Chapter 2 - I am no one's property.

Chapter 2 - I am no one's property.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of footsteps running down to the basement,I quickly stood up and kept my eyes on the ground as I always did. It was the innkeeper and his wife and with them a third person who I had never seen in my life before.

He was a skinny old man with a strange and intimidating aura, he examined me as though I was an item on sale, he stroked his small chin with his long, thin fingers and spoke. "You said the girl was 12 years old but she looks to be 9 years of age." I was confused as to who he was and why he was so concerned about my age.

The Innkeeper spoke excitedly. "She's just a late bloomer, but I assure you she has her menses and if you look carefully you can see she will bloom beautifully in just a few years." I didn't like this one bit, I listened lost and confused as to why they are so desperate to make me look good. His wife also chimed in excitedly. "And that silver hair, it's a rarity especially so thick and long." I flinched as she pulled on my hair for him to examine and the old man ran his fingers through them and observed them. I didn't like this one bit. The old man spoke again, seeming convinced. "Very rare indeed…" My hair was the one thing different from my mothers, it was silver instead of black. "What's your name child?" The old man asked me and I stayed silent feeling too afraid to speak which made him annoyed, The innkeeper's wife quickly interceded. "She has no name, you see her mother was absolutely bizarre and refused to name her child. She told us so when she first turned up here with the girl who was an infant at the time." The innkeeper agreed, "I remember, if it wasn't for their eyes I almost believed she stole the child from somewhere." They both laughed, but they both didn't know that I had a name but my mother forbade anyone from using it and told me to give my name to the person who will respect me and cherish me, since I had yet to meet such a person I had never told anyone my name.

I lived my life as a nameless child. What the innkeeper said next helped me to finally connect the dots. "I wouldn't worry too much about the name kind sir, after all she will be your property, name her whatever you would like." he laughed at his words and my heart sank and my throat tightened as i realized what was going on. They were planning on selling me. "N-no…" I spoke and they all turned to look at me "I-I am n-n-no one's p-property…" I said with a shaky breath they glared at me. The innkeeper grabbed my hair harshly and spoke. "You stuttering little bitch! You have been my property since the day your mother bought you here." I winced at the pain "P-P-Please d-don't do t-this! P-Please!" The Innkeeper whispered in my ear. "You see my wife gets jealous very easily so she convinced me to sell you to the brothel." I listened to him speak as he gripped my hair tighter. "I don't mind the money so I was convinced but if you want me to change my mind…" I knew exactly where he was planning to go with this. "You can be my little whore instead." he laughed as he finished those words and my anger fumed, so i did exactly what my mother had done when he made her the same offer and spat across his face. He looked at me with anger flaring in his eyes. "You little bitch!" He threw me across the floor and I looked him dead in the eyes as I spoke. "G-Go fuck y-yourself." he fumed at my words and was about to strike me but the old man stopped him and smirked. "I made up my mind, I'm taking her." I was speechless at his words. He smirked at me as I stared at him in horror. "I will have a fun time training this insolent brat. How I love watching them break, hehehe…" The Innkeeper and his wife rejoiced as the old man placed a hefty bag of coins in his palm. I scrambled to get away but the old man grabbed me and kept me restrained. He whistled and in response two huge men came down and restrained me with a rope and dragged me out. "N-NO! L-LET ME G-GO! Ahhh! N-NO!" I kicked and screamed but it was all in vain as I was dragged out of the basement. I was blindfolded and my mouth was gagged as I was thrown into the back of a dusty old wagon. Once I was restrained they set off and after what felt like hours the wagon came to a stop.

I panicked as I heard footsteps come closer, they grabbed me roughly and dragged me. I was thrown to the floor and my blindfold was removed. I looked around and saw myself in one of the brothel's cheap rooms that stunk off cigars and alcohol.

The man who dropped me here spoke to a woman who was dressed in a scandalous outfit and heavy makeup. "We got a fresh one. Prepare her." He then left the room. The woman walked over to me taking a puff of her cigar. She harshly removed my gag and immediately I begged her to let me go, feeling completely frightened. "P-Please L-Let me g-go! P-P-Please I b-beg you-Ah!" she struck me across the face and I became speechless from shock she untied my hands and dragged me. "You give me more fucking trouble and I'll make you live your worst nightmare." The woman had frightened me entirely and I stayed quiet. She looked at me in disgust. "You reek and look disgusting." She forcefully stripped off my clothes and threw me into a basin of water that was ice cold. "Hah! C-c-cold!...Hah…! I gasped and shivered. She looked at me as she puffed her cigar. "You're too skinny and small for a 12 year old but you'll do perfectly well for those with…certain fetishes…" I almost threw up at her words, I knew exactly what she meant. "Ah!" She dragged me out of the basin and dressed me in a thin white negligee that looked absolutely scandalous. The straps were thin and the hem length was barely covering the top of my thighs. I shivered in the thin material with nothing else on over it or under it. I felt so exposed. She then grabbed my arm and I hissed at the pain as she dragged me out of the room. I looked around and there were other girls like me all frightened and forced into different rooms. The same was done to me, she threw me in and spat out her words. "You girls better be prepared for tonight, you'll be meeting your first customers tonight." She puffed out her smoke and shut the door, bolting it tight from outside. I crawled into the corner and cried, wishing this was all just a bad dream. "M-M-Mother! P-Ple-Please save m-me! I d-don't wa-want t-this! Waaaah!" I wailed for hours and hours as I waited for my horrible fate just like all the other girls, who I could hear through the thin walls. Soon it had become quiet and as night fell my door opened and I looked up and immediately panicked.

In the doorway was a huge man who looked to be in his 40's. He smiled at me with his pale teeth and his eyes leered disgustingly over my body. I was shaking with fear as I pushed myself further into the corner wanting desperately to hide. "Aren't you a pretty one, I'm definitely getting my money's worth out of you." I felt goosebumps at his words, I wanted to make a run for the door but it was too late as it was shut from outside, bolted tight. There was no way I could escape this now, my heart pounded and I trembled as he got closer to me. He grabbed me and I instantly began screaming and kicking to get away. "Noooo! D-do-don't t-touch me! He-Help! Hel-Ah!" He struck me hard across the face and I was stunned "Ah! Ahh!" He strikes me again and again." my cheek becoming swollen, I cried silently and became still out of fear. He picked me up and pinned me down on to the bed and spoke, his breath reeked of alcohol. "Stay still like a good girl or I'll do more than just slap you." I stilled at his words and stopped fighting him. He smiled at my reaction and licked his greasy lips "Good girl." As he spread my legs apart I bit down on my tongue, (I'm sorry mother! I can't fight him, he's too strong! I'm sorry I can't live this life any longer!) Just as I tasted the iron taste of blood in my mouth the door burst open with a bang and I startled, letting go of my tongue.

"What the fuck!?" The man cursed at whoever stood at the door, I tried to see but I couldn't see past the man's huge frame. Suddenly I felt his weight lift off me. "Arrrgh!" The huge man was thrown against the wall with such fierce strength the wall broke. I covered my ears, turning my face away as the wall came collapsing down. I looked back to see he lay motionless among the rubble. I trembled at the sight, wondering if he's still alive. I felt a shadow cast over me and I looked up to see but my vision was blurry due to my tears and all I could see was a blurry image of a much bigger man clad in armor.

I didn't know what was going on but all I could think was to free myself of this suffering while I still had a chance, as the figure approached me I curled back into the bed and trembled and just as I was about to bite my tongue again I felt a finger press between my teeth. I looked up to see the huge knight before me, he looked at me silently as I bit his finger. I felt so scared I bit as hard as I could and began to draw blood from his finger but it didn't affect him one bit and I wept at my pitiful strength. The knight then spoke and his voice was so gentle in contrast to his huge and intimidating frame. "I'm not here to hurt you."

I looked at him and his eyes looked straight at me unwavering, I slowly let go of his finger and he undid his cloak which looked as though it was made from the most expensive fur you could ever find and wrapped it around me swaddling me with it. I looked at him confused, and he spoke again. "You don't have to be afraid anymore…" He gently placed a hand to my cheek. It felt different to the other men who tried to touch me, it was gentle and warm. "I will protect you," he said. I was lost. Why would he suddenly want to protect something as weak and dirty as me? This knight was covered in luxury from head to toe and I was nothing but a street rat. What exactly could he afford to gain from me? I slowly moved my trembling lips and asked in a small voice. "W-why…?" He looked at me with heartbreak in his eyes at my question as I just asked him the most absurd and painful question I could. He tucked the cloak around me keeping me warm and effortlessly picked me up. He gently cradled me in his arms and answered. "I'm your father." I was stunned at his words. So many questions raced through my head and I felt a strong wave of nausea and dizziness come over me and before I could ask any further my vision went black and my consciousness completely faded.