The Girl with Red Hair and Sapphire Eyes Part 2

Xalay woke up with a start as cold water doused her face and body. She sputtered and coughed water that had gone down her throat and into her airways. She reached to wipe her face and then quickly became aware of the fact that she couldn't. She opened her eyes, and realized she'd been strung up by her wrists from a pipe across the ceiling of a small and dingy room, a cellar. She was always short in stature, and although most girls tied from the pole with the same length of rope would have had their feet on the ground, Xalay's didn't even graze it.

She began to regain her wits realizing her hands were throbbing from the ropes cutting into her flesh. She scanned the rest of the room. Her kidnappers were there, although now she could see their faces. Both of them were in their early 20s, black hair and almond eyes, tanned skin, and the smaller of the two had freckles on his nose and cheeks. A third man referred to as Gerrick entered, the officer apparently in charge of the prison. Xalay needed to take advantage of it. He was their superior which would require them to stand at attention and direct their eyes at him. She counted down as the officer entered the room and the others fell into position. With as much momentum as she could gather she swung her body back and then forward and back again. Her feet made contact with the wall. She pushed off of it and landed her heels directly in the chests of her kidnappers knocking the air out of them and toppling them the ground. She then used the momentum from pushing off their chests to swing around and kick the officer in the head. He went down immediately.

She swung her legs above her head and wrapped them around the pole to begin freeing her hands. She undid the rope from the pole first, and then let herself drop to the ground. Gerrick the bulky and bald officer Xalay had kicked in the head, regained composure and jumped to his feet. He wrapped his arm around the girl's neck and pushed her up against the wall, face to concrete, pinning her under his forearm.

Gerrick punched her in the back and she groaned. He flipped her body around so that her back was against the wall and then pressed his body against her to keep her from struggling. He pressed his forearm against her chest making it difficult for her to breathe. Her hands were no match to free herself from his immediate brute strength. Both of them had their faces in scowl and were muttering growled threats at one another.

Just then Lycius, the owner of the compound and his 1st Officer Marcus entered the room. Lycius was a well dressed Westerner wearing Asian inspired garments that were green, blue and white. He had long black hair poker straight hair that he kept pulled back in a leather strip with silver beads imbedded in it. Marcus, was seldom found without his officers' uniform. Since he was high ranking, his many medal pendants clinked with each step against the breastplate. He had blonde curly shoulder length hair and handsome features. The first thing Lycius and Marcu noticed upon entering the room was Ceras and Barum on the floor with bloody footprints on each of their chests. Their eyes traveled to see Gerrick holidng a bedraggled red haired girl against the wall. Gerrick had a black and swollen eye. He drew his arm back and slapped the girl across the face and then elbowed her in the side. She cried out and lost any remaining strength, her body cringing at the blows and her head hanging in submission. Ceras and Barum wearily rose from the floor and began to stand in position for addressing the compound owner, Lycius and his right hand man.

Gerrick lessened his grip to take hold of the girl's shoulders. He slammed her back against the wall. "Sorry, sir. This girl hasn't learned her place yet."

Lycius remarked, "I see she gave you a run for your money, or should I say MY money." Lycius and Marcus guffawed at the joke's completion. "Well no matter, I see Ceras and Barum were able to acquire another beautiful Red head for the festivities. Good work, men."

Just then the girl's head rose slightly, barely above a whisper she said his name, "Lycius?" Startled, Lycius ran over to the girl, pushing Gerrick aside. He lifted her head, and pushed back her shocking red hair. A pair of haunting Sapphire Blue eyes stared back at him....."Xalay." Lycius felt his stomach lurch into his throat. How could this be? How could his men have been so stupid to retrieve that lady of the house from the neighboring compound and mistake her for a common whore? Anger gurgled inside of him and within moments a scream was erupting from his gullet. "Do you not recognize nobility when you see it!!!?" Xalay's body shook with startlement and fear and she began to fall. Lycius caught her body before she hit the ground. He lifted her up like a father would cradle an injured child. He flashed murderous glances at Ceras and Barum, and through gritted teeth he sneered, "Lock them up. I'll deal with them later."

Lycius left the room, his cloak billowing behind him. Marcus struggled to keep up with the quick pace, all the while opening doors as they reached new corridors, allowing his Lord and also friend to pass. Finally they reached the stone steps that led to the outside. They climbed inside a caravan cart, and allowed the horses to take them to the river. Lycius had ordered them to move as fast as possible. While inside the cart, Marcus removed his cloak and placed it under Xalay's head. Lycius, removed his and covered her body with it. Her teeth were chattering from the cold. Lycius also removed his knife from its holster on his leg. and cut away the rope that was still around her wrists. "She looks bad, Lycius," said Marcus. Lycius retorted, "I know that, Marcus! The whole damn thing looks bad!" Gently he pushed back her tousled hair, examining her face, the broken skin on her lip, and the gash on her temple. Lycius lookat up at Marcus and said, "When we get there I'm taking her to the medical room, fetch Sarandin for me." Marcus replied, "Of course." Had they been in the company of other officers he would have referred to him as Master. But in the quiet lone quarters of the caravan cart, it wasn't necessary. All attention was directed at their friend Xalay. Lycius knew she was strong and that although this was bad she would most certainly survive. What he wasn't sure of, was if their friendship would.

Finally they made it to the lake. Marcus held the boat steady as Lycius lifted the girl and carefully stepped on board. Marcus climbed in afterwards and they made their way across the lake. The boat was not large, and only meant for 3 to 4 passengers. Lycius held Xalay close to him, attempting to keep her warm. Even though they had taken care to wrap her body in both of their cloaks, she was still shivering uncontrollably. Lycius laid her head on his chest, and his hand on her hair. Even with everything she'd been through, it was still silky and soft to the touch. He breathed in, and could smell the lavender oil she'd used to frangrance it. He found her intoxicating. What would he do if she hated him? Or worse, what if she told him she never wanted to speak to him again or see him again? Then what? He swore under his breath. She wasn't ever supposed to find out about the women. He was going to beat the living daylights out of Ceras and Barum as soon as he had Xalay settled in.

They arrived at the other side of the lake and climbed into another horse drawn caravan and began to head towards the main stead of the compound, Lycius' living quarters. Once they arrived, Lycius immediately scooped up Xalay and headed inside at a running pace. Servants and maids scrambled to open doors and make way for him. Marcus also ran inside and headed towards Sarandin's quarters to let her know she was needed.

Xalay was vaguely aware of what was going on. She knew she'd been in a torture room, and that somehow Lycius had shown up. Now she was in his arms, and at his compound. Or at least she guessed that was where they were. Her sides were aching, and her wrists were burning. She could hear a strange hum in her ears - a kind of wooshing noise. She was still feeling the after effects of being drugged or whatever. She tried opening her eyes, but the motion made her dizzy. So closed them again.

Lycius entered his medical room. A table already set up. Gently he laid her down on the cushioned table, and stretched out her legs and arms. She groaned. It was getting dark outside. He began to light candles and oil lamps to illuminate the room. Once he'd done so he ran back over to Xalay. Now he could examine her more closely. How much damage had they inflicted on her? Again he got down close to her face. Moving her head from one side to another checking out each of the scrapes, cuts, bruises, and broken skin. He opened up the cloaks they had wrapped around her and let the edges fall on either side of the medical table. Her dress was now drenched in blood. He looked down at himself and realized his garments had also become soaked. He took out a knife and cut away her ripped gown, and then carefully rolled her to one side. She had a deep gash just under her ribcage on her back. He laid her back down again and ran to one of the cabinets. Looking through the shelves and pushing bottles and containers this way and that he found the one he was looking for.

Removing it hurriedly from the shelf, he held a small jar filled to the brim with spider web threads in his hand. He removed the lid, and began pulling out the sticky white stuff and carefully packing it inside her wound. The more he packed inside the wound the more it bulged, but the blood stopped flowing. He grabbed a rag and ran it under the water apparatus which brought water inside the building from the nearby lake. An ingenius pump-like invention done by one of the many engineers that Lycius had on staff.

"Lycius?"

He startled. Lycius had been so engrossed in stopping the bleeding he hadn't realized that Xalay had woken. "What is it, Love?" She swallowed, "Where are we?" Lycius leaned over her, so she could see his face, "We're at my home, Love. You're hurt. My nurse is coming to make you better." Even in the dim fire light of the room, Lycius could still make out the incredible Sapphire color of her eyes. Girl after girl, he'd searched, and never found anyone with eyes like hers.

Finally Marcus and Sarandin entered the room. Sarandin was not human. She stood at more than 6 and a half feet tall. Her skin was blue, she had long black hair that reached past her bottom. Her eyes, and fingernails were black as well, and she had small horn like nubs at the top of either side of her head. The race was called Paelana, there were very few of them in existence, and usually they could only be found in forests at the far ends of the earth...far away from humans. Sarandin however had been banned from living with her people. The reasons why were fuzzy and she refused to divulge them. Either way, the only way she was able to make a living was through service to Lycius. No other humans accepted her, but rather tried to eliminate her. But nonetheless she was incredibly skilled in medicine in several races.

Lycius introduced Xalay to Sarandin. However, Sarandin immediately dropped to the ground upon seeing her, kowtowing to her. "Master Lycius please forgive me but my medicines will not work on this Madame." Lycius was dumbstruck. Sarandin's medicine was far better than anything that humans had come up with. Why would it not work on Xalay? Lycius dropped to the floor, to get her to lift her head, "What is wrong with you? Stop this nonsense!" Sarandin tearfully responded, "Please sire, understand! She is a Wai Prophet! I am a heathen! I will not rish costing her station."

To be continued....

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The Girl with Red Hair and Sapphire Eyes Part 2

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