I awoke to the feel of my stiff shoulders, I couldn't move my hands as I saw that they were tied behind my back, my feet were also tied apart to the bed post, I looked around the room, it was elegant and had a grey theme, the bed I laid on was dressed in silk sheets, there was also a room to the right which I guessed would be the bathroom.As my memories resurfaced panic seized me and then rage at the filthy man who thought he could just take me like a cheap object. I struggled to free my hands but the more I struggled the more it tightened. "Get me outta here!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as angry tears dropped down my cheeks. "Am sorry Walt, I couldn't help you" I thoughtI was about to close my eyes in meditation to think of what to do when something peculiar caught my eyes, it was a figurine on the table beside me, it had five feet and very sharp claws with a distorted face, the face was that of a lion and the limbs was that of a bear, its eyes reminded me of the man I met before I entered the Yetande territory, one was slightly grey and the other was blue, it was like a fusion of a lion and a bear and it seemed to be staring directly at me. I was so transfixed by this inhumane object that I didn't notice that the stranger had entered into the room and was staring at me. "What do you think of it?" the stranger said startling me I gasped when I saw his face, it was the man that helped me from the soldiers that night and also the same man talking to Penelope in the bar I thought seeing his black hair and angular jawline, "You!!!Why did you capture me?" I demand that you let me go right now Zander" I said forcefully trying to free my hands"Hmmm… I like your fire" he said stroking down my dark afro as he sat close to me but they sprang back up. "You have such beautiful wiry locks" he said sniffing it. "Let me go!" I jerked my head away from his hands as I spat on his face. Before I could blink, he held my face close to his."Don't try that again princess" he seethed in a dark voice as he released me and wiped his face with his hands "Am gonna plunge a knife to your heart when I get the chance" I yelled in rage at him but he only smiled and walked out of the room. "Get dressed, you're going to be having dinner with me, Lena my house help will help you get cleaned up" he said as he closed the door.I sagged against the bed relieved he had left, as I thought of how I would escape here. As I thought of ways to escape, the door opened and in walked an old and chubby woman."Good evening dear" she said smiling warmly at me.Am going to run a bath for you, it must have been stressful for you coming here. I know you must be scared but you will be fine, my master doesn't intend to harm you."Please release me" I begged trying to see if she would, I promise not to run, just loosen the ropes, my hands are sore and so are my feet."Please don't do anything stupid unless I can't protect you from his wrath" she said staring at me and I nodded knowing I wasn't going to get any help from her.She released the ropes used to tie my hands and legs and I couldn't help wincing as I saw the red lines on my wrist and massaged them."Let me go get some ointment to rub on them" she said as she walked out, I waited a bit and rushed to follow immediately she left but before I could reach the door I heard the lock turn.I quickly ran to the windows and tried to open them too but it didn't budge, I entered the bathroom and tried those too but they also were locked from outside, there was no other place to escape from so I sat back on the bed but not put out as I planned to go with whatever plan they had and when they least expected, I would escape. After a while she came back and applied some on my wrist gently, "my master wasn't always like this there was a time when he was joyful and happy with his family till they all died one after the other and the people who killed his parents cursed him and our land, he became cold to the world as he grew into an adult, it's all he knows now" she said sadly as she rubbed my feet."How did they die?" I asked but she only stared at me as if not expecting I would ask."It was such a long time ago, I talk too much" she chuckled avoiding the question, "now let me run your bath for you".As I entered the warm water I couldn't help but relax in the tub as Lena massaged my arms and washed my hair. I hope you don't mind eating spicy food she said cause am making yam and soup for dinner it's one of our specialties here in Yetande, it's said that it brings good luck when eaten. I just smiled and nodded as I soaked in the tub."That's a beautiful mark" she said curiously watching me as I stepped out of the tub. Yes it is, my mother says that the gods marked me when I was born and that there was a shining star in the sky, though she never told me what it all meant before she died. I thought as I absently touched the star shaped mark at my lower back where my spinal cord met my hipbone. "We must dress you quickly, it's almost time for dinner" she said styling my hair after toweling me dry.Let me go get everything prepared she said as she left the room after prepping me. I stared at my reflection, and for a moment I didn't recognize myself, I softly touched the purple gown I had on, it had a tight waistline with glitters allover and it flared from my knees, it showed off my hips and brought out the colour of my green eyes, I couldn't remember when last I looked this beautiful. As I opened the door, I saw two guards at my doorpost, they couldn't help but stare at me and as I walked past them down the stairs, I saw Zander seated at the head of the table, immediately I stepped down the last stair he looked up and I couldn't help the chills I got staring at him as he moved towards me, I would have mistook I for attraction to this ruthless stranger but no it couldn't be, I bet the perfume Lena sprayed on me had some aphrodisiac in it."You are truly exquisite princess" he said as he pulled out a seat for me. "Why did you kidnap me, what deal did you make with Penelope?""Please release me, I have a brother at home who is seriously ill and needs treatment" I pleaded all at once"Calm down little one, I won't hurt you" he said "I paid Penelope to take care of him, she told me about your quest to find the sea princess" he said as he ate "Why would you do that, you don't know me?" I asked skeptically"Well let's say I want something in return""What's that" I asked"I want you" he said as he stared at me "Want me!!! I am not a piece of object that you take" I fumed at him"Well I could get you hanged for trespassing on my territory so in return for my kindness you would stay with me forever, you see you owe me your life, princess." he smiled wickedly as tears filled my eyes"You got the wrong person, am not a Princess, you evil man" I yelled at him as a tear dropped from my eyes "Oh I got the right person, I know just who you are Dalla and you're never leaving here" he smirked "You would never own me" I said as I stood up and ran up to my room. As I wept I made up my mind to escape this place no matter what it took. Some minutes later Lena entered my room with my food"I heard you didn't eat, you must learn little one not to defy him" I turned away from her not interested in what she had to say "He has never brought anyone to the palace before and any trespassers were immediately executed be it a man or woman, it seems my master has a special interest in you." she said and then urged me to eat.I was quiet as I ate my food not really tasting it as I stared out the window, Lena seemed to think highly of her master so I knew I couldn't rely on her to help me escape but I was going to get every information I can about him and this horrible place as much as I can from her and then destroy it.