Women of Adoth

Haenla (Part 1)

She winced as the door opened and the bright light hit her eyes. Living in darkness truly had no great advantage except for the fact that Haenla could not see the deplorable living conditions she was surviving in. Still, Haenla preferred living in her own shit over the real reason she was there.

The knight that had visited her for the past few months was visiting her again, except this time, he wasn't quite so nervous around her. In the beginning, he was nervous to touch her and moderately gentle. And recently, he lost his nervousness and became much more harsh on her body.

Lighting the candle in the corner of her room, light illuminated the horrible conditions of her cell. No prisoner as innocent as I should have to do the things I do, she thought. The knight began to kiss her neck, and pulled her from the clean spot on the floor that she was sitting on, onto her unclean and filthy makeshift bed that was dirty even before she was taken. He climbed atop of her and began to undress her, kissing her forcefully all the while.

"What is your name?" Haenla said nervously between forced sloppy kisses. He had intruded on her virtue many times before this time, and she did not even know his name.

Suddenly he stopped. Half-naked, the knight broke eye contact as if he felt guilty and muttered softly, "whore, I am Ser Joce." The tone in which he spoke did not match his guilty look. His tone was angry, causing Haenla to fear what he was going to do to her next for asking questions.

A tear escaped Haenla's eye and Ser Joce had noticed. Kissing her again, he wiped the tear from her eye quickly and climbed atop of her again. After having his way with her for a few miserable minutes, Haenla moved back to the one clean spot on her cell floor and sat on it, naked. She held her knees to her chest and tried to hold back her tears. Her body ached, especially her lower body, where Ser Joce's force left bruises.

"Well, you know who I am. What is your name?" Ser Joce questioned, while struggling to put his pants on.

"Haenla," she said, monotone and quickly, wishing he would just leave her to sit on her floor and cry She wished he would dress faster. I don't want to see any of him any longer. He's asking questions that I should not answer. But if I don't answer? What will he do to me? Please leave, she thought.

"No, Haenla, your family name."

He has already disgraced me enough, if I tell him my family name he will only disgrace me further. She sat in silence until the knight rose, picked her up and made her stand by her hair, and demanded, "tell me your family name, if you even have one, you filthy whore."

The pain was so intense where he was pulling her hair she let it escape, "my family name is Gusdusson."

Ser Joce released his grip on Haenla's hair and she fell to the ground. She was not expecting that reaction at all. Moving quickly away from his reach, she crawled on her hands and knees to the opposite side of the small room. The fear instilled in Haenla quickly turned to confusion when the knight quickly put his clothes on and left, without a single word.

The next day, Haenla sat, whimpering quietly and occasionally listening to the cries of other trapped women, coming from cells surrounding her. It was not long until the familiar bright light hit her eyes, making her wince in pain and prepare for her body to be invaded by a man she knew nothing about.

Again, it was Ser Joce, and when he entered, he spoke, which surprised Haenla.

"Haenla Gusdusson, I fear I have disgraced you and your family name. I have come to ask your forgiveness and to present you with an opportunity."

The fear building in her chest evaporated upon Ser Joce kneeling to her malnourished, shit covered, abused body. Instead, she was filled with utter confusion.

Realizing he was not going to find a reply, Ser Joce began, "Haenla, you may not know, but I used to serve your father, Jurek Gusdusson. I was born in Obril, as you were. The only reason I am a knight in Ebril is because I was told that my younger brother Hannes could only be healed from a sickness he carried most of his life in Ebril. I saved all of my gold and traveled to Ebril with Hannes in a small boat I built, only to have my brother die on the journey. I had spent all of my money getting to Ebril I knew that I musn't go back. I began to fight to keep myself alive, stealing food and such. The king of Ebril, Stoyan, arrested me for all the trouble I had caused in the few months I was here, and instead of killing me for my crimes, he offered me a knightship because of my skills in battle. He told me that my first act of defiance would result in the removal of my head, and declining this offer would be the first offence. So, I had to accept the opportunity. I was knighted the very next day, and for the past five years, I have served the King Stoyan, and have found pleasure in the captures women in these very cells."

Confused and angry, Haenla pushed Ser Joce from his kneel before her onto his side. Instead of hitting her, he was gentle and regained his position, lightly taking her hand and leading her to her bed to sit. He again knelt before her.

"My princess, my heart is still with my home country, Obril. While I currently serve Ebril under King Stoyan, King Jurek of Obril is the king my heart serves. Unknowlingly, I have disgraced his family name by raping you." His head dropped at this, only to raise again, and grab her hand. She winced at the touch, but he was so gentle, caressing her fingers again and again. "I vow to restore King Jurek's faith in me and denounce my following of King Stoyan by bringing you to your father."

He's lying. This is all a joke, only to poke fun at your helplessness Haenla. Don't trust him. But he looked so sincere. Haenla wouldn't admit it to herself, but she liked Ser Joce's gentle side, a side she had never known before. Watch, he will profess his love for you next, then rape you again. You're a fool Haenla, that's how you ended up in Ebril, stolen from your family in the first place.

Noticing the tears escaping Haenla's eyes, Ser Joce let go of her hand and removed his sword from his sheath. Still unsettled with the whole situation, this caused Haenla to let out a scream. She moved backwards into the wall she was sitting against, going nowhere. Setting the sword before her, he spoke sincerely, "Princess Haenla Gusdusson of Obril, I vow to return your to your father for pardon of my life. Please, believe my sincerity and trust in my skills to bring you home. My Princess," he said, kissing her hand.

For the first time on her own in days, she stood. "Ser Joce, after all you have done to me, there is no way I can ever trust you. You can trust me though. Trust that when you return me to my father, that I will tell him what you have done to me."

"Princess, I understand your anger towards me. I promise to never touch you again unless you ask me to. Please, let me return home to my country and serve my king, Jurek Gusdusson of Obril," again, Ser Joce sank to his knees, except this time, lowered his head to the filthy floor.

Even if this is a trick, it could be worth it to see what information of the outside world you can get out of this knight. Just don't trust him any more you would trust the king of Ebril.

"Fine, then. Help me escape. Bring me home. If you succeed, without touching me again, I will ask my father for your pardon. I promise you this."

With a nod with his head, Ser Joce rose off the dirt and bile covered floor, leaving quickly, and closing the door behind her, again leaving her in nothing but darkness.