“Really? What if I want you to be my slave, will you accept my offer?” He seems to test me.
I don’t care if he’s naked in front of me. I’ve been multiple men naked while I was in art school so I wasn’t surprised anymore.
“Oh, if that’s what you wanted, I’ll do it but can I have a request?” I was planning something in my mind. I have a proposition for him.
He smirked at me like he’s studying me. I know how to read one’s mind, I have this strong premonition thing in my head.
“I came from Salem and I want you to help me visit that place. I would love to spend a night with you there, my King!” I tease him with my flowery words and I am hoping that he will accept my request.
He sighs.
“You look smart and straightforward. I like it. Hmmm, okay but before that I want you to dress up tonight, I have so many concubines here in my place but you look mysterious among them so I chose you to escort me tonight” I felt flattered about it.
I smiled and bowed at him once again but my heart keeps pounding inside like it’s going to explode. I wonder whether he asked me to have sex with him at this moment since he was naked.
I’m waiting for his words until he uttered something which made me drop my jaws in surprise.
“Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to ride me here in my bed. Lira, bath, and dress her, she’s my new lady in waiting!” I felt relieved that he didn’t touch me.
I saw a middle-aged woman walked inside his room and took me to the pool area.
“Come, follow me, my lady,” she said and escorted me outside.
I was glad I was saved.
We navigated to the corridors until we stop at one of the palace rooms. She opened it and my eyes widened to see an ecstatic place like this. It was like a garden of Eden, full of flowers and there was a mini waterfall. I remember in my history class that I’ve seen this image in one of our lessons.
“This is called the Garden of Innocence. This is where King Darius leads the women who want to sex with him.” I felt my cheeks heated as I heard the word sex.
Lira noticed me.
“Why, are you a virgin?” She asked me and I simply nod my head.
She laughed and hold my shoulders.
“Listen, lady, you’re so lucky because King Darius killed all the women he mated after knowing that they’re not pure like you,” she told me.
I was shocked to hear it. Yes, I had a boyfriend before but we didn’t end up having sex not after we got married but sadly he runs away before that.
“Come, undress now, and I will help you clean yourself,” she told me but I declined.
“No, I can do it on my own!” I hesitated.
She glared at me and I know she didn’t like what I said.
“King will kill me if he finds out!” She told me.
So I had no choice but to let her touch my skin. As I landed my feet on the pool, I felt blissful. I miss how to take a shower for I hadn’t been able to feel the cold water running through my body.
I closed my eyes and let her bathe me.
——–
Four hours after the party
“Hey, Anika, wake up! Wake up!” I heard someone is calling my name.
I slowly opened my eyes to check who was it and then I saw Ergo, the genie who gave us a mission, I almost stumbled on my bed.
“At last, you’re awake now! Listen you have to know something and it’s not as good as you think” he said and I frowned.
I don’t know what he meant by it but I hope this won’t affect my mission and my time going back to the present time.
” Ariana is losing herself. She’s not going to continue her mission. If she continues to be stubborn, well you will stay here forever until you die!” It was his warning to me and I can’t believe what I heard.
I felt betrayed.
“What?!? Does she know how I risk myself meeting the King of Valkyrie even it cost my life just to find her family?” I told Ergo.
I almost explode to my anger. How can she do this to me? How about her husband? Did she fall for someone there or did she want a life that I have? How dare she?
“Why she’s not here? I need to talk to her now!” I yelled at Ergo.
He made a sigh.
“I told you, I came to help you but I try to convince her tomorrow about the mission” he mumbled and I was about to ask him who was the guy who made her changed her mind but he just vanishes in thin air.
I just sat there on my bed feeling down.
What if it was Jerick, my ex-lover, I will kill her!
What if it was Argus Mateo, that guy, she falls in love with him, how dare she!
I had to meet her even it’s in our dreams and I’ll give her her own medicine.
“After what I did tonight with King Darius, how dare she?” I gritted my teeth in anger.
Anika POV as Ariana
I swear to myself that I won’t tolerate her unreasonable decisions. She betrayed me and stab me behind my back. I, the Anika Perez of Perez Hotels and Resorts was being deceived by someone who just came from the past many years ago?
I’ve been walking back and forth to my room. I’m happy King Darius is kind to me and he didn’t even touch every single strand of my head. I thought something will happen after the party but he ordered Lira to show and escort me to my room.
—–
Flashbacks
The Party
Everyone we’re dancing on the dance floor and I was there only standing at the corner. King Darius, we’re surrounded by his concubines but I didn’t join them. My thoughts were at Marco if where is he now and what did King Darius do to him.
I was in my thoughts when I saw the king is waving his hands at me. I quickly walked forward to the King’s table where all of the King’s officials were sitting there.
“Come here, Ariana! Sit beside General Argus” he ordered me.
Even I had a dark past at his soldier’s general, I accepted his request and made my way near him. I saw him smirks and I glared my eyes at him.
“I can’t understand why you took him, my Lord. She’s a crazy woman who mocked me but I think your taste to somen Is not that bad.” He uttered to the King and everyone was surprised when he hastily hit his palm on the table.
All of them stared at each other especially Argus.
“How dare you ridiculed my woman in front of me! I am your King and all of you must respect her or else I’m going to slash the neck of anyone!” He shouted to everyone.
I quietly set a grin on my face. Good for him he’s an asshole. He quickly stood up and bowed his head to apologize to his king.
“I’m sorry, my Lord. It won’t happen again!” He told him.
King Darius took a deep breath.
“Go, apologize at Ariana” he ordered him to do it.
Argus was shocked by his King’s order. Anika raised her eyebrows at him and set an evil smile where everyone can’t see it. Argus saw her doing it and she saw him clenching his fist under the table.
“General Argus, maybe you sometimes act gentleman in front of these ladies” one of King’s advisers Reg told him.
Argus wanted to kill Anika but he can’t right now since she fooled the King with her beauty and charm.
——-
“I guess, no need for you to be harsh on him, my Lord. His sincere apology means to me. We can talk about it later if you let me!” I told the king with a lovely smile on my face.
The King listened to me and the party continued.
I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. It’s not what I wanted actually. I made my way to the dungeon. Everyone is busy having a good time at the party. This is my chance to help the prisoners inside the palace. I saw corridors leading to a small way to a limited space room. I have a hunch that this is the way to the dungeon. I remember during our history class, our teacher showed us a picture of what the dungeon looks like during the medieval age. There’s a lot of fire going to the pathway since it’s dark and it was located under the palace.