The Princess and The Dancer (Skeith x demented-tiger)

Esmeralda's anger and sense of betrayal lessened a bit, but not much. The girl was a simple-minded fool. Her mother's taxes on the lords of the kingdom-soon-to-be-empire were far more excessive than those on the peasants. If the peasants were poor, that was thier lords' fault. If thier peasants were poor, the lords shouldn't tax as much from them, and the future Empress wouldn't tax much either. The only reason the Empress' taxes were so high was because, as far as she was concerned, the lords had the wealth to be taxed. But this peasant girl wouldn't understand that. Perhaps Esmeralda's mother's ego was too big. Hers was the face of the kingdom, and obviously the one the lazy peasants blamed for thier poverty.

As for the talk of Eli's village being attacked, her parents killed, and Eli herself taken in a cage for the soldiers' enjoyment; Esmeralda knew her mother was a conqueror, as her grandmother and all her great-grandmothers had been before her. All the conquests were just: without the conquered lands the whole kingdom would suffer poverty and strife, from the lowliest peasant to the queen herself. But carrying captives off in cages - her mother would have ordered those responsible executed, and thier superiors castrated by thier own men for allowing such debauchery. They were a proffessional army, not a rabble of mercenaries.

"Perhaps I could convince my mother to listen to your grievances, and possibly even spare your life, and the lives of your rebel friends," she finally said. "Perhaps she may pardon you, if you've broken no other laws. But how do I know all you want is justice? What if you already have somebody standing by to sieze the throne, someone more to your liking? How do I know all this talk of 'making me comfortable' isn't all a sham to lure me into a false sense of security before drugging me again and smothering me in my sleep? If my life of luxury is sucking the life out of the poor, why simulate it for me? How do I know you'll mean me know harm, so I can tell my mother of your complaints?"

"I'm not trying to simulate anything. These chambers are mine. I pushed to have you kept here so that you wouldn't be treated like a common criminal, there are a lot of people here who would hold you personally responsible, but I know better. I'm trying to protect you. That's why I've been placed in charge of your care. I'm hardly the leader of the resistance, your highness. Trying to talk me into releasing you won't do much good. In addition, I have no reason to believe that you wouldn't have me waiting in line at the gallows by sun-up." She paused for a moment, finding it slightly difficult to keep up with all of the princess's questions.

"We do have a list of preferred people to sit on the throne. Of course we do. What else do you think a rebellion is for? That is justice. As for your life? I had you drugged for twenty-four hours. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it already." At that moment, the door to the room opened and a cart was wheeled in, with various dishes on it. Soon after, a group of men carried in a large basin filled with hot water. "Thank you, gentlemen." Eli said with a warm smile. "That will be all for now." Once alone again, Eli turned her attention to the cart of food. "About time, I'm famished."

"I wouldn't dream of talking you into releasing me," snorted Esmeralda. "I'm just waiting for my mother's men to break down that door and restore me to my proper place." A smirk crossed her face. "Though sending you to the gallows would be quite a waste. You actually captivated me back there in the tavern, as you did my brother. I think my sisters might appreciate you too. No, I'm sure I could convince my mother there are other punishments than death. More pleasurable ones." Her face hardened again.

"So I ask you again: if you aren't going to release me, and you seem to want to keep me alive, then what do you and your rebel friends intend to do with me? You can't keep me here forever, obviously." She eyed the door expectantly. "And if your friends have other claimants picked out, you certainly wouldn't want me to get in the way. I've been training to sit on my mother's throne all my life. Niether me nor my mother will step aside so easily."

Eli shook her head lightly as the princess continued speaking with such confidence. "You would seek to make me a slave? A pet to keep your warm at night and satisfy you when the need arises? I'm sure any normal woman would be reduced to tears of gratitude, begging for such a merciful alternative to death. I however, am not such a woman." She continued to speak with her back turned, preparing a plate with various foods, such as pork, potatoes, and bread. "We are well enough hidden that I don't fear discovery." She moved back towards the bed, setting the dish down beside the princess, setting a glass of wine on the end table for her as well. "I would very much so like to see you restored to your proper place your majesty, and would do so myself, if I were confident that you had been swayed from your Mother's methods."

She returned once more to the food, preparing herself a plate before sitting down on one of the seats. "I told you before, that you're here as insurance, to protect the resistance in the event that we're discovered. Your life is a bargaining chip to insure our victory." She gave a deep sigh before cutting a bit of pork free form the larger chunk. "Please, take some time to eat, your majesty. I'm certain you're hungry, and the bath won't stay hot all night."

Esmeralda merely picked at her food. She did not feel that hungry. Mostly, it was the disgust at being reduced to nothing more than pawn in some game of nerves between these treasonous brigands and her mother. Even if she clung to the belief her mother's soldiers would break down that door any minute and free her; the waiting was simply infuriating. One moment, she was the most powerful young woman in the world - second only to her mother - and the next, she was chained to a bed.

When she nibbled enough, she eyed the bath hesitantly. "If I am to bathe, I will need to be free of this chain," she finally said. "Don't worry. I wouldn't dream of running away. No doubt, even if I overpowered you, your rebel friends would probably tackle me before I got three steps beyond the door. I'm not that stupid." It was true. Esmeralda knew running wouldn't get her anywhere. She was probably deep in the most seedy parts of the capital, if she was in the city at all, and rebels would probably be everywhere. She didn't know where her mother's soldiers were searching, but if it wasn't here, then she'd be out of luck. Even if she did get out, if she was recaptured, they'd simply drug her again and take her to another location. She was smart enough to know when she was beaten. As much as she detested the idea, all she could do was sit tight and wait for rescue.

Eli offered a faint smile before setting her plate aside. "Of course." She pulled a key from between her breasts and approached, leaning down and unlocking the shackle around her ankle. "The chain does offer roughly ten feet of freedom about the room. It was not my intention to keep you upon the bed for the duration of your stay." She stood up again, flipping her hair back over her shoulder. "Unless of course that's where you wanted to be." She said with a flirtatious smile.

She walked back over to the wash basin, it was rather large, resting upon a massive cart. It was big enough to hold at least three people, offering a rather comfortable amount of space for any one person. She began assembling the various soaps and wash rags on a tray beside the basin. "I understand your hatred for me, your majesty. Surely had the roles been reversed, I would feel the same." She finished assembling the the various soaps and oils before stepping up and away from the basin. "I do apologize, but if you would look at it as an opportunity to grow, and perhaps learn what it's like to be on the other side of the palace walls, you could grow into the Queen this nation truly deserves." She gave a quiet sigh before brushing her bangs away from her face.