Imprisoned to Love You [Edited]

♦⊱ Chapter 9 - Submissive ⊰♦

Ruka pov:

I was dazed when I came to, when I awoke from what felt like the deepest and longest slumber. Most of my upper body was numb, the slightest movement causing intense pain through my entire body. My eyes stung and I blinked rapidly as hot tears fell from them to soak the pillow on which I laid.

A whimper escaped my lips at the burning I felt over my entire back. I shut my eyes feeling crushed and overwhelmed by the dizziness I felt even as I remained sleeping on my front. The blanket covered my unclothed form until my waist and the cool breeze that came in through the window felt good on my wounded back but didn't ease the overall pain I felt through my body. I was glad that there were no soldiers in the room while I was in such a humiliating state – I guess Kichiro sama knew that I wouldn't be able to even move in this state and didn't need men guarding me even inside the room.

My eyes went wide and my heart raced in fright when the room door was opened and someone stepped in. A wave of relief washed over me though when I saw Kyo chan come into my line of sight. Immediately after, more tears welled in my eyes and gushed out along with sobs. Kyo chan was at my side instantly, looking over me in concern and sadness.

"Shh, My Lady, please calm down," she cooed, caressing my head gently. "I know that you are in pain both mentally and physically but you must calm down. You need to heal and crying like this will only stress you more."

"I-It hurts, Kyo chan," I croaked through my sobs, "it hurts so much! How can he be so mean? How can he be so cold-hearted?"

She sighed but didn't answer my question. She reached for a tray on which were medical supplies and opened one of the ceramic boxes, "This will hurt, My Lady, but please bear with it for a while."

She dipped a clean cloth in the liquid salve and gently lowered it onto the wounds on my back. I shut my eyes and clenched my fists tightly to keep from letting out nothing more than whimpers of pain as she treated my wounds. I flinched at every contact as she disinfected the whole of my back. Done with disinfecting, she began to cover my wounds with bandages.

"You should not have tried to escape, My Lady," she said in a soft tone, not pausing the bandaging.

"But I couldn't bear to stay here. I was scared...no, I'm still terrified, even more now because of what he's done. I want to go home, Kyo chan, back to where everything makes sense and where I'll be safe and not hurt like this," I said, my voice weak and wavering. The silence that followed was uncomfortable but neither of us spoke until Kyo chan had finished bandaging my wounds.

"I never wanted to tell you this, My Lady, but I think it's better than you know so you can be more careful," she said while keeping aside the medicine tray. "You are not the first prisoner His Majesty, Lord Kurai has brought and locked up this way. You are the second person to have been brought here, with him claiming you as his possession."

"I'm the second?" I repeated, sniffling once in between.

She nodded and gazed at her hands in her lap, "His first prisoner was a young boy, perhaps thirteen or fourteen. He too was locked in this room and our instructions were to give him everything he wanted except being let out of this room – the same instructions we were given when assigned to you."

"Why would he do that though?" I pressed, curious but afraid to hear the answer.

"I don't know, My Lady. The boy was cheerful and always bubbling with energy – as I had seen once in the village – but turned into an empty shell when he came here. He lived every minute of his life in fear, trembling under His Majesty's gaze, and tried to run away several times. Each time he was caught, he was punished by being locked in the dungeons for two days without food or water. I'm quite surprised His Majesty did something so harsh to you when he hadn't done anything close to this to that boy. But perhaps it was to ensure that you don't attempt another escape and annoy him like the boy did...it would be best if you were compliant and didn't do anything to upset His Majesty in the future."