Chapter 8 asking forgiveness
When Sinister and Angel arrived, many guards in gold and black arrived to take Sinister's horse for was gathered up and handed down to one of the guards who came to assist him. She was too weak from her journey to stand so she slumped against the gaurd who held her tightly against him while Sinister dismounted. She watched him as he did so, his face was caked with sweat and dirt, his hair looked muddied. His cold blue eyes met hers while he stretched. "Ah, my aching back." He said, and then came over to her. With her still in the guards arms he reached out to her and took her sun burnt arm in his hand. "Poor thing the sun has eaten you up." He said.
"My lord, perhaps a cool bath to help her burns?" One guard asked.
"Yes...and some water for her to drink plenty of it."
"Yes my lord, we shall draw it up for her." He said before walking away quickly. Angel took her hand from Sinister's hand and grabbed the guards leather armour and held it out before him, before looking up at Sinister.
"Are you asking me why these men wear different colored leather than the sultans?" He asked. She nodded.
"Because these men." He said. "Here." He gathered her up bridal style and began to carry her inside. He carried her up a bunch of stone steps and she began to get dizzy from the circular staircase as they ascended. She held on to the front of his shirt feeling sick and disoriented.
"You ok? You scared?" He asked her. She looked at him but did not nod or shake her head. He continued to climb the slowed down a bit.
"We're nearly there." He said. A few more minutes of climbing and they had made it to the top. Angel's jaw dropped once they made it to he top. It was filled with a bunch of beautiful green plants, plants she had never seen before, they were so different than her sandy home she had been raised in. He gently set her down, but her legs shook, and she hung onto the front of his shirt pulling him down. He immediately picked her back up "So weak..." He said. She looked more around the room and saw a bed with, and a guard caught her attention as he poured water into a large stone basin the corner of the room that had a room separate surrounding it.
"Her bath is ready my lord." The guard said and left the room.
"Ready?" He asked her before walking her to the bed. He gently set her down and began to remove her clothes but she grabbed his wrist to stop him. He did freeze in place and look at her. Tears came down her face.
"I won't hurt you." He said. She just stared down at her lap. He let go of her clothes and she let go of him.
"How about you get undressed and I help you get into the tub, when your ready?" He asked her standing up. She looked up at him and they made eye contact, before she nodded in agreement. He turned and walked behind the screen, where the stone tub was. She was slow to undress she was sore from the sunburns and her muscles screamed, as she moved and her whole body shook but she managed to get undressed. Then she sat there not sure how to tell him she was ready until she saw her leash laying on the ground she grabbed her chain and began smacking it on the ground making a whomp whomp whomp noise.
"Are you ready? I'm coming out?" He said. He stepped behind the screen. She immediately covered her he stepped out and stared at her. He laughed at her modesty.
"You have nothing to hide from me." He said and gave a devilish smirk. She looked away from him and stared at one of the beautiful flowers in a pot near her. He walked over to her and gently scooped her up before carrying her behind the screen, her chain dragged the floor. He knelt and place her in the tub. She jumped as the cook water touched her burnt skin. And he let her go. She put either hand on either side of the tub and stared at the bottom of the stone tub. He grabbed a rag that was laying on the counter nearby and walked back to her.
"May I?" He asked her. She looked at him with a look of confusion on her face but did not nod and then she drew her legs up to her chest. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. " He said and knelt down before dipping the wash rag into the water and then gently rubbed her knee with the rag.
"Do you think you can ever forgive me? Do you think...with time you could...could learn to love me?" She stared into his eyes but did not nod. Her body shook but he wasn't sure if it was from the heat exhaustion, what he was saying or the coolness of the water.
"Did I hurt you terribly, when I did it?" He asked her she buried her head in her knees. "I'm sorry.." he said and ran the rag down her back. "Your beautiful."He said and kissed her neck.
"You aroused and teased me. The way you would look at me. The way you fought me and rubbed your body against mine. I couldn't help myself. " He rested his forehead against her cheek, while her face was still buried in between her knees. She was shaking like a leaf.
"Are you cold or scared?" He asked her. She lifted her head to look at him. His head still rested against hers. His hand dropped into the water and his hand ran up her bottom. Her bottom was still painful from yesterday but she had no way of telling him so. She grabbed his wrist to stop him and he looked at her. Her breathing quickened. He sighed and scooped her up and carried her to the bed before walking back behind the screen and grabbing a towel came back and covered her shaking from before heading back behind the screen. She heard the water splash a few minutes later and realized he was bathing himself. She laid there exhausted, and soon drifted into a deep sleep.
Erik awoke with a start when Maribelle whined loudly. He at first thought something was wrong but when he realized she had stopped because they were approaching a stone structure with the lights on. "Good girl he said and patted her mane before looking around. Just off in the distance behind him Erik could see the familiar blue and black banner or guards and decided that it would be better if he came with some guards to retrieve her.
A few moments later...
It didn't for Erik to speak to the guards and talk them into coming with him over to the stone tower to retrieve his prize. He had at least a dozen guards and hoped that that would be enough to get her back. The .large and looked as though it could hold people. But Erik knew there was a possibility some guards were still loyal to the sultan as well. He wasn't sure if it was smart to waltz in or if they should try to sneak in. So he let Maribelle, his horse make the decision based off her instincts. She seemed to know what the answer was but seemed nervous also she waltz in, her ears back and stopped in the the court yard near the stables. The guards in gold and black ran up to great and gather the horses of the other blue and black guards.
"Who are you? And what do you want?" A voice asked. Erik looked up to see a well built guard in gold and black approach him.
"I am here under order of the sultan to take back what is his." He said.
"Sultan is no concern of ours." He said.
"Let me get what I came for and I will leave." Erik said simply.
"And what did you come for?" The gaurd asked.
"A women and Sinister. Are they here?" Erik asked somewhat annoyed.
"I don't think my lord, would like that." The guard said.
"I don't care what likes, I am here on order." Erik said.
"If you want them then you must go through me weeee man." The guard said.
"Very well." Erik said and with a quick whip of his hand a rope he had around Maribelle's saddle flew out and caught the guard around the neck. Erik pulled Maribelle's reins forcing her to go backwards quickly. The guard fell on his face and Maribelle pulled him around, for a minute before Erik thought it would be much more fun to act as though they were going to ride off in the desert dragging the poor man around his throat by the rope.
"Stop...stop...stop...!" The guard yelled. Erik halted Maribelle and waited for the man to speak.
"They're up stairs! Now let me go." The man shouted. "Am I going to have trouble getting to them?" Erik asked.
"N-nnno." He said. Erik released the rope and dismounted Maribelle before heading to the door closest to him. He found a staircase made of stone running in a spiral and started his ascent.
Angel woke up to find Sinister on top of her she, immediately put her hands up to push him off her, but she was still weak. His hair was dripping onto her indicating he had just gotten out of his bath. His dirt and dries blood gone, Angel could now see his face clean once again. His blue eyes bore into hers. She was happy to find she at least still had the towel to cover her naked body, in between them.
"Play nicely." He breathed and bent down to kiss her. Her legs were in between his and she kneed him in the groin. He yelled and backhanded her, before grabbing her leg and moving the m so he was in between her legs.
"Will it always have to be this way?" He asked her and grabbed her hands before putting them above her head, and stared down at her. She was looking behind him, before her eyes moved back to him, looking him dead in the eyes. He began to settle in between her legs.
"You ever going to behave for me?" He asked her, and froze as he felt cold metal gently bite his neck.
"I don't think she'll ever behave for anyone."Erik said while holding a knife at Sinister's throat. "What are you doing here?" Sinister sneered. "I've come for the both of you." Erik replied dryly.
"Get up, get off her, slowly." Sinister did as he was told and slowly rose.
"If you cherish your life you will stay there, Angel." He commanded her but reached down and grabbed her chain anyway.
"Get your clothes on now." Erik told Sinister. Sinister edged slowly around the room around the screen to grab his clothes and put them on Erik watched while he did so.
"Unless the whole trip your current attire my dear you will get up and put your clothes on without causing me any trouble." Erik said to Angel. She slowly got up holding the towel to her body to keep it covered and very shakily got to the edge of the bed, and stared at the floor.
"I don't think she'll off the bed by herself. She couldn't walk when we got here." Sinister laughed.
"What did you do to her?" Erik asked without taking his eyes of him.
"Just punished her." Erik quickly glanced at her, and realized she was weak.
"Wait here." He told her and let her chain go. He moves forwards and grabbed the front of Sinister's shirt before using it to pull him where he wanted him. "Down stairs now!" He ordered Sinister. Erik was gone only a few minutes before returning to her. She had not moved since he left. She clung to the towel desperately as her whole body shook.
"Has he hurt you to terribly?" Erik asked her. She shook her head no.
"Where are your clothes?" Erik asked and she pointed not far from the bed where she had thrown them before sinister carried her into the tub. Erik grabbed them and approached her and she backed away from him nervously.
"I'm just going to help you put them on. I promise not to do anything else. I'm only the sultans orders to take you home." He held out her shirt so she could on. She stuck her arm in the sleeves and slowly, and shakily Erik and Angel managed to get her clothes on.
"Do you think you can stand?" He asked her. She put her foot out and attempted to put weight on it but her whole body shook violently and her knee gave out. Before she fell to the ground, Erik's arm wrapped around her middle and pulled her back to the bed.
"Is it from him raping you? Is there a lot of pain between your legs?" He asked trying to figure it out. She shook her head no, and she turned to point at the sun. "Heat stroke." He said to himself. He realized that in the room they were in there of plants and one of them just happened to be aloe vera. Taking a bit of the plant he broke it open and rubbed it on her burnt skin. She looked confused but did away or move.
"This plant will the burns. I'm going to have to carry you to the horse." He grabbed some more of the aloe vera before he turned and he gently gathered her up and she wrapped his arms around his neck and gently carried her down stairs. The guards were all waiting around in the court yard with the horses. Angel could see Sinister on a horse, and his hands were tied to a saddle where five of the guards surrounding him. Sinister's horse had a rope tied to it and one of the guards held that rope. Erik brought her out and lifter her onto Maribelle's saddle. She tried to help him put her on the she did t have too much strength to help.
"We are going to need plenty of water and some rags as well." Erik said to the guards. Two guards quickly got what he wanted and handed them to Erik. Erik tied them to Maribelle and mounted her. Angel immediately leaned against him to weak to hold herself up any longer.
"Congratulations Sinister you about killed her was that your intentions?" Erik asked giving him a nasty look. Erik knew full well it had not been his intentions because why then would he have gone through all the kidnapping her and bringing her here. Erik knew he meant more to him than that. She was valuable to sinister especially since he ran away from the sultan. Sinister looked over at Angel as Erik turned his horse around to walk past him so they could leave. she laid against him her eyes closed.
"Will she be alright?" Sinister asked. Erik covered her skin to protect it from the sun and urge his horse forward. The five guards including the one leading Sinister's horse followed.
"With rest and water, she should be. And the aloe vera will the burns." He explained.
The trip back home was slower since there was and Erik had to keep stopping to offer Angel water, which she eagerly swallowed whenever offered. They had to ride slow to so she could sleep, having Maribelle gallop would wake her. It was evening now, there was a fire going. Angel was sleeping in the sand his cloak, nearby. He watched her steady breath. Her face expressionless. Sinister sat on the other Erik, his hands still bound. Two guards on either side of him. Sinister also watched her sleep, and the giggles to himself, which caught Erik's attention.
"What's so funny?" Erik asked.
"The irony of her life."
"How's that?" Erik asked throwing another the fire.
"Because of who she is and what has happened to her." Sinister said. " She wouldn't be in this predicament if things happened differently in her life. She had so much power and has none."
"What do you mean by that?" Erik asked.
"I've had enough of hearing that she is of great importance, I want to know why and all the riddles surrounding her. Tell me." Erik said.
"Did the sultan not tell you yet?" Sinister asked. Erik stared sinister down daring him to fuck with him.
"No, he did not."
"Well, I can't say. He would have my head if I said. You are not going to do more than kill so ask the sultan yourself." He said.
"I could torture you and leave you alive." Erik said.
"Would she make it that long? By the time you torture me and get the answer. You could have .back to the sultan and ask him yourself. And she could be comfortably resting." Sinister got smirk on his face of amusement and Erik knew he was right.
They left early in the morning, before the sun to high Erik got angels unconscious body onto the horse himself up behind her.
"What's going to happen to me?" Sinister asked Erik.
"Hopefully you'll be sold in the sex trade, and someone will rape your ass for what you've done to her." Erik said smugly.
"Ha, ha very funny. And what about you, Erik? you're no better than me. I believe your contract states that you are to rape women and make the respectful."
"I didn't rape them. That is what you think happened. That is what the contract states. But neither have I hurt or raped any of them" Erik said calmly.
"Your contract states that no women would bed you so the ones the sultan thought were disrespectful would be given by you to turn respectful."
"And it states just that, that I would turn them respectful, and they are. It isn't my fault you and the sultan assumed things. It doesn't mean I raped them." He stated. Sinister sat in silence confused and flabbergasted, he and the sultan have been so blindsided. How could they not have seen it.
"Do you think raping a woman makes her respect you more, or have hate? Hate brings anger and disrespect." Erik stated.
"Trust me, I know."
"You've been raped?" Sinister asked trying to cover his embarrassment, Erik what he thought were uncomfortable questions.
"No, I've been beaten. Pain brings the same reaction. They are both really similar so I can relate." He said.
"There's no way you didn't rape, Angel the sultan and I walked in on you nude, yesterday." Sinister laughed.
"You're simply playing head games with me."
"Really I remember her being fully clothed and me getting out of the shower after my long nights ride to Vamir." Erik turned to see Sinister's reaction. Sinister appeared to be thinking rather hard but said nothing more.
Angel stirred against him, moaning as she did so. Her eyes opened and she looked around before looking up at Erik.
"Good morning." Erik said. "How do you feel? Nod yes for good and no for not good."
She nodded yes and used his legs on either side of her to push herself up into a sitting position, so she didn't have to lay against him, she went to the side a little unsteadily and she felt Erik's arm wrap around her to steady her. Her throat was dry and it hurt her. It felt like sand was in her throat, she coughed to try to see if it would help.
"Do you want some water?" Erik asked her. His dark eyes met hers and she nodded. He grabbed the waterskin to get her some. " we are almost back to the sultan."
she nodded and laid against him limply.
