Esmeralda was in a mood. A most foul mood. She found herself in that state more and more over the past few months. The wretched man was planning something and she didn't know what. All she knew was that she didn't want anything to do with it. He spoke in ways that one would speak to a child to try to catch their interest. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of stoking her curiosity.
He disappeared around mid-day. Before he left, he told her to be ready when he returned. She scoffed at him and ignored him.
He tried to kiss her. Esmeralda glared at him when he attempted to lean over her and quickly turned her face away. She refused to turn her head to give him the pleasure of her lips. Esmeralda fought to control any tremors that his touch brought. Her control was unsuccessful. He appeared to notice her fear and anger. She silently prayed that he wouldn't try anything else. He hadn't since her bleeding started. It stopped and she knew that he would figure it out soon enough. She thought that acting as though she was still on her cycle was a good way to ward off any unwanted advances. He sighed and settled for a kiss on her temple.
He announced his departure and left.
Esmeralda continued to ignore him. As soon as she heard the door close, she sprang from her bed and checked to see if the door was locked. She hoped that he would forget. The wretched man never did. Esmeralda wanted to pull her hair out in frustration. She shrieked and hit her fist against it. The skin on her knuckle split from the hard contact. She shrieked even louder in frustration.
All she could do was pace, sleep, and wait for her captor to come back. He unfortunately always did. She waited for whatever new horror he would bring.
Esmeralda watched and waited for several hours. She knew her captor would be back at any time. She heard a sharp knock.
Her nightmare had arrived.
The wretched man wasted no time in pulling her into his wretched embrace. He pressed kisses all over her face and mouth. She squirmed against him in revulsion. Esmeralda tried to pull back, but his embrace was too solid.
He murmured things to her, but she only half listened. Something, something, beautiful when you are angry. Something, something, leave.
Leave? New home? Is that what the wretched man was carrying on about?
"The dark will serve its purposes well. I don't want anyone to recognize you. Come, we must leave" he ordered her.
"Leave? Where? I don't want to go with you! I want to go home!" she shrieked
"You are going home. A place by the water. It will be far more secluded and I can keep you safe there".
"I'm not going". She planted her feet and refused to move. She would not leave willingly.
He pulled on her arm until she almost lost her balance. She stumbled forward after him.
"Either you can come willingly, or I will make you come".
She huffed at him and decided to move as sluggishly as she could manage to slow his progress. Her small acts of resistance gave her some slight pleasure in knowing that he would not have a complete victory over her.
Esmeralda found herself led down a flight of stairs and through a few hallways. She saw a few paintings that littered the walls. All of the figures in them bore somber expressions. I would be cross too if I shared his blood.
The priest led her outside. She tried to take in the sights around her to place where she was. The walls of the outside were made of stone. She found herself between two buildings. She looked up. The first stars were starting to appear along the edge of the sunset. She took a deep breath in. The air felt lighter than that in her cell. Not quite fresh. I must be close to the city. Esmeralda's captor stepped far enough away, but left his hand on her shoulder.
She heard her captor call out. An old man appeared leading a horse. The old man refused to meet her eyes. He gave the reins to the wretched priest and disappeared back the way that he came. "Be safe Master Claude" he called out. Esmeralda drew a deep breath to call out after him. The priest quickly covered her mouth before she could utter a single sound.
She was once more alone with the priest.
At least she had the horse. The horse appeared to be of good stock. The horse was clearly well taken care of and well nourished. Its deep brown coat had a shine to it and its raven mane and tail were tangle free and well kept. It had a single star on its long forehead. Esmeralda felt pity for the animal. She could not blame the poor horse for its poor luck of having the priest as an owner.
She held out her hand to allow the horse to sniff her hand. It rubbed its muzzle on her as though it was asking to be pet. She obliged and scratched it between its ears.
She was rudely interrupted and ordered to mount the horse. She huffed. Her captor held out his hand to help her up. She swatted it away and tried to mount.
"Have it your way".
She tried and tried to mount the horse, but it was too tall for her. She felt his eyes on the bare skin that appeared during her attempts. The priest looked amused. After her fourth attempt, he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her on the horse's back. Her captor was tall. He had mounted behind her without a problem. He pulled his cloak around her and they set off.
The ride was not actually a long one. Claude found it to be a prudent idea to drag the ride out as long as he could. They wandered their way through the countryside at a leisurely pace. He would occasionally take random turns and double back in the event that the bird flew the nest.
Esmeralda was being obstinate. She adopted that attitude towards him and he found it most irritating. He tried to start a conversation with her, but she ignored him.
He tried to pull her into him, but she refused to comply. She kept her spine straight and stiff. Claude knew that she would eventually grow tired and would relax. The girl seemed focused on braiding whatever part of the horse's mane that she could reach. It was a feeble attempt at avoiding his attention
At long last, he felt the girl's spine start to soften against him. She yawned and relaxed further against him until her back was pressed into him. He took a deep inhale of her hair. He allowed the horse to amble its way leisurely. He wanted to drag this time out.
Claude started to feel his body respond to the contact. The pressure from her tiny form against him and the scent of her hair started to stoke fires of desire. He had abstained from taking his pleasure in her for a week. He knew that her cycle had ended. His body was craving it and craving it badly. He tried to clear his mind, but he was unsuccessful. The friction was incredibly arousing. His body had a kind of its own and he felt himself harden against her. His arousal started to press against her. Claude had to end this ride soon. He urged the horse out of its walk and into a brisk trot. He angled the horse into a patch of trees. They were almost there.
Esmeralda had started to doze off when she felt something pushing in to her lower back. Surely not? His hands were firmly gripping the reins. Oh, that disgusting man! She shrieked in disgust and tried to pull away. He groaned into her ear and pressed himself back against her, grinding into her back.
Esmeralda swung her leg over the side and threw herself off of the horse. She hit the ground with a loud thud. She gasped with the pain of hitting the ground. It was vastly better than what she faced on the horse. Her captor stopped, dismounted, and pulled her into a standing position. He caressed her face and pulled a few stray leaves out of her hair.
"Are you injured?" he said as he looked on with concern.
She refused to answer him. His tone became stern.
"Don't ever do that again! You could have broken a bone or worse!".
I wish I could break one of yours.
He ordered her to remount the horse. She refused to budge.
"We will be there soon. Unless you want to tarry for a little while?"
Esmeralda had no intention of doing that. "Please let me walk" she said as she tried to think of an excuse, "My back hurts".
He paused for a few minutes. He agreed to let her walk. "I will stay next to you. It's just a few minutes more".
Claude almost wanted to ravish her in the woods. It took every ounce of self-control to not. She looked like a woodland nymph with the leaves in her hair.
I'm not some animal to take my mate on the bare ground.
He had half a mind to use her hand to find his release right then and there. He had heard of such things and often found release with his hand.
No! You can wait just a little while longer. It will be far sweeter. Let her have her way.
He guided the horse with one arm and with the other, he guided her. His grip was firm. They walked out of the woods and into a field. It was an open field and covered in wildflowers. There was a creek and pond in the middle of it. Just beyond it, the country home was visible.
Claude had not been there since Jehan was a child. It was never named. It was not as grand as Tirechappe, but it would suit their needs better for the time being. Esmeralda could be outside without unwanted eyes and he felt like it would be more remote in the event that she (God forbid) escaped. Those that lived on the fiefdom were fiercely loyal to him and his family. They were all treated well and with respect. He had nothing to worry about if she flew the nest.
Esmeralda grimaced as they drew closer to the home. She knew what likely awaited her once the stopped. His arousal during the ride gave a warning of what she could expect from him.
Through the twilight haze, she saw someone walk out of the home and take the horse.
The priest took her inside and closed the door behind them.
From one cage to another.
