Chapter One - Part Two

He pivoted on his right heel back for the boat, "well 'e sent me wit' other presents fer ya, to make up for lookin' after 'er." Her sharp eyes focused back at the boat. The tall soldier grasped a thick red rope and gave a hard tug. Soon the blonde curls were contrasted with a gaggle of conscious, frightened and objecting naked women. He passed the rope over to another soldier with dark green plated armor.

"Tasted 'er on the way o'er and she was a particularly fine vintage," shrugged the first soldier, dipping a finger between the legs of a woman with long tumbling red hair. Her face was blank, bruised and unresponsive. He pulled his fingers back out of her languorously and then licked them inches from her face. His other hand tugged on her left nipple. Pink, peaked, bleeding.

"You say that like we didn't all have a taste you stupid bastard" another soldier shouted with a laugh. She stood ram rod straight and didn't react. "Not too good for us now ar ya" He sneered, grasping at her chin.

The madame ignored him, busy taking inventory. She made each woman open her mouth and spread their legs. She checked them like a potential broodmare at the King's races. Thoroughly. Eventually she waved the soldiers off. "Tell him it'll be done." She stated, backing up and motioning for her own sentries to take them inside. That ended the soldier's revery and instead of releasing her nipple, he began to untie her bonds. "I think I'll keep this one" he began before she slammed her cane down onto the side of his head and he dropped like a rock in the sand. The other soldiers howled with laughter, picking up their comrade and dragging him roughly back onto the boat. She didn't watch them leave.

Instead she turned her eyes towards the blonde puddle of blood and stared for a good long minute. "Girl," she began, nudging her gently with her bad foot. She didn't wake or react but the madame noticed an almost imperceptible rise and fall of her chest —breathing. Barely. Before she could roll her over to get a more fulsome look at her new charge one of the sentries returned. With a glance she told him what to do.

"Baths?" he asked, unsure. She gave him a curt nod. Or maybe he'd been listening to the soldiers ramble on. "And call Raven to attend to her." She murmured before he picked her up and left. With the new girls as payment, and so very many of them, the usurper intended her to be obviously well-kept.

The madame frowned at the patch of drying blood in the sand for a moment, kicking up flecks to hide the stark crimson pool. Blood would inflame the wrong passions on her doorstep. "From above so below." She murmured casting a furtive glance above, tapping her left shoulder and then pointing down with a dip of her head. She could hear them circling, agitated, near their nest overhead.

Keeping her limp to an even pace, she made her way towards the fortress. She didn't exhale until she passed the threshold and slammed the door shut.