Gam 9

Prisoner? Natalia’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had heard stories about prisoners of war, the ones gifted to kings, chiefs, and other powerful figures, and she knew what they did to them. 

That isn’t something she wants to be. 

“I would rather be a slave along with the rest of my people,” Natalia muttered stubbornly. She would rather die than be a prisoner of war whose sole purpose is to warm the beds of the emperor and his men. 

The emperor let out a stiff sigh, a little perplexed, his slave was choosing how she would live; no one had dared to challenge his authority like this before, even if they weren’t at his mercy. 

“Did you spare me to dishonor me before my people?” She questioned, and he neared her. 

“You are not in any position to demand anything from me, little princess.” He muttered, unsure of how to label what he felt. “The only reason I have chosen to spare your life and not kill you was because you broke my horns; it is a feat that is commendable, but if you force my hand, then I won’t hesitate to kill you.” 

“Then I would rather you kill me right here and now…” She retorted with a small frown on her face. “The princesses of this tribe place great value in preserving and protecting their dignity and honor. You claim to spare my life due to your kindness, you have also come to destroy my wedding, and with no regard for my groom, you have proclaimed me to be your prisoner of war.” 

Azmaveth remained silent as he watched the princess speak with fire in her eyes and voice, there was something strange and unique about the princess, unlike his men who cowers and fear whenever they spoke to him. 

They rarely even look him in the eye, but this one, he could see that she was shaking visibly from her fear, but she won’t even cower. 

Even though he had demonstrated just how outmatched she was, she wasn’t afraid. Why wasn’t this woman scared of him? He was suddenly curious, and he wanted to know. Maybe because he was being soft on her, unwilling to allow his beast to show. 

“The emperor has shown you mercy, Princess.” All of a sudden, Azarok, a member of the emperor’s council, called from the crowd. “I see the princess is beginning to take the emperor’s kindness for granted. You have challenged his majesty to a duel with your life as a gamble, and since you lost, who do you think your life belongs to?” 

Natalia bit down on her lips; she had truly gambled with her life, because she was expecting him to kill her, as her eyes shot in the direction of the man who had just spoken, she wore a mask of disgust on her face. 

“You shouldn’t even be allowed permission to speak,” He muttered, eyeing her with disgust as well. “A shameless woman who doesn’t know how to keep her tongue.” 

She kept hearing these same words right from the time she was born. 

Women are only able to speak when they are allowed to speak… Women should only stay and look pretty. 

Women are the most common commodity, and in times of war, they are traded as objects of gratification and 

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pleasure. This was the sole reason she wanted her sister to escape, Griselda was the most beautiful woman alive, and if she were to be in a state where she didn’t have any freewill, then men like this would only use her. 

And the sense of her value will be measured by her beauty and body until she is deemed worthless. 

Natalia didn’t want this for her sister or any other woman in the tribe. 

“There aren’t many women out there worthy enough to be his majesty’s prisoner, but since he chose you, be quiet and accept it with honor.” 

“Accept it with honor? Something as degrading as this?” Natalia muttered shakily as she bent slightly to pick her sword that had fallen from her hands. Everyone’s eyes widened in fear, if she was trying to challenge the emperor again, this time she won’t be surviving it. 

Some of the soldiers and royal advisor to the chief lower their heads, they would also love to join Natalia in her challenge to fight back the aggressor but they didn’t have any confidence. 

The emperor of the dragon lairs had battled even with real dragons and won. 

What could they possibly do to him? But no one was as frustrated as Natalia’s father. 

“Natalia, I beg you.” Izaiah burst into tears, regretting every decision he had made over her, he wondered if she had turned out like this because he was too hard or soft on her. But in this moment, she looked exactly 

like her mother. 

Fierce. Stubborn and unstoppable. 

Her fire was strong enough to consume the emperor of dragons himself. 

“Do not be reckless,” Azarok cautioned, his voice low with warning. “To raise your hand against the emperor is treason. The moment you attack, the guards will descend. You will not survive it.” 

She rolled her eyes, she took her stance, her two feet about an inch or two apart, and she brought the sharp blade of her sword towards her own neck. 

“What do you think you are doing?” Izaiah muttered in confusion, his eyes widening, “I order you to put down the sword, Natalia!” 

“Father, I would rather die than become a prisoner of war.” She turned around, looking at the faces of the women and little girls who were also captured. “I, Princess Natalia Ayala, refused to be made a plaything or a token passed between warriors. And I say to you all, death is a kinder fate than what these men would do to us. Let us leave this world with our honor intact.” 

“No!” Izaiah yelled… 

“She speaks the truth, Father!” Griselda yelled from her far end. “I, too, will choose to die before I will become any man’s gift of war.” 

Both of his daughters have finally gone mad, Izaiah didn’t know what to do, as a chief the princesses were not wrong, but as their father, he didn’t care what state they were in, for as long as he knew his daughters were alive and breathing, that much was okay for him. 

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“I know you are going to hate me, Natalia.” He muttered as he wiped his eyes. “But as your chief, I command you to live.” 

His gaze swept to Griselda. “Both of you. You shall not end your lives by your own hands–not while I still draw breath. This is not a plea. It is my final order as your chief.” 

Natalia lips tightened, she was in a tight spot now, her father the chief had given her his final order, which was to stay alive, disobeying him in public would only make the emperor’s men ridicule him more. 

Her grip on the sword tightened as she thought of what to do, but there wasn’t any universe where she had seen herself becoming a toy for sexual gratification. 

A small gasp escaped her when she felt the slight change in air, she didn’t even see him move, but he was suddenly in front of her. The emperor’s movement happened in lightening speed, as she staggered backward due to the shock, she felt him yank the sword out of her grip. 

She barely had time to react when his fist struck. 

A blur. 

A rush of wind. 

A sickening thud. 

His knuckles crashed against her neck, and her body flew through the air, lifted and hurled like a doll. She landed several meters away with a lifeless thump, her limbs splayed unnaturally. Her consciousness flickered out before she hit the ground. 

“Natalia!” Griselda and Izaiah yelled in horror. The force of the hit was so powerful that they even doubted she was still alive. 

“She is not dead,” Azmaveth muttered as he threw the sword to the ground again. “In respect to the princess’s concern, I will pass out a new order, the women who have been taken prisoner will be taken to work in the rice and wheat farm. And on no circumstances should any of them be touched or assaulted against their will, they are the empire’s slaves and they will be treated with respect. Anyone who is found guilty of breaking this rule will be executed immediately.” 

“No way…” Erevan muttered with a small smirk on his face. “He actually listened to her?” 

“Are you sure that is the emperor, and not an impostor?” Draven wondered too, and the rest of the men were also surprised, but who dared to challenge his authority. “Seems like he has finally gone mad.” 

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Chapter 10 

Chapter 10