by Lisa Daniels
Taja sighed. It was always the same, people always thought of her looks first. It was like she wasn’t even a person, just a plaything for others to use as they saw fit.
Suddenly a warm voice went through her thoughts. “Seriously? Is that stuff more important than your life?” “Blaming the victim is easy, but it is also very clear who the villain is in these cases.”
Taja shook her head, trying to clear out the images and any residual feelings. The man hadn’t gotten a look at her, or he wouldn’t have done what he did. He would have kept a hand on her, making sure she could not escape. Anyone who could intimidate a noble the way that man did was in a high position indeed. He would certainly have required payment for what he had done.
“My life is worth less than that,” the young woman muttered as she walked toward home, “but it doesn’t mean I don’t hope for better.”
Chapter 2
An Errand and a Price
Taja felt a little uneasy as she went home. She was certainly happy that she would get away from work for a bit, but her home life wasn’t exactly something that was enviable. The temptation to just run away and figure things out on her own, if only for a few hours, slowed her steps. Still, there was no way she could go through with it. Her mother needed her. The only person Taja had in the world right now was her mother, and despite everything, she wanted to take care of the woman who had given her life. It was why Taja worked so hard at the stables, and why Taja endured so much even now with Damaris in charge.
Braylon will be back soon. I just need to wait a little longer. Besides, it’s not like this is the worst I’ve ever had to deal with, so it’ll be fine. Everything is going to be fine. It had become her mantra over the last few months as she tried to give herself the courage to get through everything.
While she didn’t feel energized enough to speed up, Taja was able to smile as she headed home. After all, dealing with her mom was something the young woman had been doing forever. It was far easier than dealing with a guy like Semaj, and she knew exactly what her mother was thinking.
Taja was still smiling as she opened the door. The smile vanished as something smashed close to her head. Reflexively Taja ducked, but the shards had already struck her neck and ear. Most of the bottle fell to the floor, and she immediately began to pick them up, ignoring the blood trickling out of the cuts from the rest of the bottle.
“You are home early.” Her mother’s voice was slurred and threatening. “Don’t tell me you have been fired already.”
Taja looked up and forced a smile. “No, mother. I was paid this morning, and I finished all of my work early, so Damaris let me come home early.”
Her mother huffed, “Then the man is a fool. And you are an idiot. You could have stayed and worked more. Gotten more money. How am I supposed to pay for both of us? Do you think that money just comes out of the ground?” Her face was turning redder as she watched her daughter clean up the broken bottle. “What are you smiling about?”
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Table of Contents
Arthur’s Mate
Chapter One – Emma
Chapter Two – Arthur
Chapter Three – Emma
Chapter Four – Arthur
Chapter Five – Emma
Chapter Six – Arthur
Chapter Seven – Emma
Chapter Eight – Arthur
Chapter Nine – Emma
Chapter Ten – Arthur
Chapter Eleven – Emma – Epilogue