Savage

"No! Kill me instead, but spare her life." The princess pleaded and held onto the other girl. Thamus was a bit taken aback as this had never happened before. The royal family he had killed would let everyone else die before them.

"You would give your life for her? A maiden?" He asked, and she glared back at him, fuming.

"She has a name, and yes. I would give my life for hers."

"Why?" Thamus asked and signaled for his men to take a step back.

"I don't have to justify my actions for you." She snapped back, and he began to chuckle.

"Yes, you do. You see. There are thousands of us and two of you. And each of those thousands of men would love to have their turn with a gorgeous princess before they burn her alive. All I have to do is give the command, and your exclusive dress will be torn into pieces, and your body ravaged and desecrated." Thamus uttered coldly, and he could see the flicker of fright in her eyes.

"Your high... Winter," The maiden whispered, "Yes, Thora." The princess responded and turned aside.

"Please, I can't let that happen to you. Let them kill me."

"No." The princess whispered, glaring back at Thamus.

Thamus sighed. They can't stand here for much longer. 

"Take the princess to the carriage and do whatever you want to the maiden."

"NO!" The princess roared and began to fight off the men. Thamus shook his head. But he'd be a liar if he denied being attracted to her. 

She was fair in an austere way. Her white hair was braided around her head, forming a crown, and her lips looked kissable—something he had never noticed on a woman before.

"Enough!" After watching the men manhandling the princess a little too rough, he roared and walked up to them. 

"You can either walk out freely, or I will carry you myself." She smirked at him, and then she spat at his face.

Thamus wiped it off with the back of his hand, threw her over his shoulder, and merged out from the castle with solemn steps.

She kept banging on his armor, but it didn't bother him much, although she would probably have sore hands later.

Thamus didn't know why he hadn't killed her on the spot like the other royal families.

He wanted to, but something about her spoke to him in a way he couldn't put into words. Something he couldn't understand.

His men watched as he passed by, holding onto a furious woman over his shoulder. Some nodded approvingly, knowing their King would be pleasured by her wildness.

"Let me go, you savage!" she roared angrily, and Thamus threw her into the carriage, leaving the kingdom of the Gold Coast behind.

"How dare you?" She pouted at him while straightening her dress over her lap.

"Do not speak if not asked," Thamus replied, leaning over the chair.

"Preach the Lord; man has spoken!" She said coldly and turned to look out the window.

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"Where are you taking me?" She asked after some time of silence. 

"We are going back to the Dragonfly," Thamus replies and sees her frowning. "Why are you taking me there?" she asked him. Thamus met her wondering eyes and smirked.

"I don't know yet. But I will enjoy you in the meantime." Her eyes widened, and she panted for air.

"I'm not letting you come near me." Thamus snapped his neck and met her gaze, "I'm not asking for your permission." He answered harshly.

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"So you would enjoy raping me?" Winter felt her inside turn cold as Thamus nailed her with his eyes.

"What did you call me before? A savage? Now, What does a savage do? Winter?" Winter swallowed nervously when he had her name in his mouth.

"A savage is a cold, hard-blooded fighter who takes anything he wants without seeking consent."

"Good, Winter. Keep that in mind." Winter bit her lip. She felt utterly in despair. And she wondered about Thora.

"Did they kill her? Thora?" She asked with a shudder. Thamus tilted his head and gazed out the window. "I wouldn't know. They had permission to do what they wanted. They might take her back with them if they enjoyed her."

"And if you guess?" Winter asked, and Thamus milled.

"I never guess. You either know or you don't. Guessing won't lead you anywhere."

And with that reply, Winter kept silent for the rest of the ride. 

They ended up traveling for days and even shifted carriage at one point.

Arrival At The Dragon Fly 

They arrived and stopped in front of the castle. A combatant guarding the area greeted the King's return to the castle and was eager to celebrate their victory on the battlefield.

Winter refused to leave the carriage when told, so Thamus had to carry her again over the shoulder, and of course, it caused a scene this time as well.

"I want supper brought into my chamber immediately." He ordered out to one of the curious servants as he passed by the entrance while he fought to keep Winter still over his shoulder. She was a little belligerent, that's for sure.

"Put me down!" She demanded over and over again. They entered Thamus's chambers, and he put her down after locking the door.

Winter backed away from Thamus while he raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's the matter? You don't want to tangle?" He asks with a low and raw tone, making Winter take another step back.

"Keep your dirty hands to yourself." She said, defiant, making Thamus laugh.

"Oh, Winter. You are far, much more than I imagine you to be," Winter glared at him as he sat on the bed and began undressing in front of her. She looked down at the ground when she saw his bare chest, cheeks burning red, while she stole one glimpse or two.

Thamus notices Winter's gazes of shame and smiles, "Do you like what you see in front of you, princess?" Thamus asked, feeling himself. 

She seemed to enjoy being teased, with a smile hinting, but instead, she sighed and then winced when someone knocked on the door.

Thamus got up and opened it, and a servant came in with their night supper.

"You can go," Thamus ordained, and the man left without a word, and Thamus closed the door again.

"You must be starving? You haven't eaten." Winter shrugged at him.

"No. And I shall not." She replied and sat down on a chair. 

Thamus ignored her and ate his food before he undressed his bottoms and lay down on the bed.

"I am going to rest now. Combats surround the castle, and guards are outside the chamber: you can try to run. Just know that they will do whatever they want with you if you do so. You can sleep here with me or wherever you find comfort in this room." Thamus said nonchalantly and blew out the candle next to his bed.

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Winter sat still on the chair and soon heard Thamus snoring from the bed. She was, in fact, starving, and she saw that there was food left for her on the table. Winter hesitated before she snuck across the floor and resumed eating every last crumble left on the plate. But now, when she was fulfilled, her dress tightened uncomfortably around her stomach as the corset was tightly tied.

Winter knew she could never sleep with the corset since she had had it on for three days and was sick of the discomfort it brought her.

She came out of her gown after a long fight with the buttons on the back and tore them open. But she couldn't reach around to the tying of the corset. She swore like a man and bent in all positions to give her arms a wider reach, but it was all in the vein.

Winter had no idea she had awoken Thamus, who was quite entertained by her struggles.

She was bending in ways Thamus had never seen a woman bend into. 

Winter stood with her back against the bed and nearly wept when she felt his hands on hers.

"Let me," He mumbled in her ear, and she let him untie her corset. 

Winter stood frozen, but she let it happen, exhausted by the struggle.

"Anything else you need help with?" Thamus whispered in her ear, and his warm breath made her shiver, and her body trembled when his fingers wandered down her back, revealing her bare skin.

"No," She managed to breathe out, "I don't have any other clothes to sleep in," She whispered, and soon, Thamus reached her with a white shirt. "Put it on." 

Winter quickly pulled the shirt over her head, knowing he watched her every move. She turned around and was embarrassed by standing only in her trousers and the shirt, barely covering her knees.

She's never been this exposed to a man in her entire life.