I ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED A DUNGEON

Minutes later Karl came back to see that she had gotten dressed. He sat on the bed’s edge, placed a small bottle on the table next to him, and poured himself a glass of wine.

Sabrina put on her cloak and faced him.

He sized her up for a second, then picked up the small bottle, and handed it to her. "Drink this. I have no use for any offspring of mine growing inside of you."

Sabrina accepted the bottle and gave it one turn in her hands. She didn’t want that either.

"You will not die from this," said Karl, putting down the glass of wine. "And I can ask someone to guarantee this to you."

She opened the bottle and gulped its contents in one breath. The liquid felt cold and bitter enough to stick in her throat. She placed the empty bottle on the table.

"Now," said Karl, getting comfortable. "Speak your mind. What do you need from me?"

"You said that there is a way."

"Way?" He played the part of being confused for a few seconds, but it had no effect on her. He snorted. "There is always a way. I can pull some strings with the right people for you. Does not mean they will pull Edwardo out of the hole he dug for himself, but there is a hope."

"You mean you will give us an opportunity."

"You understand that very quickly." He nodded to himself. "They may provide some funding, some help. No guarantees. All I can do is try."

Her look became cold, and Karl noticed it immediately. "Do not worry; I will do my best. You paid the price. Being a Martinez, you have my word."

"I don’t believe your words."

"That is quite a rude thing to say to me." He pondered this statement for a few seconds. "Okay then."

He opened one of the drawers and took out some folded paper. "This is the official record of the debt between me and Edwardo. The second copy does not exist anywhere."

He handed it to her. "You can keep it until the debt is paid."

Sabrina glanced at the paper in front of her and his smirking face before grabbing the paper from him. She studied the terms and even the stamp that was present on the bottom. "I’m leaving now."

"Sure, go ahead." Karl slowly got off the bed. "I’ll be reaching you out in a few days."

That night, she moved through the outskirts of the forest, listening to insects in the darkness, not stopping once, moving even when it was nothing more than slow and painful strides. She turned around the same tree twice before changing direction, and once or twice, she simply slowed and looked up at the stars that she counted softly to herself.

She returned home right as dawn broke, clothes covered in dirt, ragged at the bottom. "Lady Sabrina, where have you been last night? Why are your clothes in such a state?" Yona questioned from the door.

"Nothing," she said and continued on her way.

She washed herself till she became completely clean and put on thick layers of makeup on her neck and chin where the scars still remained slightly visible, and spent most of her day sleeping until the afternoon when the sun already reached halfway up the wall.

First, she went to see Edwardo. The same as always, still detached, still somewhere far inside himself. She didn’t try to force him. Afterward, Joshua, who had long disappeared inside one of his games played with wooden blocks. She spent some time there, joining him in the play until he lost interest. The third was Helen. Her room took longer than normal to enter. Sabrina asked about her lessons, if anyone was making trouble for her regarding their family problems. Helen only nodded briefly.

She ate a bit, returned to her bedroom, and instructed Yona to come for her immediately if someone should look for either her or Edwardo.

On her own, she lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling, body stiff. Then the tears began slowly. She clenched her lips tight and punched the mattress with fists until her hands were numb, while the pillow under her head soaked with her tears.

Three days passed the same way. Smile held together. Edwardo comforted. Joshua entertained. Helen checked on. Then, on the fourth day, a carriage pulled up outside the gate.

"Can I speak with Lady Sabrina?"

That evening, she came to Karl’s house. Karl told her that there were some men who might invest in her husband’s work if she showed enough love.

They did once before the people arrived and this time, Karl wasn’t too rough on her.

The week flew by, yet, for Sabrina, the only thing left was a gray haze. She could not see their faces or hear their voices. There was always a new man coming to the place that Karl was showing interest in, and after all, it was her turn to make the payment. She would come to the bed and lay on her own, without any emotion on her face as a man would climb on top of her, or take her from behind, or pull her up to take her on her knees. None of it made any difference.

Or maybe she thought it did not make any difference.

But it hurt. Every single time, she felt the pain as she saw it piercing through her body. She pressed her lips together not letting out even a small noise, yet the tears ran down anyway.

There were times when there were more than just one. Two. Three. She lost count. Instead, she tried counting the stars outside the window. Eventually, even the tears stopped coming.

"Listen, listen." Karl stopped her one day when she was heading home.

Sabrina stopped.

"If you keep bringing your sad face in front of every man, nothing’s gonna work out." he pressed his hands against her shoulders, "I’m fine when we were doing it, but with them? You have to give your all as well."

"What else do you want me to do?"

Karl exhaled softly, "first of try to smile. Just like you were used to before. The old Sabrina. Yeah. Let them know they’re enjoying it."

Sabrina stared at him a moment, then slowly her lips curled up into a faint, warm smile. "Alright. I’ll do that from now on."