AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You just have to know how to keep her in line,” her father said dismissively. “I thought you’d be up to the challenge. And she works well enough once you get her mind right.”
Works well enough? Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She spent her days cooking, cleaning, hauling goods, or anything else her father demanded, including taking care of Merry, her younger sister.
Merry.Her heart skipped another beat. There was absolutely no way she was leaving her sister to her father’s cruelty. As long as she was around, she could divert his anger, but he wouldn’t hesitate to take it out on her sister if she wasn’t there.
“I don’t know,” Guyten drawled. “A little spirit can be entertaining in the bedroom, but it grows tiresome on a daily basis. And the sister is prettier.”
Her skin crawled at the obvious lust in his voice. Her sister was only ten years old.
“Nah,” her father drawled. “Got plans for that one. She’s going to make me a ton of money in a few more years. Already got some prospects lined up.”
He didn’t even care that her sister was still a child. All he cared about was what he could get out of her.
“You’ve been doing a lot of trading with the mines. I might be willing to consider a partnership as part of her bride price.”
Her father’s voice settled into the jovial times he used for negotiations. She was sure that most of the people they dealt with thought of him as a big, jolly, good-natured man. They didn’t see the cruelty behind the smile, but she had lived with it her entire life.
She backed away from her hiding place, her hands shaking.What am I going to do?
He’d threatened to marry her off before, but she’d always thought it was an empty threat. Apparently the prospect of a share in the profitable mineral trade had made him forget that she also handled all of the accounts – at least for all his legitimate sales and purchases. She also spent a lot of time smoothing over ruffled feathers. His jovial manner tended to get a little thin when dealing with the other traders in the caravan. Hell, she even did the majority of the navigation and had for the past few years.
A cold wind blew down from the mountains and she shivered, pulling her shawl more tightly around her shoulders as she hurried back to the small wagon she shared with her sister.
Her sister was asleep when she climbed into the wagon and Katerina’s heart ached as she looked down at her beautiful, innocent face. Their coloring was not dissimilar – they both had golden hair and blue eyes – but that’s where the similarities ended. Her hair was fine and straight and impossible to manipulate so she simply braided it back out of her way. Merry’s hair fell naturally into soft curls that framed her angelic little face. Her sister’s eyes were a deep sapphire blue, while Katerina’s were so pale they were almost grey. And while Merry was still a child, there were already hints that she would grow into the same small, curvy woman that her mother had been, whereas Katerina was tall and almost painfully thin. She had no curves to attract a man’s attention, but apparently even her plain face and lack of curves were not going to deter Guyten.
Her sister was the only reason she had remained with the caravan as long as she had. There had been a boy once, a few years ago. He’d been sweet and kind and offered both her and her sister a home. But she’d suspected he’d never stand up to her father – and her father would never let her sister go. He’d already recognized that the pretty child would become an even more beautiful woman and he knew she would be an asset. But she’d hoped - until the night she’d snuck off to meet her suitor and found her father standing on the path. He had a thick length of wood in his hand and was slamming it slowly and steadily against his meaty fist.
“Where you going, girl?”
“Just into town.” Her heart was beating so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
He slowly shook his head, the wood still slapping steadily against his hand.
“Don’t think that’s a good idea. Path is kind of treacherous. Someone might get hurt.”
It was a clear summer evening and the moon shone down on the smooth, wide path leading to the town. She looked at it and she looked at him. Rage threatened to choke her, but she couldn’t take the chance, couldn’t let someone be hurt on her behalf. She nodded.
“Yes, I can see just how treacherous it would be. Perhaps another time.”
Keeping her head high she returned to the caravan. The next day her sweet suitor came looking for her. She watched from within her wagon as her father, jovial once more, put his arm around the slender shoulders and led him back out of their camp, talking affably the entire time. Whatever he said, it had been enough. Her suitor never returned, and the next year when they came back, she had heard that he was married.
No one was ever strong enough to stand up to her father, including her, she thought bitterly. But where did that leave them? No one in the caravan would be foolish enough to assist her. No one in the caravan…
Two weeks ago they had stopped at a small village for a market. It wasn’t one of their usual stops and she had wondered why at the time, although now she realized it had simply been to delay their progress in order to meet with Guyten. Perhaps that was also the reason he had been more on edge than normal. He made the uncharacteristic mistake of seizing her arm and swearing at her in front of one of the village women. He had stopped as soon as he realized, then did his best to turn his charm on the woman, dismissing the incident. The woman had smiled amiably enough and moved along, but she circled back to Katerina’s stall a short time later.
“Are you all right?” the woman asked softly as she pretended to examine a length of cloth.
Shame flushed her cheeks as she nodded, hastily pulling her sleeve down to conceal the bruises already darkening her skin.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you?” Penetrating blue eyes focused on her face. “If you need help, come to me. My name is Jaelle. Anyone in the village knows where to find me. I can get you away from him.”
“I… My sister…”
“She’s welcome too. Just remember. Jaelle. Yes, I’ll take three yards at this,” she added in a louder voice as Katerina’s father walked by. “It will be perfect for my new gown.”
Katerina’s hands were shaking so badly she had no idea if the woman gave her the right amount of money for the cloth. Was this it? Was it finally a chance to escape him? She watched the woman walk away, a slender figure who looked far too fragile to stand up to her father. And the village itself – small and peaceful. How would they react if her father and some of his men came storming in, demanding her return? They wouldn’t stand a chance. But the thought didn’t leave her head for the rest of the evening.
