Learning to Deal

Hey:) This is my first story to ever write:) So enjoy and let me know if there should be a Chapter 2!

Forever Yours,

From_One_to_Another :*

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Chapter 1

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'This is it,' Ella thought. 'This is the day that I will have to share my best friend with another woman for the rest of our lives because of some stupid arranged marriage.' She was deep in thought of the unknown future ahead of her. Ella's naturally beautiful face was slightly made up and her long, dark locks were braided and pinned neatly behind her head. The girls usually pale face was slightly scrunched up at the thoughts invading her mind. She was biting her lip and playing with a loose strand of her wavy hair when she heard his deep voice and haughty laughter.

"Jeez El, don't look so nervous. I'm the one getting married in a few remember?" Daniel smiled at his lifelong friend with a slight wink.

"Shut up Danny I'm just thinking," she said with her 'I'm not annoyed but I want you to think I am' look.

"Is something wrong?" Daniel asked, "I didn't think that me marrying Mayve would be that big of a deal to you."

"It's a big deal because I have to share you now," Ella giggled to her best friend. "You know I don't share well."

"All too well my dear," he playfully responded.

"I'm just kidding, Daniel, I'm sure she will make a great wife."

"Yea," he said, his voice trailing off in thought.

Ella had thought about the result of her dear friend's marriage since the announcement, but voicing her opinion on it was a completely different story.

Before the silence could get too awkward, Ella's father burst through the doors buzzing with joy.

"It's time," Mauro nearly shouted in excitement.

The joy of the moment nearly lost by the longing of Daniel wishing his parents could be there to witness his marriage.

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"But I want to go with you!" cried 12 year old Daniel, as his parents were preparing to leave for the weekend.

"It's alright honey you're going to be staying with Ella and her parents just for two days, then we will be back." His mother Dina always had a knack for making him feel better with her sweet smile drawn across her delicate tan face.

"That sounds like fun to me!" David, Daniel's father, said in hopes of making his young son feel better. Even crouching down to somewhat eye level he had the tendency to be a bit more intimidating than comforting with his large stature and well toned features.

"Alright, as long as Ella's there I suppose," Daniel sighed, giving in to the hope of being with his best friend for an entire weekend.

After arriving at the Harpers' house, they were met somewhere between 'goodbye' and 'see you soon' with tears as the Ashtons were off. They were headed to the military base thirty miles south to aid in the medical tents, as they were both doctors. Since the war began there was a shortage of medical professionals willing to heal soldiers of the invading country. That is until they were sent a lengthy letter, summoning them to 'serve their country' and 'do what is best for their son'

After they had left, all that was known about their voyage was the horrific scene that was discovered three and a half days later by a trucker with a flat tire. With the local military presence so high in the recently captured nation of Balton, it's a wonder it took so long for the murder victims and their belongings to be found. The details and knowledge of the incident were never released.

"Can he stay here daddy?" a very distraught 11 year old Ella pleaded with her father. "Please, I will do anything! I'll keep my room clean and feed Charlie, and-"

"Shhh sweetie it's okay you don't have to do any of that he can stay here as long as he wishes to."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" little Ella, overjoyed and saddened all at once. "Thank you."

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"Thank you, Mr. Harper, for everything you've done for me," Daniel spoke with a shaky voice, evidence of the tragedy that occurred just a decade ago. "I would not be where I am were it not for the kindness and generosity that you didn't have to show me."

"Nonsense my boy! You are family. Now lets go get you married, shall we?" Mauro ushered them both to the reception hall, beaming with pride.

The ceremony was beautiful with colors of gold, purple, and white everywhere. Once the reception was over they were sitting in the Great Hall just off the foyer in the Harpers' large manse. Daniel sat at the head of the table with Ella on his left and his new bride on his right.

"Pssst," Ella said to Daniel.

"What?" he whispered back.

"One word of advice," she fought to laugh out loud.

"Alright what is it El?"

"Go get some tonight and tell me all about it!" Ella burst into laughter at this point. Their running joke was, since both Daniel and Mayve were virgins, that Mayve was actually a man and Daniel was awful in bed.

"Shut up Ella! That's not funny!" he was struggling to maintain composure through stifled laughing. "She will hear you," he warned his friend, almost falling off his chair.

"But seriously, Danny, details," she winked at the effortlessly handsome man beside her.

"Always so naughty, little Miss Ella," he teased.

After the commotion had slowed and the guests had gone, the young couple headed off to their new house not fifteen minutes away.

Mauro and his wife Laney went upstairs to bed as the maids were finishing the cleaning, leaving Ella and her thoughts alone in the downstairs study. She was sitting on the chaise enjoying a glass of wine, because the four she had that evening clearly weren't enough, when she heard movement in the background.

"Charlie? Is that you? Here boy," Ella whispered, convinced it was her old dog. "Charlie? Char-" she was cut off by a rag on her face and the sweet smell of chloroform covering it.

"Shhh. Relax. That's it," said a gruff voice she vaguely recognized. Before she could be curious about the voice, panic set in. Then all too soon, her world turned black.

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"You were excellent sweetheart," Daniel smiled at his new wife between ragged breathing and shaking vocal cords.

"I should be saying the same to you, love," Mayve giggled to him. "You're sure you've never done that before?"

Daniel laughed and said, "Yea I'm pretty sure I would remember if I did."

"Wow." she breathed, at a slight loss for words.

"Enough speaking Mrs. Ashton. Come here," he pulled her to himself and they lay together in a sweaty, awestricken heap of desire.

"I never want to leave, Danny. Never." They cuddled together as their bodies molded with each other, bliss overriding the world's how, where, and when.

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When Ella awoke the panic had subsided and it took her a minute to figure out that she was not home in the study. Stretching her aching limbs she found her limbs immoveable with leather cuffs binding her to her chair. She began panicking yet again and after realizing her lack of clothing her heart rate sped up greatly.

"Wh-Where am I?" she asked the 6'4" man staring back at her. "Who are you?" she began thrashing about more profusely and pulled further on her restraints. "Where am I?!" Ella screeched at the intimidating man's face. "English? Do you speak English? Please let me go!" the helpless girl pleaded with him.

"Welcome home my dear," the man finally spoke.

"Please take me to my home, I don't live here," she tried. "My parents will miss me and come looking for me. Please you have to listen! My name is-"

"Ella Marie Harper," he calmly stated, arching an eyebrow with an evil grin sweeping across his handsome features. "I know everything about you pet."

"What? How do you know me? Pet? What are you talking about? I don't know you how could you possibly-" her voice lost its volume as she took in her surroundings. The deep gray of the cold, stone walls, ceiling, and floor of his were dungeon leaving her speechless. Her head was spinning as she took in her vulgar surroundings. Once the helpless girl calmed a bit she began to notice objects that were foreign to her. She saw the deep red velvet-covered furnishings consisting of a couch in the middle, a large chair near by, and plenty of pillows scattered on each. There were no windows anywhere in sight and various torture devices lining one of the larger walls. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed the tail whip dangling at the man's side.

"My name is Evan to my equals, however, you will now refer to me only as 'Sir' or 'Master', am I understood?"

"What?-" and before she could let the word escape her trembling lips she felt the sharp sting on her left breast. She let out a strangled yelp before he spoke to her again.

Once she had settled slightly, he calmly stated, "I will not tolerate disrespect pet, don't make me ask again."

"I am not your pet" Ella spat out of anger at the notion of being someone else's inferior.

"Owww!!" she cried again as the leather kissed her soft, pale skin, leaving behind thin red lines in their wake.

"Once more pet, I will tolerate nothing further. This is your final warning."

"I. Belong. To. No one." she forced out through stifled tears.

He sighed in slight annoyance, yet never breaking his cool demeanor. "I was hoping you would cooperate little one, but I like the hard way all the same." He grabbed her cuffs and unlatched them from the chair.

"No! Get off of me you sick Bastard!" she yelled.

Not breaking a sweat or seeming to mind her fighting and cursing, he dragged her along to the wooden 'X' standing tall against the rough stone. Evan attached the leather cuffs that were on her wrists and ankles to the metal rings permanently bound to the wood.

Once she was secured tightly he left her struggling in her bonds.

"I'll be back slave, I suggest you find your respect," and without a single glance back he disappeared through the heavy metal door.

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"Alyss, have you seen Ella? She was not in her room or either study," her mother, Laney, asked the young maid.

"No ma'am," the young lady responded. "She was in the downstairs study just last night, but I have not seen her since she dismissed me to my room around 12:30 in the evening." Alyss fidgeted with her apron as if something were eating away at her soul. Her deep brown eyes looked guilty and worried as she nervously chewed on her short blonde locks.

"Alyss, dear what is the matter?" Laney said, laying a hand on the fretting girl's shoulder.

Struggling for words, she finally spoke, "Well, I heard the front door shut pretty loud last night around one this morning. Wh-What-" her voice caught in her throat as a single tear fell. "What if she is gone ma'am? Am I at fault for letting her dismiss me before she went to sleep?"

The kind woman smiled softly in empathy, "No, dear, it is not your fault. She must be around here somewhere." And with that she was off to search the large house for her only daughter.

'What if she really was taken?' Laney asked herself. 'No don't think like that she will turn up.'

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