Chapter 2 STRIP

Danika was finally taken away from her cage immediately after the King's visit. She saw places again that isn't her cold barren cage and it made her feel better.

But her heart still beat faster whenever she remembered the reason she was taken out of her cell for the first time in one week.

She was put in a bath and the maids bathed her, just like the King instructed. Funny, that maids will bathe a slave.

But then again, it's not surprising if the slave's destination is the King's bed.

She was bathed. Three maids attended to her. One of them, the oldest named Baski was the one in charge.

They loosened her hair and combed out the tangles, leaving the hair in a long, curly mess afterwards. The clothes they had her put on, made Danika cringe.

It was barely a clothing, she might as well be naked. Red leather skirt that barely left her lips and red leather top that only covered her nipples, stopping just above her belly.

Then, they wore her a long robe that covered the clothlessness. They sprayed fragrance at her too.

"All done." Baski announced.

Danika stared at herself in the mirror, and for a while she saw herself like she used to be. Princess Danika.

"You can go over to the King's chambers now. It's not advisable to keep him waiting." Baski stated curly.

Danika said nothing. She desperately wanted to ask these people how 'her people' is. She hasn't seen any of her people since she was brought her.

Are they slaves too? Have they been sold out as sex slaves? Where they shared amongst the privileged rich families of Salem?

After all, that was exactly what her father did to the people of Salem. She was worried but she knew she had no right to be.

She has more pressing things to worry about. Like the fact that the King of Salem who hates her with every fiber of his being, is about to sleep with her.

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She stood at the front of his chambers. She stared at the door hesitantly and knocked.

"Come in." Came the curt reply. His deep voice reverberated through her.

She opened the door and walked in. The light illuminated the room, the chambers was bathed in gold. It was the most beautiful sight, but the situation wasn't exactly favoring Danika's sense of exploration and appreciation.

She could only stare at the big man who occupied one side of the room. At thirty-man years old, she has never seen a man who larger than life than King Lucien.

Watching him as he stuck a feather into the ink on the table, withdrew his feather and continued scribbling down on the scroll before him, it's hard to believe that this man has ever been a slave.

But he has been. For ten whole years he endured unspeakable tortures in the hands of her father. Now, he's paying it back.

He raised his head finally and stared at Danika. He kept the feather and did an open looking at her.

He stared all over her, his eyes crawling through her skin like hands, Danika shivered. His eyes, his face never changed after his inspection.

Pure contempt filled his features. Danika wondered if this man would ever know what it is to smile.

Slowly, he pushed his chair back, still staring at her. "Remove the robe." He commanded.

Danika hesitated.

His eyes flashed dangerously. He licked his lips calculatingly.

Danika forced her hands to move. She pulled the robe from her body, leaving her only in the clothlessness.

His eyes never left her face. "Let's get one thing straight, Slave. The next time I address you and you don't respond well, I will take out a whip and design your back with twenty strokes. Are we being clear?"

Danika's eyes turned tormented. She hid it immediately so he wouldn't see how affected she is.

"Yes....Master." She spoke, trying to hide her defiance. A word that's supposed to portray submission, portrayed pure rebellion.

If he noticed, he said nothing. He got up and slowly, walked around the table. He leaned against it, and pinned me with a cold eyes.

"Strip." One word. One command.

Rebellion fled with that one word. "Please...." She whispered impulsively. But she knew, she already made a mistake.

Like a panther, he stalked closer to her, it took everything in her not to step back from him.

He yanked her hair so hard, her head snapped back, and she bit her lips to keep from crying out from the pain.

There was nothing like remorse on his eyes. Only hatred so raw, it chilled her. "You either strip or I call the guards to help you."

Her hands went to the neck of her robe and she started untying the ropes that held the clothing together.

Undressed completely, she allowed the robe to fall to the ground. She felt the panic and helplessness of her situation. A question has been pricking her since all this began.

She had to ask this. Even if it'll cause her to be punished, she has to ask this.

"Why me..." She whispered.

Gray emotionless eyes met hers, his brows arched.

"Why not my father? Why me?" She asked hoarsely.

He kept silent, raising his hand to caress her face. He raised her chin up, "Why me, Danika?"

"I-I don't understand."

"My father was on the throne when your father attacked us. My mother was with Nina, my pregnant little sister, and I was just twenty years old. Why did your father kill them all and take me captive?" His voice low, deadly and emotionless.

He had a sister who was pregnant? Tears burned the back of her eyes, because all this isn't looking any good for her at all.

"For the past fifteen years, I asked myself that question. Why me." He groaned, "Why kill all my family and take only me to hell?"

Danika was speechless, she clamped her mouth shut. She didn't know the answer to that.

Cold eyes trailed my neck as I swallowed, "Do you know my greatest anger when I look at you?"

Danika shook her head helplessly.

He caressed the collar on her neck. The collar that branded her. "You're the only child he has. Why did he have to have just one child? You're not enough for what I have in mind, Danika. You alone, cannot bear the brunt of my hate and anger. You alone cannot take all the demons I have to unleash."

A chill spread all over Danika's body with each sentence he let out. Each of them emphasized feelings that grew for years. Feelings that grew and nurtured deep inside him.

His dead eyes finally met hers again. "You, Danika, might not be enough....but you'll do. Now, get on the bed."