9

Before the banquet we came back to our rooms. Aurelius had already chosen your company for his night. So our presence no longer made sense in that party.

I went alone to my room. My sklavoi was waiting for me to help me to change my clothes and to sleep.

I was scary and my mind filled with worries. Above all I was completely tired so after Sasha turned down the lights I slept.

🌫🌕🌫

- Kristma! Kristma wake up! – Someone whispered in the darkness of my room. It was the Liliane's voice but it was so dark and I was so sleepy that I wasn't sure.

- Liliane? Are you there?

- Yes! Wake up girl! We need your help, Ilyada is waiting you!

- I'm… I'm going…

I was dizzy and sleepy but still I got up and followed Liliane until the room a little far from my room.

A timid candle drove away the darkness of that place. I came in the room with Liliane and I saw a young pallaki laying on the bed.

She was a sweet fairy with a long white hair and a skin as pale as the moon light. Her face was very exhaust and frightened.

Ilyada was taking care of various atoms and cuts that stained her delicate legs and hips.

- Lilian could you take me the nalde with some water? – Ilyada asked to her with a piece of cloth in her hand.

- Okay.

- Kristma please… help me with her cuts…

I obeyed her and I sat next to the girl.

Ilyada gave me a piece of cotton and a bottle of iodine. I dipped some cotton in iodine and began to clean up the little fairy's bruises.

- Her name is Eleonor- Ilyada began to explain to me- Aurelius chose her… Cael knows him. He knows how Aurelius likes to be an animal!

– He… the emperor… I don't want to see his face again… my legs… my… my vagina… - Eleonor Murmured with tears on her face.

- It's everything okay darling… - Ilyada's voice tried to reassure her- I'm here child. You escaped! You're strong. You're brave!

- Ilyada… the Emperor will kill me! I couldn't give up him!

- No! You could give up! I swear that he won't touch you anymore! I will help you! I will talk to Cael… mark my words… the Emperor won't touch you again! I promise!

Liliane came back to us with a bucket and a pair of clothes.

- Thanks Liliane… I forgot to ask you to bring her clothes. Could you help Eleanor to wear her dress? Kristma and I need to take of her hurts!

- Ilyada! Ple… please- cryed the delicate fair- Don't let me alone! He can come back! The Emperor! He can find me here…

- Keep calm my child… I won't let you alone! We are here okay?

Eleonor embraced the waist of Ilyada like a child frightened in search of mother's lap.

Liliane and I were in silence. Every hurt, bruises from whipping and bets were self-explanatory. The girl was terrified, when Aurelius came here he wasn't looking for sex he was looking for torture.

Men like him, who let marks like this don't feel pleased in the love, they feel please in the pain.

The golden and undulating light of dawn slowly filled each outline of the small room that we slept with Eleonor.

The fear and pain expressed by her had already disappeared when a sklavoi wearing her fluffy black dress opened the door announcing her entrance in Eleonor's room.

- Good morning Payper! - Ilyada saluted walking up from the bed.

Payper only bowed in reverence to the Ilyada presence. No comment or look surprised by our presence.

It was like she was waiting for us there. As if our presence was normal and even part of her routine.

Slowly Payper dragged her slippers towards the bedroom bathroom framed by ivory and golden tones that extended to furniture that closely resembled those in my room.

- Is the Emperor? Is he there? - Eleonor asked with her voice carried by the mixture of sleep and affliction.

- No Eleonor… - Ilyada comforted with sweetness in her voice - Is just Payper… she will prepare her bath and. Payper? Payper my darling?

- First lady?

- Please, my dear, would you bring Eleanor's meals to her room? She's in no condition to join us…

The old lady just nodded her head and came back appeared craft.

- Well girls… I'll stay here with Eleonor and you should come to your rooms. Soon you'll have your breakfast...

- But. Ilyada. Won't you have your breakfast with us? I thought…

- No Liliane… I need to solve some problems with Cael and Aurelius.

- Okay…

Liliane and I got out of Eleonor's bed and slowly followed each one to our respective rooms. Both we were exhausted. Our night had been terrible but at least Eleanor was doing much better and I wished unanimously that delicate young recovered. All those bruises and cuts …that dread and agony expressed in every word of her echoed in my mind

That it was not the first victory of Mor on the Middle Lands and probably that it was not the first party given by Cael to celebrate that. Now I understand what Ilyada meant by "I tried to talk to Cael". Who knows how many other pallakis as Eleonor were helped by Ilyada before? Even Fester, Suzana and Yolanda may have gone through what Eleonor did to Aurelius!

Outside my little window the life began to bloom on the timid artificial lights that was radiating from the dark wooden huts covered in snow by the roadside.

I was too weak to feel any stimulus result from to the cold and the wind that howled around us. The only thing I could do was enjoy the smell food coming from the houses and to curse the latent headache that pissed me off in several possible ways.

- Let's stay here... - Caelwarned with his distant voice - My footman and I are hungry. It would be good for you to get some rest... maybe eat something...

- Yes...

As angry and hungry as I was, my brain was still working and my mind was still intact enough to stop me from starting an argument with Cael about him getting me hurt and keeping me hungry all day. Instead, my neurons worked in the company of my intelligence to find a way to change that situation.

That man had to have some weakness, some loophole so that I can trap that beast so that I can take that lion and make his mood swings no longer affect everything or almost everything that relates to me or the people around us.

I turn my eyes to the Cael dressed in his linen shirt and black riding pants.

Perhaps it was in his hair, his strong arms or else it was his frighteningly enveloping scent with citrus touch but I still wanted him, I still wanted that beast over me making me delirious with pleasure.

I know that emotionally speaking he's a failure. He doesn't know how to control his impulses by being even cruel and evil but I can't just erase the flame of passion and desire that burns in me.

Drus would curse me for wanting someone who shows a huge dark and uncontrollable side but I still want him. I want the voice deep and drawn in my ears, the taste of his lips.

By more angry, or sad, or scared even if for my own good I should avoid him as Liliane used to do I still want him.

- We arrived Kris...

The horses' hooves were slowing down until finally we stopped in front of a small lodging with a long and triangular roof. The soft, gleaming snow was accumulated on the windowsills next to the narrow entrance door.

Cael was the first to descend and soon after him I went. The place where we would spend the night was rustic simple with some rotten wooden tables and chairs turned up and piled up on the north side of the small hall.

- Can I help you?

A woman of short stature, slim body, thin hair, round face and brown eyes that by the nervous expression should be tired and without patience for outsiders asked pointing her red nose towards Cael.

Judging by the tone of her voice, her hips and the grimy apron, that woman should own that rustic hotel.

- Sir, we're closing! You want something? Otherwise...

- Want two quarter madam and three bowls of stew.

- Okay! It's gonna cost 1500 shekels of copper. Will you pay one half now and another half tomorrow morning or will you pay cash?

- I'll pay the full amount tonight. Filiph! Take my coin purse and pay her the amount she asked for. Kris... let's go to the room. It's very late and... ma'am! Could you...

- I do not deliver anything in the rooms! If you want to eat the stews you will have to get in the kitchen!

- Here is the payment ma'am!

The young man with gray eyes, curly hair and gentle face was handed a small dark bag stuffed with a good amount of coins to the lady who checked the authenticity of some of that small copper triangles using a golden canine stuck in her dental record.

- You can go upstairs... Your rooms are upstairs... - Suggested the lady concentrated on her gold.

- Filiph! You will stay here and will take the stew bowls to our room.

- Yes my sir!