3 3 Tears of pain

For a long time the soldier and I ride in silence. The carriage is decorated so luxuriously its fit for kings. The fluffy red cushions, smoothed red wood walls detailed with carvings, and the shuttered windows. The air feels hot and tampered. I already missed my home, the little shop and the gardens. Every time the hooves of the horses hit the ground I knew I was one step father from home. And instead of going back I was going to be a paper girl.

Me.

"Don't look so sad, girl." I lean against the side panels of the carriage. The soldiers breath reeks of sweat and smells I can't detect. "Your a paper girl now, only girls that live in small homes like you can ever dream of. Surely you could at least smile?" I swipe tears from my cheeks. "I dream of a much different fate than what the prince wants of me." "What better life could you ever wish for? You live in a tiny medicine shop working all day and night." "Anything's better than being a paper girl." The soldier leans over and grabs my cheeks and squeezes them hard enough to bruise them. "You better watch your tongue girl! It is a privilege to become a paper girl so you better start acting like one!" I cry out as he throws me aside, my head bashes against the wall. "You are nothing but a grimy whore." I sit back up rubbing my red cheeks. "Your just like your mother, weak." "How do you know my mother?" "I've heard things about her hear and there. The palace has ears you know." I stay quiet for what feels like hours, it starts raining outside and the sun is setting below the horizon. I stick my head out the window and the air winds through my hair. I see a village up ahead. The carriage comes to a stop and before the soldier gets out he whispers in my ear. "Don't you go anywhere, or else." The second he leaves I decide to leave anyways. I jump out of the carriage and my feet slip against the wet stone. I fall and water splashes all over me. Just now I realize the driver. He has lizard like features and he turns his head towards me. As he gets up I start running. I don't get far before he catches up to me. He pulls me up towards his face so closely I can see that his face is a different texture than skin. It's more... scales. His eyes are a neon green and he sticks out his long tongue to lick his lips. I grimace as he pulls my hair and practically drags me back to the carriage. Everybody's around suddenly stops to stare, the talks and noises all stop and for a second everything freezes. "Your gonna get it for this girl." "I scream out but everybody around doesn't do a thing. They all just watch as I get pushed back into the carriage. My clothes are sticking to me and my hair is soaked. The lizard man stands outside the carriage until the soldier comes back with a basket of apples. My stomach aches with hunger pain seeing them. The lizard whispers something into the soldiers ear. The soldier than gives me a look and gets into the carriage. Before I know it he throws a punch at my face and everything goes dark.