9. The beginning of the story (9)
Distria was very angry and stood in front of me. It felt like I was wide awake. I glanced at my outfit and looked around the unfamiliar space. The same clothes I had when I left Distriaās room, the bed I had been lying on. A neat space. Nothing has changed. I was terrified of the pressure that was weighing down on me. In Distriaās hand was the leash. He strode over to me and grabbed me by the collar. I sat down and looked up at him with half-awake eyes and he lifted me up.
āCrazy. Do you think you can get away from me?ā
Distria nailed me to the wall in that state. I raised my hand and grabbed the back of Distriaās hand. More and more power grew in my grasp. It was so tight that I couldnāt even breathe. I let go of Distriaās hand. Now that I might die, I wasnāt afraid at all. Because I knew he wouldnāt kill me.
Even in a situation where my breath was tight, only my face turned red. I closed my eyes, giving up the resistance. Distria laughed as if it was ridiculous.
āDid you provoke me like this and want to die?ā
He released the power from his grasp. I slid off the wall and fell. I coughed drily and inhaled. I wiped my mouth full of saliva and looked at him. He fastened the leash he was holding around my neck. The red handprints he left behind were obscured by the collar.
āā¦ā¦ Iām not going to kill you easily.ā
Distria looked at me with a gloomy expression.
[Distria felt betrayed by Arne. It was just a toy that escaped, yet he was strangely angry. He looked outside the palace, the gardens, and even outside the gates. But he couldnāt find her. Thatās because she didnāt intend to escape from the Imperial Palace.
Arne was inside the Imperial Palace. Also near his own bedroom. She threw away his hand and ran away to have sex with Rewan. Yes, it was the anger that stemmed from it. How dare she, she doesnāt even understand her place. If sheās a toy, she has to act like a toy. Still, she couldnāt figure out her standing.
Distria slapped Arne. The dry eyes twinkled and gleamed as he had seen when he first met Arne. Itās like receiving a ray of light. Distria didnāt like it. How can she have hopeful eyes when she was mere loot from a defeated nation? Why was she looking at him so proudly? Distria couldnāt understand her.
Only the sound of Distria slapping Arneās cheeks filled the room. Arne didnāt scream during that painful time. She just looked at Distria blankly.
For a moment, his eyes, which had been filled with anger, became silent. He quietly looked at Arne, and as if his business was over, he turned and walked out of the room. Arne spit the blood out of her mouth. She took a deep breath. Her cheeks tingled after being slapped.
Arne was satisfied with the current situation, even though her actions might cause some kind of repercussion. Not acting according to Distriaās taste. It was satisfying not to become his toy. It was dusk outside the window. The sun was setting.
Distria put Arne on the leash. She was curled up on the cold floor, asleep. There was no place in the Carwen Empire where Arne could rest comfortably. Distria pulled Arneās leash like that. Arne woke up from an unexpected shock in her body and neck. She looked up at him with a surprised expression. She then discovered that the leash in his hand was attached to her neck.
āYou better get used to this kind of treatment. Unless you want to go crazy.ā
Distria laughed. It was an obvious sneer. Arneās body trembled with anger and shame. Distriaās threat to get used to the disgraceful situation in which the restraints were strapped were terrifying. If this is just the beginning, what is the end? What about later?
She gave up thinking about the future. She hadnāt given up on life yet. Considering the weight of her name, she should not give in to adversity. Arne wanted to cry out loud. She suffered so much from the weight that was crushing her.
āI will not forgive you.ā
Arne said as if spitting out each word. There was anger in her words. Distria couldnāt hide his sneer as if she was ridiculous. He lightly pulled on Arneās collar. Clink, with the sound of the leash, Arne was thrown in front of Distria. Distria squatted to meet Arneās gaze, then grabbed her tousled hair. The luscious golden hair had faded and the splendor was not what it used to be.
āWhat are you going to do if you donāt forgive me? Those words have to be said in a position to have power. I guess you still havenāt figured out your situation.ā
Distria kissed Arne on the lips. He forced Arneās tightly closed lips apart and pushed his tongue in. Every time she pulled away, rejecting him, he gave strength to the hands that grabbed her hair.
He scanned her teeth and gums, opening the wound in her mouth. Arne gasped at the rushing pain. Arne hit him hard on the shoulder. She wanted to get out of Distria. Tears welled up in Arneās eyes at the pain. Distria licked the corners of Arneās eyes.
āI canāt stand the jealousy at the affection you showed for that knight.ā
Arne looked at Distria. She was shocked by his words, her head stiffened and she couldnāt find anything to say for a moment. Arne barely raised her trembling hand and grabbed Distria.
He laughed cruelly. Arneās eyelids fluttered uncontrollably.
Arne was led by Lepis to the palace garden. She was crawling on all fours. Her cheeks were hot red from being beaten, and her white knees were full of scratches. Her hands were as messy as her knees.
It was humiliating, but she could not afford to live without Rewan. And she couldnāt even take her life with her own hands. She couldnāt get revenge or increase her power. She was stuck here, and there was nothing she could do. She didnāt want to live like this, but the burdens on her shoulders and the weight of her name had led her into this life.
āItās the festival season soon, so I am already busy enough. I hope that accidents like this do not happen in the future.ā
Arne was silent. Lepis grabbed Arneās leash and hurried her steps. She walked fast, but the palace gardens were spacious. Even after walking for a long time, there was no end in sight. When Lepis reached the central maze he ran into Raphael. As soon as Arne saw Raphael, she felt her body harden. Captured by the shock of that moment, Arneās body trembled.
āI donāt think thereās just one or two things to deal with at the festival? If itās okay with you, Iāll take her for a walk in the garden from here.ā
āThank you for the favor. Then please. Raphael.ā
āThen good luck at work.ā
Raphael tapped Lepis on the shoulder. Lepis handed Raphael the leash and headed for the Imperial Palace. He didnāt like Raphael. No, it was right to say he hated him. He sits in an undeserved seat with his lowly status.
Raphael had no castle, but his power exceeded that of a Grand Duke. Thatās why he didnāt like having to bow his head to him. Lepis took off the robe that Raphael had touched and threw it at random. It was unpleasant.
Raphael pulled Arneās leash toward him. Arne gave strength to her body and held it in so that she would not be dragged into Raphael.
āWhy are you so nervous? Do I eat you?ā
Raphael lowered his body to Arneās eye level and gently stroked her. Gently caressing her head, face, and under her chin, he acted like a friendly owner. He treated Arne as a ādogā rather than a person.
His hand touching Arne went down her chest and the belly underneath. He caressed Arneās thigh, trembling from exhaustion from the long crawl. And slowly he pushed his finger into Arneās entrance. Her body stiffened.
His finger touched Arneās entrance, and his other hand shoved into her mouth. He repeated his fingers in and out of her mouth like a piston. Arne raised her teeth and bit Raphaelās finger at the act. Raphaelās calm expression hardened in an instant.
āIt would be nice to be good.ā
If you want your knight to be safe. She seemed to hear the rest of his words. Arne seemed to be falling into a fleeting abyss.
The entrance to the maze of the Imperial Palace. People donāt go there, but it was outside, and Raphael, who was caressing Arne openly, grabbed Arneās chin. He lowered his head and pressed their lips together. Arne felt nauseated by the disgust.
Raphael, who was alone in excitement from the long kiss, took off his coat and laid it on the ground. And as if he couldnāt stand it, he laid Arne down.
His thing pierced through Arneās inside. Arne made no sound. Arneās dried eyes were contained in Raphaelās excited gaze. He didnāt like it.
āCry underneath. Donāt act like a jerk.ā
The feeling that splits her body from the night she spent with Rewan. And the one who gave that feeling was the person she hated and who gave her an indelible insult. The plight of giving her body to such a person was miserable. Arne bit her lip. But she didnāt want to do what he liked.
Arne looked at Raphael and shook her head. The determined green eyes dimmed a little. Even so, it was unlikely that Arne would be able to survive sanely if she did not push herself and rationalize herself. While shaking aimlessly up and down, Arne swallowed her tears and breathed in.]