"Don't be absurd," Kaylan replied.
"He is here and is demanding her back. He said we have tricked him..."
"TAHIRA!" my father yelled.
My hands covered my mouth to stifle a scream as the truth of Manu's words rang in my ear and tears fell with grief and fear.
"Don't be scared," Kaylan said as I backed away to escape my fathers voice.
"TAHIRA!" my father yelled closer.
"I will protect you," Kaylan promised but I knew the anger in my fathers voice and he could not protect me from him.
I shook my head at Kaylan I had to run. I turned and hurried across the garden.
"Find her!" I heard my father yell as I ran as fast as I could. I got only few feet further before my fathers men appeared out of the darkness and dragged me back.
"Take your hands off her," Kaylan said as I was flung at my fathers' feet.
"You run from me!" my father yelled grabbing hair and pulling my head back to spit in my face for my defiance before shoving me away in disgust. "The deal is off," my father said and grabbed my hair dragging me across the floor as I scrambled to keep up with him.
"She is my wife now take your hands off her or my men will defend her," Kaylan growled.
"Wife! She still has her virtue! What kind of husband does that make you?" my father replied with disgust. My face flushed as my father pulled back my head and I closed my eyes as he grabbed my face, "You shame me!" he yelled.
"Her virtue is not your concern. She is married to me and I will ask you one last time to take your hands off my wife," Kaylan replied.
"She is not your wife," my father replied and dragged me along by the hair with both his hands to hasten his exit.
"Guards!" Kaylan called.
The room filled with men. Far more than my father had. He was outnumbered and the way his hands loosened on my hair showed he knew it.
"Now Kaylan lets be civilised," Manu interjected.
Edward appeared in the room. "What is going on?" he said as he took in the scene. "Take your hands off her!" he ordered my father.
"She is coming back with me," my father said.
"That is never going to happen," Edward replied as his wife Hannah hurried to my feet trying to ease the hold my father had on my hair. I tried to push her away, shaking my head as a warning to not interfere but she clung on and held my hair below his hands to lessen his pull. "I suggest you stand aside and show your daughter the respect she deserves before her husband takes your head in payment for upsetting his wife."
"She is not his wife. She still has her virtue and the price has gone up... way up and not for you. I have a better offer and I am taking her to him tonight!" my father replied.
"She does not have her virtue," Hannah yelled.
My father scowled at the woman talking to him directly and correcting him.
"He has taken it, as was his right," Hannah replied. "Look," she said pointing at the blood on my dress where I was sat on the floor. "There is only one thing that makes blood that red and spreads its colour so wide. Her husband's seed."
My father flew into a rag. Edward ran forward dragging his pregnant wife out of the way as my father's hands left my hair and began to choke the life out of me.
Moments later I was free and being dragged across the floor into another room. I was immediately covered by Edwards wife as though protecting me. I could hear my father screaming in pain and Kaylan with a voice more powerful than I had ever heard banishing him. "You will leave my kingdom and never return. You are not welcome here. Those within your city who wish to seek refuge from your tyranny will be. She is not your daughter. She is my wife. If I catch you using either of our names to gain favour I will have your tongue cut out."
"You cut off my ear!" my father yelled.
"And yet you still don't listen," Kaylan replied. "Get out of my kingdom. Edward escort him and his men. Unless they wish to remain here, in which case send him on alone and for his insolence I will take payment of 20 women from his harem. My wife will forward the names of those she chooses. If any harm comes to them I will take your city as a gift for my wife."
My father made a noise as though to speak.
"I would think again before you address me or I will take your tongue," Kaylan advised as I was rushed further away and back to our room.
"I am locking you in for safety," the guard informed me as I scurried across the room and into the bathroom. I smashed a hand mirror and picked up a piece of the glass to use as a weapon. My hands shaking as I wrapped cloth around the end to avoid cutting myself. I held it tight and looked to the window I had to get out. I pushed it open and hauled myself out of it. I ran to where I felt safe and no one would find me except Kaylan.
My legs couldn't carry me quick enough as I ran towards the maze. Flinging myself inside it and running until I hit a dead end before falling to the ground and crying. As I sat hugging my legs to me for warmth, the cold of the ground ached through my bones and I couldn't stop shaking. The sting between my legs became more noticeable and I knew then that the feeling of something snapping when I lay with my husband was in fact my womanhood tearing open. I knew I should feel ashamed after what my father said but I just couldn't find it in myself to regret a single moment I spent with Kaylan. My teeth chattered and as the wind howled I felt scared of every tiny noise so closed my eyes and tried to replay all the kind words, looks and kisses I had shared with him.
Every minute felt like an hour and when I finally heard the sound of feet approaching I was filled with a mixture of fear and relief. Fear for it not being my husband and relief that maybe it was.
"Tahira?" Kaylan called.
My voice failed me as I tried to call back but I started coughing and seconds later he appeared.
"Are you hurt?" he asked as noticed the shard of glass I had taken as a weapon. "I won't hurt you," he said with his arms out wide. "Your father is gone and will never return," he promised.
I placed my head against my knees in relief and cried. Kaylan's arms surrounded me as he comforted me.
"You are safe. I will always protect you," he pledged. "Let's get you back home and into a warm bath," he said and lifted me up in his arms so easily that I could have been a child.
He carried me back to our room and everyone rushed around as he wrapped me in a blanket and sat rubbing the warmth back into my bones in front of a fire.
"It's ready," a voice spoke.
"Thank you, please have a light dinner ready for when we are finished. I want her to eat something before she rests," he replied.
We stood and made our way to the bathroom. He checked the temperature of the water as I shed what was left of my ruined dress. He surprised me by shedding his own clothes and stepping into the bath. Passing me his hand to help me step in. He lay in the bath with me against his chest just holding me. He didn't speak a word. We just lay there with only the sound of the water as he washed the dirt off me with such a gentle caring touch that it brought tears to my eyes.
He kissed my hair to sooth me and as I finally felt warm, safe and relaxed I fell asleep. He held me until the water turned cold and it was time to get out. Waking me with a reassuring touch as he helped me out and into a heavy cloak.
Hot drinks and warm food awaited us. He sat with me in front of the fire as we dried off and he applied some balm to my wounds. I had forgotten about the battle earlier and once remembered I wanted to forget it again as the face of my friend telling me to 'run' with her dying breath haunted me. Kaylan brushed the knots from my hair carefully to avoid the lumps and scratches as I let a few silent tears fall for my friends.
We ate and drank in comfortable silence. I was too tired to move, let alone speak and every muscle in my body ached for me to lie down and rest. Finally after I was warm, clean, dry and fed he pulled back the bed clothes and took my cloak so I could get in. Only the fire lit the room as he shed his cloak and climbed in beside me. He didn't need to say a word I knew he was not looking to take me again tonight. He was as tired and traumatised as I was about the days events. Instead we just held each other and slipped into a peaceful sleep.