“Come with me.” Naganti Kanan who was looking like his old self more and more with each passing day demanded and held out a hand to her. Without looking up at him she took it and rose on her sore feet. “You have been most agreeable lately.” He complimented. “I have a reward for you.” Kanan removed the chains and the metal belt around her ever slendering waist. The only thing holding up the belt any longer was the hip bones which jutted out from her sides and soon he would have to have the smith put another notch in it. Walking with her right arm through his left and slightly behind him, Calla blindly followed where in led in a daze to heavy to see through. “I want you to shower and dress.” Kanan told her leading her into a bathroom. “We are going to disembark for a while today. Don’t worry, I’ll restore your chains before we do, but I would like you to be presentable. Don’t take too long.” Shutting the door half way he stood on the other side and waited to hear the sound of water. He waited and waited. Impatient, Kanan stuck his head into the door to see what she was doing; Calla was just standing there looking at the open shower. “Cha’Dech?” His booming voice brought her face around to him. “Turn the water on.”

On unsteady legs and aching feet she stumbled forward to the lever and the water overhead sprayed down. Then she just stood there staring back at him with the cold water raining down on her.

“Wash yourself.”

Kanan walked into the room and shut the door. Standing a few feet away from her he watched her stumble around trying to decide simple things such as what to do with the soap. Something in her remembered she was to rub it on her skin and she did so and then, still covered in a good lather, Calla shut the water off.

Silently Kanan chided himself, he really should take those chains off more often, she was much more fun when she was defiant or at least when she was present. With a sigh he pushed her back into the open shower. “Turn the water back on and rinse your body. Wash your hair, Cha’Dech.” At his command she stood under the water again filth of the last few months sluffed off of her. Earlier he thought the water would bring her around but it didn’t seem to have any effect on her.

For weeks Omar had been telling him that he had to take the collar off of her at least for a few hours a day and Kanan staunchly refused. The little bitch had cost him everything he ever held dear and he was not inclined to let go so easily. Yesterday Omar started bitching about her sale-ability and if she wasn’t any good when they reached their destination that they wouldn’t be paid for their troubles. Omar railed that Kanan had gotten what he wanted her from her, he was healthy once more it was time to let go of his choke hold on her. By the looks of her she wasn’t going anywhere in the near future.

Dressing and drying were a laboring event and when it came to taming her hair, once again, his royal highness had to help her. After he put the brush in her hand she just stood there staring at it as though she’d never seen such a thing before. Calla couldn’t bend very far nor stretch very high, it was difficult to put the dress over her head. (Putting the wretched belt on had been worse.) “Do you recognize this dress?” Kanan asked as she finally managed to pull the material down. “I’ve been saving it for you.” He took over to the full length mirror. “I always did like this one.” Kanan raised her head to look at the woman in the mirror. She had a bruised face and her hair ragged and unkempt and there were bald spots where Naganti Kanan grabbed her by it because she had been bad and he’d been forced to punish her. The dress covering her skeletal frame hung loosely on her hips. It was black and had long bat-wing sleeves which fell down to cover her hands and a high collar which covered the bruises at her neck. Around her waist was a gold and black sash which matched the one Kanan wore. From behind her he put the wide gold collar around her neck. It was so heavy. It covered her from the nape of her neck to her collar bones and just above her small breasts. Laying a hand over the sapphire in front he commanded the collar to close and it did. Solid gold chains lead from the collar to a solid gold wrist cuff on either side. Each cuff was a miniature version of the collar around her neck. The cuffs closed and she was firmly bound inside them. “We need to take on water and supplies. We still have a long way to go before our journey is done.” Naganti Kanan said in what passed as a kind voice. “This will be your last chance to stretch your legs and get some fresh air, Cha’Dech.” He bent down to look her straight in those blank emerald eyes. “I don’t know if you’re still in there anywhere but you better not try to get away from me.” Kanan yanked on the chains. “Understand?”

“Hei.” Calla had not been allowed out of Naganti Kanan’s room since she came aboard the ship and so she not only had no idea of where they were she didn’t even know how large the ship carrying her was. Even, in days past, when she had the stretch to make the attempt to defy the chains the door was locked from the outside. But he was taking her out now and while the thought of escape did not come to her until he said it, the feel of sunlight on her face and fresh air in lungs would be good. The last time she’d felt sunlight on her face and took in lungfulls of fresh air, she’d been wet and laying a field of wildflowers and…and…well…that was the last time. Those times and those days were over and done with never to return again. It was best not to dwell on them.

Taking a third chain from his dresser he clipped it to the front of her collar and walked her off the ship like a dog on a leash. “Later, after we return, I have something else for you.”

End of Chapter Three
Daughter of the Gods: Captured
Continue to
Chapter Four