Chapter 8

The clinking and gnawing noise dominate the room. Someone knocked the door. "Ted! We've arrived."

He put down his utensil and wipe his mouth. He gets up from his seat and opened the door. Four men standing in front of his room. "Get the box," he said.

The men nodded. Two of them walked into the room and carried the box out.

Once the group arrived at the inn, they were given a shared room, except for Wayne, Cain, Mir, and Ted. The young pirates within the group whispered among each other as they saw Ted passed.

"That Ted, he always make fuss, claiming for the same thing as Captain."

"The elder told me, he used to be the previous captain's right hand."

"He think he's such a big shot or something?"

"That coward all bark no bite."

"Yeah, he yapped around but never really dare to take on Captain himself."

The two men placed the box in Ted's single room. "Phew. Kinda glad there's only one big kid. If not, my arms gonna break."

"You're just weak."

"Tch, don't you see this muscle?" He tugged on his shirt and show his abs.

"Urgh, mine's better."

Ted stepped inside the room and smacked the man's head. "What you yapping for."

"Ted."

"Tonight, we move. Prepare the thing."

The two men get out form the room and reunited with the other two. They went to complete their task as Ted had instructed.

Ted closed the door and took out a piece of paper. He stuck the paper on the wall. Ted walked toward the box and opened it. There, the children crouched in the cramped space. He look at the oldest among the children.

Ted grabbed her hair and moved his face closer to her. "Tonight, you kids going to go to your new home. Don't fuss around, hear me? You know better what to do, right?"

Aretha groaned when the man tighten his clutch on her hair. "Urgh!" She squinted her eyes in pain. Both her hair and her nose are in pain. 'Stink!' His breathe that blew on her face was like a poisonous gas straggling her neck.

He let go of the girl's hair when he saw the trembling children. "Such a pity I had to let go a hand at night." He smirked, glancing at Aretha whose face turned blue. He closed the box and strode out from the room.

Aretha's shoulder stiffened. She was stunned as the memories in the past one month came back to her. Every night, that man would bring only her, out of the box. He would do unspeakable thing toward her. She felt dirty.

Every place he touched with his hand felt like poisonous insects crawling on her body. Every spot he licked with his tongue felt like it being pricked with countless needles. Each time her hand was forced to touch the thing between his legs, she felt like cutting off her hand, or better yet, sliced him to pieces. Each time the white bodily fluid touched her skin, it was as if she was drowned in a pool of lava.

At the end of it, she would be glad it was her and not the other children.

"Sister… you're sweating." Peter wipe the sweat off her forehead. Cole glanced over the shivering Aretha and grasped her hand. She grinned. "It's a bit hot in here."

***

Ted walked down the stairs. "Wayne!" he shouted as soon as he saw the younger man.

Wayne's face contorted with displeasure. "Ted," he muttered.

Ted sneered looking at the man's fierce glare. "Ya' look like you haven't shit for month."

Wayne sighed. He was tired with the older man nonsense. "If you're just gonna talk bullshit, I got no time for you. You should—"

"Whoa~ Chill a bit, would ya'? Just trying to make a small talk with ya'." He shrugged his shoulder. "Guess ya' won't listen anyone cause ya' captain now, huh?"

"Got job now, I'll listen later."

Ted blocked Wayne. "Ya' too cranky. Should go let off some steam. It's Rosaceae City, you know." He patted the younger man shoulder before walked out of the inn.

Wayne frowned. 'Did he never look at himself in the mirror?' Wayne was reminded with the couple he met at the village. While one devoted himself to one woman and lived his life righteously, another one indulged in debauchery.

"Brother, you think that old man gone crazy? He had been smiling like madman since we gone back from that village." Cain said, appearing beside Wayne.

"Guess whatever he found in that village was to his liking." Wayne replied.

"Ah! That box…"

"Whatever, as long as he doesn't create any trouble."

"But, it look like he was looking for trouble, tho," Cain mumbled.

The two walked away, leaving the young pirates gossiping with each other. One of the youth set their foot in the city for the first time, leaving them confused with Ted excitement and Wayne reluctance.

"Captain don't look happy, is this place cursed or something?"

"Nah, ya' kid. Captain just don't really enjoy that, ya' know." He clenched his hand with his thumb sandwiched between his forefinger and middle finger.

"This place are that hot?"

"Pft. Kid. Ya' never heard Rosaceae City before?"

"Nah…"

"Phew, kid. Ya' never gone to brothel, ain't ya'?"

The young pirate's face turned red. Even his ears blushed. "I never got the chance."

The old pirates laughed holding his stomach. "Ya' a virgin, ain't ya'?"

"N-no," he muttered.

"This city here, it's Paradise of Love. Well, that's what the nobles called it." He shrugged his shoulders. "It actually got other nickname, ya' know. The City of Lust and Desire."

"Lust and desire?"

"Not quite a decent place for kid like ya'."

Rosaceae City, the City of Lust and Desire. A city run by greed. A place where humanity and morality were a mere children fantasy. The poor and the weak were trampled and used. Children, women, elderly, became plaything, an ornament, and tools, that existed simply to satisfy the desire of the wicked. Swearing and cursing were their language. Moaning and groaning were their hymn. Drugs and alcohol were their staple food. The bright red illuminated in the dark and cold night were their brightest light.

The young pirate scratched his head. "Captain seem familiar with this place. He like the women here?"

The old pirate puffed. His finger holding on the cheap cigar. "It's the other way round."

"He doesn't like women?"

"Moron. He doesn't like anyone. Young, old. Pretty, ugly. Women, men. None. Captain just not interested, he said. Even in the early day, before he's the captain."

"Captain… did he, er…" The young pirate gesture with his finger bent.

The old pirate smacked his head. "Nah, ya' kid. Captain was busy, ya' know."

"Busy?"

"Yeah. Captain mostly spend his free time searching."

"Searching?"

"Yeah. Searching for food."

"Food?" The young pirate tilt his head, confused.

"Just asked which place got the best food, Captain will tell ya'."

The old pirate patted the young pirate shoulder and leisurely walked away.

***

In the darkness of the night, the light from the moon became their guide. Two men lifted a wooden box into a wagon. Other two men came. "The route's all clear." They looked at the older man standing beside the wagon.

"Let's go," Ted said. He and the other two men get inside the wagon and found themselves their seat. The other two went to seat the front seat. One of the two men in the front seat took the rein, and so, the horses start moving.

The horses trotted through the dark forest. They could hear the howling of wild animals and the chirping of the crickets. Miles away, the glowing red light shines in their eyes. The sound of the hustle and bustle of the city came to their ears.

"We could see the city from here already," the man in the front seat said.

Ted threw a long chains at the man sitting opposite of him. "Bring the kids out."

The man opened the box and carried the children out of the box one by one. Meanwhile, another man put the chains on the children.

Aretha looked down on the heavy metal that bound their freedom. 'If only I could break free from this chain that weighing me… Nah, it's a bit, unrealistic, no?' Her heart wavered, enticing her to run away. But, she knew more than anyone in her mind. There is no way she could do that, and there is no way she would do that.

The man in the front seat pulled the rein. "Ted, we're here," he said.

"Kids, we've arrived at you new home." Ted patted Aretha's head. He get off the wagon, and there he saw.

Like an angel descending from heaven to the land, she shines brighter than anyone else. With her long wavy blonde hair, a pair of misty emerald eyes, and her alluring plump red lips, she smiled. Her long red gown that exposed her back and fit to her body showed off her seductive hourglass figure.

Ted took a big gulp. The woman in front of him was sensuous. The way her eyes move, her eyelashes flutter, and her lips curved was enchanting, indeed. She was, as how the people describe her, 'like a succubus out to seduce you,' one look, and it's enough to arouse him.

"You've arrived," the woman said. Her voice was soft and filled the air with sensuality. When she spoke, they trembled and the chill sent shiver to their lower body.

The five men glanced at the woman and all thought the same thing, 'the top among the top quality.' For them, who think with their lower body, could only think how much pleasure they would get if they were to have a night with such woman.