Sebastian’s head was swimming when he came to consciousness. He opened his eyes to darkness, and for a brief moment, he feared he had been blindfolded, before realizing that it was just how dark the area was. He didn’t bother to move his hands, they were chained above him in a way that made his shoulders ache. He rolled his neck, waiting for something to happen.

     He wasn’t waiting long before a few glittering silver balls of light lit up the cavernous room. There before him stood Lynneth, her dark gray skin almost shining like silver in the ethereal glow of the spell she had cast. Her white hair was pulled up out of her face, which made him gulp. She only did that when things were going to get bloody. Desperately, he tried to remember what he had done to incur her wrath. He had been good lately, hadn’t he? She didn’t even look angry, in fact, she looked happy, so why was she going to hurt him?

     “Hello, Sebastian.” Lynneth’s soothing voice made some of the panicked tension melt in Sebastion’s muscles. Maybe she wasn’t going to hurt him. She didn’t sound angry. “You’ve been so good for me lately,” she purred, moving her hand to scrape her nails across his scalp, sending tingles down his spine, “so I thought I would reward you. You like being rewarded, don’t you, my king?” the words dripped off her tongue like honey, and he took in a sharp breath as he nodded. In an instant, her hand had moved from the gentle petting scratches on the top of his head to grip his chin, black nails digging into his cheek. “I want to hear you, darling.”

     Sebastian swallowed down the lump of terror in his throat. “I like being rewarded, m-my queen.” he stumbled over the last two words, but relaxed when she removed her hand, moving away from him. His chest heaved with the breath he released, glad she wasn’t angry.

     Lynneth returned with a set of fabric shears, making quick work of his shirt before Sebastian could even begin to ask what she was doing. The expensive linen weave fell to the ground in scraps, and Sebastian sucked in a breath as her hand stroked down the length of his now bare torso, nails scraping over both old and fresh scars that littered his tanned skin. He flinched at the touch, watching her as she picked up a knife he hadn’t noticed before. “I’ve left many marks on you, but none of them say clearly that you’re mine. I think it’s time to remedy that.”

     Sebastian could have sworn his heart had stopped beating. Nonono-I don’t want you to cut me again- please I’ll be good, I’ll be good I promise! He began to breathe heavily, breaths coming in sharp with panic. Embers burned in the back of his throat as his panic summoned forth the fire of his phoenix form, and Lynneth narrowed her eyes at him.

     “You’re refusing me? You’re refusing my reward?” Her voice edged on anger, and Sebastian tried to calm himself, but it was too late. Lynneth was angry with his panicked refusal and placed the tip of the blade right above his heart. “I’m going to mark you, and you’re going to thank me when I’m done. Then I’ll punish you for being so… so ungrateful!”

     Sebastian let out a pitiful whimper as Lynneth began carefully carving into his skin with the knife. He couldn’t even struggle, instead trying his best to breathe through the pain. Finally, after Lynneth finished, Sebastian felt the chains release above him as his vision went black on the edges. “Get up. I’m trying to decide if I’m going to whip you until you pass out.”