Xaki Valen

Screams filled with pain scattered around the small dungeon.I hummed at the exquisite sounds that reached my ears.My eyes were closed so as to prolong the magic of suffering.All my senses attuned to the cries.

"I-I don't kn...." More sounds of lashes meeting and cutting the flesh of the captive.I smiled.Content. "please.." One more. "It..It wasn't ..." More lashes.

"I-i'll t-t-tell you.Stop-stop it..please....have mercy...stop .." The whispered words stopped and cut the magic.My eyes opened abruptly,annoyed.I narrowed my eyes at the prisoner who was barely standing  with the help of  the chains, attached to the ceiling.I looked at him critically.

One of his eyes was swollen shut.The other was beginning to puff.His bare body was covered with the lash marks.Various purple and red bruises decorated the parts not covered by the lashes.Blood flowed from his mouth.His lips torn.There was so much more that could be done.It wasn't enough yet.

I looked at the guard who was heaving.Stalking to him I tilted my head at him,questioning the worth of his life."That's it.?" I asked calmly.

The guard had stepped back at my approach.His fear was visible.The sweat marking his face.He gulped."N-no My lord.I-I can continue."

I looked him up and down staying silent.Drawing out the tension that gripped his body.Getting near his ear I whispered."Go on then.Show me what you can do.May be I'll let you live then."

Trembling furiously,he rushed to do my bidding.

With more energy and force he continued the assault on the prisoner.I trotted back to my place in the corner of the dungeon and sat contently as the music  floated in the air again.

His cries.His agony.His suffering.

They stopped after a while.My eyes opened .Admiring the work of the guard,I stretched.The guard was gasping for breath.The prisoner had lost consciousness not able to withstand the heavy blows by the guard.My lips twitched."You are allowed to live.I am impressed."The guard visibly relaxed at the praise.Nodding at the captive I stated."Wake him up.He is not allowed to rest until it is his last breath."

The guard didn't waste time and ran to the mug of water kept specifically for this purpose.He threw the water on the captive's face.The prisoner squealed as the ice cold salty water woke him abruptly.

The guard didn't need more directions.He started the beating immediately.Taking a last look I left the dark dungeon with the howls and groans echoing around.

A familiar nostalgic feeling gripped me.My feet stopped.The anger bubbled up.Rage clouding my eyes.I looked down at my chest and the same ugly mark gripped my insides like nothing else could.I wanted to break something.The pain and the humiliation of that night floated before my eyes.I was about to turn back and take that anger out on the captive when I heard the words that doused the fire burning inside.

"My lord.The tracker has returned." I halted and faced Rivean. His head bowed down.Taking steps towards him I placed my hand on his shoulder.His eyes moved to mine.

"And?" I asked anxious.

Rivean smiled and I knew my answer."He has found him,My lord.He has the whereabouts of your loyal confidant."

I grinned patting his shoulder.It was seldom I showed praise and when I did it was meaningful. Rivean grinned showing his teeth.

Rivean was one of my trusted commanders.His hold and power over the soldiers was incomparable.He was as good with his swords as he was with his words.A double faced weapon.The reason he served me.He had risen from the slums,making his way from the very bottom to his position now.I admired his spirit.His attitude of not backing down.After Nastur,Rivean was the one I could trust with my life.That didn't mean he was safe from my wrath as  Nastur was.

Nastur was special.It was the right decision on my part to trust him.No one could have been a better choice.He was skilled in all art forms ,the same forms that he had taught me and I had learned with eagerness.His strategies in the war had helped us  win more than lose.

Nastur. My confidant.My friend.My companion.My adviser. My  trustworthy counselor.

My parent.

If there was one person who I could call family in this world.It is him.

"Get Black ready.I'll leave after my evening's entertainment."I smirked. Rivean nodded and went off to carry my instructions.

Serfs and servants stopped what they were doing to bow their heads as I passed.The smell of their fear easily detectable.I ignored them.I entered the dining room and sat.My eyes on the tracker standing by the door.I raised my hand for him to speak.And speak he did.Telling me what I was dying to know.The secret that had evaded me all these years.

I beamed at the tracker, happy with the results.I nodded my head to the guard standing behind me.He placed a bag of coins in my hands.I threw it at the tracker's feet.He squatted to inquire his prize.His eyes widened as the gold coins fell from the bag.He curtsied  and went  away.

Feeling ecstatic I jumped up and made my way to the main halls to the corridors to the last room I saved for such pleasures.My mind already racing ahead for the night to come..

Opening the door I stopped to take in the sight before me.The shimmery robe clad women sprawled on my bed,ready for the action of their lives.And I will indulge them until they satisfy the hunger that was clawing to get out.I shut the door as their eyes landed on me.The coy smile was accompanied with a hint of panic and alarm shining on their faces.I returned the favor with a predatory smile for my prey of the day.

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Extracting myself from the girl on my right I tried getting up when the other one on my left  decided to stake her claim on my chest.Her hand stopped my ascend.Lifting her hand I glided out from their hold.Clingy would not even begin to describe the female sensibility that I had encountered for the last few hours.They just didn't wanna give up.But how could I blame them.

Donning my robe I left the two to sleep.They needed it .

So easy.

Just like always.

No one wanted to be seen with the bastard in the day light but night was another thing.The noble ladies of the high castles preferred the "bastard's" company . Were even willing to share.Who knew the properly dressed "genteels" were hiding such pleasurable vixens behind all those clothes.Were more creative than the whores they looked down upon.

I enjoyed defiling their "purity".It gave me the high I craved.A satisfaction when I saw their husbands,brothers or fathers.An upper hand on their degraded moral standards.I laughed at the hypocrisy of the society.I didn't even knew how many "bastards" of mine were running around the streets given birth to by the refined noble ladies of  the high society.

As much as I enjoyed sullying their reputations and violating their code of conduct I was starting to get bored from it all.The same coquettish teasing  of the women breed was appalling and alluring at the same time.The foolish breed were either eager to tame my ways or were greedy enough to taste the heaven that only I could give them.Hilarious and profound, how their little minds worked.I enjoyed exploiting their senses.Their morality.Their standards.Their consciousness.Their thinking.

I savored and prided myself in the sexual gratification I could give them.The rumors that traveled from low slums to high societies  everywhere were proof enough to satisfy my male ego.I took delight in the narrow stares and angry faces of them all.The only way for them to express their dislike was the whispers heard in the dark.None were strong or brave enough to call me out.To challenge me.The devil as they called me.No one dared to poke the Devil's fury.

Insulting and provoking the male populace during the day and cultivating the carnal knowledge with the female populace during the night were my elixir.

I exited the room leaving the spent women on the bed with my fluids and made way to my room.The footman was ready with my bath."Clean  the room.Throw them out."He didn't bat an eye and went  to do my bidding.I didn't need to tell him who "them" were.Their work was finished. My body was at last content.No longer hungry.

I took my time as the night darkened further.

After dressing I made my way to the stable where the serf had saddled my horse.The prized thoroughbred ready for the long journey ahead.I rubbed it's black head and mounted.

"I'll go alone." I said as the guards came forward to accompany me.They knew better than to argue and thus stayed behind.

Black raced.The dark night provided the perfect refuge.

Finally.I knew.I wanted to shout.I knew where you go.I have found your sanctuary.For years Nastur had evaded all the trackers ,all the eyes I had placed on him.He left every season to go to his haven.A place I wasn't aware about,I wasn't allowed to be familiar with.

Time has come for the secret to be revealed.

I kicked the horse to fly faster and take me to the untold.