The Lies that Made Us
Three Years Later

Amelia

Her candles were low, and she hoped they would bring her more soon. She could conjure her own light if needed, but it took effort she did not want to use. She had other ways she wanted to use her magic as she read from the large book in front of her. Maybe there was another way to make sure she had plenty of wax to burn.

Turning the page, she read some instructions for a spell. After reading over it twice, she lifted her hand and closed her eyes. She felt the light magic within her swirl around, filling her with power and warmth. Opening her eyes, she hovered them over her small candles, envisioning what she wished. Soon, her candles grew, the wax regenerating until they were as if new.

She put her hand down and smiled. Creating something out of nothing was difficult and not something most Light Bearers could do. She had worked the past six months on it, and now to do it was satisfying. Standing up from her desk to stretch, she thought there was little to satisfy her these days. Her room in the tower was not large, even if it was comfortable enough with everything she needed.

Her bed was soft and roomy. She had a good size fireplace and an area to wash. She was brought in a desk with supplies to write notes on her studies. When she asked for books, they were usually brought in as long as she played by the rules. Unfortunately, those rules were hard to take as they were set by King Gareth.

At first, she did not do as he asked. When he came in a few weeks after his father’s death and talked to her of ways she could earn privileges, she was disgusted. He then told her refusal to do as he commanded came with consequences. He ordered she be stripped and whipped. Ten lashes were what he commanded, or until she passed out. She should have passed out after four, she felt like she could, but she had to be stubborn and take them all. This happened five more times or the next few weeks. No one came to help her, no matter how much she pleaded, and eventually, she felt she could take it no more. She gave the king what he wanted and comforted herself by thinking it was at least something to pass the time.

She had few other visitors, and she was ashamed to admit that sometimes she craved the physical contact from her time with the king. She held no attraction for him or love. She hated the sight of him. As soon as he walked into the room, she was filled with dread, but she would close her eyes and let him do what he wanted. She became numb to it at first, blocking it out as it happened. As time when on, she grew angry and fought against him as he held her down. Recently she had started asserting her dominance, making him do it her way. She still hated it, but at least sometimes she found very brief pleasure.

She wasn’t sure why he continued to come to her. In the beginning, she believed it was just to break her somehow or show her she was completely in his power. She had denied him before, and now, he would show her she could keep nothing of herself from him. As she gave him what he wanted that first year, she thought he would grow tired of her, but he still came to her regularly three years later. Even after he married, he did not stop. He came to her the night before his wedding and the day after. The only time she got some reprieve was when he traveled.

She asked him about it one night as they sat together by her fire.

“Why do you continue to come here? If you do not replace release and pleasure from your wife, you could easily have many women who would give themselves to you. Why spend your time with me?”

Gareth took a drink from the cup he held and stared at her. He put it down and stood up before taking her hand and yanking her into his arms.

“Can you say you do not enjoy our times together, Amelia?” He turned her in his arms as his hands moved down her body. “You must feel the connection we have as power meets power.”

She slightly shook her head as he bent down to kiss her neck while his hands went to her ties. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do,” he murmured into her ear. “You can feel it, and I know you crave it as much as I do. If only you would have succumbed to me before that awful business with my father. I could have made you my wife and had everything I wanted.”

“You have a good wife, Gareth, one who is well connected and beautiful. You should spend your time with her.”

Gareth pulled her ties until her black dress hung loosely around her body. “She is boring and cold. She is nothing like you.” He pulled down her dress as he kissed behind her ear, making her shiver. She automatically leaned back into him, groaning with anticipated pleasure as his hand pushed down her dress to caress her breast.

“I don’t want this,” she said weakly. “You should replace others that can give you what you want.”

He laughed quietly. “You don’t sound convincing, Amelia. You would miss me if I didn’t come. What you and I do makes you feel alive. I know it does, as I can feel the magic spark within you.”

He spun her around and kissed her, and any other objections she had were lost as she let him take her as he always did.

She had a few other visitors over the years. Her father’s head guard would come to see her regularly. She always had liked Owain, and when he came to visit her, it was one of the few times she felt anything close to happiness. He brought her word of her father and brother, telling her when her brother married and when she became of aunt.

She always wished her father would come to see her, but he never did. She never saw him after that day the king died. She was never given a trial as King Gareth decided her fate with a few lords, including her father. Since that horrible day, all she had seen were the circular stone walls around her and what she could view from her small window.

Those first few months of imprisonment were the worst. She cried for her father. She begged someone to get him so she could tell him she never did anything to hurt the king. She pleaded with any servant or guard that came to see her, but they all ignored her. She asked for the ability to write messages, anything. She begged for knowledge of Brynn. Surely he would come home after his father’s death. She knew he would come straight to her and listen. He would believe her over everyone else.

Yet, he never came home, according to Gareth. He told her his brother was much too busy with his training, and there was nothing to be done since his father was dead. Amelia fell into a deep depression about halfway through her first year. She couldn’t remember much for several months as she only went through the motions of living. She wanted to give up entirely, stop eating, never leave the bed, but something within her wouldn’t let her die.

She spent much of the time writing in a journal they gave her. Every page was filled with letters to Brynn she would never send. They ranged from telling him of her love for him despite her unfaithfulness involving his brother. Some begged him to come home to help her. Others were angry, letting him know he had abandoned her, lied to her. He had made her love him and then forgotten her as soon as he left the kingdom. She poured her heart out in each one, knowing they would never be read.

Eventually, she snapped out of her fog and poured herself back into her training and studies. Her door and windows had been charmed by her master. Due to their bond, she could not break his spells, but she worked day and night to replace a way to do it. She knew it was more than likely impossible as a Light Bearer could never undo the bond with their master unless they were released or challenged successfully. Master Elgan would do neither, so Amelia was stuck.

One evening over three years since her imprisonment, Amelia stirred her fire. She had just stood up when she heard the locks turn in her door. She hoped it was Owain coming to see her and bring her the herbs she had asked for, but instead, it was Gareth. He walked in and closed the door behind him, locking it.

“Good evening, my lady,” he said with a smile. “I hope you are well.”

“I thought we agreed to dispense with the niceties, your majesty,” said Amelia as she reached behind her and started undoing the ties to her black dress.

He walked forward and put his hands on her arms to stop her. He held her close for a moment before roughly turning her around. Leaning down, he kissed her neck as his hands went to her ties. “I want to undress you tonight, my lady. You have been much too bold lately. Tonight I want to have you as I wish.”

“You think I will just let you do what you want?” asked Amelia as he moved her dress off her shoulders.

“I would rather you didn’t. I like it when you fight back a little.” He nipped at her shoulder before kissing her neck, letting his tongue dart out against her skin. He pulled her dress down until it fell in a puddle of fabric at her feet. “It’s a shame you fought back at first, Amelia. I hate to see your back so scarred. You are quite perfect besides it.”

He turned her around and kissed her. Her hands moved under his shirt, running along his broad chest. “All the gods and goddesses, you are beautiful. Perhaps it is a sad waste to have you locked in this tower, but at least I can keep you for my own. I like to know I am the only man you have ever had.”

She laughed slightly. “What makes you think you are the only one?”

He started to pull her shift up. “Was there another before me? Was it my simple brother? Did you give yourself to him? I was afraid you did, but it cannot be helped, I suppose. At least now, you can see how inadequate he was.”

She almost argued back, saying her one time with Brynn was worth all the wretched times he had forced himself on her, but instead, she kissed him before bitting his lower lip. Why should she defend Brynn? He had abandoned her like everyone else. She had no one.

The king growled as his tongue ran across his lower lip, tasting the blood there. He yanked her shift off of her so hard that it ripped a little. After throwing it close to the fireplace, he backed her to the bed and picked her up, throwing her upon it.

She looked up at him as he took off his shirt and made quick work of his boots and pants. He collapsed on top of her, kissing her roughly as one of his hands grabbed her full breast. She arched up against him, feeling his large member. She hated him, but she had to admit he was physically blessed in several ways.

“Eager?” he said with a smile as he raised up.

“I just want to get it over with,” she said with as much indifference as she could manage, trying not to moan as his hand moved down her side and his head dipped to her breast. He kissed the top of it before he took her nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. Her hand buried into his hair as he let go and moved to her other breast.

Slowly his hand worked its way down her side until he swept it below her stomach to stroke her most sensitive part. Her eyes flew open, and she moaned loudly as he kissed her neck with a chuckle. “My lady, you can stop resisting. I know how much you like my attentions. I always said you would.”

He continued to gently tease her as he went back to kissing her neck. She put her arms around him as her pleasure grew, and she could not keep any of her sounds from escaping. Before she could reach her peak, he withdrew his hand, and she groaned in frustration.

He pushed up to stand over her on his knees while he stroked himself. “Be patient, Amelia. I only want to experience the height of your pleasure with you.”

She squirmed under him, half wanting to throw him off the bed and half wanting to pull him down over her. She didn’t have to wait long as he positioned himself and slowly entered her. She felt herself stretch to accommodate him, admitting to herself she liked the feel of him in her.

“Yes, Amelia,” he moaned as he started to move within her. He was slow at first, but he quickly sped up, pushing all of himself in her over and over. He shifted, and it caused a shock of pleasure to wash over her. He noticed and groaned as he moved even faster and harder, making her start to shiver.

Her breaths became hard, and she knew she was close. “Yes, more,” she gasped.

He slowed a bit, making her sigh loudly. “You want more, my lady? Then ask me properly.”

She stared up at him as he half grinned at her. “More, please, your majesty.”

He made a noise of approval but still would not appease her. “Now ask using my name. I want you to beg me.”

“No,” she groaned.

“Oh, Amelia, you know what happens when you deny me. I hate to see you hurt. Now beg me.” He moved his hand back down towards her center and stroked her gently as he moved slowly in and out.

She could not take it, and she wanted it over for another day. “Please, Gareth, give me more.”

“Say my name again,” he said as he took his hand away and moved deeper into her.”

“Gareth,” she gasped. “Yes.”

He thrust harder and faster, and she dug her fingernails into his back as she felt her peak build again. Finally, she found her release as she cried out his name. It pulled him over the edge, and he moved a few more times within her as she felt him fill her. Collapsing on top of her, he quietly said her name before kissing her lips and then her throat.

She lay there, catching her breath, and finally, he rolled over next to her. She moved and pulled the covers from under them to cover her, but Gareth stopped her. He pulled them down as he rolled over. “I might not be done, my lady. Perhaps you would like a bit more.”

“I have had my fill of you today, quit literally,” said Amelia. “Don’t you have somewhere to be and a queen to attend to.”

He sighed and rolled back over. “I do have a banquet in a few hours, but my queen would rather I avoid her when possible. We need to make an heir, but our paltry efforts have shown no fruit so far.”

“Then maybe you should try harder,” said Amelia.

He ran his hand down Amelia’s body. “Perhaps you could make an heir for me. I am sure Juliane wouldn’t mind. I could send her off somewhere for her health and then bring her back when it is time for our babe to be born. We could pass the child off as hers and mine.”

“I will not have a child with you, Gareth,” said Amelia

“Think of how powerful and wonderful it would be. We are both clever, gifted people, much more than my poor timid wife. Our child would be a force.”

“You will not have your way on this. I have ways of making sure it never happens, and I will keep using them.”

“What if I take it away. I can start taking away everything of comfort you have until you give me what I want,” said Gareth. “Would it be so bad, Amelia? The child would be well taken care of. He would be a king someday.”

“You can take away everything I have. You can torture me, kill me, but I will not do this. You should go to your queen and work to gain your heir the right way.”

He shook his head as he sat up. “I will let this go for now, but perhaps, I will bring it up later. You might change your mind. Maybe I will offer you something you can’t refuse, like your freedom.”

Amelia could not help but raise her eyebrows at his words. She longed for her freedom. She begged for it at one time, saying she would sail away to a far away kingdom and never return. She quickly schooled her features. It would be too hard to carry Gareth’s child always to wonder if it inherited his evil nature and her weaknesses.

“You should go,” said Amelia.

“I should, as Juliane’s parents should be here at any time. I wonder if they brought her quiet brother with them. I don’t see how he will lead their kingdom. He can barely say two words without stuttering.”

“He can’t be more than twelve, Gareth, and probably frightened of you. Maybe try a little kindness and patience with him,” said Amelia.

“You know as well as I that the boy will have to learn there is little of either in this world,” said Gareth as he stood up and picked up his pants.

She watched him dress as she pulled her knees up to her chest. When he was done, he looked at her. “I will come to see you tomorrow at some point. Have a pleasant evening.”

She rolled her eyes at his formality. “You are well, your majesty. Tell my father I give him my regards if you see him.”

Gareth laughed. “As if he remembers that you are still alive.” He shook his head and opened her door before walking out without a backward glance.

She pulled her covers up over and closed her eyes, wondering why she kept on living at all.