**Aife pov**
He had broken me enough to drop the clothes, but since I defied his direct commands and didn’t strip bare, he ordered his men to hold me as he did it himself.
The moment he stripped me of the fabric covering my body and the remains of my dignity, he laughed at my face.
The leader kept his voice loud and clear as he described my body - every shape and curve, or lack thereof.
It lasted for hours.
All of them laughed. So loud, I was sure I would never forget the sounds of their voices and the words they said to me.
“Dance for us, princess,” he spat at me.
I regretted not listening to my father. He was right - we could have died together, united as family, but instead, I stood in front of the enemy and entertained his goons.
“No,” my voice was barely audible to me, but he heard it loud and clear.
He had never been nice, but up to this point, at least his weapons of choice were words. But not anymore. He slapped me across the face with the back of his hand with such force, I fell backwards and landed on a pile of bottles.
The glass broke under my weight, the shards of it dug in my flesh, making me scream out in pain.
While I tried to lay as still as possible to avoid forcing the glass deeper in my flesh, the leader laughed in disbelief. “I can't believe this. You, an Alpha's daughter, such a disgrace. Don’t tell me I dragged home the weak link of the pack.”
Once again, his words were followed by more laughter.
At first, I had no idea how bad the damage was to my body. Then, dark dots clouded my vision, I suddenly felt light-headed and liquid, I assumed wine, slowly pooled around me.
“Oh, shit, we went too far,” someone hissed as I tried to keep my eyes wide open in case any of those savages tried to take advantage of my state.
“What are you talking about? We just started,” the leader interjected, but his words didn’t sound as loud anymore.
Although it was still there, the deafening laughter slowly faded.
My eyes focused on the exquisite chandelier above me and suddenly, I became oddly fascinated by the shapes and lights as my eyelids kept growing heavier with each blink.
“Blood!” Someone shouted just as I closed my eyes and let the darkness bring me a much-needed sense of peace.
I wasn’t fully out of it. I felt the callused hands that grabbed my shoulders and pulled me off the table. I felt the palm that slapped my cheek and the hand on my shoulder that tightened to a bruising grip.
“Aife, open your eyes,” someone snarled above me, but I couldn’t recognize the voice. “Come on, sweetheart. I said open your eyes, damn it!”
Silly me, I actually wanted to peer up and see who was the frantic man that shouted at me, but I couldn’t.
The darkness, the relief and a complete feeling of nothingness were too inviting.
Even as I felt someone scoop me in their arms and carry me away from the voices, I didn’t try to look up. Instead, I silently thanked the Goddess for getting me out of this hell so soon and let the loss of senses slowly lull me to sleep.
***
I woke with a startle to more laughter, a sense of Deja Vu instantly crept as deep as in my bones.
Fear froze me. I was back. I was lying on the table with those monsters surrounding me, ready to start the humiliating game all over again.
My mind went into overdrive as I started to hyperventilate and failed to notice that I wasn’t where I feared to be. That is, until I grabbed a fistful of sand and realized that the laughter was louder in my head than it was in person.
I could hear voices and occasional chuckles, but they weren't in close vicinity to me.
Opening my eyes, I feared the worst.
Nothing changed, I was surrounded by darkness. Did it mean I had lost my vision somehow? No, it couldn’t be that.
I tried to recall what had happened and avoid the ugly parts at the same time.
Blood, someone mentioned blood. Yes, that had to be the answer.
But answer to what exactly? Could it be that I was losing my mind?
As if the owner could read my mind, the voice of it answered the silent questions. “Overheard them guards mutter you lost a lot of blood. Them guards said you would be out for a day or two, not a week. Good morning, new meat, welcome to your home. I say calm that galloping heat of yourse before them guards notice you’re awake. Trust me, you’re better off here with the filth than with them guards upstairs.”
The lump in my throat returned as if it had become a new part of me.
I had always thought it was bold of one to assume something, but unfortunately, I was almost sure my assumptions were right - I was alive... Sadly.
“Thank you,” I managed to choke out the words as I focused on my breathing.
As the full weight of my new reality came crashing down on me, to my surprise, it wasn’t the laughter that echoed in my mind this time. Instead, I heard my dad’s words.
“An enemy on a sinking ship is a better friend than an ally sitting at the same table.”
The words grew louder in my mind as the mysterious stranger started whistling a somewhat familiar tune.
My head snapped in the direction of the sound. For a brief moment, I tried to notice something - anything, even a movement would be enough.
But yet again, the hard weight of reality hit me. It was too dark and the more I focused on trying to notice something, the more my head hurt.
“Why are you helping me?” I whispered, fearing my voice might be too loud and the possibility of attracting unneeded attention.
A low chuckle was followed by a long pause. Long enough for me to start overthinking if questioning the hidden stranger was a good idea.
“Them guards are not good people. I'm not good people, but them guards are worse. Them toss you here like a young lady is worse than a halfbreed bitch. I know life or rogue and a prisoner, them guards know life of blood and cruelty, no place for young ladies. Maybe I just pity.”
I nodded as his words fully sank in. Although he couldn’t see it, I hoped he knew I was grateful for the answer and time he was giving me.
After the brief conversation, I kept to myself, finding a way to the furthest corner of the cell and pulling my knees to my chest as I leaned my head against the cold wall and letting my eyes shut once again.
Despite the uncomfortable position, I was slowly drifting asleep until someone startled me fully awake by dragging something against the metal bars.
Slowly, I opened my eyes to see a dim light barely illuminating the hall and a very sour-looking man standing behind the bars, glaring daggers at me.
“Fucking savages,” he muttered as he thrust the key in the lock and twisted it. “Come along, there’s someone who wants to see you.”