The Greek Princess

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIII

Ariadne

I tried to yank my arm out of the man's grip, but he held on too tightly. No matter how much I pulled, it did nothing to loosen his grip. My heart was thumping in my chest and causing me to shake. I didn't know what to do. This man was clearly furious that I wouldn't do anything he had asked and that had only resulted in digging me further into this trouble.

"Stop struggling!" the man barked in my ear, sending shivers down my back. "You're making a scene." His voice was low and dangerous, giving off a tone that clearly told me he wasn't happy. But why had be brought me out here in the first place? Why not keep me locked in that cellar where he had taken me last night?

"Please," I whimpered, cringing as he raised his hand towards me. His palm connected with my cheek in a smacking sound. It stung and my eyes watered. No one had ever done such a thing to me before.

A old man stepped out of the crowd that had gathered and approached my captor. "What is going on here?"

"That's none of your concern," my captor hissed, making me flinch again. My cheek still burned.

"What you are doing to this young maiden is of my concern if it is against her will," the older man argued.

I remained absolutely still, praying that the greasy man wouldn't hit me again. I was lost for words and didn't understand a thing that was going on.

My captor didn't slap me, but he squeezed a bit tighter on my forearm, letting out a breath like laugh.

The older man didn't seem amused at all by that. "I say you unhand her if she doesn't want whatever you are forcing upon her."

"I can force whatever I want upon her!" My captor raged back, shaking me slightly.

Suddenly, another face appeared out of the crowd, and I instantly recognized who it was. The man who had caught me stealing. Lycus.

His face was drawn tight in confusion as he stepped forward until he was right beside the older man. "What is going on here?" He demanded, finally taking his eyes off me to look at the man who held me in his grip.

"Nothing of your concern," the man answered with a sneer. "My slave is just misbehaving." He glanced down at me in contempt.

Slave... wait, what? I was no slave! How dare he!

"How dare you!" I shouted, but instantly regretted doing so, realizing that I couldn't reveal myself, even in this circumstance.

The man shook me forcefully. "How dare I?" He growled, "How dare you disobey me!"

I gasped and realized that tears were running down my face. I was crying.

"Stop," Lycus ordered, "You're hurting her."

"She belongs to me. I can do whatever I see fit with her. And for running away, I should think that she deserves worse than just this."

0.0 Oh boy. Poor girl.

Ariadne - Ithildae