“It’s too risky.”

“And what does the mayor intend to do?”

“Kudmer clearly underestimates the threat. He believes that the fortress walls of Ore town are indestructible, and even a few thousand blacks cannot take them.”

“Has he sent to other cities and the capital for help?”

“No. And I think this is his big mistake. He is too presumptuous. He poorly imagines the strength of the black army.”

“But this is what you want? Isn't it, sir?”

Igmer was silent, thinking, finally he looked up:

“You are free,” he said. “Rest, you are wounded. I'll call you later, I need to think.”

“Thank you sir, I also think that Kudmer underestimates the enemy. They need to take the most radical measures to protect Ore town, this is a real threat.”

“Yes,” said Igmer.

And when the warrior left, he, left alone, squeezed his temples with his hands:

“You have managed to do it,” he whispered, “you're back. You have done it! You have done it! But how?!”

The Limit

Our morning is like night, and the night is for me…

Chapter two

Lis handed her a formless pile of black rags:

“Put it on.”

“Cape? No, please…”

“When we get back to the Fort, you'll wear it. And now you will put it on. Get used to it.”

“No, please…”

“Put it on! Chastity belt and cape, and don't leave the room without my permission.”

Karina slowly put on the shapeless bag that covered her from head to toe. The wide sleeves almost reaching the floor were sewn.

“I don't see anything, this fabric is too thick. I can't breathe!”

“Get used to it!”

It was impossible to move normally, breathe and see in the cape. Karina became scared, panic seized her:

“I can’t see anything! I can't see your face!”

“It's not a problem.”

“I can't move in it.”

“Learn!”

“I'm not a slave!”

“You are mine! You are my wife, my property and my slave.”

“Yes, I'm yours, but why are you doing this to me?!”

“There is nothing bad in it. You are a woman, and red women behave modestly and wear a cape.”

“No.”

“Yes! And they obey their husbands without question! The red ones say: “A woman’s paradise is under the foot of her husband.” And you know this very well, and you know that many red women have their tongues cut off since childhood, and they never leave their rooms at all.”

Karina cried, suffocating in this cocoon of total slavery and humiliation.

“I don’t want to cut off your tongue, but you must learn to show me respect: wear traditional clothes, speak only when I allow. You will only learn to do what I say. Otherwise,” Lis raised the whip, “I will teach you. You promised to obey me and respect me. It seemed to me that you began to improve, and now it starts again. While we're stuck here, train, get used to it. Walk around the room. The eyes will get used to it, you will become better oriented.”

“Walk around the room from corner to corner?”

And Lis whipped her so hard on the back that even the dense fabric of the cape didn’t save her from the burning pain. Karina shrank, fell to the floor, hoping he would not continue. But he hit her several more times with a quick draw, and she couldn’t resist, screamed out loud and sobbed.

“I warned you,” he said very calmly. “I will punish you for the slightest disobedience. I will beat you. You will be the perfect wife and thank me.”

Karina continued to cry, choking and gasping, sitting in her cape on the floor like a shapeless sack. She became hysterical.

But Lis was ruthless:

“I repeat once again, tears won’t help. I'm doing the best for you. Time will pass, you will be grateful to me for this. And you will wear what I say.”

She froze in a stupor.

He walked over and pulled off the top of the cape over her:

“Wipe your face,” he handed her a towel, sat down next to her, “why are you resisting? Why can't you understand that I want the best? Why do other women want to be unique and beautiful only for their beloved man, but not you? Your fucking nature doesn’t let you be good? If you say that you love me, and sometimes it seems to me that you are not lying, then why? Why don't you want to be only mine if you see that it pleases me? Why show yourself to others? What for? Explain to me?”

Karina was silent, she wiped her face swollen from tears and red from stuffiness. As soon as she did so, Lis put the cape over her again, pulling it tightly over her head. Karina again found herself in darkness and practically without air.

“You can go to bed and lie down. Think about my words if you love me.”

“I love you.”

“Do you want to be only mine?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want your beauty to be just for me?”

“Yes…”

“Good. You will sleep like this tonight. I won't let you take it off until you get used to it.”