Garden Of Poison

Marianne and Anastasia sat next to each other, falling asleep and waking up now and then. They travelled through the sea for two days, scared and away from the home they knew, the only one they knew.

On the third afternoon, the pirate ship finally reached the hidden port and the anchor was lowered into the waters. Soon the captives were brought back to the land and were put inside the carriage cart. Dark clouds loomed above them, while they moved on the wet ground.

After an hour, the carriage carts abruptly stopped, and it woke Anastasia from her short sleep. It took her a few seconds to realise she wasn't back home but in unknown territory with her sister Marianne.

Anastasia's light brown eyes moved to look outside the cage, noticing the large blackish-grey wall next to the carriage cart. The place looked unfamiliar to her.

Suddenly one of the pirates, who had brought them to the place, opened the lock of the cage and ordered, "Everyone out of the cage. Now!"

A tall blond man stood at the side, his appearance polished as he had a clean face with no beard and wore a red and white uniform. He was one of the men, who worked in the palace and behind him stood six more men with similar uniforms. Beside him stood a woman, who was plump but wore a dress that was better than the people from the Hawkshead were fortunate enough to look upon until now.

"How many of them are in here?" Questioned the blond man as his eyes looked at the captives.

"There are sixteen of them. Six women, seven young girls and three boys," the pirate leader was the one to answer. "All of them are healthy and can be put for good use."

The polished-looking man turned to look at his subordinate. The subordinate nodded, and soon a pouch of gold coins was thrown to the pirate leader.

"Only twenty gold coins?" The pirate leader questioned when he counted the coin inside the pouch.

"There are four extra coins in there. Considering you brought young boys, we are being generous unless you don't want to make the trade," the blond guard replied seriously. At his words, the other guards behind him placed their hands on the swords.

The pirate leader chuckled, running his tongue over his golden tooth, and he smiled, "It was good doing business with you."

"Likewise," answered the guard, waving his hand at his subordinates, "Escort the men from here."

Once the stinky and shabby pirates left with their carriage cart, one of the captive women quickly fell on her knees in front of the blond guard. She begged,

"Please send us back to our homes, Sire! Those pirates captured us by force and brought us here against our will!"

The guard huffed before he said, "Your life is going to change for the better. You are now in the Kingdom of Versailles and will be serving the royal family of Blackthorns. Serve them well enough and you will be rewarded accordingly. It would be wise to forget where you come from, as from this moment onwards, this will be your home," his eyes moved to look at the slaves that had been brought in. Making sure they were all listening and he said, "If you fail to follow the orders and rules, you will be punished accordingly and it won't be something you would—"

One of the young women raised her voice, "We aren't slaves! We are free people! Send us back—"

The guard stepped forward and grabbed her neck, "Another word and your tongue will be ripped out of your mouth! We have paid a handsome some of money on you, and you are now the property of this palace. Madame Minerva," he raised his hand and the plump woman stepped forward whose hair tied into a bun. He then called one of the guards who stood nearby and ordered,

"Take the three boys to the base shed."

In the meantime, Madam Minerva looked at every girl there. She said, "When I point my fingers at you, you will step forward and stand on the left side. You," she began picking out young women and girls, who, one after another, stepped to the side, not knowing what was going to happen.

Finally Lady Minerva's eyes fell on Marianne and Anastasia, who hugged each other. It wasn't hard to pick as she noticed who was the pretty one as next to her stood the dull-looking child, who didn't seem to hold an appeal. The woman pointed at Marianne, "You there. The tall one with green eyes. Step to the side. Come on, I don't have all the time."

But the sisters had a bad feeling and continued to stick to each other.

Madame Minerva turned annoyed and raised her hand for one of the guards to step forward.

"No!" Marianne screamed when they tore her away from her sister.

"Mary!" Anastasia cried for her sister. Having more energy, she bit into the guard's hand, who was trying to separate her from her sister. "Mary!"

Another guard harshly gripped Anastasia's shoulders, who tried to stand next to her sister.

"Let go of her! Anna!" Marianne cried back, with their hands stretched forward and trying to reach the other to only grasp air.

Madame Minerva grabbed Marianne's lower face tightly and hushed her, "If you don't behave, she will be killed. You don't want blood on your hands, do you? It would be wise for you to follow what I am saying."

Marianne's eyes widened on hearing those words, and she turned to look at her sister, who continued to struggle to free herself. She quickly begged, "Please don't hurt her!"

Madame Minerva studied Marianne's face before she said, "What a pretty face you have there. I would feel bad if a mark was left on it." She then lowered her head to meet the girl's gaze and whispered, "Feel lucky to be picked by me. You wouldn't want to be where the others are. Follow me now." And she began to walk away from there.

Tears streamed down Anastasia's eyes as she watched her sister leave with the woman. She sobbed, "Mary! No! I want to be with my sister!!"

Four young women and three young girls including Anastasia were left behind, while the others were taken away. Soon the men in uniform left too, and another man appeared before them. He had a gaunt appearance and wore a black robe. He stared at the slaves who were left behind, and he said,

"I am Norrix Gilbert, in charge of the servants. You will address me as Mr. Gilbert. Seems like you all turned unlucky. The others will turn into courtesans, and live a better life, while the rest of you…" a creepy smile appeared on his lips, "You will be the servants of the palace. The lowest of low. Take them inside!" He ordered one of the trained servants.

"Take me to my sister! Where did you take Mary!"

Anastasia didn't stop fighting as she wanted to run to where her sister was, and when Norris saw this, his eyes narrowed at the impudent child. He walked to where she was and caught her face in a tight grip.

Norrix commented, "Plain as dough. You are destined to be a servant. It seems like you haven't understood what was said and need to be disciplined. Put her in the solitary room," he ordered the other servant. But the servant looked apprehensive as this one was only a young girl. "Have you turned deaf that you can't understand what I said?" He raised his eyebrows in question, and the young girl was dragged away from there and locked in the solitary room.

A young Anastasia was pushed into the solitary room, a room that was meant to be punishment quarters that were built underground. There was no window nor a person to listen to. Left under the mercy of darkness.

"MARY!" The young girl cried for her sister's help. "MAMA! PAPA!!"

Anastasia turned scared, unable to see anything and left in an eerie silence of darkness. She shouted in her small voice, "Let me out! Help! Mary!"

But no matter how much she yelled for help, no one came to her aid, as if she was left alone for good. She turned anxious, and she banged her small hands on the wall that she believed to be the door. The first two hours, she shouted. In the third hour, her throat turned hoarse and painful. She sobbed and cried, sniffling. She waited for someone to come, and when no one came to visit her in the first six hours, this had her shout for help again before she finally went quiet.