You continued to pull against this unknown man as you were dragged across the dirt by your arm, his steps determined and blatantly frustrated by your disobedience as he yet again yanked on your hair. Your scream of discomfort earned a look from the multitude of drunken warriors sitting around the fire in the clearance of the forest, the chosen women refusing to look up as they were held like prized possessions and made to dance.

There were no trees in this part, just desolate ground with many tents pitched - it seemed to be where they were all gathered. As you looked up, you could make out the other captives huddled on the outskirts of the forest, but you were still too far that you couldn't make Yuna out in the darkness.

You heard a familiar voice before you were thrown forward, hands reaching out in an attempt to catch yourself, but it did nothing to soften the impact as you collided with the ground. Welding your eyes shut as a natural inclination as you fell, you breathed heavily, trying to ignore the pain resonating in your arm, but the thunderous footsteps approaching were distraction enough.

"Did she try to run?"

The man who brought you here nodded, confident in his next words. "I watched her as you asked, caught her trying to run off with another captive."

Before you had the chance to defend yourself, your wrist was yet again snatched in a callous grip and you were yanked to your feet. You felt anger at being treated this way, at having these men hurt you and push you around like you were nothing more than an object to them.

Taehyung did not care about your feelings however, nor the men dispersed around him.

"Do you think you can run from me?" He spat bitingly, emphasizing each word. "DO YOU?"

You flinched at his tone, cheeks flustered from embarrassment at the prying eyes.

"You can not run from me, savage." The warrior, Taehyung's eyes narrowed in resentment, speaking of something other than the anger written on his face as he let go of your arm and pushed you in the direction of what you assumed was his tent. "You are mine."

It was those words that you made you turn to look at him, defiant and unwilling to be owned by this man. "I belong to no one, not you, nor any of your men."

"You foolish savage." He momentarily paused, the sound of his heavy breathing darker, threatening, warning. "You belonged to me from the moment I found you."

"Do you think you and your men have the right to own people?"

"Whether I think it right or not, you are mine."

"Then you are exactly what I said you are, an unfeeling, disgusting barbarian!"

You sobbed when he backhanded you across the face, the deleterious strength throwing you onto your side. It happened in slow motion, so instantaneous that you barely had time to stop it from happening and as your forehead hit one of the scattered rocks, everything turned black. Stars danced in your peripheral vision, soaring across the glimmering night sky, so serene you could stay there forever, but they faded, now replaced by the speckles coruscating across a handsome face.

Taehyung's voice echoed in your ear, but you couldn't hear him, you could only feel his hand on your forehead and then the blood that stained his fingers red, like the acrylic used on a painting. Then those eyes, the same perpetual look lingering in them, but there was something different.

Worry.

"Don't... don't touch me."

"I would not have hit you if you had not insulted me."

Your stomach clenched at his words, hands flimsily trying to shove him away. "How dare you blame me when you have control over your own hands."

"Be quiet."

"You hit me."

"I said, be quiet."

"I won't do what you tell me, you-"

Taehyung grabbed your face before you finished, squeezing the indents of your cheekbones with his bloodstained hand. "Let's get one thing straight, you disobedient savage." He leaned forward now, his expression changing, darkened by so much animosity that it almost altered the portentous atmosphere. "Don't ever talk back to me in front of my men, or I won't hesitate to put you in your fucking place."

"Why, are you going to hit me again?" You hissed quietly, knowing he would make true on his threat if you spoke any louder.

"I won't hit you if you give me no reason." The warrior smiled as his warm hand let go of your face and moved to your shoulder, his fingers sprawling outwards and hooking under the fabric of your dress. "There are many other things you could do instead."

"I would never give you anything like that."

"It won't be long until you do."

"I would rather you kill me, you vile barbarian. I hate you."

"You can hate me if you like, call me a barbarian, but you'll soon learn there are worse men than me out there."

"I have never met a man worse than you."

Taehyung looked incredulous as he stared at you, trying to contain his laughter as he trailed his other hand, the one not on your shoulder up your inner thigh, getting increasingly close to the hem of your skirt. This wasn't happening, not this of all things. You clenched your legs, but it provided absolutely no protection from the feeling of his fingers.

"Would you rather I just fuck you like a whore and treat you how my men treat their women?"

You didn't know what came over you, but you struck him. It was an anger you had never allowed yourself to have, untamed and uncontrollable as you drew your leg back and thrust your foot into his stomach. He fell backwards, trying to grab your leg as you continued to kick him - only to stumble over you when you rolled onto your side.

The struggle persisted until he finally pinned you underneath his muscular frame and pressed a knee between your legs.

"ENOUGH!"

"Let go of-"

"I've been too lenient with you, savage." Taehyung all but spat, his voice low and contentious, but he didn't falter, even as your nails clawed at his hands. "Subaru?" He did not turn to look, but you could make out the warrior with the messily tied up hair as he stepped forward. "Gather the other women and set up the whipping post. I want them to see what happens when they don't obey."