by Alta Hensley
"What are those?"
"They're flowers," she replied with a smile, arranging them in the jar carefully, sprucing them a bit. "Aren't they lovely?"
"I can see that they are flowers, but where did you get them?" he demanded, his voice carrying a sharp edge to it that made her tense up.
"I… I found them. They were growing near the door."
"Outside? You went out there by yourself? After I told you not to!" He slammed his fist down on the table hard enough to make her jump, standing up abruptly, obviously very upset that his only request had been so blatantly disobeyed.
"I… I went to get some water… to wash the dishes. I didn't go far. I'm sorry. I—"
He cut her off again, before she could finish. "Do you realize how dangerous that was? There wasn't a soldier guarding you. If a Jaden soldier had been hiding in the dunes, that would have been the perfect time to strike and kidnap you. I told you how important it was for you to stay inside," he growled. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and lowered himself back down into the chair. "Do you understand how the thought of that terrifies me?" he asked, in a much calmer tone.
Cinder wrung her hands in front of her. "You're right. I'm sorry. I guess I was enjoying playing house with you so much, I forgot that we are at war."
"Forgetting such a thing will get you killed!" His deep voice caused her to jump. "This isn't the palace anymore. This is not a safe haven for you to have a momentary lapse." He stood up from his meal, walked toward her, and stopped mere inches from her face. She wanted to look at him, but his intimidation caused her to look at the ground, fidgeting with her hands in front of her.
He stood there as if waiting for her to continue her excuse, but she had no reply. What could she say? She knew he was right, which just proved she wasn't meant to be in a battle-torn world. She had no chance of surviving.
"Cinder…"
She remained silent, not wanting to look into his disappointed eyes.
"Do you stand there in silence in defiance? Are you angry at my zealous dictates?"
She shook her head, but still remained silent as she stared at her bare toes peeking out from underneath her silks.
"Look at me."
She refused.
"I said, look at me." He tilted her chin up with his finger until she was staring up into his eyes.
His look of displeasure filled her with guilt. She wasn't a fighter, and now she couldn't even please the prince with her harem skills. She had been groomed to be obedient, compliant, and certainly to follow the commands of the prince. She had failed.
"What has you in tears, Cinder? A simple scolding can’t have you so upset." She hadn't realized that tears were streaming down her face until that moment. "Are you afraid of me?" he asked, with concern in his voice.
She shook her head.
"Then what has you in tears? Answer me. I won’t tolerate this act of silence any longer." Although his voice was firmer, there was still an underline of concern mixed with it.
"I'm not meant to survive. I feel as if I should have died in the desert by the hand of General Rhys or the attackers before that and saved the time of the inevitable."
Donte remained silent. Anger sizzled across his face as his eyes seemed to darken to a deeper shade of rich blue.
"What you require of us, I simply can’t do." She wiped her nose with the arm of her sleeve as she continued to cry, simple tears now turning into small sobs. "I'm scared, I'm weak, I'm lost!" she said, with a sob that shook her shoulders.
Donte pulled her gently against his chest, and held her firmly, soothing her until she dried her tears and sniffed back the last of her momentary breakdown. As he spoke, his voice reverberated against her ear. "That’s what I am here for. If you’re scared, I’ll protect you. If you’re weak, I’ll make you strong. As for being lost… explain that in more detail."
She hesitated in answering him, not sure what she truly meant by that statement. Or more so, not knowing how to verbalize it.
"Cinder…" The one word came clearly as a warning. She didn’t know Donte well, but she knew enough to know his patience with her game of silence was wearing thin.
She should have answered him. The harem girl in her should have… but she remained trapped in her own silence.
Donte pulled away enough so that he was able to start lowering her silk. "I’ve had enough of your disrespect. When I ask you questions, I expect the courtesy of an answer. You can answer me, or be punished for defiance."
The harem girl should have answered right away and apologized for her behavior. But Cinder realized at that moment that the harem girl in her was what was lost.
"Very well," he said, as he tugged at the last knot holding her silk tight. Once that had been loosened, her clothing fell to the ground, exposing her completely. "You have made your choice."
The harem girl in her should have responded with a 'yes, sir' but once again, she held her tongue. The harem girl was somewhere else… mislaid in the desert.
"Since you have nothing to say to me, then maybe a trip over my lap will help you find your voice." He pulled her with him to a modest wooden chair by the table in the middle of the room, still covered with what should have been a pleasant breakfast. In one effortless motion, he draped Cinder across his knee, readying her body for a punishment.
The harem girl in her should have submitted willingly, mentally preparing for the correction in store. But that did not happen. Instead, she tensed and tried to get up. Her heart was beating so fast and hard, she almost wondered if it could be heard by Donte. She was no stranger to discipline, submission and dominance. She knew how to be submissive… and yet… she didn't want to be.
He pressed her back down firmly and trapped her legs between his, then grabbed both of her hands and pinned them behind her lower back with one of his. If she wouldn't willingly give her submission, he was clearly about to force it.
As she stared at the wooden floor only a few inches from her face, she challenged his hold. She wiggled and bucked, trying her best to break free. Could she escape if she really wanted to?
Her answer was a sharp slap to her bare ass. It stung, but for some reason she didn't want him to know it did. Another swat landed on one cheek and then another. Donte continued the spanking at a fast pace, but Cinder refused to gasp, plead or cry any further. She may not have control over her life, but she had control over her emotions with this discipline. She decided that she would take this punishment with grace and dignity. Donte had already seen enough tears from her.
He issued the slaps to her ass in silence. There was no lecture, no words of disapproval, just the sound of his hand peppering her rear with a growing force. Her bottom was on fire, and yet her eyes remained as dry as the desert. The pain grew as the spanking intensified, but she took the discipline in the most stoic of ways. A hive of stinging bees overtook her sensitive flesh as swat after swat landed on her upturned ass, and yet not a single gasp or moan escaped her lips. Not until the lecture began.
"It's all right to be scared. It is all right to feel weak." The punishment continued between his words. "If you’re lost, then we’ll find you." As hard as Cinder was trying not to let the spanking affect her, the pain escalated to a new level. "But I will not let you lose your spirit. I will not allow you to demean yourself and think less of who you are. You are a fighter, Cinder! Only the strong have survived, and you are alive!" The palm of Donte's hand came down with such ferocity over and over, that she had no choice but to release a wail of pain—but she would not let any tears come. She would hold on to that sign of weakness. "You will become stronger every single day, and we will make a warrior of you. I have no doubt that one is hidden behind the surface of this scared little girl."
His final words were the key to the floodgates. An explosion of sadness escaped. Yes, she was a scared little girl—terrified, in fact. So, allowing that little girl to be just that, she cried. She cried and cried and cried. She mourned her safety. She grieved for the life she
so desperately missed. Cinder wept over the loss of Lazar. She allowed every ounce of sadness to leave her body via her tears and cries of pain.
Somewhere during the sobbing, Donte had stopped spanking her and pulled her up into his arms. She had no idea when or how that happened. It wasn't until her entire body hurt with the shaking of her gut-wrenching cries, and her body had no more to give, that she paused long enough to take in her surroundings.
She was covered in sweat, tears and snot. Her fiery ass pulsated against Donte's lap as his arms held her firmly against him. He rubbed one hand gently up and down her back and occasionally placed soft kisses against her tangled hair. And although she must have been a pure disaster in sight, she felt better than she had in ages. She snuggled into the lee of his neck, taking in his scent. It smelled of earth and dominance. She lowered her hand past the confines of his pants and circled his cock with her palm. Gently, she stroked his length as a sign of her new-found submission. In his embrace, for the first time since leaving Lazar, Cinder had indeed found that harem girl lost in the desert.
27
Cinder awoke from her nap feeling much better. The mental toll of the discipline far exceeded the small ache still present on her ass. The release had been much needed, and she actually felt lighter, as if a huge burden had been released. Everything had seemed to be spiraling out of control, and although her circumstances hadn't changed, she knew she had to face them differently. She no longer wanted to be the damsel in distress. She didn't want to be the fragile little girl everyone had to protect. Donte was right with what he'd said, she was a survivor, and that made her a fighter.
Getting out of bed, she decided to find him and tell him she no longer needed to be sheltered—that she could join the rest of the harem. As she entered the other room, she once again found no signs of Donte, but she could hear muffled voices on the other side of the door. With curiosity getting the better of her, she tiptoed over to it and pressed her ear against the wood.
She instantly recognized Donte's voice, and a commander. But there seemed to be another in the mix.
"We forged an alliance with the Salex commune, as well as the Lorince commune. Both will cost Lazar, with having to provide much needed supplies, but they have soldiers ready to fight. Both communes seem to have been preparing for this for some time. I would have to say they are the most experienced we have yet to see. Their soldiers are about five days away," said a voice that Cinder didn't recognize. "They have agreed to join forces and end Jaden's regime. Jaden is growing every day and are ruthless in their conquering of other communes. Jaden has made many enemies."
"That’s good news," Donte said. "My men and I have been preparing the troops that trickle in, as well as the harem."
"The harem?" the commander asked. "How’s that coming?"
"Slowly," Donte confessed. "But Nico assures us they’ll be ready when the time comes."
"There’s good news on horizon. There’s word of weather to the east. I’ve yet to confirm it, but have spoken to many who can," the commander said.
"Rain?" Donte asked.
"Possibly. We may see it before the battle. But if we’re not successful—"
"We’ll be successful, Commander. Jaden may be ruthless, but we have the numbers, especially with all the allied forces showing up daily," Donte interrupted.
"But if we’re not," the commander continued on, "there is hope of possibly rebuilding elsewhere. Casen doesn’t have the necessary resources. It’s clear to see that with all the allied forces coming, our commune is already drying up."
"That’s true. But I have no doubt that Lazar will be ours once again," Donte said. "Now, if you would please excuse me, I want to check on Cinder."
She quickly walked away from the door and sat down at the table. She was fidgeting with her fingers as he walked in the room.
"The conversation you were listening to brought good news," Donte said with a wicked smile.
"I… uh, I didn't mean to—"
"Eavesdrop?" he interrupted. How he could know amazed her.
Cinder's already sore ass throbbed at the thought of what he would do. "I'm sorry," she offered.
Donte smiled again, walked to the chair across from her and sat down. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes." She took a deep, calming breath. "I actually feel much better… stronger. I think I can rejoin the rest of the harem now."
Donte leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Is that what you want?"
"Well, I don't want to be your burden any longer."
"Is that what you think you are to me?"
"Well, I… uh." Cinder looked down at the ground and then back up to meet his eyes. "I don't know what to think."
"Do you want to go back to the rest of the harem girls?" Donte asked again.
"No, not really. I just don't want to be in your way."
He smiled. "Enough of this talk. I would like you to stay with me, and you are not a burden. Don’t say those words again or there will be consequences. I don’t like it when you talk poorly of yourself." Changing the subject, Donte continued, "Tell me more about you, Cinder. I noticed on your upper back that you have a marking. What is it?"
She was surprised by his question. She hadn't thought of the branding on her back for quite some time. It wasn't something she had to look at, and she tried her best to shut that part of her life out. The branding represented her past—it represented her birth commune Briar.
"It’s a B with two lines underneath. The two lines are to represent the river that dried up many decades ago," she explained. "The B represents my birth commune, Briar. They branded all residents of the commune with the same mark."
"Other than your grandmother, did you have family? Are there people you miss?"
Cinder shook her head. "I miss no one. It’s something I have learned to do in this ruthless world of ours. Life at Briar was not something I ever look back on. It’s why the Palace of Lazar means so much to me. It was my only home. It’s all I ever choose to know. My only past is the palace, and I choose to look no further than that in my memories."
Donte reached for two cups and a medium-sized container. He began to scoop its contents into the cups, then stood in silence while waiting for the water to bubble. When it did, he poured the water into the cups and brought them to the table.
"Did you build the Palace of Lazar?"
He smiled before taking a drink of his tea. "No. My great-grandfather did. I simply rule what was left for me."
Cinder took a drink of her own tea. "Why were you building Casen? Weren't you happy with Lazar?"
"I’m trying to be proactive when it comes to resources. It’s just a matter of time until everything withers away."
"Unless you find rain," Cinder interjected. "I heard one of your commanders mention rain."
Donte flashed that smile again; the one Cinder was growing to love. "Yes, rain. A myth to many, but I have hope that we’ll see it someday."
"Do you think rain exists? I thought the clouds stopped producing moisture years and years ago."
He nodded. "That’s true. But if we don’t have hope of future survival, then what is the point of surviving now?"
She took another sip of her tea and asked, "Do you really think we will win back the palace?"
"Yes." The simple word spoken had so much power and conviction behind it. "But today is supposed to be a day of rest, not worry." He stood up and lifted her from his chair. "We’ll end this conversation with my vow to you. I swear I will give you your past back. Lazar will be ours once again, and you will have a home to return to."
She looked up into his severe stare. Their lips were so close, and she could almost feel a hum of electricity between them. She had been schooled in submission, though at times she'd not always been the best student. She had learned obedience, and had come close to mastering the art of femininity. But what she still lacked was knowledge on how to contain her emotions, how to hide her desire, and how to process this ever-growing love for
the man who stood beside her.
She had been taught the art of surrender, but not the art of love.
Cinder closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. When she opened them again, Donte leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled away just enough to stare into her eyes and then kissed her again, this time with more force, with more passion, and with hunger.
Nothing was as sweet as the kiss he gave, nothing so intoxicating.
Cinder had never felt so drunk in love. This man who was capturing her mouth had also captured her heart. What she'd once defined as the feeling of safety, was actually the feeling of falling madly in love with her savior.
28
After the day of rest, the women had resumed their training bright and early the next morning. Elbi was there, but there was no sign of Mistress Tula. Cinder was dying to know what had happened, but hadn't had a chance to speak to Elbi yet. She anxiously awaited their first break for the day. She did her best to busy her mind with the training at hand. The words spoken by Donte still rang in her ears; 'we will make a warrior of you,' and she didn't want to let him down. Yes, a warrior she would be.
Today was a milestone for the women of the harem. After days of learning how to break free from holds, how to punch, kick and perform other examples of hand-to-hand combat, it was finally time to learn how to use a weapon.
Nico marched back and forth in front of the lined up women with each weapon in turn. He explained the pros and cons of each one. He compared choosing a weapon to choosing a lover. It was all about what feels right. After a schooling of all the weapons, he allowed each woman and her trainer the freedom to choose which one they wanted to use.
Cinder went straight to the sword. It seemed the most powerful and, she assumed, the easiest to learn. But when she picked it up, she realized it was a lot heavier than it looked. The idea of crossing the desert with the weight of the sword seemed daunting. She decided to choose something else. Looking over at Elbi, she could see that her friend had chosen a bow and arrow. That seemed fitting for Elbi, somehow. The next weapon she looked at was the battle axe. The fact that she couldn't even lift it made that decision quite easy. Finally, a cluster of throwing knives caught her eye. Light but deadly, and the handles of each had an intricate carving that exuded beauty. Yes, they felt right. She looked up at her trainer for confirmation, which was given by his smile and simple nod. Throwing knives it would be.
