Back at camp my arms were tied and I was searched, they found the knife and pushed me so I was kneeling in front of him.
Turgan yelled at me, revealing he was going to beat his wife, his heavily pregnant wife because of me, the worse thing is she was there head bowed in acceptance at her punishment, they handed him a whip, she knelt down back to him as he ripped open her clothes as he swung back the whip to begin. I found my voice
"NOO" I yelled "it was my fault if you need to beat a woman to feel like a man then try me" I suggested, he looked at me his face screwed up in anger but I held his gaze he dropped the whip a fact I was grateful for,
"I value sprit in my horses not my women" he told me ripping off my head dress to grabbed my hair, he knelt in front of me pulling my head back and kissed me bruising his tongue in my mouth, I could taste stale alcohol sweat and bad breath as I tried not to retch, it was possessive as he let go he held me in place I closed my eyes trying to wipe it from my memory
"You belong to me" he reminded me just inches away I could still smell his breath, still taste him
"Learn you place, be obedient or you will suffer far worse than a beating he warned me, despite myself I shivered, he held me there for a few more seconds then let go of my hair, the relief was only there for a second as he picked up the whip and his knife untying my bonds then cut open my dress at the back, he ran his rough hand over my back
"So smooth and pale" he noted with glee "This will teach you to defy me" I stifled a scream as the whip hit me, it came out as a whimper but I wouldn't let him get the satisfaction of me screaming, he seemed to take that as a challenge as it hit me again and again on my back my upper arms, my bottom, all cut slit open viciously, then it began it hit already open areas my whimpers turning into strangled screams. The pain grew but the room dimmed, finally he tired dropping the whip just as I thought I was going to pass out.
"I will enjoy making you suffer tonight" he promised caressing my neck, then grinning he spat on me as I lay on the floor, before exiting the tent. In pain and exhausted I lay there as the other women entered cutting applying cream to my back before bandaging it with cloth. Strangely it had stopped hurting as much just tingled. They helped me dress into more normal clothes as my dress was ruined by blood and the slit. I was lead outside where I was given a bunch of grapes and told to pick them sighing I began not blaming them for not trusting me with a knife.
I sat there picking each one off wondering where my team was, were they looked for me, why was it taking so long, and the fear of tonight, I couldn't escape Turgan had assigned 2 men to watch me at all times. I knew rape had been a possibility stepping through the gate but now I was facing it directly I was scared he was wining.
"I know what you did for my mother" a soft voice interrupted my thoughts I looked up to see Nya she sat next to me, I nodded everybody knew. "I am grateful" she told me with a nod I responded speaking my first words since
"Its ok" they sounded quiet and shaky, I continued to pulled the grapes as a distraction
"We are all afraid" Nya admitted, "If you do not obey my father he will kill you" she warned me, I nodded Nya not telling me anything I hadn't guessed
"I know" I looked at her she was only trying to help,
"My father is a good man" she told me, I laughed, how did she come up with that one what brainwashing did they use,
"He never beats a woman unless she has done something wrong" Nya said firmly believing it, I looked up
"Unless" I paused at the unbelievably of her statement "There is no excuse to beat a women, ever." I repeated unable to believe what she was hearing from such a young girl,
"He's a powerful warlord! Our women and children are always protected, always have food." I felt my anger grow as the absurdity of the situation grew
"How can you defend him, he's packing you off to marry a total stranger." I yelled at her
"I have no choice; I am not free to choose." She told me sadly, my heart went out to her but my anger remained
"And you never will be until one of you say's no." I reiterated she looked at me weighing up the value in my words, someone came taking the bowl of grapes I had collected away, I dropped the grapes that was pointless now
"I want to say it, will you help me?" For the first time I felt hopeful there were two of us now, we could escape together, I smiled holding out my hand, she nervously took it, I smiled at her thinking of our options, one as a distraction another as an other distraction, we'd need weapons Nya might be able to get those and to lose our guards.
I stood up as I heard a commotion coming from the men in camp; I walked to the direction it was coming from and saw my team, I knew I would be freed and let out a small yes before I thought of my promise to Nya, seeing the woman and my guards were distracted and not worrying about the punishment I looked for options, the fire gave me an idea, I got a rag and set it alight Nya watching nervous then placed it against the cloth wall, it caught fire, spreading quickly. I moved to Nya to protect her and wait, my guards were first there yelling for help the women screaming they started trying to stomp it out
Seeing the opportunity I pushed her
"Go Nya Go" I urged watching as she ran hoping she'd get further than I did, she got from the camp undetected. I looked to the tent wondering how much longer I would be stuck here, wondering what they were saying pleased they had come for me. Turgan walked to where the women are looking at me,
"They have bought you" he spat I practically ran to where my team were waiting hugging them all climbing on a horse we rode to the woods but night fell before we got all the way back so we camped out. Colonel O'Neill handed me my uniform, I grinned at him before going to change a small way from camp. I kept the bandage on curious to note my back didn't hurt, feeling more human I brushed my teeth, before going back to camp to where the others waited.
"I have never been go glad to see you guys" I said honestly to them, having no idea if they hadn't come how I would have escaped with Nya and the whole camp watching me
"Oh, sure you have," I felt my smile fade, no way was there another time I was more relieved
"Remember that time on P3X-595, you drank that stuff that made you take off..." Colonel O'Neill mocked, smiling, oh great he remembers that designation I interrupt him changing the subject off me dancing naked.
"We won't get into that now. Mughal, I want to thank you for your help."
"We will leave at first light." He said gravely not accepting my thanks
"I don't blame you for what Abu did; I don't blame him either, now." I said realising I believed it, sure he had traded me to a warlord but he had done it out of love which I couldn't blame him for
"He is suffering the madness, as I did when I was young." I looked at him confused, Abu hadn't seemed mentally ill Turgan had but not Abu
"It's what they call love." Daniel explained I nodded it all making sense
"Ah, got it." I smiled and nodded just glad to be with my friends and not Turgan, we sat in silence before I yawned not having a full sleep last night had made me tired
"Go to sleep Carter that's an order" The Colonel ordered me, yawning again I nodded
"Which watch do you want me on?" I asked
"We'll sort it" he said waving me off, great I was still the girl unfit to take watch, he must have read my thought
"Fine you're on 4th watch sleep" I smiled, climbing into my sleeping bag and going to sleep immediately.
Hmmm no reviews for the last chapter I hope people are still reading and enjoying this story.
