4

Cael threw me into the big wooden monster and with uncompromising and rude movement closed the door leaving me with that deranged figure at my side. He let go of my arm and took his hands to his sweaty hair.

- I'm sorry… I got a little out of hand, it's just...

- No problem.

I turned my eyes to my arm and his finger marks were still there, intact.

- I'm sorry about that too...

I turn to him and see Cael's eyes staring at my bruises with mixed shame and some traces of the anger felt minutes ago.

- I'm sorry... it won't happen again. I. If Ilyada hadn't run away, it wouldn't have happened. She and Liliane paid for it and for your bruises. I swear!

I could only agree with him but and my heart I wanted to scream and yell at him.

Who hurt me, pressed my arm and hurt me it was him! If Ilyada ran away or not it does not change anything. Maybe Liliane was right... Maybe Cael wasn't as good as I thought.

The hooves of the horses crushed the limestone remains of snow that had just been scraped off the path and which were now piled along the trail in the middle of the thick white blanket that envelops the field vegetation on the clear plains of the lands south of the castle.

- Kristma? Are you very hungry?

- No… I'm not hungry…

- Kristma are you all right?

- Yes! I'm!

Cael's anger and discontent were rekindled once more in the exact moment what my lips finished uttering that answer.

- Why are you so nervous with me? What did I do? It was Ilyada!

- Cael… - I tried to explain.

- It wasn't my fault that stupid and the other two pigs ran away! That's why I lost control! You must use those meaningless answers with them and not with me!

- Cael I'm not.

- You're! – He burst out - Your eyes, your posture, the tone of your voice... everything about you is accusing me of something that wasn't my fault!

- But.

- You know what?

- I'm not!

- Shut up! I'll do the talking!

My eyes looked at him unbelieving. I had at least no right to defense. That man was blaming me, blaming Ilyada and everyone around him to hide the real monster, the real wrong of all these events. Himself!

It was him, it's him, and maybe he'll always remain the driving force behind all this. Such people end up getting trapped in an infinite looping of guilt and pride that in the end is almost as lethal as drinking the poison from the fangs of a cobra in the hope that it heals and its diseased soul.

- You won't eat anything today... since you'd rather interrupt me and then ignore me I think it would be more appropriate for you and your attitudes to be hungry and the rest of the day.

- Okay…

He ignored my politeness and and said some dirty name before turning his eyes to the window ignoring completely my existence.

My mind was confused with the last night memories, flavors and the sensations that was stoked on me.

- Good morning Kristma! - Welcomed a tall and elegant woman.

She was beautiful like the fall. Her body was slender and delicate, her face was strong and sophisticated.

Her dress silk skirts were light and fluid in colors of wheat fields and the sunlight at

the end of day and were sustained by a dark leather belt.

- You must be the new pallaki... My name is Ilyada, I'm the first lady. Cael went to Sanhedrin at Nekrós... - Ilyada was sweet and smart. Perhaps to materialize her elegant aura she sat down right next to me. - Did he warn you about the houses and the harem?

- Yes...

- So... Did you decide where will you live by now?

- I don't know yet... Like... He explained it but I'm still confused...

- All right. No problem... You can stay here in the main house while you think about it... I will show you your room and when you decide it just tell me, okay?

- Okay... Thanks.

- And the most important. Listen me kid, the other pallakis can be unfriendly... be careful here. - Accidentally Ilyada slipped up a sigh of sadness as if that situation it was a heavy and constant burden.

- I understand... When does Cael come home?

- Well darling... He won't come back today. He will go to the summer ranch. Cael doesn't spend a lot of time here... He comes here when he needs to relax.

- How often Cael comes here?

- Normally he visits us twice on week...

- Miss Ilyada, can I ask you a personal question?

- Of course!

- How is your relationship with Master Cael?

- My kid... This is a complicated question... I will answer you but now it's not the right moment... let's dothe following, you will wear your clothes and I will wait you downstairs, at the dinning room... After the breakfast I will answer your question and explain you my work and more. Okay?

- Okay Miss Ilyada...

It wasn't so complicated to wear my dress and to find the golden stair in the middle of the house.

🌫🌕🌫

- Hi Kristma! Join us! - Welcomed Ilyada - Girls! Meet our new pallaki, Kristma from Douléia!

So then I noticed the fifteen ladies around the large white table of dinner. All that girls seemed to have the same age as me. They were enjoying the splendid banquet that it was in front on the table.

The girls stopped their meals for some seconds and started at me in scorn and silence.

- Great! More one dummy to compete for the Master Cael...

- Fester! The next time you say this 'll report your conduct to Cael!

- I'm sorry... - Fester replied with an acid smile.

- Kristma, I'm sorry for this poor reception... please, came here and take your sit with us!

I followed her orders and took my seat next to pallaki of blood hair and an aquiline nose.

A lady with small lips and eyes of intense but kindly brilliancy, helped me with a cup of black tea.

- So... Kristma... have you already seen the pornes wing? - A bored voice of a pallaki in front of me Asked.

- Suzan... please! - Ilyada alerted.

- Relax First Lady... she needs to know her new home... am I wrong?

The poison in her words was so clear that I could even smell it...

Ilyada ignored that subtle attack. Maybe she was sick of that situation...

- Kristma... - Called Suzan - I'm talking to you! Do you know the pornes wing?

- No...

- If you were a smart pallaki you'd have gone there... a good slut like...

- Suzan! Enough! - Ilyada cried.

- Okay my First Lady... I'm sorry...

- We are here to have a good breakfast now! Please ladies... let's have our breakfast in silence! Kristma after the breakfast you will wait me here. I'll explain to you how the things work here.

- All right.

The breakfast was a tense and uncomfortable bunch of minutes. My every move was monitored by many arrogant eyes as if I were an outsider or a big nuisance.

Gradually the sound of the dishes were ending. One by one my new colleagues were saying goodbye and returning to their proper rooms.

- Kristma? Could you come along me?

- Sure first lady!

- Please, call me Ilyada... the other pallakis use this name to insult me.

- Wow... I'm sorry Ilyada I didn't know...

- Don't worry about it. They're expressing their insecurity and fears Ignore them... You will survive..

Ilyada led me into off the central part of the palace. In a complex web of tulips and roses spreading in a large hanging garden carved out of one giant block of white rock.

- About your question... My relationship with Cael...we. Our lives and purposes are different now. In the begin, when I was a young pallaki our relationship it was a fireplace! Incandescent, powerful, strong but now it just ashes...

- But what happened with...

- I don't know... Maybe the day-to-day activities, the obligations that I have been accepting. The responsibilities he has been demanding on me. Our love smothered and I was being put more in the position of trophy than the love of his life. As his first lady, he pretend to love me. When we are close his pallakis, his friends or porns but the true it's there's no love in our life...Just appearances.

- Do you really don't love him?

- No my kid. No more... but changing the topic. As pallaki you must be in perfect conditions to have sex with him every time Cael calls you to his room. You can't say no, he can be a monster when he hears this word...

- Okay.

- You will have a full night with him twice on a month and you can choice when you will have these nights. You have one sklavoi in your room who will will help you with your clothes, makeup etc... and the most important... if something wrong happens you can ask me help! Some pallakis can be the devil sometimes! Our meals are served in the dinner room. There are many dinning rooms but we can't use, just the Cael's guests can use it.

- Okay, I got it!