"We found her hiding in the back streets, Sir." A guard said gruffly. His accomplice held you up by the hair when you could barely kneel. The Baliff nodded curtly. "Have her taken to my estate. She will be placed in the dungeon until I have determined the best course of action."
"No..., please..." you murmured, giving an undignified yelp as the guard pulled you to your feet, picking you up and throwing you unceremoniously into the back of a cart.
Every few seconds there would be a painful jolt, but your hands were tied and you couldn't pull yourself up into a sitting position.
Who would have known that one mistake could bring your life to such an undignified end? While the man who still sent a shiver down your spine every time you thought of him walked free. You could still feel his cruel hands, the bruises on your skin were bright signs of your struggle.
After what seemed like hours but was probably closer to minutes, the cart came to a sharp stop.
You were being roughly grabbed again, thrown over the guard's shoulder and carried through the luxurious halls of the Baliff's home.
The dungeons were exactly as one might expect. Dank, cold and vile smelling. There you waited on a thin layer of straw, shivering in your ripped dress until someone saw fit to retrieve you for your punishment.
"C'mon, Girlie. The Baliff's made up his mind." There was the sound of the doors unlocking and you peeked up through curtains of unwashed hair at the guard.
You were deposited directly at the Baliff's feet.
"It's an honorable punishment you'll be serving, little whore," he said, hand behind his back. He didn't even want to look at your pathetic form, instead looking to the guard behind you. You wanted to spit in face or fly at him with your fists, but it was futile.
He continued. "You won't simply be put to death, no. You'll have the honor of being given up."
Your blood ran cold. Being given up meant only one thing.
"Take her out to the woods and get our high priest."
"NO! YOU CANNOT DO THIS!" you screamed with a surprising amount of force for one so badly broken. The Baliff said nothing, merely watched with detached interest as you were dragged away once more, kicking and screaming.
You were tied up again, this time against a tree, and you were gagged. The rope was so tight that it cut into your wrists and the blood ran down your arms, dripping into the grass. A few seemingly strange and random items were laid at your feet. A dead rabbit, a gold coin, a bunch of green roses cut from the manor gardens.
"Today we call upon the gods," the priest intoned. "We send unto you an impure soul as sacrifice. Take out offering as blessing, grant us impunity, protect out souls from this demon's sway!"
You wanted to prove your innocence, that you were no demon or siren. You wanted to, but couldn't do anything but watch as the high priest performed his sacrifice.
"In our name, we beseech thee!" With a final flourish, he took one look at you, turned tail and ran.
You did not know how long you'd been there. It felt like eternity. The night came. There was no sound at all in this wood. They called it a sacrifice in the name of the gods, but the only ones who would be taking advantage of this would be wolves and carrion birds.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise." You heard a man's voice. Immediately your thoughts turned to the man in the alley and you shuddered. You squeezed your eyes shut. Something brushed along your jaw and you flinched, still refusing to look.
"When I get these sacrifice in my name, it's usually something insignificant. A part of a roast, or a stillborn infant. Not a fully grown woman."
A muffled whimper sounded through the gag. Then you felt it loosen as it was pulled from your face. Next there was a sawing of ropes and your hands and ankles were freed. You sort of slumped forward into the grass, unnmoving.
There was a sigh of annoyance. "Must I do everything myself? Those foolish mortals..."
You felt yourself being picked up more gently than before, and carried in the mystery person's arms.
You woke and something felt different. The gentle up and down you felt was not from riding, or another cart. It was your mystery savior's chest. You were pressed tightly against a gold plated chestplate, as you were still being carried.
You just barely peeked up through your eyelashes at the face of a god. For who else could it be, but a god who saw fit take the sacrifice as his own.
"We're almost there." His voice was smoother than velvet. His eyes were what caught your attention though. They were the color of the sea, not quite blue or green, and perfectly serene.
There, up ahead, was a little cottage. It looked small but well kept, yet somehow it was clearly abandoned and sort of sad.
He carried you in and set you down on the bed before taking a seat on the edge. He was the picture of relaxed, but his expression was shrewd.
"Now, is there a reason why you were offered up to me? Not that i'm not flattered, but I don't see the purpose."
"It-" Your voice stuck in your throat. "It was my punishment."
"What on Midgard would be so horrible that being given up to me was a suitable punishment?'
You couldn't stop the few rebellious tears from escaping as you stammered. "I... he... he forced me to... I had no choice. I-I'm impure..."
"I see. And that is a punishable offense here?" He leaned forward slightly, hands wrapping around your bloodied wrists. A green light swirled from his fingertips and your eyes grew round watching the cuts shrink until only the faintest of scars remained.
"I am sorry, (y/n). For everything."
"D-Don't apologize. It's not your fault. I-I'm fine now."
"No, you're not," he interjected harshly. "Your life will never be the same."
"What? What do you mean?" Your voice wavered and your dread grew.
"If I could find the man who did this..." His voice was dark and it frightened you. "You are under my protection now, both of you."
"You... you would protect him too?" The confusion was plain in your eyes.
"You do not know...?" The look he sent you was so pitying that it only made you fear all the more. "You are with child, (y/n)."