Chained To Him [Editing]

Chapter Five

Bailish was slightly shorter than Jayde, and had wavy brown hair that looked much like her own. She wondered how he came to be a slave of the Empire. It was something that he refused to tell her, and she suspected that he had committed some crime. Perhaps he had killed someone. It didn't bother her that he could possibly be a murderer. If anything, she felt safer to know that she had befriended someone capable of killing. Murder could be a useful skill in a world occupied by the enemy. 

"I am surprised at you," he commented over evening meal. Jayde glanced at him but didn't reply. She knew what he meant. "You have lasted longer than I expected." He nodded towards Kariyah, who sat at the end of the table, staring wordlessly at her food. One of the guards who had taken a liking to her hovered behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders as he whispered in her ear. "I am not sure how long your friend will make it."

Jayde turned to glare at him. "How dare you? Kariyah has fought harder battles than any Imperial soldier in this room." But she didn't pursue him any further. Her spirits were relatively high tonight—the guards allowed all of the slaves to wash their bodies and clothing. She had forgotten how wonderful it felt to be clean, and nothing could smother that feeling at the moment. 

"I do not mean to offend," Bailish inclined his head. He looked at the table for a long moment, as if deciding his next words carefully. "I have heard rumors about you."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye but refused to look at him as she ate her meal. "And what might those be?"

"Well." He wet his lips. "I've heard that you are the leader of the Aésads." Jayde felt her throat become dry, and she couldn't swallow. Did the soldiers here listen to the rumors of the slaves? "Which is ridiculous of course." Bailish laughed softly. "But I have heard some things that I thought this mysterious person might like to know, whoever he or she may be."

"What?" She turned towards him suddenly as he hesitated. 

Bailish spooned another pile of meal into his mouth, frowning at the gritty substance. "The other leader, a man they call Luther, is alive and being kept in the palace here."

Jayde gaped at him, glancing wildly about the room. Luther was still alive. At the same time, it only meant that he had endured torture from the moment he became a prisoner. She was about to ask Bailish how he came to know such a thing when a loud cry pierced the room. Jayde looked to where Kariyah sat but found that a soldier had dragged her from her chair. She stood immediately, but Bailish grappled her back into her seat and struggled to hold her down as the soldier grinned wickedly at her friend.

"I like you even better when you don't smell like cow shit." The soldier laughed with two of his friends as he wrapped his arms around Kariyah and pressed his face against her cheek. Jayde could tell that she was fighting her urge to react and fight back, her face rigid with effort. 

Suddenly he shoved her roughly to another soldier who teasingly pulled down one of her sleeves. Kariyah yelped and broke free from his grip, stepping back into a fighting stance. She glanced at Jayde, her eyes fierce as she raised her fists. The soldiers laughed heavily at her as they circled. Most of the slaves averted their gazes in tense silence, knowing what would happen next.  Perhaps they would drag her off to their quarters. Or perhaps they would take her here. Jayde shuddered as a soldier just barely blocked Kariyah's punch. He narrowed his eyes and swung at her. Dodging easily, she slipped past him to ram her elbow into his ribs. The soldier emitted a snarl and snatched for her, but she was already out of reach. Another soldier lunged for her, this time grasping her arm. They grappled for a few moments before Kariyah broke free and ran to the wall. She was outnumbered, and Jayde could see the desperation clearly on her face. Suddenly, two of the soldiers attacked at the same time. She turned to avoid one, but collided into the chest of the other, who tackled her none to gently to the floor.