You deserve it

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 heard

Cesar 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. "And

you'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," she

whispers 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, his

hand 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 me

to look at me in confusion. "Dances With Wolves? The king? Oh, Gods. He doesn't take whores often…and certainly not

mistresses. 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 myself

up 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 man

on 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 is

red 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 and

jewels, 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 Lucky

I would be escaped from the raid with a

tangible 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 at

night 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 doors

behind 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 inside

of 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 to

express 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.