The bill not passing yesterday still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Even though Alex made the vote a thing at the last minute, and perhaps prevented both of us from being murdered outright. There is a part of me that wishes he just tells them all to pound sand and orders them that the bill is now in effect. However, all it means is I have to work. It gives me the opportunity to look over what I can change, reword, and even make a more compelling case to improve the treatment of my people.

  Maybe I should go for the heartstrings? Appeal to their sense of dignity and respect, show how their horrors inflicted on my people are not different. That can work, even if it might be difficult to pull off.

  As I enter Alex’s office, I lay down my papers on top of his desk. The weight of them shakes the wooden frame. ‘I got everything here. This is just my survey of the treatment of my people from a while ago. It outlines the conditions they face and how they want them to be improved.’

  Alex looks over the window, watching as snow falls into the city. He doesn’t seem to be aware I am in the room at all. He flinches as I clear my throat. He turns to me with a startled expression.

  ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ Alex rubs his eyes before facing the stack of papers on his desk.

  ‘Well, this is just my report on my people’s living conditions. I am wondering if we can improve upon my bill with all of this.’

  He pauses for a moment before he walks over to read the papers on the desk. His movements are sluggish with every flip of the paper as he skims through it. It is clear he didn’t get any sleep, or perhaps he is just stressed after yesterday. I can’t be too sure.

  ‘I… how will this work?’

  ‘Simple,’ I reply. ‘I believe we can mirror the treatment of my people to how you were treated as slaves. I think… I believe we can make progress by making a point to appeal to their dignity and character.’

  ‘There is a but in there.’ He frowns as his gaze returns to me.

  ‘Yes, there is.’ He is observant. Surprisingly, he can come to that conclusion that quickly. Perhaps the report appeared insufficient at first glance. ‘I will need to have access to restricted areas of the city. Like the red-light district.’

  ‘No.’ Alex sharply declines. ‘Work with what you already have.’

  I stutter, utterly perplexed at how quickly he declined me. ‘Alex, I need to get in there. I need to make a convincing argument and…’

  ‘No!' Alex growls. ‘I know you need more material, but that place is off limits because you are not welcome there.’

  ‘Why? Alex, I need to know why?’

  His expression changes, not of anger or frustration, but of guilt. He is hiding something, and it gives me a good reason to go there. ‘One day, for one hour. You will not enter any building, and you will not talk to anyone. You will have a guard with you at all times. Do I make myself clear?’

  I raise a brow. Why did he change his stance? ‘That is sudden.’

  ‘You’re not going to take no for an answer, and you will get killed without my help. The best I can do is harm reduction.’ Alex picks up my papers from his desk and hands them to me. ‘One hour, and I want you to get out of there as fast as possible. If you are missing for a minute longer, I’ll send someone to find you.’

  I can’t help but smile. No point in pressing on and figuring out why he is only reducing me to an hour, but I can work with that.

  ‘An hour is all I need,’ with a smirk, I take my papers back. ‘When will I get my personal guard?’

  Alex gestures for me to leave his office. ‘I’ll get someone for you. Just be ready.’

  Without saying goodbye, I leave with a toothy smile. I finally get a chance to go to the only part of the city where I am forbidden to walk. I can begin to understand the struggles my people are facing and can report back the horrors inflicted upon them once this war is over. But I hope I can get enough material to make my arguments for the bill powerful enough to sway even the most hesitant and opposing factions.

  I eagerly wait just outside the palace. My legs are ready to bounce at a moment's notice. It is silly, almost childish, to want to go to a forbidden area of the city. There is no denying I am going to see something horrifying at the red-light district, where my people are forced into sex slavery. That is why Alex doesn’t want me to go there. But it will give me evidence, proof of what is going on here. I can end this, I can end it all right here! With the information I gather, the Dogs will sway to support the bill and change for the better.

  ‘Simon.’ A Dog approaches me, holding onto his spear and shield. His voice is stern, cold even. From his expression alone, he doesn’t seem as excited as I am to explore the district. ‘Are you ready to move?’

  I nod as I hold my notebook tightly, about to spring into action at the word move. ‘Absolutely!’

  The Dog gestures for me to follow him as we walk to the district. Walking past the best parts of the city, its residents are a Dog majority with my people working as slaves. It is disgusting, watching my people work like that. Hauling materials around and doing lowly work. Flying high are Dog war banners staking their claim on a city that doesn’t belong to them. If there is anything, it is a show of might. A way to make my people know of our defeat from last year.

  When we get to the slums, my people huddle around, shivering in groups while their arms and bodies act as blankets. The once paved roads are now torn up and covered in muck, the white buildings and purple crystal walls smeared with filth. This slum used to be remarkable! The place still has the carcasses of tailors and art stores.

  Some look up to me, their eyes full of worry, maybe it is hope? I can’t be sure. But compared to them, I am clean, healthy, and well-fed. The children are nothing but echoes of their former selves; their arms and legs are sticks, while their stomachs are bloated. They look like flesh puppets. People sleep outside, freezing to death as they are unable to find any remaining space in the buildings. They are asleep, perhaps overworked and needing some rest. Even if they are in an uncomfortable area. I can understand that…

  …bodies… those are bodies. Not people sleeping in the street. Those are not the eyes of hope. They are begging. They are starving. This isn’t right! These people should have food; they should have enough to sustain them. Why are they not getting the resources they need? The dead are piling up on the streets, and nothing is being done about it. Why?!

  Did Alex lie to me? Did he not give my people food when they needed it? I know that most of the food during the winter will be allocated to the Dogs, that is a given. But it shouldn’t be like this. I shouldn’t see dead litter on the streets. Something is failing them, and I need to know why.

  The red-light district is the complete opposite. It is clean, there are no bodies, and my people there are fed and healthy. It is as good, if not better than, the parts near the palace. However, this place reeks of evil. Everything about it is rotten to the core!

  My people of all sexes and ages advertise themselves for carnal pleasures. Some have signs around their necks with the words “free meat” written on them. My heart aches as their false smiles are put on show out of fear of consequences when they lay their eyes on me and change into a pained frown. Even they think I shouldn’t be here, like I am walking into a new kind of hell with a new coat of paint.

  Dogs glare or whistle in my general direction. One walks up to me with a hungry grin, only to be pushed away by my escort.

  ‘Find someone else!’ He said to the lustful Dog in a low growl.

  We both head towards a brothel called the “Reparations”. The Dogs on the balcony drunkenly laugh and celebrate with a Cinari on their arm or lap. Groping their partially naked bodies as they clung to their abusers just to keep warm. Shivering, terrified at what is happening or what might happen to them if they don’t follow their abusers' wishes. All of it is repulsive!

  A girl whimpers as a flat-faced Dog caresses her inner thigh. Even from down here, I can see the hairs sticking out. She is young, a poor child.

  Why don’t the Gods step in? Why haven’t they done anything to stop this? This is wrong, the whole thing is evil! Yet I can’t look away. I just… can’t…

  ‘Come on, we have to move.’ My escort gestures for me to follow him further into the district.

  No, I should get inside. I need to see how they are operating. My knuckles crack, my notebook folds and bends around my hand as I march into the brothel. The door swings open and slams against the wall as I barge into the candlelit building.

  Armed Dogs stand at each corner of the building’s entrance. Holding onto their crossbows without expression or care that I, a Cinari, barge into their brothel.

  A Dog, sitting on the couch facing the entrance, laughs at me. He claps his hands like he is amused for some reason. His fur is mostly black, with an orange stripe pattern that covers the right side of his face and neck, while the left side of his face has a white spot over his eye.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  ‘My friend is right that you’ll make that kind of entrance.’

  What?

  ‘Simon, we…’ Before my escort can finish, one of the brothel guards smashes the butt of his crossbow over his head. Knocking my escort out cold. They then tie the unconscious Dog while a different guard blocks my escape.

  Shit! Fucking, shit!

  Before I can bolt out, a firm hand rests on my shoulder. Causing my body to lock into place while guiding me to the chair in front of the couch to sit down. The Dog with the white spot smirks, leaning back with a sense of triumph over me.

  ‘I was told you would come to this area. I didn’t expect to see you so soon.’ He turns to one of his guards and clicks his fingers for them to grab a bottle of alcohol and pour a yellow liquid into his glass. ‘It is good to meet you, Simon.’

  My breath becomes heavy, and I struggle to say words louder than a whisper. ‘How do you…’

  I cut myself off as Max walks into the brothel, wearing a red dress and a long, thick white wool coat.

  ‘My, my. Look what we have here.’ She smugly says before leaning down to pick up my notebook I’ve dropped. I didn’t notice letting go of it.

  She flips through my notes, grinning as she prowls to the couch. ‘You took some interesting notes, made some fascinating claims.’ Max casually chucks the book on the couch after the Dog with the white spot grabs her hand and kisses it as a way to say hello to her.

  ‘I… I have the right to be here.’ I stutter, my voice wavering. Take a few breaths. I need to control this.

  ‘Oh, I know.’ Max scoffs before waving her hand in a dismissing gesture, like I am some foolish kid stumbling on an adult meeting. ‘But, I don’t give a damn.’

  ‘You…’

  ‘You what?’ Max interrupts me with an arrogant grin. ‘You don’t have any authority, not here, not ever. You are just a pet Alex moronically keeps you around to make himself feel good.’

  I take a deep breath, lowering my voice to remove that shiver behind my throat. ‘Max, you are making a big mistake.’

  ‘No, I am not making any mistakes here. I am calling the shots now.’ She gestures to the Dog sitting on the couch. ‘Skav, a good friend of mine, is running a fair and honest business here. He is making money, he pays his employees.’ She chuckles, catching herself off guard. ‘The valued employees. And he gives food to everyone here. But you are about to make that a problem for him. I can’t let that happen.’

  That bitch! What the fuck does she think she is doing? This pathetic attempt to intimidate me, to scare me from my bill.

  Defiant, I shake my head at her. ‘No!’

  ‘No!? That is really bold of you to say to me.’

  ‘You heard me. The answer is no!’ I point to my notebook. ‘You will give that back to me right now! And don’t think Alex won’t hear from this and what you have done.’

  Skav laughs at me, staring at me like I am some kind of idiot. ‘I like ‘em knife ears. Probs think he’ll walk out of this.’

  ‘You won’t kill me.’ I retort in a mocking tone. ‘Alex will know you have something to do with my death, and everyone will see you as a traitor for going against his orders and the protections he has rightfully given to me.’

  Skav and Max look at each other with wide grins before turning to face me. ‘Simon, darling, we are not going to kill you.’

  I raise a brow. What does Max mean?

  Max taps her chin. ‘We simply want to change your perspective on this place.’

  ‘What? You are allowing the rape of my people on an industrial scale! There is nothing that can change my perspective.’

  ‘Rape?’ Max’s tone shifts, her eyes darken at the mention of the word. ‘No, this isn’t rape. This is business. My friend here is just providing a service.’

  ‘The service being the flesh of my people?’

  ‘People?’ Max snorts. ‘No. Products. Taken, maintained, and utilised to how we see fit. No harm is being committed in this district, and you will tell Alex and everyone in the next meeting and explain how the Cinari here are treated fairly and gratefully.’

  ‘Why the fuck will you think I will say that?’

  Max’s expression flattens, her eyes look dead. This isn’t just some premeditated scheme; this is a vendetta. This hatred is raw, like it has been brewing since the moment she was born into this world.

  ‘You will.’ She coldly replies. ‘You will say exactly what I want you to say, you will do what I say, and you will behave how I like. Like a good beast you are. That bill of yours, that pathetic attempt to sway my people to like monsters like you. It is just a huge waste of time.’

  ‘If I refuse?’

  ‘You won’t. You won’t because you are simple creatures. Beasts of pleasure and instinct that will respond to the most basic of stimuli and cheer when you get a little satisfaction.’ Max scoffs at me as she examines my horrified state. ‘Look at you, all proud at first, now a nervous wreck. I watched how you barged into here, that show of courage. All of that is now gone when reality struck you in the face.’

  ‘Max, we can talk…’

  She dismissively waves her hand at me, making my lips shut in an instant. ‘Talk about what, Simon? About your people? What is happening to them here compared to the slums that you walked through.’ Her stern, cold look morphs into a crooked smirk. ‘Alex is an idiot to think food will be brought to them. It is easy to say it is being delivered when my favourite district is right next to it. Even more when he and you don’t leave that pretty palace overlooking the city.’

  ‘Why are you doing this?’

  ‘I was wondering when someone like you would get to that question. But you already know the answer. I want you, your weak excuse of a species, to go through what I was forced to endure. You think this is bad? You think this is horrifying? This was my life a year ago, a toy for rich bastards to use as they please.’

  She pauses for a moment, scanning my expression as she makes it clear that she wants her intentions to be loud and clearly understood without room for interpretation.

  ‘This is what your kind deserves,’ she harshly continues. ‘Marak wants your species to be butchered, and I couldn’t agree more. But the thought of watching the innocence and hope snuffed out from your people is far more rewarding and deserving after what your kind has done. I find your species revolting, the men of your kind the most repulsive of them all. Yet, I love to watch them all being used against their will. To cry and scream for their Gods, only for them to never come or even cry out for their parents that will never save them. It is music to my ears. Because that is what monsters deserve. Not mercy like Alex promotes. You and your rotten species deserve a slow and agonising death, and I will revel in your destruction.’

  ‘This… this is wrong!’ I stammer, taken aback at the amount of venom in her words.

  ‘Wrong? This is justice!’ Max stands up and smiles at Skav while she makes her exit. ‘But I’ve spoken enough, there are people I need to talk to and I think my friend here is itching to show you a… demonstration.’

  Wait, what does she mean? What kind of demonstration?

  Skav clapped his hands to rub them. ‘Okay, Simon, glad to be your acquaintance.’

  Before I can protest, to beg not to go through what they plan for me. A Dog from behind jams a cloth into my mouth, making me gag and burp before they put a hood over my head. I shake and struggle as they carry me somewhere, some joke amongst themselves about how I will react.

  Oh Gods! Hear me! Please help me!