Something about this Briekian left me curious, but if she believed I did not already sense Xenocrates' desires, she must have truly found me to be a fool.

  "Surely, that is not the only reason he has kept me in such a state, Livania. Many a woman I am sure he has had. What makes me any different than the rest?" I had hoped that by continuing to question her, something would have been revealed.

  Livania quirked her brow as I wrapped the towel around my torso. "Milady, I wish to trust you, but how do I know that I can?" she asked.

  With a glance back at her, I stepped out of the tub and tilted my head. "If you are my friend, dear, I wager to say, the only thing that can is trusting me as one," I said.

  She gave a nod and looked away before speaking. "Some time ago, I was tending to the men. I had been charged with serving wine and making certain they were well fed. Xenocrates had called them to a meeting. It was just before he planned the campaign for sacking your father's estate and the manor closest to it. While serving, an elderly woman spoke before them. They called her Disia. She had been a midwife and wet nurse for several royal families." Livania strode away from me and began gathering my new clothes as she spoke. "She spoke to Xenocrates of a family known to the Pretans for their ferocity, strength, and endurance. A family who had been completely destroyed by a warlord called Hortis of Servili." Livania looked back at me with a pause as my eyes widened.

  "Hortis was my father!" I exclaimed in shock. I had never heard of my father being involved in any sort of destruction of the Pretan families, though I knew he had traveled to the country a few times. "Was this why Xenocrates wanted to kill him?" I inquired.

  Livania began to pat me dry, and kneeling down, she peered back up at me as she worked.

  "Disia said that Hortis destroyed House Thessaly and the entire family, which consisted of Romulen of House Thessaly and his wife, Silvi. She said that she was the wet nurse for their youngest child. A baby they called Alassea. Disia said she wrapped the baby up, and as she fled the burning estate, Hortis caught her. He took the baby and was about to kill the child, until he looked at how beautiful she was. Disia took that moment to run in terror, before he took her life, as well." Livania told the story as if she had witnessed it through the eyes of the midwife, and I listened intently for her to continue. "The old woman said that, as she watched from the forest, Hortis chose not to kill the child, but rode away with her. She believed he spared her life and raised her as his own, for rumor had it, Melina of House Servili was sterile and yearned for a daughter." Livania completed drying me and stood up to stare directly back at my face.

  "So, this nurse raised the child, and when my father sacked their estate, he stole their only living relative?" I inquired curiously.

  "Aye, that is what I heard, mistress," Livania said.

  My face fell to a solemn expression as curious thoughts began to dance through my head.

  "I had one older sister. My only brother was younger than me, Martus, but he was only a half-brother," I said. It occurred to me then, the baby might have been myself. I began to shake my head in disbelief. It could not be possible. There was no way. "Do you mean to tell me, I am this Alassea of Thessaly?" I asked her straightforwardly.

  Livania inhaled a breath but did not speak, as she began to dress me.

  "Answer me, Livania. Is that the reason he took me from my home? He thinks I am someone else?" I persisted.

  "Mistress, I cannot know what His Lordship thinks. I can only tell you what I overheard. One prays your friendship holds true, for I fear Master Xenocrates may not approve of my eavesdropping or telling you such things," she whispered.

  I gave a sigh and nodded in agreement. "Yes, I understand, though I believe you may have given me more questions and less answers than I had hoped for," I replied. I stood, waiting for her to direct my next move, as it seemed she had more privileges than I. Never in my life had I thought a slave would be freer than myself, and yet, Livania was.

  "I am sorry, mistress. Please wait here, while I fetch Master Xenocrates. Do keep my confidences, as I wish to call you friend, milady." Livania turned and exited the room. Once again, I heard the sound of clicking and knew the lock had been set to contain me, as usual. Xenocrates' chamber was fit for a king, and the unmade bed made me ponder who had last been inside with him. Moments passed, and I heard the clicking once more.

  "I hope that your bath was enjoyable, Caecelia. Now, back to your room." Xenocrates' commanding voice filtered into my ears. I thought of asking him again what his purposes were with me, but upon seeing Livania behind him, I chose not to.

  "Indeed, Livania is a wonderful servant. You should be very proud of her services," I stated, while crossing the room to exit.

  Xenocrates gave a nod, and I felt his eyes burning through my spine as I crossed the threshold. "Caecelia," he began. "Will you accompany me for dinner, tonight?"

  I paused to look back at him and tilted my head. "You ask as if it is a request I can deny, milord," I answered.

  "True, and if you did, I could still force you to do so. Somehow, I thought asking you kindly would be met with a civil reply. Perhaps I am wrong?" he said.

  "Xenocrates, you are a king of a country known for barbaric customs, yet you treat me as if I am a titled lady. I do not understand your method of thinking, but anything would be better than remaining imprisoned in that room for another night. I presume Livania will come for me when you are prepared for my company?" I replied.

  Xenocrates' lips curled into a coy grin and he glanced back at the servant. "I think I will allow you some freedom this day, Caecelia. You may roam the ship for a few hours, but be cautious. The inhabitants of the waters are half-man and half-beast, known to consume the flesh of any who fall overboard, in an instant. " He grinned and brushed past me, leaving me to gawk at what he had just revealed. Just when I thought the man had a semblance of chivalry, he always seemed to best me in a sport of wits. In the back of my mind, I knew this was only the beginning but I welcomed the chance for freedom from the confining chamber.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty. I shall enjoy the walk," I said softly.

  He gave a slight nod and waved me by. "I shall send Livania, when it is time to sup," he stated as he turned to walk into the darkness of the ship hall.

  Treacherous Seas

  I strode down the length of the ship what seemed like fifty times, but the feeling of salty air upon my face came as a welcome distraction. The color of turquoise and silver waves meeting with a cloudy grey sky and the scent of salt in the air were just the diversion I needed to rest my worrisome head. My mind reeled with what Livania had told me, and as the scene of her descriptive horror story played through my head, I kept coming back to the idea that being lied to my entire life could just not be possible. My slain parents, Melina and Hortis, were the only parents I had ever known and yet what she had revealed left more questions than answers. How could it be? I had Martus, as a brother, and Kesica, as a sister, didn't I? If my mother had been barren, how could I have siblings? I played the conversation over and over in my head yet I still found no answer that sufficed those questions. It was as if the only truth that could make sense was my being this girl, Alassea of Thessaly. It was a revelation I never expected and I didn't know what to make of it. What if he was wrong, completely? How was it that King Xenocrates was so positive I was this missing princess of Pretus?

  I inhaled a deep breath and leaned against the railing, peering into the turquoise waters of the Gaustien. Within the depths of the ocean, there were rumors of creatures that ate human flesh and worlds I had never seen. The legends of the brave men who dared to fight those creatures with tentacles and eight eyes had been told as warnings to me during childhood. Many had said the creatures Xenocrates spoke of before were magical, beautiful, even. I couldn't imagine something beautiful to be an evil creature with a ravenous appetite for human flesh and yet he had warned me against them, also. Lost in my thoughts, I gave no consideration to the bouncing waters and the sway of the ship. A sudden bang sent me flying back from the rail, and I heard some of the men calling out to for me to return to chamber.

  "Move away from the railing, foolish girl! Do you want to be fish bait?" Voxis screamed at me.

  My foot lost traction, and I slid as another hit made contact with the bough of the ship. In the distance, I could hear the low sound of a harmonious serenade filtering through the winds, "Stop up your ears, men! Don't listen to the demon whore song!" Voxis commanded. A continuous banging echoed against the planks of the ship, and the waves began to swell as the boat rocked dangerously within the sea. I struggled to push myself up, but once more, I lost traction, slipping to hit my head against the freshly swabbed deck. The boat tossed and I felt myself slipping down the planks towards the crashing sea below.

  "Help me!" I screamed in horror but to no avail. The sting of water enveloped me in an instant, and I choked on the water as it filled my mouth. I struggled to swim to the surface and began screaming, "Get me out of the water! Get me out! Throw me a rope! Please!"

  Xenocrates immediately appeared, standing at the rail, and dove into the water. In his right hand, I noted a spear, and before he came up behind me, I felt the familiar sensation of fingers wrapping about my ankle. I kicked fiercely and struggled to swim away, but in glancing back below me, I found myself face to face with the very creature Xenocrates had warned me of, a siren. The creature was intoxicatingly beautiful with platinum blonde hair, but her eyes were soulless. She swam lower, with my ankle firmly clutched between bony fingers. Xenocrates plunged the spear into her neck with a mighty toss, and she released her hold on me. My lungs had already begun to swell in desperation for air, and I felt my head begin to grow light, just as Xenocrates wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me towards the surface.

  "Voxis, toss me a rope! We must get her out now!" Xenocrates screamed.

  I was scarcely conscious and began to drift into a state of lethargy. Voxis threw the line to him, and I drifted into unconsciousness with only two words upon my lips, "Thank you."

  Xenocrates grasped the tossed line and the men pulled him aboard again. "Now, explain to me how that happened."

  "We came upon some harsh waters, milord. She was too close to the railing. I tried to warn her but the toss of the waves sent her over the edge," Voxis stated.

  Xenocrates gave a nod and cradled Caecelia in his arms. Surprisingly, he didn't roar in anger at Voxis as he spoke, "I think I will take care of her from here. Send Livania to fetch us food and drink," he stated, carrying the unconscious young woman towards the cabins. Voxis nodded in agreement.

  "As you wish, milord," Voxis replied.

  Xenocrates strode past the men, soaking wet and eager to get Caecelia in a place where she could be brought back to consciousness. Upon entering the corridor that lead to his room, he peered down at the girl and shook his head. He gave a sigh and his eyes showed emotion he had worked hard to hide from her, as if genuine concern had compelled him to do whatever it took to care for the princess of his heart.

  "Twice, you have nearly gotten us both killed, foolish, mad, beautiful girl." His eyes ran the length of her body, and he found himself breathing harder. The door swung open with a loud slam and Xenocrates carried Caecelia over the threshold to gently place upon his mattress. His fingers slid over her cheek as his eyes scanned her closely.

  Caecelia slept peacefully, but the sheer fabric of the gown she had worn was soaked to the point of translucence. It gave her body the look of a goddess, clad in opaque silk. The tips of rosy nipples stood erect beneath the wet fabric, and Xenocrates' immediately wondered what it would be like to flick his yearning tongue over the peaks of her ample breasts. He drew his tongue out in a flick across his lips. Oh, how he yearned to lay his claim upon those budding tips. His eyes flashed to the patch of auburn curls that rested at the apex of her thighs, veiled in silk that left so little hidden and yet still was a barrier to so much. This woman, she was a goddess, she was pleasure and she was pain, she was everything he ever dreamed of. He drew in a breath and shuddered. To touch her would be like heaven, but he had no intention of violating her. No, he intended to devour her with slow precision, to taste every inch, and to consume her heart and soul.

  After all he had done, he wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. He wanted her to feel the same longing he had felt ever since he had laid eyes on her. He had never in his life loved a woman and many had shared his companionship, his bed, and even given their lives, but she was like no other woman. No other woman had ever been allowed to grow close enough for the king to love, and his code of honor kept him from forcing his will on any woman or child in violent action. Though Xenocrates was a strict leader, he was indeed a dignified man and he would never lay a hand on Caecelia in any way, but to strip the soaked fabric from her skin was a temptation he was having difficulty shaking. With a quick motion, his fingers grasped the silken toga and he pulled it from her curvaceous body, rolling her to her side. In clutching to reach for a fur, he spread the skin across her body and trailed a finger across her cheek as he brushed a stray strand from her face. She was divinely beautiful, with skin the color of a pure lily and pouting scarlet lips. When she parted her eyelids to peer up at him, the color of her irises was an intoxicating honey gold. As he looked down at her, he shook his head in realization that she had awakened again. His lips betrayed him as they curved into a grin.

  "What happened?" I asked as soon as my mind focused on his face.

  Xenocrates crossed his arms and sighed with a shake of his head. "You almost got yourself, and me, killed again. I told you to be cautious as you went about the ship, didn't I?" he asked me.

  I sat up, realizing that I was completely naked, save for the fur he had thrown over my flesh. I knew not what to say to him, but I realized, in that moment, I had an opportunity to begin my inquisition. "I want to know why you keep saving me, if I am nothing but a product of your conquests. I want to know why you keep acting as if I am the most important spoil of this campaign," I said vehemently.

  He slipped down to squat in front of me. "That should be easy enough to figure out, shouldn't it, Caecelia? You are a beautiful woman, and I am a detestable man. Is that not what you think of me?" he asked.

  I peered back at him in confusion and uncertainty. He apparently knew I thought little of him, but I had never spoken such words aloud. "Is that truly why you keep showing me kindnesses and some semblance of humanity, Xenocrates? I cannot fathom how the servant you send to me has admitted that you have treated me better than any other captured prize in your years of owning her," I stated.

  Xenocrates chuckled and slid his hand to rest atop my knee. "Ah, you are a wise little wench, aren't you? More than I had accredited you for, but your blood runs with such wit, I should know," he stated.

  "I am Daejian. Surely, you know our people are some of the most intelligent of any other country," I said with an air of arrogance.

  "Ah, yes, a Daejian wench, who thinks she is better than all the rest."

  I could tell this aggravated him and that he did not appreciate what I had said. in the least. "What else could it be, Xenocrates?" I wondered, if I asked the correct questions, if he would give away what Livania had told me, but I did not want to betray her confidence. The only friend I seemed to have was the Briekian girl, and solitude was not something I wanted to experience again, while in captivity.

  "Perhaps it is that I find your mind to be intriguing. What difference does it make, in the end, Caecelia? I am the king, and you are the captured. I do as I wish, and you will do as I bid. I do not have to answer your queries," he replied.

  "First of all, Your Majesty, I am your equal in stationary class and, here, you continue to answer me and speak to me as if I were that equal. You have yet to put me in a collar or chain. You have kept me from the other men and you enjoy challenging my thoughts. So, I ask you—am I to be your pet, Xenocrates?" I asked.

  "No, I do not see you as something meant to be kept for mere stroking, Caecelia. I will not touch you unless you beg for it. Mark my words; you will do so. Every woman I cross, eventually, begs it, and you will be no different." He winked and stood again.

  My mouth fell agape, and I felt a tingling sensation between my thighs. How he could ever know I would beg for him or that I had even thought of him in such carnal ways was beyond me. I shook my head defiantly and threw the fur from my body.

  "Damn you, sir! You play such games with my head and then think I would beg you for anything? What arrogance is this? What conceit you hold. Surely, the gods, themselves, should strike you down for such egotism!" I exclaimed as I stood up on his mattress.

  His eyes ran the length of my body and settled upon the patch at the center of my womanhood.

  "I will have your willful submission, Caecelia. You will fall to your knees and sweetly peer up at me with yearning eyes. Only then, will I give you what you desire and fear to admit, virtuous Sass!" Then, as quickly as he passed glance over me, he lifted his gaze to meet with my own. His hazel eyes were smoldering, and he stepped towards me with a feral possessiveness I never saw coming. His arms slid to wrap about my waist and he pulled me into his chest as his lips crushed into my own. I felt the heat of his body singe into my breasts as his tongue slipped past my lips and began exploring my mouth. My hands slid up to defiantly press into his muscles, but I quit fighting, the moment my own tongue slipped over his. A low guttural moan slipped from my throat, and Xenocrates pulled his mouth away from mine, leaving me to gasp for breath as I stared back at him.

  "You will beg, Caecelia, and I will oblige you, only then," he said and dropped his hands from my body as he exited the chamber, leaving me to ponder on the intensity of that kiss and the action he swore I would one day make.

 

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