"Why not take the one beside her", somebody said and I gasped in shock. The one beside her?
I turned to see the one who spoke and it turned out to be Jo's. I looked at the psychopath as if I was just seeing her for the first time. Was she crazy?
"You said what?", the slave master said and Jo's grinned.
"That one before you.", she nodded towards me.
"She is known as the Slave princess, cherished by almost every man in The Oak.", her eyes met mine briefly and she continued. "Her hair, a burnt blonde but you would think she is brunette. All she can do, you will be surprised ". And then she whispered the last part."Even beneath The Oak. Freya".
She the only one that would never call me by my real name, no matter how many time I corrected her. she emphasized on the "ya" and like I've always done, I corrected her. As if I was not just being shoved at the buyers.
"Freye"
And then it dawn on me. What "Beneath the Oak" means. It was then that I knew what she meant. I closed my eyes in apprehension while my lids burned with tears.
"Freye", the slave master pronounced my name like a caress, all the while staring at my face. He took my cheek in his hand and I was shocked to find his hold so gentle. For the first time that morning, I looked up to meet his gaze.
"If I had to buy Freye, it would be to keep her personally for myself.", he said to everyone's dismay, including mine. It was so rare to find any master keep a slave to themselves. In fact, it was so rare, but not lesser the honour.
"But then it seems Freye is reluctant to leave The Oak. And I will not force her.". He turned to Jo's.
"You will go with me instead"
"No!", Jo's disagreed and the young master's smile became cruel in an instant. He reminded me of someone. So warm and yet so cold.
"That was not a proposal, my dear.", he told her and his servant came to take Jo's. She lost it then.
"No! Noooo! I will not go. I will destroy you Freye!", I was shocked that she could say my real name. She began to yell.
"I know it all. The affair beneath The Oak. I will tell everyone. I will destroy you Freye.", she promised with a vengeful look in her eyes. The Jihadists started to leave while the servants dragged the bought slaves away, including Jo's.
"I hate you.", she muttered and I know meant it. Why I did not know.
Back to The Oak, the girls wouldn't stop staring at me and I was made uncomfortable with all the whispers and fingers pointed at me. A few confident ones among them has come to ask me what was happening "beneath The Oak"
I waited endlessly for the night to come so that I could see Angus. I wanted to see him and plead with him to let us stop it for a while. At least until the slaves stopped being suspicious of me.
I knew some of them could be desperate to see my downfall and might start following me or plotting against me. This attention, I hated it so much.
Finally it was time. I waited longer than usual before I made my way out of the chamber. It even took longer than usual due to the tight security and the bright weather.l was rather disappointed when I came into the chamber to find it empty.
Due to my anxiety, I could not stay in the room without Angus. Anyone might come in any moment, what would I say I was doing in a master's room?
While I was going back to my room, I collided with Lyla towards the slaves chamber.
"Oh my! Could this be what Josephine was talking about? Where are you coming from?", she made a fake widening of her eyes and I rolled my eyes.
"Everyone else called her Jo's, no one refers to her by her real name anymore. You only sound like her friend. Are you best friends?", I taunted and she scoffed with anger.
"You this disgusting bitch!", she tried to hit me but I held her hand.
"Try that and I will make you hate yourself.", I told her. I was already walking away when she spoke again.
"Get ready to explain what you're doing out here to my mistress. You might be lucky to visit the dungeon again."
Yes, lucky. If I did not get killed.
"Yes, please. You can explain why you're also here too. I'd like you to keep my company in the dungeon.", I said and walked away.
The following night, I went to Angus' chamber again. The moment I entered and I perceived his smell, my face spread into a smile. I didn't realise until then but I had missed him.
He had his back to me and so I crept towards him, walking on my toes. I stood behind him and I placed my hand on his shoulder. I had only meant it as a playful gesture but when he turned to me, I stepped back immediately.
Because, his eyes..