Chapter Thirteen
She slept peacefully, her brow slowly easing, the tension falling away with each minute she remained still and alone. Alone, except for the one that attended her. The man washed her wounds, even as she slumbered, applied ointment to the broken places on her skin, and soothed the rough places on her ass and thighs with balm. He was surprised to see that she was not more battered by the punishment. Perhaps the company at the feast could not be so vile to the woman who had been their honored queen. Perhaps she was indeed still a queen in their eyes. That was only right, he thought. She would always be his queen.
At one fitful moment in her repose, the man held her dearly to his chest and let his tears flow unbeknownst to the unconscious woman. When he thought she needed so
