The Betrayed

There are moments in our life times that we can do nothing to stop, as much as we may wish we could. Often, these are the moments that define us, who we are, and who we could be. Some may have happy endings, others, tragic. My defining moment was happy for some, and a tragedy for me. But they couldn't have cared less about me. I was always in his shadow, but his death pushed me into the limelight and they ripped me to shreds.

If they could have, they would have killed me, I know this. But my greatest enemy was my only friend in that moment, and I may never understand why he chose to help me. But then…it was only in those few moments that I knew he was my greatest enemy.

I lived my life known as a handmaiden and a whore. I followed them everywhere, took care of them, and defended them. When all was said and done, I was left to the wolves. The biggest and baddest was the one to free me.

I met them on the road to the capitol, where my uncles were taking me to be married off to a man twice my age. Before us, this was the fate every woman had to look forward to. I was wrapped from head to toe, so no man should see me before my husband. I could only see through a small opening in the swath of cloth around my head.

From a distance, they looked like trouble. And for many, that is just what they were. My uncles moved to shield me from the view of the gang as they walked past us. I couldn't help myself from craning to get a better view of them. The leader only smiled at us and nodded, the others kept their gazes forward. Save one. He looked past my uncles, straight into my eyes. I have never known such fear. There was darkness in his eyes that I had never experienced before. I didn't know if it was pure evil, but I wanted it kept far from me.

My uncles nodded at the group as they passed, then pushed me in front and prodded me faster towards the capitol.

I had the feeling that something in my life had just changed. Forever.

On the morning that my uncles came for me, I begged and pleaded with my mother to let me stay. I had gotten used to a life without men since my father had died when I was a little girl. It had been just my mother and my two smaller sisters, until my grandmother came to live with us, newly widowed. My uncles, my father's brothers, had never had much to do with us until I was old enough to be married off. They merely wanted their share of the groom's payment for me. If what I had heard about my uncles was true, my mother would be lucky to receive any of the payment.

My mother barely spoke to me, and I knew that this was too painful for her. But, what choice did we have? We had lived on nothing for years. If I married, I would be able to send money and food to them. The thought that I could help them was the only thing that kept me going down that road. I could still feel her arms around me, hugging me tightly, still feel her tears dripping onto my cheeks.

My uncle Tavio, a fat, sweaty, unpleasant man, glared at me as we walked. His own daughters were never going to marry well, as they had inherited his looks. I had heard the man they were taking me to had originally been intended for his oldest, Eleena. However, word of her countenance had reached him and he had asked for a new match.

This brought them to me. I was the same age as Eleena, but resembled my mother. Tall and willowy, with dark hair, tinged red. I had my mothers wide, dark green eyes, and her mouth, that was always slightly smirking, but could be mistaken for smiling.

"You stay away from men like that, Masha. If you talk to them, your husband will send you home in disgrace. They are against the king and everything decent people stand for." Tavio scowled and said no more on the subject.

If this was the case, then maybe they were not so bad.

I put the group from my mind, but those eyes would not leave. I could not shake the feeling that I would be seeing them again, and soon.