Iris moved back a little, her eyes avoiding the tall men standing above her. She pulled her hood to her face to avoid getting recognized.
"Pretty little thing, isn't she?" the one in the middle leaned in.
using his fingers, he grabbed her by the chin, forcing her eyes to meet his dark eyes.
Half of his face was scarred with what looks like stabs from a knife.
She couldn't help but wonder how he got them.
What he must have gone through to acquire such deep, rough, never healing scars.
"Hmmmm," the man with scars licked his lips.
"You are staring at me like you can't wait to have me," He grinned.
Iris's eyes widened, realizing what dirty thoughts must be running through his mind.
She looked to her left, then to her right, hoping anyone would see her and try to help her.
But the other travellers -mostly consisting of women, old men and children- all did everything in their ability to avoid looking her way.
This must be something that happens often, something no one here can help her out of.
The man pressed his hands on her thigh, making her shift backwards in discomfort.
He frowned, annoyed by her disapproval of his touch.
"You little bitch," He yanked her up with so much force she let out a yell.
"No, Leave me alone," She cried out.
"Shut the fuck up bitch! Unless you want that pretty face of yours redecorated," One of the men said.
Iris looked around her.
Hundreds of people on the ship, yet they all acted oblivious to what was going on.
That was when she knew she was in big danger.
The scarred man eyed her from head to toe, licking his lips while doing so.
"She'll make a great meal. Don't you think so?"
His friends agreed, both laughing as they looked at her.
"Come," He pulled her by the wrist. Taking her to a less crowded part of the ship.
"Let me go!" Iris tried to wriggle herself out of his clutching hands. But all her efforts were in vain.
She managed to grab an iron pole, holding it so tight the man couldn't drag her further.
He turned to face her in fury. Then without a warning, striked her on her left cheek.
She stared at him, wide eyed. Never in her nineteen years of existence has anyone raised a finger at her.
"How dare you!" she yelled, earning her another slap on her other cheek.
"I am a lady! How dare you treat me like this?" She fired in anger and regretted her words immediately. The last thing she needs is more attention. And sadly, she has gotten it. Because the men are now staring at her in shock.
Their eyes scanned her wedding dress which was now covered in mud and filth.
The black colored robe her grandmother gave her however still shone in its silk glory.
"Well, I've never fucked a lady before! Our luck just keeps getting better Jon!" the shortest in the group said.
"A lady? Traveling along with paupers in such a crowded, wretched ship? Doesn't sound right now, does it?" The one called Jon said.
"A lady should be sent with guards and gold!" The scarred one gruffed.
He then put his hands in her robe, raising it from the inside, as if looking for something.
Before she could yell or fight him off, his hands grabbed the pouch that was pinned to the back of her dress.
Their eyes shone in delight when he opened the pouch.
"I've never seen this much gold with my naked eyes!" The short one said.
"Not just gold, Jewels too," Jon said, smiling.
"For the fortune you've brought, we wouldn't touch you," The scarred one said. And relief washed over Iris. Maybe this isn't going to be as bad as she had predicted.
"Yet," He said, tearing her hopes down.
"We can get a nice inn in Eldrid and enjoy our nights there, what do you think boys?" his grin grew wide alongside his companions.
With that, they led her to a corner where they had been staying throughout the trip and the sailing continued.
The next four days were rough, they didn't touch her as promised, but they made sure to starve her, make disgusting comments, and hit her whenever they felt the will to. They finally made it to the shores of Eldrid.
This was supposed to be a great leap for Iris. Eldrid, the only town between her and the capital.
But instead, her temples hurt, and her whole body trembled in fear.
Knowing exactly what these filthy men were planning to do to her in this town.
"Come on!" Jon yelled, pulling her.
They had tied her hands into a rope and were now pulling her towards the entrance of Eldrid like she was an animal for sale.
"There is a beautiful inn on the west coast," The short one said.
"It is quite expensive, but we can afford it," he grinned.
"Actually, there is a change of plans," Their scarred leader said.
Iris was equally as stunned as the other two men. But she didn't keep her hopes up, knowing what kind of men they were and how nothing good can come from them.
She was, of course, right.
Instead of taking turns to rape her, he decided to sell her to some sort of brothel.
Like an animal.
And her faith would still be the same at the end.
Rape.
No money, no food, no dignity, she was thrown into a carriage which drove to her new home.
The brothel.
She squeezed the little paper that she had managed to hold unto all these days.
She opened it.
Her grandmother's handwriting.
The address of Lord Pellar, a Baron in the capital. The capital she would never make it too.
"Move," A thick grumpy voice, belonging to a tall, grumpy man, interrupted her thoughts.
The same man who had bought her from her captors.
The same man who had handled her like a piece of dirt, dragged her in mud, and finally lined her up with two more girls that were purchased that evening.
They were pushed into a tiny room and kept there for hours and finally, the doors opened.
"I said, Move!" His voice was louder now, and the girls scurried out of the room at his command.
Opening the doors to a much bigger room, "Get dressed," he commanded.
Eyes were on them.
Not two, not three, but more than twenty girls were all staring at them.
"What are you looking at?" The man yelled and all the girls went back to what they were doing earlier.
The two girls walked into the room, leaving Iris by the door.
A hard knock on the back of her head made her fall to the ground.
This only angered the man further, he kicked her and stomped on her face with his hard boots.
"Ah," she cried, her lips quivering.
"Get dressed," He muffled, then left her there, lying on the floor coughing and crying.
The girls weren't staring any longer. They were busy, running around, getting their makeup and hairs done, staring at the large mirrors on the walls, making sure they looked flawless.
"Come on, standup," A girl stretched an arm towards Iris. She was the only one who dared to come towards her.
Iris took her hands and stood to her feet.
"You should get dressed before he returns," the lady smiled.
"For what?" Iris forced the words out of her lips.
"Work," was the simple answer given to her.
She did not dare to ask what work.
This is a brothel, and the only work brothel women do is sex work.
"I don't want to," she said, biting her tongue back.
The girl who was already about to leave, faced her again. Her big raven eyes bore into Iris.
"We've had more stubborn recruits but after ten minutes with that big man, they give up." she said.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Iris."
"Listen Iris, if you love having your face and body intact, go into that room, take a shower and get dressed before he returns."
The words came out in an icy tone that made her shudder.
She had gone through enough torture for a week. It makes her wish she was dead alongside Terra.
"He wouldn't kill you," the lady said, as if reading her mind. Maybe she did.
There are tons of witches and creatures in the kingdom.
And not all parts of the kingdom are as strict as Taaf Hills when it comes to forbidding magical powers.
"He'd torture you until you give in and start selling that body," She added.
"Now go."
Iris did as she was told.
She took off her robe and her wedding dress.
There were about five other girls in the shower room when she stepped in.
She swallowed hard, the fact that they could see her naked body made her uncomfortable.
But it didn't seem like a big deal to them.
So she hurriedly rinsed her body with the little soap and water that was provided.
"You are a pretty one," the girl who had spoken to her earlier said. "Come," she tapped an empty stool in front of a mirror for Iris to sit.
"Why are you helping me, miss?" Iris asked when the lady started doing her hair.
"Haiza. That's my name," the lady said.
"Haiza," Iris said the foreign name, even though it did not answer her question.
"You see, Iris, two years ago, I was in the same spot too. And unlucky for me, no one cared to help." Haiza smiled.
Iris stared at their reflection on the mirror.
This girl should be about her age.
Going through this horror at a younger age sounded utterly disgusting.
"What did you do?" Iris asked.
"I was stubborn. But that grumpy man proved to be even more stubborn."
Though she was smiling, Iris could feel the pain in her voice. The horror she must have gone through.
"Here, put on your dress and a pretty smile. We might be lucky enough to be chosen." Haiza handed her a dress.
"Chosen?"
"Yes, they are taking the most talented and seductive women to entertain the princes at the ball." Haizas's smile grew wider with every word.
"The Princes? In Eldrid?" Iris was confused.
For all she knows, Eldrid was ruled by the Duke -that was Dominic.-
"Not in Eldrid, dummy!" one of the girls who had been eavesdropping chimed in.
"In the capital!" another yelped.
"There is no prince in Eldrid, but in the capital, there are five of them!"
"I heard there are all strong and wield the most amazing powers!"
"Everyone knows the royal family have demon blood. Of course they have amazing powers,"
half of the girls were now screaming and sharing their thought about the five princes of their kingdom. But Iris zoned out of the conversation.
THE CAPITAL!
If she makes it there, she'll escape and find Lord Peller. She'll be safe!
Her heart leaped with hope.
She needs to get picked.