SOLD AND TAMED

CHAPTER4

Christabel’s POV

Her True Mate

I had been told what would be done to me. I had no fears of death but the fear of a worse life was greater than that of death. I didn’t want to survive only to end up in another wrong place.

But I had nothing to do. I had no power too change Linny’s decision and I had no willpower to take my life. All I could do was to persevere.

Linny handed me over to one of her senior maids who took me outside the mansion. I thought of escaping but again, I had no willpower. It was right in my presence that I was bargained. The other side looked like merchants.

“Five bronze coins would do!” The merchant exclaimed in a very loud voice. “This lady here is just a lady and nothing more. I can see no special features. I can’t pay more than that for someone who would only scrub the floors and clean the surroundings.”

“She is actually beautiful…” the senior maid was telling them. “She has stayed in the prison for fourteen days and she hasn’t bathed. If she baths and you take a look at her face, you will be surprised. She is worth more than five bronze coins!”

The merchant was skeptical and he ordered his men to take me down to the river. The men were bullies and they told me to undress before them. I was shaking but I didn’t want to let go of my dignity like this.

“No! Y’all should leave! I’m not going to run away. Just stop this!” I shouted at them. They continued laughing at me. I could see the senior maid. She had a stern look and when the men saw her, they stepped back. She could talk to me privately now.

“Wash your face and wear these clothes when you are done! If that merchant doesn’t buy you for at least twenty bronze coins, you will be killed…” the senior maid threatened.

And for the first time in many years, I washed my face. Linny had told me never to wash my face so I wouldn’t look beautiful. The irony in this scenario was that I needed to look beautiful for the men to buy me. I knew what I would have to do if they bought me.

I set my worries apart from the moment and I bathed properly. I wore the clothes after and I stepped out into the open. I felt strange while walking down to the merchant. The moment he saw me, he opened his mouth in severe shock.

“Is this the same person who entered the river? This lady here is an angel!” The merchant exclaimed.

“Of course!” the senior maid shouted in excitement. “You wanted to take her for five bronze coins. Would you reconsider now? You can see that she is more precious to be scrubbing the floor.”

“I suppose. I am interested…” the merchant said, licking his lips. “The clothes she just wore showed her body shape. Look at how curvy she is. This is what it means not to judge a book by its cover. Her rough face and her baggy clothes made me afraid.”

“Thirty bronze coins. I am selling her for nothing less than thirty bronze coins,” the senior maid said shortly. For a moment, the merchant started to laugh. I wondered what he would be thinking about at this moment.

“You named a fair price!” The merchant exclaimed. “I am sure you have a mistress whom you have to submit the amount to. You can have thirty bronze coins for your master. I will give you an extra twenty bronze coins because you brought me this beauty.”

The senior maid started to laugh. There, the deal was sealed and the merchant paid. As I watched the senior maid leave, I knew a chapter of my life had been closed.

-------------

Guess what happened next!

Just like you might have presumed, the merchant wanted me for himself. He even made his maid to serve me in camp. He was going on a trading journey and he even promised to make me his concubine when we got back to his mansion. He was a very rich man from checking his goods.

But I didn’t like him a single bit. He was roughly about sixty years old and this was one big turnoff. I had always fantasized about young, athletic, and handsome men. This merchant ticked nothing from the boxes. He tried to sleep with him but I only shouted and bit him. He was going to force me but I bit his neck and didn’t stop until blood came out. He left me instantly while shouting for help.

His men wanted to beat me up but he stopped them.

“I would have killed you for this but it would be a waste of money. I could have my men beat you up as well but it might damage you and that would be my loss,” he told me that night. “If you had cut deeper and severed my jugular vein, I would have been dead by now. I can choose to r**e you but I am too old for that. I still have some morals left.”

“Then let me go!” I exclaimed. “I will never sleep with you willingly.”

“I know…” he replied sarcastically. “You have refused to be my woman and I have a solution already. Since you do not wish to give that body to just one man, I will make sure you give it to several men. Tomorrow, you will be sold to a brothel. I will see how you will survive as a p********e. You will leave the rest of your life regretting that you never succumbed to me!”

I thought this was the end for me.

I was sold to a brothel the next day. This would be a fresh beginning for me. A woman was in charge of this brothel and she was really ruthless. She gave me my first customer that day but I didn’t succumb. I ran out of the room to escape but I was caught by her men. I was beaten up but I never slept with a man.

This was how things went for me. I never succumbed and I continued getting beaten up. The owner was getting tired of me and I trust she would throw me out or sell me off someday. In her bid to make me break my principles, she imprisoned me without food. Her plan was to do this for seven days with the belief that I would succumb before the days ran out.

And this was the place I met Raphael. He was one of the owner’s guards and he secretly brought my food once in a day. I survived with this and I never broke.

Until one day when a young, athletic, and handsome man came. He chose me and I went to his room with my heart beating hard.

“I am Chris. Your name is Charlotte, I suppose…” he said carefully. He had a very masculine voice.

“Yeah, I am,” I replied shyly.

He spent time admiring me. He was not impatient like other men. He looked at me while smiling.

“You are beautiful, you really are,” Chris said slowly. I had heard this many times but it felt differently.

Then his hands wandered to my thighs. I could feel goosebumps all over my skin already. I thought I had to stop but I felt no urge to. I cast away all my thoughts and focused on Chris. His burning lips touched mine and I received him with urge.

I felt wanted and I wanted him as well.

------------

Blissful morning.

I was caught up in this beautiful love story. I was smiling even with my eyes closed. I had no clothes on and Chris would probably be the same. I tried to find him with my eyes closed but my hand kept touching an empty space.

Then I opened my eyes.

Chris was GONE.