Free The Concubine by Francette Phal Page B

I worry my bottom lip between my teeth and wring my fingers in my grasp. You cannot begin to fathom how deep the sorrow filling my chest goes, how deep the grooves run.

“Marik…”

“For the longest of months I had believed you dead and I hated myself for leaving you, for being so foolish and brash, for believing myself so invincible. And then I heard that you lived and my joy knew no bounds. I gathered the best of my men to go and retrieve you. But my men stopped me from coming after you, believing it stupid and suicidal with the way I was. So I waited and waited, forming plans on how to get you and my kingdom back. But imagine to my surprise upon hearing that you had betrayed me, the only person I ever trusted…”
    You are pacing now, keeping your infinite distance I watch and listen.
    “I did not believe it at first. I could not believe it. But then I saw it...” with furrow brows you stride to me and I take a step back. But your arm is around my waist holding me as you lift my robes, your fingers touching the inner part of my thigh.

“He fucking branded you!” your whisper is harsh, your breathing ragged and rushed as you tug at my robes and they immediately fall to my feet. “Do you know how much I wanted to carve it out of your flesh, still do?” your fingers mockingly caress the indented surface. 

“Are you angry, my king, that you did not think of it first?” my voice is biting and angry. If this is how it will be, then let us both display years of emotions. Let us hurt one another in order to either come out victorious or defeated…tonight, my love…let us both hurt. 

“You were mine. I held you on a pedestal above the rest… “I push away from you and allow my hand to fly. Oh how utterly marvelous and satisfying it felt to actually hit you! 

My laugh as you lick the corner of your lip is maniacal and humorless to my ears.

“Is that all I have ever been to you?” I am flying at you now, my fist pounding at your chest. I hated myself for my tears. “Chattel, you have treated me like chattel in all the years I have known you! Just a pretty piece to play with and put back on your damnable pedestal! Did my feelings not matter? Did I not matter?” I have fallen to the floor crying, I am always crying for you, because of you! 

“I adored you.” 

“What is adoration to love? I wanted your love! That is all I ever needed! For you to whisper those words to me and yet you did not! You withheld them from me!” 

I struggle against your embrace, but you hold firm, cradling my naked body to your own as I cry. And then you’re kissing me and I willingly succumb…foolishly I allow you to master me once more. 

Our lust is savage in its passion.  On my hands and knees you ravage me so wonderfully. Our arduous cries of pure sex are heard undoubtedly by all.
 
    “No matter how hard I try to hate you, it seems I cannot.” you grunt harshly at the nape of my neck and then you bit down and I cry out.

And it seems my king, that I will eternally be enslaved by you. 
    ***
    My soreness alerts me to the night’s activities and a bittersweet feeling overtakes me. How gentle and yet ruthless you were. Three times or was it four that you took me? I have forgotten how insatiable you are or how magical being in your arms can be. In the dark romance of the night it is so easy to forgive and be forgiven. Pretending nothing has changed, years haven’t passed, friendship hasn’t been lost and trusts broken. In the dark our bodies move as one, in the dark you worship me as I worship you, in the dark, in my heart, I love you and you, dearest one, love me in turn.
    I rise to find you gone but relief is not far to follow when I find the spot beside me still warm. I pull the coverings over my nude form while my eyes search futilely for my clothes. Before I can rise for a thorough search, you appear and usher in two village maidens who carry with them buckets of steaming water. They’re fastidious in