The Marked Phoenix: Little Red Bird - Chapter 16

For the second time, Emerine woke up in an unfamiliar location, bed, and surroundings. Her eyes struggled to understand the situation at hand as her head was pounding from a headache. She couldn’t think properly but forced herself to.

It was not the right time or situation to sit around and cry over her pain. Even though she told herself that, she couldn’t help but wince in pain. She tried to touch her head, but found her wrists were bound yet again. This time it was not a child’s play ropes, it was metal cuffs that rested uncomfortably on her wrist. She watched the rattle of chains as her eyes widened in utter horror.

She was resting upon a large bed and in a completely new outfit. Her head swiveled around to survey her surroundings. After taking in the wavering thick curtains of linen and thin but sturdy pillars of oak, she realized she was residing in a large tent.

Though this place was a significant upgrade from where she previously woke up, her blood boiled with rage. How dare they sell her off as if she was mere livestock? Never in her life had she been disrespected to such an extent. And little did she know, it was not the worst situation yet.

“I see you’re awake,” a smooth but unforgiving voice spoke up from her left. Her head snapped in that direction with ignited eyes that desired blood to be spilled.

“This color does not suit you.” He nodded towards the little white dress she wore. It barely covered her body nor did it provide any sense of modesty. It wasn’t supposed to.

“Who are you?” Emerine sternly demanded. “Where am I? Do you know the crimes set against you for kidnapping a young maiden?”

He tilted his head in amusement as his full lips quirked into a slight smirk. “You’ve got quite a feisty tongue on you. A proper one at that,” he nodded to himself. “My men were not lying when they said you speak as if you’re royalty.”

‘Oh, but I am,’ Emerine scoffed inside of her head. “I don’t care what your men think, but I do believe you’ll care about what I can offer you.”

“Oh?” he raised a brow as his eyes raked over her body. She was indeed a blossoming and grown woman with more assets than he had anticipated.

Watching her relaxed form when sleeping was so amusing to him. It revealed she must’ve come from a privileged lifestyle to afford the luxury of having one’s guard down in their bedroom. He did not have that luxury, which was why he worked hard to obtain it. Even so, he could not forget the painful memories of his childhood.

“I believe your body is all that you can offer.”

“You speak so properly, I had expected for you to be smarter.” Emerine deadpanned.

His jaw ticked. “I’d be careful if I were you. If I was one of my men, I would’ve struck you for that,” he languidly said. His eyes flickered to her slightly reddened cheek and remarked, “It seems they’ve already laid a hand on you.”

Emerine touched her cheek and scowled upon hearing the jingle that her chains made. With the chains on, she felt dirty and unimportant, like an animal being guided to its doom.

“And your offer?”

“If you bring me back to the castle and request for the head butler, he will handsomely reward you with more riches than you can believe”

“Ah, so you’re the daughter of a blue-blood,” he mused as he tilted his head and observed her more closely. She carried herself with too much finely-bred grace and dignity to be the simple daughter of an aristocrat.

Emerine decided it would be too rash to reveal herself as the princess of this kingdom. If these men were to discover her true identity, who knew what they would do to her? There were too many risks to be taken into consideration. “Yes, I am and”

“It’s a pity, really,” he sighed as he stood up to his full height and approached her.

Emerine’s eyes took in each part of his features. He was not handsome, nor was he ugly. It was a fine balance. She cursed herself for being stupid enough to analyze this stranger’s face in such a horrible predicament.

“I don’t care for more riches than I can dream. I already have it,” he said and stopped directly in front of her with an intimidating stance.

Emerine was all too familiar with these types of men. Men who were so wealthy, they didn’t care about acquiring any more of it. She refused to lower her pride and strain her neck to glance up at him. Instead, she kept her eyes trained in front of her, even if it meant staring at the dull brown button of his shirt.

She let out a sharp gasp when he painfully gripped her cheek, his thumb and forefinger harshly squeezing the life out of it. His action was so forceful and brutish that she could do nothing but cringe back in fear.

“You will look at me when I speak to you,” he softly snarled, “For the remainder of tonight, you will refer to me as your master.”

Emerine struggled against his gripping hold. She was sure it would leave a painful bruise. “And if I don’t?” she seethed out, her eyes set ablaze. Her master? What a joke. She served no one but herself.

“Trust me, there is more than one way of ruining a woman. Lucky for you, I’m well versed in every method.”

“You humor me,” she snarled. Unaware that her pride was leading her to death, she continued, “I know exactly what you’re going to do to me, but I must warn you that you’re incorrect about my identity.”

“Oh?”

“I’m not the daughter of a rich family,” she lied, “I am a mere maid raised in the palace to serve with etiquette and respect.”

“And why should I care?”

“Because I am greedy for power,” she whispered just as he let out a burst of humorless laughter.

“Do you think that when I violate you in every sinful position, you would obtain power?”

“No,” she shook her head, an eerie smile dangling from her lips. “But I do know you will obtain something unfavorable if you violate me.”

His eyes dangerously narrowed, “And what would that be?”

“A sexually transmitted disease.”

His eyes sharpened into slits. Silence ensued as he glowered down at her. Never once did she break eye contact from him.

“Why do you think I’m so bold?” Emerine continued her bluff, “I’ve slept with almost every official I could lay my hands on to climb to my position. Did you think my maidservant outfit was a simple one?”

She shook her head, It takes more than just experience to serve the princess. Strings must be tugged thin to even breathe the same air as Her Highness,” she softly chuckled. “You will not be the first gentleman to violate me, but will you be the first to not contract something?”

He ground his teeth together when her words slowly twisted itself into some sort of sense. Finally, after the longest minute, he violently released her by tossing her to the side.

Emerine’s thin body was nearly tossed off of the bed in the process, but she was too focused on her rapidly thudding heart to mind the violence. She didn’t think her bluff and her uttering one lie after the other would work so favorably.

Yes, her jaw was clenched in pain, but she preferred that more than a tainted virtue. Her heart pounded against her rib cage when silence ensued and he seemed to be debating what he should do with her.

“Stupid, stupid little girl,” he chuckled while shaking his head and running a tongue over his teeth in irritation. “You should’ve warmed my bed when you had the chance.”

Emerine’s eyes sharpened at his words. She’d rather die than sleep with him. Anything was better than having her dignity ripped apart at the same time as her virginity.

“It’s better to sleep with the leader than to sleep with those pigs,” he let out a fake sigh of disappointment.

Emerine’s eyes snapped to him, unable to decipher his words. She couldn’t properly read into his next action.

“A pity, really,” he repeated, “This bed could’ve kept you comfortable.” Just as she opened her mouth to question his intentions, he let out a low and ear-piercing whistle and a group of men strolled in.

She felt her lips curl into a snarl upon realizing who they were. It was Digger and Ruffles, or so she remembered.

“Sir, you called?” Dugland inquired as his eyes flashed towards Emerine. It was strange to see she still had her clothes on and in a sitting position. He had expected to see her face down on the bed, naked with marks covering her entire body. Marks that would make her the laughing stock amongst the group.

“Throw this whore with the others.”

“The others?” Rufford repeated, his eyes widening. He exchanged glances with his buddy as both men looked bewildered by the turn of events. They were sure this woman’s beauty was enough to woo and please their leader.

“She’s contaminated.”

Emerine tried to not smirk in triumph when she saw their disgusted face while recoiling back. Evidently, they were regretful at having failed their leader.

Her happiness was short-lived when Rufford added on, “But the others are slaves.”

“Yes, that is what she shall become.”

Emerine’s face fell. Slaves? That was impossible. Her father was the first king to outlaw them. Why are there still slaves? Shouldn’t they have been converted into serfs, or even peasants at best?

Before she could finish her train of thoughts, the leader sealed her fate, “Make sure she’s properly broken before she’s sold.”