Chapter 4: Captured

With a gasp Lyra sits up feeling disoriented and slightly panicked. Looking around she finds

herself sitting on a leather couch in a well-furnished room that seems to reek of money. Several

heavy floor to ceiling bookshelves with intricate carved ornaments adorns three of four walls. A

massive fireplace, in what appears to be black marble, stands proudly in the center of the

fourth wall and the couch she's currently occupying stands in front of it. Large black carpet

beneath her. In the middle of the room stands a large desk with similar carved ornaments as

the bookshelves and seems to be made out of same sturdy dark wood. Sleek laptop stands on

top but seems to be off. Papers are neatly stacked to one side while on the other side stands a

lit lamp, spreading soft light. Same black leather on the office chair as the rest of the furniture

in here. Everything seems modern yet has an old feeling to it.

Afraid to move around she remains in the black leather couch waiting and listening for sounds

while wondering if her captor is even here to begin with or if the person left her all alone. After

some time passes without any other sounds than her own breathing, she finally finds some type

of resolution and stands up but stops every few steps to listen for other movements before

carefully maneuver around everything hoping to stumble upon a door she has yet to see.

Looking closer at the carvings she discovers that it is some kind of a hunting theme, only it

seems to be various kind of creatures and so well carved it gives her an uneasy feeling. A large

woven painting hangs between two bookshelves and goes from the ceiling all the way to the

floor.

Scanning the room further she also notices that not only is the door missing, there are no

windows either. Nor is there a clock so she has no idea what time it is or how long she's been

here. Sighing lightly, she stands in the middle of the room just rotating on the spot when

sudden movements to her right catches her attention making her stumble and fall to the floor

with a gasp. She comes face to face with a tall man who looks to be in his mid-twenties, well￾dressed in a black button up shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, deep red, silk, vest, black

tie and black dress pants. Light skin without looking pale with black hair and matching dark

eyes. He stands completely still without saying a word yet his entire presence demands to be

acknowledged. Bottomless eyes silently wander up and down her shaking form making her

even more unsettled and fearful. The silence is abruptly broken by a deep yet at the same time

velvety smooth voice when he suddenly opens his mouth. Despite the fact he talked with a low

voice Lyra can't refrain from flinching at the unexpected sound.

"Have I perhaps found myself a little mouse..."

Too afraid to even move all Lyra can do is concentrate on her breathing as not to pass out again

but at least gathers strength enough to quickly meet the man’s eyes for a brief moment. For the second or is it third time now the unknown man scares her by appearing kneeling down

in front of her seemingly out of nowhere. This strange and sudden movement causes Lyra to let

out a whimpering sound while quickly scurrying backwards in an attempt to get away.

"Yes, a little mouse but surprisingly a beautiful one, albeit all that dirt clinging to your body. “He

says with a content smile on his lips totally ignoring how much he just frightened her and still

are. "Nothing a warm bath can't fix."

Without further notice he easily pics her up bridal style and walks out into a long hallway, up

several flights of stairs and then another hallway before coming to halt outside dark wooden

double doors, which he swings open by pushing his own weight against them revealing an

impressively large black-purple tiled bathroom with a bathtub on paws right in the middle of it.

Walk-in rain shower against the wall to the right and on the left double sink in black marble

with dark purple cabinets under, big mirror and toilet. Straight across from the doors a large flat

screen TV adorns the wall. Everything seem to be very modern and recently remodeled.

Lyra’s eyes wander the bathroom taking everything in, including how he gently puts her down

on the floor before walking up to the bathtub where he starts to fill it up with warm water and

something that smells fruity and flowery sweet. She can't see any bubbles in the tub so it must

be some kind of scented oil. Endless thoughts rushes through her mind in a rapid pace. Who is

he? Where is she? Why is he doing this? Is her husband coming to get her? So many thoughts it

threatens to suffocate her. A sudden tug scatters her thoughts and brings her back to the

present. Feeling the corset gradually loosen up calls forth a mighty wave of panic. Trembling

she finds her voice again.

"W-wh..what are yo-ou doing?"

"Getting you ready for your bath.” He says in a matter of fact way. “If you please stand still it

will go much better"

"N-no...s-stop.." Without saying anything else Lyra makes an earnest effort to move away but

out of nowhere he roughly grabs her hair and slams her against the wall with little effort and

same strange speed as in the room she first woke up in. She feels how he nuzzles into her neck

breathing in deeply.

"Now now, is that any way to treat your host my dear mouse? Have I not been anything but

pleasant to you? Perhaps that not what you prefer...hmm?"

Lyra bites her lower lip in both fear and despair but also hate. Out of one controlling man’s

arms and straight into another’s. She struggles against his hold but gives up when nothing

beyond her own breath getting ragged happens. He doesn't move an inch away from her only

pressing closer and soon she is completely flushed against the cold wall. Feeling fed up with

everything she turns her head to the side.

"Please leave and I promise to take that bath you so graciously poured me." She speaks politely,

just the way she’s been taught to.

"No can do my dear, you will take a bath with me right here." he whispers into her ear while

continuing tugging at the strings on the corset until it's loose enough to fall to the floor

together with what’s left of the dress. Now she only stands in her underwear still pressed

against the wall and him pressing into her. Frustration along with several other emotion’s

tumbles inside her the same way clothes tumbles around in a dryer.

"Is this her lot in life? To always be controlled by others?” Lyra thinks to herself bitterly.