Saya opens her eyes feeling pains, although not too serious. She looks down and sees an arm around her waist, the events of what she last remembers comes flashing in her head, and she throws the arm off her scurrying to the other side of the bed breathing hard, scared. She looks and sees Xerxes who sat up on the bed looking at her.
"Saya, it's me," he says coming to her. "No! Stop!" she exclaims holding herself tears flowing down her cheeks. Xerxes stops looking at her. "It's okay. I won't harm you,"
"No! Please just stay there. They...they touched me," she says scratching her arms, shaking.
"I know"
"No! They...they saw...my body too" Saya is breathing so hard, she feels her head spinning.
"Saya you need to take some deep breaths," Xerxes doesn't know how else to calm her down. She looks around her and notices she's back in the castle of Moore.
"Where's my mother?" she asks. "Please I want my mother!" she cries out.
Xerxes gets up from the bed and opens the door, Nabir coming inside.
"My Lady," she calls. "Nabir, get me my mother please"
"It's okay My Lady, just calm down."
Saya cannot control her emotions right now, all she knows is that she doesn't want to be touched by anyone. She just wants to see her mother, she wants her to explain that everything is alright. Saya stands up from the bed, backing up against the wall and falling in a corner, when Nabir takes a step towards her.
"It's okay, I'll just sit here and wait for you to come to me," Nabir says gently sitting on the bed, looking at her.
Saya nods then looking at Xerxes she starts panicking a bit. Nabir turns to Xerxes and bows, "Forgive me My Lord, I don't think she wants to be seen by any man right now."
Xerxes closes his eyes and takes a breath before he reluctantly leaves the room. Saya exhales in relief, but says nothing. She's trying her best to calm down, but for some reason she doesn't want anyone close to her.
"He's gone My Lady...it's okay." Her hand immediately goes to her belly, looking up at Nabir in shock, "My-My baby! I w-was bleeding and I-"
"Your baby is fine. You just need to calm down to avoid stress on your child"
"Nabir, they touched me, and I couldn't fight them off," tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Yes, they did, but they didn't take your dignity away. The king is still your first and only My Lady. You have to be strong, for the women who look up to you and are in desperate need of your help, for yourself, and for your child. I know that I cannot possibly understand what you're going through, but I want you to know that the Nabir who was willing to die to keep your secret is still here with you. You are a princess and what they did to you does not diminish your status one bit! You are okay, and you are fine do you hear me?"
Saya nods trying to wipe away her tears, it is true, she has her friend and her baby with her.
"I just need a little time"
"I know, My Lady. Time heals everything"
***
Xerxes is training with his men, his anger clearly radiating. He knocks all his training opponents down, but they're too scared to get back up. What if he seriously injures them?
"My Lord, the princess's maid is here to see you," his commander says. Xerxes drops the training sword immediately heading towards the entrance of the camp. He sees Nabir who bows.
"Is she better?"
"My Lord, I am making progress, but she needs time."
Xerxes looks at her waiting for more information. Nabir takes a deep breath, "I think she needs to be sleeping in her chambers for a while. I'll be on the floor in case she wakes up at night. It is just until she starts coming around again."
Xerxes frowns at her, she bows her head waiting for him to speak.
"Very well," he says, leaving her and walking back to the castle. Nabir lets out a sigh of relief, but she cannot help but wonder how he must feel. This tragic event is one he too will never forget.
***
"Saya was almost raped?" Lady Oma asks looking at Sarah who had just broken the news to her.
"Yes My Lady. Although they're trying to keep this a secret so that people don't spread unnecessary rumours," Sarah says bowing to her.
"Too bad, if that bastard Peter hadn't gotten in the way, she would have been totally ruined," Oma says sitting on her bed.
"Did the baby die?"
"No, My Lady, but you still have a shot"
"How do you mean?"
"Lady Saya will be sleeping in her chambers with Nabir on the floor. She's too traumatized to stay with any man at the moment. It might take months for her to recover."
"And months is exactly what I need," she gives a devilish smile to Sarah. She then opens her drawer and throws her a sac of gold coins. Sarah immediately picks up the fallen ones and bows. "Thank you, My Lady"
"Keep doing your job, and you will be rewarded"
"Yes My Lady"
"Now get out!" Sarah scurries away after hiding the small sac in her bosom.
Lady Oma gets up from her bed and sits on the table making her tea as she soliloquizes, "So the gods have, yet again, gifted me with another opportunity to take my rightful place at the side of the king. The baby is still alive but that does not change anything, Saya will still have to obey my command else I expose her secret. Is the resistance actually on my side? They have done so much for me, and I shall not waste this opportunity. The king will be mine."
***
"So the king doesn't mind that I am sleeping here tonight?" Saya asks, laying in her bed.
"He was upset when I put in the request, but he cares about your well-being. He had to agree." Saya nods resting her head on her pillow.
"You should not sleep on the floor, use the couch"
"My Lady, I am fine right here"
"Please."
Nabir looks at the princess for a bit before she sighs, gets up, and heads over to the couch, laying down, it is more comfortable than her bed!
"Nabir?"
"Yes, My Lady"
"...Do you think I'll ever go back to who I was?"
"...No, but you can become better, heal and learn from it. Remember that there are people around you that have nothing but love for you. They want to see you prosper. You will be alright My Lady, remember what I said, time heals everything."
Saya sighs. "Nabir?"
"Yes, My Lady"
"Thank you for being my friend"
"Thank you for being mine," she replies. Saya gives her a tight smile before slipping into total darkness.
See you tonight for the 2nd SAYA update!
YOU ARE READING
SAYA
RomanceShe leaves her family to live with a man she has never met. She's only read about him, and knows the hell she's getting into, but she does this to save her father's kingdom. In a time where women are used, abused, and punished without cause even for...
