The Imperial Kings Series 2: Captured By The King - Book cover

The Imperial Kings Series 2: Captured By The King

Kimi L. Davis

Chapter 4

HILDRED

King Bancroft seemed to have no limits. A part of me was convinced he didn’t even want to have any. He kept finding new ways to torment me, taking some twisted pleasure from my suffering. I wasn’t sure how much more I could endure; I was teetering on the edge of my sanity.

“You’re so resilient, Hildred. If I were in your shoes, I would’ve given in to Lord Bancroft by now,” Ethel observed.

“I can’t bear it any longer, Ethel. Lord Bancroft is going to be the death of me.” I groaned, struggling to draw breath through my battered ribs. I couldn’t fathom why Lord Bancroft was so fixated on me when I was so defiant. There were nearly a hundred women in his harem; he could choose anyone he wanted, and they would be far more compliant than I could ever be.

“No, he won’t kill you. You’re valuable to him, dear friend. Don’t be so pessimistic about the great lord. He just wants everyone to know you’re his, so no one dares to cross you,” she countered. Why couldn’t she see the monster that was Lord Bancroft? Was she blind to the torment he was causing me?

“Don’t be naive about the king, Ethel. He’s a brute and you know it; my battered body is proof of that.” A sob escaped me as pain surged through my body. “I wish I were dead, Ethel.”

“Do you think Lord Bancroft might be testing you?” Her theories were always so outlandish.

“Why would he do that? He has no reason to,” I retorted.

“Maybe he likes his women to be strong.” She shrugged.

“Ethel, please stop. I’m already in so much pain; don’t try to justify his atrocities, I can’t bear it,” I begged. “I need to sleep.” There wasn’t much else I could do with a body as broken as mine. Sleep was the only thing that made the time pass and allowed me to forget about the looming nightmare, if only for a short while.

“Forgive me, Hildred, I’ve been thoughtless. Of course, you need to rest. Would you like something to eat?” she asked, hastily rising from my bed.

I shook my head. “I don’t have the energy to eat. Don’t bother bringing anything for me.”

“But you must eat, Hildred. Lord Bancroft will be furious if he finds out you’re neglecting your health,” she protested.

“I couldn’t care less about what Lord Bancroft wants. I don’t care if I starve to death. All I want now is peace.” I told her before turning my head away, dismissing her.

“Lord Bancroft is more violent when he’s angry, and your refusal to eat will provoke him,” she warned before I heard her footsteps receding.

Tears of fear and pain welled up in my eyes and spilled over. Why couldn’t Lord Bancroft just forget about me? What had I done to deserve this? I was always diligent about my prayers and I tried my best to be kind to others. So why was God punishing me? And why through the hands of a king?

I yearned for a way out of here. I wanted to escape to a place far away, where King Bancroft couldn’t find me. Maybe I could find a kind farmer and marry him. We could have children who would play in the fields, their laughter echoing through the air. I didn’t want a ruthless king to dictate my life. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny.

***

Even though I was nothing more than a common whore, I always aspired to be more. I dreamed of being a seamstress. I yearned to design exquisite gowns for queens and princesses. I didn’t want to be a plaything for men.

But my mother was a common whore, who was killed by a savage man; a man who couldn’t control his bloodlust and ended up murdering my mother. After she was gone, the other women in the harem took it upon themselves to raise me. And when a girl is born in a harem, she’s destined to be a common whore. That’s all she can ever be.

But I wanted more. I loved dresses and would spend hours fantasizing about creating lavish gowns for the ladies of the kingdom. I didn’t care if I never found a suitor and was labeled a spinster. Dresses were my passion.

One day. One day I will escape, I thought to myself as I tried to ignore the pain radiating from my bones. Men only wanted one thing from a woman, and after that, they rarely cared about her. Dresses, on the other hand, were important. People cared about dresses, sometimes more than they cared about people. There were a few girls here who were infatuated with beautiful dresses and often daydreamed about being princesses. They were young, of course, but their innocence brought a smile to my face. If I ever became a seamstress, I would make sure to create some dresses for these young girls.

Right now you have a king to worry about.

My inner voice had a knack for reminding me of my reality. Usually, I appreciated that voice, but right now, I despised it. My body was now marked by Lord Bancroft, and no matter what happened, I would never forget them. I was certain the scars on my body would never fade, forever reminding me of the man who claimed me as his.

The sound of the harem doors opening made me tense up. And when the girls scattered to their respective corners, I knew it was none other than Lord Bancroft who had arrived. What was he going to do to me now? Was today my last day on this earth? Would I never get the chance to make a dress?

I didn’t bother looking up at him as he approached and sat down on my bed. He was going to do whatever he wanted; acknowledging his presence was pointless.

Despite my efforts to ignore him, my body instinctively recoiled when he gently stroked my face. I couldn’t suppress my survival instincts, and fear gripped me as the man who claimed me touched me.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I’m fine, my lord.” Was there any point in telling him the truth? I didn’t think so.

“Lying will only earn you punishment, little nymph,” Lord Bancroft said, running his fingers through my hair.

“If you already know the truth, why do you ask me?” I still hadn’t looked at him. I didn’t want those captivating green eyes to ensnare me.

“Because I want to hear the truth from your lips,” he replied.

“And how will that benefit you, my lord?” I asked.

“Don’t you know it’s basic courtesy to look at the person you’re speaking to, Hildred?”

I could tell he was annoyed, and for some reason, that pleased me. It was as if I was inviting punishment, which I certainly didn’t want.

“No, my lord.” I refused to look at him.

Pain blinded me when King Bancroft seized my jaw and forced me to look at him. This would just add to my collection of bruises. I could hear death knocking at my door. But did I dare to answer?

“Here’s a little rule for you, my stubborn nymph. Whenever you speak to me, you look me in the eyes unless I tell you otherwise, understood?” he said. His mesmerizing green eyes were ablaze with anger; I wasn’t sure whether to be terrified or to surrender to the magic in those green depths.

“If I do that, will you promise not to hurt me?” I asked.

“Do you think you’re in a position to make demands?” Why did he always make me feel so insignificant? I knew my place in this world, but King Bancroft had a way of making it painfully clear every time he reminded me that I was nothing more than a common whore.

“Forgive me, my lord. I won’t make this mistake again.” Even though I wanted to cry, I held back my tears until he left.

“This is the first time you’ve obeyed me without arguing. I must say, this is a pleasant change,” he remarked, before gently touching a bruise on my neck. “Have I finally broken that spirit?”

When I didn’t respond, King Bancroft kissed me, stealing my breath until I was dizzy from the lack of air. Maybe resisting him wasn’t the right choice. He seemed to be more composed when I didn’t challenge him.

“Perhaps I should take you to the room I had Aboloft prepare for you.”

My heart pounded at his words. What was he planning? I couldn’t endure any more torment. I would beg him if I had to, but I wouldn’t let him hurt me any further.

“Please, my lord. Spare me today, I can’t even get out of this bed,” I pleaded.

“Is that so?” His hand slipped under my dress, and I winced when he touched my bruised ribs. “And what will you do if I refuse your request?”

“What can a girl like me possibly do, my lord?” I shot back.

“Ah, so you’re finally seeing your place?”

I was lost, confused. I wasn’t one to back down without a fight. But the pain coursing through my body was unbearable, and all I craved was a moment’s peace. Just one day, one day without him tormenting me, was that too much to ask?

“Yes, my lord. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my transgressions.” Peace. That’s all I was after.

“So, you’ve finally accepted that you belong to me and that I rule over you?”

I was prepared to give him anything he wanted. “That’s a truth I can’t deny any longer, my lord,” I admitted.

“It’s a truth you should’ve never denied, my little nymph,” he declared.

“I realize my foolishness, my lord. I hope you can forgive me.” There was no point in resisting him. He held all the power, not me. If only I had grasped this sooner, then maybe I wouldn’t be in such unbearable pain.

“If you truly acknowledge your errors, then I won’t punish you. But if you dare defy me again, I won’t hesitate to put you in your place,” he warned.

“I understand, my lord,” I replied, my gaze lowered.

“I’m glad to hear that, my nymph.” He kissed me then, his lips softly brushing against mine, catching me off guard. I never thought King Bancroft could be gentle. I’d always seen him as a harsh, ruthless ruler. Could there be a softer side to him?

I gasped as he slipped his fingers inside me, igniting a pleasure only he could provide. His tongue parted my lips and invaded swiftly, claiming my mouth, while his fingers moved rhythmically inside me, making me crave more of him. I shouldn’t want this. I shouldn’t want him, but it was hard to ignore my body’s yearnings.

“You will tell me how many men have had you. And then you will watch as I kill each of them one by one,” he murmured against my lips before claiming them once more.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember how many there had been.

“How many can you remember?” he asked, withdrawing his fingers and gently cradling my face. “Give me a number.”

“Maybe five,” I said, hoping to change the subject.

“That number seems too low. I knew there were more.”

Was he going to punish me for something I didn’t even know?

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I’ve tried to remember, but I just can’t.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry, my little nymph. You’ll remember soon enough. I’ll accept this number for now, but I want you to think about it; try to remember how many men there were in total,” he instructed.

“What will you do to them, my lord?” Suddenly, I was scared for those men. I didn’t want them to suffer because of me.

“What I promised you. They won’t live to see another day. But for now, you need to rest. Tomorrow, I’ll ask you for the names of those men…”

“My lord, I don’t know their names. Those men don’t think we’re worth knowing their names,” I confessed.

King Bancroft sighed, clearly frustrated. “Could you describe them to me if I asked?”

I bit my lip, thinking about the men who had taken what wasn’t theirs to take. “Yes, my lord. I can remember a few details, but not everything.”

Lord Bancroft kissed my forehead, his touch surprisingly gentle now that I wasn’t arguing with him. “Keep thinking about them. The more detail you can provide, the easier it will be to find them.”

I nodded. “I’ll try, my lord.” Even if I could remember all those men, I would still plead with Lord Bancroft not to kill them. I didn’t want anyone to die because of me.

“Good girl.” He kissed my lips. “Now close your eyes. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep. Then I’ll return tomorrow.”

How could he expect me to sleep with him sitting beside me? Whether he was gentle or not, he still terrified me. I couldn’t relax with him here. He needed to leave.

“I’ll sleep after you leave, my lord. I’m sure you have more important matters to attend to than wasting your time with a girl like me,” I said.

“Close your eyes, Hildred. I won’t tell you again.” His command had me sighing in frustration and closing my eyes. As soon as he began massaging my head, I could feel sleep creeping in. The last thing I remember before succumbing to the darkness were the words of the man who had shattered me…

“Sweet dreams, my fiery nymph.”

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