasty with the razor this morning my sweet? Fret not. You do not have to see the king this morning. Actually as shaving seems to be too difficult a task for you to complete you do not need to shave anymore."
The girl looked at the leather bound cripple wholly confused. Kindness didn't happen here.
"Number two and number four. If you ladies would be so kind as to escort number five to the kitchen and submerge her disgusting hairy crown in boiling oil. Numbers one, three, six seven and eight, Go to your Kings quarters and clean up the fun he had last night. Leave the one that is still squirming in the corner though she doesn't sound quite done and the king may want his guest to stay a bit longer."
The Lord smiled at this and followed the two who were dragging the wailing and flailing number five down to the kitchens.
As he rose from the feather bed the silk sheets stuck to him. The dried blood was uncomfortable now and irritated the plump old man.
"Sansan come! I would have this mess cleaned and my breakfast served!"
Sansan rolled into the room on her little cart with a silver tray of steaming eels and boiled grouse eggs balanced on the stumps of her legs. She had once tried to escape Castle Corbenic, back when she was young and stupid. Now she would never run anywhere again. In her youth she had been a pretty thing. After years of beatings and mutilations she was barely human any more. King Corbenic made her dress in a black leather bodyglove with a mask that had no eye holes. Which was fine since her eyes had been burned out long ago.
"My Liege, eel and grouse egg, I hope it satisfies His Greatness."
"This is the reason I keep you around Sansan. you really know how to treat a man after a hard night of playtime."
"Thank you your grace, you honor this lowly scum with your kind words."
"Now now my daughter, you are not lowly scum, one day if I die you will inherit this land until our son is of age to rule."
Sansan set the platter on the breakfast table by the window and wheeled her way back out of the room. She knew better than to linger.
Sansan went back down the hall to call on the house maids. They were all standing board stiff and strait backed in a perfect row as she approached. She of course couldn't tell as she had no eyes but the captain of the King's Guard, Lord Vordemance, was inspecting them to insure they were fit to clean the King's quarters. All of them wore the skins of the house maids who came before them and heavy iron collars. Upon purchase they each had the words Property of King Corbenic 20 Silver Reward carved into their faces chests and backs then filled with ink to form crude tattoos. In a different life any of the girls could have been beautiful. Now they were broken tongueless husks.
"Do they pass inspection M'Lord?" Sansan could always tell if it was Vordemance giving the inspection by his sour smell and raspy breath.
"All but number five, It's hair is starting to grow in again."
San San rolled to in front of the 12 year old girl and said in a low voice "kneel number five" then she removed her leather glove and rubbled the top of the girls head, feeling the stubble growing there.
"A bit hasty with the razor this morning my sweet? Fret not. You do not have to see the king this morning. Actually as shaving seems to be too difficult a task for you to complete you do not need to shave anymore."
The girl looked at the leather bound cripple wholly confused. Kindness didn't happen here.
"Number two and number four. If you ladies would be so kind as to escort number five to the kitchen and submerge her disgusting hairy crown in boiling oil. Numbers one, three, six seven and eight, Go to your Kings quarters and clean up the fun he had last night. Leave the one that is still squirming in the corner though she doesn't sound quite done and the king may want his guest to stay a bit longer."
The Lord smiled at this and followed the two who were dragging the wailing and flailing number five down to the kitchens.
