The Temptress

5

They managed to drag my frail body out of the dungeons and down a long dark hallway that was all but cloaked by the darkness. The smaller of the guards rapped on the door and it opened from the inside. As soon as the lock released the door blood curdling screams echoed from somewhere deep in the room behind the door. 

I couldn't catch my breath to scream and I couldn't find my feet, making running impossible. The guard behind my nudged my back, when I didn't move forward the knuckles of the guard found my hair and threw me into the open doorway. I landed hard on the stone, the spot on my temple throbbed from being the first to meet the smooth ground.

A new set of hands lifted me from the ground, they were small and delicate. Swinging my head up, I met her gaze, she had big beautiful brown eyes framed with full lashes on a heart shaped face. Her hair was tucked back in a bun, other than the strands that swayed by her ears. Her smile was reassuring as she helped me from the floor when the door slammed shut behind me. 

"Biggest brutes in the castle they are. Those damned prison guards are worse than any criminal that's locked away in those cages." she spoke in a voice like honey. Her soft hands wrapped around my face as she examined my temple. "Oh hunny, I'm sorry" she made a displeased clucking noise "He is going to give me hell for that."

"Give you hell? Who and why?" I spoke my thoughts aloud.

"Sorry hunny, I am not aloud to say. You'll meet him real soon."

Then she smiled pulling me from where we sat so we were both standing " I'm Kenna, a stylist the castle" she curtsied.

 "I'm Evangeline. Kenna, I don't mean to seem rude but you have to help me. I'm not a criminal. I was taken from my home and thrown in here. Please I'm begging you, you must he-" 

She cut me off then "Evangeline, hunny stop, stop. I know what they did and of course you're not a criminal, you have done nothing wrong. I would love to tell you everything right now but please, please understand that I can't be seen telling you this. It's dangerous."

"What do you mean it's dangerous? I've been kidnapped!" Kenna's face twisted with fright, "please, you have to be quiet. Hunny, I know it's strange and scary and I can tell you a few things, but I need to do my job or I'm going to be-" she caught herself and looked up at me before she continued "I'm going to be in a lot of trouble. So please, follow me this way." 

Her small form led me into a large room with white walls and green slate floors. The two sides parallel to each other where separated into smaller rooms by shabby fabric used as curtains. Once we were in the little room she had me sit down on an old wooden table. " This is gonna feel strange, but i need you to take off your dress." 

"Listen lady, if you think I'm just going to strip down in front of you like some sort of whore you couldn't be more wrong!" I hissed at the girl.

"Evangeline! Hunny listen to me! There are a lot of people here who want to do harm to you, but believe me, I am not one of those people." she said, her big eyes full of pity. I stared at her for a while and began shedding my dress. "Your undergarments too" she said looking at a crack in the floor. I hesitated, but unlatched my bra and slipped my fingers under the straps of my lingerie and slid them down my thighs until they hit the floor. Without looking at me, she patted the table. 

I sat on the edge of the table and swung my legs over the side and laid my head against the rough wood. She did everything from bathing me, washing and brush my hair, to dripping a herbal mixture over every inch of my body. "What is this for?" I asked when It began to burn my skin. 

"Sorry, I've been told it hurts, it kills all the hair off so that it will never grow back again."

"Kenna?" I whispered.

"Yes hun?" she whispered back as she rubbed the cream into my cheeks and chin."

"Where am I Kenna?"

Her answer was hesitant and soft, she didn't want to be the one to tell me. She said it after a sigh and a bite at her lower lip"You're in Atlas."

The name sunk my heart like a ship. Atlas was a known region in the world for their extreme workings. A place that no one spoke about in villages like mine because it was just easier to pretend that it didn't exist. Atlas was the "Black Market" for the entire country of Albian, whenever anyone wanted anything "under-the-table" or criminal, it came straight from Atlas. 

"Where are you from hunny" Kenna said, trying to distract me from my thoughts as she worked the dirt out from under my nails.

"Moonwilt... Kenna," I paused, my throat fell strangled "I'm not going home again am I?" She looked up from dabbing the cream off my cheeks and looked into my eyes. Hers were glossy and filled with sorrow. When she spoke, her sweet voice sounded as if she was choking on the word on her tongue.

"No" she whispered and we both began to cry. 

Hey guys, this is my first Authors Note, I'm gonna keep these things short 'cuz I feel bad and I know that 99% of you will never read this ( I don't blame you). Anyways thanks so much for enduring the pain and reading this, it means a lot to me and I appreciate it. This is my longest chapter I've ever done at 1002 words! Welp, Happy Thanksgiving and I hope your turkey was delicious!