TOWARDS THE LION'S DEN || ORIGINAL

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER 13
NEW CHAINS

JASPER had no words for what she could describe of the Palace. It seemed to hold the feeling of a divine god. Maybe even as old as the Gods themselves.

But her eyes didn't have time to engulf everything, as she was lead through the most confined servant passages she had ever been in. Thrown into a cramped servants quarters, Jasper was mute. The fearful thoughts looped around in her mind until there was no room for anything else.

Any words uttered and she was terrified Rusty or Kale would end up dead because of her stupidity. But neither did she have in mind to say anything at all to those who serve the Hartdells.

A draft of sea salt was intimate with the servant quarters. There wasn't much but simple rickety beds, two washing basins and a few crooked windows...

Perfect.

She would keep in mind to use the windows to escape but the problem was, she need to find Kale and Rusty first. She couldn't- wouldn't leave them behind to suffer. With out her even knowing the guards gave her in chains to the other servant women in the quarters. "Have her cleaned up and sent to Lord Ramsay's chambers. Is that clear?"

The fragile looking servants nodded and whispered, "As you wish." She watched the guards march out of the servant quarters, letting her eyes linger long on the door the guards slammed. Before she could see what was happening the servants approached her as they slowly proceeded to remove her of her ruined clothes that looked like rags now.

RIIIIPPPP!

Jasper didn't say anything nor do anything. She wouldn't threaten them and fight them. She knew better that retaliation would lead trouble not just for her but also for the three poor servants that cleaned her with wet sponges.

If it were her sister Katara, she wouldn't think twice about fighting tooth and nail her way through the whole palace till she was free. But that wasn't Jasper and she knew she would be smart about escaping.

Always plan ahead.

The three slaves cleaned her till she felt like they had scrubbed more then just dirt and grime from her skin. Her wound was once again bandaged up and it stung like hell. She knew it would eventually heal in time, but it would most definitely scar as a reminder of what she lost that day. Jasper felt a bitter knot in her stomach while one of the mousy women brought over a pale white sheet. The simple dress felt silky and smooth against her bare skin as it was wrapped upon her form.

She knew her lion tattoo stuck out from her dress a little. As long as no one said anything about who she was and who she came from, she believed she would be just fine.

But her skin quickly turned into cold goosebumps as the finishing touch of her halter dress was clamped around her neck. A cold, metallic collar. A symbol of submission and slavery.

It took every muscle- every nerve not to rip the collar off her neck. Too many memories tried to resurface. Too many unforgivable memories of those years before Katara came into this world.

The collar felt heavy and unbearable and the feeling was becoming familiar once more. Jasper bit her tongue hard and dug her nails hard into her palms until it marked. It was a struggle to move as one of the slaves escorted her out through the long servant passages until they finally opened a door into the grand halls of the palace once more.

The grand halls of the palace was enough to distract Jasper from the collar and her fate far ahead. Her sandalled feet fell into careful long steps. Her eyes peeled open wide, taking in the interior designs of the palace. From the marble floors, to the hand craved designs into the walls and columns.