Birds of the Gilded Cage

Note - this is a work of fiction. All character names and places are purely fictitious, and all characters engaging in sexual activity are above the age of 18. This story is loosely based on the "harems" of imperial Asian countries in eras past. This story contains potentially triggering content.

Chapter 1

Suyin examined the plum, tracing her finger over its dark purple skin for any soft patches or insect bites. When she was satisfied with the quality, she placed it gently into her basket along with the other perfect specimens.

Blemished fruit had no place in her master's kitchen. With a grimace, Suyin remembered how he had scolded her loudly in front of her cousins and the servants only last night for bringing home soft, overripe pears. Despite her panicked apologies and grovelling, Master Boruyt ordered his servants to bring her outside to cane her feet 30 times as punishment for being insolent. That night, Suyin hardly slept as her reddened, raw feet throbbed with pain. The servants quietly apologized to her after, though they knew Master Boruyt's every word was final. The Master was actually Suyin's uncle, but if the man felt any familial love to his niece, he never expressed it. He acted as though taking Suyin in after her parents were killed by Yasughat invaders was a massive burden, and made it clear to her that he had no intention of her finding her a husband and paying for a dowry. How he was related to her kind mother, she had no idea. Suyin had lived for a year in his house as less than a servant. At least they got time off and a wage. Suyin was always meant to be working, whether it was cleaning the Master's house, serving food and drink to his guests, or collecting food from the markets or forests. The latter of the three was Suyin's favourite task, however, as collecting food was the least gruelling, and that time was spent mostly by herself and away from her cruel uncle.

With a cold pang of sadness, Suyin remembered her old life with her parents. Though they didn't have much wealth or land, Suyin spent her first 17 years with loving parents who supported her many interests, an uncommon trait for parents with a daughter who wished to be learned and independent. Of course, they wished for her to be married one day, but nonetheless made sure she was able to read the classic novels and poems, play several instruments, and even learn traditional Xi Eng dance, a cultural trait from her father's side. Her father and mother met when he came to the western lands as a refugee to escape Yasughat forces as they ravaged his far east village. Suyin had grown up loving both cultural sides of her family, both the western Imimbalase and the eastern Xi Eng.

With her basket now full, Suyin gathered her dress in her hand and turned to journey back to her Master's estate, wincing in pain as her battered feet bore the extra weight of the plums.

Her ears pricked up at what she thought was the sound of voices - low, murmuring, behind her. She quietly turned, setting down the basket as she drew closer. It was unmistakable now, the hushed words of at least several men. Suyin suspected they must be gathered behind a sloped ridge in front of her. Despite the potential danger of running into a group of men in a forest, her curiosity pulled her closer. She lowered herself onto her stomach and crawled slowly up the ridge, until she could pick up the scent of woodsmoke and the voices seemed almost too close.

"When should we go back?" said one voice, rough and gravelly. Suyin realized the men weren't from Imimbala, as they weren't speaking the local language. The man's words carried a heavy accent, but sounded similar to the Xi Eng language her father had taught her. These men must be from the east.

"Before nightfall. We should reach the base by tomorrow afternoon. The General will be pleased with our report, no doubt." Another voice spoke up, followed by a round of hushed laughter and grunts of agreement.

"This city won't know what hit them," came the first voice. "The glory of the Emperor's army will crush them in minutes. Their children will be raised in Yasughat culture, and their women will be taken as our slaves."

Yasughat? Suyin let out a shocked gasp, then immediately covered her mouth. She needed to warn her Master so the city of Imimbala could prepare for a Yasughat invasion. Without any warning, the city would surely fall.

"What was that?" The first voice said sharply. Suyin picked herself up off the ground and started to scramble down the ridge, spotting her basket of plums and running toward it. The clang of metal and thud of heavy footsteps followed her, and just before she was able to reach the basket, a vice grip closed around her arm and destabilized her. She fell to the ground, with a heavy weight on top of her.

"Let go of me!" she cried out in Imimbalese, trying in vain to twist herself free. The giant of a man easily held her down, chuckling at her writhing body.

"Look what we have here, comrades," he glanced at his group, a party of three men, all Yasughat warriors like himself. In classic Yasughat fashion, each man wore a blue robe under thick leather warrior gear, long, uncut hair tied strictly into a high bun at the top of their heads. At their hips, long blades were sheathed. The man pinning Suyin down also had an axe strapped to his back, the thick whittled handle protruding behind his shoulder, as well as a long fur cape. Suyin noticed the man also had a long silver scar across his throat. Whoever he was, he looked terrifying.

"Is it an Imimbalese scout?" Scar-throat asked in Yasughat, to the amused laughter of his cohorts.

"If only those savages could be so organized and prepared," said one of the men, appearingly closer in age to Suyin than the others. "Looks like she's just an unfortunate servant girl."

"Unfortunate indeed," growled Scar-throat, his gazing travelling downwards from Suyin's face. She realized that her dress had torn in the fall, revealing the bare skin of her shoulder.

"What will we do with her?" asked the third man tentatively, the one who hadn't spoken until then. Suyin didn't notice him until he spoke up, but realized then that the quiet man looked much more like an accountant than a warrior. He was short, without the imposing physical definition that was standard for a man who spent his days training or fighting. He seemed to be perspiring and avoided looking the other two in their eyes.

Scar-throat scoffed and rolled his eyes. He stood up, bringing Suyin with him to a standing position, his grip still tight on her arm.

"What do you think we should do with her, Uryam?" he asked, looking at the younger warrior, who was gazing at her with a worrying hunger. Before he could answer, Suyin spoke up in Xi Eng, praying that they would understand her.

"Please- release me! I promise I won't-"

Scar-throat threw her to the ground before she could finish, and delivered a swift kick to her stomach that sent shockwaves of pain through her body. Suyin choked out some blood, stars blurring her vision.

"So this little rat has been able to understand us this whole time," Scar-throat hissed, pacing around Suyin's body as she shivered in pain and shock.

"With that ugly accent, she must be a refugee servant from Xi Eng," surmised Uryam. "We should kill her quickly and get on with our mission. We're already wasting time, Commander Dorgan."

Scar-throat, or Dorgan, rushed forward and grabbed Uryam's collar roughly, getting close enough to the young man that his spittle landed on Uryam's face.

"You are barely more than a pup, and you can thank your high-ranking brother for securing you a place under my command. You do not give me commands," Dorgan growled.

Uryam swallowed and lowered his gaze as Dorgan relaxed his grip.

"Yes, Commander Dorgan."

"Besides," Dorgan continued as he returned to pacing around Suyin, "Since this little Xi Eng slave can communicate with us, she'll be able to tell us everything we need to know about Imimbala's weaknesses."

Dorgan paused to look over Suyin's frame. She gazed back at him weakly, a flicker of defiance passing through her eyes.

"As well as that, I shall endeavor to keep her as my own slave, if the General will allow it. If polished and dressed in proper Yasughat garments, don't you think she would be a fine, exotic bird in my home, Gamu?" Dorgan now addressed the quiet warrior.

"I-I believe she would, Commander," stuttered Gamu, staring anxiously at the dirt by his feet.

"Not that you know anything about keeping slaves, or any woman for that matter," Dorgan added quietly, with a smirk. "Uryam, carry her to the campsite. We'll bind her arms and set out to the Generals base as soon as everything is packed."

Suyin felt herself being picked up and carried over the young man's shoulders, groaning in pain every time a pressure met the spot where Dorgan had kicked her. She fought to keep her eyes open, but darkness soon won.

When she regained consciousness, Suyin had a feeling she was far, far away from Imimbala.

She awoke on her side, and saw that she had been laid on a thin blanket on the grass. Sunlight warmed her face. Her entire body ached, and she realized her hands had been tied behind her back. She quickly remembered the events that had transpired when she was last conscious, and quickly sat up, her head pounding.

"Ah, the little bird is awake," came a familiar gravelly voice. Suyin turned and saw Commander Dorgan, crouching by a fire pit as he assembled kindling. The other two men were also nearby, idly sharpening their blades. The four of them were seemingly in a field, their position hidden from outside eyes by a ridge of stones. Dorgan stood up.

"Let's go catch some fish," he said. Uryam and Gamu exchanged knowing glances.

The Commander pulled Suyin up by the hair, then led her through the grass with his hand gripping the back of her neck. Every step hurt, as Suyin had been beaten not only on her feet but now her stomach, as well as the fact that her shoulders and arms ached from being kept in one position for many hours. Dorgan led her to the edge of a wide river, and they paused and stood on its rocky beach. He let go of her neck, and reached for his sword. Suyin took a step back.

"Please, don't kill me-"

"Silence," Dorgan snapped. "I will release your bonds, and you are not to run or make any attempt to escape, because I will catch you. And I will kill you, and it will be as easy as snapping the neck of a chicken. Do you understand?"

Suyin nodded slowly, and Dorgan turned her around. She heard the sound of his great sword being drawn from its sheath, then the snip of his blade cutting through the twine binding her arms. At last, her arms were free, and she felt lightheaded as blood circulation returned to her limbs. She turned back to her captor, unsure whether to thank him or just stay silent, so as not to incur his wrath. He regarded her solemnly, his eyes passing over every part of her body. Suyin wished for the first time that she could return to her uncle's house, as even the familiar contempt she felt from him and her cousins was better than the uncertain future she had with Dorgan and the Yasughat army.

"You're filthy," Dorgan remarked, and grabbed her wrist to lead her to the water. "No one can meet the General looking as though they were plucked from the sty of a pig. Get undressed and step in the water."

Suyin paused, looking back at him as she stood next to the river. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the collar of her dress himself, impatiently unbuttoning her garment as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to cover her bare chest. He forced her legs out of the dress and she stumbled into the frigid water, the coldness shocking her so much that she almost forgot her predicament.

Dorgan's resolve loosened as he took in her naked body. She was small and skinny, but he could imagine that she would grow into a beautiful young woman, after being accustomed to his culture and with a rich Yasughat diet. He hoped the General would allow him to keep her, but there was always the chance that she would be killed, or even sent to the Emperor's harem. He wondered if he should take her at that moment, just in case.

Suyin regained her composure, and submerged herself into the water, quickly trying to wash herself. The freezing water numbed her pain, which she was thankful for. Hopefully, Dorgan wouldn't tie her arms again. She truly had little intention of trying to escape, as she knew the warriors could outrun her even if her feet had not been beaten. She would have to try and appease the General and hope that he would allow her to live. Her mind wandered to the possibility of being Dorgan's slave- would it be worse than being her cruel uncle's ward? Would he beat her mercilessly and treat her as less than a dog?

Dorgan pulled her out of the water, and Suyin couldn't keep her teeth from chattering. Dorgan shrugged off his fur cape and laid it on the soft reeds by the shore.

"Lay down," he instructed, gesturing to the cape.

Suyin gingerly crouched down, then crawled onto the cape, her body slowly warming against the material. She looked up at Dorgan, trying to sit in a way that shielded her breasts and the area between her legs.

"Have you ever been with a man before?" He asked her coolly.

She shook her head no. That was something that married couples do.

Dorgan squatted down next to her, and pushed strands of wet hair away from her face. Slowly, he pushed on her upper chest until she was laying down, then positioned himself over her small body. His breath was hot on her face, and his expression was unreadable. Suyin had a dark feeling about what the Commander was thinking.

"Please don't ... " her voice trailed off, as she didn't know the words in Xi Eng to articulate what she wanted. Dorgan simply smirked and shook his head.

"You belong to the Yasughat Empire, now, little bird. Whether to me, to the General, or the Emperor himself - it's the same. Foreigners don't have rights under us. Most especially, foreigners who have tight little cunts under their dresses."

Suyin hardly understood the words he spoke, but his tone told her everything. He pinned down her wrists above her head, leaving her unable to cover herself as he lifted his robe with his other hand, then spat in his palm. His cold fingers met her most intimate place, and she cried out in surprise.

"You've never been touched here, have you?" he murmured, as one of his fingers found a way inside. She braced herself against him, squeezing as hard as she could, trying to get his digit out.

"So warm and tight," he remarked, knowing that he had to take her here, no matter what. Her flushed face drove him crazy, especially when he noticed she was holding back tears. He kicked her legs apart and pushed his cock against the entrance of her cunt, feeling himself ache almost painfully with how bad he wanted to plunge himself inside of her all at once - but he knew that doing so would injure her terribly, and if the General ordered an inspection of her body, it would be obvious that Dorgan had forced himself upon her. He carefully pushed himself inside, bit by bit, revelling in the feeling of her walls resisting him by squeezing as tight as possible.

Suyin whimpered in pain as the Commander pushed inside, realizing that there was nothing she could do to stop him from taking her innocence forever. She shut her eyes to stop from crying, but silent tears still streaked down her face. Dorgan seemed to enjoy her reaction, and pushed in deeper, causing her to scream in pain. It felt as though he was ripping her in two. She struggled to kick him away, but she was pinned securely under his huge body. There was no chance of escape. He began fucking her slowly, taking his time, every second making it more difficult to resist impaling her as deeply and painfully as he truly wanted. He glanced at her agonized expression, her reddened cheeks and tear-filled eyes, and dedicated the image to his memory.

"You're such a good little bird, taking this so well," he murmured under his breath, his hand finding the soft flesh of her throat and squeezing. Suyin grew alarmed when his grip grew tighter and tighter, her ability to breathe decreasing. His pace also grew faster and rougher, his thighs slamming against hers as he started to fuck her as hard as he wanted. Her body started to shake from the pain, as well as a different feeling that she had never encountered before. Something almost like pleasure, if fear and dread weren't permeating in every cell of her body. He latched on to one of her nipples with his mouth and started sucking and biting hungrily as she cried out. Dorgan bit down especially hard, eliciting the perfect ear-splitting wail from his captive that almost drove him over the edge. He quickly pulled out of her before he could, grabbing her by the throat and pulling her small, limp body into a sitting position.

"Open your mouth," he instructed, and she weakly obliged. Seeing her so obedient made Dorgan feel almost drunk with lust, and he forced his cock into her mouth, staining her face with her own blood.

"Now suck, little whore, and don't think about biting or I'll pull out every last tooth in your pretty head." Upon hearing this, Suyin did her best, sucking and using her tongue in a way that she hoped pleased him. Dorgan grabbed her hair and pushed her down until her nose was pressed against his lower abdomen, causing her to choke violently at the sudden intrusion deep in her throat. Dorgan held her there, savouring the feeling, until he looked down and met her gaze. She stared up at him with wide, desperate eyes, brimming with tears. He closed his hand around her throat once more, sadistically enjoying the way her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she began to lose consciousness with her lips still clasped tightly around his cock. Such a sight was too much, and he came hard, taking his hand from her throat and guiding her head to milk himself fully. She whimpered at the feeling and the unfamiliar taste in her mouth, but dutifully swallowed as much as she could, praying that such an act would please him and spare her from further harm. He withdrew himself from her mouth and Suyin gasped in air, spluttering and shaking.

Dorgan regarded her as she did her best to recover. He was surprised that such a small girl was able to take his cock. He bit back a smile, and instead turned to the river.

"Get yourself cleaned again. I'll catch dinner."

Suyin was in too much shock and pain to protest, so she limped to the water and almost welcomed the cold as it numbed her pain again. Her lower body hurt so much, she feared she would never be able to walk properly again.

Dinner was roasted fish, caught by Dorgan and prepared by Gamu. Suyin ate her small portion ravenously, feeling as though she hadn't eaten in days. As soon as they were done, the group headed out for the General's base. Dorgan left her arms free, but tied a rope around Suyin's neck and connected it to his belt. Escape was out of the question, but she was thankful that her limbs weren't bound once again. Multiple times, she spied Uryam gazing at her form as they travelled. She prayed that she wouldn't have to suffer through another unwanted encounter, but doubted that she could prevent it from happening if the Commander allowed it.

After what seemed like an eternity, the small group arrived at the base. It appeared to be a makeshift village, inhabited only by soldiers and horses. Men sat around large pyres, or sparred in clearings. Many of them noticed Suyin and stopped what they were doing to stare at her, and she carefully avoided their curious gazes. Commander Dorgan led them to a large tent. Once inside, Suyin was greeted immediately by the smell of incense, as well as lavish furniture and carpets the likes of which she'd never seen. At the far end of the tent, which was bigger than any room in her uncle's house, stood a finely dressed military man that Suyin guessed could only be the General. At his side stood several men in servant's robes, as well as a young woman, much to Suyin's surprise. The young woman was dressed quite finely and her hair was done up into a high bun and adorned with combs and jewelled hairpieces. Obviously, she was not low-ranking.