Olives, Saltwater, and Honey

9

“Eos?” Permenides called as I entered the house.

‘I’m going to die today’ I thought.

“It’s me, my king.” I called back.

“I’m in the dining room, having supper. Come join me, if it fits into your busy schedule.” He hissed.

My hands shook, and I chewed violently on the inside of my lip as I walked towards the dining room.

“Have a seat.” He pointed to a chair and smiled.

The smile did not reach his eyes.

My stomach was filled with butterflies and I tried to ignore the hairs that were standing on the back of my neck.

“Where were you all day?” He cocked his head to right.

“I’m sorry, my love. I went to the market to buy foods for our party, and then I began to roam around looking at all of the plants and I lost track of time.” I wrung my hands under the table.

His jaw clenched and a vein began to pop out on his forehead, “You know that I ask very little of you. Very, very little. I ask that as my wife, you put me as your number one priority. I ask to be prompt at all meal times, to be respectful to me and all of the food I put down on this table.”

He smashed his fist into the table.

“There is no reason I should be dining alone! There is no reason my idiot wife should not be in my home waiting on me hand and foot. What if I wished you to tell me a story? What if I wished you to lay with me? Do you think that it is fair for me to have to wait on you?” Spit flew from his mouth.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. He stood knocking his chair over and came to me.

“Answer me you insolent woman!” He screamed grabbing my hair and dragging me from my chair.

“I will not be made a fool of, Eos. You are a woman! Your place is in the home! Serving your husband, licking his feet is he wish it!” He slapped me with that hand that did not have me by the hair.

I kicked and screamed and begged for someone to help me. The servants stood, watching in horror as Permenides dragged me to his bed room. He pulled me, slammed the door shut, and threw me onto his bed. My blood ran cold as I watched him take his clothes off. He slapped me again making me fall off the bed.

“Get up! You useless, woman!” He spat.

I scrambled up, pressing my back against the wall. He was fully naked and once again grabbed me by my hair to throw me onto the bed. He was fully erect, and I was disgusted to realize he was getting off on this.

He ripped my dress off of me and left wet kisses on my body.

“This, this is all that you are good for.” He muttered.

I whimpered, and again he slapped me.

“You speak when you are spoken to!” He grunted as he shoved himself into me.

“No, please. Permenides please!” I begged.

He put his hand over my mouth and thrusted into me harder.

 He finished and spit on my face, “That should teach you.”

Rolling off of me he sighed, contented.

“Get out.” He said indifferently.

I left his room, and ran to the bathroom. I was sick on the floor.

“Are you alright?” Akira ran in.

“I need a bath, please Akira, a steaming hot bath.” I begged, clutching her.

“Yes, of course.” She whispered.

She set up a hot bath quickly and helped as I lowered myself into it.

“Thank you so much, Akira, but I need to be alone right now.” I stuttered holding back tears.

“Yes… Yes, of course.” She whispered, leaving.

I sat unmoving and crying for a long while. For so long in fact that the water turned cold, and my hands pruned. My knuckles hurt so badly, my eyes stung. I was married to a monster and I could do nothing about it. I looked at my reflection in the water and noticed a bruise on my left cheek. It was big and ugly and purple, and it made me feel ashamed of myself. Ashamed that I would let a man treat me this way, that I would let a man rape me. I felt pathetic and weak. I cried until no more tears would leave my eyes, until I felt nothing. I cried until I was sure every last bit of my soul had escaped through my tears and flew away to a place where it could be happy and warm. A cold void filled me, and I knew I was digging a grave in my chest. The flowers that had grown in my mind that day had already wilted. I could still smell Permenides’ stink on my skin, regardless of how many times I scrubbed. I felt dirty and used.

When I got out of my bath, my legs were weak and I nearly fell. I shook my hand and pushed my wet hair away from my face.

I sighed and went to my room. I snuggled into my bed, and smelled the scent of me on my pillow. I prayed so very hard that night, begging the Gods to help me, to release me from my prison. I fell asleep with Theas on my mind.