THE HANDMAID

CHAPTER ONE

A carriage rode slowly across the streets, the street lights and lights from open stalls were the only things illuminating the streets, they were few passers by and horses held by their riders on the streets, the sky was gloomy, it was obvious that rain was going to pour down later. The road wasn't smooth, as the horse pulled the carriage across the street, my body kept shaking from the moving force. The people along the street were chattering and selling their wares. Some ladies wore revealing clothes standing on the streets. Everyone was busy doing one thing or the other.

I looked at everywhere in the carriage except the man sitting across me. The carriage had two sitters across each other and two windows. It wasn't a big carriage but it was enough to contain 4 persons. The breeze blowing in the carriage was from the open windows. I felt really sad to even look up, I had cried to a point that even if I tried to cry, no tears would flow out. My body shook unintentionally from the way the horse pulled the carriage. I shivered from fear and cold.

"You. Be a good girl" the man that sat across me said.

I raised my head and looked out the window after sometime, bushes were the only thing I saw, we have obviously left the outskirts of the town and was now heading for the castle. I sniffed. I can't imagine I was sold out by my own father to the royal family to raise money for my mother's treatment. I wondered how life would be at the castle.

"We have to save your mother...." my father had said the day before I was sold "....I don't have any money, there is only one way out" he said.

I didn't know the only way out was to get me sold. I had no idea I was sold out until my father came back home in the morning.

"Amelia you have to leave, you would be staying at the castle now" he said and just like that I was handcuffed and dragged out from the house like a slave by this man. Father had avoided looking at my eyes while I cried and begged.

I had cried seriously because I realized what he had done.

He had sold me.

Slowly, tall buildings came into my sight, we were arriving at the castle already, I sighed as I wiped the tears on my cheeks, I was really heartbroken and traumatized from this incident.

The carriage stopped abruptly.

"We are here" the man who rode the carriage spoke. The man sitting opposite me dragged me up and out from the carriage.

He pulled me harshly till we arrived at the back of the castle before he finally stopped dragging me.

"Thomas" a fat man called as he walked up to us, the man addressed as Thomas held my hand tighter when he was approaching us, I flinched at how tight he held my hand, he could break the bones in my hand if he held any tighter than this.

Some maids walked past us sneaking glances at us from time to time.

The fat man finally walked up to us and nodded his head to welcome the man before turning his gaze to me, he scanned me intently, he took in every detail of my body. I wished the ground could just open up and swallow me. I felt really embarrassed and timid under his gaze.

"How old is she?" The fat man asked turning his gaze back to the man he addressed as Thomas, the man holding me.

"18, she clocked 18 last month" Thomas replied.

"What is her name?" The fat man asked.

"Amelia" Thomas replied.

"What is her price?" The fat man asked.

Thomas smiled, I frowned at the way they were talking about me like I was not a human being with feelings "£400" he answered.

"She is still young and naive, I will pay £300" the fat man said as he scanned me from head to toe before looking back at the man holding me.

"Okay I accept, but I release her when I get my payment" Thomas said seriously.

The fat reached his hand into his pocket and threw a bag at Thomas, he caught it and opened it before smiling "I appreciate" he said and pushed me towards the fat man. I lost my balance because of the force of the push and landed on my face.

Tears flowed down my cheeks as I tried to get up but it was impossible because of the handcuffs. This world has been so cruel to me. The fat man held my hands and pulled me up.

"Get up you lazy fool" he shouted at me as he dragged me up to stand on my feet when I gained my balance, he pushed me slightly towards the door he walked in from "move" he ordered, his voice threatening my very existence.

I moved slowly towards the door sobbing silently, I walked into a hall through the door, I saw some women and girls my age and older or even younger walking around dressed in same uniform doing one work or another, some held trays, some held cleaning tools, some were washing, everyone was busy, they sneaked glances at me as they walked past us. I didn't even pay anyone attention as I moved. I noticed they shook their heads out from pity but didn't utter a word.

We finally got to a door, the fat man pushed it open and we walked inside. Inside the room, was three small beds, a bedside lantern, a small table and chair, some boxes. The room had only a window and a door, I guessed the door led to the restroom. Suddenly the man held my shoulders and turned me to face him, he took out a key from his pocket and uncuffed my hand.

"No funny games and.... don't try to escape" he warned me before turning to the exit, he closed the door behind him.

I fell to my knees and wept. Slowly I dragged myself to a bed and curled up, crying myself to sleep.

HOPE YOU ALL LIKED THE FIRST PART, PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW, VOTE AND COMMENT, HELP ME TO PROMOTE THIS BOOK. EXPECT MORE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.
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