“Please, ma’am, don’t this let this happen to me!” the frantic girl cried passionately at Casia. She tried to escape the room, but was pulled back by the rope that circled her neck, returning, choking and coughing, as her guard meanly pushed her to the floor again, and held there under his boot heel.
Casia’s insides were torn with grief, that all this suffering was occurring on her behalf. She would not let this innocent one, whose stars had chosen badly for her, putting her in this place at this unfavorable moment, suffer such abuse. Casia’s body turned to ice, her eyes following, chilled and fixed. Then she turned to Titus completely composed, “Why should I have compassion for a girl I’ve never seen before. Whip her all you like. In fact, if you like, I will join in. The little strumpe
