The King's Slave

March 6, 1645

Ravenswood Castle

The Walled City of Arcadia, Capital of Ivaris

-Adrienne-

We travelled from sunset ’til sunrise...

My body was sore from being continuously jolted as we made our way to Arcadia. I travelled with a band of warriors and rode on the king’s horse. His strong arms went on either side of me so I would not fall. After a few moments, due to extreme tiredness, I found myself leaning back on the king’s solid chest and drifting off to sleep.

The smell of smoke and loud cries filled the dawn air. It was still dark and the air was so cold that I shivered.

I woke up in bed because of the loud noises outside as men fought the invaders. I was so disoriented because of lack of sleep. I’ve just went to bed after finishing all my chores at the castle. My body ached and my hands were raw and blistered.

Clash of steel against steel and pained cries ripped apart the peaceful morning. “We have to hide!” one of the other maids tugged on me and led me down towards the castle’s wine cellar.

I didn’t have the time to put anything more decent than my tattered nightgown and I didn’t have a cloak to ward off the chill. I ran barefooted towards the wine cellar and huddled with the women who were hiding there.

All of them were shivering and crying from fear. I, on the other hand, closed my eyes and started to pray. Tears won’t do anything but maybe invoking the help of the Divine God could. I murmured prayers and bravely tried to maintain a steely resolve for the women with me did not need any more panic and fear now or all of us will fall into chaos.

After a few hours, the smell of smoke got stronger and the chill was gone which was now replaced by burning heat. I coughed and gasped for air as my vision blurred and spots danced before my eyes.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and unfamiliar men dressed in fine armor hauled us out of the wine cellar. I sucked in much needed air which eased the pain in my lungs. Before I could fully recover, a hand shot out, gripped my wrists and hauled me up. Then I was tossed on the ground beside the other women.

“Is there anyone here of noble birth?” one of the soldiers asked. None of us moved.

“No one to ransom then. Well... All of you are to be slaves now.” A man who looked like he was their leader said. His statement was met with whimpers from the girls beside me.I was down on the ground when someone hauled me up roughly. I looked into a scarred face of a man as he ran his callused fingers on my cheek. I bit his hand and he slapped me hard.

Tears sprung behind my eyes but I didn’t want him to see me cry. “This one we can sell for a high price! If she’s untouched, we get double. If she’s no virgin, we each get a turn before we sell her.” The man who held me said while he gazed into my eyes.

No way! I will not be sold! I raised my foot and stomped down hard on him. He released me and hopped on one foot with murder in his eyes. Then he strode purposefully towards me and backhanded me once more...

I jolted awake and confused. I checked my surroundings and they weren’t familiar at all. Terror gripped me and I twisted in the saddle. “Easy.” a husky voice whispered. I turned around and gazed into the face of an angel and everything came back to me.

I was sold for two-hundred gold coins. I am now a love slave. This man is my master and he is also the legendary King of Ivaris. “We’re here.” he said and dismounted from his horse. He raised his hand and placed it on my waist and helped me down the horse.

I took in my surroundings and we were standing on the palace courtyard. The castle in front of me was large and well-kept. The castle I lived in before was already crumbling down and had an air of decay but this one was very much alive and its stone walls gleamed.

There was a drawbridge that was now being lifted up and a moat was underneath that. There were large stone walls that were so high I could barely see the trees and the hills outside. There were also guards standing on the large turrets in the wall.

This is no castle. This is a fortress.

A fortress fit for the likes of the cruel King of Ivaris.

We walked inside and I continued eyeing the place. The garden around the courtyard was also well-tended. The green grass was low and there were all kinds of flowers whose lovely fragrance permeated the air. The King motioned for me to follow him and I did. We entered the palace and I gazed upon a very spacious and lavish hall. A high table was placed on the far side of the room which were surrounded with very comfortable-looking cushions. There was a red carpet across the room and the walls were lined with suits of armor and heads of hunted animals.

To the far side of the wall where two thrones were situated, was a large and vibrant tapestry. It bore the Ivaris Coat-of-Arms and the Ivaris Banner. There was a falcon that clutched a bleeding snake between its sharp talons. Its eyes looked fierce as it killed the helpless prey. The colors of the tapestry were Red and Gold, the colors that made people tremble from a distance when they see flags of that color.

A group of women approached the King and they bowed low to him. “A bath then food for her.” He said and then whispered something to the women that I didn’t hear. The king strode off quickly with his men and I was rewarded with the tantalizing view of his back and the graceful way he walked.

He was every inch a king: powerful, graceful, handsome yet he had another aura of death all around him.

“Come with us.” A motherly woman approached me and motioned for me to come. I did as she said and they led me up a beautiful staircase and towards a wing of the castle filled with rooms. There were just too many identical looking doors and I was sure I would get lost here.

“In here.” The woman said as she held open the door.

“This would be your room from now on.” She said and gestured for me to enter. The room was as elegant as the rest of the palace. A large canopied bed dominated the entire room. A chair stood near the window and a table. A vanity dresser with a mirror and a table stood on the other side of the room and that was pretty much it.

More servants entered the room and they were bearing a tray of food. My stomach growled at the smell that wafted through the room when they entered. “You must bathe first. You will be allowed to eat later.” The woman told me and I nodded.

They led me towards a bathroom with a tub already filled with heated water. I smiled as I sank down the depths of the water. The travel filled my entire body with dirt and also knotted my muscles. The warm water eased them and also cleansed away the grime from my body.

I was dried and then an array of scented oils were presented to me. I chose the lavender scent for it was the one I used since I remembered. It was a luxury we didn’t afford back when I was still in the palace at Amaranth. I had only one bottle and I saved it for special use. Now, the lavender oil was being presented to me so I gladly took it and the women rubbed it on my body.

They dried my hair, combed it and then placed it on a knot atop my head. A jewelled comb filled with rubies held it securely in place. I gazed at it with longing and the woman helping me dress stopped and looked at me.

“Please the king and you shall receive more of those.” She stated. I nodded to show that I heard her but pleasing the king was a far cry from what I really wanted. What I truly wanted was to grab hold of a dagger and plunge it into his black heart. It is because of him that I am now in an unfamiliar land, a slave and without knowledge of the whereabouts of my parents and whether they were still alive or dead.

A semi-transparent white nightdress was placed over me. It was cinched together at the waist by a belt made of silk embossed with gold.

The women stood back and checked me from head to foot. “Now you can eat.” They said and uncovered the trays. My stomach instantly grumbled, reminding me that it was almost two days since I last ate.

I dug with renewed fervour into the food in front of me. I drank greedily from the wine they provided and the women eyed me cruelly and with distaste. “His majesty will come here soon. Try not to ruin your clothes or the sheets with your table manners.” They said so snobbishly that I stopped eating.

When they were gone, I ate again and didn’t even notice the door open. I ate the last bite of my food and then licked the sauce from my fingers. I lifted my eyes and saw the king standing in front of me as he gazed at me.

I quickly stood up and bowed. “Forgive me, your highness. I did not hear you enter.” I whispered. I felt his fingers under my chin again as he tilted my head up so I could meet his eyes.

“Why must you always veil your beautiful eyes?” he whispered huskily. “M-my lord?” I shivered from his touch. His hands now drifted lower and traced my collarbone through the semi-transparent material I was wearing.

I closed my eyes and imagined I was in another place... Another much happier place than this. I am now a slave and this is my duty. I could never refuse my master especially because my master happened to be the king.

“Are you afraid, Adrienne?” my name rolled off his tongue like a silky caress and I shook my head.

I continued envisioning my happy place. I was in a meadow with green grass and colourful flowers.

I felt the king’s knuckles on my breast as he pulled at the laces that held my shift in place.

I picked a rose and inhaled its lovely scent. It was a red rose... My favourite color and it was lovely...

I felt cold air on my skin as the king pushed my shift off my shoulders and it fell to the floor. I opened my eyes when I didn’t feel his touch for a long time and found him gazing at me with passion and desire.

“Mira a’ sheska...” he whispered in the native Ivaris tongue. I did not know what it meant but I did not want to ask him. I felt his hands on my waist, drawing me closer towards him. He began to trail light kisses down my neck which sent my nerve-endings ablaze.

“Sheska...” he whispered hungrily between kisses.

I closed my eyes once more and went back to my meadow: a place where I was free.

I walked barefoot among the grass and the blades tickled my feet. I tilted my head upwards and felt the heat of the sun on my face like a lover’s touch.

His head now moved from my neck down to my breasts. I felt his hot breath on my nipples and they tightened in response. I gasped as his mouth opened and enveloped me.

Mmmm... No... A river! There was a river east of the meadow! I walked towards it and sat on a flat rock with my legs dangling over and submerged on the ice-cold water...

Warm, rough hands travelled over the skin of my back before cupping my breast. I bit my lip to stop myself from moaning... My skin was now on fire and he was the fuel that kept on adding to the fire until it blazed into a raging inferno. He gathered me up on his arms and then gently set me down the bed. His fingers were now on my lips as he traced its plump contours. He pulled my lower lip down and my lips parted.

I opened my eyes and looked at him as his head descended and his lips captured mine in a tender kiss. He was big and muscled but he treated me with so much tenderness. Was this really the king who destroyed my home?

Yes. He is that same person. And no matter how tender he is, my family’s blood will always taint his hands. I’ll just close my eyes until all of this is over.

The cold water calmed me and soothed me... I removed my dress and submerged myself on the cold water of the river. My body stiffened in shock at the chill that raced through my body but I willed myself to relax...

His lips were now on my breast and I felt him blow cold air into my skin. My nipples hardened even further at his ministrations and I fought to keep my eyes closed and my vision from fading. I concentrated harder but his hands and that sinful mouth overwhelmed me.

Heat pooled between my legs and I fought to keep the closed to ease the tingling within. His hands drifted lower and then his thighs were spreading my legs. His hand dipped and found me hot and moist.

“So ready for me....” he whispered.

I knew what was coming now and they all said it hurt. I closed my eyes once more and summoned my dream, my meadow... But I could not... For when I closed my eyes, it’s his face I see and it’s his touch I feel, sending my senses into overdrive.

He covered my body with his and rained kisses on my neck and breasts again. Then I felt him part my legs and settle himself between my thighs. “Look at me.” He commanded but I still kept my eyes closed.

He nipped my lower lip with more force than before and kneaded my breast. “Open your eyes, Adrienne.” This time I did and kept my gaze trained on him in fear that he will hurt me if I did not do as he commanded.

Without wasting another second, he thrust deep into me and a scream tore through me as I felt as if I was being ripped apart. His arms went around me and he held me close to his chest. “Hush now... The pain will soon be over.” He said, his voice husky and filled with passion. I looked at him through tear-filled eyes and saw that his entire body was taut and that his face held an expression of control.

I moved my hips experimentally and he groaned. His hand went on my hips and stilled my movement. “Don’t do that.” He growled as he fought for control.

The king let me get accustomed to his size a few minutes more and then he began to move. He eased himself out of my tight sheathe and then plunged back in again and again. The pain was already gone and it was replaced by a new kind of sensation; something I’ve never felt before.

This time it was not fear but pleasure that coursed through my veins. I lifted my hips up and moved as my instincts told me to, meeting his thrusts with my own. The pleasure increased and my soft cries and his grunts filled the room. I lifted my knees and wrapped them around his waist. This caused him to increase his pace and he drove into me hard and fast.

“P-please...” I did not know what it was I was begging for but it seemed that I was climbing something. Pleasure was spiralling through me, arching upwards, climbing higher and higher. I looked into his grey eyes and saw that he seemed to know what it was I wanted.

He increased his speed and one of his hands drifted lower and touched me down there. He touched a spot that seemed to be composed of only nerves and rubbed it. And that was when I shattered. I reached the highest point of the climb and I let myself fall and shatter into a million pieces. My back arched as I convulsed in waves of pleasure underneath him.

I felt him still and heard his shout of completion as I felt him spill his seed inside of me.

I never knew it could be like this. All the other maids at the palace told me that it hurt and that it was a duty they did if there were noblemen visiting but that they never enjoyed it. How come I enjoyed this? Have I behaved wantonly? Have I behaved like a whore?

I kept on thinking along these thoughts as my heartbeat slowed down. The king was still above me and he was covered in sweat. After a few moments, he rolled off me and then stood up and began to dress. He now had a dark scowl marring those angelic features.

He glanced at the bed and saw the dark red stains and something flashed in those beautiful grey eyes.

Have I displeased him? Does he not want me anymore?

With one last scathing look directed towards me, he tossed me a velvet box and then strode quickly and with heavy footsteps out of the room. I flinched when I heard the door slam loudly.

I opened the box and inside it was a silver bangle filled with rubies the size of my thumb. I gasped at its beauty and marvelled at it for I have never seen anything this beautiful and this expensive for my entire life!

If I could sell this, I could already buy my freedom! I’d also still have a handful of spare coins that could help me start my life anew somewhere! I could live comfortably for a very long time!

“Please the king and you shall receive more of those.” I remember the woman who prepared me earlier told me. So did I please the king that’s why he gave me this?

What a difficult man to read! He scowled afterwards and stormed out of the room but he tossed me this beautiful bracelet.

I sighed and then laid back on the bed. And then I did something I’ve never done before since I was captured: I allowed myself the luxury of tears.

I cried for my ruined kingdom, Amaranth. I cried for my other fellow maids who became servants. I hope they were all bought as wives and that they receive a fate better than me. I cried for all those nights I spent as a captive, learning everything I could to become a love slave. I cried for my lost virginity and all hopes of getting a marriage. I cried because of my current predicament: love slave to the King whom they called Butcher because of his cruelty. I cried because I enjoyed those hands on my body when it was also those hands that ordered the destruction of my Amaranth.

I cried and cried until I was so tired that sleep claimed me and I welcomed the blissful oblivion.

Mira a’ Sheska- You are beautiful

Sheska- Beautiful