by Alta Hensley
He returned and stood behind her. His body was so close that she could almost feel his heat. Elbi gasped when he grabbed her butt and spread her cheeks. He placed a moist finger at her anus and pressed firmly but without entering. "If I wanted to claim your ass right now, could I?" He pressed his finger past her tight entrance.
Elbi tensed and bit her lip to not cry out.
He thrust his finger deeper. "The purpose of the anal training is to prepare you so you can give your body in any way we choose without unnecessary discomfort. We demand your pleasure as much as we demand ours."
Elbi nodded, because finding words was impossible in her heated state.
Malachi pumped his finger in and out a few more times and then withdrew it completely, replacing it with the cool glass of a butt plug. He inserted it without pause. The stretch to her anus caused her to clench, which only elevated the biting sting.
"You are dismissed, Elbi. You must continue with your training to fully be a harem girl. The ability to submit is truly an art. Remember that. Return to the harem." His dismissive command stabbed at her heart.
She wasn't sure how she was going to walk out of the room, but she managed to. Just barely. She staggered up and went for the door at a near run, all the while pawing at the loose wisps of her hair and the tears that streaked her face. She didn't look to see him—but she didn't want to. It would have hurt entirely too much. His lack of comfort, or a soothing embrace, was by far the worst punishment she had yet received.
* * * * *
Yes. She most definitely remembered Malachi.
Ever since they started the journey, he walked beside her horse, but never said a word. She couldn't take the silence any longer.
"Are we heading back to the Palace of Lazar?"
Malachi gurgled water in his mouth, then spat in the sand. "The palace was captured by Jaden." His words were like a punch to the gut. "We have another commune set up until we build up our forces and take the palace back."
"What about everyone else? The rest of the girls? Are they okay?" She was scared to ask the question. Scared of what the answer might be, but she had to know.
Malachi placed the dagger he had been playing with back in his pocket. "Some are. Some lost their lives. We will know more when we all gather at Casen."
"Casen?"
"It is the commune we have been preparing for quite some time. It is in no way as nice as Lazar, but it will provide us with what we need for now." Malachi's eyes gazed at the mottle of violet bruises covering her pale skin, making her self-conscious of her faded beauty. "We will be able to provide medical care to those who need it, food, water and shelter. My brother, Donte, is expecting us."
"Your brother?" She had no idea that Donte was a brother of Lazar.
He simply nodded as he walked.
A dry wind blew loose strands of her filthy blonde hair. "Will Jaden come for us there?" Tears filled her eyes.
Malachi drifted much closer to her side. "Eventually, I am sure. But I promise you that if they do, we will be ready this time. Vengeance will be ours."
She gazed at the rough cracked skin on Malachi's hands. "Are we at war? I remember hearing stories as a child… of great wars with no winners."
"There will be a winner in this one." His voice, so low and cool in tone, sent a shiver through her body.
"I'm scared." She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Her cherished palace was gone and she was no more than a desert nomad, walking the wasted dunes, one day at a time. Her dream had been shattered and now, with the thought of war, her nightmare of an existence had returned. She didn't want to live the life of her childhood again. Small, overcrowded communes infested with plague, hunger and hate—Vostok was just one of many.
Malachi's fingers curled tight on Elbi's fragile leg, and he looked up into her teary eyes when she flinched at his touch. "I will make sure you are protected from this point on. I know you have been through a lot. More than I know, I'm sure, and more than I want to know. But I will never let you feel that fear again. Do you hear me?"
"You won't send us away like before?"
"No. Never again."
Elbi nodded, her lips slightly parted. No one had ever told her she mattered before. Even in Malachi's cold roundabout way, he had made her feel special. She believed that he truly would try to keep her safe. Foolish maybe, to have such faith in someone, but what choice did she really have? Women of the communes didn't have many choices. She had learned that at a very early age.
Living at the palace gave her a life she never imagined. Silks, satins, jewels and luxury filled her days. Food and water were never a want, and comfort was never a need. The Palace of Lazar was her heaven. She cried harder at the thought of it all being gone.
Malachi effortlessly hopped on the back of her horse without even having the horse stop. He wrapped his arms around her. "You will be safe, I will make sure of it. Dry those tears," he soothed softly in her ear.
She nodded her head and sniffled back her tears to the best of her ability. His embrace gave her the strength she needed. "Thank you. I'm sorry for being such a burden. I know you need us all to be strong."
He stroked her matted hair. "You are strong, Elbi. You are much stronger than you know. There is no shame in being afraid." He tightened his grip around her. "Press back against me and rest."
She leaned back against his weight and wondered how much longer they'd travel before reaching Casen. Intense exhaustion throbbed deep in her lower back. By comparison, Malachi didn't seem an ounce uncomfortable after marching for nearly five hours.
Her lips parched, she felt sick to her stomach, battered and browbeaten by the sun. Drops of sweat ran down her arms. Her vision clouded and the ringing in her ears escalated, all the signs warning her that she was about to faint.
As if he, too, saw the warning signs, Malachi put a flask of water to her lips. The cooling burn of water moistened her mouth. Elbi coughed into her fist.
"Malachi," she rasped. "You don't need to waste your water on me."
"How are you feeling?"
"My throat... it's so tight."
He ever so gently held the back of Elbi's head. Her hair waterfalled through his big meaty fingers. "Drink up," he told her.
Elbi struggled to lift her arms and sip from Malachi's flask. The lukewarm liquid shot down and stung her throat.
She stared up, crumpled in Malachi's arms. Her hair swung in a tangled disarray, her clothes were in tatters, but she felt safe. Safely wrapped in Malachi's embrace on a horse in a war-torn desert.
He looked at the sky, squinted up ahead, and then back at the sky again. "We will need to stop and hole up here for a while. You will have to bundle up. A sandstorm is coming."
"But what about Jaden? What if they catch up to us?"
"Jaden's army will not find us here. When I said I would let no one hurt you, I meant it."
She breathed deeply, her small waifish body contorted in Malachi's grasp. He dismounted from the horse, carrying Elbi through the crowd. He gave the commands to his men, and his militia dropped their weapons and belongings, ready to set up a temporary shelter. They all saw to the rest of the women as if each girl had been assigned to them.
Slopes of sand blew in the air. Looking out at the huddled masses, Elbi saw that each of them wore something wrapped around their faces. They hunkered down in the dead center of a sandstorm. Inhaling sand at this speed would scrape like gravel along the lining of your lungs, or suffocate you in your sleep. Blasting wind this high in the dunes would keep anyone—Jaden army or not—at bay. Elbi sat next to Malachi, wriggling her toes in the warm sand.
"We will return to Lazar," he said, and drew a picture in the sand with his dagger in his hand as they sat and waited for the storm to fully hit.
Elbi glanced down at the drawing of a palace with sun rays bouncing out of its borders. "The Palace of Lazar," she replied. "It was the only home I knew."
Seconds later, the drawing vanished, blown away by the wind as
the gusts picked up speed. The eye of the storm had reached them.
Malachi pressed his body protectively against hers and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "The storm will hopefully pass soon. Close your eyes and press your face against my chest."
She did as he ordered. The smell of leather from his clothing, and the essence of his body titillated her senses. The sand beat against her frame as Malachi tried to pull her into him even closer. The noise of blowing wind conquered any sound. She couldn't even hear the horses that circled all the men and women, providing at least some minimal protection.
"Keep your eyes closed!" he yelled above the howling wind.
She tightened her eyes more and burrowed her face even deeper against his chest. The wind shook her body so hard that if it weren't for Malachi holding her firm, she thought she might blow away. She remembered being told a story as a child of nomads being torn to shreds by the desert wind. The gory tale was told often to children to deter them from leaving to explore for something better. But sitting here, huddled against Malachi, she couldn't help but wonder if the gruesome stories were indeed true.
He positioned his body so his covered lips were against her ear. "It is passing! Hold on just a little longer!" He rubbed her back reassuringly.
He held her like that until the worst of the storm had passed. When it finally subsided enough, he pulled away to examine her. "Are you all right?"
She removed the fabric from her face and nodded.
He stood up and surveyed the entire group. After seeing that everyone had weathered the storm, he gave his commands. "Let us continue on. Casen is near!"
Chapter Three
Glimmers of the rising sun spread its warmth over the flat horizon. Malachi and his militia led the horses up a steep wall of shifting dunes. The commune of Casen lay just up ahead. Elbi looked at the very crude structure; a far cry from the Palace of Lazar. A circular wall was in the process of being built by men, and watch towers were also being constructed. Barbed wire coiled along the top of wooden pylons, sharpened at their tips. Clearly this commune was preparing for an attack. It didn't look like any paradise, but it would have to be their new home.
"Help the women, and get the horses to the stables," Malachi commanded his men. "Rest up for the evening. You did a good job out there. We are lucky to have you on our side." His praise to them seemed welcome as each man approached Malachi with a pat on the back or a shake of the hand before heading off.
The women of the harem stood with only Malachi in the entrance of the heavily guarded commune.
"They call this a commune," Mistress Tula murmured under her breath. Elbi turned to her in the harsh desert sunlight.
"Does anything satisfy you, really?" Elbi asked, annoyed by the woman's attitude. She knew there had been a time she was to respect and follow every command this woman gave. But things had changed, and Elbi grew to detest this woman. Mistress Tula was supposed to be their leader. She was expected to escort the harem to safety. And although it wasn't her fault they were captured, Mistress Tula was far from a leader. She didn't offer anything to the situation that any of the other girls didn't. She didn't offer guidance, comfort or strength. The only thing she had done during the entire journey was bitch and complain. And when they faced rape and death with Jaden, she'd cowered behind them all.
"Why are you so easily satisfied?" Mistress Tula calmly shot back. "I know you think we are now safe in this place, but this is not what I would consider an appropriate shelter. Jaden could crush us in seconds here."
Elbi shrugged her shoulders and walked away. Maybe she was crazy, but as she watched Malachi talking to some other men in his small army, she felt safe.
"Donte! Briar!" Malachi called out.
Donte and Briar came walking out of a large building, hand in hand. Elbi's heart stopped at the sight of them. Briar! She was alive! Her group of women must have arrived safely.
Briar looked at the swath of filthy, clearly exhausted women with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes made contact with Elbi's and she came running toward her.
"Elbi!" she cried, as she wrapped her arms around her. She pulled away and examined Elbi's body. "Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Elbi shook her head as tears cascaded down her face.
"I'm so happy to see you. I was so scared you were all killed." Briar pulled away and hugged and greeted the rest of the women, scanning their bodies for injuries as well.
"Where did you find them?" Donte asked.
Malachi unloaded his horse as he spoke. "We rescued them from some Jaden soldiers. General Rhys was there."
"Did you kill him?" Donte asked, with contempt in his voice.
Malachi shook his head. "The bastard ran, but not before killing some of our men and slitting the throats of two of our women." He turned to Briar. "Do you mind getting the women cleaned, fed and cared for? They've been though quite an ordeal."
Briar nodded silently and motioned for all the women to follow her. Elbi didn't want to leave Malachi. She loved Briar, but her paralyzing fear returned at the thought of not having him there to protect her.
"Elbi," Malachi gestured Elbi over. He clearly could read the fear written across her face.
When he called her name, her small heart beat faster, booming in her petite chest. She quickly stood before him.
"You're going to be all right now. Go and get cleaned up with Briar. I promise that you are safe."
He looked at Briar again. "Show the women to their new home."
Briar grabbed Elbi's hand and led her away from Malachi and Donte.
Elbi took a deep breath to calm the panic clutching her heart. She tugged at her scraps of clothing, realizing she needed to do as Malachi ordered. She hadn't changed since fleeing the palace and being kidnapped by the Jaden army.
"Does this place keep them out? The Jaden army, I mean?" Her voice shook, almost as badly as her body.
Briar squeezed her hand reassuringly. "They haven't found us yet. This commune is really in the depths of the dunes. Plus, allied forces are arriving daily. Soon enough we will be strong enough to fight them. Don't worry." Briar looked over her shoulder at the rest of the harem following them. "We are all safe for now."
Elbi desperately wanted that to be true.
* * * * *
Elbi watched the faces of the other harem women as Malachi and Donte spoke in hushed tones of the war's developments and as, with intense remorse, they named all who had died, breaking her heart even more. Fear, anger, denial—she saw all of it writ large on their faces. Malachi did not seem to see it on them, for he only looked at her as he explained what would come next: they were to prepare for battle. All that the brothers' had built and worked for was in the hands of Jaden; who came to ransack the palace and claim it as their own. These beasts were now in her gardens where she loved to tend to her flowers and walk peacefully, listening to the call of a peacock or a coo of a dove. Her paradise was no more.
Elbi cleared her throat and unfurled one of her shapely legs from beneath her, savoring the cool kiss of the room's tile on her skin. She thought of how much she missed the warmth of the ornate rugs she sat on at the palace as she spoke. "Are we safe? Will Jaden come and attack Casen like they did Lazar?"
She watched Malachi's face contort with the pain of telling a hard truth. He finally looked away from her and took in the expressions of the other women.
Donte extended his hand to Briar, who immediately sat next to him. Taking her small hand and squeezing it, he inhaled deeply before answering Elbi's question. "You will all be guarded thoroughly. My brothers and I will not let any harm come to any of you again. We have soldiers to guard you around the clock. All of you. They are among our best, and are the strongest men we could find. They will let no harm come to you," he said.
"And what if we are taken anyway? What if by some strange fate one or all of us is left unattended and we are stolen? It will mean certain death, you know this!" Elbi did not mean to be insolent but it was her
fear that spoke through her.
"That is what I wanted to tell you all. For the next few weeks, we will dedicate as much time as possible to teaching you how to defend yourselves. You will learn how to fight," Malachi declared, clearly hating the words himself.
Briar gasped and snatched her hand from Donte's grip. "You want us all to fight? To kill?" Her voice was high pitched and shrill, like that of a terrified girl.
Elbi watched as Donte looked at Briar, his eyes pleading that she, that all of them, understand. "Only if you must. I cannot bear the thought of you being at the whim of a Jaden soldier." His eyes now scanned the faces of all of the women and finally came to rest back upon Briar.
"Do you know when Jaden will be here?" she asked. The other women watched them speak, their eyes flitting from Donte to Malachi and back. Briar had earned their respect and though she was typically quite timid in her speech, especially to Donte, she spoke now with a fervor and a fear they all felt.
"We sent men to spy at the dunes and see if they were close. As of last night's moon, they could not be found. Our other brothers are skimming the desert, looking for them. We believe that they are still a few weeks away. Even on the fastest horse, the journey here is long. And we are hidden well," Malachi answered.
"What about the training of the harem?" Mistress Tula piped up. "If they are busy learning to fight, when shall we have time to train them in their duties? If we teach them dominance, how are we to teach them submission at the same time?"
The women began to whisper all around, and Malachi and Donte did nothing to silence their mild clucking. It was Malachi who finally answered the tough question.
"The harem must change. Survival is what we must focus on. The best way we can protect all of you is by teaching you how to protect yourself."
"If something were to happen to us, we do not want to leave you all helpless," Donte added.
