Story Codes/Notes
medieval, slavery, degradation, humiliation, fear, passion,
Please do not reprint this work on any other website, or any medium, without explicit consent from the author (me!).
Info: The Story builds up slowly, those who have read my last submission know I prefer to show the inner workings of the protagonists. This is not a BDSM story, although some parts might touch the genre. (For all the kind feedbacks on my first submission -- it really encourages writing more, thank you!)
Enjoy!
Additional info EDITED VERSION:
The original version of this story was submitted prematurely. I should have waited some time, to find mistakes and edit it properly. Readers have rightfully complained about its formal shortcomings. I took their advice and asked
DawnJ
to be my editor. She was kind enough to help. Thanks for your understanding.
Synopsis
An enslaved former noblewoman dances in front of her new Lord. Though relentlessly abused, and trained for the occasion to perform in front of her new Master, taught to never look higher than his neck, she is surprised by the Nordic Lords command "MΓrame" in her native Spanish.
Transferred
The two sturdy women shuffled her along. She almost fell, but was quickly picked up by strong hands steadying her; again women's voices were heard in the yard shouting orders authoritatively. It had become second nature to her to do what was commanded. The luxurious dark purplish-red cape which she had been given only insufficiently shielded her from the ice-cold corridors of the Nordic stronghold. Her feet had been enwrapped in leathery shoes to provide minimum protection from the frozen ground, but otherwise she was bare of any clothing. Her guardians didn't give her time to observe the surroundings, as liberating as that might have been after month of confinement. It was the first time since her arrival that she had been brought outside her lone imprisonment in the underground caverns, although the enormous walls surrounding the keep, and the vastness of the place, only reinforced her feeling of smallness and insignificance.
When they reached the stairs leading to the nobles' chambers, the small group of women was stopped by grim-looking guards. Although the hooded cape veiled her beautiful face from the glaring stares of the Norsemen, she kept her eyes to the ground, in order not to provoke any unnecessary attention. She was terrified by those men, terrified by what they had done to her entourage, her people. There was a brief exchange; the guards started to laugh and gave way to the women. Accustomed to not understanding in detail what was said, she knew that it was she who motivated their laughter, and she was reminded of the purpose of her transfer. Her heart again began to rush, a large lump forming in her throat; she had to fight the urge to vomit.
The small group finally slowed down their pace and started to ascend. Torches illuminated the otherwise dark set of steps, circling the tower. It was slowly getting warmer, which meant less suffering for the Mediterranean beauty, still unaccustomed to this hostile environment. She was stopped by her two guardians after they reached a larger hall, and ordered to remove the leathery protections which until then shielded her feet from the cold surface. While handing them to her captors, she suddenly saw her palanquin parked, looking abandoned in the vastness of the hall. Her eyes became clouded, filled with sorrow and pain for her lost rank, and for the memories of former blissful times. Then she was blindfolded, her tears now hidden.
Flanked by both women, she was pushed forward. The cold stone floor served as a reminder of her inhospitable surroundings. Then, unexpectedly, there it was -- a sudden whiff of familiarity, a scent almost forgotten, reminiscent of home.
"It must be the palanquin," she mused, deliberately taking in a deep breath. "Yes!"
The cold air of the hall was indeed mixed with a slight fragrance of foreign origin. She started to tremble, her awareness abruptly intensified, desperately trying to hold on to what was once her own. With the usual rudeness she had come to expect from her tormenters, she was shoved into the carriage. Nothing had been changed in the palanquin; the comfortable cushions were still arranged the same way she preferred and, more importantly, smelled like her, a scent she had forgotten, one deeply buried in her memory, now instantaneously reactivated. The unexpected reminder of something she had once possessed filled her with pride, gave her much needed strength and induced the will to endure what undoubtedly was to come...because tonight it was her turn to entertain the Lord.