Broken Sacrifice

Broken Sacrifice? Left as a sacrifice Bound in chains her only shield from the elements A cloak lined in ermine and rabbit fur Keeping her warm as the rains fall All watched the ceremony All watched and listened for the fears to rise Grappling for the tears of anguish Yet oddly unlike the rest This one didn’t seem to fear or resist As if she was eager to take her place As the line of sacrifices had been long None of them looked into her eyes No one saw that she didn’t blend in with the rest of the villagers Otherwise what they would have seen Would have put fear into their blood Their hands wouldn’t have been so cruel The cat of nine would never have been touched For how does one damage a creature born of fire? They expected blood, tears and begging Not silence with every resounding of the whip Not dry eyes as it supposedly hit its mark Not that her reflexes were exaggerated for their comfort The fabric of her gown may have ripped and the reddened skin rose As the glamour was supposed to A fake ridge of red to rise as if to let the others have their pound of flesh Yet she smiled as the whip licked her scales hidden beneath the veneer of human-like flesh Always kept so smooth and supple Now she uses every thought they let race through their minds To appear as what they want Their greatest desire As the chains are pulled and she is stretched on the board once more They see a tear glisten for a moment but as they turn away They fail to see the smile that creeps across for a moment As her skills have returned They can break the body but never her spirit For how does one break a spirit stronger than even the coldest flames of Helhiem?