Eternal Love

  'Spooky doesn't even cover it, and eerie is an understatement.' From a distance, sitting upon a hilltop looking down, the structure appears like any other old and abandoned castle, crumbling and decaying. In the middle of nowhere stood the remnants of destruction,  resting their weary limbs scattered in the middle of an empty field. The castle was more ancient than any bone left in the soil, at least within the last seven or eight centuries, and for a time, it was said to be haunted. However, that was a part of its hidden charm, most of which attracted me to the place.     I was not like the other girls of sixteen. While they were all about fashion, make-up done to perfection, and chasing boys, I was out exploring haunted castles, researching ghost stories, and chasing demons. I was intrigued by a different time, different era, and different species. I've imagined many times living in an earlier time when things were so much more simple, that I sometimes forget that I live in the present, the nineteenth century. I have always been fascinated by the stories told as a child, and the whispers of demons with pointy teeth that lurked in the shadows of the castle.     I would imagine that a life of solitude can do that to a person. Creating an imagination that runs rampant throughout the streets in your head, screaming that you're different, and you're destined for bigger and better things. At least that is what I told myself every time my step-father referred to his big plans he has for me. I've always known what he had planned, but my mother always stood in the way when it came to me, her one and only child. She sent me away to Saint Mary's school for girls to keep me out of his clutches, at least until two years ago, when she mysteriously passed on.     Tim, my step-father, had begun putting his plans in motion as soon as I was once again under his roof. He enrolled me into etiquette classes, dance lessons, and hired a tutor in fashion etiquette, making sure I knew on a daily basis that I was not going to be an embarrassment, or make a mockery of him. I always seem to stumble into my own amount of trouble, but Tim's plans are the worst kind of trouble. Amongst a handful of very rich old men, Tim began to auction me off to the highest bidder.     "I WON'T DO IT!!" I screamed as I stood my ground. "You will...even if I have to beat you into submission." Tim replied calmly as he glared at his step-daughter. "You can't do this...I'm your daughter." "No." Tim said as he approached Sage from around his desk. "Technically you're Myra's daughter, not mine." He continued as he brushed her hair back off her shoulders, exposing her long neck. "You will do as you are told, Sage. Either way, it can be the easy way, or the hard way." "I refuse to take my clothes off in front of a bunch of old geezers." Sage hissed. Tim nodded. "The hard way it is." He motioned to the man that blocked the door to step forward. "Hold her down."     Sage swung around in panic just as her step-brother grabbed her and wrestled her to the floor, tearing at her clothes. Her shirt was torn open, buttons scattering across the carpet, just before she kneed him in the gut. "You b***h!" He growled as he backhanded her. Sage whimpered underneath his weight, the impact causing her head to hit the floor, her cheek stinging as if she rolled around in a patch of nettles. He leaned down and whispered against her ear as a hand slid down between her legs. "Please do that again and give me a reason to leave you sore and aching." Sage went limp under his weight and the struggling ceased. "Such a pity." He sighed as he removed the remainder of clothing, leaving her lying naked on her back. He glanced up at his father as he straddled his step-sister. "The men are waiting," Tim said as he tossed a thin, flimsy piece of fabric at his son, "get her on her feet."     Sage cried out in pain, struggling against Alex's grip as he yanked her to her feet. "STOP!" She screamed as she tried to push Alex away. "Alright boy, that's enough. The men are growing impatient." "Okay father." He replied as he released her arms. He stretched an arm out to her, the transparent robe dangling from his fingertips. "Either you can put it on, or you can have the pleasure of my touch as I put it on you." Alex chirped with enthusiasm. Sage reached out and snatched the robe, "Not a chance." She growled in anger.                     Sage quickly donned the robe and tied the belt, not that it did any good anyways. She was still completely exposed, not only to her step-father and step-brother, but she would be exposed to a room full of strangers. "Get over here, girl." Tim said as he turned to his desk and removed something from a box. Sage hesitated as she stood still, staring at his back. "He said move." Alex growled as he shoved her shoulder, forcing her to stumble in Tims direction. Once she contained her balance, Tim was staring down at her, a chain attached to what appeared to be a leather collar gripped in his hands. She felt Alex's hands on her neck as he lifted her curls, exposing her slender neck for his father to attach the collar around it. He pulled it tight enough around her neck that if she tried to struggle against his pull, it would choke her. Tim then clipped the chain to the collar and secured it with a padlock so there was no removing it.       Grabbing the chain as she was being tugged behind him, Sage began to struggle. Alex was behind her however, shoving her forward each time she tried digging her heels in. Tim guided her to the sunroom at the back of the house, filled with several unfamiliar faces lounging around the room. There in the middle of the room, where once sat a beautiful table now resided a large cushioned stool. "Gentlemen..." Tim addressed as he entered the room, "I do apologize for the delay, but I must say it was well worth your wait." He continued as he pulled Sage to the cushion. "Sit." Tim commanded her, before handing the chain to Alex.      Sage glared at Tim as he walked around the room, shaking hands, and thanking them for their attendance. "Now, may I have everyone's attention focused to the center of the room?" Tim said, addressing the entire group. "This here is my step-daughter Sage. She is the reason why everyone is gathered here today. She is young and beautiful as you all can see. She has been educated in the proper etiquette fit for a king, and whoever here chooses to bid the highest will have the pleasure of a virginal bride." "How do we know that she's a virgin?" One of the men called out. "Proof." Tim said as he motioned to a man by the doorway to step forward. "This here is Doctor Sergy, which I believe most of you are familiar with?" After many of the men nodded their heads, Tim then turned towards Alex and nodded.       Alex jerked on the chain, causing Sage to fall backwards to the cushion. He attached the chain to something beneath the stool before pulling out cuffs from the sides and clipping them around her wrists. Sage struggled against the cuffs, only to realize he just strapped her down to where she couldn't fight what was to come.  From the area where her legs dangled over the side, Alex pulled out a pair of stirrups. Sage recognized the metal footrests, as they were used for birthing a baby. She immediately began kicking at Alex as he reached for her ankles, catching him in the gut once more. "b***h!" Alex hissed as he hunched over, hugging his stomach. "Don't touch me!" Sage screamed. Before she could say more however, Tim had a hold on the chain, tugging as it began to choke her. "You will obey me, as you will your master to be." Tim then glared at his son, nodding towards the stirrups.       Before the pressure in her neck let up, Alex had both Sage's feet strapped to the stirrups. "Doctor?" Tim said as he adjusted the stirrups so her legs were locked in place. Sage felt the warm tears roll down her cheeks as she was even more exposed, her legs wide open for all to see her genitals. She whimpered as she felt a cold hand on her lower stomach, pushing painfully as the doctor inserted two long fingers. His fingers moved inside her as if he were searching for something, but once he removed them, he turned to the onlookers that were now crowded round. "Her suitor will be pleased to enter a virginal bed. Her maidenhead is still very much intact." As Alex unstrapped her the crowd fanned out and returned to their seats, whispering among themselves.      Tim took hold of the chain and paraded Sage around the room like a show dog, stopping her in front of each man. one at a time. Each man got their eyeful until she was stopped in front of the last. He appeared to be the youngest of the group, but still older than Tim. He was pleasing to the eye for his age, and he held himself with royal grace. He reached out and tugged on the belt to the robe, allowing it to fall open. He pulled the fabric from her skin and examined her with his eyes. "Poor, poor, girl." He whispered. "Such a shame you're put up on the butcher's block. You'd make good for a queen." He continued as he cupped her breasts and squeezed. He then slid a hand between her legs, causing Sage to whimper. "Such innocence." He said as he removed his hands from her body before waving her away.