Where am I?
I took a deep breath and soon started coughing, spitting something out on the floor. Ugh, disgusting. This is so disgraceful. I hope no one is around to see my shame!
Thoughts arise and disappear in an instant. I tried to stay calm, but I could already feel the panic starting to set in.
I smelled damp, old stone and rust.
This is not my bedroom and this is not the hospital I am going to.
What happened?
I'm lost.
Through my cascading blond hair, I could see the stone bricks, their outlines astonishingly clear, as if distance didn't affect my vision. The darkness is now just a deeper shadow rather than an impenetrable veil. I could clearly hear dripping water and wood sounds instead of background noise.
The air smelled of dampness and iron, and the taste on my tongue was both cloying and distracting. Every feeling was amplified, each briefly grabbing my attention before another took over in a disorienting dance. Soon my sensory overload turned into a stinging sensation behind my eyes.
I feel uncomfortable.
I need to understand.
I took stock of my situation and trembled with fear.
I have shackles on my wrists. My legs were on the floor and my skin was bruised. I felt a simple tunic of coarse cloth draped over my shoulders... Oh, I was not wearing underwear! Maybe someone had seen me without it... I couldn't stand the thought.
I squirmed, feeling wet hair clinging to my skull and falling on my shoulders. I saw my legs, sticking out of a rough piece of fabric. They were paler than usual, speckled with red flecks that I realized were blood. It was the blood I had vomited before.
I took a deep breath to control my fear. I won't collapse. I won't scream. I'm not some delicate flower from Charleston who faints at the sight of crimson liquid. I am made of strong people!
My fear didn't subside, but I took control of myself again. I didn't know exactly what I was getting myself into, but I knew panicking wouldn't help. I won't give in to it.
I cautiously continued my inspection.
The bare walls were covered with gray stone, except for a huge door with iron bars on the windows. Is this a farce? I'm in a dungeon! I must be dreaming. Yes, it was a dream and I was still sleeping. Maybe I'm really crazy, this is one of those "asylums" I've heard so much about, what is it? I'm wearing rags! Not even a slave would wear something like this! I swear, I'll get to the bottom of this , otherwise my name, my name,
I am……
Can't focus. My thoughts were a jumble of impressions and emotions, needs I didn't understand. Before I could fully grasp them, they slipped away. I shook my head and bit my lips, trying to get them clean, but to no avail. Nothing works.
I can't remember my name. I have to remember my name. Uninvited, my mouth opened and the sound escaped.
“…Ariana”
pain of!
I leaned forward as far as I could as my throat burned. Soon the pain spread to my stomach, tearing me apart from the inside. My mind went blank from extreme tension. This is a hundred times worse than anything I've ever experienced. God, make it stop. Make it stop! Someone, anyone!
Looks like someone heard my prayer. I could hear the banging of a door ahead as it opened. Three sets of footsteps approached. Come on, I beg you!
"I told you what I heard. The sun was just setting, so it was possible."
"Um."
Despite the lack of any light source, I could clearly see the face of my future savior, and I was now convinced that I was doomed.
The man looked like a highwayman. If I met him on the street, I would run away and call the nearest guard. He had shaggy black hair and a greasy beard that must have not been trimmed in months! Yet, even then, I would have thought of him if it weren't for a pair of crazy blue eyes that froze my soul. A coolie.
The man smiled, showing a set of jagged teeth. How chilling. However, I am convinced that this person could have helped me if I had not been stopped by a strange feeling.
This person already belongs to someone else. I'd better not touch him. I knew I should be curious, but the pain was making me dizzy.
The second man was not white. He was no different from the coolies who helped dig the tracks, with the same golden skin and slanted eyes, yet comparing them was like comparing a Pomeranian to a wolf. His arm muscles swelled and his expression was truly ferocious. I could tell from his posture that he was a fencer, or some type of boxer.
He moved with the grace of a predator, and a strange feeling came over me again. I'm convinced this man is more dangerous than he looks. He had a cold aura and he couldn't help me.
A third person can.
I felt joy and warmth filling my chest. Yes! This man was, like me, a captive, a dazed teenager. He was dressed in the clothes of a blacksmith, or perhaps a coppersmith, with a thin chain hanging around his neck. He could make the pain stop; I just knew it in my heart.
So, I moved.
I stop. I looked at my outstretched arms in confusion, of course, stupid of me. I was still chained! Heavy silver metal locks tied my wrists tightly to the wall. I'm stuck.
"Wow! A feisty one, huh? Come on, give her the baby."
The Asian frowned. Our eyes met, and his rugged face showed a hint of sympathy. He pushed the young man toward me.
My left hand brushed the boy's collar. Yes! Yes, I was saved at last! I pulled my hero close and breathed on his neck. Oh, this delicate bouquet, like a perfectly vintage wine, so rich and intoxicating. I'm going crazy. My canines brushed against his skin, piercing his flesh. Something thick and sweet brushed my tongue.
The world explodes in ecstasy.
I have nothing to say.
In eternity nothing exists. Just the rolling, rolling, boiling, drowning joy of heaven. I die, I live again, I die again. Waves of happiness destroyed my existence and shattered my soul.
If that's half as good, I understand the women who find themselves having children out of wedlock. It's enough to make someone sell their soul.
I like it.
Love it, love it, love it.
I hope it never stops.
Alas, to some extent, it is. I don't know how long it will take, but when the tide goes out, I know peace and certainty that all is right in the world. special way. No amount of prayer could get me to such heights. I'm touching sacred territory!
I let go of the young man who fell to the ground. He couldn't help me anymore and to make matters worse, he smelled bad!
The creepy man cackled, dragging the teen's chain out of my reach as if I were an animal. How rude! I frowned in disapproval.
"What..." my voice hoarse, "what does this mean?"
How I wish I could express my anger at being imprisoned like this! Not even a bucket of water or a chamber pot! Am I going to live like a beast? I don't want to think about it. There are a lot of things I don’t want to think about.
The short white man jumped in surprise, causing even the Asian guardian to raise his eyebrows. What's wrong with them? Do they want me to give in and beg?
"Well, madam. Forgive this humble Baudouin? I didn't expect you to be like this..."
I spoke impatiently to his companion.
"And you, warrior, can you explain why you are locking me up like this?"
Although Baudouin was flustered, this one didn't seem amused.
"This is for your own safety."
"Am I safe? I'll be safe when I break free and get home, you scoundrel! How are you going to let me go?"
Beaudoin interrupted, clearly annoyed at being ignored.
"Don't worry your sweet little head, ma'am, you'll be released soon."
"me……"
I wanted to continue, I wanted to extract information from the reluctant pair, but I felt tired, tired. Numbness invaded my limbs, making everything feel so heavy. My eyelids slid down with the executioner's axe.
It was summer on the plantation. Sugar cane grows out of the red soil, stretching as far as the eye can see and lush. The merciless sun shines down on my shoulders, almost with the weight of my body. Were it not for the breeze and the scent of the river, it would have been almost unbearable.
A tall, blond man knelt before me. His knife cuts into the cane's flesh until nothing remains but a dripping sliver of silver. His face was jagged and red, and his blond beard was knotted, but I didn't care. I inherited his sparkling blue eyes that looked at me with all the warmth in the world.
"Try this, honey."
"I don't want to! It's dirty!"
"Try to please daddy. Come on!"
"right."
I picked it up with one small hand and took it out of my mouth. It has weird fiber and is sweet and juicy at the same time.
"Um!"
"See? Your dad knows best. That's why you should listen to me, honey."
"Um?"
"I told you to wear a hat outside because it's so hot when the sun comes out. But did you listen? Oh, no, you didn't. Now, you're burned to death."
I screamed as flames burst out of the flesh on my hands, I tried to stop them but my other arm was on fire and the flames spread to me. It hurts, it hurts. Charred flesh cracked open to reveal tarnished bones. My hair is hot. Nothing can stop the raging inferno. I prayed for the darkness to take me away, and eventually, it came.
I woke up in the same gray cell. There was no sign of the kidnappers or anyone else. I feel strange. There was a part of me that rebelled and rebelled, trying to make me question my circumstances. I know everything is inconsistent, but I find it hard to focus.
Like a patient with a high fever, my grasp on reality was tenuous and uncertain. No matter how hard I tried to focus, I could only get a hint of clarity. I remember a nightmare. I remember yesterday. I remember my name. What's up? Ariana. Yes, my name is Ariana, but I have to be honest and say that this is just an omen.
My voice helped a lot.
I will try to do so again.
"My name...is Ariana...I'm...nineteen."
I'm of marriageable age. I have... suitors. My thoughts?
"I am coming from……"
Two city names come to mind, one is Baton Rouge, it feels like home. The other is New Orleans, which feels more exciting, but also tainted.
I can't finish the sentence. I felt myself growing cold and I couldn't let that happen so I forced myself to keep going.
"I……"
Me what?
"I have... a family."
Yes, I know this is right. I tried to recall the man in the dream, his smile and happy look, but his image blurred and another person took his place. The second person is terrible. I remember the cruel smile and doll-like eyes that reflected a soul as dark as night.
My musings stopped when the same longing came over me. My throat is very dry. This is natural as people need to drink quite a lot of water every day.
I remember stories of sailors going crazy after being deprived of water, their sanity was stripped away because they were surrounded by a liquid they couldn't ingest. I'm sure someone will come. If they wanted me dead, I would have died long ago.
Time passed painfully slowly. I was getting thirsty and started moaning. My teeth bit painfully at my increasingly dry lips. The only thing I'm thankful for is that two days have passed and I don't have to go...it's so awkward and weird. Why don't I need to visit...what?
A distant jingle interrupted my thoughts, whatever they were. I have already forgotten. There were three more footsteps. I don't know how I could tell so accurately, but it doesn't matter.
They stopped quickly and the Asian guy from yesterday gave me a quick look before opening the door. He walked in and stood with the majesty of a British Royal Guard.
The second visitor is a woman from a fairy tale. Really, if anyone had described her to me, I would have called them a liar, and yet here she stands.
She was slender and lithe, wearing a blue gown that was the envy of King William's court. It suited her figure perfectly and was flattering without being vulgar, which is quite an achievement considering her silhouette.
Her skin is as white as alabaster, and her face is the image of grace and majesty. Black curly hair hangs down from the exquisite hairstyle in a controlled manner, wrapping two striking green eyes, as bright as emeralds. Hey, if my mouth hadn't been so dry, I'd be gawking like a redneck right now.
That cool aura that hangs over the Asian man also comes from her, but I hesitate to compare them because she seems to be in a category of her own. If the man’s is the drum, the woman’s is the orchestra. The pressure it gave off scared the hell out of me and I didn't think it was a good idea to ask anything of her.
I turned to the last person to come in, a man, and I fell instantly in love.
He is tall and handsome, just like the legendary ancient king. Brown curls and brown hair adorned skin gently kissed by the sun. His build was strong, but not that of a farmer's. This is the deadly grace of a duelist.
I felt like I was kneeling before Achilles or Romulus, this was the person. All I knew was that he was the one for me. His aura was less cold and somehow familiar, so powerful yet restrained. I basked in his presence, a strange warmth growing in my belly.
Oh, what a shame! Am I so easily swayed by someone I just met? I can't! But I know that if this person touches me, I'm doomed. I forgot about my thirst; I forgot about my discomfort. If he holds me in his arms, I can die without regrets.
"...His descendants can communicate, Wo Kuotai, but..."
I blinked and realized the noble lady was talking to the Asian man, obviously Odai. The strangest thing is that they don't speak English. Their language is dominated by singing vowels and soft consonants, with occasional guttural sounds. I'm sure I've never heard anything like this, but I understand.
"I assure you she did, Mrs. Moore."
I must be daydreaming again. This lack of attention is so tiring and now my lover must think I'm stupid! I have to make the best impression on him so he's mine forever. I turned to him and paused in the conversation, or should I say rebuked him sternly.
"greeting".
All eyes were on me. No, that's not entirely true. If I spoke English now, they wouldn't think I'm worldly.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen. My name is Ariana. Can I ask you a question?"
There, he was concise and polite. My voice choked up mid-sentence, I was dirty and wearing rags that an orphanage wouldn't accept, but my manners were still impeccable.
The woman frowned with such intense disgust that it made me look like I was covered in manure. Without another word she turned and left the room, covering her nose with a scented handkerchief. If it hadn't been for that person, I would have turned red with embarrassment.
He knelt before me and I lost myself in his tearful eyes. He's laughing, he must be. I think he's proud of me.
No, he is self-righteous.
No, he was proud of me. He loves me and only wants the best. I love him!
I don't. He hurt me.
I love him and he will always be mine. The blanket of comfort took over my mind until only adoration remained. I wait with bated breath for a word, a word, anything, until I can no longer.
my move.
The chains blocked me again, and my face was just a few fingers away from the golden skin of his neck. I stretched so hard that the metal squeaked, but of course I was too weak to break free. After all, I'm just an ordinary person. I can't bend metal.
Can I?
This man caught my attention and my desire was temporarily gone. The scent of his perfume made me dizzy and made me feel safe at the same time. I'm where I belong. beside him. Yes. No. Yes.
He put a finger under my chin and lifted my head until our eyes were level. Touching his skin sent a shiver down my back.
"You shall call us masters."
"Yes Master."
"I want you to speak before you are willing to speak."
I nodded silently. Of course, I will do what he says.
"You must obey the woman named Ximena in everything. You must behave appropriately. In this way, within three days, you can absorb our essence and survive."
I nodded wildly. I want to say that I will be fine, but I hesitate to say it. After the man finished speaking, he stood up and turned to Wokuotai. How I love having him so close to me. This is exactly what I expected. It's everything I've ever dreamed of.
"Why are my chicks still in the drone cell, Warden?"
Ogedai's bow is almost groveling, which should be strange for such a man, but how can I blame him? Who can stand in front of this man and call himself his opponent? Of course, even if Even Alexander and Scipio would find themselves wanting.
The man walked out of the cell without looking back.
Why did he leave me like this? I loved him so much, he must have seen it clearly! I was the one for him! Or was I not good enough? Would a lady from Louisiana be too country for his taste? ?
Maybe I should disembowel her and strangle her with her own entrails.
wait.
What am I thinking about?
I could hear a wail and quickly realized it was coming from my throat. Augh! I have to control myself. What's wrong with me?
A strange Asian man walked up to me holding a silver key. Ah, yes, Ogedai. He's been here before. He was going to take me out of the cell and... do what?
Ah, yes, I finally remembered. I want to obey that amazing man. my love. No, disgusted. like. I remember his orders. I must remain silent unless someone speaks to me. I will obey Jimina in all things. I need to behave appropriately.
I will do it because He asks me to and He is so irresistible. I just wish I had something to drink. I'm dying of thirst.
"Ah!" I cried.
With an astonishing loud noise, the handcuffs fell to the ground, taking a layer of skin with them. I looked at my now free wrist. Horrible! I was skinned! The flesh was thick and thick, and it was bleeding with black blood!
Convinced I was going to throw up, I moved forward, but nothing happened. The sight of those ugly wounds didn't make me sick. They are definitely infected and will probably leave scars!
Ah, humanity! Am I going to have to bear the shame of being imprisoned for the rest of my life?
"Come out, slowly."
I took a shaky step forward. I felt weak and dizzy. I pray they have water.
