Crown Of Chaos

Chapter 10

I fought back a scream as I stared at the man's face.
The guy looked like he was in his 50s. He had brown hair, which was beginning to fade into an ugly white color. When he smiled, he revealed two rows of crooked yellow teeth.
Despite not knowing what he looked like due to the mask he was wearing on that day,
I could tell by the tone of his voice and the feeling of his hands on my arm as he gripped it tightly.
He was my ma's killer.
I just know it.
"Hey! I want this one!" He yelled as he untied me from the post and led me towards one of the slave dealers.
I could feel my anger boiling within me.
I didn't want to be wanted, and I didn't want to be bought.
Especially by this monster!
"How much for this one?" He spat out at the slave dealer as he turned my face this way and that. His fingers felt grubby and sticky against my face, and it disgusted me.
The slave dealer looked me over, "She's going to be pricey this one, she looks exactly like Princess Eloise."
Eloise?
The evil man's nails were still gripping my arm tight, and as the seconds went by, I felt my stomach begin to churn with hate. The fact that the same hands who had murdered my mother were touching me made my anger boil even more. I then tried to squeeze myself out of his grasp, and with one swift movement, he slapped me right across the face.
My head flew to the side as the metallic taste of blood began to pool in my mouth. The blood instantly made my sromach feel queasy and I felt sick.
Never in my life have I ever felt this indignant. Fury boiled all over me. From my head to my toes.
It was running up and down my spine, all over my arms and face.
I wanted to rip the man's heart out of his chest and throw it into fire.
I wanted to hit him over and over again, just as he did to my mother.
"Hey!" The slave dealer shouted, "Dont hit her when you haven't even bought her yet." He spoke angrily.
"No one will buy her if she's bruised."
The man just casually moved on the conversation.
"Yeah, whatever. How much is she?" He asked.
"70 silver coins." The slave dealer answered.
"70!" The man repeated, stunned by the price.
Yes, I'm too expensive. Tie me back to the post.
I particularly begged the gods to somehow let this man leave me alone and move on with his life.
"That's very pricey, but I'll do it" he said as he reached into his pockets and pulled out a pouch filled with coins.
No.
I could feel myself begin to panic all over again.
My breath felt shortened as I struggled to breath in the cool air.
He was actually going to do it.
He was going to buy me.
I tried to process this thought, but I couldn't.
The murderer of my mother wanted to buy me,
To have me as his slave.
No.
I couldn't have it.
I won't have it.
I watched on as the evil man poured his entire pouch into the slave dealers, awaiting hand.
The coins seemed to fall in slow motion. Clinking one by onto into his palm
"She's all yours." He said as he turned to leave.
The man turned and grinned wickedly at me.
"Shall we go?"
He didn't even wait for my response as he pulled on the rope, making me stumble after him.
This was it. This was actually happening.
The man led me to a cart, which was led by a donkey.
"Now." He grunted as he lifted me into the cart and reached for my tied hands.
"You be a good girl and do what I say. Do you understand?" He grinned wickedly as he untied my hands.
"Or what?" I replied.
I raised my head to meet the man's angry gaze.
I had spoken back to him. And he didn't like it.
"You'll murder me as you murdered my mother?"
In a split second, he had slapped me hard across the face again.
"You've got a sharp tongue, don't you?" he hissed as he pulled the rope off my hands.
I wasted no time and reached into my dress belt. Thank the gods, it was still there.
"Very sharp, as sharp as a blade." I replied as I pulled it out and plunged it into the man's stomach. I then pushed the blade further into his body, intending to kill him.
The man's eyes widened as he looked down at his round belly.
Quickly, I pulled out the blade and watched as blood began to flow from his wound.
And for a moment, I could feel my heart begin to beat faster with a mixture of anger and excitement.
Stabbing this man felt oddly satisfying. I could do it all over again.
"You little-"
But he didn't get to finish what he said before he fell to the ground, clutching his wounded stomach in pain.
As quick as I have ever been. I tucked my knife into my dress belt before leaping off the cart and into the bustling town.
I am still shocked after what I just did.
I stabbed him.
I stabbed a man.
I had to run. I had to get out of here before the town guards started looking for me.
I was a murderer now. And I have never felt so alive in my life.
As my feet trudded through the town's street, I quickly shoved the bloody knife into my dress belt again, I didn't want to attract attention from the town guards.
Not really paying attention to where I was going. I tripped and fell into someone's arms.
"Oh!" The woman shrieked as she hooked her hands around my shoulders. Stopping me from falling face first into her skirts.
When I looked up, I realised this was no ordinary woman.
The woman was well dressed. She wore a dark blue satin gown that swept the floor. She was very beautiful. Straight red hair and blonde highlights were pulled into an elegant bun that hung at the nape of her neck.
On her head was a small golden crown, which was beautifully decorated with jewels.
Suddenly, I was yanked out of her grasp by strong hands.
"You majesty, are you alright?" A guard asked as he rushed over to her.
Oh gosh. She was a queen! I had bumped into the queen!
The queen nodded her head as she readjusted her crown.
"I'm fine." She replied.
The guard who was holding me tightened his grip on my shoulders. "I'll get rid of her-"
"Wait!"
I watched curiously as the queen's eyes widened as she looked me over,
"Great heveans," she whispered breathlessly.
"What is this?"
The queen walked towards me and cupped my face in her hands.
I flinched at her touch. It had been so long since I had felt such affection.
"It's my Eloise reincarnated." She smiled as tears fell down her cheeks.
I just stood there with my hands at my sides. Unsure of how to act.
The queen then pulled me towards her and hugged me tightly.
"Oh, my child, my beloved daughter!" She cried.
The guards around her glanced at each other in awe as they stared at me.
It then made sense to me.
Eloise is this lady's daughter.
Guessing from her tears, Eloise has probably passed away.
The queen pulled back and smiled at me happily as she wiped her own tears from her eyes.
"Come, little one, I shall take you under my care and raise you as my daughter." She said as she took my hand, despite how bloody it was and led me out of own.