Odessa
"I respect you a lot, Marcel, but this request of yours can not be granted," the mayor replied.
"And why is that?" Marcel inquired assertively, with both his hands firmly placed in his pockets.
"Well, because she has already been bought and paid for in full. The nobleman who bought her was kind enough to let her live with him instead of with the other slaves but this ungrateful whore –"
"Don't call her that…" Marcel interrupted, and my eyes beamed..
The mayor glanced at me and then at Marcel… it was obvious he was as confused as I was because I didn't understand why this strange man I met barely an hour ago wanted to protect me so much.
"As I was saying, Marcel, she attacked her owner and ran back to this place. I tried to talk to her, but she attacked me as well and thought she could escape.." The mayor explained, but that was far from the truth.
"Garrison, I don't think you heard me correctly the first time. I'm taking this lady with me and I will be paying double the price," Marcel insisted, causing the mayor to fall back on his chair with a huge sigh of frustration.
"I would really love to take the money and get this …. girl out of my hair.."
Coming from someone as bald as a vulture.. How can I possibly be on his hair? I thought to myself as I smirked.
"But the man who bought her won't be accepting any compensation… The only other option you have is marrying her under the pretext of her being pregnant with your child. Otherwise, she has to go back and be with her owner, and that's final," he said, acting all pretentious.
The mayor is intentionally trying to make it difficult for Marcel, because I've seen him take extra money to exchange slaves before… Why is it different now?
"Where do I sign a marriage certificate?" Marcel asked, and both the mayor and I glanced at him.
"What did you say?" The mayor asked again.
"You heard me, Garrison," Marcel warned, and I just sat there, watching.
The mayor opened his mouth to protest, but Marcel dropped a bag full of money onto his table. Upon opening the bag and beholding its contents, the greedy old man grinned from ear to ear like a sheep lost in the wilderness.
"Well, if that is what you want, then you can have her. Just don't bring her back to me when she misbehaves," the mayor replied, hovering his hands all over the bag.
I watched as Marcel signed the papers and handed them to me. My fingers shivered as I
scribbled my name beside Marcel's, and it dawned on me that my new life had just begun.
Marcel glanced at me and held out his hand for me to take. I quickly took it, and this time he held me so gently until we got to the carriage.
"Thank you," I muttered as he helped me into the carriage, but he didn't sit with me this time either.
I had no idea where we were headed, but as long as it's far away from here, I don't mind.
A sigh of relief escaped my lips as the carriage rode out of this shitty town and I couldn't help but imagine what blissful life awaited me as the wife of this Marcel Edgar…
"I did it, Mel…" I whispered like she was going to hear me.. "I didn't let that bloody mayor and that old bastard lay their hands on me.. and I even wedded a fine young man. Could you believe that?" I asked as if expecting an answer, but that was my fear and doubt settling in, about stealing my joy, but I won't let them have their way, not today.
My eyes were heavy, and as the night grew older, my body slowly gave in to the warm arms of sleep as I lay on the carriage seat, curling my legs up to fit in properly.
It's not my first time sleeping in an uncomfortable place, so I quickly fell asleep, ignoring the heart-wrenching pain I was going through.
I don't know if I slept for a long time, but the sun peeked into the carriage, and I slowly opened my eyes to adjust to the bright light.
I grunted in pain as my head felt so heavy…. My eyes were sore and my injuries hurt even more. My entire body felt numb, and the carriage was still going.
I sat up on the chair and looked outside, the women I saw around were all elegantly dressed in the finest materials.
Their hairs were nicely done and richly adorned with the best jewels...my mouth remained open as I gawked at them, admiring how free and beautiful they all looked.
The carriage finally pulled over, I didn't even wait for Marcel; I got down immediately.
"beautiful…." I whispered as I turned around in circles, admiring the luxurious mansion Marcel lived in.
Is he sort of a prince? Or a king?
How could a person afford this life of luxury? How loaded is he to be able to afford this lifestyle?
"Welcome, master!" A group of people, dressed in the same clothes, chanted and bobbed their heads.
"Dahlia, this is Odessa. Get her cleaned up and dress her injuries before breakfast.." he ordered. An older woman with kind eyes and a warm smile walked towards me.
Marcel walked away without looking in my direction, not even once. The servants murmured amongst themselves.
I turned, and everywhere went silent.
"Good morning Dahlia…" I greeted.
"Good morning, Odessa. Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" And I nodded in response as I followed her.
She led me into the house behind the man's building, and I guessed that was the servant quarters. Dahlia and I walked down the corridor and finally entered one of the rooms.
"Hot or cold bath?" she asked, and I smiled at the sound of that.. I don't even remember what hot water feels like on the body anymore, and here I get to choose?
"Hot please.." I responded, and she went into the bathroom while I took my dress off and untied my hair.
"Come in," Dahlia said, and I dragged my sore legs into the bathroom.
The sweet smell of lavender made my heart flutter, and I dipped my dirty self into the tub. Dahlia scrubbed my back and hair, detangling the knots and getting her fingers into every corner of my hair.
I just sat there, reminiscing about the good old days, when my sister would sit me between her legs and braid my hair. I haven't touched my hair ever since I held her dying body in my cold arms.
This bath was the best one I've had in years, and I just sat there like a princess as Dahlia dolled me up.
"You're a special one…" Dahlia muttered as she applied some oil to my shoulders and arms.
"Why do you think so?" I asked.
"Our master has never brought in a woman, and I have never been instructed to clean up one, especially not after a night before the big sale…" she responded. I pursed my lips and nodded calmly.
How could I tell her that she's taking care of me because I'm not Marcel's slave, I'm his wife.
"Well, I guess he had a change of heart about how the poor are treated.." I threw back and went mute afterwards. Dahlia didn't raise any other topics, and I was thankful for her silence.
As we walked out of the quarters and towards the main building, I could feel the numerous pairs of eyes glued on me. My steps began to falter, and my knees wobbled, but I composed myself and soon Dahlia and I arrived at the dining room.
Marcel was already seated at the table when I arrived, and I offered myself a seat beside him, but he barely even lifted his eyes to look at me.
"Thank you so much for saving my life, Marcel…" I said as I dished myself some hot food.
"Eat. You have so much to do later.." he replied with a mouthful of food, and even though I had no idea what he was talking about, I stuffed myself with as much food as my skinny body could take in.