"Here, have a drink. It'll help you loosen up a bit."
Belle hesitated but eventually complied, her fingers trembling slightly as they wrapped around the cool glass. The dimly lit room around her buzzed with a mix of intoxicating music and sultry whispers. A thick tension hung in the air, almost suffocating, as the clink of glasses and murmurs of seduction filled her ears.
Every fiber of her being wanted to flee. The uneasy feeling gnawed at her, but the sight of her peers naked and fully immersed in the sinful indulgence of the men sited across the room made it clear she was alone in her discomfort.
Rubin the brothel owner who was her master, never failed to notice how uncomfortable she looked, was lost for words, Nine year had passed and yet she still couldn't get use to this.
He took pleasure in seeing her uncomfortable," you are so breath taking" he said, she didn't respond," Maybe you didn't here me" ,"come have a sit on my lap, you have being standing for some so long"," you must be tired" he said with a twisted smile on his face ,she didn't answer him and just kept her eyes rooted to the floor.
"Look at me" ,Rubin shouted,"" don't make me come there and force you, she didn't answer, she couldn't it was all too much.
"Raise your head when I speak to you ",or I won't hesitate to kill one of them, I'm sure you don't want the death on your hands" He threatened her, the corner of his lips forming into a nasty grin, knowing she would obey not wanting anybody to be killed.
She raised her head but looked away from him, this annoyed him the more.
"I said look at me, you need to be taught a lesson".
Hearing what he had just said , Belle gripped her dress in fear ,Knowing that his lessons involved him touching and forcing himself on her, and trying to force her to do things she didn't want to.
She quickly ran to the door, It was foolish but she wasn't thinking.
"Belle!! Rubin called again as he rose to his feet, He loved her but he wouldn't let her act out of line.
She ignored his calls, running towards the door, when the door opened, but she wasn't going to stop, she kept on running and suddenly collided with someone's broad chest and fell to the floor .Looking up she locked eyes with a handsome man with icy blue eyes.
A foreigner, she assumed ,she had heard that only foreigners had blue eyes ,she cowered in fear of all the terrible things she had heard about them.
"Well, aren't you an interesting little thing?" the man said.
She cowered in fear, lowering her eyes ,to the ground ", I'm sorry ,I- I didn't mean to run into you," It was my mistake, I should have being more careful.'
"General!! Rubin greeted as he quickly sprung to his feet and stepping in front of belle.
General??she didn't know who this man was, but he had to be very important for Rubin to act and sound this humble.
But the man did not pay any mind to Rubin's greeting and just kept his eyes on the beautiful woman behind him. Rubin noticing how his eyes lingered on belle ,tried to block her from his view, and immediately told him that she was off limit and wasn't for sale.
Zenon, the general of the king's army and illegitimate son of the king still kept his eyes on Belle ,despite the warning from Rubin," This is a brothel is it not , I'm I not even allowed to look unto the women."
"You are my lord ,just that-, Rubin tied to speak but , Zenon cut him off, "I have spent time at sea and never heard of it as sin to glance at women in a brothel," so what stops me from looking at the one behind you, or I made a mistake to come here", No my lord it's not like that , just that this one is my personal property and not for sale," Rubin said as he forced a smile on his face. He was already loosing patience with Zenon's remarks.
Zenon took one last glance at the woman, before looking away, "If you say so, then I shall not drag it any further." I have no plans to steal what you have claimed, I only came here to talk."
Belle thanked her lucky stars, that this man had come just in time, if not she would have had to deal with Rubin, which she wasn't ready for.
Belle!! Rubin called, glancing at her to see if she looked at the Zenon with any interest , seeing as her head was bowed to the floor, he was satisfied , "Go to your room room and make sure not to speak to anyone on her way back".
"Yes master", she said, keeping her voice low not to draw any more attention from the man any further.
Still, Zenon watched her as she left, he dislike this type of places, if not matters of the kingdom ,nothing would ever make him step foot in such a place, he found no interest in the brothel but the appearance of belle had picked his interest.
Belle was being careful not to bump into the men behind Zenon as she left the room. She had made it to her bedroom safely, and as she entered she made sure to lock the door behind her quickly.
Rubin had stated to the guest and workers in the brothel that the area leading to her room and her room was off limit , but she knew all to well that when they were drunk those words meant nothing. she bent down at a side of the room hugging her knees, just a few more hours and it will be ok, she said to herself.
As someone that lived in the brothel from a young age, she knew it was unwise to be asleep during the night, the doors to the rooms could be locked from the inside but were not strong enough and anyone could easily break into the room and violate her, so she had to stay awake, she grabbed the knife she had stolen from the kitchen and held it tight , she rested her head on the table leg ,only intending to rest a little .
when she closed her eyes, Some time later, she opened her eyes and found out that she had fallen asleep and woken up much later.
The brothel had become much quieter, what time was it, she wondered, rubbing away the sleep from her eyes. She stood up and looked out the window to find that it was still dark outside, and the brothel wouldn't be closing until the morning came.
I need water, she murmured to herself. But was it worth the risk to go to the kitchen , when the brothel had not yet closed for the night, but I'm so thirsty, ok straight to the kitchen and back here, It was that simple, what were the odds off bumping into someone on my way there.
She unlocked the door to her room , looking to her left and to her right before she left. She moved quickly towards the kitchen.
"Get me more drinks you whore!!"
She glanced at where the loud voice was coming from, she turned to see a fat drunken man who slurred his words. The distraction from the man made her to bump into someone and fall to the floor.
"We must stop meeting like this. Wouldn't you agree."
She looked up to see it was the General from before, Out of fear ,she quickly gripped her knife, she knew she couldn't match a man in strength ,let alone a trained soldier, she had to try and not give up.
"That wouldn't do anything to me ",he said," Not unless it is laced with something to boost your chances at defeating me."
Zenon grabbed her hand with the knife and guided it towards himself, he could see the fear in her eyes and he could feel how she trembled beneath him.
"Please let go of me", Belle pleaded in a low voice , worried to drag attention and that he would do something to harm her.
" I am trying to help you," seeing as you know nothing on how to use a knife, he explained pointing the knife to his chest," Don't walk around with such an object if you don't even know how to hold it, and next time don't hesitate or your opponent would waste no time in taking your life.
Belle kept her eyes on the ground, she learnt it was best not to meet their gaze as it could lead to a misunderstanding of him thinking she was trying to seduce him.
"Am I that ugly? or is there a type of rule that says your not allowed to look at a guest? Zenon said , he was about to say something else when his attention was diverted by the drunken man who was stumbling towards them..
"I am not to be sold," Belle said ,out of fear that he was trying to distract her.
Zenon raised a brow." I don't remember asking for a price, you were the one who bumped into me and tried to use that toy to harm me," I didn't come here seeking your company."
"I apologize once again for bumping into you, please excuse me," she said as she tried to move away from him.
"Pretty thing, where are the drinks", the drunkard from behind asked.
Rose turned noticing he was in a drunk state and tried to move away from him," a servant will be attending to you shortly," you have to wait in your room". The drunkard smiled as he watched her, she backed away from the horrible sight of his rotten teeth and disgusting looking smile, she knew that look on his face, fear immediately filled her, she had to get away from him as soon as possible.
"How much are you?" he asked as he grinned in a lust filled manner, Belle was filled with fear that she dare not answer.
"Are you mute you whore?" answer me.
The drunkard stretched out his hand to grab her, but before he could Zenon grabbed his hand, which surprised belle and the drunkard.
The drunkard turned to Zenon, irritation on his face , he was ready to fight but when he saw the blue eyes of the man ,his face turned pale.
"F-Foreigner!!
"I would prefer the name given to me by my mother ".The drunkard waisted no time to run in the opposite direction, forgetting about belle. she was surprised by the man's reaction, if she was alone it would have been a different story.
She had heard many things about foreigners but didn't expect the men of this kingdom to be so fearful of them. Just the she had a daring thought.
"Can you buy me?" she said as she turned to the man.