Eclipse of Hearts ✔

Chapter 61. [Alyssae]

Alyssae did not know how she had expected Eldinòr to react, but she startled when he pushed her roughly against the wooden wall. 
"You like to hear him make sharp remarks?' ge asked. "Let's see if he's still so funny when I'm done with you."
He pressed his lips against her mouth. His waist pushed against her hers, so that she could go nowhere. 
Alyssae bit on his lip. "Stop." She stared in his eyes, confused. "What are you doing?"
"I do not allow a dwarf to make fun of me. Certainly not one who's chained to a pole for days because he's too drunk to walk."
His hands touched her hips. 
"Get your hands off me!" Alyssae tried to push him away, but Eldinòr's long life on the ship had made a rough, strong elf of him. 
She heard Thorin scream, but Eldinòr's words drowned down out everything. "Do you fear me, Alys?" He fondled her cheek. "Do you have any idea what Thorin does to women he desire, but who doesn't want him? He just takes them. For with his royal dick he can do anything he wants, right? Why don't you ask Aymara how he threw her on the bed and fucked her, so hard that the tears ran down her face. From behind, as if she's an animal. Are you really in love with such a man?"
He let her go and stepped back. "I am an outlaw. I am a criminal you might expect such deeds of. But he... he should be an example for his people and it looks like even pirates know better how to show some respect." He turned around and spit at Thorin's feet. "I should put you in a cage."
Alyssae was speechless. She watched how Eldinòr walked away with large steps.  With a hard sound the hatchway shut. She dropped at the ground and stared at her knees. She couldn't forget his words. Thorin had called himself a rapist too, but she hadn't believed that was true. She still couldn't.
She looked at him. Thorin watched her, but as soon as their eyes met he turned his head away, sighing. 
"Is it true?"
"All this time I've said you're better off with someone else."
Alyssae bit her lip. Her breathing sped up and she knew she was about to cry. "Did you really rape her?"
She wanted to hear it out of his mouth. She tried to stand up, but her legs were powerless and she crawled toward him like a beaten animal. A meter away from him she sat on the ground. 
"She offered herself," Thorin mumbled. "I refused, but she said she could help me to forget you. Every time I thought about you, I called her to chase away the memories, but they kept coming back. And so did Aymara."
Alyssae stared at him. She did not know what she felt, but the tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. 
"So you did not rape her?" Her voice sounded hopeful, as I child who knew she had done something wrong, but hoped a blind eye was turned to her. 
"She never said she didn't want it," he mumbled, "but she cried. I feel ashamed now, but back then she was just a servant who just obeyed my wishes."
Alyssae was silent. She understood why Aymara hated Thorin so much, but she couldn't imagine someone would give herself away  without resisting. Aymara supposedly thought she could replace her and she failed, something Alyssae was deep down happy about. 
A deep silence fell. Alyssae didn't know what to say and she was surprised when Thorin cleared his throat. 
"Did he hurt you?"
Alyssae shook her head, although he had said things she rather hadn't known. 
"If I will ever be free, I'll make him pay for this. He shouldn't have touched you."
She sighed. "Eldinòr and I are revolving around each other for a while now," she admitted. "He lost control."
"So you do have something?"
Alyssae shook her head. "No. Neither do I want to." She took a deep breath and a nervous feeling rose in her stomach. "Despite everything you are still the only one I want, Thorin."