A virgin to dance

One week passed, the sun came up for seven days, spread its rays across our occupied land and we watched it set from our luxury prison, the women hall, still shocked about all the things that had happened. For me, the whole thing seemed like a nightmare that I could not wake up from, the battlefield, the soldier I nearly killed, the dungeon and what Alexander had said all were stuck to my mind. That night, I returned from the dungeon exhausted and broken, not Being able to answer women's hundreds of questions. The only thing I told them was that the king was alive and then crawled to a corner, hugging my knees and Fell asleep.

During those days, no one came to the hall except for servants who brought food and water. Thankfully, the hall was big enough for all of us to sleep in, it was not comfortable, but the first night we were given pillows , quilts and other necessities and honestly, we preferred staying there to dungeon or any other place. We stayed in fear that any moment we could be attacked, listening to every footstep or sound coming from outside but nothing happened. Every dawn, I went to window and watched as the castle woke up, servants and soldiers started working just like they had before this nightmare. The only difference was Alexander's voice, commanding others his orders, a sound I could have never got used to.

Our fragile peace, however, did not last long. It was in the middle of the seventh night that two guards barged in and said that they had orders to take two virgins to Alexander and his commanders for "entertainment". The girls started crying and begging to me to save them, but what could I do? It was not like we had never heard them struggle and whimper while being taken to king's chamber, the girls usually did cry when Darius asked for them to join him in bed for the first time, but this time it was different. They were scared for their life.

The guards saw us hesitating and took two girls of their choice regardless of their struggles and cries for help. After they were gone, none of us could sleep, worried that any minute soldiers might have come to claim more of us.

Those girls had not been returned to us so I assumed they were forced to stay the night with Alexander or his soldiers. My mind wondered about what was going to happen to myself. I had thought that I would be given to one of Alexander's commanders or he would even take me himself, but until then, he had not announced what his intentions were. I remembered the last words Darius shouted as I was dragged out of the dungeon : " run away, do not let him touch you.", but how? The whole castle was guarded and Alexander warned me that if I tried to run away he would have found and punished me.

The sleepless night ended and the sun came up. There was still no sign of those girls and I was becoming worried. What if they were raped and killed? The events of last night had left a traumatising effect on all the girls who were concerned that this was going to be a new beginning to their nightmares. 

 The servants walked in with their usual food trays and before we could ask them anything, left us.My mother brought me a tray of honey, fruit and warm bread. I had no appetite but nevertheless took an apple and walked to the window to look outside. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful morning. The front garden was a vision of heaven with its beautiful pink roses and white jasmines, the air filled with the smell of fresh blossoms and I could hear nightingales singing soothingly. If only I was not a captured princess in the hands of barbarians, I would have felt it was a perfect day.

From what I could make out of the sounds outside and what Alexander had told me, I knew there was going to be a big trial for my brother, king Darius. I heard Alexander days ago calling his soldiers and telling them to go across the land and blaze in the cities, spreading the news of this trial so people could come and watch.

He puzzled me, there was something about him I could not understand, surely he did not believe in trials and such, so why was he going through all these troubles just to kill my brother? Maybe he was doing this to become more accepted by our people who were well known for not welcoming strangers in their land. After all, he was just a barbarian king and not someone from noble blood. 

Yalda's voice brought me back to present:

" are you going to marry him?"

I was surprised, the question came from nowhere, honestly, I had thought about it but so far he had not said anything about marriage and even if he wanted to, I doubted I was going to be given a choice. If I was, I would have never accepted the man who was a killer and was about to murder my brother.

" you should do it, maybe then you can save us"

She said it with icy cold voice and left without waiting for an answer. I stood in shock, not knowing how to react. Why did she say that?

I had always loved Yalda, she was like an older sister to me. My brother  married her a week after my birth when he was declared the new king of Paria in the biggest ceremony that had been seen in the whole country, however, he had never hidden the fact that this was a political Marriage and he was forced into it because Yalda's father was a very powerful king and she was his only child who was about to inherit all of his states. Plus her big dowry was most needed back then and the alliance with her father made Darius stronger.

As the years passed, despite the fact that Yalda was aware of my brother's feelings and intentions, she had obviously fallen in love with him. Unfortunately Darius did not feel the same, he respected her as his queen and first wife, but he took concubines and I heard from a one of the girls that he had not spent a night with her in years. It was really sad, but she never complained, behaved perfectly as the land's queen and Had done her duties as a wife in a hope that some day her husband would appreciate what she had done.

Recently, for some unknowns reason she was distant and cold towards me. She still was friendly and kind but there was something that bothered her, something I could not put my finger on it. I told myself maybe it was because she, like others, saw this war as a fault of mine but even before the war started, she had an icy glance in her beautiful eyes.

The night was drawing closer and the girls were becoming more worried of what the darkness was  bringing. We ate and one by one, the girls drifted into a restless sleep but I stayed awake listening to every sound and footsteps that came close to our hall.

They came an hour after the midnight, just like the night before. The hall was lit only by four candle torches in corners and when they entered the room, it became suddenly so much brighter as a result of torches they had been carrying. There was four of them and this time without even saying a word or letting us protest, they took the first two frightened girls, waking them up kicking and screaming and dragging them out of the room.

We stood there defenceless and in agony, not knowing what to do. I could not stop myself from thinking that night after night, they would come for us until it was my turn. I remembered my brother and his last words:

"do not let him touch you, run away, get away from him". For the first time this week, I knew I had to do something.

POV (Alexander)

" so how are you enjoying this throne?" said my best friend and right hand man, Cleon jokingly. I was sitting on gem covered throne, sipping palm wine which was going through my vein and made its way up to my head.

" you know I prefer my own wooden throne, this is too hard for my taste"

" then I will gladly switch seats with you!" he emptied his goblet and laughed out aloud, showing that he was getting drunk. A servant ran over to him when he shook his empty goblet and filled it up. Cleon pointed at her and said:

" see that? I did not even need to tell her anything! Darius certainly knew how to teach his servants"

" and that's why they mostly left him alone." I said calmly, reminding him of the cause to our victory.

" still, he was living at the best level of luxury. And those women! I still can not believe them!"

Mateon, one of my commanders, cut his words at the mention of the women:" oh that soft body, the way they moved reminded me of snakes in the desert. I hope tonight's entertainment can match them."

I had sent my guards to bring two new girls, the ones from last night were picked by two soldiers after they danced and entertained us and I assumed they spent a passionate night together.

They were too different from our women,  master in the art of womanhood, they knew every trick in the world on coquetry and flirtation. My mind flew to the jewel of the harem, princess Roxanne. She was probably the most skilled between all of them. My heart beat increased and i felt a sudden wave of hotness rushing to my face. I had to tame her to make her mine.

I knew about her, the stories and legends surrounding her name. They said she was the most beautiful woman in the world but her face was cursed and if it was seen by any man, he would be doomed. They said she was not human, but a creature that if owned and bedded by anyone, he would become the most powerful person in the world. There were so many other rumours but no one could say anything for sure.

There was also another version to her story. They said she was born with a disfigurement on her face, so horrible and disgusting that she had to cover it all her life but her family spread rumours that she is forced to do it because of her beauty. Underneath that veil, they said, she looked like a beast not a heavenly creature.

I honestly was not sure what to believe. The first time I met her closely, all I wanted to do was to remove that piece of silk from her face. Behind that piece of cloth, I could see a very vague purple twinkle that drove me mad. I could not risk removing her veil. What if the rumours were true? For the first time in my life, I was scared.

That was why I kept that  advisor  alive. I asked him so many questions regarding Roxanne, but his answers left me even more confused and lost. He never gave me a straight answer and I still did not know what the truth was. Cleon's hand touched my shoulder:

" have you decided what you are going to do?"

Despite being drunk, he surprisingly looked sober at that moment. I knew what he meant. Everyone had been waiting for me to make a decision about The princess. Either marry her, take her to bed or give her to one of my men. They knew that this war started because Darius insulted me when I proposed to Roxanne and now that she was vulnerable in my hands, they wanted to know what I was going to do with her.

I knew the answer. I wanted her. Of course I did, from the moment I saw her i knew I had to have her. Even without seeing her face, I knew she was belonging to me. I had my doubts about her face,but still all I desired was to have her breathless on my feet, begging me to give her pleasure. I was scared though, nervous that she might have had the same effect on every one else.

Seeing my silence, Cleon continued:

" hey do not think of her, I know a way to cheer our king up, why do not you take both of tonight's girls to your bed? Their young virgin body will set your mind free!"

I smiled at his offer. He did not understand what really troubled me. There was another barrier between me and Roxanne: Dara!

He was one  of Darius's knights, but betrayed him and made an alliance with me. He sent a message just after the start of our battle and offered his friendship in return of anything he desired after my victory. At the time, I assumed he would ask for money or land, but he told me three days ago that he wanted Roxanne.

He had come to me in this room and told me it was time I gave him what I promised and I naively said that he was right and he could have anything he desired. He then said he wanted princess Roxanne to become his wife as soon as possible. I was shocked but somehow managed to keep a straight face and told him that I will consider his wish. He bowed and as he was leaving turned and said that he would patiently wait because he was sure I would not break my promise.

I had promised him anything he wanted and I had to do it, but to ignore my desires and let that man have Roxanne was something I was struggling about. The door opened and guards came in ushering two girls. My men cheered and hailed as they came closer, waiting for them to approach us so we could see them better and they start their dancing. As they glided closer, I widened my eyes not believing what I was witnessing. They stopped just steps away from my throne and one of them made a curtesy. The other one stood there full length, her head held high and her little hands shaping a fist. As the room went silent, I could sense purple arrows of rage and wrath shot to me from her veil covered eyes.

" your virgins are here to dance" she said with a cold voice.

 What the hell was she doing here?

Author's Note

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