The shackles chafed her wrists as they moved against the cold, wet metal. Her bare back is pressed to the frigid, damp, and lichen-eaten stone wall. The only light she could see was through the small barred window on the door. She leaned against wall starving, thirsting, and worst of all freezing from the cold northern air drafting in through the cracks at her back.

Why is this happening to me? She thought. What do they want with me?

Lynaria looked around her small tight cell, hearing the moans of the people around her. She cannot see them well, only distinguishing shadows from darkness, but she knows she is not alone. To her right, a young man struggled to get out of his drug-induced sleep.

She turned her attention to him to the best of her abilities. "What is it like?" she asked, startled by the hoarseness of her voice. "Outside this cell?"

"Same blasted room, torture, pain and drug," said the man. "Be lucky you are in here, I heard they force themselves on the girls down here."

She hung her head, her voice portraying the fact of the crimes committed to her. "I know," tears welling up in her eyes, her voice cracked with emotion.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, the man stood up and picked her shackles open. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you, truly I am, but they can't see you crying like this or they will target you." I pulled her naked form to his body and gently rocked her until she stopped sobbing. "My name is Lynaerius, son of Lynaerus, Lord of House Silveria."

Lynaria, hearing the name and knowing who this man was, stiffened in his arms. "Lynaerius, you were on a quest to find your sister correct?" Lynaerius nodded once and answered in the affirmative. "Brother, I am she; Lynaria, daughter of Craenora, Lady of Castle Drowdar."

Lynaerius sat there stroking his sister's soft skin and holding her tight to his body allowing his body heat to warm her. "I know, my sweet, beautiful sister. I am sorry for what has happened to you. Before I was captured, I sent a guard back home with a letter to father to tell him where we are at. It shan't be long now, little sister."

Lynara shivered into his body cuddling up against him. He grabbed what little food he had left from the morning rations of bread and cabbage soup and fed her slowly. When she finished the food, he wrapped her in a blanket to help keep her warm and modest from the prying eyes of the men. He hugged her to him and rocked her to sleep.

The next thing Lynara knew was the guard opened the door, the torch light blinding everyone, and grabbed her, dragging her to her feet and roughly pushing her through the door. Lynaerius shout the family word, to which she repeated, frightened.

Dawn on the Horizon, she thought. What good will that do me here, brother?

The guard led her through the castle corridor, past the kitchen and into the great hall where he forced her to her knees before the Lord and his family and their guests. One man in the corner of the room, whose greying brown hair was pulled back and his blue eyes saw more of her than she ever realized, stood up.

"My Lord, do you know not who this girl is?" he asked, a sly grin on his face. "This girls is the long lost daughter of your enemy; Lord Lynaerus."

Lord Trion, an arrogant looking man with a bored expression, raised and eye over her body. "A mere girl, from a noble house, here in my cells? A fitting place for a whore like her don't you think captain?"

"Very fitting, My Lord."

Just then the main door to the main hall opened and Lynaerus and Lynaerius both stood side by side matching longswords in hands. Silverian Household Guards swarmed in behind them aiming bows or holding our swords. Lynara stood on weak legs looking at her father, but before she could move to him, the guard had a dagger at her throat.

"Lord Silveria, welcome to my castle," Lord Trion Halthbeard spoke. "You do know that you came at a very decisive moment for my house."

"I came for my daughter Half-beard," Lynaerus spoke, softly yet full of authority. "Don't make me kill every one of your sons."

"Go right ahead, but if you do, your daughter would be the price."