Changmin PoV

The longer the hours went by, the more like years or centuries.

My ankle had started to bleed again, even though I had never tried to escape again.

One of Jae's men had wrapped me as he could, with five layers even, in order not to let me squeeze my leg from that grip of the chains that kept me nailed in that cell.

"If you continue like this, we should amputate the injured part. Think, without a foot, who'd ever buy you?" the words of that man were contemptuous, though he used much delicacy in caring for me and relieving those colors and itching.

I didn't breathe, watching him leave after his work, closing the door behind him.

He didn't know that someone had already bought me.

How long had it really been? Days? Weeks? Months...?
After they let Siwon go, my life went back to being a real hell, even going so far as to be humiliated in front of Jae's eyes.

«For a simple slave, you really have a soft skin...»

I reasoned, perceiving the hands of the merchant on my body, those hands that had only touched without going beyond, his words in my mind to fill the silence of the cell.

«Yunho must have really taken care of you... I wonder how much I can get out of you.»

«You... Will you sell me?»

«Sure. Did you really think I was gonna keep you here? Do you have something to give me now? You've just been giving me problems?»

«You did this... It all started with you.»

«No, it's not. From you. You're the one who robbed me, remember?»

«That's not true, I didn't do it... I am...»

«Innocent? Yunho doesn't think so either, you know that?»

«Y-Yunho...?»

«Didn't you wonder why he didn't show up after all these days? It's also a week, dear puppy.»

«He... He will return... He will come...»

«You can forget him. Yunho will never come and, I heard from the Lady, her mother, that she will soon be married. Oh.... What a grieving face... I'm sorry, but I didn't think you'd think you were important to Jung Yunho. I remind you of your position, fawn and, above all, that tomorrow your new owner will come to claim you. Aren't you happy?»

«It can't be true... He loves me, he said so too... »

I was confused at that moment and hid my head in my hands. The person who would become my new master would arrive today, but I didn't know what time and who he was.

I moved my hands from my head, stretching them towards the chain and that bandaged ankle.

For a moment I thought I'd start to tug it in, so that I'd have that misplaced part and not be bought again, but that idea came into my mind with the thought of my family and Siwon.

«I just hope everyone's okay...»

I would have done anything for my family, even getting to let myself be sold and used.

Closed my eyes, trying to rest sitting on that cold floor and icy walls, Yunho's thought and his words in my mind in contrast to those said by Jaejoong, when the door reopened and heard two distinct voices.

«I wonder why this slave. We have better ones, my lord.»

«It's not your problem or ask me why he. Just show me what it's like and let's cut a deal.»

«It will be a deal that will not disappoint you, my lord.»

The door opened wide and he managed to see Jaejoong with his triumphant smile on his lips and behind him a man with two guards at his side.

«Hey, Min. Today's your lucky day. The Prince would like to buy you.»

The prince? Did I hear right?

The man behind Jaejoong advanced, a guard following him and I could recognize him, the Prince of our Kingdom.

He was not a very tall boy, dressed in the imperial robe of that color red blinding to my sight, that robe that hid his shoes and the hat his hair.

His gaze was severe, nothing to do with what my Yunho had.

Prince Yoochun was known for his severity, but also for his sense of justice.

So what were you doing there, selling people?

«I told you you're lucky, not that you can see his face so long, soul-...»

«Let him look at me. It will be easy for me to study his delicate face. Are you sure he's not the son of any lord?»

His majesty interrupted the merchant, but Jae forced me to keep my face low and almost on the ground, since he had "accidentally" laid his foot on two of the chains that kept me stuck there.

«Absolutely sure, Your Grace. There's only one little thing you should know if you want to take it.»

«What is it?» he had probably approached and bowed to my height because he was able to see his party before my eyes.

«It is no longer a closed flower. The old owner who had it, he violated this creature.»

As much as Yunho had never come to save me or as much as I had heard from Jaejoong's lips about him, he couldn't really say that he had violated me.

I wanted it, too, and I loved him. I still loved him even though I was in that condition and with the hopes buried under my chains.

I moved, raising his eyes to the face of Prince Yoochun, observing him with my tired eyes, but full of courage.

«I wanted it too, Your Grace...» my voice was very low, perhaps because of my weakness, but the sovereign continued to keep his eyes on my face, lifting his hand to stop a blow of Jae directed to my face.

«What did you just say?» he asked me, his face came closer to mine.

In defense, I lowered my face, but the prince placed his free hand under my chin, forcing me to lift my face again toward his gaze.

«That I wanted it, too, Your Grace.»

This time my voice was still and my eyes on his. It was impossible that the great man who was to succeed our king was there to take a slave, to take me.

«That you wanted it... That's very interesting, since most slaves don't want to do certain things with their masters.»

«Don't you think that not everything the human eye notices is what we imagine?» I continued in response, my eyes full of victory to the idea that perhaps he would leave me alone because of my insolence.

«Do you really think so, mister?» the prince observed me with his eyes and that light which, from my gaze, moved to his.

«Ask for forgiveness now, animal. If you are not taken by his lordship, you can only...»

«Don't be so hard on him, merchant Kim. In fact, I should compliment you on finding someone who's interested me and who's stood up to me. And I'd say we could also discuss the price for this guy. He's coming to the palace with me.»

The prince, keeping his eyes on my face, as he began to whiten, sweat even in the frost of that cell. I wanted to be hated and forgotten, but I had failed with the simple fact that I had teased the mind of His Majesty.

And as the two came out of the room, with the triumphant smile of the slave trader on his lips, my mind began to tremble, leading me to a flood of tears again plunged into the darkness of that place.

If I hoped to take the time to wait for Yunho to arrive, I was now more than certain that no one would ever free me from the hands of the prince and his castle.

Now hopes were completely swept away by the Prince's power.

Author's corner

And here is the 18th chapter with the ( second ) twist.Who would've thought that Yoochun would get a part too? What about the Prince's part? I hope you know which other character is missing, but everything will be written in the next chapters. ~

Stay tuned and let you imagine how and what will happen in the next chapter!As always I thank you for the reading and support you give me in continuing this fanfiction and I hope you will not be bored, but in case any positive or negative comment that is is welcome! ~