Chapter 4 - The Glowing Crescent

If not for the fear that overwhelmed her, Sylvia would have felt utterly humiliated. She knew and understood that she was a mere slave now and a slave was most often used for sex, but she was not yet mentally prepared for it. How could someone ever prepare themselves for something like this? The man, however, seemed as if he couldn't care less about what she felt. He was far too engrossed in his own thoughts. Sylvia bit her lips shamefully as he took another glance at her most intimate private part and then sighed in displeasure. It almost looked like he was searching for something, but then again he could just be another garden variety pervert eying a woman's body from various angles. Before Sylvia could muster some courage to open her mouth, the man leaned back and threw the sword in his hand onto the bed. He then hurriedly rummaged inside a leather pouch tied to his waist and soon took out a pearl-like gem from within. As soon as he brought the pearl near her, Sylvia could weirdly feel her whole body tingle. She was extremely confused and curious. But she didn't really have any mental space to think about that right now. She clutched her shoulders tightly with her arms, not to cover her body since it was impossible to do so, but rather to comfort herself even if it was just a little bit. The man's eyes finally noticed her expression and a cold chuckled escaped his lips. "This will be over soon." He said. He brought the pearl close to her and again started ravaging her body with his eyes. Luckily for Sylvia, this time it was not that embarrassing and it didn't last long. However, unluckily for her, his eyes landed in the center of her chest. His hand then followed his eyes as he raised his index finger and circled a spot on her chest. Sylvia's eyes curiously followed his actions and a loud gasp escaped her lips. On her chest, where the man was circling his finger, there was a small glowing mark. Yes, glowing. Why the hell was it glowing? What did he do to me? Sylvia took a step back, her eyes and face painted with shock and disbelief. There was a small crescent-shaped mark on the center of her chest brightly glowing. She looked at the mark and then looked at the cold and cruel man, who now weirdly looked content and satisfied as if he had gotten his money's worth. He also didn't hover around any longer and walked away, tossing a piece of silk cloth lying on the bed towards her. The man then shut the door loudly and left the chamber, leaving behind a completely naked and flabbergasted Sylvia. Just what the hell was happening? She wondered, her lips parted and her breathing ragged. Sylvia crouched down in a corner of the chamber and hugged her knees, still shivering from the aftermath of what just happened. She clutched the thin silk bed sheet, now wrapped around her body as if her life depended on it. It took a while for Sylvia to calm down. In all honesty, she expected a completely different series of events. She thought that the man was going to devour her wholly right then and there. And she didn't know if what transpired just now was better or worse than that. She took a few more deep breaths and calmed herself down, when suddenly the door creaked open again, making all her efforts vain. Sylvia instantly panicked and moved closer to the corner, cramming her frail body against the wall, seeking its non-existent support and protection. At the same time, her head tilted slightly and she couldn't help but nervously peek through her silver locks to see who had entered. A middle-aged woman dressed in a prim and proper maid uniform stood at the door. The woman was gazing at her, her face filled with a mix of pity and intrigue. On her hand was a platter of what looked and smelled like food. Sylvia slightly relaxed, her eyes still holding a fair bit of anxiety. Her stomach, however, unequivocally groaned and grumbled in hunger. "Would you like to eat something dear?" The middle-aged woman finally opened her mouth and spoke. Clearly, she had also heard the embarrassing cry of help from her stomach. Sylvia hesitantly nodded. She didn't know what exactly was awaiting her in the near future, but right now, a plate of warm food sounded good to her ears. "Get up dear. Come here and sit comfortably while you eat." The maid waved her hand and called her over. Sylvia again obediently nodded her head and stood up, tightly clutching the blanket and inched closer to the maid. Apart from the bed, there was also a table and chair in the room. The food platter was placed on the table, so Sylvia sat down on the chair. She adjusted her bed sheet to make sure that nothing was exposed, but overall she still looked very uncomfortable. "There you go. Eat some food. You will feel better." The maid encouraged her. She opened up the lid covering the platter and it revealed a generous portion of meat, potatoes, and a cup of broth. The warmth and the smell of the fresh food comforted her greatly and Sylvia immediately dug in. Slowly and hesitantly at first, but soon she gulped down everything present on the plate. The maid, who was patiently waiting for her, standing on the side promptly took the empty platter away. "If you are still hungry, I can bring you some more?" She asked gently. Sylvia hurriedly nodded. She hadn't eaten anything for what felt like ages and she was terribly hungry. The maid chuckled at her childlike expressions. "Okay dear, sit tight. Let me bring you some more. I will also bring you some change of clothing?" She smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your kindness, Lady…?" "Oh! Ha ha. I am not a Lady. Please call me Jane, dear. I am just a maid here." A small smile surfaced on Sylvia's beautiful face and she politely nodded. She saw that Jane was about to leave and quickly stopped her, by tugging on her dress. "Ummm… Ummm… Jane. May I ask who is the master of this household?" Upstodatee from n(0)/v?/lbIn/.(co/m "Household?" The maid exclaimed in surprise. "No, dear. You are currently in the private castle of Prince Mikel."