Morning soon approached for Roland, much sooner than he had wanted it too. When he woke up to her beautiful face he couldn't help but smile. Slowly, he shifted off the bed. He bathed and then fed the animals before letting himself quietly out of the room. He just needed to walk for a bit. Walking outside he took in a deep breath of the cold air. His mind continued to wander to Istara. He loved her...so much...

Istara woke shortly after he left and slowly dressed and then checked on her pets. Seeing that Roland had already taken care of them, she wandered back into the main room. She moved to the window to look outside. She remembered Roland’s warnings about the guards and sighed. She couldn't go anywhere when Roland wasn't there. She saw Roland walk into her view and went to call him but was interrupted by another voice.

 

"Roland!" Roland turned. A young, rather beautiful girl ran at him and leapt into his arms, hugging him, and he embraced her back. The young girl, Ilani, had been his childhood friend who he had not seen in so long! He laughed as he spun her around, the servants looking at them with happy smiles. And then, Ilani, bold, kissed his lips.

 

The sight broke Istara’s heart. She didn't know their past history, she couldn't hear their words. All she saw was her prince spin another girl around in the air and then she saw them kiss. She couldn't tell it was a movement on the girl's part. All she saw from her viewpoint was the kiss. And in that single moment her heart broke in two and she spun away from the window. She ran out of the room, not caring any longer if one of the less trustworthy guards caught her. The thought didn't even cross her mind. All she knew was that she wanted to get as far away from that room and the memories in it as she could. She ran blindly through the halls, her strapless maroon dress with a gold stripe down the center floating behind her as she ran, her bare feet slapping the stone halls harshly. It was cold, but she didn't even register that, all she knew was the image in her mind of her prince kissing that...girl. That girl was much prettier by the standards of many than she herself, and judging by the attendants with her, a girl of much higher status than a lowly gypsy slave.

Pulling away Roland laughed. It was always a tradition for them to kiss, for when they were little their fathers had made them kiss, and for years they had done that, but had always stayed good friends. "I need you to meet someone,” he whispered with a smile. "Stay here and I will get her. I know you shall love her." He then ran off to get her, but once he got to the room she was not there...where was she?

As she was running she had smacked right into a guard. He was large, mean-looking, and worst of all, drunk. He chuckled. "Lookie here girlie, what are you doin' wandering out here? Hm, do you want to see my sword?" He asked, hiccupping, his breath reeking of alcohol. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a nearby closet as he said this and then laughed. 

[Rape scene starts]

Istara struggled against the guard helplessly. The smell of his breath was making her nauseous and she knew that he probably, no definitely, had anything but good intentions. Could her day, which she had started with such hope, get any worse? She pushed uselessly against him. "Stop, please stop, get off me. Don't you know what the prin...." she then found herself speechless. What would the prince do after all? Hadn't she just seen him kiss a princess? What could he really care about her?

 

He laughed again. His laugh wasn't soft and loving like Roland’s was, and his smile was evil – evil and disgusting. He ripped off her dress, letting it fall to the floor in pieces. "Shut up girl," he said and then, without any preliminary, plunged himself deep within her. He didn't care if it hurt her. No, all he wanted was his pleasure, and by God, he was going to get it.

Roland looked around. "Istara?" He called. "Where are you?" Walking down the halls he put his hand on the back of his neck, tapping his foot. "Where had that young beauty disappeared to?" He muttered to himself.

The guard kept Istara pinned against the wall, thrusting in and out of her rapidly, his head back as he worked himself up. His grip only tightened when she tried to struggle.

 

Istara screamed in pain, the tears running down her cheeks as she uselessly attempted to struggle out of his grasp. The pain was fire running through her body, he was so much more violent than Roland, so much harsher. The pain got so bad it was causing her to flicker in and out of consciousness as her body struggled to handle the overload on her senses. There was no pleasure here, just pain, and she screamed until her voice broke and all that could be heard was her sobs.

 

[Rape Scene Ends]

Hearing screams he turned. "Istara!" he yelled and sprinted down the halls. It was like he was moving in slow motion; like he could not get there fast enough. Soon enough, Roland found the door where her sobs were coming from and he threw it open. "GET OFF OF HER!" he roared and pulled the guard away from her. With that Roland pushed him out into the hall where the guard stumbled and then slumped against a nearby wall, blinking blearily and wondering what exactly had just happened. Roland pulled Istara to him, to his chest. "Are you alright? What happened? How did you get here? I thought I told you never to leave without me!!" He looked at the guard, "You will be thrown in jail for what you have done," he said icily as a few other guards, hearing the commotion, ran up to take him into custody. “You will have the rest of your life to sit there, and you will never be able to harm another female again.” He then picked Istara up without another word and carried her back to the room, laying her on his bed, tears in his eyes. "Oh love. I'm so sorry. So very sorry. I went to meet Ilani, and I forgot that you were in here. I should not have left. I'm so sorry."

 

Istara turned her face away from him and pulled a blanket quickly over her naked and battered body. She couldn't stand him seeing her, not right now. She managed to work enough of her voice up to speak, even if it was barely a whisper. "Yes, I saw you meet her," she muttered. She still refused to look at him. "I want to be in my bed, please." She said and stood, the blanket still around her. She stumbled to her door, and dropped the blanket, pushing into her room and closing the door behind her, hoping he wouldn't follow. She walked over to her bed, falling into it, and slipping under her covers, so if he did follow he would not see her. She couldn't bare him seeing her naked, it made her feel almost even dirtier than the guard had.

He blinked once as he watched her leave then closes the door behind her. What was wrong with her? Was it something that he had done? He never understood women. Walking to the room he slowly opened the door. "Istara?" He knew that she was hurting. "I am so sorry, love." He whispered as he went over to her and touched her shoulder. He slowly, very slowly, moved the blanket down and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

She pushed him away. "Don't do that!" she said in a raspy whisper, pushing herself away from him. She didn't even want his touch. "Why don't you just drop the act? I saw you with that other woman...she's better for you than me anyways." The tears ran down her cheeks as she huddled the blanket up around her again, holding it around her shoulders as she turned her back to him.

 

He stopped short. "...Other woman?" For a moment, he said nothing, did nothing, and knew nothing. Then, "...Ilani?" Then, he chuckled softly. "Oh, yes, she is but a--" He stopped short. She had seen the kiss. "Istara." Going around he sat on the edge of her bed. "She is but a friend. I have known her since I was a child. Believe me Istara, what you are to me and what she is to me has no threat against you. I love you. She is my friend. Is that not enough to say?"

 

She looked up at him. She wondered if it could be true. "If that is true then why did she kiss you?" Her brain was working slowly, mostly she was trying to deal with the pain from the rough treatment, the bruises starting to blossom across her body. She winced. It would get worse as time went on.

He sighed. "When I was a young boy, maybe six or seven." He started. "I had kissed her on the cheek. So then my mother and her mother made us kiss each time. And it just got into a habit with us." He chuckled, even though it was no time at all to be doing any laughing of any kind. "Please, you have to believe me. What I feel for her is no threat whatsoever towards you."

She sighed and realized the mistake she had made. She pushed down her blanket, not thinking of the bruises she was covered in by now, and held out her hands, craving his embrace. "I'm sorry Roland, I guess I overreacted...and paid the price for it," she said with a wince.

He shook his head. "No. God. You didn't deserve that. You did not deserve any of that," he whispered, tears still in his eyes. Slowly, he slipped his arms around her and held her. He then picked her up and ran a hot bath for her and helped her into it. "Here, the hot water will calm your bruises." He whispered softly as he got some soap and slowly washed her back. He just wanted to comfort her.

Istara shook as the warm water soothed the pain from her bruises and her aches, but she still felt dirty. She took some soap and a washcloth and scrubbed at her womanhood, trying o erase every trace of the intruding presence, wincing as she did for that area as well was showing purpling bruises.

 

Roland sighed softly. "I'm sorry about this. I will get you something to eat and then off to bed with you." The sun was already high in the sky and he knew it was about time for lunch. "I do not want you moving. You are tired and from what I can see you are hurt." He whispered. Rinsing her off he kissed her shoulder then put a robe on her after gently rubbing her dry. "There. Better, love?" he whispered as he carried her to the bed.

 

She snuggled against him. "Roland, will you lay with me?" she asked, suddenly scared of being left alone. You could hear the hint of panic in her voice. "Please don't leave me alone," she begged. She knew she was being clingy and dependent, two traits against her entire gypsy upbringing, but somehow she didn't care.

Looking into her eyes he could see what she was feeling. He nodded. "I will stay." he whispered softly and then a maid came into the room, and he pulled the blankets up onto her to cover her. "Please bring me everything from fruits to meats,” he said with a smile. The maid nodded and left. Roland looked back at Istara, his gaze keeping to her face so he didn’t have to remember the bruises covering her body that were in part his fault. "Here, rest," he whispered.

She sighed and moved over slightly on the bed to make room for him. Her hand sought out his sleepily and she held it and closed her eyes, fighting sleep while she waited for the food to arrive knowing that she had to eat something. But the covers and the comfort of Roland's presence were able to lull her into a dreamy half-sleep state.