Harlot (standard:other, 2819 words)
Author: A.M. Snead	Added: Oct 21 2002	Views/Reads: 3621/2633	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
When a young woman is caught in bed with a prominate man, she is certain he will explain that she is to be his wife. But too suddenly she learns that he and his men have other plans for her.

His body was warm against hers, his touch desirous. 

A heavy cloak covered the small window, blocking out the morning light
and filling the room with a gray darkness, through which his face was 
hazy as if a veil of smoke was between them. 

He would be the one to stay . . and love her.  He would proclaim a true
and honest love for her before all the others, then she would be 
somebody- and not just an unsightly scar on the face of civilization. 

She closed her eyes and held him close as his soft whispers warmed her
ear, swelled her heart with hope.  For days, she'd sensed that the one 
was near who would rescue her from this shame and degradation- this 
life of a harlot.  And now he was here.  He would love her, free her to 
walk the streets of the city without hanging her head in embarrassment 
of who and what she was.  How heavenly it would be to hold her head up 
high, with tender pride and confidence. "Joseph."  She whispered 
softly, and combed her fingers through his thick dark hair as his 
quickened breath poured out hot over her skin.  The strong scent of 
gaudy perfume hung heavily in the air of the shabby room.  It was a 
scent she would be glad to leave behind. 

This wasn't what she'd wanted.  But what chance did a woman have when
born to a harlot?  When she knew nothing else but how to seduce and 
please a man?  Every man she'd taken into her arms, she'd prayed for 
that man to be the one to love her enough to take her away from all 
this . . because she hadn't the ability to walk away on her own. 

You are what you are, Jez.   Accept it and you'll be happy. 

She forced her mother's words out of her head;  how could she accept a
life like this?  A life that was pushed- forced- on her?  Even her 
name- Jezebel- was a cruel joke cast on her by the woman she called 
mother.  But a mother she had not been.  At least not the kind Jez had 
always hoped she'd become.  As a young girl, she would dream that she'd 
been born to a Jewish woman,  raised up in gentle humility to their 
God.  But the thought would come;  who even knew if such a god existed? 
 And if he did, how could he allow an innocent baby to be born into 
this? 

It doesn't matter, Jez reasoned now as Joseph's passion welled.  It
doesn't matter if there's a god.  All she needed was this man, the man 
she'd known would come to her.  Joseph's rank alone would stand her on 
her feet when he expressed his wishes to marry her.  Joseph would 
defend her, protect her.  Everything would be as she'd always dreamed 
it- 

The weight of her lover's body was suddenly gone, having been forcefully
dragged off her.  "Wha...?"  she gasped, eyes wide as she searched for 
him in the gloom.  But all she saw were dark and cruel faces 
surrounding her bed.  Faces she'd seen a thousand times but which 
hadn't disgraced themselves to look at her.  Where had they come from? 

She cowered on the bed.  She didn't have to ask what they would do to
her- she'd been caught with a man who wasn't her husband.  Even she 
knew the law. Her frightened eyes flickered to Joseph.  He was standing 
in the corner, pulling on his clothes.  He didn't seem concerned that 
they'd been caught.  But these men were Pharisees, like Joseph himself. 
 Jez's fear calmed.  Joseph wouldn't let these men hurt her.  He would 
explain that she was to be his wife.  They would forgive his 
transgression. 

"Bring her out."  One of the men said in a low conspirator's voice.  "We
can use her." 

"No."  Jez whimpered as strong hands grabbed her roughly from both
sides.  "Joseph?" 

But her beloved stood back and made no move to help her.  His eyes-
filled with tenderness and passion just moments ago- now stared back at 
her with cold indifference.  The others glanced from her to him . . and 
smiled.  And in their smiles she read the truth of Joseph's intentions; 
 he had used her.  There was never any plan to marry her, or take her 
away from this.  And that realization filled her with humiliation. 



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