Trapped in Darkness (Canos)

[Canos]

Canos watched the snake slighter back up onto her arm and he frowned. He did not want to see that snake still alive. He didn’t like it when people had pets in his castle. He had already had one that he had to deal with and for some reason kept eluding him. If he found that panther anywhere in the castle without his queen nearby, the panther would quickly be killed. Now there was this snake around this woman’s arm and that was simply annoying. Before Canos could do anything she was up close to him, digging her nails into his skin. Canos looked down at her as she dug her nails into his skin, some blood running from his wound. She drew back before Canos had a chance to push her away. Canos looked down at his arm as a dark mist came from the wound after the blood. Canos raised an eyebrow and then looked up at Andromeda. He felt a slight pain in his heart but then it went away quickly. Canos smirked as he looked down at the wound, which was no longer there. He smirked, “No poison that I have found will kill me any longer.” Canos said angrily. “I have tried all poisons that I know and yet none have killed me, yours will not.” Canos said, moving his hand quickly to her neck, squeezing powerfully.

He could crush her neck if he chose to do so. He could crush the life out of her in a very instant he pressed just a bit harder. She was right. Her life was his. She could feel a greater heat coming from his hand around her neck, running up to her body and to her head, causing her a great deal of pain. He was impressed that she could handle pain so well. He knew that he had to numb down the heat or else her body would simply combust and burst into flame. Canos moved away from her and let the heat die down in her body and in a few moments her body was back to normal. The room was still drenched in the heat and there was this sort of haze from the heat, as if the walls were on fire. She stood over the palantir and he looked down at it and then back up at Andromeda. “It matters not. You will not be able to use it in my castle to your advantage. You will be dead long before you touch it.” Canos told her. He took a step closer to her, their bodies pressed against one another’s. His body was warm, very warm. It was far warmer than any other person’s but that was natural because of the power that was emanating within him. “Your life is forfeit to me.” He moved her hand to her neck again, “You will need to learn what that means.”

[Andromeda]

Andromeda's eyes widened as she watched a dark mist come from his wound. Then, she watches as his wound healed. She gasped as she felt his hand on her neck, pushing her into the wall behind her. She could feel his grip tighten as she struggled to breath. Both her hands went to his, trying to pull his hand away from her neck as she felt the rush of heat from his hand as it went to her head and her body as she closed her eyes in pain, a tear running down her cheek. Almost as quickly as his hand came, she felt it move away from her neck. She let out a gasp as she coughed for a few moments, trying to regain her breathing. Andromeda could feel the heat leaving her body and her eyes went to Canos.

Andromeda looked around the room, seeing the slight haze from the heat, but her eyes were drawn back to Canos when he spoke. "I will not use the palantir for my benefit, but for your own. Whatever I see, I will tell you. I understand what will happen to me if I do use it to help me in anyway." Andromeda said as she looked at Canos. She was slightly taken back when she felt his body press against hers. She could feel the heat coming from him as her green eyes stayed on his. She could feel his hand going to her neck again as she continued to look at him. "Let me keep the palantir, please. You will be able to control me through it with your palantir. I will not use it without your permission, just let me keep it, please." Andromeda said softly, almost in a whisper. She wasn't sure on what he was going to say or do next, but she could still feel a bead of sweat rolling down her face, just from the heat of the room around them.

[Canos]

She was very intent on keeping the palantir. For some reason she was more attached to it then she should have been. She could not have had it for very long and yet she seemed as though she was addicted to it as the creature Gollum was to the ring of power. Canos could not understand why she was so attached to it. The palantir did not cause strong willed people to really be addicted to it as long as there was not someone on the other end luring them to look into it, luring them to keep it. Seeing as how Canos was the only other person that he knew that possessed a palantir, who wondered who could be seducing her from the other side of the palantir that made her so willing to defend her claim to the stone. Canos looked at her, into her eyes, trying to figure out what she was thinking. He was trying to figure out why she was so attached. He could make assumptions, but he would rather base his accusations on facts.

Canos looked at her as she pleaded with him. He smiled, as she was so willing to do what she could to keep the stone. It always amused him when people tried to plead with him. It pleased him to know that he had one’s life in his hands. It gave him great pleasure to know that he alone could decide someone’s fate. “You give me nothing but your word; which as of now, I have no reason to trust.” Canos pondered. He kept his body against hers. He kept his hand on her neck. He wasn’t squeezing at the moment, or at least not hard enough to hurt her. “You give me no reason to not simply push you aside and take what is so easily accessible to me.” Canos lured, looking down at the palantir that was still beneath her. “It would be so easy for me, easier than you know.” Canos repeated. He could not stress enough how much power and control he had over this situation. He knew that he was in control and he knew that he had the authority. He needed to make sure that she recognized his authority. He needed to make sure that she understood that she could not gross him. She needed to know that she had to give him more to her word, as there was only one person’s word that he trusted and it was not hers.

[Andromeda]

Andromeda stared at Canos as he looked at her. She still wasn't sure what he was going to do to her, but so far since he had not killed, that had to be a good sign. She would not give him the palantir, not after she had worked so hard to get it. In her childhood, she never felt free. Her father was always there, mistreating her and her mother. Her mother took the easy way out and killed herself and then Andromeda killed her father. Well, it was technically Xantho who killed her father, but she was the one who let her loose in his bed so that she could bite him. After her father died, she had a taste of freedom. A taste that she would never let go. So, after learning about the palantirs and how they could see things, she decided that she would find one, to ensure her freedom. Well, she found one and she wasn't exactly free at the moment.

Andromeda looked at Canos as he spoke and she let out a sigh when he said that she didn't give him a reason for keeping the stone. "My childhood was filled with misery. My father would beat my mother and myself. My mother killed herself, to get away from him. My father then went into one of his drunk rampages one night and locked me outside in the cold. I found my snake in our barn and I broke back inside of my house and I let her bite him and kill him." Andromeda said, her eyes moving away from Canos's and at the palantir below her. "I began to seek a palantir, so that I could keep this new sense of freedom I had gotten. I have done horrible things in getting this palantir and now that I have it, I do not want to give it up. I will serve you until the end. I know that all you have is my word, but let me prove it to you one day. I will try and help out your nation, whether it be militarily or economically." Andromeda said as her eyes went back up to his. "If I ever betray you, in any way. I will forfeit the palantir to you." Andromeda said. She understood his words and she knew that he was in charge right now and that he could kill her by squeezing his hand, but there was a part of her, a part should could not explain, that actually wanted to join with him. For some odd reason, she had a taste of the evil power that this man possessed and she liked it. Maybe that is why she wanted to help him, because of the power that this nation will one day get once it takes over the Reunited Kingdom. Her eyes stayed on Canos's, hoping that he will reason with her.

[Canos]

Canos listened to this woman’s life story. Apparently she had a very unhappy childhood, but so did most people that chose to become evil and kill others. Usually becoming evil took an extenuating circumstance. It was not usually genetic and it was not usually something people just decided to be. Evilness was usually something that people were pushed into because of bad situations and circumstances. Her father had been the reason for her particular distain for human life. It was usually a parent or a lack of one that caused people to do the things that caused them to become evil. It was the most uncomplicated explanation. Canos was one of the few exceptions to his own conclusions. He had always idolized Sauron while he was a slave and while he worked diligently for him in Nurn. He was probably one of the only people that actually saw Mordor before its destruction. It was something impressive and it was when he saw the great eye and the great fortress of Barad Dur. Canos had forever been enticed by the power of Sauron, and now by the power of Sauron’s master, the great one of the first and second age. Canos was easily enticed by more power. That was why he wanted the palantir that laid so close to him now.

He did not say anything to her as she spoke. He just had his eyes bearing down into hers. He made sure that she knew he was listening, but there was a sign of little concern in them. He did not care about her past. He cared about what was going on right now. He cared about what was happening now. She gave him a reason to trust her but it still depending strictly on her word. Canos was very stubborn and he was not someone that easily gave his trust to someone, no matter what level of trust he gave out. She would not receive it based on her word alone. “Still it all depends on your word. Everything seems to hinge on what you are saying and yet I have no reason to trust you.” Canos paused. He moved his hand from her neck to her shoulder, squeezing her neck a bit harder, “You keep speaking, but perhaps you should start doing something instead of simply speaking to me. Obviously, at this point I am not enticed or interested in your words.” Canos growled. Canos looked back down at the palantir that laid at her feet. “I should take it…” Canos whispered, moving his right hand from her neck down her body, as if reaching for the stone. She was giving him no reason to do otherwise.

[Andromeda]

Andromeda watched him as he spoke and she felt his hand move from her neck and rub her shoulder, only to go to her neck a bit as he squeezed just a bit harder. Her eyes seemed to flame with anger as he said that he should take it. She felt his hand move from her neck and down her body, watching it go lower as if he was going to try and take the palantir. Out of anger, she moved her right leg behind his and she pushed him so that he fell on the ground, her straddling him as she pulled one of his own weapons from his belt and put it to his neck. "The palantir is mine." Andromeda said, her eyes looking down into his.

Xantho moved from Andromeda's arm and she wrapped herself around the palantir, protecting it. Andromeda smirked down at Canos as she moved the blade closer to his neck. "I gave you my offer. I know what it is you seek from me, but I will not surrender that so easily." Andromeda hissed as she leaned down towards his ear. "As I said before, my life is yours. With your palantir, you can control me and tell me what to do. I want to join you, don't you see?" Andromeda whispered in his ear before she pulled away and she looked down into his eyes. "I have tasted the dark power that this place has. And I like it. I want to spread this darkness across Middle-Earth and your the only one that I know will make this happen." Andromeda said as she moved the blade from his neck and setting it back in its sheath as she stood up and she picked up the palantir. "I want to help you, mi'lord." Andromeda said as she bowed her head. "Please." She whispered. She knew what he was seeking from her when she felt his hand on her body, but she wasn't going to be that easy to get with. She was not some whore that he could use at his disposal. She actually wanted to have his respect, not to be some plaything.

[Canos]

Canos laughed when she had him on the ground with the blade to his neck. He was not entirely prepared for the move that she gave, but he had been expecting something along the lines. She would not relinquish her stone so quickly but simply letting him reach for it. Canos let her keep the knife at her neck. He was not fully sure if a cut across his neck could actually kill him but he didn’t mind finding out. He did not fear death. He didn’t welcome it either. He accepted it as a part of life and he knew that sooner or later he would die; he just wanted to accomplish a few things before he died. He knew that she would release him and after a moment she did. She would not kill him, especially if she wanted to join him. What would be the point of trying to kill him now? She moved off of him and Canos remained on the ground after she had gotten up. He smiled up at her with a sort of sick almost sadistic look on his face.

“Its good to know that you wish to join me, but be assured, I don’t need that stone to control you my dear.” He said looking at the stone as the snake had wrapped itself around it. He looked back at Andromeda, pulling himself up with ease and then he stood up, standing taller than her. “This city will be more than able to keep you.” He smirked and then walked closer to him. “And I will, one way another find out just how skilled you are at the art you profess to know so well. One way or another my dear…. i will know your skills…” he ran his hand over her shoulder again, “All of them.” He was not going to deny that he found her attractive. At that point he didn’t care if that she knew. It would not divert the inevitable. Canos let his hand run down over shoulder and down her arm. “You will be given a room. I will show it to you.” He said and turned around, looking at the door as it opened for him. “As for the guards….if they touch you…kill them.” Canos said. He would not have a potential prospect for him spoiled by the guards. She could kill them if she wised. Soon enough, he would have an entire army of orcs and he would no longer need humans.

[Andromeda]

Andromeda smirked down at him for a few moments before he stood up. She watched him for afew moments as he spoke to her, saying he would find all of her skills. She felt his hand on her shoulder and running down her arm, but she continued to look into his eyes. It was obvious to her now that he found her attractive, which she didn't really mind at all. In one way or another, she would find a way to use that to her advantage to get her further in life. She smiled slightly when he mentioned that if a guard should touch her, she could kill them. She knew that she would have to get trained more in the art of sword fighting, so that she can stand a threat if she should go into battle.

Andromeda smiled when he said that he would show her to her room. She was glad that she was able to keep the palantir and that she even survived this encounter with him. It will be something that will forever be etched into her memory though and she will try not to displease him in the future. She followed him out of the door and she caught the looks of some of the guards as they looked at her, surprised that she was even alive. "Thank you, mi'lord." Andromeda said as she walked behind him. "By the way the guards were looking at me, I am guessing not very many people leave that prison alive?" Andromeda asked, her eyes going to him as they walked. She held the palantir close to her as Xantho stayed coiled around it. The contrast of Xantho's white scales and the dark colored palantir was a sight to be seen, since they contrasted. She smiled down at Xantho for a moment before she looked at Canos again.

[Canos]

Canos continued to walk through the halls, passing the dark and twisted columns that supported the roof and the walls of the palace. He turned his head slightly when she spoke to him about the prison she was in. Canos smirked. “That was not the prisons my dear.” He said with a sadistic smile, thinking of where the prisons actually were. “You were just in a room, a dark room with no exit but the one presented, but just in a room. I would never use that place as a prison. It is not suitable for who I would put there.” He paused, turning to her and looked her in the eyes. “I will show you where you do not want to end up.” Canos said and then summoned for her to follow him. He walked to the left and under a dark archway. Then he walked down the stairs that came after the archway. They were long and winding stairs that seemed to descend for hours. As they descended the smell began to get thicker and it was by no means a good smell. It made sense in considering where they going. They were going to the sewers now.

Canos smirked as he reached a thick door that was only about three feet high. He knocked on it twice and then simply passed it and continued to the left. Then he came to a small-bared hole in the ground. He motioned for her to look down the hole. “Down there is my prison.” Canos said with a smile. There was a dark grotto where the sewers of the city all ran. It was a massive dump of urine and other vile substances that body produced. It all ended up here and evidently, so did the prisons of this place. “Down there are the most vile people that I don’t care to associate with. Of course, there are a few elves, but my queen tends to those on occasion. They rarely return because they are rarely alive. In any case, it is not a place you want to end up. You wouldn’t make a week down there. The body can’t take it. It is too easy to get a disease and die.” Canos said and then turned and walked back towards the way he had come. “Come on, there is no use lingering here. Even being here makes one loose there….nerve.” Canos said calmly and summoned for her to follow him.

[Andromeda]

Andromeda nodded as she listened to him. She followed him as they walked around the palace and then they were going down stairs that seemed to never end. As they got lower, she could being to smell something putrid and disgusting. When they reached the door, she watched him knock and then open it as she ducked down, following him inside. She was hit with a wave of smell that almost made her throw up. She looked down to where he said the prisons were, which was obviously connected to the cities sewer system. She was actually glad that he did not send her here, because as he said, she probably would have died within a week. It wouldn't be a very pleasant death.

Andromeda nodded as she began to follow him out of the prisons and back up the stairs. "That is a place that I would rather not find myself in." Andromeda said as she followed him, her dress dragging a little bit behind her. "If you do not mind me asking, do you care if I practice some poisons on the prisoners? I want to find one that will be useful in battle and will be easy to mass produce at a large scale." Andromeda said as she looked at Canos for a few moments. Her eyes lingered to her dress, which was torn from the soldiers and it seemed to be a little tattered. "Also, will there be a wardrobe in my room as well? So I can change into something more... comfortable?" Andromeda asked, her eyes staying on him as a smile formed on her lips.

[Canos]

Canos continued to walk up the stairs. It took as long to walk up the stairs, as it had to walk down them. It was a never ended winding stairs. This was mainly because Canos did not want the sewers so close to his city. He didn’t’ want to smell it any more than she or anyone else did. The archway that they had crossed under to reach the stairs had a large thick door and Canos closed it with a thud as they exited the stairs. That was the only way out of the sewers and no one had ever escaped them before. He had heard her proposal to practice her poisons on the people in the prison and laughed to himself. “Don’t you worry about using them? It’s pointless to test the ability of a poison on already dying people. It would be like stabbing a dead corpse. I will give you people to test your poisons on. You will not need to use the prisoners. I will bring you men.” He said with a smirk. He was always finding people that were wandering around in his city or in the areas surrounding the borders and his empire.

Canos continued to walk through the corridors. He was going to take her to her room now. He raised an eyebrow when she mentioned getting a new wardrobe. He was not known for his taste in fashion. He was known more for his killing and cunning. “That will be more difficult that you presume. In fact, that will be the most difficult part of your stay. If you want my opinion…” Canos said with a smirk, looking back at her, “I would rather you wear nothing at all. Of course though, I could not have other men looking at you as I would.” Canos said calmly as he walked towards a door on the left of the corridor, opening it for her. There were modest furnishings inside. There was a bed with a canopy, a washbasin and a few others things like a dresser. It was not like his own room and it didn’t need to be. “My queen is the only one with a proper woman’s outfit here, but she will not be pleasant with you so that is not an option. I am sure we will be able to regard you with something. Again however, if you are in my presence, you can wear nothing. I assure you…” He paused, “I will not object, I prefer it. In any case,” he beckoned to the room. “This is where you will stay.”

[Andromeda]

Andromeda smiled when he said that he would bring her men, instead of her using the prisoners. It was good that he thought of using people that were not already dying, so that she could see if her poisons actually worked or not. "That would be most excellent." Andromeda said with a smirk on her face. There were plants around these parts that would be excellent poisons, but rather or not they could mass produce it was another question. She looked around at the architecture of the palace, watching the spiny columns that held up the ceiling. Her eyes eventually found their way to Canos as she continued to follow him around the palace.

Once they arrived at her room and she smiled at him when he opened the door for her. She walked inside the room, looking around it. All in all, it was a pleasant room. Of course, she was not particularly happy that she would have to find clothing from somewhere in this city, but she wouldn't complain about that. A slight smirk formed on her lips as she listened to him say that he would rather see her wearing nothing at all. "Well, if I don't find any clothes, it may just have to be that way." Andromeda said. Of course, she was joking, since she knew that she would be able to find clothes. Or, at least she hoped she could. "Why would your queen not like my presence here?" Andromeda asked curiously as she moved towards the bed, sitting on it as she set the palantir in her lap, her eyes going to Canos.

[Canos]

Canos could sense a bit of sarcasm in her words as she said that she would have to go without clothes if none could be found. It was amusing because Canos was in no way being sarcastic. He enjoyed his women when they were naked. Of course he did. He might have been a dark lord but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy the finer things in life and the greater pleasures that came with them. It would come in time; of course, Ravyn would not be the person to find out about any of this and that fit right in to what she asked next. Of course she was curious as to why the queen would not be receptive to her. Well Canos didn’t really know all the details but he did realize that she was an incredibly jealous person. That was probably a good reason why she was so testy when it came to other women. In fact, any woman that was deemed a threat to her in any way was often disposed of if they were in the palace. Canos was going to have to make sure that didn’t happen to Andromeda, although there was no way to guarantee her safety. She was rather ingenious in her tactics. He was sure that if she tried hard enough then she would be able to find a way to her.

Canos walked into the room with her and shut the door behind him. He walked to her bed and walked over to the post beside where she sat. “My queen is very jealous. You see, she does not take very well to any sort of female presence that could revile her own. She is a gorgeous woman and does things that I cannot describe in words; but she does not appreciate competition no matter how healthy that would be. Just stay out of her way. You will know if she is coming. She is usually preceded by a panther, stay out of his way too, but if you can kill it do so. I hate that thing. But she is high and mighty and she will kill you for looking at her falsely. Trust me, she is a woman that you do not want to meet.” Canos concluded. “I will see about your clothes…” he said shaking his head, “Because I am afraid you have already soiled this one from my trip to the prisons.” He said, pointing to where the bottom had become wet with the sewer water and the stench was unmistakable.

[Andromeda]

Andromeda watched him as he walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Later, when he leaves, she would probably decorate the room a little more and put her own personal touch into it. Of course, there would be a table with the palantir on it. Of course, she would not look into it unless Canos asked her to, since she did not want to anger him. But, if she ever did see anything that she thought was important, she would also tell him. Although at the moment, she could see that her uses in the economy would be most likely put to used before her military skills. If Canos wanted a large army, he would have to have enough food to support that army. Of course, he already had large fields, but there was a way to expand them more and further away from the rivers using irrigation, which she would tell him about it later.

Andromeda watched Canos walk over to her bed as he stood next to a post that was close to her. She listened to him as he said that the queen was a very jealous person and that she should just stay out of her way if she sees her. She raised an eyebrow when he said that she was followed around by a panther and that if she could kill it, she should. She looked down at Xantho for a few moments as she smiled. "If I see it, then I will do what you ask." Andromeda said as she looked at Canos as he mentioned her clothes. She looked down and she saw the way they were soaked and she began to notice the smell that came with it. She sighed softly as she stood up slowly and she set the palantir down on the dresser, with Xantho still wrapped around it. She walked towards Canos, pulling out one of his swords. "I am going to borrow this for a second." Andromeda said as she bent down and cut around the bottom of her dress, cutting off the ruined part. It was a quick fix until she could get another dress. She stood back up and put his sword back in its sheath. "So tell me, how is the agriculture of this land? How large of an army can it support?" Andromeda asked as she sat on her bed, laying back on it so her head was on one of the soft pillows, her hair fanned out below her.

[Canos]

Canos took his sword back and sheathed it after she had cut away the part of her dress that was putrid at this point. He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. It wasn’t exactly what he was expecting but it would do. It seemed that this woman was far too modest for a woman in her position. It came into his mind that she was one of those women that only used her body when she had to advance herself or protect herself. Of course, he wasn’t sure why she hadn’t resorted to that earlier. Surely she could have had the chance and that would certainly have dissuaded him from attempting to kill her or take the palantir, or at least occupy him for a moment. He looked back at her when she asked him about the agricultural supports of the country. It was an interesting question but something that Canos had long since taken into account. He knew full well that he could not sustain an army of humans or orcs without having the food to supply them. He guessed where she could possibly have been going with her question.

“Well, Nurn was the backbone of Mordor in the third age. We were the slaves that provided the food for the entire army of Mordor and that was no small army. We have been farming there for many years and we are very good at what we do. In that regard we are well set. Trust me my dear. Your uses will not be in finding the kinks in my background plan. You uses will be in battles my dear. For you see, I cannot be in every battle that my armies will fight. I need generals, whether they are women or men I do not care. Gender means nothing in that regard. I want them to be able to command and nothing beyond that. That is what your uses will be and you can be assured that is what your test will be. Prepare yourself mentally for that and not trying to find the errors of my plans for they have been thought out well in advance.” Canos said pridefully. Everything that he had said was very true. She would be used for battles and that would be her use outside of the palace. Still, there would be uses within. “Now what sort of wardrobe would you be considering? Something simply comfortable is a bit vague. I may have a small stow of clothes.” Canos remember how many women had in his room before Ravyn killed them later on. He still had their clothes and there were quite a few items.