Chapter 1 Pain

ISLA

"I offer myself in his stead" I said out loud.

A lot had happened to me in the past few hours and I couldn't believe that I was here in front of two powerful Kings. I was kneeling and I was begging and most importantly I was giving up my life to save my brother's. I had to save him. I just had to. My brother had been taken in by the powerful Rokhan warriors for hunting a very reverted and sacred animal in the surrounding forest, and the penalty for that was death. The only thing I could think of to help him, the only was to save him was give myself up in his stead, so here I was.

I wasn't as loud as I would have wanted but I still felt his piercing gaze leave the king and come to my body. Familiar goosebumps went over my body as I felt his intense gaze.. the horde king. I could...feel his eyes on me and I had never felt so naked in my life, almost as if he was looking right into my soul

Maybe the king noticed that the horde king's eyes were now on something else but he also went quiet and his eyes came to me. A lone thin female wearing a white garment and a huge robe with dirty filthy boots. The entire room went quiet as well and all eyes came to me. The two Kings in attendance, the twelve elders ruling our twelve cities, the Rokhans and all the other heads and witnesses. All eyes came to me

"Five" I whispered the last number as I counted. It was now or ever. "I offer myself in his stead! My brother has been brought for a crime that is punishable by death, but I would like to offer my life instead" I said out loud so that everyone heard me.

One tidbit of information to be known about what I had just done was a first in our kingdom Although this was a tradition that the Kingdom of Xion held very dear to them. It was acceptable for one person to take the place of another for any punishment, only if the horde king gave permission that is. It was something my mother had told me among the many stories of the Kingdom of Xion that she had told me as a child. So I had known the moment my brother was dragged away that I could save him, by offering myself first

"Take her away!" Barked King Purak at some of his soldiers. He looked pissed that I had interrupted such an important meeting. What he didn't know was that all of that stopped being important the moment I decided to do this.

A few of the soldiers rushed forward and I immediately went into defense mode, they would not prevent me from saving my brother! I was too weak to stop them as they quickly subdued me and pulled me away from the room. My eyes went to my brother and the small hope that had grew in my heart began to wither away as I was pulled farther from him. I wouldn't be able to...save him

"Stop" A voice said calmly but I felt the words through my body like a spear. The soldiers holding me also went still.

"Bring her forth. I will listen to her" said the voice again. The horde king had spoken, and the soldiers had to follow his order. The horde king and my king were both kings in their own rights, but the horde king would always hold supreme in every room he walked into..he held that kind of power.

The soldiers quietly brought me back and forcefully pushed me to my knee. I winced as I felt pain but I didn't even let it register. My breath was labored and my heart was beating a slow hard pace. Even my body recognized power when It was near one. I still hadn't look up at the horde king, still haven't looked into his face, could only hear his voice. I was simply too terrified to look into his face. All this years that I had wondered what he looked like and it was at the time of my death I would finally see him. It wasn't fair...life wasn't fair. For the first time since all this started tears sprung into my eyes and I let them fall. There was no need putting a brave face anymore. The horde king would listen to me and save my brother, I hope so with all my heart.

"Please...Let me offer myself in his stead" I said admist the tears, my eyes fixed on the ground in front of me. I saw in my periphery as huge feet passed in front of me to get to the horde king and then there was whispers before the horde king signalled the person away. It was probably a Rokhan filling him in on what had happened.

"Do you understand that I will have your life instead of his? Your death instead of his?" The horde king asked as he stared at me. All his attention, all of that power was on me

ISLA

I had been crying silently but my shoulders began to shake after the horde king uttered those words. I didn't let a single sound out of my mouth though, making sure to keep all my cried and whimpering inside, maybe that was why I was shaking so bad.

"Yes I understand. I don't care what happens to me as long as I can save my brother. Please" I whispered but it was loud and could be heard everywhere in the silent room.

"You are either brave or stupid to do this little lamb" he said

"A little bit of both" I whispered to myself but I could have sworn all the Rokhans heard me.

He adjusts his sitting in the throne and leans forward. And he goes quiet for a short while, probably thinking of the best way to kill me quickly and get his over with.

He instead, gets up from the throne and walks urgently towards me. I staggered back but he didn't hesitate and pulled me easily by my arm until I was standing and then he was pulling me with him away from the hall.

"I will have a private meeting with the female, you will all wait" he addressed the room without even looking back.

The horde king shockingly pulled me out of the way, walked a few feet towards an empty room and pulled me in then locked the door. It was a huge official sitting room with a desk and achair and several chairs with important books. He sat me on one of the chairs and went around to sit on the other, then his weird gaze came to me with all it's intensity.

"My time is invaluable little lamb, tell me what I get in return for saving your brother's life" he says

"There must be something I can do. I will work for you to pay off his debt. My brother is a good man! I could be your servant..." I rushed to explain. I refused to discuss death again and wouldn't if I could help it.

"Good men make stupid decisions all the time" he says slowlyas he gets up from his chair and comes to stand in front of me then crouches, he was so huge and big that he was still a little taller than me in that position.

My heart was beating out of the roof and I couldn't fully breathe. I willed myseyti finally look at him but I was just too terrified.

I was startled when his huge hand crept between my legs and pulled me and my chair even closer to him right until I could feel his breathe on my forehead.

He tucks some loose part of my hair behind my ear, every touch sending sparks and promises of wicked things to me. I tremble with his actions, confusion and fear in my mind. I realize then that it isn't just fear weighing down my bones, but the lust causing my panties to become wet.

He freezes and pulls in a deep breath, almost as if he could smell the need he has evoked in my body.

"Yes, you indeed could serve me very well alive" his voice has gone deeper and a growl rumbles deep from his chest.

He stands up abruptly and pulls away then walks out of the room to return back to the meeting hall. I hastily get up and rush after him. I had just followed him into the hall when his voice rang out.

"Prepare the gourmet. A hundred lashes instead of her life. I don't need her death and I have come for peace. No blood shed today" he said to one of his warriors who I would soon come to find out was his Pujerak, his second in command.

Disbelief went through not just me but everyone in the room. I haven't ever heard that someone who should die by the horde king's hand was spared. It was the miracle of all miracles, something that has only happened this one time. I couldn't believe it, I simply couldn't. I don't think luck has ever shined on me till today. The goddess Kasia was truly a merciful goddess.

"Thank you!" I said as I quickly knelt in front of him. My life had just been saved.