"Don't cry baby girl, I have been admiring you since you clocked Nine, you most definitely started becoming more and more beautiful after that. Are you afraid because we have the same father? Both of us know it's normal around here" he said feeling my face
I just laid there with my elbows, waist and feet supporting my body on the bed, I couldn't believe what was about to happen from someone I considered an uncle to me because of our large age difference.
Sahir was determined to sleep with me, everyone knows he had done it with a few servants and some of the villagers if they caught his eyes, he also said he liked it aggressive and forced.
My eyes became teary and I begged him moving away from him while still on the bed, he moved closer too and dragged my hair pulling my face closer forcing his lips on mine, I felt his hands go down my shoulders and my garment went "Rippp!"
He started ripping my clothes starting from the back, he started from my shoulders then tore the back and started caressing my neck with his tongue. I was deeply uncomfortable and terrified, I couldn't scream, I could only cry.
"I'll make it worth it" he whispered into my ear.
I looked straight into his eyes and all I could see was lust, I started shaking, eyes widening, pupils dilating, heartbeat increasing, and then it was like something took over me and then I kicked his crotch with my foot and pushed him over. I got off the bed watching him roll in pain, he never thought I would defy his desire of making love to me.
Before I could rethink everything he grabbed me by the arm and then I got triggered again and bit his arm till blood dripped down from my mouth to the floor.
He yelled in pain,
I saw the opportunity and took it, I ran outside his room with my torn clothes, the guard's head facing down in shame as he stood beside the door. I turned back to look at Sahir, he looked at me with eyes of revenge. I left, a servant walked up to me in the corridor and gave me a cloth to wrap myself with her head laid low. It was Joye, a beautiful servant girl in her early twenties. She heard that Prince Sahir sent for me and wanted to warn me but couldn't make it in time.
"I'm fine, why didn't you come earlier" I said sobbing angrily
"Come Young princess, your mother sends for you" she said holding my shoulders, we walked to my chamber. "The servants in this castle are merely treated like living beings. My sister was also a victim to that monster a year ago, you remind her, kind, timid and pure-hearted, I can't stand by and let anyone else go through the same torture my sister went through" she brushed my cheeks with the back of her hand and went down the stairs.
I went back to my bed, pulled the sheets over myself, and decided to act like nothing happened. Whatever that was—I'd just pretend it never existed. So I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.
***
It was morning, when mother woke up I went to tell her about last night. I thought she'd be angry—protective even—but she barely looked up. Her voice was calm, too calm, like it was nothing. She said I was overreacting and that I shouldn't have kicked him, she told me to go meet him and apologize… and to take a bath afterward. I just stood there, staring at her, wondering how she could say that so easily.
I skittered to the royal washroom, it was over occupied with all the girls washing their delicate skin with all kinds of soaps and doing all manner of treatments to make themselves more attractive for the King's birthday tonight as he would be inviting Nobles and lords, royal family members, high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants and masters, knights and war heroes.
"Korj!!!! I can't believe you're here, so you actually shower huh?" Rhye said jokingly, putting her hands on her waist, she adjusted her linen and sat beside me on a rock. Rhye was my best friend and closest step sister since I was four, I hugged her and broke down into tears. "Awnn, I was gone for just a week and you missed me so much? that's adorable" Rhye said sarcastically.
Rhye had a slender body, she had red hair and blue eyes, she acted like a boy sometimes.
"I guess that's it" I sniffled,
"Hey I was just joking, come on let's get into the bath the water's warm" she pulled me in saying.
I pretended like nothing ever happened with Sahir and I, it was best that way. Rhye told me all about her adventures she had in defense training camp outside the kingdom not too far away from our land, I was supposed to go with her and the others but I fractured my leg a few hours before the day, I fell while climbing a huge tree so I couldn't go.
We were in the washroom laughing and joking, we compared and teased each other. It was like a mini comedy show, one of the girls realized she was the topic of one of our discussion.
She walked over, suspicious and puffed up like a cat ready to hiss. We exchanged quick glances and immediately switched topics, pretending to be very serious about... soaps or something.
"What's so funny?" she asked, tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth.
"Nothing," Rhye said smoothly. "I just thought—you are what you eat."
That line landed hard.
"So what's that supposed to mean, frog legs?" the fat girl snapped, raising her voice to make sure the whole washroom could hear.
Heads turned instantly—everyone loves free drama.
"You know what? Let's not make this a big issue," I said, trying to defuse the tension.
She rolled her eyes dramatically and clicked her tongue.
Rhye grinned "Keep rolling your eyes, maybe you'll find a brain back there. Oh wait, you're so fat it's squashed".
The room exploded. Laughter bounced off the rocks. The poor girl, red-faced and fuming, swung a fist at Rhye—but missed completely, slipped, and landed right on her butt. That was it, Chaos. The laughter tripled. Someone even snorted.
"Clunk clunk!" Queen rashmea hit her walking stick on the floor, behind her were her two loyal senior servants
Someone whispered, "Queen Rashmea is here!"
Queen Rashmea, the first Queen of my father, brutal, strict, extremely elegant and intelligent. She cat-walked into the washroom with a long laced dress and her obviously huge mole underneath her nose. She had twelve sons for the king. Unfortunately, one died in battle, others due to different causes. All of her sons were very handsome. Everyone arranged themselves in a horizontal line
"Tap Tap Tap!" Queen Rashmea's heels went. She walked forward checking the girls one by one from bottom to top making sure everyone was elegant enough to attend the occasion happening downstairs.
She kept walking, checking everyone then stopped at the fat girl. Firstly, she eyed her up and down fanning herself with her portable silk fan she carries around with her all the time. "Turn around" she said, the fat girl did so and some of the princesses chuckled . The Queen spat on the floor beside her "Remove yourself" she said gazing into her pupils like a hungry lion watching it's prey. The fat girl stepped aside.
She kept walking and stopped
"You two were laughing, weren't you? Remove yourselves!" the Queen's voice cut through the chatter like a blade. "An elegant princess should always keep herself looking graceful at all costs. And you, my dear— her gaze hardened,—are not elegant". Queen Rashmea stood tall, chest lifted and head held high, her presence commanding silence. The two girls hurried out of line, nearly tripping in their rush to escape before the Queen's walking stick found its mark.
Her eyes swept over the rest. Without hesitation, she dismissed a few others who bore faint scars on their bodies.Then, with both palms open as if she were cradling something precious, the Queen said softly,
"Now, princesses… as you were".
And just like that, she turned and glided out of the washroom, her servants following in perfect step. No one dared utter a word until she and the heavy air of her authority had completely left the room.
"I guess the eight of them aren't going to attend father's birthday celebration then, so sad" a blonde princess said while taking off her linen.
"I should've gotten a scar, then I wouldn't have to go to the event tonight. Hey Korj, how about we sneak out and hunt deer instead?" Rhye said, rolling her eyes.
I didn't answer, my thoughts were miles away. Rhye tilted her head. "Hey, you even listening?"
I blinked. "Yeah… kinda."
She smirked. "Kinda, huh? What's on your mind this time?"
"I just wish Father knew my name, at least. Mom has been so intent on getting his attention and all that. She says if we do, we'll get to move out of that small chamber and finally into the high chamber where Father and his 'important' wives sleep," I said with a long face.
"I sleep in the higher chamber, and trust me, there's no big deal to it. It's just walls and a bed, dining with gold utensils, fancier clothes, and seeing the King every day—but I get what you mean," Rhye chuckled. "I love joking around with you, and I'd trade all of that just to keep doing this. So cheer up."
Rhye took off her linen and danced around playfully, trying to cheer me up—and it worked. The princesses left the washroom one by one, preparing for the event that night, all ready to impress the King.