Hamstung - Slaver's Bay
"You have been summoned by Prator."
A man with a husky voice whose shadow towered over Joya's said with a voice high-pitched and loud enough for Merlin, who was washing her dress by the riverbank, to hear.
Merlin didn't raise her gaze from what she was doing. One thing she had learned in her stay in the slaver's bay was to mind her business and keep her head down whenever the officers in command were talking.
Joya dropped the ragged dress she was washing and rose to her feet. She glanced at Merlin, but her gaze wasn't returned.
"Move on!
The grumpy man urged, and Joya immediately started making her way towards the officers' cabin. She was escorted by the man all the way to the Prator's cabin
The man stopped some distance away when they arrived, then turned around and took his leave. Joya was simply baffled; she contemplated whether or not to go in but remained rooted to the spot she was standing.
The officers' cabin was built slightly above the main bay; inside was a fortified building overlooking the bay. From his window or balcony, Prator could at times be seen watching over the affairs of the bay.
He mostly did this every morning and at night before going to bed.
Joya stood still for a while, and at that moment, Prator just stepped into his terrace; when he glanced down, he was surprised to see her idling away outside his cabin.
He knitted his brows before stepping back inside. Soon an old woman stepped out of the cabin and ushered Joya inside.
Joya was led through multiple rooms, including the room where Prator kept all his scrolls and letters. When the old lady got to a short staircase, she stood by and signalled Joya to go ahead.
Joya gave her a pleading glance; she was afraid to go up there, but the old woman seemed unbothered.
"Before I can make it halfway up the staircase, I will drop dead. If you really are bent on seeing me die on your account, then I will follow you."
She said, and Joya's shoulders dropped. She began the lonely journey of climbing up the staircase, which led to a modest chamber.
The chamber was brightly lit up, with fine curtains draped over the open windows. The floor was made of wood, and the walls were…
She was forced to stop looking around when a manly figure came into view, shirtless. She languidly raised her lashes, and her gaze rested on the high-ranked officer, Prator.
His hands were stretched out; he was offering her a cup of wine.
"I don't drink."
She said, and his brows knitted into a frown.
"Everyone drinks wine; you just have not been privileged to do so."
He said, his hand still outstretched, Joya had no choice; out of courtesy, she accepted his nice gesture. She held the wine to herself, refusing to take a sip.
"I was made to understand that you summoned me. Am I going to die?"
When she said those words, Prator was forced to turn and look at her.
"I am not that selfish; if I wanted to kill you, I would do it in the open so that words would spread and your family would be able to know and then ask for your corpse that it might be buried."
"I do not have a family."
Joya cuts in roughly before running her tongue swiftly over her plump lips. The air was dry, and her lips were chapped.
"What is your name?"
Prator asked, sidestepping what she had just said, he was going to address it later.
"Sheba."
She lied with a straight gaze.
She wasn't a fool; if her instincts were right, she knew what this man wanted from her. Telling him her real name will be the height of foolishness.
"Sheba."
Prator pronounced the name and felt a tingle on his tongue.
"You are lying."
He added, before crossing the room, to refill his empty cup with wine. Joya's heart missed a beat. Did he know her name before now?
"I am not; I speak nothing but the truth."
She muttered audibly, trying to suppress the urge not to ogle; his upper body was exposed, and even though she felt guilty for harboring lustful thoughts, she knew she had to push the stupid voice in her head away.
His chest was tight with muscles, glistening with sweat. She spotted the marks and cuts on his back when he turned and didn't fail to notice his armpit hair…
"Like what you see?"
Prator caught her staring at him intently, and Joya became embarrassed. She clutched her dress, trying to wean off the anxiety she was feeling.
"What exactly do you want from me?"
She asked, inhaling sharply.
Prator was silent.
He sat on the edge of his bed, with the cup of wine still in his grip. He ignored her whole existence for a few minutes, until he emptied his cup of wine.
Then he flung the empty cup to the floor, and it tumbled over before rolling and hitting the wall, under a table where a lantern was placed.
He rose to his feet and made his way to Joya. His gaze locked with hers, as he covered the space between them, he wrapped his hand around her waist and then pulled her to himself.
Without thinking twice, he pressed his lips on hers, kissing her roughly. Joya wasn't a bit surprised, and she didn't react to his touch; she felt empty, like some used vessel.
By the time Prator pulled away, he was a bit breathless. He peered into her blue eyes and found…nothing. Those pair of crystal blue eyes held no life; they were dull…absolutely mundane.
Just by gazing at her, he remembered the day he found her at the river, bathing. He remembered how she looked without any clothes on, her curves, her boobs; she was an oracle of beauty hidden under the pain of hustling.
He snatched the cup of wine she had failed to drink and kept it aside.
Without saying a word, he single-handedly undressed her, took her to bed, and made passionate love to her.
Joya was as stiff as a statue; he rammed her from behind, but she didn't flinch, didn't moan, and didn't say a word.
Her lips were tightly sealed, and when he was done, she simply dressed up, and with the remaining shame she had, she walked out of the room with a broken spirit.
It was already twilight when Joya stepped out; the sky was a bit bright, yet she still had to squint her eyes among the group of women seated in circles enjoying the evening breeze.
Her eyes searched through the crowd until they landed on Merlin. She made her way to Merlin, who was seated among some women, eating dry meat.
There was a rabbit plugged with a stick, being roasted on the fire in the middle of the circle of women.
When Joya sat beside Merlin, she felt like a stranger.
Merlin didn't glance at her or show any concern; she continued to discuss with the other women, laughing while chewing the portion of wild meat in her hand.
Joya felt her restrained attitude, but she didn't say a word. She moved closer to the fire, then began to turn the stick, which was inserted into the dead rabbit being roasted by the fire.
She watched over the rabbit, allowing it to cook, and when it was ready, she tore off the lap of the cooked rabbit and then brought the smoking meat to her mouth.
The other women rushed forward and also took their portion, and soon the cooked rabbit was divided among them.
Moments later.
By the time it was time to sleep, a bucket of sand was poured over the burning fire, and all the slaves would retire to sleep.
Some slept on makeshift bedding: thin straw, sacks, or nothing. Some used tattered cloaks as pillows. They slept in the open, tormented by mosquitoes and other creepy insects.
When Joya saw that Merlin was about to go to bed and wouldn't talk to her, she was forced to approach her.
"Merlin."
She called out, but the latter shunned her.
"Your silence causes me worry; have I done anything wrong?"
Joya thought she must have offended her in some way without knowing and was ready to apologize sincerely.
"It is late, Joya; go to bed. We will discuss it tomorrow.
"You had all the time to talk to me, but you shunned me and chose to break words with other women instead. You didn't bother to ask how I was doing or what transpired between me and the high-ranking officer…..
"I do not understand what you want me to say, Joya!
Merlin shot back, getting unnerved.
"I am not a fool; I know what happened between you and Prator. Be it far from me to discuss such a disgusting thing; it makes me sick to the stomach."
She snarled and then turned around to leave. Joya was mesmerized by her harsh words.
"You talk as though I had a choice. I did not enjoy what he did to me, but a woman has to do the needful to survive in such devastating times."
Joya tried to explain, but the leer on Merlin's face made her words fall short.
"How much did he pay you? In gold coins or silver?"
Merlin questioned, inching forward, her eyes searching around Joya's body for any sign of coins, but she found none.
"What is wrong with you?"
Joya's brows furrowed, the only friend she had was standing right in front of her babbling rubbish.
"No, Joya, what is wrong with you?!
Why do you like to suffer? When will you learn to take advantage of the opportunities thrown at you?"
Merlin snapped, then feigned a smile.
"I know you too well; two things happened in that room. Either you allowed yourself to be used, without attempting to gain favor, or you were paid after he slept with you, and you hid the money from me!
Slam!
The sound of the slap echoed in the chilly air, and Merlin's head was forced to snap in the opposite direction due to the impact of Joya's hand striking across her cheek.
"You will not speak of me that way."
Tears gathered in Joya's eyes, but she fought to hold them back.
"I am not a whore!
Why should I demand money and reduce myself to nothing in front of that bastard, who lords over us?
Joya screamed, her heart straining with unbearable pain. Just then she heard the gruff cough of an old woman seated on the ground, her body resting against a wall, trying to sleep.
For a moment Joya was distracted; she turned towards the direction of the sound, afraid that one of the officers must have heard her lay curses on Prator.
When she saw it was an old woman, she sighed in relief.
She got the message the old woman was passing, and she lowered her voice. By the time she turned towards the direction Merlin was standing a few moments ago, no one was there; she was gone.
Joya circled around, her gaze searching for Merlin, but she couldn't find her in the thick darkness.
She gave up and dragged her feet on the stony ground, making her way to the spot she usually slept. When she got there, she was stunned to see Merlin already stretched out on the bed made of baboon sticks, where both of them usually slept.
"Merlin."
She called out softly but got no reply. She was aware that Merlin was wide awake.
She sat on the dusty ground close to the bed, then rested her head on the edge of the bed.
She didn't mean to raise her hand at Merlin, especially not that hard. She was filled with remorse and struggled to sleep.
Finally raising her head, she shifted closer and brought her mouth to Merlin's ears.
"I am sorry."
She apologized before leaning away; still, she got no reply. She had thought their friendship was solid, and could stand the test of times, but not anymore.
After apologizing, Joya took a mat from under the baboon bed and then spread it on the ground before lying on it. She lay on her back, gazing at the endless stars, her mind spinning with webs of thoughts.
It took a while, but her eyelid finally because heavy with tiredness, and she finally drifted to slumber.