ELORA
My body tingled with suppressed excitement as I thought about everything the King and I had accomplished. I felt powerful, like I could do anything I wanted now. My position as the king’s mistress had never felt so important before. Never in million moons would I have thought that I would help with freeing slaves.
My mind wandered to the king, remembering how ungodly handsome he had looked that night as he fought of those werewolves. The feral way he had moved and the sight of our enemy’s blood on his skin had sent desire racing through me. It had felt like we had been partners in that moment and not just a King and his mistress.
After the raid, he had been out of public eye. Even his warm presence beyond the walls of my chambers seemed absent. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was up to. I certainly hoped he was resting and taking medications but knowing his personality, I doubted it. Although, he was unstoppable during the raid, I did notice various cuts on his hands. I wondered how he took the sight at the auction house. For someone who abolished slavery, it must hurt to see one’s subjects blatantly disregard his decree.
The palace buzzed with activity as the slaves we brought in were in terrible conditions and it was going to take a lot to ease them into the real world. After a head count, it was discovered that we rescued about a hundred of them from the auction house but there were others og whom we couldn’t identify their origins. Many of the slaves needed medicines and most of them hadn’t eaten anything in days. The kitchen staff worked overtime in preparing dishes that would give them their strength.
I offered my help at the royal infirmary as it was flooded with many rescued slaves, most of them being females that were still anxious about being left with strangers again. There were fewer males because most of them fled during the raid. The royal soldiers believed they found their way to the Blackfoot’s at the Southern border.
The last time I had visited the infirmary, I wasn’t able to appreciate its glory. The infirmary comfortably contained the slaves we’d rescued. I was tasked with cleaning small wounds and offering mental support to the girls who needed stitches and examination of their private areas.
“Thank you…” One of them said as I cleaned. She looked nothing above sixteen years. Her soulful eyes reminded me of Olivia.
“You’re welcome,” I answered, giving her a warm smile.
After cleaning her wounds, I moved on to the next girl. “Good day…”
She looked at me intently and rolled her eyes.
“Good day,” she grumbled.
“Can you please pull up your sleeves so I can clean your wound?” She was one of the lucky ones with clothing.
I placed a hand on her sleeves in an attempt to help her. Before I could, she snatched her hand.
“Why are you helping us?” She snapped, “Are you not a slave like us?”
Her mouth was rounded in an angry pout.
It was easy to write her off as ungrateful but I understood her feelings being a slave myself. I placed my hands at my side.
“As you go on living, sometimes you become indebted to others or inconvenience others. Everyone lives like that. You don’t suffer too much on your own. After all, people will be indebted to you. Does that make them any lesser?”
The notch on the girl’s forehead released.
“Open your arms and receive help. No matter what you say, no matter how much you put up your guard, the treatment here will be a hundred times better than there.” I placed a hand on her arm. “I know the horrors that come with being a slave. I’ve been there.”
Her eyes burned with pent-up rage and energy. She looked away and gave a small sigh.
I helped her roll her sleeves and gently cleaned her wounds. Hers were the most gruesome I had seen so far, it took a lot not to wince.
“Excuse me, where do I head to?”
I felt a cold presence behind me and I jumped slightly. The presence loomed behind me, I turned around curious to see who caused the goosebumps scattered on my arms.
Staring right into my eyes was the blackest eyes I had ever seen. It reminded me of writing ink, and charcoal. I blinked as it seemed to glint. I couldn’t look past those eyes; it was just like a magnetic pull.
“Where do I head to?” He repeated, breaking the trance.
“Uh-” I blinked and shook my head lightly. “You’re supposed to head to me,” I chuckled nervously, realizing how stupid that sounded. “You need to get your wound cleaned,” I said, glancing at his toned arms riddled with scars and cuts.
“Oh.” He put his hand out.
“Right.” I dipped a cloth into some liquid, and with the lightest touch, I cleaned, fearing it would hurt him.
He grunted and I stopped, looking up at him. His face was contorted in a mid-wince, his full dark eyebrows were furrowed tightly, his eyes were squeezed shut and his teeth were barred.
“Oh, sorry. I’m sorry…”
“It’s fine. I’m sorry for acting like a cry baby.” He gave a smile, “I’m typically more tough skinned.”
He did look tough skinned, with muscular toned abs, ringed scars, beautiful silky black hair packed into a bun and broad shoulders that spoke of hard labor. The near regal way he carried himself and the elegant carriage of his body didn’t strike me as something a slave should possess. His accent sounded a bit exotic but I heard of slaves adopting accents their masters wanted them to take so I paid no mind to it.
“Ah. I’m sorry… Once again.”
“I know you.” He said suddenly like he had finally placed my face. “From Darwin pack… Daughter of the former –”
“Attention everyone!”
My eyes widened as I looked at him.
He recognized me!
Now that I thought about it, he might have seen my mother before being taken away to the auction house. Could he?
“Attention everyone!”
I turned to see Skye standing at the front of the large chamber. I hadn’t seen her for some time since the raid. My respect for her had skyrocketed after watching her fight and command those soldiers in the caves.
“As you now know, you are all free. You have the option of either working as a paid staff here in the palace or to work anywhere else you wish.” She explained folding her hands and roving her eyes around the room.
Murmurs arose at her words.
“Is there an option of going to the Blackfoot’s?” Someone asked. It was the feisty girl I had treated earlier. “That’s where people like us have total freedom. I wish to go there.”
Skye took a step forward and what seemed like a smirk danced on her lips.
“There is no problem. How many of you want to head to the Blackfoot’s?”
More than half of them raised their hands.
“Good.” She nodded. “You need enough rest and energy to embark on that journey. I advise that you rest and eat enough. Take all medications recommended to you by the physician. In three days, I will be leading you to the southern border.”
“What work is available for us at the palace?” The man that recognized me earlier asked Skye.
It was surprising that he wanted to stay at the palace. People like him usually fled to the southern border.
“Men usually work as the palace guards and there are more than a few jobs for the women to do here.” She answered, “I promise you, no one will harm you here.”
Skye’s departure brought excited whispers from all the freed slaves. Where there had only been silence and grunts of pain, I could hear plans for the future and shared hopes and dreams. Even amidst the excitement, I felt tired as I had not had enough time to rest after the raid. I couldn’t bring myself to leave before they were all settled. I stifled a yawn as one of the infirmary staff walked up to me.
“You have done well today, Your Highness. Thank you for your help. You should retire now.” She suggested, smiling at me.
“I should.” I smiled, stifling another yawn, “I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
I walked out of the infirmary and headed to my room, craving a long soak in the bath and the comforts of sleep on my soft bed.
After a nice warm bath with scented candles and therapeutic flowers, I felt the tension in my weary muscles disappear and dressed in my night robe already succumbing to the call of sleep.
A knock on the door halted my walk to my bed.
“Who is it?” I called out weakly.
“Elora, it’s Lucy.”
I ran up to the door and opened it, smiling as she threw her hands around me. It seemed like an eternity had passed since I had seen her.
“Wow. Rescuing slaves from slavers? Is it true that the auction house was set ablaze?”
I chuckled.
“Greetings to you too, Lucy.”
“Greetings, Elora. I must say, you look great! Different! Like there’s a glow about you.”
I knew the glow she saw was a result of my excitement and the pride that we had indeed rescued many slaves.
“I just had a bath,” I said instead, brushing the compliment off.
“Hmhm…” She muttered and sat on my bed. “Have you gone to see your siblings yet?”
I frowned as I looked at her. The tone of her voice seemed too careful and she had a hesitant look on her face.
Alarm bells went off in my head.
“Not yet.” I answered, “Is something wrong? I planned on visiting after the dust settles.”
She opened her mouth and shut it.
“What happened, Lucy? Talk to me.”
“Your siblings were a bit roughened up. Someone tried to hit them but Kano intervened.” She said.
“What? Hit? Why?”
“Someone spread the rumor that you and your siblings are traitors and–”
I tightened the night robe around me and bolted for the door, not caring for anything else she had to say. I had heard enough. My siblings deserved none of that.
“Elora! Wait! They’re fine! Kano helped out!” Lucy cried after me.
I found my siblings curled up in bed in their room. All three of them had squeezed themselves onto Olivia’s tiny bed as if they were afraid of being separated.
“Olivia! Brian! Bennet! Are you okay?” I rushed over to them, pulling them up and inspecting their bodies closely, checking for injuries. “Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?”
My heart raced even as I saw the bruises. Bennet had his right arm bandaged. Brian’s leg had a small stitch Olivia’s left eye was swollen and pink from what looked like punches. She tried to smile weakly.
“We’re okay, Elora,” Olivia answered softly.
I pulled them in for a hug and caressed their faces. Tears streamed down my face, as I wept uncontrollably.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
The door opened to reveal Lucy and Kano.
“They’ll be fine, Elora. I intervened before anything outrageous happened.” Kano said, still standing by the door.
Lucy walked further into the room.
“They’re fine with us. We keep a good eye on them.” She assured me.
I held them even closer to me. They were all I had left and I hadn’t been there to protect them.
If Kano or Lucy hadn’t…
No.
It was my job to protect them and no one else’s.