Chapter 3

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All rational thought left my mind as anger overruled my gut that was telling me to sit down, I stood up ready to lunge at the smirking bastard. I went to prance over the table before I a thick strong arm wrapped tightly round my waist. The man looked at Theo glaring for some unknown reason. Turning towards Vincent with an unimpressed manner he opened his mouth. "Father I'm the one that lured her out here I think it's only fair she's my girl," he growled out his glare still focused on the man behind me. Hearing what he was saying the arm that was snaked around me constricted pulling me further onto his lap.

"Now Seth you and I both know that's not how it works. If you had brought her home with you she could have been your girl but she landed on our doorstep and you know our traditions. The eldest or next in line gets the girl and that's your brother, if I see you sulking or any nonsense from you son you'll regret it!"he warned in a flat tone with a deadly look in his eyes. I didn't really want to ask Vincent about their family traditions I'd leave that question for Theo.

Emmy's small frame carried plates over two at a time. "Sit down in your own seat darling," Theo's strong voice whispered in my ear making me realize he had let go of my waist and I was still sitting on his lap.

Quickly I slid over to my own seat as he chuckled. Emmy settled down beside me as I stared down at the Sunday dinner in front of me. "Now a moment of silence to thank the lord for gracing us with this meal," Vincent smiled as if he sincerely believed in god.
No follower of God would do this to anyone.

I watched as everyone began to eat, feeling a hand squeeze my leg I looked at Theo who was staring at me and nodding towards my food. My stomach began eating away at me the hunger was unbearable as the delicious smell wafted around me. Slowly I picked up my fork and knife cutting into a roast potato, placing it in my mouth I nearly moaned as it was short of melting on my tongue. I scarfed everything down except the meat that looked similar to steak. I was never the biggest fan of meat I set my fork down keeping my eyes downcasted. "Isa eat the rest of your dinner." Theo's loud voice made me jump with a fright.

"Oh I'm not that much of a meat lover," I mumbled shrugging my shoulders. I glanced around the table to see everyone giving me a strange look incuding the little kid.

"I said eat your food," he said firmly gripping my leg. I glared at him pushing my plate away from me defiantly."Your not leaving this table until your plate is empty. You can eat it on your own or I'll ram it down your throat" he growled out promisingly.

My lip raised in a slight sneer before his hand fisted itself in my hair as he pulled me towards him as his other hand gripped my jaw painfully making me groan. His lips ghosted across the back of my ear as he whispered "Are you going to eat your food or am I going to have to knock some sense into you?" he snarled his finger nails digging into my tender skin puncturing it. I nodded my head quickly before he threw my head away from him.

I hastily began eating, my stomach churning as I ate the meat. Although the meat looked like steak it didn't taste anything remotely close to it. Polishing off the rest of my plate he smiled at me."Good girl now that wasn't that hard was it?" He asked me I just nodded, unable to open my mouth in fear of vomiting.

"Isa your going to clean up after dinner with Emmy understood?" Vincent wasn't asking me he was telling me. My head nodded not wanting a bad outcome, If I was to get out of here I needed my strength and a beating from Vincent would only weaken me and delay me further. The men left the room venturing off somewhere that I didn't care to know.

Emmy slowly began to collect all the plates I stood up helping her, If there was anyone that could get me out of here it was her. Emmy began stacking the plates to the right hand side of the sink unable to fit them into the sink with all the dirty pots.

"Why am I here?" I whispered to her my voice shaky and uncertain of itself. Her body tensed up as she scrubbed the first pot leaving it on the draining board. You could tell she wasn't use to giving answer or being asked questions. She was told what to do and would obey without hesitation something I wasn't very good at. Curiosity always was a weakness I had and asking questions had gotten me in trouble too many times before but I had never learned my lesson from it.

"It's not my place to tell you. My brother will answer all your questions if you have any." I had to strain my ears to hear her meek voice.
My jaw tightened in frustration not getting anything out of her. I began drying the dishes as we both stood silently not knowing what to say to one another.

"You can go on inside I'll put the rest away," she nodded towards the doorway before pottering about by herself.

I hesitantly began dragging my feet forward glancing around the hallway. I heard noise's coming from a room to my right. I slowly peeked my head through the door frame seeing the men sat comfortably on a sofa while the little boy sat on the floor playing a game. The little boy's eyes met mine as he grinned at my awkward body dangling in the entrance.

He stood up walking towards me with a hyper spring in his step. "Hi my name's Jason, wanna play wiff me?" He broadly smiled showing off his four missing front teeth. I nodded as he grabbed my hand pulling me further into the spacious living room. "Well I like playing shnap! So that's what we're playing." His absent teeth made his pronunciation of words messed up making a small smile of my own appear.

He split the deck of cards into two looking at me slyly since he had more cards then me. He turned a card over placing it in a pile and I did the same and this little cycle carried on for a good while.

"I won again Isha!" He squealed in excitement after winning for the sixth game. I noticed Theo's body moving in the corner of my eye as he stretched. Vincent sat perfectly relaxed reading a book unconcerned about what was going on around him.

"Isha?" I heard a little voice call before turning and meeting Jason's innocent big blue eyes. "Are you going to have babies with Theo?" My eyes widened in horror as I turned to meet Theo's intense gaze. "I never knew my mommy," he continued talking. The sound of a book slamming closed made both Jason and I leap with a fright.

"That's enough Jason you know your not aloud to talk like that!" Vincent snarled viciously. My heart broke seeing tears well in his eyes before they lowered to the ground.

"I'm sorry Father" he whimpered out. Vincent stood up swiftly leaving the room and slamming the door. I looked down at Jason when I heard him sniffling, without saying anything I wrapped my arms around him. His little head snuggled into me his tears soaking my t-shirt. I made soothing noises whilst rubbing his back. After a few minutes I could feel that his body had began weighing more and I guessed that he fell asleep. I stood up with him In my arms before gently laying him down on a coach where he had plenty of space.

"Your great with kids," a deep voice said startling me momentarily. I turned seeing Theo and I gulped. My stomach dropped hearing that, is that why I was here to have children with him? I nodded my head not particularly wanting to start a conversation. "Come on," he said trapping my hand in his before dragging me up the stairs and into the room I woke up in. As we neared his bedroom door I could feel my heart rate pick up as dread filled me not knowing what this man would do to me once the door was closed.

We entered the room as I stood nervously ringing my hands together. He sat down on the bed staring at me with no emotion. I stood there before glancing around the room not paying much interest to him. He rummaged through the drawers pulling out one of his long sleeved tops. "You can change into this to sleep in," his voice broke the silence as he handed me the checkered shirt.

I took it frowning feeling highly uncomfortable. "Is there any bottoms to go with that?" I asked quietly staring down at my bare feet.

"It's summer time you'll be too warm," he dismissed before carrying on "The bathroom is in there." His thumb pointed in the direction before I dashed towards it.

The bathroom was a decent size a bath and shower sat in the corner of the room but no shower curtain hung for privacy. My eyes glided towards the window my teeth clashed against each other in anger seeing the metal bars decorating the outside of the window, making it sure it could open a fraction but no one could squeeze through. I stripped quickly throwing the shirt on, it came to my mid thigh exposing my toned legs. My eyes landed in the mirror and my mouth hung open in shock. My scalp was bloody from all the tugging people had done to my hair the past few days and I noticed a few areas where it was just scalp where tiny little patches of hair was absent. I inhaled a deep breath preparing myself to be brave no matter what crazy shit Theo came out with if I was to ask him any questions.

My body slowly slithered outside the door before I darted towards the vacant side of the bed. Again Theo was staring at me in bewilderment. "Your so beautiful," his voice was barely a whisper as he placed his hand on the side of my cheek before it slid around to grip the back of my head. He pulled me forward sealing my unwilling lips to his. I tried protesting only for his tongue to invade my mouth. He hesitantly began moving his tongue in my mouth making me cringe, I shook my head pulling back. He stared at me worried "Did-Did I do it wrong?" He asked alarmed.

My eyebrows pulled forward thick with confusion. "Umhm no why?" I questioned before my eyes opened a fraction. "Have you never kissed someone before?" Shock leaked through my words. I got my answer seeing the pink tint settle on his face.

I bit my lip in uncertainty, Theo didn't come across as violent as much as Vincent did but he threatened me so easily at the dinner table it made me wonder. "What are the family traditions Theo?" My voice was meek and afraid of itself. I dreaded the answer but curiosity was gnawing away at me.

"It's your family now as well Isa," he emphasized the word your as he spoke before carrying on. "My ancestors didn't have a great way in transporting when they were younger so they didn't know anyone except for our family and the other three neighboring families the Starlings, the Wards and the Smiths they all live a few kilometers away from us. Our Ancestors married into the different families but then there wasn't that many options open for people to marry, in some cases cousins or siblings married if the options were that limited. But the babies died too young because of that so the families decided that they would all make a pact, that If anyone came wandering onto the land that they would be taken as a spouse for the eldest or next in line, but if nobody was of age to marry the person they would be given to the nearest family as a partner. But now that we can travel because of the many cars we own some men go out and take a bride if they are over the age of twenty four it's an exception to pick a bride instead of waiting but I waited for you. We only get one girl so that's why it's so special," he breathed out stroking my face gently.

"There are some more family traditions like the minimum children we are aloud have is six. The biggest family tradition that we all share is for you to find out when you earn my trust and you show me how much you want to be in this family!" He told me making me inhale a deep breath. He turned off the light before getting under the covers pulling them back for me as well to get under them. My stomach dropped but I nestled under the duvet reminding myself how I didn't need a beating, that I was sure he would give me for disobeying.

"So do you have anymore siblings?" I asked him as he faced me. If he thought I liked him or showed interest maybe he wouldn't expect me to run and give me a little trust which could lead to my freedom.

"No." He brutally answered. "My mother died giving birth to another girl a few months after Jason." He grumbled out turning on his side.

"I'm sorry about your mother." I whispered out. Once again curiosity gripped it's claws into me and I couldn't refrain myself from asking, "What happened to the baby?"

"Father killed it!" He grunted out.

A gasp left my lips not thinking Vincent would be so cruel as to take an innocent child's life. "Why-why would he do that?" I stammered out horrified.

"Family tradition. As being apart of the Knight family, we are only aloud have one baby girl. Girls are much weaker and they can't do work on the farm so it's just another mouth to feed." He spoke as if it was normal to kill an innocent baby because of its sex. "Go asleep Isa I'll answer the rest of your questions tomorrow." He yawned out before silence surrounded the pitch black room.

My eyes were glued to the ceiling after hearing the horrifying things these horrible people believed in. How was I going to survive around these people until I escaped, with Luke of course.

Hours went by and a headache began to settle across my head. The room began to lighten up gradually when my eyes finally decided to flutter closed. I was too tired to think of anything other the sleep. The darkness surrounded me embracing me in it's oblivious brace away from the outside world.

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