*FIVE MONTHS LATER*
Sylvia stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Her dark straight hair was a mess, and her naked body was coloured in only red under the silk quilt.
She smiled, looking at the bright light that seeped into the room through the light-coloured curtains. She sat up in the bed, ready to get out of it when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the bed.
Her head landed on the fluffy pillow, and she pursed her lips in annoyance as the hair of the moustache tickled the back of her neck as a pair of lips kissed her hungrily.
Favian tightened his arm around her belly while his other hand slipped down and between her legs to rub her already swollen and sore clit.
He seemed to be not able to get enough of her!
"Favian, it's morning!"
"So what?" He countered.
"You need to get up and get ready. Weren't you going to the stables today to check on your favourite horses?" She asked, trying to pull his hand out of between her legs, but that man was more powerful than her.
Sylvia's jaw ticked in irritation. Didn't she exhaust herself last night to satiate his lust? What else did he want from her now?
Favian planted wet and rough kisses on her bare back, shoulder and the side of her face. His tongue swept over her skin, leaving a trail of his saliva.
Sylvia couldn't wait for a bath when she would be able to wash off all of the traces on her body.
"Is it my fault that I found you more addictive than my favourite horses that I want to ride you instead of any of them?!"
Sylvia snorted inwardly. That man was not only shameless but also had the nerve to throw such lousy lines at her every chance he got.
Sylvia giggled, turning around in his hold to face him. Her fingers began tracing mindless patterns on his chest.
"You are flattering me, Favian." Her eyes didn't bother to look into his. Instead, they were glued on his throat which she wished to cut with a dagger.
Wait, Sylvia, wait! she reminded herself.
Favian ran his fingers through her straight hair- one of the things he loved about her.
"You are a smart woman, Sylvia. I am glad you have learned to accept me and respect me. See how easy your life has become."
"Indeed!" She muttered.
"Maybe one day I can take you as my wife too. I told you already that you keep me happy, and I will keep you happy in return.
You were too stubborn at first that you left me no choice but to use force on you. I can't tell you how my heart hurts whenever I inflicted pain on you. Don't force me to do that, okay?"
Sylvia nodded her head before finally looking at him. Her dark eyes were gentle, but if only he knew what storm was brewing behind that facade.
"I am fortunate that you found me, Favian. I don't know what I would have done without you. I resisted at first because... I was scared. I thought you are just like other men.
You will use me and then throw me away like a useless thing. I couldn't have been able to bear that, Favian. Please don't ever do that with me!" Her eyes moistened, and Favian's face softened.
He cupped her face in his thick hand and then pressed his lips on her forehead.
"I may not be a likeable man, Sylvia but I am also not moralless. I have given my word that I will take care of you and will keep you by my side until you are obedient and fulfil my needs. And I am determined to keep my word." He told her confidently.
Sylvia smiled brightly, batting her eyelashes.
"Never!" Favian promised before sealing her lips in a deep kiss.
Sylvia remained in Favian's arms for the next hour until he was satisfied and let her go. She waited for him to leave her room before she went into the bathroom for a bath.
After cleaning her body and hair and making sure that she had no smell of that filthy old hog left on her, she sat in front of the large mirror to comb her damp hair.
She could now breathe fresh air as Favian had allowed her to keep her windows open. And it also allowed her raven to come and visit her whenever it wanted.
Her raven was the only thing that brought a smile to her face. She welcomed it to sit on her vanity.
Putting down the comb in her hand, Sylvia paid her full attention to it. Her raven looked quite upset today.
It kept asking her for how long they had to be caged there and why she was getting used to this life.
The smile on Sylvia's face vanished, and her face turned serious.
"I know you are upset with me and think that I am getting used to this life. But that's not true! How can I get used to letting that vulture feed on my body against my will? How can I get used to this life in a golden prison?" Her eyes turned red as every day and night that she had lived in this place flashed in front of her eyes.
"I am not getting attached to that old man. No! I can never forgive him for the pain, torture and humiliation he has inflicted on me. I can never forgive him for staining my dignity with force." Angry tears gathered in her eyes as she continued.
"The only reason I am with him and taking all his torture is my wand. Without it, I am useless."
The raven said something again to counter Sylvia's argument.
"No. Only having that manuscript is not going to help me at all. I will need my wand sooner or later to make good use of that manuscript. You know there are certain things that I cannot do without magic.
At least I was smart enough to leave that manuscript with you. Else I wouldn't have been able to retrieve it from him." Sylvia sighed.
"But don't worry I will soon find a way to get my wand. Nobody can stop me from reaching my goal."
Her dark eyes flashed dangerously, and her raven said something in concern.
For a fleeting moment, Sylvia's face changed before she composed it quickly.
"I know I have changed a lot. I know I have got accustomed to these evil ways. But I lost that innocent part of me when that man forced himself on me for the first time.
I lost that Sylvia with a kind heart when I received the news of Gerald's death. I lost the sense of conscience in me when I... I killed Regnar. I have turned into someone I never wanted to be." Her eyes were saddened as she assessed her character.
Indeed she had done things that she could never imagine doing.
She masked her sadness as determination appeared in its place.
"But now that I am forced to walk on this path, then so be it. I am not going to stop at nothing after going through everything. I don't care if I turn pure evil at the end of my quest.
I have suffered a lot. I have sacrificed a lot. And now... I want what I deserve. I will be the owner of that immense power and also attain immortality. And then... I will show Larnwick what a true witch should be!"
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and Sylvia went to answer the door. But her raven remained in its place, looking at her for a minute before it flew out of there helplessly.
There was no turning back for Sylvia now!