Cover thanks to R.A. Franco :)
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The Macedonian Camp
The Macedonian camp was only a little over a half a day's ride from Sogdian Rock Fortress. Even at night we did not stop once, but kept trudging on till the morning sun came up to greet us. Once we arrived, I was thrown into a rather large tent, separated from Titus. I didn't even know where he was being taken to. Inside were several more girls. Some huddled together in corners of the tent while other began boasting about their adventurous nights with strong, handsome soldiers. Concubines and whores they all are, I thought. I was sold off now to be a whore in the Macedonian army. This wasn't at all what Kiro described it to be. He made it seem more glorious.
Kiro. How my heart ached for him. I wanted to believe there was a possibility he was alive, but deep down, I know what I saw. He didn't deserve such a fate, to die at the hands of the man he served and defended with his life. I pondered on whether father gave him a proper pyre for trying to save his daughter. I wanted, no, I needed to believe my father wasn't as cruel as he showed to be by giving me away. I thought back to that soldier who desperately need my help and I granted him mercy. I would hope my father to do the same.
Oh, Kiro, I thought, how did it ever end up this way? I missed his caress, the sweet nothings he would whisper to me to lighten the burden on my heart. It was never suppose to end in such a way. He was suppose to save me, just as he promised.
When I entered the tent, many of the girls stared at me. Others glared. I wasn't quite sure how to react to the stares of whores. The soldier who brought me to the tent yanked one girl towards him and spoke softly enough for only me and the girl to hear.
"Let Campaspe deal with her. His Majesty wishes her to be displayed tonight before everyone," The soldier spoke.
The girl nodded flirtatiously to the soldier, his fingers grazing his shoulder. I rolled my eyes and scoffed in disgust. I always hated the whores in Bactria. They always ruined family, broke homes. I remembered when my father was caught with a common whore in his bed. Mother wouldn't leave her chamber for weeks on end until she somehow managed to forgive his dastardly deeds. These whores were no different. Surely these men had wives from where they came from.
Then, the woman named Campaspe swept into the tent, herself displayed like a Greek Goddess. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, jewels plaited in her locks. She was adorned in beautiful gems and dressed in vibrant colors unlike the rest of the concubines. The men had put her up on a pedestal, rewarding her for her beauty and most likely her services to them as well. But not only did the men praise, but so did the whores gathered in the tent. From my eyes, to the other she was like their mother, strong and wise. They all looked to her for guidance in their ways. Then, her eyes narrowed towards me.
"Who is this girl? How did you find her?" Campaspe demanded.
"She is the heir to the Bactrian throne. Have her ready for tonight. His majesty would like to parade her through the camp to his entertainment. The men always love a good victory," the man said.
"Thank you, Boris," Campaspe said graciously before turning to me, "Boris, bring her to my tent,"
Campaspe whirled around and disappeared under the tent flaps. Before I could comprehend anything more, my forearm was gripped hard by the soldier's large hand. I was yanked from the concubine tent and into the blinding morning sunlight. I squinted to see where I was going, where I was being pulled to. I saw tents by the thousands. Little tents for a mere soldier and tents the size of a palace chamber for generals and their plentiful whores. I saw drunken men stumbling from tents and others wrestling with their fellow soldiers.
As we entered the tent, it smelled of sweet incense and I wafted such scents in. And there was Campaspe, draping herself across the klinai. She smiled upon seeing me and motioned for me to be brought closer. I was urged forward by the soldier behind me and I glared back at him.
"Leave us. We have much to do," Campaspe spoke. The soldier bowed before backing back out of the tent.
"Come here, child. It's alright. I won't hurt you," Campaspe said softly as I stepped forward slowly.
"What are you to do to me?" I asked in curiosity.
"I am to make you beautiful. You are to be paraded around the camps tonight showing the men that the King has conquered the rare royal beauty. The men would love to see a pretty little princess," Campaspe admitted.
"Those men do not deserve to look upon me. I am a princess! They killed my people. The monster of a king murdered my love cold-bloodily. He and the rest of this army deserves to rot in hell!" I spat, my heart hurting with every word I spoke.
"They may be monstrous at times, but you shall learn that it is men's nature," she reassured. Campaspe then brought forth a basin and instructed me to wash myself. As I did so, she brushed my hair away from my face. She pulled out my messed up braid I had from my wedding and instead she brushed it completely out and left it that way.
"You must have your hair down. You look better that way. More wild and dangerous. Men are attracted to the forbidden fruit of a woman," she explained, as she dried my shivering naked body off.
She came back seconds later with a sheer bodice, along with a red fabric to drape around the rest of my body. It was fitted tight to my body, accentuating my curves in all the right places and leaving places for mystery. I was adorned in necklaces, bracelets, and jewels. My lips were brightened by a strawberry and my eyes were lined with thick kohl. I felt ashamed in such attire, feeling exposed and like a common harlot. I was no common harlot, nor would I be treated in such a way.
"Now, I suspect you not to know how to please a man, do you not?" Campaspe questioned.
I shook my head as we both were lying on her klinai. A smile was displayed upon her face as she got even closer to me. She took my hand in hers and began her lengthy explanation.
"Men always like the dangerous. Even better, the unexpected. You must make them want it, tease them, keep them guessing. Men are like lions, they stalk their prey. But the prey can't sit and wait to be eaten. Same with us women, we cannot wait for men to come to us and we cannot allow them to do whatever they please. Be different than the average harlot. That's the first step," Campaspe explained.
"Do I get a choice?" I muttered.
"I would call you a hostage, but that's not the case. If you were, you would have a chance of being released, but we all know the King will never let you go. You are priceless to him and the best bargaining chip with the Bactrians. You are to be one of the warriors' women,"
We spoke for awhile, and I told her my story and she did the same. Campaspe told me of King Alexander saving her from her burning home. She taught me more about pleasing a man and how to keep them guessing. By the time we finished our conversation, sunset had fallen upon us and Titus came to escort me out. He looked well for being treated like scum by the Macedonians.
The tent flaps were drawn back as a mule was brought to the opening. Campaspe assisted me in mounting the mule once Titus hauled the mule's reins to a halt. Once upon the mule, the crowd of warriors cheered at my obedience.
I was paraded through the swarms of men. I bit my lip in a way to hinder my insults. The eyes of the deprived men cut into me like a knife. Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted on my lower back. A clay cup had struck me, which was only the start. Food and common objects were hurled my way, no man stopping it. Halfway through the mob, I was knocked from the mule, my face bloodied and bruised. Titus was now gone and I was left at the hands of the lust-starving men.
"Pretty young thing," a man sneered, reaching for my bodice.
"Don't touch me!" I snapped shying away only to fall into another pair of arms.
"Where do you think you're going?"
My eyes lifted from the ground where i was shamed, a hint of hope glinted in my eyes, but disintegrated at the sight of the Great Alexander. The men had backed away from my bruised body and a quickly put my head down in respect. My mother's words were ringing in my head. When in doubt, be silent.
"Men, I don't believe I gave any order to touch her. Did I not?" he roared.
"No, my king," a scrawny boy soldier quivered as he spoke.
"Then keep your hands away from her before I disassemble them," he said before calling for my attention, "Roxana," my name sounded like silk on his tongue.
My eyes were drawn to him and his God-like handsomeness. He was what a king should look like, broad, strong, and glorious. He could have any woman in his bed if he would like. His beauty could destroy cities, which he had already accomplished. How could anyone resist him when he himself looked like an angel. But then I thought back to way he slaughtered my people, invaded my beloved city, brutally murdered my Kiro, and whisked me away from all I had ever known. Hatred filled me to the brink of explosion.
Yet I knew I could not outright disrespect him in front of his men. I would be flogged before all of them. My only choice was to act smart and listen to Campaspe. Be the unexpected. The wild and dangerous.
"Why don't you come to my tent, I can cleanse you from this humiliation,"
With a head held high and firm, I voiced my thoughts on the matter, "If I may say so, I tire quickly and wish to retire for the evening,"
"You shall disobey my orders?" he growled and I felt the eyes of hundreds upon me.
"I mean not to offend you, I thought you and your men must be tired from the long journey, as am I,"
"Women are not to think and next time you will address me as your King,"
"And you will address me as your princess," I retorted, my sharp tongue getting the better of me.
Without warning, his hand came down upon my face and struck my left cheek. I tasted the blood in my mouth and I lowered my eyes to my own hand. What would happen if I struck him back? Would the men go into a frenzy of violence? Would he put a dagger in my belly? Or perhaps throwing me into the fire in the center of the camp for all to watch? Then, a finger tilted my chin upwards to meet his piercing gaze.
"My apologies, my Princess," he mocked with a sly grin that besmirched his handsome face, then turning to his general by the name of Cleitus, "Take her back to the whorehouse and bring Campaspe to me,"
"Come on!"
I was hauled off the ground like a dead animal and thrown on the back of the donkey. As I was led away from the crowd, I glanced back over my shoulder at him. His smirk displayed his victory in defeating me. He thought he had broken me in just like he would a stallion. I was no tamed animal.
I pushed myself from the donkey, running towards him. Many of the men were too much in shock of my actions that they all hesitated. Hesitation would be Alexander's downfall.
"Grab her!"
A men grabbed me by the waist and another by the arm. Without a thought, I elbowed the warrior behind me and staggered forward, barely getting by before another man restrained me.
"Bring her now," Alexander demanded.
I was forced upon my knees by the barbaric men. My head was jerked up quickly to look into his eyes. What I saw surprised me. A look of amusement. Something that froze me in shock.
"Actually, tie her up outside with the houses behind my tent. That shall teach her,"
Then, I was whisked away screaming with hatred. How I wanted him to burn.
____________________________________________________________________________________
The night sky shown above me with its twinkling stars and glorified moon. I missed watching the moon go by me when I looked out from my balcony in Bactria. I loved the night more than the day, for when the sun would greet me, I knew my troubles would come with it. I felt safer, more secure within the blanket the night enveloped me in.
From outside the tent, I heard the intimate words shared between Campaspe and Alexander. The moans of their passion were loud and clear and echoed within my head. How I hated hearing the pleasure of Alexander and how I hated Campaspe for giving it to him.
I was tied at a post beside the King's horse. I admired the beast, for he was just as glorious as his tamer. If only I could possibly loosen the ropes. If only I could mount the beast. If only I could ride away from this place forever. If only I had Kiro, I thought. Kiro. The tears welled up and I lost control of all I was holding in.
"Hush, child. Everything is going to be alright now,"
Suddenly, my dear Thetima was beside me. My heart lifted in happiness. How did she get here? I didn't know, but I didn't care.
"I missed you. How did you get past anyone?" I said.
"I missed you too, but it doesn't right now. Right now, I am getting you out of here,"