Everly~
Unable to move, I sat in the dirt in utter disbelief of the evil I had witnessed.
"You'll dirty your dress." The red headed nymph said, extending her had as an offering to me, but I refused it.
"Leave me." I snapped, still processing the death I had beheld.
"What is your name?"
What part of "leave me" did you not understand?
I huffed out an irritated sigh at the nymph's insistence on conversation, but reluctantly answered her.
"Everly."
"Well, Everly. I think you've learned a valuable lesson today." The pompous tone of the red headed nymph heated my blood and I snapped my head in her direction, glaring up at her from the ground.
"And what lesson is that?" I hissed.
"To do what you're told." Her voice was calm with a slight edge to it. "Now, if you're done moping, it's time to serve the feast. Get up."
"Moping?" I shrieked, rising to my feet to face her properly. "A woman was just killed before your very eyes. You knew it would happen. Yet you did nothing."
Unfazed by my remark, the woman in front of me remained cool and calm which only fueled my anger.
"And what could I have possibly done? If you recall, your little outburst did nothing to stop Kaes. So I'll ask again, what would have had me do?"
My shoulders started to rise and fall with angry breaths, knowing she was right, but hating it all the same.
"At least I tried."
"You'll get yourself killed acting like that. Acting on emotion before you know who or what you are dealing with." Her words were drenched with wisdom, but I was in no place to hear them.
"Who are you and why do you care if I get myself killed? What concern is it of yours?"
"My name is Haven. Excuse me for trying to save you."
With those words she turned away from me, her crisp white dress flowing at her feet as she left me fuming.
"Wait." I called out, stalling her steps. "I'm sorry. I just...I hate it here."
No truer words had been spoken, but Haven didn't seem to share my sentiment.
"If you will fall in line and do as you are told, it will be much easier for you."
"And if I don't? If I refuse to serve these monsters?" I snarled with hatred in my voice.
"You're welcome to join them." Haven offered calmly, pointing toward the far wall where several deceased bodies hung, pinned to the wood by Throacian spears.
Haven watched my face fill with disgust and horror before she spoke again.
"This place isn't so bad if you follow orders and keep to yourself." She offered as if it were comforting.
I let out a laugh in disbelief and shook my head.
"The only choices here are to be killed, raped, or enslaved...forgive me if I don't view this place as the paradise that you see."
"I never said it was paradise." She quickly corrected. "But I think there's more to this place than what we are seeing."
Haven's words were intriguing and I felt my heart rate start to steady as our conversation continued.
"More? What do you mean more?" I asked, my curiosity overwhelming my hatred.
"Look around." She instructed. "Red dirt and dust, trees with twisted branches and few leaves, dry mountains, little water and even less greenery."
I surveyed the landscape around us, truly taking it in for the first time. There were no fields or orchards, there was very little grass or foliage as far as the eye could see.
"But look there." Haven added, motioning toward the endless baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables that were being brought out for the feast.
"Where did it come from?" Was her final question, one that she didn't seem to have an answer to.
"Well that seems obvious doesn't it? The garden nymphs who work in the house. They must be the ones conjuring the food." I offered.
"Even nymphs need earth and soil to conjure plants, especially enough trees to produce that amount of fruit. Being a garden nymph yourself, it seems you would have already known such things." There was an accusation there, but I ignored it.
There are no gardens or fruit bearing trees anywhere. Yet this food is fresh, ripe and healthy. Where did it come from?
"As someone who came from a village plagued with famine, I intend to find out before my time ends here."
I had to admit, it was an intriguing question, but I pointed out a fatal flaw in her logic.
"Even if you find the answers you seek, how could you possibly help your village from inside these gates?"
A small smile gathered in the corner of Haven's mouth.
"Why do you think these women are so desperate to be chosen for the sacrament?"
I assumed it was some religious perversion that Jade had described. Sealing their eternal fate amongst the Gods. That being raped by these barbarians was somehow the ultimate honor.
"Once you have been chosen and bedded by a Thoracian warrior, you are placed somewhere outside of this camp to live out the rest of your days until the Gods bring you home." Haven added.
It sounded too good to be true and images of Kaes flashed through my mind.
"Are you sure that's not just a fairytale to encourage willingness for the sacrament?" I asked in a shaky voice.
Haven shrugged her shoulders and was unbothered by the idea as if she had already considered it as a possibility.
"Does it really matter? The way I see it, I'll either be correct or it will no longer be my concern."
How can she be so casual with her own life? How long has she been here?
"Now, grab a basket or cask of wine and be on your way. The feast will be starting soon and you will need to make multiple trips. Best to get started early." Haven added, leaving me lost in my own thoughts as she gathered a basket of warm bread in her arms.
My original plan of staying planted in the dirt in an act of protest slowly started to fade away as I looked over at the bodies hanging on the far wall once more.
I am not helpless, I am strong.
Repeating the phrase over and over in my head, I built up enough mental strength needed to force my body into compliance. I walked over toward the seemingly endless supply of food and drink and lifted a heavy carafe of wine.
You must serve these barbarians if you wish to stay alive, Everly. But you need to form a plan quickly.
I will not lay with these monsters.
