Dimension Shifter

  Chapter 6

  “Now cross your ankles,” Genessa said, and demonstrated.

  Kyrin followed her lead and crossed her ankles beneath the dress. As much as she hated dresses, now that she knew how to move in one, they were becoming more manageable. The hardest part was the overly constrictive corset. It took Genessa and the knight both to get it tight enough, and Kyrin found it painful and almost unbearable.

  Genessa sighed. “I guess that’ll do for now. Try not to act like an oaf.”

  “What’s an oaf?”

  “Just don’t,” Genessa said. She reached out and took a small tea cup daintily in her hand. “So let’s try the tea again. Try not to spill it this time.”

  Kyrin sighed and picked up the delicate glass, and then brought it to her lips and took a small sip.

  “Too loud,” Genessa snapped.

  Kyrin began to wonder if the reason Genessa’s knight punished her every time Alric left, was because of how moody Genessa was. In front of Alric, she was pleasant and happy, but without him around, she was prone to yell and often shouted insults at Kyrin.

  Kyrin tried again to take a drink. This time, she didn’t even drink any but just brought it to her lips.

  Genessa sighed. “You can’t do it quietly, can you?”

  “I’m trying,” Kyrin said through clenched teeth.

  “Don’t talk to me like that, or I’ll have Alric punish you.”

  Kyrin nodded and took another sip. The last thing she needed was for Alric to get mad at her. He seemed intent on Kyrin acting more like Genessa, so she held her tongue and did as she was told around the Lady of the house.

  “You’re getting your hair in the tea,” Genessa said icily.

  “That’s because you won’t let me put it up.” Kyrin was required to wear her hair down during training, although it often got in her way and Genessa threatened to cut it on a daily basis.

  “Ladies wear their hair down.”

  “You don’t.”

  “Do not talk back to me!” Genessa snapped. “I swear. You are all but un-trainable aren’t you?”

  Kyrin held her tongue.

  “Now get your hair out of the tea and take a scone.”

  She did as she was told but winced when Genessa slammed down her glass.

  “Do it correctly! Your pinky goes up when you pick up a small pastry. I’ve told you this and told you this. I’m going to tell Alric to sell you as a wife. I can’t put up with this.”

  Kyrin stood up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She hadn’t even bothered to change out of the richly embellished silver dress. The knights posted throughout the castle took a double look when she passed, never having seen her in a dress with her hair down.

  Just as she headed out the front door, Finn and Alric came up on horses.

  “All done training, Kyrin?” Finn asked, crawling off of his horse.

  “I’m done!” she screamed.

  “What happened?” Alric asked, walking up.

  “I can’t take it anymore! She’s going to suggest you sell me, and I’m almost ready to let you.”

  “Wait, she said that?”

  “I can’t breathe! My hair’s in my way! I hate this! Sell me. It has to be better than this.”

  “Calm down,” Alric said, taking her arm. “Let’s start off simple. If your hair is in your way, why don’t you put it up?”

  “Genessa said ladies wear their hair down.”

  “She did?”

  “Yes”

  “Okay,” Alric said, wondering at what he was being told. “Why can’t you breathe?”

  “This corset is too tight. It leaves bruises, and it’s not worth it.”

  “You have on a corset? Why?” Finn asked, looking down at her abnormally tiny waist.

  “I have to wear a corset to get into the dress! That knight pulls as hard as he can to get it on. I can’t take it.”

  “A knight laces it up?”

  “Well I put it on, but once training begins, Genessa’s knight tightens it.”

  Alric frowned. “I didn’t know Genessa had a knight assigned to her anymore.”

  “Of course she does. It’s the same knight who is her punisher.”

  “I’m confused.”

  “About what?” she asked, still irate.

  “Genessa doesn’t have a knight and most certainly doesn’t have a punisher.”

  “Of course she does. I hear them sometimes when I go for training.”

  “What do you hear, exactly?”

  She sighed. “You know! He’s yelling at her to take it. She’s groaning in pain.”

  Finn gasped and looked over at Alric, who was becoming furious.

  Kyrin wasn’t sure why he was looking so enraged. “She knows she needs punished. She asks for it to get harder.”

  “How often do you hear this?” Alric asked her.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s when you’re out of the castle.”

  Alric looked at Finn. “Did you know about this?”

  “No, sir!”

  “Who is this knight?”

  “I didn’t know she had a knight, my Lord.”

  “Who is it?” Alric asked Kyrin.

  “When Genessa’s in pain, she screams for Falon.”

  Alric pulled Kyrin over to the wall of the castle, followed by Finn. “Tomorrow, I’m going to head out to the temple first thing in the morning. What time do you normally go up there?”

  “She gets punished around 8am. So when I hear it, I leave and come back around 10am.”

  “Go up again at 8am, if you hear them… well… punishing her,” Alric said, grinding his teeth, “you will meet up with Finn in my bedroom.”

  “I don’t know where your bedroom is,” Kyrin told him.

  “It’s at the top of the stairs. Keep going up until you get to the top floor and my room is the only one up there.”

  “Okay.” She frowned slightly. “Did you not know she’s being punished?”

  “No, I did not.” Without another word, Alric stormed into the castle.

  “It’s odd to punish her without his consent,” Kyrin said to Finn. “He owns her and should know.”

  Finn grinned. “You have no idea.”