Valerian Empire

Katie wasn't sure if she could use her womanly charms to get the information about the witches from Silas after hearing Malphus' suggestion. Though it seemed like that was their only option, she was uncomfortable with the very idea and the more she thought about it the more uneasy she felt.

It was hard to digest all things that had happened in twenty four hours of time. She had lost her last family member, imprisoned in the cells of the south empire and Malphus was the elder son of the south lord. She couldn't believe that families could hurt their loved ones, ones that were related and bound with blood.

She had glanced few times towards the man in the next cell out of concern. Though he had his eyes closed she doubted that he was asleep. The pain and anguish he would have gone through during his time with his family made her heart ache.

The pain of loosing a mother and his father being the reason was something she was still trying to settle her thoughts with. It was disturbing, so disturbing that it made her wonder how could a husband subject to the woman he vowed to love until death parted. Men like him didn't deserve to live but there he was living his life with luxury while inflicting pain on innocent men and women's lives in his empire.

The rest of the night had passed by in silence with her hand clutching the pendant that was around her neck. By morning, both Katie as well as Malphus were tired due to the lack of sleep. Malphus had been giving her words of advice on how to persuade Silas as he knew about his family's habits and nature.

She later found out how the names on the graves appeared when she asked Malphus,

"Your grave was built on orders of Lord Alexander as you were killed in the massacre along with my parents but how do the names appear when there is no one who knows the dead persons name?" she had been curious about it for a while now.

"Hmm, there's a little magic involved in there I believe. Initially when the witches existence had only been revealed, people of different empires took certain magic or rather spells you could say to benefit their lands with negotiations. I don't think the tombstone name appears in all the empires."

"Why not?"

"I was only the east and south empire that didn't use it. Let me put it this way, consider the empires to be four different persons with stark characteristics from another. Now remember that this is not a generalization for all the people but just the lords. Years ago, the west empire which was led by Lord Alexander's grandfather made use of the witches as required with ground rules for the betterment of his empire like the graves name being one of them. Seeing this the north Lord being a close alliance with the him implemented the same. The east lord never concerned himself with such competition and kept to himself but the south lord wasn't so obviously. The proud south lord couldn't bring himself to ask for the witches help and therefore never associated himself until recently."

"So what happens during something like a mass murder takes place?"

"They are dumped together in the deep forest just like animals decompose to go back to the ground."

When Lord Norman walked in with four men following him behind.

One of the men opened their locks and got into Malphus' cell. Lord Norman then spoke,

"Where is the documents Malphus? My men searched in the location you said but they found nothing."

"May be they didn't search the place completely," she heard Malphus reply making his father angry.

"I know what you're playing at and you better give me the right details this time!"

"I told you that was where I last left it before you sent people after me. It's an old document so it shouldn't matter so why not let us go. Neither she or I are of any use."

"You know well the importance of what it had inside so open your mouth and speak the truth, you worthless piece of son. Perhaps I have to approach the woman here for answers," Malphus' eyes narrowed at his words.

"Don't you dare. She has nothing to do wi-"

"My. Are you attached to this peasant here? At least she'll be of some use now," saying this Lord Norman turned to one his men, jerking his head to get inside the cell Katie was held.

Katie felt her body go into sudden alert as the man pushed the creaking door to the cell open and walking towards her. She instinctively stood up pushing herself away but with her legs bound she couldn't move far.

"I have no idea where the documents are anymore. I had been dead for a long time, damn it. Do you expect me to know about it after all these years?" Malphus was frustrated and worried while the man caught hold of a struggling Katie.

"Don't take me for a fool boy. You are as alive as any of us here and my eyes don't lie. How pathetic to make a lie of being dead. Now stop lying and give me the documents back," the man began unlocking the chains around her ankles.

Katherine bit his hand, digging her teeth deep into the flesh to feel the metallic taste on her lips. She flinched feeling the man tighten his grip on her wrists before striking hard with his right hand across her cheek. She felt the numb sensation across her face, her ear ringing due to the sudden and painful impact, her muscles throbbed as her senses began sinking in.

"Still not ready to speak?" the Lord asked in a bored tone and then ordered his man, "**** her."

She felt her heart drop at his words, fear striking her mind and body as she screamed at the man to get away from him. Before the man could get his hands on her clothes, Silas stepped in who had only got into the prison.

"Stop it, Leroy. That's enough."