Hello everyone!
This is a "sample chapter" for one of the two stories I'm planning on writing. If you read the prompts in the header of my current work, then you'll know what you're in for already. :)
But if not, Pllleeaaasseee still review and let me know whether or not to continue on with this! Happy reading!
Briseis stood, completely naked and chained as she glared loathingly at the black gates of Erebor, trying to ignore the sounds of sobbing and wailing that most likely came from the mother's of some of the girls who stood along with her, just as exposed and shackled as she was.
The young girl was at least grateful that her parents weren't here to witness their only daughter being stripped down and herded before the King's palace like an animal waiting to be slaughtered.
She had been dragged from her home, her family and friends less than two days ago, and although they had all been anticipating her departure ever since her 18th birthday, it didn't make the ordeal any easier.
Her mother had cried the whole morning, refusing to eat, acting as though her daughter had died. Her father and younger brother tried to give her tight smiles when they caught her gaze, but the girl saw the sadness in their eyes.
And as her mother had predicted, her daughter was selected along with three others whom she had little or no connection with.
Briseis' heart was heavy, but she still had hope.
She hadn't been officially chosen as one of "privileged" yet and simply refused to believe that the King would take interest in her.
And why should he?
There were 49 other women here along with her, all chosen based on their youth and beauty, many of which whom had fine golden hair or bright blue eyes, there were even some who possessed bright scarlet locks that shone like fire. Therefore amidst such a wide range to choose from, the girl had confidence that she would remain overlooked and be sent back home to her family.
Many in her town thought Briseis exceedingly beautiful, but she was hardly to be compared to some of the other girls here. She only had simple brown hair that hung below her waist and cold grey eyes; nothing exciting or special.
Just then, the royal guards who stood on the elevated platform in the centre of the street blew their shrill horns and announced the commencement of the Ibùjab.
Which in Khuzdul meant "The Selection."
The sick process was exactly what it implied and took place every three years, forcing girls and women between the ages of 18 and 30 from villages across the Rhovanion to make their way to the Dwarf King's palace so he could choose the 10 Privileged.
The preliminary screening began in the villages as qualified women lined up in the streets, where they were inspected by royal guards and if chosen, taken to Erebor.
Here, the Dwarf King would pick ten women to live with him in the palace as his property, able to do whatever he pleased with them, whenever he wanted.
And then, when they reached an old age or became heavy or undesirable, the women were deemed as "unfit" to serve the King and were released.
Perhaps this sounded like a pleasant thing, to be let free after years of imprisonment – to be able to go back to one's family and live out the rest of your life in peace. But the King was cruel and jealous; therefore any woman who had served as one of the Privileged, any woman he had ever touched or kissed or made love with, was exiled.
Because if the King could not have them anymore, then no one under his rule would be allowed to either.
Suddenly Briseis became overly aware of her bare skin as it melted beneath the scorching afternoon Sun. She felt her breath come in low, shallow gasps and her head began to throb, only just letting the feeling of panic overwhelm her; perhaps she really never was going to see her family again. Maybe she would never get the chance to finish her training as a Healer. Or to find a husband and have family.
But the enormous doors to the palace creaked wide and distracted the girl before her vision began to swim.
There in the distance between herself and the doors, she saw the terrible Dwarf King as he made his way closer and closer to the throes of naked women who were waiting silently to be considered, hoping and praying that King Thorin would over look them.
The girl was near the very end of the crowd, but she could still see him clearly over the sea of heads as he climbed the steps to the wooden platform in front of them.
He was taller than most dwarves, and as Briseis had never seen him before, she was taken aback at how handsome he was. The girl had been expecting an overweight, deranged old dwarf with scraggly white hair and leathery skin - but he was nothing of the sort. The King had an attractive, stern, brooding face with dark features and pale blue eyes that seemed to pierce through everything. His long dark hair was streaked with white and fell just below his immensely broad shoulders which were covered beneath a huge fur lined cloak.
Perhaps if the girl didn't despise the King she would have admired him, but under her current circumstances, Briseis stood glaring poisonous daggers at the ruler of Erebor as the first girl was helped up the stairs by a pair of guards before they shoved her in front of their leader.
She was almost too slim and had long, curly golden hair. The Dwarf King grabbed her wrist and lifted her arm, turning her around to examine her as though she was a piece of meat he was reluctant to purchase.
As she faced the crowd, Briseis saw that she was about 19 or so, and that she was weeping silently.
A wave of hatred and anger swept through her, but all she could do was stand and watch.
Finally after taking another look at the golden haired girl's face, the King slightly shook his head and the guards immediately wrapped a cloak around the hysterically blissful woman as they unlocked her shackles and escorted her into the silently watching crowd.
The second woman was older, probably in her mid-twenties, and curvier than the last. King Thorin unabashedly reached out and squeezed one of her breasts in his enormous hand, seeming pleased with how it felt, before he turned her around to inspect her further.
A few more seconds passed before he spoke.
"Take her."
The King's voice was deep and commanding and as Briseis watched, the girl's entire figure seemed to slump before another pair of guards covered her with a cloak, unchained her, and led her towards the palace doors.
There two women dressed in white, presumably from previous Selections, flanked her on either side before all three disappeared from view.
The same thing went on for another hour or so and Briseis' hopes were now high, as he had selected another 8 women; two with scarlet locks and sea green eyes, three with golden hair and slender bodies and two with jet black tresses and long, limber legs.
Only one left.
One more, and there was still about a dozen or so women to go before the girl with the steel grey eyes had her turn.
She was almost smiling and thinking of how happy her parents would be to see her again. She thought of things she would do differently once she got back home, of people she would be more patient with. Never again would she take any of her family or friends for granted because now she knew what it would feel like to lose them. She even swore to never doze off while her aunt taught her the difference between all the herbs and plants Healers used to cure a variety of different ailments.
But more time went by, and the King had rejected another 6 women.
Then another, and another, and another were sent off into the crowd, leaving only one girl before Briseis.
Her heart was hammering loudly in her chest, almost breaking out of her ribcage as the guards grabbed the woman before her by the elbows and led her up the platform.
She was pretty, with sandy coloured hair and a curvaceous figure. She was short but walked with her head held high and as the King examined her, Briseis felt her stomach sink lower and lower with each passing second that he spent scrutinizing her, until it dropped completely as dwarf shook his head.
Almost instantly, she felt a pair of arms on either side shove her forward, the chains around her ankles clacking loudly as the girl stared straight ahead of herself. Not daring to think and just looking at the walls of the palace absent mindedly until she reached the steps of the platform.
Briseis took a deep breath and told herself to be strong, she was a feisty little creature and had gained many pounds in muscle over the years as she helped her father cut and haul wood for the hearth. The girl could fend for herself in most situations and told herself again to take courage in that knowledge.
When she took that first step, her legs were wobbling slightly, but as she kept moving, her gait became steadier and steadier and finally she came to stand before the King.
He was even more handsome up close, but Briseis was consumed by an absolute loathing and hatred for him to think on it too long.
She stared directly into his unreadable icy blue eyes defiantly and registered the smirk that played upon the dwarf's lips.
But the next moment she gasped as she unexpectedly felt his huge hands sliding their way up and down the sides of her stomach, the calluses on his palms and fingers felt foreign on her skin and suddenly she was reminded of everything she had to lose, everything those 9 other women had already lost, all because of this demented dwarf- and it caused an indescribable anger to swell up inside of her.
And then the girl made the biggest mistake of her life.
She shoved his hands off of her and then without thinking or realizing the consequences of her actions, Briseis spat on the King.