This is my end, I thought But He drops me, I collapse to the ground, the sound of my
ragged breath echoing throughout the hall.I'm humiliated. I'm hurt. My pride is gone.He laughs at my pain. I force myself to my feet, Fell again, and tried to stand, the world going dizzy around me,I rush out of the hall, Don't know how many times I fell, and get up. Before I leave I heardCesar rubs his temples and groans.I don't stop when he says to stop. I'm crying so hard and loud that I can't focus on anything else but the pain in my neck and the salty tears coating my cheeks.I faintly remember where the harem was located, my bare feet slapping on the cold stone floors as I rush to the comfort of Michelle and Cassandra's arms. I see the big wooden door, the first one to the right of the stone staircase.I burst into the room and the unyielding arms of Tristan, or Drinks of Waterfall. I gasp and wipe my eyes quickly before he could see that I was crying. He sets me back on my feet before taking a good look at me. "You cry," he states.I push past him and run straight into Michelle's arms."Oh, my lady!" she gasps, patting my back and creasing my hair softly."We must escape!" I cry to her and she shakes her sadly."There's no escaping now. I've been taken as the mistress of drinks of Waterfall…and he won't let me out of his sight."" He is here for me "Michelle quietly explains. I freeze, glancing behind me. He is waiting in the doorway for her expectantly. He wears a satisfied, grin on his lips, looking me up and down. I turn back to Michelle. "Andyou're alright with this?"She rolls up her sleeve to reveal a line of dark purple bruises on her smooth skin. "I have to be, my lady." I'm horrified.She rolls down her sleeve, blushing in shame."Who did this to you?" I hiss.Michelle hugs me again. "I don't want you to worry about me," she whispers. "It's my job to worry about you."I slump against her. "I hate him. Oh God, I hate him so much, Michelle. He let him choke me in front of everyone But said and did nothing to stop it." I'm sobbing now."Elle," a smooth bass croons.He called her... Michelle sighs and kisses my cheeks. "He is calling me," shewhispers in my ear. "You are strong. Stronger than I…keep your head up always, my lady."She pulls away from me and joins Tristan at the doorway. He places a kiss on her temple and walks her out the door, hishand placed firmly on her backside. I feel sick to my stomach. The other ladies look at me.I recognize Evalyn as she bounces over to me. "Elizabella, right?" she asks. I nod and lower my eyes to the ground. She gasps, the sharp intake of breath startling me. "Who did that to you?"I realize she's talking about the handprint-shaped bruises now forming on my neck. "I was choked," I explain sullenly."Plain and simple."Evalyn bites her lip. "Oh honey," she whispers. "That must hurt like hell. Was it your master that did that to you?"I shake my head. "No, it was another. But my master said nothing in my defense."Evalyn pulls me over to where her cot was and made me sit down over it. She has a wooden bowl filled with an odd violet-colored cream. She swipes some of the creams onto her two fingers and held it up to Eliza. "This will help the bruising," she tells me. I tilt my head and let her lather some of the creams on."I use it sometimes."I laugh humorlessly. "I'm sure it comes in handy."Evalyn shrugs. "Not unless you're careful, respectful, and obedient, not really. The barbarians don't hurt unless they need to…or unless it's a ceremony.""Bullshit," I spit hatefully, my eyes narrowing. She sighs and tilts my head again to get better access to the bruises. "Elizabella…who is your master?"I almost say Cesar out of spite, but I'd rather not have him coming to me and choking me to death as well. "His name is Dances With Wolves," I say.All of the harem girls gasp, stopping whatever they were doing to look right at me. Evalyn walks around in front of meto look at me in confusion. "Dances With Wolves? The king? Oh, Gods. He doesn't take whores often…and certainly notmistresses. I think only two girls have been with him in this entire room…one is Cassandra and another one is Athenodora."A frail, beautiful blonde girl steps forward and smiles bashfully. Evalyn introduces her as Athenodora. Her hair reaches her hips and her black lashes are the longest I've yet to see.Evalyn gulps before looking back at me. "How has he treated you? Has the bed you yet?"My face reddens. "I refused him."Everyone gasps, including sweet little Athenodora, who looks no more than 16 to me further on the body but I was unaware that this beast had made her a complete whore already "And what did he do?" she asks me."Was he very angry at you?"I shake my head. "No. He let me sleep."Everyone gasps again. Athenodora covers her mouth, her blue eyes widening in shock. "That's amazing. How did you persuade him?" Another woman, name Sulpicia, asks me.My face reddens in embarrassment as I recall the memory of him doing things to me last night on his bed. "I cried, and he found out that I was a virgin."Athenodora frowns. "Well, that didn't work with me. He didn't pay attention to my crying and it hurts like hell and I bleed heavily. He throws me from his bed along with a sheet but later picks me up in his arm and makes me sit inside warm water. He gives me clothes to wear and lets me sleep in his bed."" You should have struggled, " I said out loud " To save your dignity " I added pink lips curling up into a honey-sweet smile. "Why should I? I wouldn't have given myselfup to a finer man. He was an excellent lover and gentleman. My beauty indeed spellbound him and lust blows out that time. But I am happy that he took my Virginity away. The next time when he called me he was again not gentle but so satisfying. I feel like I was on the ninth cloud, I want more of him. He didn't stop and I also didn't say a word because I want the same.But for that, I have to shout out loud to get his attention. my body was dying for him."" He never Beds the same woman more than Five times they said, I still have 3 tries. I want to carry His child and be his mistress but I don't know if he allows ""For the girls, he was a useful leader.In her choice, love took no part. He was not a skillful reader To understand her's longing heart."The girls come and gather around Athenodora. "Tell us about him," Evalyn gushes. "He is the most handsome manon the face of this planet. I would die if I was in his arms, even just for a moment."I frown at all of this good talk about Cesar He is horrid, and there's no way I'd change my mind. Sex meant nothing to me since I've never had sex before. But I sit and listen to Athenodora's stories anyway.She blushes and flips her hair out of her eyes. "He had such a mouth on him. Ooh, it was enough to make me lose it without him even touching me at all, I swear." The harem girls squeal and fan themselves."I love a dirty talker," Sulpicia moans.Theodora continues. "He's got the longest fingers and the cleverest tongue. And oh my, his cock was simply flawless. Big and thick, give you shock and chill down to the spines when it enters inside and he had lots of juice inside it. No other man has such dick and juice as he has—""Stop!" I cry out. "I don't want to hear anymore. Aren't you Ashamed" My face isred and my nose is scrunched up in disgust.The blonde girl shakes her head. "You just don't understand how lucky you are, Elizabella."I fold my arms over my chest. "If this is luck, then I'm done for."Evalyn pops up from where she sits on the ground. "Look at me! And then look at yourself. You're wearing gold silk andjewels, and I am wearing an animal-skin dress. If that is not luck, I do not know what luck is."I'm still denying it, I walk over to one of the mirrors and inspect myself. I still refuse to believe that I am lucky. if I was LuckyI would be escaped from the raid with atangible house, parents, and my Cordell. I stay in the harem for the rest of the afternoon, only traveling with Evalyn for meals to bring back to the rest of the girls. Theodora says that Cesar was looking for me secretly throughout the day. and I should go to him before he becomes mad and punished me hard. I can't avoid him forever, for my bedroom is also his.He warns Everyone that I am his whore still and none shall lay eyes on me.The cream that Evalyn had given me had helped to heal the bruises and take the pain away, but the color and handprint are still pretty visible. It was about eight o'clock atnight when I foolishly decide to take a step outside of the harem because I was scared of death. Cesar waits for me there, with frown eyebrows and an angry face.I gasp in surprise, but I don't run. He grabs me by the arm and pedals me down the hallway. I don't refuse him or struggle. He thrusts me into his room, shutting the doorsbehind us. He spits out a streak of curses in his language, tugging at his braid impatiently."Fuck," he swears. "I have been lookin' for you all damn day. Where have you been?"I don't answer him. Instead, I look away and turn my back to him. That doesn't fly very well with the barbarian king. A strong hand grips my shoulder and yanks me back around to face him. I bare my teeth at him. He points an accusing finger at me. "Don't you do 'dat to me, Elizabella? When I talk to you, you better answer me! As I hate ignorance."He tries to grab me again, but I move out of the way faster."Don't touch me! Oh, don't you dare?" I begin to cry against my will. "You watched me today be humiliated in front of your whole table! You said nothing!"Cesar's voice raises. "You disrespect him! You deserved it ""He's as wild as the desert, a barbarian prince, a revered leader. Long ago he loved a girl, but the power of their feelings almost destroyed them both. Now that woman, the only one he could ever love, is forbidden to him! """ You deserved it! "I can't believe my ears. How did I deserve to be choked and humiliated? Is he serious?"God, he stuck his fingers insideof me against my will, and I disrespected him? That's…that's wrong?…oh!" I'm so mad that I can't find the right words toexpress myself. I tug at my hair roughly."You're a harem girl, a whore. My people don't defend our whores. That shames my title! I'm the king! How can I defend you when I get any whore I want" he yells.That fuels my fire towards him. Tears stung in my eyes. "If I am shaming your title, why did you dress me up and haul me down to your breakfast table huh? If I deserve it then why don't you fuck me roughly and kill me?" I hiss. My fingers clutch at the gold necklace around my neck. I snap it off of my neck and throw it at him. This surprises him, for he wasn'texpecting me to throw the jewels at him. "Why did you try to fuck me if I'm just dirt on the bottom of your feet? If I am so worthless then why don't you give me to someone? "Another strip of gold lace comes off. "I didn't want to be here!"His face crumbles as he walks forwards. I punched him relentlessly with my fists. And started to hurt me, He wrestles me back, stopping my nails from clawing at my skin. "Elizabella," he whispers."Stop it. You're hurtin' yourself."I sob silently, resting my head against his chest. He's warm, and his arms comfort me. But I realize who he is, and I pushed him away, my palms hitting him ha
"You like what you see?"I realize that I'm staring straight at the appendage straining against the silky sheets. I gasp quickly and look away, redness instantly painting my cheeks. " No I Wasn't seeing it " He chuckles smoothly and slides out of bed. He throws the covers off of his glorious naked body and stridesover to his wardrobe.I can't help but stare as I see him walk in front of me, his muscled ass cheeks flexing with each step. I feel like I want to swoon. But I remember who this man is and I instantly shake the thought out of my head.No Elizabella NoI follow subtly behind him. I don't have a wardrobe of my own, and I'm relying on Cesar to give me something to wear. He notices me lingering awkwardly and realizes why I'm doing it. "I should Proudly tell you 'dat your clothes are in the other wardrobe over there."Something about his accent makes me shiver. I look over to the wardrobe in the corner of the large room. I hadn'tnoticed it before. I open the big wooden doors. I
Cesar turns around to look at me, his black eyes digging deep beneath my clothes. "Yes?" His voice is so smooth and deep; it gives me shivers.I shift in my place and moisten my dry lips with my tongue. I point to his body paintings. "I thought…aren't you going totake um…Dakar dare out for the raid?" My voice is shaky. I throw a glance back to the black stallion huffing impatiently.He simply looks at me and says, "Someone must run the kingdom." Then he turns on his heel and leaves me alone in the stables. My shoulders slump slightly. I pat my newhorse's nose before following after him.Cesar is far ahead and he does not slow down for me to catch up to him. I stand in front of the stables and watch him enter his great stone castle. He hadn't beckoned me after him or anything.I narrow my eyes. Fine, if he does not care about my whereabouts, why should it matter if I took Daybreak out for a first ride? I run back to the stables where my horse Is waiting patiently in her pen, and let
I shrug my shoulders and wash the red blood off of my skin. I do not mind Michelle in here. She has helped give me baths countless times before, but now I feellike it isn't right. We are equals now, in this utterly foreign land.She kneels near the tub and dips her finger into the hot water. "You did not answer me, my lady."I grimace and shake my head, my wet hand gripping hers."I'm no longer 'my lady' to you, Michelle. Call me Elizabella."Michelle opens her big brown eyes in shock. "I—I am not your equal. I am your handmaiden—""Not here," I cut her off quickly. "And never will you be my handmaiden again. You are a friend…my closest friend." She smiles tenderly at me, blushing a bright red color. I sink deeper into the bathwater and sigh.She looks behind the curtain for anyone listening or watching. "He told me his commoner's name," " He? Drinks of Waterfall? " " Yes we're here to take you back "" I won't go "Michelle whispers to me." Why my lady? "I looked at her confusin
He lay on the bed after a bowl of wine, I make sure he is asleep or not! My fingers run over the blunt edge of the curved blade. which I hide underneath my dress in my mother's room. I'm drowsy and tired, and I can even tell myself that I'm not in the right mindset. I am scared and angry!I slowly sit up, making sure that I do not rouse him from his sleep. I press the silver blade to his neck. My heart's pounding in my chest. I have never killed anyone before! He does not wake. I climb into his lap, pressing the blade harder to his neck."Do it." The voice startles me. It's soft, but I do not expect it. He does not open his eyes, and he does not move. His lips merely move again. "Do it. Slit my throat. Do it." I stall, my heart clambering ridiculously against my ribs. I can't move. He cracks his eyes open a little bit and slides his hands up my arms. "I said do it."I stare down at him under heavy-lidded eyes. "You are not afraid?" I ask softly. The candles are the only light in The
"Spirits, woman,your hands are like magic," he moans softly, tilting his head and enjoying my touch. "No masseuse does, what you do."I pull my hands back and his head slumps. "If you not gon' fuck me, the least you can do is 'dat," he grumbles, insisting that I touch him again. I laugh. "Point taken," I say and then I start massaging his shoulder and back..." It feels so Good " But before I can reply or do it more accurately, his muscles beneath my fingers, the door bursts open and there stands Three Horses in the doorway.I snatch my hands away and jump back from where Cesar was sitting. Three Horses clears his throat and his eyes jump to his king. "Your brother got hurt during 'de raid," he says.Cesar grits his teeth, he's pissed off about being interrupted. "How injured?" he asks."A long gash on his arm," Three Horses replies. "He's in a lot of pain" Cesar rolls his eyes. I suppress a giggle. "Stupid bastard," he growls. "Where is he now?"Three Horses nod his head down th
" Tiger Claw, What are you doing, " He said in a worried voice." She pissed me off " I replied" Dammit you Cassandra, pray for your life because you injured Dances with Wolves favorite mistress If he sees what you did. he will rip off your skin "He said and Cassandra started crying begging for mercy." I can't do anything, He whipped Three horses 30 times because he slapped her and you made her face bleed, You will surely die, I came here because he told me to guard this harem "She sits on her knees " Please Elizabella forgive me! I don't want to die please I am scared "She begged and begged" It's okay, next time be careful! Drinks with a waterfall I will handle the situation, Don't say anything to Dances with wolves "He looked at Michelle with a smile on his face and replied " Okay " I don't know if he said that to me or Michelle but the way he was looking at her is so gentle.He went outside and stood beside the door." You won't tell him, right? " Cassandra questioned with
I blush bright red. "If that's a compliment, then…then thank you. You're not a pompous arrogant prick like your other men are. You're so much different and Understandable!."He chuckles softly as he sets down his pipe to fetch his goblet of wine. "I know," he simply says."And gods, I can't wait to fuck you. I've never done that! A desire to have a girl so bad because 'dey come to me willingly ."I frown at him and show my teeth at him. "You know what? I take back what I said about you.""Relax!" he laughs. "I was just jokin' with you."I can feel myself relax as I let out a little breathy noise that passes for laughter. I slump against the wall too. "Cruel, King Cesar. Quite cruel…" I grab the pipe and inhale the smoke, trying to see if I could curl smoke out of my lips just like he did. Which I never tried before.But instead, I do the opposite. I choke on the smoke, nearly killing myself and giving Cesar a heart attack. He started to rub my back "You inhaled," he laughs. "Stup