Chapter 8
He'd spent the whole day talking about taxes and treasuries. As he walked to his chambers he was looking forward to the next girl that he would meet tonight.
He hadn't had a wife or betrothed when he'd been appointed Sovereign, so his council had suggested gathering virgin girls, ages sixteen to nineteen, for him to try and see which ones he liked. The girls would be instructed on how to be his queen.
It was the perfect plan! And he would get a new companion every night.
He was notified as soon as the girls were brought to the island three and a half months ago. He waited until Hadok told him that they were ready. He then instructed to have a girl sent to his chambers.
The girl had been nice. But she wasn't tempting enough for him to want her again.
The next one came and the next. None of them caused him to want to taste or touch them again.
He walked to his private antechamber and dressed appropriately for the night. He hoped that this one would linger in his mind afterwards.
He then excitedly opened the doors that led to the main chamber and saw the girl.
She was not sitting on the red stool like the rest of the girls had done. She was standing, staring at the bed, with conflicting emotions on her pretty face.
He stood and watched her silently, she hadn't seemed to have noticed his entrance.
He had to admit, she was beautiful. Most of them were. Her long, ebony hair rested gracefully behind her pale, slender shoulders. Her dress was different than the other girls, the others would deck themselves with the most expensive jewelry and fabric so that they could barely stand. This one, was wearing no jewelry, as far as he could tell. But only wore the thin dresses that they all wore. But even then, she was different. Her dress was a simple, light blue with glints of silver. The other girls would wear the brightest, most seductive colours and place them strategically so that he would supposedly find them more tempting.
Her eyes still lingered on the bed, 'Eager to get started are we?' He asked as a grin stretched across his face.
He took a step forward and her eyes moved to his. She immediately looked down, he could see a pinkness rising in her pale cheeks through her thin veil.
"Are you not going to show me your talent?" He asked in a bored voice.
Apparently she was like the others.
She cleared her throat and began singing. A few of the other girls had sung as their talent, but none of them could compare to this one's beautiful voice.
It sounded like silk.
As he listened to the words he soon realized that she was singing a lullaby. He smiled slowly, 'So, trying to lull me to sleep before the fun begins?' He thought amusedly.
The lullaby stopped and she stared at the floor numbly.
He walked forward and said in his accusatory tone, "You try to lull me to sleep, why?"
"You asked for my talent, my Sovereign, so I presented it." Her voice was a soft, delicate whisper. But it had a hidden edge to it. He decided to probe a little more.
"Why did you not sit on the stool, like the other girls?" He asked curiously.
"I simply chose not to, my Sovereign." She answered, he watched as her fist clenched then relaxed. 'Curious.' He thought.
"And why did you choose that, do you not want to please me?" He asked, knowing her answer would be a hasty and flustered yes.
She raised her eyes to meet his, "No, I do not."
He was startled by her attitude, but those grey eyes, they looked like pure silver in that pale skin of hers.
"And why wouldn't you want to please me?" He asked, remembering her disrespectful words. He watched as she closed her eyes and clenched her fists.
"Answer me!" He yelled. She flinched at his anger, as if expecting a blow.
She raised her eyes yet again, and there was a sliver of fear in them, "Because you are a horrible, disgusting, pig of a man." She said slowly emphasizing every syllable.
He stood still, aghast. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Did she call him a pig?
"You dare!"
"Yes, yes I dare!" Her voice was trembling but she continued, "Because of what you did to those girls! You've tainted them, and now they will never be respected again! You threw them away as if their lives meant nothing to you, and it's despicable." She spat the words out in a frenzy.
He walked forward and grabbed her thin wrists in one hand, he looked in her eyes and instead of fear, he saw hate burning in those grey eyes that now looked like storm clouds.
"You would speak to your Sovereign this way?" He asked squeezing her wrists.
She winced, and spat out, "You are no Sovereign! You're just a man who was granted a position of power, and was not worthy to wield it!"
He threw her to the ground.
"Not worthy?! Not worthy?!" He picked her up harshly and threw her onto the bed, "Since you care for those girls so much, why don't you join them!"
The girl scrambled off the bed and ran to the corner. He stalked towards her as a predator would prey. The fear and hatred shone brighter in her eyes than before. He walked up and grabbed her by the waist as she tried to run again, "Tell me, before I 'taint you' as you said, what is your name."
He watched as she swallowed, "Hydrangea of Crescent." She answered her voice shaking.
'Hydrangea. Pleasant name for a not so pleasant person.' He concluded.
He carried her back to the bed, now she was kicking, trying to escape. She wasn't screaming or yelling for help. She probably knew there was none for her.
He put her down on the bed and she tried to run away again. He grabbed her by the waist then pinned her down with his body, "If you try that again, I will have them give you something that will make you… more compliant." He said as he stroked her cheek. Her eyes widened even more in fear, and she began shaking.
'You know what, there are dozens of other girls, and this one's too much trouble.' He told himself, he wanted compliant girls who listened and were easy.
He got off of her and tightened his robe over his night apparel.
"You may leave. Tell Hadok to send another girl in your place."