BRING ME THE NEW SLAVE

Imogen forced her eyes opened, glancing around her cosy room, she stretches her body and sat upright on the bed. She raised her slender hand and placed it on her head which was throbbing hard from a persistent headache, she knew not how she got in the room as the only thing she remembered last was the horrific scene she had never experienced before in her entire life till now.

The door to her room bursted open, Aria and Poppy the head of slaves made their entrance in.

"You are awake" Aria said and went to sit beside her on the bed.

 

"Yes, what happened?" Was her first words.

"Don't you remember, you fainted after seeing Mira body" Aria replied.

"Mira?"

Imogen said with shaky voice and shallow breathing.

"The slave whose head was cut off" Poppy answered this time while Imogen sighed in fear.

"Thank you for bringing me to my room" 

"It is ok, you must have been frightened, you get to see that on your first day." Poppy paused, Imogen facial expression gloomy. "But that is just how life is here, we are slaves. We get punished if we steal our master's belongings, we get hurt if we try to run away, and we die if we failed to satisfy our master needs. That is the fate of slaves, your fate from now on" Poppy said and left Imogen and Aria in the room.

She knows that already, but why does it terrify her when she said those words. Why does her heart beat so fast in dread?

"Why?" She said but she already knows the answer to that question.

"Because this is hell" Her subconscious answered while she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"It is is hell" 

**********

The silence that encapsulated the room got disrupted as the maids served different kinds of dishes on the table.

After they were done serving, they move a few steps away from the table and then came in the Splauding family and Lord Simon, they all took a seat.

"It is my pleasure to have you to din with us" Maverick Splauding said but Simon replied not.

"Why are you not talking my lord? Is there something wrong?" Lady Gila questioned with a smile on her face.

"I just don't feel the need" Lord Simon said coldly as he munched on his food while the family of Splauding cleared the throat due to the embarrassment.

The Splauding family is one of the prominent family in the kingdom, known for their wealth and connection to the royal family. Respected by the society because of their family ties with prince George, even though the rest of the world knows the Splauding would have been nothing without the prince, they take such huge pride for being the Splauding and also for a fact that Lady Gila is engaged to lord Simon.

"I apologize for that, we are just happy to have you here. Less, I forget my Lord. Did you hear about the full moon tonight, people are talking about it. People say if two lovers go too deep inside the mountain to see the full moon then their love will last more, so I was thinking we should go together" The lady demanded but the lord just gave out a sigh.

"What is it, my lord?"

"Are you ignorant about courtesy and manners or you just decided to skip that today? And also I don't believe in superstitions, it never works when it is supposed to" He nagged in a very harsh tone, his voice coated in frustration.

"I apologize" Lady Gila said regretfully. Maverick looked at Simon with hatred then at his pitiful daughter.

"Let's eat" Maverick said to her daughter and she nod. They picked the cutleries and started digging in the food. But, their attention was fixated on Simon.

They were making it so noticeable that it made Simon so irritated and he found it disturbing.

He dropped his fork on the table, "What is it?" He quizzed using his napkin to clean his jaws.

"I don't understand you, My Lord" Lady Gila said.

"Is that so, Lord Maverick?" Simon inquired staring at him.

The old man cleared his throat and proceed. "When precisely are you going to get married?"

"Father" Lady Gila urged, not that she didn't want him to speak. But she prefers him to be comprehensive with his statements.

"Don't stop me, Gila. I have been patient enough" He faced lord Simon this time.

"You and my daughter have been engaged for two years, many men have asked for her hand in marriage but she rejected them. She has spent two years waiting for you, however, you don't seem to be interested in her, I will have never agreed to this marriage if it wasn't for Prince George, I only agreed because of him. But am starting to regret having my daughter engaged to a man who is sulking up about his past lover betrayal" Lord Maverick commented while his daughter gasped.

"Father, that is enough" Lady Gila warned with a shriek of terror, seeing how lord Simon look changed to a murderous one.

"Let me be Gila, I can't stand this insult anymore. If you know you aren't interested in my daughter, then let me know right this moment" Maverick spurt not caring about the consequences of his words.

Gila looked at Simon expecting him to react, though her expectation got turned down. But Lord Simon shocked them by only laughing like a manic, Gila and her father exchange glares.

They wondered what is funny about the conversation enough to make him laugh so hard.

Simon chuckled, stood to his feet and picked a knife in front of him and walked to Lord Maverick.

"What are you doing, My lord?" Lady Gila demanded but got no response. Instead, he gave her a dreadful look that almost send a cold shiver to her spine.

"What do you think you are doing? Do you know who I am?" Lord Maverick questioned trembling on his seat.

"I am the Prince uncle" He reminded but it doesn't seem like Simon cares.

"From his mother side" He corrected when he got to lord Maverick. He placed the knife on his throat, as it his pressed on lord Maverick shoulder giving him zero chance to escape.

"Father" Lady Gila called scared.

"Do you know the kind of people I hate most? The one who talks and lie a lot, like you. What? You only agreed to this marriage because of prince George?" Lord Simon queried then chuckled.

"Everyone knows you sold your daughter for your greed interest, to get involve in politics. That is what you are, an old greedy man who only care about himself. How dare!" he shouted. "How dare you talk about her like you knew her or anything about my life?" He yelled frightened the Splauding.

"You are just a little pig I decided to keep under me because prince George asked me to. But I guess that ends here, if you had been quiet, you could have saved your neck." 

Hearing lord Maverick clasped his two hands together. "Please forgive me, I am sorry. Please forgive me, my lord" He pleaded for his life. That is the only way he could survive right now, if he ended up dying no one will hold Simon for it, not even the prince.

Yes, Prince George is the most powerful man in the kingdom. Not his father the king, and for a fact, George favours Simon more than his siblings, it will have been a different story if Simon tried to hurt lady Gila but for lord Maverick. No one will care about the third most powerful man killing a disrespectful noble, who has no title or power in the Kingdom.

That is why he fears for his life.

"Why? Are you scared now? You don't feel scared when you said those words" Simon stated, his face beamed in excitement, placing the knife tighter on his neck that it was almost cutting his flesh. That makes him so damn excited, nothing entertains him more than seeing people in fear.

"I am sorry, my Lord" Lord Mavericks apologized, Lady Gila watches her father pleading for his life in the hands of her beloved and she could only watch.

No, seeing this earns her to be more specific for one thing. She must have the dread lord to herself.

"Hmm," He dropped his knife. "You are no fun, Maverick" Simon uttered disrespectful, slapping his fat cheeks.

"I guess this dinner is over" He said and left the table. Lady Gila also followed him leaving her shocked dad alone.

"My Lord" She called running after him. Gila breathe heavily when she finally catches up to him. She hold his right hand, but he gave her a cold glare in return making her let go of his hand.

"What is it, M'lady?"

"I will like to apologize for what my father did, it was out of line to mention someone who is no longer in your life" She mentioned but that brings Simon more pain.

"You want to apologize, tsk. That is quite humble of you, knowing that I almost killed your father in there" He raised his eyebrows anticipating her next reaction.

"I don't care, you are my future husband. I will choose you over anyone, over my life. I will never betray you or let go of you even if you push me away, I promise that. You may not know but I love you more than anything" The lady said desperate and eager to do anything.

Simon smirked and took a step closer to her, Lady Gila moved back till she hit the wall, and Simon put his left hand on the wall. He raised his right hand and placed it on her hair, caressing her hair slowly.

The lady could feel butterflies in her stomachs, due to his touches.

"Can you die for me then?" His questions surprised her but she will answer anyway.

"Yes, I will" She replied. Lord Simon smirked and bring his head closer pretending like he was going to kiss, Gila closed her eyes in the process but time went past but nothing landed on her lips, and his touches stopped.

"What to do? I still don't like you either way" He expressed coldly and left the poor lady alone.

She hold the hem of the dress filled with sadness.

Lady Gila Splauding, a lady in her early 20's, considered the most beautiful noble lady in the kingdom, daughter of Maverick Splauding, prince George favourite cousin, engaged to the powerful dread Lord Simon Sebastian.

But right now, that is all it will ever be. When exactly will he consider her to be his future wife? When will he fall for her? Those thoughts filled her with pain and despair, when? But one thing is certain, she won't give up.

*

*

*

Imogen stared at the moon through the window, the night feel so peaceful and the sky looks so beautiful.

She envies the calm night, she wishes her life could be as peaceful but in here. There is no peace, the fear of death always torment her every night since her arrival.

The only thing that keeps her half calm is her friendship with Aria and her closeness with Poppy. 

"Mmm," She sighed, her eyes wandering around her surrounding until her eyes finally landed on his blue deeps.

"Those beautiful deadly blue eyes, but looks so angry" Imogen thought but her heart panicked in fear.

She hurriedly closed the window, breathing heavily. She remembered Aria words, "you must never make eye contact with the Master."

What will happen to her now that she has made eye contact with him.

Will he have her beheaded?

She prayed in fear, prayed to whoever is listening. To help her from what might happen to her.

                     ******

Simon forced the door opened in great annoyance

His angers knew no bounds that it seems like he could harm anyone that dares to disrespect him or come his way.

"That old sly, how dare he lecture me? Who the hell does he think he is? How dare he mention her?" He strives with fury, removes his coat and throws it on the ground.

"Burn that" He ordered his guard carter while carter bowed saying nothing. At this stage, he knows talking will escalate matters.

Simon balled his fist trying to suppress the void he is feeling inside in, no matter how hard he tries to control it. He can't help but lose control whenever she is mentioned.

"Tell the maids to bring me my night robe...." He said half-calmed.

"Yes, my lord" Carter bowed and turned to leave but his master stopped him.

"Tell the head of the slaves to come to my room" He said authoritatively while Carter gulped down his saliva nervously.

Why does he need the head of slaves? Fear gripped him, not because of the head of slaves but because of a particular slave.

"I understand, Master" Carter said and left his room.

A few minutes later, the guard Carter came in with the head of slaves, he had already informed her of the master condition.

"Master, I learned you request for me"

"Yes, I did. I need a slave to pass the night with" He answered filled with pride, his hand resting on his kneel.

"I understand, I will bring in Isabelle"

""No, not her. I want the new slave" He said.

"Bring Me The New Slave"