Redemption, M J Marlow [best way to read ebooks TXT] 📗

black and gray and placed a veil over her face. She was in ‘mourning’ now and must go garbed in such darkness. Marit could only hope that the north men’s cousin and his pirates would free her father before he got to Dunlevy and disappeared where only the Emperor’s word could reach him. She ate breakfast with the nuns and felt some peace in their loving company. It ended when Alexander came for her. He helped her on a mount and took her reins in his hand after he had mounted his own steed. Then they waited as the Abbott and his people and all the other borderlanders who had stopped at the Abbey fell in behind them.
Marit was glad that no one spoke to her. They kept their comments for Alexander and the Abbott and left her to her own thoughts. It made being in this farce a little more bearable. Until they stopped the first night and she found herself alone in a pavilion with the Emperor’s guards at the entrance to the tent. She backed away as Alexander came in, followed by a couple servants. They set out an evening meal and left. The tent flap was closed and tied off and she was trapped with her rapist. He pushed her over gown off of her and watched it fall in a pool of black silk around her feet. He removed the braids from her hair, enjoying the way it fell around her lovely body like a cloak.
“This is how I see you every night, my lady,” he said as he sat her down at the table. “No boundaries, no bonds. All ready and willing for me.”
“I am neither,” Marit snapped back at him. “You think because you forced yourself on me that you own me?”
“It is a basic law, my lady,” Alexander smiled at her. He enjoyed the way her eyes lit up like gemstones when she was angry. And she was enraged at the moment. “The marriage began the moment I had you. The wedding ceremony is a mere formality now.” He caught her arm as she tried to leave. “Oh no, Marit,” he laughed as he pulled her down into his lap. “You are mine now. You will go nowhere, do nothing, say nothing, without my knowledge or consent. And right now,” he said as he got up and put her back in her chair, “you will eat the meal our servants spent hours preparing for us.”
“No,” Marit snapped back at him. “I will not.”
“Good,” Alexander smiled coldly. “Then we can get to the creation of my heirs.” He yanked her out of the chair and dragged her over to the bed. Marit kicked and clawed and struggled, but he was much stronger than she was. He ripped her under gown off of her and used it to bind her wrists behind her back. “You will learn to obey me, Marit,” he said as he removed his clothing while he held her down. “Until you do, I will not be deterred by your temper tantrums. In fact,” he said as he drove into her and felt her stiffen, “I rather enjoy you like this; all fire and fury.” He raped her then, laughing as she screamed in pain and protest. He did not stop until she was dazed and confused. Then he took her again, this time slow and gentle, watching in delight as she struggled to keep herself from responding to him. She was in tears as she realized she had no chance. “You put up a good fight, my princess. Do not hate yourself because I know exactly how to manipulate your lovely body.” She got her wrists free and tried to slap him. He caught her arm, laughing; wrenching it up behind her back so that she was pressed against him. He ran his tongue along her lips and they parted in a sigh as her body responded. “So lovely, Marit. So mine!”
Marit shook her head, her mind still her own, despite what her body seemed to want. Her tormentor merely laughed and continued what he was doing; ignoring her protests. He left her unconscious on the bed, covered by a fur and dressed. He went to finish dinner, looking over at the beauty in his bed and smiling happily. Willing or not, she was a glorious bed mate. He was going to enjoy teaching her how to please him properly. Until then, he would enjoy her struggles to remain free of his control. It didn’t matter to him if she wanted what he was doing to her; she was his now, and that was all that mattered. He took her twice more before the morning came, leaving her bruised and numb. The veil over her face hid the bruises, and her numbness was attributed to deep grief over the loss of her father. When they finally arrived at the castle, Rafel had given him the chambers next to hers. Everyone saw it as his sign of deep concern for his affianced lady.
“We must put on the proper show of grief today, my lady,” Alexander said to her at breakfast in her rooms. They were alone. Her ladies were kept out so that the couple could have time together. He took a packet out of his pocket and dumped the contents into her cup of juice. He swirled it with his finger. “Drink this.” Marit did as he told her, knowing he would only hurt her if she refused. “That’s my love,” he crooned as he reached over and stroked her cheek. “I will leave you to your ladies now so I may prepare.” He got up and kissed her gently. “I will return to escort you.”
Marit did not move. What was the point? He had her where he wanted her. He held all the cards. People would die if she fought him, and he knew that was her only real weakness. She was in tears as Sysha, Celia and Naji came in to help her. She was numb as they readied her for the funeral. And then she was shaking in weakness. She could barely stand by the time Alexander came for her. He supported her down the corridor and held her tight as her knees buckled under her weight during the funeral ceremony. She fainted as they laid her ‘father’ in his grave; exactly as he had arranged. Alexander carried her back to her room as she lost consciousness and remained frozen in a false sleep for the rest of the day. He kept her in this state for the next three days. On the fourth morning, he gave her the antidote.
“You understand how things are going to be between us now, my love?” he asked as he took her once the numbness had word off. “Let me hear you confirm it.”
“I am yours,” Marit choked out past the last of her refusal. “We will marry and I will give you heirs. I will not run. I will not refuse you. But,” she continued as she saw the triumph in his eyes, “I will hate you for the rest of my life.”
“You are entitled,” Alexander shrugged. “Once we marry, I will have what my family has been struggling to possess for decades – the borderlands. Having you in my bed, while enjoyable, is just a minor perk.” He laughed at her face. “You thought I really meant it when I declared love for you, princess? You really are naïve.” He pressed her down and moved his leg between hers. “It was always about the land.” He took her again, not stopping until he collapsed in utter exhaustion on top of her.
Marit tried to move and he tightened his hold on her, keeping her pinned beneath him. She laid as still as she could then, not wanting him to wake and force himself on her again. She didn’t care that her body was beginning to enjoy what he did. To her mind, it was always going to be rape. She had thought she wanted him once; but she now knew he had been manipulating her the entire time. And that thought made her very angry; with him, but more especially with herself. She finally dozed off but came awake as he began to force himself on her again.
“After this,” he smiled down at her as he drove inside of her brutally, “our mating will be legitimized.” He kissed her on the lips once he was done and returned to his own chambers.
“Princess?” Sysha’s voice broke through the numbness on her mind. “He did that to you?”
“He couldn’t wait,” Marit said to her as she got up, whimpering from the pain. She started towards the bathing chamber and her knees buckled. “No, Sysha,” Marit said as the lady tried to help her to her feet. “I’ll be fine in a moment.” Marit struggled to her feet and started to the other room, shaking from the pain but determined to move. She sank into the water with a sigh. “That’s better.”
“It’s not right, my lady,” Sysha said as she watched the servants bathe Marit. “No man has the right to brutalize a woman to such a degree. I don’t care who he is.”
“Enough, Sysha,” Marit snapped. She closed her eyes against a fresh wave of tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Sysha nodded, not in the least mollified by Marit’s apology. She helped Marit into her wedding gown without a word. She stood with her husband behind the Emperor and the princess and listened to the ceremony. And she prayed that some miracle would occur that would put this madness to an end. Then, just as she thought all was lost for her beloved lady, the doors at the end of the hall opened and Marius strode in, followed by Stormkeep and the other clans warriors. But it was the man at Marius side, a silver-haired version of Alexander, who stunned them all. This was his grandfather; the Emperor who all had thought had abdicated his rule to his grandson.
“This will cease at once, Alexander,” the Emperor Nicholas snarled. “I do not remember sanctioning this alliance.”
“I don’t need your approval, old man,” Alexander hissed as he pulled Marit up in front of him. “She is already mine. The ceremony is merely words at this point.” He glared at Marius and his grandfather. “You allow this wedding to proceed or we will be having a funeral.”
“Let her go, Alexander,” Nicholas replied coldly, “and stand for justice.” His eyes narrowed as Alexander tightened his hold on Marit and she whimpered from the pain. “I will not ask again, boy!”
Alexander opened his mouth to refuse and the next moment he was on his knees sobbing and in pain. Edmund helped Marit to her feet and she shook him off, unable to stop herself from showing him all the pain he had put her through over the last several days, physical and emotional. He was trembling and sobbing, refusing to believe he could have been that cruel, that demanding. Alexander’s grandfather’s men took him away; as Marius went to his daughter. He caught her as her knees buckled and she collapsed.
“My child,” he cried as he saw her face, “what did he do to you?”
“It’s only bruises, Father,” Marit sighed as she tumbled towards the darkness. “They’ll heal.” She had an image of Tavin being run through with a large sword of some kind and his pain reached out to her, slamming into her weakened mind. She screamed and reached out to him. “Tavin!”

*
Tavin raised his head from where he lay on the floor of his chamber and looked up in confusion. She had called to him, and he had felt her pain as his own. Marit needed him