Ayala turned to run, but the man had already grabbed her arm and swung her toward him. He tore at her dress, ripping the ties and baring her chest to him. He roughly grabbed a bare nipple and squeezed hard. Ayala cried out, shock from the pain quickly racing through her body. He tore her dress further, and suddenly, she was standing naked before him. She quivered in fear, trying to fight back, kicking and screaming as he forced her down on her belly. She yelled out when she saw him unclasp and pull off his belt, looping and preparing to bring it down on her ass.
Ayala closed her eyes and waited, all the while sobbing and yelling for help. She waited and waited, but the blow never came. She slowly opened her eyes and saw someone else behind the man holding the belt.
The man looked back.
“Lord Eiotan!” the man exclaimed, panic rising in his voice.
“This is the second time I have caught you hurting my property. Put down the belt before I decide to sentence you to death, right now, slave,” Lord Eiotan said, emphasizing the word slave, almost spitting with hatred and disgust.
The big man quickly lost his anger, quaking at the noble’s fury. He dropped the belt to the ground like it was on fire, and bowed deeply to his owner on his hands and knees in the dirt. He waited silently for judgment.
“You are to be whipped and sold at the next slave auction. Your disobedience will be made known and the highest bidder will determine your fate. Is that clear?”
The man wailed in response.
“Please, sir, please, have mercy.”
Lord Eiotan moved toward Ayala, draping her torn dress around her tiny frame. He helped her trembling body to stand and hugged her to him. A small crowd of slavers had heard the ruckus and joined them.
“Take him to the cells and prepare him for auction. See that he is given a proper whipping. He will be taught his place in this city, once and for all. I do not want to see him again, is that clear?” Lord Eiotan commanded, fury dripping from his every pore.
The slavers grabbed the man and dragged him away. Ayala and Lord Eiotan were left alone. He didn’t say a word and silently led her out of the fields and back to his home. His breathing calmed during the walk, but she could tell he was still very angry.
When they finally walked into the door, he stood there for a moment, just observing her tousled hair and ripped dress. He ran a tired hand down his face, and his features hardened with anger as he began to speak.
“Ayala. I can’t even think of how to begin. I am so disappointed and angry at your behavior, I cannot even fathom laying a hand on you tonight, for it would result in my taking my anger out on your very deserving backside.”
He paused, and watched as Ayala trembled before him, afraid to meet his eyes.
“First of all, you endangered yourself by not telling me where you were going and leaving of your own accord. Second, you put me in the awkward situation of having to leave Cortés unattended. I want you to go to your room and go to bed. I will punish you tomorrow and give you time to think about what you would like to say to me.”
Ayala nodded, fully realizing how much of a mistake she had made tonight. Lord Eiotan was extremely angry with her, like never before. She gulped and stood still, staring at the floor.
“Go” he commanded, pointing down the hall. She quickly scrambled away into her room and quietly closed the door behind her. She stood against it and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. As she let go of the tattered remains of her dress, she slid down to a seat against the door and hugged her knees to her chest.
A gentle silent sob wracked her body as waves of emotions stormed through her. When her cries finally subsided, she rose and walked into the closet. She numbly put on a nightgown and crawled into bed.
Exhaustion overtook her, and she fell right asleep, despite knowing she was probably going to get the spanking of her life over Lord Eiotan’s knee sometime tomorrow.
Chapter Nine
Ayala awoke to a bright room as the sun had already risen, and light was streaming into her window. It was much later than she usually slept. She groggily opened and closed her eyes, yawning in the process. She climbed out of her comfy bed and washed her face, rinsing out her mouth with the glass of water on the table next to her washbasin.
Memories of last night slowly came to her and she groaned, remembering leaving Lord Eiotan in the House of Pleasure, and the attack from that man last night. She remembered how angry he was at her disobedience and shivered, glancing at the hairbrush and paddle on her nightstand. Making her way over to them, she picked up the hairbrush and felt its weight in her hands. Its heavy solid wood would soon be smacking her bottom, teaching her a lesson in obedience. Ayala brushed her hair with it till it shone, then held it to her breast. Reluctantly, she picked up the paddle as well, took a deep breath, and walked out of her room.
She walked down the hall to see Lord Eiotan, sitting at the table and waiting, staring at his clasped hands. Hearing movement, he looked up at her, sternness passing over his features. He said nothing.
Ayala slowly walked over to him and knelt before him. She lifted her hands, offered the implements to him, and waited.
Lord Eiotan watched her showcasing her submission and acceptance of her coming punishment. She flinched as he took her into his arms, cradling her onto his lap, hugging her small frame to his large one. Eiotan held her close, running his fingers up and down her back.
Ayala had known that he couldn’t stand to see her hurt. It was his job to protect her, to make sure that no one ever hurt her, but she had put herself in a bad situation. It was his job to teach her. As much as she just wanted to be held forever, she knew he was going to punish her, and that he had to follow through with that promise.
He straightened and took the two implements into his hands. Both fearful and accepting of what was to come, she met his eyes,
A sense of calm came over Ayala. No matter how much trouble she caused, she was always safe in his arms. She trusted him not to hurt her, knew he wouldn’t ever. He helped her up off his lap and had her stand up. He also rose, and took one of her hands.
“Come. It is time for me to punish you for your bad behavior, young lady.”