Unbroken

Chapter 14

It was difficult to conceal my shock. They wanted me to kill Grant as a test to see if I really belonged with them. It would be kill or be killed. I knew that he felt responsible for our capture and he would want me to kill him to save myself. I didn't want to live a life in this hovel. I didn't want to be owned by Ruben and always watched by Tarra. I couldn't live this façade and I knew that if I tried to do it I would eventually slip up. I would rather die than live a poor excuse of a life like this.

"Come with me, sister." Tarra said extending her hand to me.

Tarra led me out of the cave and I followed unwillingly. Guards folded in behind us as we walked towards the camp. Tarra didn't even acknowledge their presence as they followed. I folded my arms around my waist in an attempt to hide myself. We followed a path and Tarra turned to look at me. She noticed my arms and I dropped them at my side. She gave me a smile as a reward and extended her arm to me. When I took it she tucked my arm around hers. We walked side by side in a sisterly fashion. I could hear the sound of voices up ahead and I knew that we were getting close to the camp.

I wanted to turn around and go back to the cave more than anything but I knew that it wouldn't be possible. I took a deep breath and held my head up high. My back was straight and I walked like my mother had taught me. She would be proud of my posture. I refused to look at anyone who was in the camp. I could feel their eyes on my face as I walked but I wouldn't look down. Royalty didn't look down.

Tarra paused outside of Rubens' tent and waited. The guards that had trailed after us reached forward to pull back the flaps. Tarra ducked inside and I followed. I saw Ruben sitting in his chair in the middle of the tent. He smiled up at Tarra and I as we walked in.

"Julianne." I heard Grant whisper in shock. I grit my teeth and took a deep breath in preparation for what I must do.

"No, it's not Julianne you don't have to pretend anymore, Grant." I said looking down at him with the angriest face that I could muster.

He stared back in shock. Not only at my new appearance but at my tone of voice. I glared back at him.

"She knows what you did Grant." Tarra whispered from behind me. "She knows how you betrayed her."

"I didn't..." he began but didn't have the chance to finish his sentence because Tarra slapped his face. The loud crack seemed to echo around the tent. I squoze my eyes shut as he reeled back from the impact of the blow. I forced my eyes open as Tarra looked at my expectantly.

"He hurt you Roslyn." She said. "He brought you here to us. He lied to you. You were supposed to be going to King Johnathan to marry his son. Grant lied to you." Tarra turned and perched on the arm rest of Ruben's chair. She sat back to watch us and I took a step towards Grant.

"You lied to me." I whispered with tears in my eyes. I knew what I had to do but I didn't want to do it. I walked towards Grant and raised my fist. I looked down at him as he knelt on the ground. He looked up at me with wide eyes as reality sunk in. I looked down into his blue eyes. They were honest eyes. I remembered the way that he had held me in his arms in our little shack. I knew that there was no way that he could betray me. I knew there weren't any other options but I couldn't hit him. My arm dropped back down to my side and I felt hot tears roll down my face. "I can't."

Tarra stood up and walked towards me with a murderous look on her face.

"No, do it." Grant pled. "Hit me Rose."

I shook my head at him. I refused to be owned by these people. I couldn't hurt him. I looked at Tarra as she approached me and I took a step back. Grant stood up and stood in front of me. I thought of his ribs and all his other bruises. I couldn't let her hurt him. Tarra did a short low whistle and the guards were in the tent in a moment.

"Take him out." She said.

"Rose!" Grant yelled as the guards grabbed his arms. He managed to get away from one of the guards and the other landed a fist in his stomach. Grant doubled over in pain and I stood there like a coward with tears rolling down my face. I watched as he was pulled out of the tent and Tarra walked towards me. I braced myself to prepare for the blows that were going to come at me. She surprised me by throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"It's alright Rose." She said as she pulled me against her side. "You don't have to do it right now. You'll get there."

I was so surprised by her actions. She led me out of the tent and I looked for Grant. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. She led me back to the cave. I was surprised by her actions. I expected a beating for my refusal. I had been disobedient and disobedience wasn't tolerated. She took me to a bed and tucked me under the covers.

"You've had a difficult day." She said as she walked to the other side of the bed. She laid down next to me like I imagined a sister would. "We'll try again tomorrow."

I listened to Tarra's deep and even breathing which let me know that she was asleep. I knew that any sound would awaken her. I was exhausted and the bed was soft. Eventually I fell into a fitful sleep.

I heard Tarra stirring a few feet away from me. She looked up and smiled at me a sleepy smile. In the short time that we had known each other I had changed into her sister and best friend. This didn't mean that I trusted her in the slightest. She was still terrifying but I knew that she thought highly of me. I was her new favorite toy. She got out of bed and helped me to get ready. Once again we made the journey through the camp. I could feel hungry eyes on me as we walked through all of the people who were starting their day. It was embarrassing to be dressed like this but there wasn't anything that I could do about it.

Once again Tarra waited expectantly outside of the Master's tent and the flaps were pulled back for us. Ruben was in his chair and he looked me up and down with his eyes lingering on my exposed body. I tried not to show just how uncomfortable I was. Instead I locked my eyes on his and forced my lips upward into a smile. He stood and walked towards me. It took everything in me to not back up. Instead I stood there while he walked around me like a hunter stalking its prey. I felt his finger trail across my shoulder and I shivered at the unwanted contact. His smile told me that he noticed but didn't understand. It was a shiver of revulsion not excitement.

"Tarra believes you're ready little one. Are you ready?" He asked me with his finger tracing my neck.

"Ready for what?" I asked. I knew that he saw what happened yesterday when I couldn't hurt Grant. He had to know that nothing had changed.

"To prove yourself to us. To pledge your loyalty to our cause."

I looked down at the ground as my mind raced. Yesterday I couldn't even hit Grant and now he wanted me to prove myself to them. I knew that meant killing Grant but there wasn't any way that I could do that.

"I have a present for you to practice with. Then when you are ready, you can become one of us." He said then extended his arm. I watched as Tarra walked in the tent. I hadn't even noticed that she had left us. She brought with us a girl. The girl couldn't have been older than fourteen. She was dressed in a dirty gown that hung down just past her knees. Her hair was a mess and she was filthy. She didn't even have shoes on her feet.

She was a present for me to practice with. They wanted me to learn how to torture. She was an innocent girl who deserved better than this. She was kept in an awful way and I couldn't even imagine the horrible things that she had gone through since being in this place. The girl looked at me and I could see the terror in her eyes.