***Alexis***

Alexis was not happy to see King Shene in the room once more, looming over her when she awoke. Her face had not yet healed and was yellowed from the old bruises. At least the swelling had gone down. She had a few days of peace, but she knew they were over the moment the mean overlord reappeared.

Without a word, he climbed into the bed next to her, caressing her body beneath the silky green dress that was too big for her liking. Alexis began to thrash, feeling that her strength was not there yet for the day. She had overslept yet again, and her body was stiff and groggy. His lips planted against her skin, feeling like a complete violation as his hands went exactly where she was afraid they would go. With no other choice, just as his hands began to snake up to her face and pull at her hair, she reached out with her mouth and bit his finger.

King Shene screamed in pain, and Alexis knew that the next punishment she would receive was going to be infinitely worse than the last. However, she also knew it would be worth it to save her body from being taken over by this horrible man. Why did he not understand that she expected him to at least get to know her first: try and woo her? She knew the knights were dominant men; she had expected that, but they were supposed to mate for life. They were supposed to enter into a marriage with the women they chose; this was cruel and not at all like a Milisarian should act.

“You are the worst Milisarian possible,” she spat, getting in what she could before the punishment came down on her. He was already calling for his guards who would probably carry her off somewhere to be held until they got back to their planet. Part of her was hoping they would just drop her off on whatever planet they were headed to now. No matter how harsh a life they lived as a colony for the Milisarians, it had to be better than what was going on now. “Your men are supposed to take one woman for the rest of their lives and care for them, not torture them and force them into submission just to throw them away!” she told him through a new set of tears. “All I have asked of you is that you give me some freedoms and get to know me before anything happens between us. On Earth, we call it dating. Does that ring a bell?”

King Shene gave no response as the guards came into the room, carrying whips in their hands. These weren’t just normal whips, though. She recognized them. They had electrical currents running through them; just enough to burn the victim as well as cause welts to rise on their backs.

“Strip her down!” King Shene ordered them, and they came up to her, pulling her dress off. She crossed her arms over her breasts to cover them and squinted her eyes shut. Alexis imagined that she was back in a science lab on Earth, but she was the one heading the research team. It was her happy place, and it would be the only way to live through what was about to happen next.

Both guards trained the whips as she whispered to herself, trying to keep calm and not tense up. Being tense would only make the injuries worse.

As the whips slapped against her skin, making a sickening noise as it sizzled and cracked open, she screamed. She screamed louder than she ever had before. She was certain that unless that room was soundproof, the whole ship would know a woman was being horribly punished. She could only hope that it would not frighten the other women.

Finally, the guards were sent away, and she had lost count of how many lashings she had. No medic was brought in to keep her from infection, and she wondered if they would just let her die after that.

“You will wish you had done what I wanted after all this is over. I will not be disrespected like that ever again. Do not expect any more food or clothing from me or the guards. You’ll get a bowl of vitamins to keep you going, and that is all until I am done with my business on the planets we are going to. I will deal with you again after that.”

All Alexis could do in response to him was whimper. The stinging of her back was overwhelming, and this was the moment when she wanted to die and feel nothing else.

Alexis was relieved when he left the room and pulled Nabvan back in because she knew he would at least leave her alone. “You will stay with her while I am off of this ship and not let anyone give her food or clothes beyond what I have ordered. She is lucky I have left her alive after her behavior. Some of the men will stay on the ship with the women as well because we do not need the Rendell’s finding out we have women and coming onboard to take them from us. We must make sure they are all pregnant with our children before the universe knows we have them.”

Nabvan nodded, and Alexis found herself disgusted at the comment. So, it seemed that all the men were trying to do the same as he. Had Destiney also been whipped?

She heard the king’s footsteps leaving, so it was just she and Nabvan again.

She didn’t dare ask him for any more than that in fear that the king would be angry enough to make Nabvan’s back match hers.  Instead, she lay on her belly and passed out shortly from the pain, almost hoping that she would never wake up again.