Under The Tent Top (COMPLETED)

Thirty - Seven

DAYS must have past...although they had felt more like years.

The room grew colder each minute, the echoing footsteps outside sent ghostly shivers through my body, and I could feel the tension grow between my friends and I.

"We need to figure this out." Rene whispered one morning ...or was it afternoon?

I shrugged. "I've look around the hallway and piano room, every time they send me out. The doors are blocked, theres no windows and Odin keeps Samil close to me."

Marius touched my waist. "You're doing nothing wrong."

My hands found the bruises painted on his cheekbone. "If the three of you keep being kicked around...then I'm doing nothing right."

~*~

Each time I had been forced to step out into a crowded room, Rene, Marius and Manuel had been forced to go elsewhere. Most nights they were made to tend to the generators. Other nights they were made to tend to the guests.

I could tell in Rene's eyes that she had no longer seemed untouched by the work Odin made her do. Perhaps it was the first taste of freedom she had, from being with us? More likely it might have been the first touch of respect she must have felt from us.

Marius on the other hand was boiling with anger. His animosity did not go unnoticed. At approximately the third night here, Manuel had explain that while I was made to sing for amusement of lustful men, Marius had attempted to disarm a guard. Five guardsmen and ten fists later he had been sent back with black and blue spots on his face; misted with blood against his lip.

I stared at my friends for a long time. A stiff lump had grown in my throat. Marius must have noticed, for I felt him softly lead me in towards his chest. He lifted my chin up. "We'll get out of here. Don't worry."

I replied with a firm nod. "I know."

~*~

The door behind us creaked open. Odin's heavy footsteps approached.

"Odin," Marius grumbled as he stepped in front of me.

"Don't be ridiculous." The large man spat. "Step aside. We need Nightingale."

I cleared my throat. "I'll be right out."

Odin's face remained firm. His lips unwilling to move from his grimace.

I took a soft glance at Marius. "I'll be back soon."

Marius' face grew tighter with anger. I, however, tried my best to remain cooperative. At least until the right time came for be to become otherwise.

~*~

Similar to most days, I left my friends behind in the damp room. Odin escorted me, with a rough hand to my elbow, towards the room where the women anxiously awaited to prepare me. Despite multiple attempts at suggesting to Odin, that I was independent enough to dress myself, the women remained part of the process.

Each time Odin held a "party", the women were different. The dresses remained sheer, the songs remained shamefully seductive, and the men as always were expected to be entertained. And with each night, Samil appeared in the piano room and was stationed at my side. Guards blocked door ways, and Odin remained pleased.

Tonight a few of the ladies appeared to be familiar. Names around here never seemed to stick in my mind.

"Are you ready for tonight, Nightingale?" One frail and bruised woman whispered, with a gingerly smile.

I returned her friendliness. "As ready as we ever are around here."

A few giggles escaped them.

I stared at each one as they began to comb out my hair or assess this evening's wardrobe. Their faces were slightly dusted in fatigue, smeared with fear and lacked light. A large lump grew in my throat. Their power had been stripped away. Their independency stolen. Their humanity forgotten.

Bruises or scratched had been carved into their skin from people who had no right to place them. Eyes were tinged red from too many nights of loss sleep and mendacium. They were made less than they were worth...and all for what?

"Nightingale, here..." A young woman gestured towards a glass vile of the black toxin.

I shook my head. "Not tonight."

The bustle of the women stopped. Their faces fell in shock, fear, and confusion. "Please, Odin has asked us to d-"

"Does he scare you?" I whispered.

Creaks escaped the wooden floors as they shifted.

One small voice escaped the girl beside me. "If he didn't have so many rough guards..."

I nodded. "They are frightening. But what about Odin?"

A few shoulders shrugged.

"He has bad days..."

"Odin's not much of a threat compared to the other men."

"He's annoying most of the time."

A smirk curled at the corner of my mouth. "He isn't much of anything, is he?"

"Why are you saying this?" The girl said.

I sighed. "I think a lot of us don't want to be here. All of us don't deserve to be here."

"There's not much we can do."

I stared at the ladies around me. "There is. There always is."

Silence fell around us. Until the red headed young woman from earlier this week, peaked through the rest of them. "I have noticed something..."

The lot of us turned towards her.

"When Odin feels particularly lonely, and asks - forces one us to stay the night with him. And sometimes, his guards step away and find someone for themselves too."

"What are you trying to say?" I leaned closer to her.

She cleared her throat. "I've thought about this before. I just never knew how to do it. But...if they think they've had a successful evening, mendacium and all - some one could have maybe been able to slip away."