A Throne Amongst the Stars

Tuus Sum

I wildly kicked and swung my arms to free myself. With the confirmation of an agonizing groan, I had successfully managed to strike one of the men behind me. He viciously shoved his hands against my back, knocking me to the ground with increased force.

I immediately opened my hands before me to break my fall. Upon impacting with the ground, I screamed out in paralyzing pain as my previously injured wrist suffered the brunt of the major trauma. I cradled my throbbing hand into my chest as I started to crawl away from the men, gripping the cobblestone street with one hand as I weeped in agony and confusion for why I had been targeted and manipulated. "Poe, my Poe..." I wheezed through blinding tears, hoping that he could hear my pleas for him as I attempted to crawl away to my freedom.

My head snapped backwards as my hair was being pulled savagely, enticing a scream to tear from my throat. "Get back here, Princess." My long braid was being spitefully tugged as if it were a rope, pulling my scalp and straining my neck as I was involuntary dragged back to the snickering group of vile men.

I fell at the feet of the man with the blackened eye, crying out as he pressed his steel-toed boot onto my loosely wrapped wrist. "Please! Please have mercy!" I bargained as his weight on my hand resumed to increase, stressing my bones and previously bruised skin.

"Mercy?" He repeated with a snarky tone. "Your father had no mercy when he led the crusade that slaughtered my village." He knelt to me, making our eye contact to be level and at the same height. "Daemon Bellica, King of Interitus, the Planet of Destruction and Wealth." He gritted, gripping my damp cheeks as tears relentlessly fell from my blurred eyes. "Imagine my surprise when we received a transmission, describing the massive bounty for the return of the beloved daughter of that very same king."

His hand abandoned my cheeks as he ran a finger down the side of my neck, to my shoulder, and finally down my bare arm that shivered in terror. "Please, I-I will ensure that you receive twice the allotted bounty once you release me safely to my pilot..." I whispered as his hand reached behind my head to grab my hair that my Poe had lovingly braided on Cor-Al.

With the bow already having been snatched, he began to unravel my wavy hair, defiling and disrespecting it with his filthy hands and intentions. "Your pilot believes you are somewhere on the other side of the city." He brightly smiled, just like he had grinned at me from within the bar. "This was the plan from the beginning, Princess. Once he cornered me outside and left me with this," He motioned to his blackened eye, "It didn't take much convincing for him and his friend to follow a group advantageous young men claiming that a charming young Princess was wandering the streets alone. They left you alone and unprotected." He chuckled as his hands continued to ascend my hair, unwrapping the strands and revealing it to fall around my shoulders. "The youth of today will do anything for easy money."

My heart shattered as I realized that Poe couldn't hear my cries for him. I forced my eyes closed in embarrassment and defeat as my cherished hair was being aggressively brushed through by the hands of every man that surrounded me, curious to touch and investigate a precious part of myself. "Let me go to him, please." I begged, searching the bruised face of the man that wrapped tendrils of my hair around his hand cruelly.

"I might." He whispered as he brushed his knuckles down the side of my face, inspiring vomit to rise in my throat. He forced my face close to his as I shoved my hand against his chest harshly. "No amount of money or wealth could equate to the very moment knowing that the king will realize that his untouchable daughter has been...corrupted." He released his foot that had trapped my hand and I immediately pressed it into my chest for comfort.

Corrupted?

What was he insinuating?

"I will release you to your pilot." He ultimately decided, and I sighed in slight relief, unsure as to why he hadn't freed my hair from his hand if I was to be leaving. "After we each get a rightful turn to experience the wonders that Interitus has to offer." He menacingly growled as he sinfully wrapped my hair around his hand and pulled my head back, attaching his lips to my now exposed neck.