Mathuriel raised an eyebrow.
"I see one wrong move, buddy, and we'll see who's exploding."
He used the guard's keys to unlock each cage, one after the other, until he reached in and unlocked the man's chains. He extended a hand to help him out of the cage.

The king laughed.
"Why not? I show off my wealth, I show off my power, I may as well show off the queen as well!"
He slapped her, lightly, right on the sore spot. "By the way, in future, you only ask questions when I tell you you can."
He then slapped her viciously, knocking her back onto the bed. "Is that understood?!" he hissed in her ear.

Ella winced when he slapped her lightly. But she was not prepared for what happened next. When he slapped her viciously she cried out as she was knocked back on the bed. She clenched the bedding in her hands keeping her gaze on the bed her body tense.
"Yes"
The pain was unbearable and she couldn't hold it in anymore. She buried her face in her arm, her other hand on the tender spot and sobbed
"Please stop. I'm sorry"

Mathuriel watched the man closely, eyeing the knife.
"Allora, you might be a bit too trusting..."

The king kissed the sore cheek and stroked Ella's hair.
"Don't cry, my queen." He hugged her close. "Please stop crying or I'll kill every innocent child in the street outside," he whispered. "Then I'll make you step on their skulls in front of their mothers."

Ella's eyes grew wide.
"Please don't"
she took in a deep breath to stop the crying. It took everything she had to fight it back. She then looked up at the king.
"I'm sorry, I've stopped crying now"
She placed her hand where he had kissed her on the cheek
"Is there anything my king wishes me to do before the wedding?"
she looked down at the sheets
"I would like to wear a dress if possible, I know you said you want me to be naked. But every girl dreams of having a gorgeous gown to wear on their wedding day. It can be my wedding gift from you"
she looked up at him
"And my gift to you is giving myself to you completely, after we are husband and wife"

Mathuriel gently reached out and helped the man to his feet, taking on most of his weight.
"Hold on, here we go."
He started helping him towards the door.
"Soo... why do you need that knife?" he asked, ready to drop him in an instant if he saw it move in his direction.

The king smiled again.
"And every man dreams of having a woman obey his every little wish as she squirms in humiliation. Nice try, but no. You will do everything I say, my dear queen, and every time you don't, I will slaughter a baby in front of you and make you bathe in it's offal. You will attend the wedding naked, and if I hear another word on the matter I will count that as you disobeying me. Are we clear?"

Ella sighed
"Fine I'll be there naked in all my glory for everyone to see"
she laid down on the bed turning her back towards him and pulling the covers over her
"what about the bruises? or do you want everyone to see them as well?"

Mathuriel stopped where he was.
"Er, can we NOT kill people unnecessarily? I mean, I'm guessing you've got some pent up anger issues, but do you really have to kill them?"

The king reached over, and pulled Ella round to face him.
SLAP! SLAP!
Both of Ella's cheeks now shone red.
"Be thankful I don't take your legs for that cheek," he said darkly. "They will see your bruises, and they will know your name and all will know that even you, one of the most powerful and beautiful women in the realm, dear Ella, dare not defy me."
He lifted his shoes onto the bed, dirt staining the fabric.
"Kiss them. Now."

After the 'tour' was over, Valeria walked out into the courtyard, and sat down on one of the benches. She closed her eyes, as she mentally went over the 'tour'...she noticed that every time someone spoke about Ella marrying the King, they referred to her as, their new Queen. She also noted how the servants would flinch when anyone in court would say 'their new Queen'. She opened her eyes slowly, and looked up at the clear sky. 'This has to end...now...' She thought to herself.

Ella cried out with each slap. So loud that it echoed down the hall. Tears stream down her cheeks from the pain. She didn't say a word cause she couldn't bare getting hit again. 'just a little longer and this will all be over with' she thought to herself has she slowly leaned down and with trembling lips she kissed one shoe then kissed the other. She was clenching the bedding in her fists from the pain

Ella looked up at him, her eyes were glowing ever so slightly. She wanted to shock the hell out of him right then and there but she knew she was no match for him. She sighed and looked down at the ground and slowly started to crawl over to the door. She reached up for the knob to open it but was very hesitant to do so. She didn't want everyone to see her like that, treated like a dog. Flash backs of her life with her mother played in her head. The way she had to fight the men her mother brought home every night to keep them off of her. The way her mother dragged her out of the house in front of the entire town branding her as cursed cause of her having a special ability. Ella withdrew her hand slowly.
"Please I beg you, Don't make me do this. I promise I will be obedient"
she did the only thing she could think of to do, she stooped so low, that she crawl back to the king on her hands and knees, bowed down to him clinging onto his pant legs and pleaded with him not to make her go out in the public like that.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm soo sorry, please dont make me do this. Ill do anything you tell me just.... not this"
she didnt move past his knees she kept herself low to the ground still clutching his pant legs. keeping her eyes to the ground she kept her eyes tightly shut awaiting for him to kick her or hit her again

The king reconsidered. Perhaps he was being a little too hard on her.
Then he looked down at her face, at her begging, and instantly felt cruel.
"Open. The door. And crawl. Into the hallway. Now."
He stroked her hair tenderly. "It'll be alright, my love - now kindly do as I say or I'll make you bleed."

Mathuriel, knowing he'd regret this, dragged him outside to the slumped men.
"Is killing them necessary?"
The guard who had talked to the prisoner earlier came round on his shift, and saw them. "What the-!? You're free!?

Ella didn't let go of his pant legs. She shook her head the tears still streaming down her face
"I-I can't"
she looked up at him pleading even more
"Please, please don't make me do this, don't let them see me not like this"

Ella jerked her head away from the king. She sat there for a moment getting up the courage. She didn't want the men to have their way with her. She didn't want to lost her innocence that way nor did she want to harm and innocent child.
"Fine"
She said shakily. She got back up on her hands and knees and crawled over to the door. She slowly reached up and opened it. Taking a peek out into the hallway she gulped, closed her eyes then proceeded to crawl out of the room into the hallway, keeping her head down and her eyes to the ground.

Ella cried out when he jerked her hair. But did as she was told. She looked up at the servant and started to crawl. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she sniffled. She kept her eyes open and crawled like she was told. She spoke in a faint voice
"W-why are you doing this to me, to your queen? The people will have no respect for me if they see me like this, How can I rule alongside you?"

"Haemomancy," Mathuriel said, more than a little disgusted. "Charming. No wonder you were locked in there. Well, I suppose any port in a storm, and so forth..."

The guard stared. He kept staring. Then he took a deep breath, nodded, then took to his heels like the devil was after him.

Mathuriel looked at the man. "Great. Now that we have two more deaths on our conscience, shall we get out of here?"

The king smirked.
"Ruler? My dear Ella, you are not going to rule! You are what is called a trophy wife, a prize, my new favorite toy, and such a pretty toy. I will never get bored with you. You will fight my enemies, obey my every whim, and breed me a long line of heirs to the throne."
He walked her along the corridor like a dog, tugging on her hair whenever he felt the need to speed her up. "The people don't need to respect you. All they need to do is see the famous rebel, the defiant Ella, made to grovel like a dog and kiss her master's feet. You've been a good girl, so you may kiss my feet. Well? Aren't you going to thank me?"