A Threatened Treaty

Chapter Eight

"Land!"

That one word amplified Evangeline and Max's fear. They were nearing the place where they knew they'd be separated and placed into torturous situations. They heard footsteps headed for their tiny space and Max turned to her and began to unclasp something around his neck, which was soon revealed as a sapphire necklace.

Max latched it around her neck and embraced her in a tight hug before the door was opened and Evangeline was dragged out of Max's arms. They held onto each other by the wrist before they were finally forced to let go. Evangeline thrashed about and screamed until her hair was yanked by her captor. "Shut up, bitch," he said. Evangeline recognized his voice as Anastasio's and tears began to fog her eyes.

She felt rope tighten around her wrists and whined at its sting. She was slapped upside the head when she made the sound, before she was thrown into a cart, among many other slaves. She began to tear up again at the pain.

One of the others lifted her up to where she sat up against the wall as the doors were closed.

"Un joli visage et c'est le destin qu'il reçoit," said one of the elderly women, her voice lathered with a Gallican accent.

Evangeline didn't say a word, even as the cart began to move. The tears that had sprung up earlier had now begun to poor over the lids and fall down her cheeks. I'm being used to gain control over my homeland, she thought. She hung her head and let the tears fall.

She heard the woman scooting closer and glanced in the woman's direction before moving her head away from the approaching hand. The woman immediately began to croon at Evangeline. "Hush, silence. Je ne vais pas vous blesser."

Evangeline scooted away from her and turned her head away from the woman. "Je ne veux pas être touché," she said to the woman.

The woman went to touch Evangeline again when another hand grabbed her wrist. "She said not to touch her," the man said, with the thickest Hibernian accent Evangeline has ever heard in his voice.

The man untied Evangeline's hands, then left her alone in the corner. "Don't touch her," he repeated. "She's too scared to want to be near anyone right now, so leave her alone. All of you." He directed the last sentence towards the rest of the occupants in the cart.

As the cart drew silent when people began to fall asleep, Evangeline looked around and found the man that had stood up for her when she was scared and carefully moved over to him. He woke with a start when she leaned her head against his chest. He looked at her in surprise, then relaxed his body when she looked up at him with tired eyes.

He said nothing as she turned her head back to its original position. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close. It's okay, little one. You're going to need this before you get put in one of the worst situations you could imagine, he thought.

The next morning Evangeline was harshly woken up and tossed to the other side of the cart before the Hibernian was dragged outside. "Take care o' yerself!" the man cried to Evangeline. She nodded and shrunk against the wall until the door was closed, leaving the rest of them in darkness.

They sat in silence for a few hours before the cart stopped and the door opened again. One of the guards pointed towards Evangeline. "Tu! Vieni con noi," he said, motioning for her to come towards him as he spoke.

Evangeline stood and walked calmly towards the man, who grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her down, out of the cart.

"I am truly sorry to have them treat you like that, my lady," spoke a familiar voice.

Evangeline looked up and found herself looking at Anastasio's face. "Anastasio," she hissed.

"Oh, don't be like that. At least you'll be of use to me for the time being." He turned to the guards that held her. "Portalo alla mia tenda."

Evangeline gritted her teeth before she was dragged off to Anastasio's tent.

She didn't struggle. Instead, she held her tongue and let them tie her to the pole in Anastasio's tent. As they left, she swore at them. Unfortunately, that was also when Anastasio entered the tent. "Now, now. That's not what a lady's mouth should have on her tongue," he told her.

Evangeline spat at him. "You know I won't do what you say," she told him.

Anastasio sneered at her. "Oh, but you will," he replied as a man with a whip walked in.

She looked at the whip in fear. She hated whips, and when Anastasio held the whip in his hands, her anger gave way to fear.

Anastasio's sneer grew into a smile. "Oh, is someone afraid of the whip?" he taunted as he held the whip up a little.

Evangeline tried to cower into the pole. Anything but that, she thought.

Anastasio laughed. "Not so feisty now, are you?"

He rose the whip and flung his arm forward.

Outside the tent, the guards could hear the shrill scream of a young woman, coming from inside the tent.