- At The Goddes Election day- (Early morning)

Eireen glanced at her appearance in front of the large mirror, while a few of the maids were busy preparing her for the big day. Today was the promised day where the Goddess of Life would descend and choose her hero. Eireen had to learn to stay quiet and let the maids do their job in the past two days. It was a new experience for her. She closed her eyes when one of the maids started to put some makeup on her face and let her mind drifting.

Two days ago right after the king declared her duty to be a tribute as a support trade from Prince Scry Treeoaks, a group of guards came to her barrack and started to gather up all of her things. They then escorted her to the noble mansion where Jace usually entertained and offered his hospitality to the kingdom royal guests. She was taken in front of everyone without any official announcement, causing an uproar of gossips. On her way of leaving the premises, she could hear people whispering negatively about why she was moved to the noble ground.

“I bet the king wanted her to serve the noble, with the huge coming event.”

“Tsk, too bad, I thought I can have my ways with her when that Z guy is out of the way”

“… I still can’t believe someone like her, is a comfort girl, she was so nice to me.”

“Shush don’t gossip! Don’t you know she has strong backup?! That’s why she never been sent to the battlefield, one wrong word you might lose your head.”

She had heard those kinds of talk about her ever since day one when she was sent to the barrack after her demotion. At first, she went all feisty and tried to straighten the gossip. That she wasn’t a prostitute or Jace's mistress like the rumor that had somehow spread like a wildfire, but in the end, she ceased. The more she tried to clear her name the more the rumor went bigger. It was like adding more fuel to the fire. She chose to turn deaf on them, ignorance was her best shield. She closed her ears and heart, refused to get close to anyone. Until Zeke came to the picture. He trusted her and became her first friend after a long time.

The walk to the noble’s ground passed quickly as she was walking with an empty mind. The room that was prepared for her was icy blue with beautiful paintings hanged on the walls. Two large windows facing directly to the center garden with a beautiful spring. It's peaceful and yet ignorant. Its beauty was a sad contrast of what’s happening outside the palace ground. Out there in the battlefield, it was almost impossible for even a single flower to stand proudly without being trampled down by mounts' hooves or human's feet. Defiled by blood while became the silent witness of cries for survival and scream of death.

She carefully stepped inside the room that was furnished from top to bottom with new looking furniture. While the guards were busy moving her small amount of items to the room, she took her time to notice the details of the room. The ceiling was high above her. Intricate carvings of her kingdoms insignia were engraved in some of the wooded areas of the room. She saw beautiful shelves made from pink ivory wood mounted on the walls. They were filled with some books and decorations. The room was uncomfortably large, the floor was well-polished concrete, and the bed on the center of the room probably would fit for a dozen of children. As she came close toward it, she reverently rubbed her fingers along the silken mattress, pressed her index finger to the cool velvet pillows. The comforter was thick and irresistibly soft, like a billowing cloud. There was a huge wardrobe made of pink ivory wood on the other side of the bed; too big for her scarce of garments; lastly, she saw a beautiful study table near one of the windows.

The room was a perfect fit for any noble. But she wasn’t a noble, she‘s a tribute in another word a slave. To have this luxury as a tribute was pretty strange, but she didn’t really want to ask any questions about it. If her master thought she should be placed there then so be it. Besides, it wouldn't change the fact that her future already concluded. Dark and cold like the room in its tranquility.

A soft nudge on her arm woke her up from her reverie and pulled her back to the present time. Apparently, her makeup and hair had been done. The only thing left was her clothing. She was temporarily warped up in cloth as they worked on her hair and face. The maids had chosen a silk white dress for her, it was decorated with beautiful tiny prismatic gems on the edges of each layer, the layers didn’t seem too extravagant to the point it was too heavy for her to handle, and it still able to flatter her figure.

The maids started to undo her cloth when suddenly her chamber door sprang open. A man with amber eyes leisurely walked in. It was as if there was nothing wrong for a guy to just barged into a maiden room while she was half naked with nothing on her but a simple white cloth.

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Eireen automatically yelped and do her best to cover herself, while the maids were strangely removing themselves while giggling and chattering in a soft tone.

“Leave us, “ his velvety voice ordered the maids with a mesmerizing smile. They quickly obeyed the man and in no time Eireen was left alone with him. She mouthed a silent protest to one of the maids that accidentally met her gaze, but the maid just gave her an envy stare before leaving the premises.

The man ambled towards her with a teasing smile while she stumbled around trying to cover herself.

“What are you doing? Stop right there!” She put up one of her arms in front of her when her back hit the wall. Her other hand was busy trying to pull up the white cloth to cover herself as best as she could.

“Why should I stop?” The man leered, making larger steps toward her and stopped right in front of her. His amber eyes appraising the girl from top to bottom with a mocking smile decorating his dashing face. Then suddenly he took her raising hand and gave it a quick kiss. Eireen made a squeaky surprised noise and quickly pulled out her hand away from him as fast as she could. The man saw the opening and in one wide step invading her personal space. Caging her with his arms and leaning closer in front of her face. His soft breathing brushing her cheeks and eyes. She blushed.

“What’re you being embarrassed for? Blushing over your new master? Hello, my cute slave,“ he seductively whispered while making their proximity closer. Just a few more inches and they would have been in hugging position. His warm skin radiated and she could smell a combination of sandalwood and cider.

“… your slave?” she mumbled; dazed and confused.

“Oh! I forgot to introduce myself, don’t I? Forgive my rudeness,” he chuckled to see how red the girl was, “Scry Treeoaks at your service.”

Eireen gasped hearing the name and for the first time, she looked at the man properly. His blue-purple gradient wavy hair, his creamy skin, and it finally struck her memories. She had seen this man. It was that day where she saw a drunken noble sleeping in one of the stables. She finally realizes who the man in front of her was.

“It’s you.”

“Ah, you remembered,” he snickered, “looking up close you are not so bad for a commoner. Now I somehow know why he has a special interest in you.”

Scry softly tracing his finger upon her blushing cheeks slowly going down to her jaws and stopped at her chin. He then lifted her face up gently.

“You’ve got to see the face he made when I told him I wanted you as a trade for his request of support,” his amber eyes gleamed with excitement and he chuckled, “and I knew from that moment that the rumor may have been true. You are someone who has taken a hold of him. Either that his secret or even worse… His heart.”

He then released her from his arm cage and gazed her like a beast cornering its prey, “So, do you know what I would I do with my slaves?”

Eireen shook her head weakly while biting her inner lips hard. All the possible worst things that could be her destiny played on her mind. Those that were impossible for her to put words on because of the horrifying truth. The man could do absolutely everything he wanted. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden. Her breathing started to feel heavy as fear struck her.

“Shush, my dear, why are you so pale?” The man leaned close again with a teasing smile, “I won’t hurt you.”

His index finger returned to brush lightly on her cheeks, slowly tracing down her naked neck and shoulder. Eireen felt revolted by his action but she didn’t dare to make any sound of disgust as he touched her. She’s his slave. Everyone knew what was a slave meant. She has lost all of her rights as a human being. She couldn’t say no to any of her master demands. Not even if he wanted her to jump off the cliff and die. Her body got tenser and tenser the closer his finger ran toward her half covered breast. She sucked her breath hard, stared at the wall behind the man, tried her best to keep her mind empty, and her body stiffened like a dead log. But suddenly he stopped his indecent act and started to snicker. Then his snickers changed to chuckles and next thing she knew he burst out laughing. His raucous guffaw filling the silent room like a wave.

“I can’t believe this. His comfort girl is a virgin?” He said while doubling with laughter, “I wonder if it is because there is something wrong with his manhood.”

“I am not his comfort girl,” she timidly retorted, “those rumors… they are all not true.”

“Oh..., “ Scry raised an eyebrow. He stopped laughing, “that’s interesting.”

He once again caged her with his arms and his face hovering closely. His amber eyes teasingly inspected her as a smirk painted on his lip.

“So… what are you to him? Could you please tell me, my dear slave?” His soft voice tickled her ear.

“S-subordinate.”

“Hmm, I doubt that. You are certainly more than that. Do you know what is the reason I picked you when I could have chosen much prettier women out there?”

“No…,” she muttered.

“Game. All of this is for a good game my dear," the man gestured to his surrounding; including to her. A malicious smile decorated his suave face, "I love playing games. Especially those that would make him mad and go crazy. And you, my dear slave, are my plaything, my toy, and my tool to pull a string on him. The great king of Ursa, Jace Ursa.”

Scry then murmured to her ear, “Don’t worry, I will take good care of you. I won't break my new toy any time soon. Unless it bore me out.”

"Let's have a lot of fun together," he added then licked her right ear. Eiren flinched the moment his tongue caressing her.

Then just like the way he came, he suddenly left. The man just broke his arms cage and lazily walked back toward the door. A few steps away from the door he stopped and turned his body one last time. His amber eyes glinted a dark desire and a wicked smile plastered on his beautiful face.

“Don’t make me bored, Eireen Silver.”