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/uj Content Warnings for Chapter 6 – Graphic Violence – Graphic Depictions of Death & Torture – Depictions of characters enjoying the suffering of others – References to suicide – Triggers for animal attacks, lacerations, blood, meat butchering, and burning alive
Chapter 6: The Leopard's Prey
Michelle's last waking breath was cool and smelled like iron and crushed rock. Michelle's subconscious had been very wrong about what it would feel like to be suspended on one of the meat hooks in her father's storage room. She could not see the animal carcasses staring at her she could not see anything. She could not hear the familiar cracks of bones and thuds of blades from the butchering of elk, deer, boar, and archswan. What she did hear was an unfamiliar but beautiful melody coming from a pan flute.
The thing about this was that Michelle had had the same nightmare two to three times a week for her entire life. It did not make sense to her why it would suddenly be different. Then in a moment of panic she realized that it was because she was not dreaming this time. Somehow, her worst nightmare had come true.
She screamed and the melody cut out abrubtly.
“Rude!” Stelmaria declared as she dismissed her pan flute with a flick of the wrist. She snapped her fingers and the pyre she had placed beneath Michelle began to burn. “That song tells the story of a queen who falls in love with four women that she takes as wives. Overtime her wives fall in love with each other as well and she becomes jealous.”
Michelle's throat began to ache from the screaming. She took a deep breath to try and soothe it but it was full of smoke from the small fire.
Stelmaria strolled toward Michelle and continued, “first she tries to separate them from each other so they can only be with her. This works for a few weeks but eventually the queen's grow to resent her for separating them.”
A small woman stepped into the light of the fire. The smoke burned at her eyes and she could only squint at her in short bursts. Even the hazy grey blurry version of Stelmaria was the most beautiful being Michelle had ever seen. Michelle was hypnotized by the spotted tail swaying back and forth behind her.
Stelmaria knelt down and placed her lips against Michelle's left ear. She lowered her voice to a whisper before saying “this resentment turns to hate and before long, none of the Queen's wives love her anymore. So in the fina verse the Queen has gone mad with heartbreak and kills herself.”
“Please, stop. Let me down please. Oh gods please why are you doing this?” Michelle sobbed as the woman begun rubbing her hands through her hair which was tied to her wrists. The woman pulled her up to her face and licked the tears out of their eyes like they were nectar.
“I know it's a stupid story but the melody you have to admit is very beautiful. It was awful of you to interrupt it. The song is supposedly about the dangers of jealousy. Jealousy is a horrible emotion don't you think? So full of self pity. Jealousy is a strong enough emotion to grow my power but it tastes awful. Fear is delicious though. Fear is my favorite treat. It's delicious. You are afraid right now Michelle. Today, I have learned that human fear tastes even better than fae fear. Why do you think that is Michelle?”
“How do you know my name oh gods who the fu-agrhghgh” the woman begun to shake Michelle violently.
“I asked you a question. Answer me.”
“Please, mercy.”
“Mercy? I have planned for you a very painful death. Asking for mercy is only going to make me to take my time more. I hate when people ask for mercy it feels disrespectful. I am an empath – I know I should be full of mercy. I am not though so why rub it in? So if you want mercy you should answer the fucking question I asked you. I am reasonable enough, if you give me your honest answer then I will stop wherever we are at and give you a quick and clean beheading. Deal?”
Michelle only whimpered.
“Let me tell you how I plan to kill you so you know what you will be avoiding. First I am going to cut your hair loose. Then I am going to add hay to the fire until the flames can touch the tips of your hair. You will start to burn but it'll be slow because I rubbed snow in your hair before you woke up. Meanwhile, I am going to start cutting out your bones starting with your toes. Do not worry though I will give them back to you. I will just put them in the fire for a few Moments and shove them more or less right back where I found them. I Wonder if the bones will hurt more coming out or going in. Feel free to let me know, okay?
Michelle felt sharp claws protrude from the hand in her hair then in one quick motion the hand cut the twine thing her hair to her wrist and dropped her. She swung back and forth above the fire. A moment later the beautiful music begun playing again. This demon woman was playing her pan-flute as she through hay on the fire. Michelle began to scream. She could not remember what question she had to answer to give herself a quick death. She spent the next twelve minutes pleading for Stelmaria to remind her.
PG ch. 6.
Stelmaria brutally murders Michelle. During which she tells a story about a queen with multiple wives who becomes jealous of them and eventually commits suicide. Stelmaria reveals jealousy is a strong emotion but she does not like the taste of it. What she does like is fear and she reflects that human fear tastes better than fae fear.