Hamstung-Slavers Bay.
It has been three days… Yes, three!
Joya has not received any calls from Prator or his men. At first she had thought maybe he was busy, but still she felt a voice in her heart whispering to her that wasn't the case.
It was something to be happy about; she hated the fact that he was using her, treating her like some kind of toy. She hated that she craved his touch, his breath grazing her ears, and his thrust making her moan in ecstasy.
But she decided it was okay; maybe he has become infatuated with another woman…maybe.
But things began to become unbearable; with each passing day, her burdens grew.
The officers who were in charge of the slaver's bay did not hesitate to use their whip on her back mercilessly. No matter how hard she tried to understand what she did wrong, it was always pain she got in return.
Day one, day two… counting down to day seven, and that was it. She has had enough of the suffering; her skin was filled with bruises, and her arms became more masculine due to the weight of blocks she was made to lift a day, which was twice the amount other slaves were made to carry.
In agony and desperation to find out what was going on, she made her way to the officer's cabin, where she knew she would find Prator.
At first she wasn't allowed to go in.
A man stood right outside the door, his back resting lightly against the wooden frame as though he had taken position there long before she arrived.
His hands were crossed over his chest, his posture still and controlled. His face, taunted by time, scratch-marked cheek that only deepened the sternness of his features.
Her breath caught.
She hadn't expected him.
He looked at her without moving, his eyes steady and unreadable. The silence between them thickened.
"He is busy," he said, his voice low and firm.
She quickly lowered her gaze.
"I…I have something to tell him…"
"Get lost."
The man said nonchalantly, his face hardening.
He didn't unfold his arms. He didn't approach, he just stood there, his broad frame intimidating everyone he came across.
"Please I.."
She moved forward towards the direction of the door, but he caught her by the wrist and flung her aside. She stumbled, losing her balance then collapsed on the ground.
He simply watched her, without a care in the world.
Joya raised her face from the dust, her eyes twitching from the dust that filtered through her lashes. Her tongue ran along her lips swiftly and she tasted…blood.
Then, with a small tilt of her head, she looked towards the direction of the man, the intensity of her gaze were like sharp daggers.
But soon she lowered her gaze, and with the remaining dignity she had, she took her leave.
Throughout the day she kept an eye on the man guarding the door, her gaze momentarily lingering at his direction, looking for an opportunity to sneak in.
She didn't get that opportunity until it was lunch time. The men were seated under a canopy some distance away, devouring wild meat and drinking wine.
By that time the sun was high up in the sky, the ray burning against her back; her soft palms were no longer feminine, they were strong and hard from strenuous labor.
Her dress was soaked with sweat and clung to her skin, and her face was covered with a mixture of sweat and blood from the injury she had sustained when an officer pushed her to the ground.
Joya knew her way around the officer's cabin; she had been there multiple times and knew how to navigate through the narrow doors without being spotted, and that was what she did.
Soon she found herself climbing up the narrow staircase leading to Prator's chamber.
This was the first time she was coming willingly, without being summoned by him. Just the thought of it made her stomach twist, but that wasn't the only thing making her tummy groan; she was hungry also.
When she finally found a foothold on the last step leading up the stairs, she paused and inhaled sharply, but just then a sound reached her ears.
She leaned across the banister of the stairs, trying to remain as quiet as possible.
Swiping her hair behind her ears, she listened for more noise, and soon it dawned on her the kind of noise she was hearing.
Sexual moans…
Well, that was expected, but what she didn't expect was to hear a familiar voice.
Joya straightened up; she continued walking until she stood right in front of the door, and now she could hear the voice of the woman moaning more clearly.
She knew if she were to knock, they wouldn't hear her, so she nudged the door open a bit, just wide enough for her eyes to be able to see through.
She wanted to know who Prator's new bitch was.
She took a peek, her eyes glancing through the narrow opening between the door and the wall, and then she froze.
Her body stiffened, and for a mere moment she thought she was dreaming
Her hand on the knob of the door began to quiver, and her breath became shaky.
She blinked once, twice…thinking maybe this was some kind of hallucination, but it was not. Prator was thrusting deep into a naked woman on his bed, and that woman happened to be Merlin.
Without knowing, Joya pushed the door wide open and stood there staring, trying to take in the absurdity of what was going on.
Merlin's eyes were closed as Prator fucked her core, her hands wrapped around his neck, her fingers digging deep into his skin, and her legs spread wide open.
The moans escaping her lips were soft, filled with lust and a longing to be touched, to be rammed from behind. The slimy sound of their bodies slapping against each other echoed in the room.
"Ohh!
She bit her lips, her hand working on her nipples.
"Ugh, uhh, yes! Don't stop, ohh!
All this while, Joya watched, unable to believe what she was seeing, she found herself filled with disgust.
Suddenly Merlin opens her gaze at the handsome man, making her body feel things they have never felt before, but her gaze inadvertently darts to the door and settles on Joya, and their eyes meet.
The countenance of Merlin's face changed from that of cloud nine to what the hell!
Prator seemed to have noticed her facial expression; with his dick still in her core, he tilted his head over his shoulders and finally understood the reason she looked pale.
Joya shouldn't be here; he didn't call for her. But once he saw the look on her face, he was glad she came.
This would teach her a lesson, that she wasn't special… She was like any other woman in the bay who had a hole that could be rammed.
"Merlin…"
She called out softly, when she saw that she had been noticed, unsure of what to do, she turned around about to take her leave.
"Wait!...
Merlin screamed before moaning softly, then she finally spilled her juice all over the bedsheet, a few seconds after Prator emptied his seed inside of her.
"Joya...wait."
Merlin said, struggling to catch her breath,
Her body was covered with sweat and cum.
Joya's brows creased as she halted; she turned around, and her gaze settled on Merlin.
"Why are you here?"
She heard a loud voice question; it was Prator.
She didn't pay any attention to him; she ignored his whole existence.
"You are his new bitch?"
The words came out so suddenly that she couldn't make any meaning out of it.
"Watch your tone."
Merlin snapped with no remorse in her voice, only pride
"Do you care to explain?
More than anything Joya wanted an explanation.
"You don't get to ask questions around here, Joya."
Merlin said before covering herself up with the bedsheet.
"Is that what you have to say?"
Joya was marvelled by her dubiousness.
Merlin allowed her eyes to dart around the room, Prator had taken his leave and none of them had taken notice.
"You were right to say that you craved his touch, I am sorry I ever criticized you in the first place. That man can make any woman go on their knees."
Merlin said her eyes rolling in their socket just by the thought of her dark fantasies.
"You have lost your mind."
Joya whimpered, taking a few steps into the room.
"Do you think this world revolves around you and your selfish ambitions? Huh?"
Merlin said with a scowl, then eyed her from head to toe..
At her words, Joya felt something sting her eyes… It was tears. Hot tears clouded her eyes so quickly that they blurred her vision.
How ignorant could she have been to have nerve noticed Merlin had feelings for the chief officer?
"Is this really you?"
Joya muttered while battling to hold her tears.
"This is Merlin…my Merlin?"
She questioned inching closer; she wanted to take a good look at the woman seated majestically on the bed, with no shame or dignity at all.
"You should leave."
Merlin said when she saw that Joya was getting too emotional.
"No."
Joya said, shaking her head from side to side.
"We end this, here and now. I want an explanation. Is this why you always told me that Prator was using me? You tried to convince me to stand up for myself, to hold my head up high and challenge him. All in an attempt for me to leave him so that you can bed him?"
"Do not make me sound like a monster, Joya; I am still your friend. Now is not a good time; I need to get dressed. Let's meet outside, and we can discuss…"
"We are going nowhere!
Joya screamed, interrupting her; the tears in her eyes that she had been trying to hold started rolling down her cheeks in endless streams. She didn't understand why Merlin was so calm about this.
"Do not scream, Joya. Remember, you have lost favor in the sight of the officers. They will not take it likely with you."
Merlin warned, flinging the bedsheet on her body aside. She rose to her feet and began to dress up.
"Are you responsible for that?"
Joya asked with searching eyes.
"The officers, the way they treat me, brutalize me… was that your doing?"
Her lips began to quiver, her teeth clattering.
Merlin remained quiet; she only gave Joya a pitiful glance.
"Answer me!
Joya screamed with rage.
"Scream one more time and I will have your tongue sliced off."
A voice from behind her, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps.
Joya remained still and fought every will in her body screaming for her to turn around.
She knew their voice too well; it was Prator's.
"You deserve what you got, Joya, and I am sure you have learned your lesson."
Prator said before bringing the cup of wine in his hand to his lips. He looked breathtaking in the red robe he was wearing. The robe parted a little, exposing his hairy chest.
His tanned skin was still glistening with sweat, and his grey eyes reflected the ray of the sun streaming through the window, giving them a subtle glow.
"You should have considered yourself fortunate for all the privileges you enjoyed while I was bedding you. Your days of glory are over…"
Prator was still talking, but she had no regard for what he had to say.
She turned around to leave, but he caught her by the wrist and spun her around.
He hated her guts, he wanted to break her.
"How dare you even think of trying to free the slaves of Hamstung?"
He said slamming her to the wall, as his dangerous eyes settled on her
Suddenly the air stilled.
Joya felt every bone in her body go limp, and her knees weakened.
How did he come to know?
Her plan to free the slaves, she had only made it known to one person.
Prator was still holding her in place, but she still managed to trace her gaze to where Merlin stood.
She locked gaze with Merlin, she held the gaze, refusing to break it. Her crystal blue eyes searched profoundly for one thing… just to be thing…..innocence.
But she found none.
All she saw was nothing but betrayal.