Okay...I hope you guys liked the first chapter. The idea just came to me
while watching "Xena" one day and I decided to write it down and see what
happens—I don't know why, it just did. Well, anyway, here's chapter two.
Enjoy! !!!
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Chapter 2: My Life
"Myra! Get down here now, you little runt!" Livia's frightful yell of anger awakes me from my sleep with a start. I sigh in exasperation and then hurry upstairs from my small, damp, and cold room in the cellar, noticing that I have overslept again and am probably in serious trouble with her.
It seems nowadays that the only time I'm ever at peace and get a moment to myself is when I'm asleep. It's the only time I can go without ever having a care in the world, when I'm relaxed and free. Now I'm not exactly comfortable, but I'm free.
Well, except for last night. Last night was actually different from what my nights are usually like. Ya see, last night I had the dream again. The one reoccurring dream that doesn't happen often. But, when it does, it's like what little I have left of my world has come crashing down at my feet.
It's the one dream I always have about what happened so long ago—about the day that Adelaide was attacked and my people and I were taken prisoner by Livia and her army, only to later be sold into slavery. Gosh, I remember that day like it was yesterday...
............................................................................................................
It was early in the morning and I was still asleep. But I soon awoke at hearing all the screaming. The next thing I knew, my mother, Carlene, came running into the room that I shared with my younger sister, Marina, and scooped me up in her arms just as my father, Elliot, came in and did the same with my sister. "C'mon children! We've gotta get outta here now!" my mother panted, clearly out of breath from running so much.
I can't even imagine how frightful and confusing this must've been for Marina. Why, my little sister was only a two-year-old at the time. She started crying almost immediately, sensing that something was definitely wrong. My father held her close as we were rushed out the door.
As soon as we were out of the house, we started running. Everything was taking place so fast—I hardly knew what was happening. All I knew for sure was that we were in serious danger, and that we needed to get out of their in a hurry. Even at the age of five, I still knew that this would be a life- changing experience. I buried my face into my mother's shoulder, not wanted to see anything.
We were almost out of the village when all of a sudden my mother fell to the ground, taking me with her. I felt something surround me and I knew that something was wrong. I lifted my head up and noticed that we were caught in a net, all four of us. My parents struggled to get away but it was no use. We were captured. That's when I first saw her—the one woman who would soon destroy my life and be the cause of all my suffering.
"Take them away," she told the two soldiers that were with her. "I should get a pretty good price for them. Yeah, I think they'll make pretty good slaves to those who can pay for them."
"Yes Livia," the men said, nodding their heads in respect. And, with that, she turned and left, leaving us to our fate. Everything else up until the point where my family was sold, leaving me behind to deal with Livia all by myself, is a blur.
............................................................................................................
But now at least that's over for this morning—back to my regular routine of literally working all day until late at night, and then not sleeping well at all when I'm finally given the chance. But hey, that's my life—if you could even call it a life.
As I reach the doorway to the dining room, I quickly put on my usual look of submission—lowering my gaze to the floor and quickly becoming frightened of her as I do every time I have to face her—at noticing my mistress, Livia, Champion of Rome, sitting at the long table, her face showing me that she is already irritated this morning. Considering how early it is, that's gotta be some sort of record for her.
Oh yes, she is definitely angry with me for oversleeping. I was supposed to be up a half an hour ago and to have her breakfast ready by now, but, unfortunately for me, I only woke up about a minute ago. Ummmm...oops!
I slowly and cautiously walk into the room and approach Livia. "Y-yes, M- Mistress?" I reply timidly, stuttering on my words as I curtsy in respect, not daring to look her in the eye unless she tells me to for fear of what I know is to come next. It's is never good news for me when things like this happen. They usually end with me getting beaten. That's how it's always been, and that's how I fear it always shall be.
Livia slowly and menacingly turns her head in my direction. "Where the hell is my breakfast?" she growls at me, clearly not in the mood for any of my slip-ups today, which I'm quite known for.
"P-please forgive me, Mistress. I-I overslept. I'm s-sorry," I plea with her, only succeeding in making her even more pissed off. She just sits there and glares at me for a second. Then, before I can react, she stands up and grabs me by the collar, lifting me up off my feet.
"Can't you do anything right, you little runt?!" she hisses at me, her grip on my collar so tight that it is almost choking me. I snap my eyes shut in an instant. I try and keep my composure, but it's so hard! She hates it when I cry, just absolutely detests it. I silently pray that Livia won't make me look at her. If I have to look into those cold, merciless eyes of hers, I know I'm gonna lose it.
"Please! Please f-forgive me, Mistress! I had a-a rough night last night! I- I'm exhausted!" I beg her, trembling now, my heart beginning to pound in my chest as my respiration rate increases. 'Please don't let her beat me!' I plead silently to no one in particular.
She shakes me violently. "Look at me!" she orders, her tone of voice full of rage. I have no choice. I lift up my head, looking Livia straight in the eye. I begin to tremble even more. I feel the tears welling up in my eyes and a lump catch in my throat. I silently beg them not to fall, but it is of no use.
The tears run down my cheeks as a sob escapes me before I can restrain it. "Shut up! You know it annoys me when you whine and cry like that!" she yells, her temper flaring. "I said shut up!" I try and calm myself down. The next thing I know, she throws me to the ground. "Now go and fetch me my breakfast! And then do your chores! I'll deal with you later!" she commands me, kicking me hard in the side.
I try my best not to cry out in pain at this. I stand up slowly. I jump as Livia suddenly yells, "Now! Move!" She gestures as though she were about to backhand me, her hand flying up. At seeing this, I run as fast as I can out of the room for fear that it wasn't a bluff. It probably wouldn't have been if I'd stayed where I was.
And so, I do as I'm told. I make Livia her breakfast, and then go about my daily chores as usual, afraid of what Livia was going to do to me after I finish and praying that she'll have forgotten before them. Although, in the back of my mind, I know that she is not going to forget and will be waiting for me when I finish my chores, her hands balled into tight fists as usual...
............................................................................................................
Chapter 2: My Life
"Myra! Get down here now, you little runt!" Livia's frightful yell of anger awakes me from my sleep with a start. I sigh in exasperation and then hurry upstairs from my small, damp, and cold room in the cellar, noticing that I have overslept again and am probably in serious trouble with her.
It seems nowadays that the only time I'm ever at peace and get a moment to myself is when I'm asleep. It's the only time I can go without ever having a care in the world, when I'm relaxed and free. Now I'm not exactly comfortable, but I'm free.
Well, except for last night. Last night was actually different from what my nights are usually like. Ya see, last night I had the dream again. The one reoccurring dream that doesn't happen often. But, when it does, it's like what little I have left of my world has come crashing down at my feet.
It's the one dream I always have about what happened so long ago—about the day that Adelaide was attacked and my people and I were taken prisoner by Livia and her army, only to later be sold into slavery. Gosh, I remember that day like it was yesterday...
............................................................................................................
It was early in the morning and I was still asleep. But I soon awoke at hearing all the screaming. The next thing I knew, my mother, Carlene, came running into the room that I shared with my younger sister, Marina, and scooped me up in her arms just as my father, Elliot, came in and did the same with my sister. "C'mon children! We've gotta get outta here now!" my mother panted, clearly out of breath from running so much.
I can't even imagine how frightful and confusing this must've been for Marina. Why, my little sister was only a two-year-old at the time. She started crying almost immediately, sensing that something was definitely wrong. My father held her close as we were rushed out the door.
As soon as we were out of the house, we started running. Everything was taking place so fast—I hardly knew what was happening. All I knew for sure was that we were in serious danger, and that we needed to get out of their in a hurry. Even at the age of five, I still knew that this would be a life- changing experience. I buried my face into my mother's shoulder, not wanted to see anything.
We were almost out of the village when all of a sudden my mother fell to the ground, taking me with her. I felt something surround me and I knew that something was wrong. I lifted my head up and noticed that we were caught in a net, all four of us. My parents struggled to get away but it was no use. We were captured. That's when I first saw her—the one woman who would soon destroy my life and be the cause of all my suffering.
"Take them away," she told the two soldiers that were with her. "I should get a pretty good price for them. Yeah, I think they'll make pretty good slaves to those who can pay for them."
"Yes Livia," the men said, nodding their heads in respect. And, with that, she turned and left, leaving us to our fate. Everything else up until the point where my family was sold, leaving me behind to deal with Livia all by myself, is a blur.
............................................................................................................
But now at least that's over for this morning—back to my regular routine of literally working all day until late at night, and then not sleeping well at all when I'm finally given the chance. But hey, that's my life—if you could even call it a life.
As I reach the doorway to the dining room, I quickly put on my usual look of submission—lowering my gaze to the floor and quickly becoming frightened of her as I do every time I have to face her—at noticing my mistress, Livia, Champion of Rome, sitting at the long table, her face showing me that she is already irritated this morning. Considering how early it is, that's gotta be some sort of record for her.
Oh yes, she is definitely angry with me for oversleeping. I was supposed to be up a half an hour ago and to have her breakfast ready by now, but, unfortunately for me, I only woke up about a minute ago. Ummmm...oops!
I slowly and cautiously walk into the room and approach Livia. "Y-yes, M- Mistress?" I reply timidly, stuttering on my words as I curtsy in respect, not daring to look her in the eye unless she tells me to for fear of what I know is to come next. It's is never good news for me when things like this happen. They usually end with me getting beaten. That's how it's always been, and that's how I fear it always shall be.
Livia slowly and menacingly turns her head in my direction. "Where the hell is my breakfast?" she growls at me, clearly not in the mood for any of my slip-ups today, which I'm quite known for.
"P-please forgive me, Mistress. I-I overslept. I'm s-sorry," I plea with her, only succeeding in making her even more pissed off. She just sits there and glares at me for a second. Then, before I can react, she stands up and grabs me by the collar, lifting me up off my feet.
"Can't you do anything right, you little runt?!" she hisses at me, her grip on my collar so tight that it is almost choking me. I snap my eyes shut in an instant. I try and keep my composure, but it's so hard! She hates it when I cry, just absolutely detests it. I silently pray that Livia won't make me look at her. If I have to look into those cold, merciless eyes of hers, I know I'm gonna lose it.
"Please! Please f-forgive me, Mistress! I had a-a rough night last night! I- I'm exhausted!" I beg her, trembling now, my heart beginning to pound in my chest as my respiration rate increases. 'Please don't let her beat me!' I plead silently to no one in particular.
She shakes me violently. "Look at me!" she orders, her tone of voice full of rage. I have no choice. I lift up my head, looking Livia straight in the eye. I begin to tremble even more. I feel the tears welling up in my eyes and a lump catch in my throat. I silently beg them not to fall, but it is of no use.
The tears run down my cheeks as a sob escapes me before I can restrain it. "Shut up! You know it annoys me when you whine and cry like that!" she yells, her temper flaring. "I said shut up!" I try and calm myself down. The next thing I know, she throws me to the ground. "Now go and fetch me my breakfast! And then do your chores! I'll deal with you later!" she commands me, kicking me hard in the side.
I try my best not to cry out in pain at this. I stand up slowly. I jump as Livia suddenly yells, "Now! Move!" She gestures as though she were about to backhand me, her hand flying up. At seeing this, I run as fast as I can out of the room for fear that it wasn't a bluff. It probably wouldn't have been if I'd stayed where I was.
And so, I do as I'm told. I make Livia her breakfast, and then go about my daily chores as usual, afraid of what Livia was going to do to me after I finish and praying that she'll have forgotten before them. Although, in the back of my mind, I know that she is not going to forget and will be waiting for me when I finish my chores, her hands balled into tight fists as usual...