Chapter One
The Slaver
Saihrena awoke to her mother screaming.
"Shut up wench," she heard a man say. She heard glass breaking, and her mother was silent. "Get over here girlie, 'less ye wanna end up like yer mum," the man said, and she silently stood.
"What do you want?" She whispered, and backed away from the man. He was grinning at her evilly, and she figured out who he was. He was the Captain of the ship they were on, the Lady Fair. He continued moving towards her, his eyes sparkling in the little candlelight. He quickly caught her by the arm as she tried to flee and threw her over his shoulder.
"Ye ain't goin nowheres Lady Saihrena," he laughed as he dragged her out of her cabin.
"Please stop, what do you want?" She cried.
"Ye'll know soon enough wench," the Captain said, dropping her on the deck. She looked up in the darkness to see men crowded around her, more than she remembered from earlier. "Please, what is going on, won't some one tell me?" Saihrena wailed. She wanted her mother, her father, anyone else but the men before her. She shrieked as one of the men dropped to one knee and stared at her. He grabbed a fist full of her long dark hair, and inspected it in his filthy hands. Nodding to himself he grabbed her chin and stuck a torch in her face. Tears were running down her cheeks, but she knew he could see her golden skin, and black eyes. He opened her mouth, sticking a dirty finger inside and feeling her teeth, she bit down hard earning her a smack in the face.
"And yer sure she's untouched?" The man inspecting her asked, looking up at the Captain.
"As sure as I can be without inspecting her meself," the Captain said, watching them closely.
"A'right then, Morris, pay 'im," the man said, and threw her over his shoulder. She screamed and kicked out, seeing for the first time the other ship that was anchored next to the Lady Fair. The man stopped and stood her in front of him, he smiled at her and punched her in the face, Saihrena knew no more.
When she awoke the second time she found her ankle chained to a bed. Saihrena looked around herself. She was lying in a huge bed, blankets covering her entire body. The room was small, barely big enough for the bed, and a small table that held a basin of water. She sat up slowly and looked at the chain. It was large enough for her to make it to the basin of water, but nowhere else. Tears began to slide down her cheeks as she realized what had happened. The Captain of the Lady Fair had sold her to these men, he had betrayed her and her mother. "But John will come for me, he must," she whispered, thinking of her younger brother. She had been on her way to his castle in Portugal. Her father had just died, and her older brother, Raul, had not wanted her around. They had never gotten along, so he sent her away.
"I see yer awake," a voice said, and she turned to see an elderly man watching her from the doorway.
"I demand to know who you are and where you are taking me," Saihrena said, standing from the bed and staring at the man.
"Ye have courage, I'll give ye that, but ye won't fer long," the man carried in a tray she hadn't noticed and set it on the bed. He turned and left her alone. Saihrena looked at the tray, then lifted the lid. On it was strips of dried beef, cheese, bread, and an apple. She sighed and dug in, hoping to have some answers soon. After she ate and used the chamber pot she found under the bed, she laid down on the bed and fell asleep.
"'Ey, girl, wake up," a loud voice roused her. Saihrena looked up to see the man from last night, the one that had inspected her. "Cap'n wan's te see ye," the man said. He pulled out a key and undid her ankle chain. Saihrena reached down and rubbed her ankle reflexively, then stood. She followed him out of the cabin and down a long hallway. The ship must have been bigger than she originally thought. When they reached the end of the hallway, and walked up a large flight of steps, the man motioned to a set of double doors and she walked in. She quickly took in her surroundings, noticing a bed as big as hers, a large bookshelf covered in books and scrolls, and a large desk where a man was sitting. The man was very handsome, for an obvious pirate. He had long, blonde hair that fell to his shoulders, and light blue eyes.
"Thanks Dunk, that'll be all," the Captain said, rising from his seat and walking to Saihrena.
"Where are you taking me?" She demanded, gaining a smirk from the Captain.
"Well lass, yer te be sold te Suleyman II. He's Sultan of the Turks. Yer gonna be sold into his harem, and with yer pretty coloring I'll make quite a bit o money," the Captain smirked as she gasped in fright.
"Who are you?" She whispered.
"Names Montern, Captain Aiden Montern," he said, stepping closer to her. He smiled down at her, "ye'll have a few months te heal from yer bruises. An' dun' ye worry none, no man on this ship'll touch ye, yer far to valuable as a virgin."
"How dare you speak to me like that," she whispered, blind with fury. She pulled her hand back and slapped him hard across his cheek, and red hand print was left in her wake.
"Ye'll not be doin that if ye know what's good fer ye," Aiden whispered back, his eyes blazing. "Dunk," he called, and smirked as the man walked in. "See to it that the lass 'as everything she needs, it'll be a long trip." He laughed as Dunk grabbed her around the waist and pulled her out of the room. He quickly propelled her down the stairs and into her room.
"I suggest ye do as yer told, we dun' wanna sell ye all bruised up, but we will if'n ye dun' cooperate, understand?" Dunk asked. She nodded quietly as he chained her ankle to the bed again. He left her alone, and she lay down on the bed. She might as well sleep, nothing could be done about her situation right now.