Kings of War

She stood there silently as she waited for Elizabeth to leave. She didn't look up or really listen as she heard Shaun whisper to the small young woman. She was too afraid really. She knew what was coming and she didn't want to face it. She owed him an explanation. After what he had just done...she didn't really have a choice. She waited until she was certain Elizabeth was gone before she held up a hand. "B-before you say anything, I have to tell you. I'll tell you why I left and I'll tell you what happened then and today. Just please...don't say anything."

She could tell it was killing him to obey that, but he nodded curtly. Shaun wasn't the type of man who would go against that kind of reasoning. "Three years ago after...after you sentenced Gina...the serving woman at your table....that night Stephen came to me. You weren't back from one of your council meetings. He told me that you had give him permission to...to have me. I didn't believe him. I didn't want to at least. Jason...he started crying. I turned to care for him and Stephen grabbed my hair. He threw me on the ground and pinned me there. He told me he was going to kill Jason if I didn't obey. I was terrified, I forgot to scream until he had already stuffed something into my mouth. He raped me and beat me. Then he left. When I could move again, I left. I wasn't going to stay there anymore. I thought that if you weren't going to help someone as loyal as Gina, why would you help me?"

Eli took a deep breath afraid to look up at him again. The silence thickened for a moment until she readied herself for the next part. "Like I said before, I kind of drifted and then came back here. When your guards came for me...he was there. He was the one that took me and stuffed me int he trunk. And when we got back out I managed to piss him off. He grabbed me by the throat and squeezed until I thought I was gonna pass out before he let me off with a warning. This morning...he came to the room while you were off. Jason was hiding behind the bed. He called me a favored whore and I called him on his lies. Not that it mattered probably because I spit in his eye. He backhanded me and then told me that if I told you anything, he'd kill Jason. I couldn't risk that. Not even when he kicked me or when Jason was forced to comfort me. I vowed that if I had to find a way to leave again to keep him safe, I would risk everything. Now...now I don't have to." She went silent. She told herself she was ready for the onslaught of Shaun's rage. She knew she wasn't.