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Early to Port

           Dark , she thought, it's still dark. Gwen woke up like this a lot. Tired, yet completely awake and alert. It was early morning in England. The kind of early before the sun had time to rise and warm the air from the night's chill. The air was still cold and the fog rolled in from the nearby ocean, putting the town in an uncomfortable shadow.

          Gwen rose from her bed slowly and groaned.

          Very unladylike, Gwen, she chided herself, covering her face before a yawn escaped. Gwen's mother had always had to remind her daughter about a lady's manners. No noises, no movements...

          "No fun." Gwen tip toed to the window, wrapping herself in her thick shawl. Dawn was coming quickly and it was rare that she woke at the perfect time to see it. The outline of the town from her window slowly started to come into focus as color began to return shade by shade. Gwen stood quiet and still as the morning, watching the earth awaken. Hues of pink and orange tinted the grass and the trees, making the dew glisten. The fog continued on into the town, sliding over cobblestone streets and creeping past brick houses. Finally, the sun started to rise from the horizon, rays falling into the still dim bedroom. Everything was peaceful and beautiful.

          The hallway outside of Gwen's bedroom, however, was anything but peaceful. Footsteps slammed on the wooden floors as pitter patters followed. The maid and the doorman's voices could be heard, pleading with the heavy booted steps that were getting too close to Gwen's door. Then a loud banging and rumbling voice.

          "Where is she? Where is my harlot of a wife?" The voice boomed from the other side of the door and Gwen shook. Racking her brain she tried to remember what she could have done to set off his temper this time. She couldn't think of a thing.

          "Please, Sir! The poor girl has been home all night, no one has come or gone."

          "She hasn't woke yet, Sir. I swear it." A slap and quick yelp was the last of that attempt for mercy.

          "Open the damned door, Gwendalyn!" Gwen snapped out of her stillness and hurried to the door, in no mood to test his patience. Slowly, she opened the door and popped her head out.

          "Damon?" She knew damn well who it was.

          The door flew open, sending Gwen back a few steps. Damon stomped into the room, slamming the door on the maid's protests. Gwen took another cautionary step backward, keeping a trained eye on his movements. Those boots in particular.

          "Where were you last night, Gwen?" Damon was quiet but angry.

          "I was here. I'm always here, Damon."

          "Liar!" He closed the space between them in two long strides, gripping her throat. "I saw you outside the tavern last night. Saw you with a bloody man!"

          Gwen gasped for air, trying to pull his hands from her neck. He let go with a shove and she fell to the floor with a thud. There was another gasp from behind the door.

          "You did not see I, Damon. I would have no reason to be in town, much less with a man!" She was more than honest with him. She hated him, but that didn't mean she would run to the arms of another monster.

          "You do not talk back to me, wench!" His boot came down hard on her back. Gwen didn't know how to stop this from happening, he wouldn't hear her. He reached down and flipped her onto her back, gripping her by the hair and pulling her face to his. He had definitely been at the tavern all night, his breath reeked of ale. Gwen tried to pull back but he only pulled harder before crushing his lips painfully against hers. "You are mine. And no one else's. You best remember that or I may have to teach you another lesson..." His smile disgusted her. The only word Gwen could think of to describe him. Disgusting.

          Damon shoved her backwards again and quickly stood.

          "I have to leave to port. I expect you to bring my lunch with Anne. Don't disappoint me again, Gwen." He roughly shut the door, leaving her in silence once again. She had gotten off lucky and was grateful for whatever ship had come to port so early. He didn't have the time to hurt her like she knew he wanted to.

          "Miss?" There was a timid voice from the door.

          "Just a moment, Anne." Gwen stood, pulling her shawl around her neck, covering the very obvious red fingerprints. She walked to the door and opened it for the maid.

          "Are you alright, miss?" Anne quickly scanned over Gwen to look for blood.

          "I'm well, thank you." Gwen knew better than to speak against her husband. She was lucky Anne understood eyes better than words. Anne was the only friend she had ever had, her only solace in an unhappy life.

          "You were very lucky Sir was already late to port." Gwen shook her head and smiled. Very cheeky.

          "It was. Although it is unusual a ship would dock so early in the morning."

          "There's been talk of pirates off the shores nearer here, vessels coming back to port for the safety of the crew and supply. You don't think they will follow?" Anne mused as she picked up the chamber pot to clean.

          "Of course not, Anne. No pirate would want to ransack such a poor town. What do we have that they could not find elsewhere?" Anne nodded and left the room to clean the pot. Gwen looked out the window with a saddened sigh. The sun had brightened and morning had come. She had missed the final rays of dawn.