Chapter Three

I am woken up by a sharp rapping. "Go away, Meena!" frustrated I can't sleep on my vacation. We went to fairy hill yesterday! What could she possibly want to do today that is so important?

But the rapping on the door grows insistent. And then it hits me.

I'm no longer in Ireland or in the correct century! Meena isn't here!

I open my eyes in a panic, seeing nothing but blackness, and I am disoriented. Remembering yesterday's events, I recall I was in a small cell and a cook for a Prince and Princess of Troy!

Stumbling in the dark, seeing a faint glow underneath the wooden door, I open it to a scowling Adrexa and Aeneas, both holding small oil lamps. "What?" I demand.

"You need to be up now to feed the house. Get moving..." Adrexa immediately stops.

"You were about to call me 'slut' weren't you?" I sigh.

"Get to work, Jessa," is all she says as they both walk away.

I quickly close the door behind me and follow the tiny lights in front of me.

A great start to a new day!

I quickly learned the most important meal of the day was supper. Breakfast and lunch were quick small meals consisting of pita like bread, which is easy to make, cheeses, and fruit.

My days as the Prince's cook are the same. Every day I tried new recipes for the Prince and Princess, never receiving a complaint or compliment from either person. The Prince did not disturb my bath time again, which means I was shit out of luck trying to fix my hair. Otherwise, my days were peaceful and were set in fluid routine.

One day, another Prince of the realm came back from an ambassadorial mission. This prince was representing Troy at a Greek King's wedding. Knowing your history and Homer, this prince did not come back empty-handed. No, this Prince had to come back with the powerful Greek King's bride! Troy is now at war with Greece!

Fucking Awesome!

At supper, I heard the news from the other servants sitting at the table. "They say she is lovely," I hear a young female servant named Kalladora state. "Prince Paris fell madly in love with her and decided she was too good for the ruthless, barbaric King Menelaus. So she decided to run away with Prince Paris from her groom on her wedding night! Isn't it romantic?" Kalladora asks everyone.

"This women's name wouldn't be Helen, would it?" I ask dryly. I already knew the answer to the question.

"Why yes!" Kalladora exclaims. "How did you know, Jessa? She only arrived today and is with the King and Queen right now," she finishes.

"Just a hunch," I shrug. "I've heard of Helen's beauty during my travels," I plainly state. "There's going to be war soon," I tell the group.

A hush falls over the table. All eyes are locked on me. "Why would you think that, Jessa?" Adrexa inquires.

"Helen left her husband King Menelaus of Sparta, whose older brother is King Agamemnon of Mycenae. Both kings will take this as an insult and an excuse to attack Troy for its riches," I inform them.

"The Greeks will not attack our city," the older boy Pallus states angrily. "Our walls were built by Poseidon himself and are impenetrable. No army would dare insult the god Poseidon," Pallus says defensively.

Not wanting to get into a heated debate with a pre-teen, I simply state, "You're right. I apologize for worrying you all needlessly. I'm going to walk around for a little bit."

I rise and walk in the dark to the courtyard door leading to the outer courtyards. The moon is full tonight, and I can see everything. It's an eerie feeling seeing the trees lit up in a cold light, but I quickly get used to the terrain as I'm strolling around. I hear a sound behind me, and I quickly turn my head, seeing a shadow not too far away.

"Hello? Who's there?" I call out. I see the figure strolling up to me, immediately recognizing the body. "Braxius," I say softly. "What are you doing out here?" I ask.

"Last time I checked, I own this property," Braxius snarks.

Guess he's not in a good mood either.

"What do you think of the situation with Prince Paris and Queen Helen?" I ask. Braxius huffs.

"Paris is a fool. Always letting his cock get him in trouble. I hope my father can buy off Menelaus and Agamemnon before the Greeks set sail with their entire army," Braxius states.

"I don't think King Priam will be able to bribe the kings of Greece," I state. "There's going to be war," I tell him simply. Braxius studies me, wondering if I know more than I should.

"Why do you believe that?" he inquires.

"Easy," I start explaining to Braxius. "Troy is wealthy, strategically located on the sea, and mighty. If the kings of Greece destroy Troy, gain its riches and strategic location, Greece will be the most magnificent civilization."

"You're very astute for a cook and a woman." I caught a little admiration in his voice. I shrug my shoulders.

"It's not hard to figure out if you've traveled a lot and have learned many things," I inform him.

"Where are you from, Jessa?" Braxius asks me seriously.

"I'm from somewhere that I cannot explain to you because you wouldn't believe me," I sigh sadly. "May we talk about something else, my lord? It's been a while since our last conversation," I placate. Braxius chuckles, knowing I am deflecting from telling him my origins.

But I know Braxius would never understand and will think me a witch. This is a much worse offense to be accused of at this time!

"Okay, little hellcat, what do you want to discuss?" he asks me.

"Will you train me in sword fighting?" I ask. Braxius quickly pauses.

"Why?"

"I want to protect myself and the other servants. But, in case something bad happens. Please?" I add a little pleading to my voice.

I genuinely want to learn how to fight so I can get far away from here when the time comes!

"Okay," Braxius sighs. "Meet me here tomorrow night. And don't mention this to anyone. Understand?" Braxius demands.

"Thank you, my lord!" I squeal like I received a present, and I quickly kiss him on the cheek and step away. Braxius is surprised at my girlish zeal, but it doesn't stop him from grabbing my arm and pulling me hard into his body.

Braxius kisses me fervently, and I respond. Kissing him wantonly.

Why does this man make me feel like this?

My body responds with my nipples pebbling and my pussy starting to get wet.

I moan softly in his mouth, almost begging for more. But I will need to stop this soon. I can't afford to fall for a married man who will most likely die quickly.

Everyone knows how Troy ends!

I'm enjoying the passionate kiss with Braxius holding me close to him. I notice a prominent bulge is hitting me in the stomach.

Damn, he's huge!

I've had make-out sessions before, and I've fooled around with some guys. But none of them would be able to compete with Braxius's size!

The shocking revelation helps me put the breaks on our little tryst. Softly pushing away from Braxius, "I'm sorry, Braxius, but I can't. I made the vow in haste, not knowing you were married. I will not be someone for you to use for a short while. There are plenty of women in this palace who are willing to share your bed. I want more," I say determinedly.

Braxius frownsat me as anger floods his features. "You will give yourself to me," he growls. My own rage is rising, and I stare right back at him.

"No, I won't," I say through gritted teeth. "Why do you want me, Braxius? Because I'm something, you can't have? There are many virgins around here. Go be with one of them!" I yell.

"You are mine, and I will have you."

Damn, the man is stubborn!

"I am not yours, and I will only give myself to my husband. That will NEVER be you!" I yell. I quickly turn and hurriedly walk away. Hearing Braxius right behind me, I begin to run, then pick up the pace to go into a full sprint. As fast of a runner I am, Braxius is faster.

Braxius picks me up, throws me over his shoulder, and starts walking when he catches me. I scream for Braxius to put me down but to no avail. He slaps me on the ass and orders me to be quiet.

"FUCK YOU!" I scream.

"Whatever that means," Braxius says.

Asshole!

Braxius keeps walking for some time until he enters a building I've never been in. I've never seen this mosaic layout on the floor before. From my angle, the picture is of a woman. "How may we be of service Prince Braxius?" I hear a man ask.

"I want you to marry us immediately High Priest," Braxius states.

What the FUCK!

"What are you doing? You're already married!" I scream.

Braxius hits me on the ass again. "Quiet," he hisses.

"You wish to make her your consort?" I hear the priest ask.

"I do," replies Braxius.

"For her to become your consort, she must be intact."

Ugh, how misogynistic and crude this place is!

"She's intact," replies Braxius.

"She will first need to be examined by the midwife to validate her virginity," the priest tells him.

"SERIOUSLY!" I scream. Braxius slaps my ass hard this time. "Ouch!"

"Summon the midwife so I can enjoy my wife sometime tonight," Braxius demands.

"This way, my Prince," the priest says.

Why the fuck is this happening!

Braxius carries me into a dimly lit room. "Is this the midwife?" I hear him demand.

"I am my Prince," a soft female voice responds. "Please place her on the table so I may examine her."

"I DON'T WANT TO BE MARRIED!" I bellow at the top of my lungs. Braxius dumps me unceremoniously onto the wooden table.

The motherfucker!

"You will be examined by the midwife, or you will be whipped. Your choice, Jessa," Braxius threatens. Sitting up from the table where I was dumped, I stare at Braxius and I see the determination in his face.

"Why Braxius?" I ask. "I don't want to share you with another woman, who is probably going to kill me once she finds out you tried to wed me!" So I say with as much determination as I can muster.

Braxius raises an eyebrow. "Tried? Did you lie about being a virgin also?" he asks me seriously.

"Not that it's any of your damn business, but no. I didn't lie about being a virgin," I mocked. "I don't want to marry you! Understand?!" I yell into his face.

Braxius places his two strong hands on both sides of me, leans forward, and with a voice that would scare the shit out of death itself, "You will marry me. Now. Tonight. You will be mine because I refuse to let anyone else, have you. Lay down. Let the midwife examine you. Or I will think you lied to me, and I will sell you to even a worse brothel that the Princess sent my last mistress." Braxius eyes were cold, and I knew he would immediately follow up on the threat.

FUUUUCK!

I have no other choice but to comply with his demands. I lay back down, and a white sheet is laid over my bent legs while I let the woman examine me. I closed my eyes and pretended I was visiting my OBGYN.

Still uncomfortable now as it will be in 3,000 years!

"She's intact," the midwife confirms.

"No shit," I whisper under my breath. Sitting up and my face heats because I am mortified the two men stayed in the room to hear the announcement pisses me off!

I assume the man is the high priest because he is short and bald, and wearing a pure white toga, turns to a triumphant Braxius and asks, "Shall we proceed, my Prince?"

Braxius walks up to me, gloating, and softly takes my arm, gently pulling me off the table. I smile up at him and jump off, right onto his foot. Braxius loses some of his gloating when I smile brightly at him. "You'll pay for that later," he whispers menacingly at me. I shrug and brush past him. At this point, I don't give a shit.

I follow the high priest, who I think is shaking his head in amusement, but I can't be sure. We go into a shrine to a goddess. "Hera, Queen of the Gods and Goddess of Marriage, we beseech your divine blessing for the marriage between Prince Braxius, Son of...."

Blah, blah, blah.

I tune the old man out, not wanting to hear about Braxius's honors and titles. When I hear silence, I see both Braxius and the priest are watching me. "Your name child?" the priest asks me, looking somewhat annoyed.

"Jessa," I reply, not caring if the old man had to ask me my name a thousand times before I tuned back into this preposterous wedding ceremony.

"Jessa, please give me your left hand," the priest asks. I give it to him in which he turns the palm up and quickly slices my hand with a knife I didn't see.

"Owww!" I whine, seeing the blood from the wound rising to the surface. The priest then requests the hand of Prince Braxius and performs the same action.

"Jessa, hold Prince Braxius's hand and stand side-by-side," the old priest requests. I comply, not wanting any more punishment from Braxius tonight.

With our bleeding palms touching and Braxius cradling my forearm next to his, the priest weaves a golden ribbon around our arms. "What the goddess has decreed as divine, let no man pull asunder," the priest says.

I think I've heard similar words before in my time?

Braxius is then given a golden cup from which he takes a sip and then hands me the chalice. I take a gulp, and the taste of sweet wine hits my tongue. I decide to gulp the rest of the contents.

I want to be somewhat drunk to help me deal with this surreal situation.

After I'm done chugging the rest, I hand the empty golden chalice back to the priest with a bleary-eyed smile and wine mustache. The priest looked at me with complete disapproval, but I could care less.

I'm not the one dragging the Prince to the alter! This is not a shotgun wedding. Thank god!

Still being tied with Braxius, he turns and walks us out the door. We go in silence back to the palace, and I have a feeling that an absolute shitstorm is approaching.

Like two thieves in the night, we sneak through one of the palace's secret backdoors leading to Braxius's bedroom. Looking around the room, I'm trying to assess the true nature of the man I was forced to marry.

I see shelves with scrolls on them, a writing desk, a large bed covered in furs, a wooden chest sitting in front of the bed, and nothing else. Nothing ornate or ostentatious would let me think Braxius was a prince.

"Where does the Princess sleep?" I ask.

"She sleeps as far away from me as she can," Braxius calmly states.

"Wait. Why?" surprised at Braxius's confession. "Her jealousy of anyone taking you away from her is obviously apparent when she maimed your mistress and sent her away," I tell him. Braxius unwinds the golden chord that has kept our hands together and disentangles his fingers with mine so he can place the chord inside the chest.

"She doesn't like the physical aspect of being married," Braxius informs me while sitting on the bed and starts taking his sandals off.

"Why?" I ask, now getting nervous about what will happen on the bed.

"She was raised to believe in the sanctity of keeping her virginity. Our wedding night was a disaster, and she refused to share my bed again. I will not force myself upon a woman. But I'm still a man and have needs and wants also. Plus, I want to someday love somebody who will love me in return," Braxius plainly states.

He's definitely a man who knows what he wants.

"What is a 'Consort'?" I ask him.

"You are my second wife. The princes of Troy are allowed to have as many wives as we desire. But only the first wife is given the rank of Princess," Braxius says bitterly.

Polyxena.

"Why marry me? I have no wealth, no fortune, and no family," I ask Braxius, listing all my faults in one breath while trying to stall. Braxius smiles knowingly at me from the bed.

"Uh, uh," he admonishes me. "Quit stalling and come over here," he commands.

"Nope!" and I start sprinting towards the primary door. But, of course, because he's much faster than me, Braxius grabs me by my waist before I even get to the door. With me kicking my legs everywhere, Braxius hauls me to the bed.

Braxius tosses me onto the mattress, and he quickly pins me down and straddles me while pinning my arms down on either side of my head with his strong hands. "You will not escape me, my little hellcat," he murmurs and starts to brush his lips against mine.

Showing him I am not giving up without a fight, I try to bite his lower lip. But unfortunately, this "foreplay" has become a test of will.

I will not yield easily!

When I finally can grab Braxius's lip with my teeth, he presses his whole face onto mine, forcing me to release my grip. Braxius goes on the offensive and grabs my mouth with his, savagely plunging his tongue.

My whole body went up in flames and I forgot why I was fighting with Braxius, to begin with! I kiss him in return, not wanting to ever stop the heady rush I was feeling. My nipples hardened begging for his attention, and my pussy is starting to puddle.

I raise my chest to inform Braxius I wanted him to touch me. Braxius slowly lowers his body onto mine, and I willingly open my legs to cradle his hips. He breaks the kiss and lets go of my wrists, causing me to look up at him hazily. Braxius roughly says, "This has got to go," and rips my tunic, exposing the wrapping around my breasts.

What? I'm used to my excessive boobs being bound to my chest remember

He stares at bound chest in confusion, and I simply shrug. He rolls his eyes and seems exasperated I'm making him work more for him to undress me. He reaches for the wrappings and yanks, tearing the flimsy material in half. It takes a few more draws before my breast is fully exposed for his perusal.

"So beautiful," Braxius murmurs. "Been dreaming about your breasts since I first saw you naked in the bathhouse." Braxius leans down, taking a puckered nipple between his lips. A bolt of electricity heads straight to the junction between my thighs.

Not wanting to be topless alone, I start tugging at the hem of Braxius's shirt near his ornate belt. That is when I realized the men do not wear skirts at all, but one long shirt belted at the waist.

Go figure!

Braxius doesn't even let go of my nipple while efficiently removing his belt with one hand. With one fluid motion, Braxius removes his mouth from my breast while expeling his shirt, and is naked by the time his lips land on my other breast.

Threading my hands through his black hair, I draw his head closer to my breast. Enjoying the sensations of the sucking and nipping Braxius is doing. Between my thighs, I feel Braxius's enormous erection throbbing in anticipation. My pussy is starting to beg for some attention as well!

I grab Braxius's free hand, and I start leading him down to the place between my legs aching to be touched. I'm still wearing a long skirt that ties in the back. Braxius is too impatient so he rips the skirt from my body and now I am completely exposed underneath him.

Braxius places his thumb on my little nub and starts twirling, knowing I will enjoy the sensation of being touched there. I have fooled around before, but I never orgasmed. There is a pleasurable sensation building inside me with Braxius's experienced fingers and the constant sucking on my nipples.

The pressure peaks and I finally explode! The muscles in my pussy clench and spasm, begging to be filled, while I cry out in pleasure.

Braxius glances down at me in shock, and then a knowing smile appears on his handsome features. "Enjoy that, my little hellcat?" he gloats. I roll my eyes, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. "I'll take that as a 'Yes.' For now," he says while maneuvering his large cock at my very wet entrance.

With one thrust, Braxius impales me.

I cry out in pain while he whispers tender nothings in my ear. "Shhhh, it will pass. Relax and get used to me," he tells me.

It takes a few minutes for the painful throbbing to start ebbing away while I adjust to the fullness. Then, not realizing I had my eyes shut the entire time, I opened them and stared up at Braxius. Another minute later, my body is fully relaxed, and I move a little, letting Braxius know I am ready.

"I will start slow," he assures me. I nod my head in understanding while Braxius slowly rocks his body into mine. The pain is now turning into pleasure, and I open my legs more so he can thrust into me deeper.

I follow his rhythm, thrust for thrust, and the pleasure builds again. Braxius must sense I'm on the verge of orgasming because he quickens his pace. When the dam breaks, I'm screaming in ecstasy because the orgasm is more intense than the first one.

"Good girl," Braxius whispers in my ear and then really starts pounding into me. "Again," he commands.

Your wish is my command!

I'm yelling out as another orgasm hits me, and I feel my pussy milking Braxius's gigantic cock. Braxius also comes, by roaring and shooting his hot semen deep inside me.

When we are both coming down from our orgasmic highs, I say excitedly, "Wow! I can't wait to do that again!"

Braxius chuckles. "I think I created a monster."

We made love all night long. I couldn't get enough of him! He was right when he said he created a monster because I ended up tiring him out! When we finally do fall asleep, I'm held gently in his arms while he kisses the back of my head.

I wish this could last forever.

I am suddenly yanked roughly out of my sleep and out of bed. I land hard and naked on the stone floor. And when my tired eyes clear, I am staring at a very pissed Polyxena!

Uh oh!

"What is this whore doing in your bed, Braxius?" she demands. I stay on the floor, not knowing what to do but waiting out the storm that now has broken.

"She's my second wife, Polyxena," he coldly informs her. Polyxena takes a few steps away from me like she was shot with an arrow.

"THAT CAN'T BE TRUE!" she screams at Braxius. "I WILL NOT TOLERATE A LOWLY BIRTHED COOK AS A SECOND TO ME!"

"You can and you will," Braxius tells his first wife coldly.

"WHY!?" Polyxena screams to the rafters. "WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS!? WHY DIDN'T YOU ONLY MATE WITH HER? WHY DID YOU EMBARRASS US BY MARRYING THIS SLUT?"

"Because she's everything I've been looking for in a wife. She's not cold and heartless like YOU!" he yells back at her.

Shit just got real!

Polyxena has her claws out like a harpy, lets out a screech, and jumps on me.

What a nasty bitch!

But I do know how to defend myself.

Without pause, I quickly maneuver my body to use the bitch's momentum against her. I flip her body on top of mine, her front facing away from while I have my arm locked around her neck in a simple chokehold.

Squeezing enough for Polyxena to still breathe, I whisper in her ear. "If you come at me again, I will hurt you." I put a little more pressure in the hold, squeezing her windpipe, so she understands I'm not fucking around. "Understand?"

"Enough, Jessa!" Braxius commands. He's standing naked and glorious in front of me but I don't release his first wife just yet.

"Understand!" I loudly command her ear. She vigorously nods her head in understanding. I release Polyxena and push her away from me.

Polyxena stumbles, gasping and choking. Hot angry tears are flowing down her face as she's sniffling like a baby. For once, she looks horrid. "Are you not going to punish her, my husband!" she demands to Braxius.

"Go away, Polyxena. You have made it perfectly clear that our marriage was of convenience only. Therefore, you have the title of Princess. Now let me have a real wife I can share a bed, and maybe have children with one day," Braxius says with finality.

Acting like it's the end of the world, Polyxena starts crying like a toddler and runs out of the open bedroom doorway. I see servants heads' poking out into the hallway from the other rooms, observing what has happened.

Great! This is going to be on the Servants Grapevine!

Braxius quickly walks over to the door and slams it shut. Then, turning to me while I'm still naked and sitting on the cold, tiled floor, he shakes his head. "That could have gone better," he mutters.

Struggling to get up and see I am getting no help from my new "husband," I simply state, "No shit. I'm fine, by the way. Thank you for caring," I tell Braxius, my voice reflecting my annoyance on how my day started. I began looking for my clothes. Then I remembered Braxius destroyed them in his haste to undress me last night.

Crap

In front of the bed, there is a wooden chest. I walk over to it and open it, finding tunics of different colors and designs. I chose a plain tunic and put it on. I grab a simple belt and wrap it around my waist. The tunic is long enough to reach my ankles.

I keep forgetting how tall Braxius is!

I put on my sandals, and I started walking towards the door Polyxena had run out. I suddenly feel Braxius's hand on my arm, stopping me. I look up at him in question, pissed I was woken up in such an embarrassing way and that somehow I feel like this is all my fault! "What my lord?" I ask spitefully.

"Where are you going, Jessa?" Braxius demands.

"To clear my head. Why?" I ask.

"I don't want you going out the primary bedroom door," Braxius says simply.

I am feeling extremely confused and my anger is about to explode, I take a step towards him. "Why not?" I quietly ask.

"Because Polyxena was right about me marrying a servant. I have disgraced my family. Our marriage needs to be quiet, and therefore you can only come to me at night through the servant's door and leave the same way. Nothing else has changed," Braxius states while looking down at his feet.

My heart cracked in two.

"My lord," I sneer. "I will do you one better. I will not come back into this room ever again. If I had known I was being forced to marry such a coward, I would have slit my throat in front of the goddess Hera," I tell Braxius with as much hate as I can muster. Jerking my arm out of Braxius's firm grip, I wind up my wrist and punched him in the face.

I feel much better now!

Keeping my unshed tears in check, I quickly strode to the main bedroom door, yanking it open hard enough for it to bang against the wall, and I stepped out of the bedroom.

He got what he wanted. Now is the time to survive.

I head back to my cell. Once I arrive, I quickly change into my servant's clothing because that is all I am in this time.

I wish I was never sent here!

Going to the kitchen I see Aeneas and Adrexa sitting and waiting for me.

Glancing at Adrexa's face, I can see she thinks the worst of me right now.

Good news travels fast in this house!

I burst out crying. My chest is in pain from my broken heart.

Somehow, I stupidly fell in love with the asshole! What am I going to do!

Adrexa takes pity on me as her arm wraps around me and brings me into a hug. I hug her back while I'm sobbing my heart out. It takes a few minutes for me to calm down. Then, I tell her everything.

Her eyes widened when I told her about the marriage ceremony, and I even showed her the scratch on my palm from where the priest cut me. After telling her, I start asking for her counsel. "I need to leave this place. Where can I go?" I ask her pleadingly.

"You can't leave," Adrexa says sorrowfully.

"I can try," I tell her with determination. Adrexa shakes her head sadly and doesn't say anything more.

I go about the rest of my day like nothing happened, focusing on the meal for tonight. Finally, when the evening meal is made and served, I tell Adrexa I will bathe and start their meal without me. She nods her head in understanding, seeing I wanted to be left alone.

I take a quick bath to start reconnoitering the palace and the layout.

I'm getting the fuck out of here!

I slip out of the bathhouse, and I follow the paths, familiarizing myself with the destination and direction each path takes. I walk for what I feel is long enough for Adrexa to begin feeling concerned about my absence, and I head back to the Prince's palace.

Once I arrive, there is complete silence. Everyone is chewing their food and avoiding any eye contact with me. Rolling my eyes, I grab a plate, take my food over to the wooden island in the kitchen, and I eat my meal there. Once I'm done, I walk down to my cell. As if nothing has changed, I lay down on my pallet and drift into an exhausted sleep.

I wake up early the following day, my routine starting as normal. As if no drama happened between myself and the Prince. And for the next few days, it's the same. I do not see Braxius, and he doesn't see me.

I am the wife who doesn't exist. Exactly like he wanted.

But Polyxena had other plans.