The Dragon Lord's Wish

Jacqueline POV The iron clasp around my neck is stinging. Every time I try to move it burns deeper digging into my skin. I just want to get away. I shouldn’t be here and I’m ashamed I am. My heart feels heavy as do my feet, almost like they were trying to slow me down on my march to my most certain doom. The grime on the chains and the unknown slime on the walls of this damp, filthy place quells any happy thoughts or hopes I may have had. Slumming in the streets was better than this and that is where I should have stayed. That is where I need to go. I must escape. Taking my chains in my hands ignoring the burning sensation, I yank hard but my captor only chuckles and gives me an amused glance. I decided to try once more to break free by pulling the chain from my captor’s grasp. I take a deep breath, and I use all my body weight to yank making it slip from his hands. My feet stumble as I gain more freedom, but before I can find my footing to flee, he grips it once more and jerks me to swing in front of him. “Ah! No, you don’t, you little b***h. Grab her!” A very large, angry looking man comes forward from the shadows. He took me by surprise because I was almost sure my captor and I had been alone. It was almost as if he came out of the wall. His enormous hands hold my arms still and another man comes from the stairs to block me from trying to run or look for help. My eyes dart between them begging them to stop this, but they won’t look at me. They wait for his orders with the stillness of stone. “Bind her and make it tight.” My arms are wrenched behind my back by one of his beasts he calls guards, and I am bound with coarse rope. The rope is so rough it feels like it is making my skin bleed. I don’t try to resist because I fear one of the brutes will break my arms. Once I am bound and wrapped in rope the two mountains of men move away from me. My neck chain is pulled from behind me jerking my head back. He puts his knee in my back making my spine arch. I can’t breathe and there is a sick burning in my chest as I feel that dreadful but all too familiar presence at my back. “Don’t you try to run away from me, you filthy w***e,” he whispers into my neck before pushing me onto my face. My head strikes the cold stone floor, and I begin to see stars. I try to regain my bearings as he pulls me back up pressing his face next to mine. His skin feels like fish skin that’s been descaled and sat out in the sun. Slippery and lukewarm and simply disgusting. I smell his wine laced breath as his skin melts into mine with sweat. I’ve never liked burgundy wine, now I hate it. I can feel my face flush bright red like fire under my flesh as his words sting me. I’ve been many things in my life. I’ve been a beggar, a fugitive, a servant, and a witch. But never, not ever, a w***e. I’ve never even been with a man as far as I can remember. “Remember our deal Jacqueline, ma chére. Resistance is futile especially when I own you, witch.” He says with a hiss. Monsieur Chappon had always reminded me of a snake and now I’ve found myself in the snake pit. He was tall, well dressed, his black hair slicked back into a ponytail, lanky with wide shoulders and oddly strong for someone of his size. All his coats and clothes were black with gold lace trim. His face is what I imagine an imp looks like in human form. High arched eyebrows, a pointed chin and nose, not to mention the horrifically odd smile he had most of the time. It almost stretched to his ears and even when he was angry it looked like he was smiling with malice laced in his lips. In fact, I can’t think of a time when he wasn’t smiling “Rot in hell you pig,” I spat at him. Smack! He slaps me across the face sending me reeling. My ears ring and I blink rapidly to try to keep the tears from falling. He takes my chin in his iron grip bringing his smiling face frightfully close to mine. His eyes a dark slate gray in the torch light going to black with sinister intent. He smiles, showing his blackened teeth. My stomach flips and I try to quell the queasiness in my stomach. My head is spinning as I try to keep my senses. “Oh dearie, you’ll be right there with me. Heaven hath no places for witches or whores like you.” He says with almost a sing song voice. A scowl comes across my face as his smile widens. He knows he is getting under my skin, and he is loving every second of it. I can’t stand people like him who enjoy the suffering of others. Chappon is a master of torture and suffering. People say he paces in the office thinking of new ways to bring suffering to those unfortunate enough to find themselves on his bad side. There is enough suffering in this world due to chance and circumstance. For one to intentionally put another through suffering is a different level of evil entirely, in my opinion. He chuckles but the smile doesn’t move. His face disturbs me, and I get a feeling in my gut that tells me I am in danger. I want to cry, kick, scream, anything to get away from him. I make my face go blank. I can’t let him think he is winning, even if he is. He was known to have many people in his pockets and personal assistants for all his needs. Guards, secretaries, bookkeepers, tailors, butlers, maids, cooks, and more. He had almost everything a Lord would except the title. He even has a grand house in the nicer part of the city with its own stables. How he came to be so powerful is a mystery, though theories spread around the common folk of Paris. Simply looking at him, you wouldn’t think he had the biggest brothel in the city. Royals were known to employ him for parties and other events, King Louis included. One of the most rumored things about him was his dungeon and his torture. His dungeon is legendary amongst the commoners of the city. It’s not often someone with no royal lineage has one, let alone under a brothel. It has been said by many that if you are taken down there you never return. I’ve known of a few beggars who were said to make deals with him and are never to be seen again. “Come along, dearie,” he says in a sick little purr, stroking my cheek with a long bony finger, “Don’t worry boys. I can handle her. I want a little alone time to play with my newest toy.” The guards nod their heads and turn leaving us at the top of the stairs. I plead silently with them to not leave me alone with him, but neither will so much as glance my way. How could they ignore me so? Once both are out of sight, he pulls me up by my chain to my feet and starts to lead me down the stone stairs. I don’t fight this. Without my arms I risk falling down these steps. I don’t know how many steps there are and if I want to escape, I can’t risk serious injury. My feet threaten to betray me, stepping and slipping down one step at a time. My feet are bruised and cold. I am having a hard time wiggling my toes to keep feeling in them. My feet are so dirty you wouldn’t be able to tell what color they are. I didn’t have time to put on my shoes this morning when someone came into my room waking me up to start working in the brothel. The meal I had last night was so good and filling. I can’t remember the last time I was full. The kitchen staff let me have seconds and I didn’t even have to ask for it. And the bed, oh… the bed was so soft, and it seemed to cradle my aching and tired body. It must have made me sleep so deep that I hadn’t heard anyone come in. I’m normally a light sleeper; you have to be living on your own in the streets in a city like Paris. But to be warm and have a full stomach must have lured me into a false sense of security. The woman that woke me started trying to get me out of my night gown saying she had clothes for me. The clothes I saw were the ones Chappon’s whores wear. They’re a dark red for the main color and have diamond patterns on them running along the hemlines. The diamond color portrays the status of the lady within the brothel but I never had no know what they meant. I think the diamonds on the dress she gave me were white, but I can’t remember for certain. I was very confused as I was sure I was going to do housework and maybe help in the kitchen. I started putting the puzzle pieces together and knew I couldn’t stay there. I had tried to run but I was caught in the hallway after I came out of my room by Chappon’s guards.