The Cost for Freedom

Chapter 5

The first thing I became aware of was the smell. A musty, rotting, hideous smell. My ears picked up a steady dripping sound coming from somewhere, my left maybe? As I eased further into consciousness, I felt the tightness of the rope secured around either of my wrists. They had been bound behind the back of the cold metal chair I was on. My ankles were tied to the legs of the chair, effectively rendering me immobile. My heartbeat began to pick up as my mind slowly woke itself up.

"Eh man, she's coming to," I hear from my left.

My eyes flew open. Where the hell was I now? I began to scan the room. I was in a dark, stone cellar of some kind. There was an old wooden door to my left, its small window barred as water slowly dripped from the top. Must be in a basement, or lower level. I turned to my right, noticing the man who had spoken earlier. There was a torch propped on the wall beside him as the only other source of light in the dingy room. His absent facial expression morphed into an evil smile as he menacingly stepped towards me. My heart was hammering out of its chest now.

"Who are you?!" I screamed at him as I thrust my legs upward in a useless attempt to break free. "What do you want with me?!" The questions were coming out of me, almost unbidden.

As I took in his dingy, dirty appearance I realized he would act completely different to me than the last one. But what was his name? The man in front of me lowered his head to face me, his full beard and overgrown brown hair no different than his sweaty smell. His brown eyes search mine as he scrutinizes my appearance and I follow his gaze over my arms, stomach, and legs. Finally he looks back at me, leaning away from me again and crossing his arms. "You'll do."

"Wh-What are you talking about?" I ask in a whisper, unsure and afraid of his motives.

His only reply was a sickening laugh as he cocked his head to the side, "What's your name, princess?"

"Do I look like a princess to you?" I spat in his face.

Shock was his first reaction, until it sunk in what I had actually said. He slapped me across my face. Hard. Ouch.

Refusing to look back at him after the blow across my left cheek, I stared the dark corner down. It began to move. Huh? The shadows became a figure as slowly they leaned forward off the corner wall. Yellow eyes stood out from the darkness, glowing along with the man's silvery hair. My heart dropped as I recognized him as the man from the alley last night. Or however long ago it had been. Time seemed to move without my acute awareness as my states in and out of sleep prevented me from keeping track.

He smiled, almost genuinely, if I hadn't already hated him the smile may had been welcomed. His pace was slow, as he too eyed my body. However his stare only made me less uncomfortable, as I realized it was not a sexual stare, but more of a calculating look. His average height and sturdy build were no less intimidating than his perfectly shaved black and greying beard and longer gray, almost glowing silvery hair.

"Yes..." he placed a hand on his chin, pondering over something. "She has energy," he smiled exultantly as his eyebrows shifted up and down quickly. "She's perfect."

He then walked briskly past both of us, and opened up the door. I followed his figure and watched as he stopped and turned around. I had been too afraid to speak earlier but now my curiosity got the best of me, "What am I perfect for, huh? What is this?" I pulled futilely on my restraints as I spoke earnestly.

The older man ignored me, and instead spoke to the man in front of me. "Go ahead and start the introduction. Then when you feel she is broken in, bring her to... bathe if it is needed, and to her room." He spoke quickly, clear and concise yet full of authority and power. He turned to me one last time, a small smile forming as he looked me over again, then walked out.