The Tattooed Princess

A Dangerous Alliance

            A surprised look came over the girls faces.

            "You see, during his short reign as king, he has been very wicked with his enemies. This you know full well from what happened with your own village. But he is also very strict . . . cruel and unforgiving with us, his subjects. And unfortunately with women . . . and that includes you . . . as his slaves."

            A frightened but not surprised look came over their young, fresh faces.

            "You see . . . Krido gave Sharvur a great challenge."

            "What kind of challenge? Zaria asked, seemingly intrigued but still visibly angry.

            "To show that he is able to control his passions. Both his anger and his . . . lust."

            The girls looked at each other now with obvious skepticism in their gaze. It expressed an attitude of disbelief that the man who had only the night before treated them so brutally, could have any control about him.

         "We did not see such . . . control last night," Svetlana said sarcastically and in deference to Zaria's still humiliated feelings.

            "We saw a man who was out of control," Branka added. "And following his darkest passions for lust." 

            Moshtok looked across the plains to the mountains in the east. "Alright. . . just let me ask you. Did he force himself on any of you sexually last night?

            The girls all looked down at the ground in silence.

            "Well I can assure you he is very capable of that with any . . . or with all of you. At any time! I am just being honest. For he has done these things regularly since being our king. Do you think you are his first . . . pleasure slaves?"

            None of the girls moved or spoke. The terrible descriptor—'pleasure slaves' still resonated repulsively in their ears.

            "Unfortunately, this fact is well known about Sharvur. And everyone expects it to continue. But Krido made it a mandate for him to change. To have at least one slave he is not to molest sexually in any way. For that is his challenge. She is to remain a virgin, and by his own control."

            The two girls suddenly looked at Zaria. It was obvious now who that slave was to be. Why she had been treated differently from the two of them since their capture.

            "You see," Moshtok continued, "he was told by Krido. . . a true shaman who has the sight . . . wisdom. . . that as long as he preserves one girl in this way. . . never to unite with her sexually, his kingdom . . . our kingdom shall also remain unmolested by its enemies. Those terrible dreams he fears . . . will never happen."

            Zaria slowly turned her face back up to Moshtok's. "So what does that mean for Branka and Svetlana?"

            The two girls waited breathlessly yet expectedly for his reply. Their young language teacher hung his head down in shame as he answered.

            "You both will be . . . his . . . to do as he pleases with you. This could happen at any time."

            All three girls slowly embraced with solidarity at the announcement of this.

            "I am deeply sorry girls . . . but you must just expect this. And be ready for it to begin."

            The two slaves whose future conditions were revealed began to show tears of anxiety and fear. Zaria joined them in this sad announcement of their fate.

            "So what became of the other girls?" Zaria asked, pointedly. "Those other slaves. When he tired of them . . . did Sharvur have them . . ."

            The two girls put their hands over their faces and held their breath. They waited breathlessly for Moshtok's answer.

            "No," he said quickly to relieve them. "He always spared their lives. But he was known to give them away . . . to his generals . . . as rewards for loyalty and courage."

            This was certainly no consolation to Branka and Svetlana, who continued to silently cry over their dismal future prospects among the Scythians and at the hands of their king.

            Moshtok then uncharacteristically put an arm around each of their shoulders as a showing of empathy and friendship.

            "I can only tell you this. As long as you are here in the palace, I will do all I can to insure you are treated well. Just do what you must for Sharvur, so that he is pleased with your presence. Never cross his anger. Never refuse his demands. It will simply be a mater of staying in the best possible conditions you have here. There are unfortunately no other choices for you now."

            The girls dried their eyes and embraced their teacher silently. It was a small token of their gratitude for his showing them what little humanity existed in this new brutal world they had been thrown into. 

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