His Camelia [Completed]

Chapter 44- The Marketplace

Terrible dreams woke her up.

Camelia sat upright, gasping, her skin moist with perspiration. It took her a moment to realize she was in a dark room, all alone. Dizziness made her stagger as she stood off the mattress scrabbling across the short distance toward the light peeking from beneath the door. 

Feeling around for the knob, she held her breath when she found it for but a moment, and tried the handle. It rattled, refusing to turn.

Weak, she sagged against the locked door, trembling. Tears of frustration threatened, but she forced them back.  Angrily she twisted the knob.  The lock held. 

Feeling her way back to the bed, she found a lamp on the side table, turned it on, and found herself in a small, tidy, immaculate room. It wasn't big at all like she expected. It was small, with a plain bed, lamp and a chest in a corner.

How did I get here? She asks herself. A flashback of last nights events come back to her and she gasped in shock and looked down.

Camelia tried to feel if her femininity was forcefully penetrated passed the scant provocative, scandalous, nightdress the servants dressed her in with despair.

But she felt nothing.  She felt fine.  Nothing hurt. 

Thank God. 

She needed to get out of there before they came back and forced her to face the Sultan again. No way was she going to spend another day or night in that Godforsaken place. Her strength was returning with each passing breath, and she assaulted the door again.   The lock was impossible.  It needed to be broken.  But first she needed to make sure nobody was waiting for her on the outside. 

"Hello?"  She called out softly.  "Hello?  Is anybody there?" 

Camelia knocked twice and waited.

No answer.  She closed her eyes in relief. 

Using her body weight to build momentum, she lifted her leg and brought down her foot against the knob.  Next, her ear pressed to the door listening.  Waiting, to make sure she didn't attract any attention.  She tried again after a few seconds. 

Again, it doesn't budge.

Out of nowhere the sounds of keys rattling on the other side, made her eyes widen.  Camelia immediately backed away as the doors open.

Holding her breath, Camelia stands across the room, her fists clenched. 

What she doesn't expect is to see Nora.  Her face was veiled except for her eyes.  She hurriedly closed the door behind her and lifted the thin veil. 

"Come, we must hurry!  They will be coming for you later this afternoon!"   She whispered urgently racing towards Camelia who stood there in shock. 

"W-what do you mean?"  She managed to ask. 

"The Sultan will be summoning you!"  Nora explained.  "Do you not want to escape?" 

"Yes, of course but why are you helping me?"  Camelia asks, watching Nora place her hands over her protruding belly. 

"I am too selfish to share you with Sultan Suleiman!  I cannot allow you to become a favorite!  Rumor has it he is highly intrigued by you!  I am determined to give him the son he desperately needs.  His other wives have given him nothing but girls.  You must go now!"