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Savage Princess

Chapter II: Battle of the Strong Spirits

Leorina woke Kale that morning with a rough shake. Kale groaned. "How early is it?" he groaned, his eyes still half-closed and sore with sleep dust.

"Early enough for you to be awake, servant." Leorina's voice was thick and sweet as poisoned honey. Kale sat bolt upright, and the memory of yesterday came back to him in one stomach-damping rush. He felt as though he had swallowed heavy rocks... and when he remembered what he had actually swallowed the day before he gave a little shudder.

"I need to relieve myself again..." Leorina cooed.

Kale felt a cold sweat leech at the warmth his fur had managed to trap. "Y, you do...?"

"Yes," Leorina stood, moving behind Kale, wrapping her tail around his neck, "now get up, servant."

"Don't you have other servants?" Kale whined. Leorina's hand moved swiftly. Kale grunted in surprise as Leorina struck his face. His hackles rose, and he stood swiftly.

"Stop," Leorina hissed through a grin, "have you forgotten so readily that you're my servant?" Sheepishly, Kale stood back, his tail drooping. "I am the descendant of Tammel-Ah," Leorina continued, "he whom you have angered. If I order you slain, it will be done. If I want to strike you, I needn't even give a reason. And if I say that you are to relieve me, then you are to do it, and your response is to be that of willful submission. Do you understand?"

Kale lowered his head. Tears filled his eyes... how hopeless was he? A mighty warrior, once the Great Cat, now reduced to this woman's toilet vessel and servant?

"I asked you a question," Leorina clucked, "and I expect an answer. I need badly to empty the waters from within me and you make me wait? If you force me to use another vessel I will have you punished harshly, servant."

Kale did not answer, in despondence. What did he care? He was already being punished... already so much. She would not slay him for this temporary inconvenience, he was sure of it, and he could deal with pain. Leorina saw in his stance that he would not comply. Her eyes lit up fiercely.

"Damn you, fool!" Leorina practically shouted, grabbing Kale's hair and yanking his head down awkwardly, "you are my PROPERTY!" Kale gasped in pain and surprise. He moved to shake free, but Leorina swiftly and cleverly moved to counter, tripping Kale and sending him to the ground, severely twisting one of his legs.

Kale moaned in pain. Leorina kicked him from his side to his back and straddled his face the way she had done yesterday. Kale closed his mouth and eyes, scrunching his face up.

"Open your mouth and allow me to use you, servant. Obey me!" Leorina's voice was an angry hiss.

Kale kept his mouth defiantly shut. She could make right on his face for all he cared, but he was not a vessel. He would not open his mouth to her. Leorina gave a frustrated roar and, moving swiftly, punched Kale in the solar plexus.

Kale's mouth opened in surprise and his eyes bulged out of his head. Leorina reached down and grabbed Kale's hair again, forcing his mouth right up between her legs. She positioned herself awkwardly and pulled his hair, forcing his mouth open. It took her a few moments, but Leorina managed to overcome her adrenaline from the brief struggle and began to pass a warm, bitter stream of urine into Kale's mouth.

Kale struggled and choked, thrashing. Leorina was too distracted by her micturition to keep a good hold, and he lashed free, closing his mouth and pulling himself out of the way. Unable to stop what she had started, Leorina made a large puddle on the floor of her bedchambers. The strong-smelling urine soaked into the rough ground as Leorina tried to regain her balance and finish out her relief in a comfortable position, at the least. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were hot with anger. Kale wiped his mouth with the back of a broad paw, his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Y, you..." Leorina raised her hot eyes to Kale's, and then she laughed, "you fool! That is your victory? You allowed the water of my body to touch the ground."

Kale spat in contempt, "I'm not your vessel of relief, descendant of Tammel-Ah."

"You are whatever I say you are," Leorina growled. The other servants had gathered at the door, fearfully watching the scene unfold. Leorina turned to them with a fierce bark, "Geldo, gather soft fabric and clean this up. Wash the fabric in the river when you are finished and Tammel-Ah will be pleased with you. Nikko, Rhali, fetch me a heavy rope and a reed cane. Denrik, announce the displeasure of Tammel-Ah... it will be rectified."

Kale's stomach tightened a little. He knew what was coming. He had known all along... he had seen it happen to others many times over his life. This spoiled descendant of Tammel-Ah was going to learn what it meant to be fearless and tough... no matter how clever her wrestling moves were.

Minutes later, a large crowd gathered to witness the whipping. Witnessing the wrath of Tammel-Ah was a villager's duty, and many took joy in the spectacle of justice done. This was going to be unusual, however... warriors were never whipped in public, but servants often were. To see the greatest of their warriors flogged was a sight many in the village had never believed they would see. Some took this as a sign of perilous and strange times in the village, but the elders explained that this was proof that the wrath of Tammel-Ah would find any who displeased him, no matter their station.

The chieftain gave the ritual speech, and Kale kept quiet, as he was supposed to do. There was a high ringing in his ears and an excitement... this was going to be a fight longer than a wrestling match. This was good, for Kale had always excelled in endurance more than strength; it was the secret to his fame as a warrior. Kale barely heard the speech except for the number... fourteen. He was going to receive fourteen stripes. Surely this little girl knew that he had taken more than twice that many wounds in one battle before! Instead of laughing, as he felt inclined to do, Kale bowed his head and focused. He was not simply going to survive this whipping with his dignity intact... no, a good warrior learned to win a long fight by using his defenses to their beast, disheartening and wearing down the enemy. And this was a fight longer than a wrestling match...

The executor, a son of one of the elders, took measured steps toward Kale. He took the rope that Leorina's servants had provided him and presented it to the chieftain. The chieftain examined the rope and proclaimed it good. Then the executor tied Kale's wrists to the low boughs of a tree. His name was Raik, and he had grown up hearing stories of Kale's impressive power. Raik met Kale's eyes as he was binding him to the tree, and he found not hatred or fear but a look of total concentration. For some reason, Raik found this entirely more frightening than anything else he could have imagined. Once Kale was secured to the tree, Raik took his distance and hefted the reed cane. He presented this to the chieftain, and it was also inspected. Raik was given the order to go ahead.

The first strike hit Kale square in the back. Sharp pain seared his back. Kale concentrated, breathing deep and slow, and he did not cry out. Raik looked on, bewildered... he had struck as hard as he could. Raik squared his shoulders and stance and struck again, this time striking the lower back. Kale tightened his fists in the bonds and did not even flinch. He more heard than felt this second blow. Warrior's battle meditation was serving him well...

Raik unleashed a frenzy of crazed punishment on Kale's back, leaving deep and visible marks, but Kale continued to stand as though bored. Fighting for his own wholeness, Raik threw his considerable strength into each blow, but even after fourteen full strokes, the entirety of the punishment, Kale did not stir or cry. With a shaking voice, the chieftain announced that the punishment was complete. Kale was released.

Kale nearly staggered; in truth, he was in intense pain. But he did not falter. He kept his meditation and his stance. Even as Leorina rushed over in a rage and clawed at his back, Kale managed to do little more than grunt.

"Enough, Leorina! Do you not know your own laws, descendant of Tammel-Ah?" The chieftain scolded again. Leorina's ears folded back.

"He was obviously not punished enough!" Leorina said.

"You chose the punishment yourself," spoke the chieftain, "and the marks are clear and visible. This is no fault of either the executor or the reed whip." Raik breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this... so he would not be punished for insufficiently punishing the miscreant after all.

"He was not even hurt!" Leorina cried, now in a frenzy. She strike Kale's back again.

"Hold yourself, daughter!" the chieftain's voice boomed, "lest ye be the next tied to the tree!" Leorina's blood froze. That tone of voice did not make idle threats. The chieftain continued, "You are not to tamper with the wounds of one recently punished until they have healed. This law was handed down to us by Tammel-Ah, whose spirit dwells within you, daughter! Listen to his spirit and obey him!"

Sullen, Leorina sidled away from Kale, her eyes burning with tears.

"Good, you do listen," the chieftain said, "then you are free to go. See that you do not punish Kale further in this way until his wounds have closed."

Leorina nodded, but hadn't the heart to speak. The gathering was adjourned.

"Come back home with me, all of my servants," Leorina called. Kale delighted in the deflation of her very manner. He had reversed this blow. All that remained was to wait for his opponent to tire of the fight, and victory was his to seize.

As soon as Leorina reached home she called all of her servants to her in her chambers.

"I have been failed by my servants," she spat, "failed by all of you! This morning the water of my body touched the ground. This is forbidden to happen, and it is your responsibility to ensure that it does not!" The servants stood straight, the younger ones bewildered and the older wearied. Kale himself was intrigued... had she not already dealt with this?

"You have all failed me when I needed to relieve myself. Therefore, I proclaim that none of you shall be permitted to relieve yourselves while the sun is in the sky for the next three days, starting immediately."

There was some shocked murmuring among the servants. Nikko, a fairly young maidservant, gasped particularly in shock. "B, but ma'am, I was about to ask permission to empty myself, and..."

"No exceptions. When one servant fails, all must pay the penalty," Leorina said, pacing up and down, looking at her servants, "You are servants to the descendant of Tammel-Ah, and you must not fail in your responsibilities. Let this be a lesson."

There was stony, angered silence. Leorina continued, "Now, meanwhile, the outer wall of my compound has been looking damaged by the recent storms. I will expect it to be mended by the end of those three days. Work together. Kale, you will be eating and sleeping with the other servants... get acquainted."

Leorina's sly smile told Kale what he had not guessed: she also knew that this was a fight. Kale steeled himself... this was going to be harder than he had guessed. Looking at the other, stony-faced servants, he knew that the next few days would be difficult... Nikko was trying not to cry. The other servants would be very mad with him. But he met Leorina's eyes and forced his own to show no trouble. He was going to win this fight. He was a free warrior, and would not be treated as any less. Leorina returned his own look with one of supreme confidence; he was her property, and she would break him if it took all twenty seasons to do so.