THE LORD AND HIS RAVEN

Serving the prince

The next few days went by exactly as the prince had said that it would. I was his eyes, ears, hands and mouth. I was there to get him his meal, to clean his room, to make his bath. Though, my bruises were not fully healed, though I was still limping and my wounds opened up again, I was there.

And so was the raven.

“Go away…” I had shooed it away a couple of times, but it kept coming back. In fact, it started retorted everytime I shooed it away. I was already in a lot of trouble, in what I was beginning to believe was hell.

The maids liked me less even now, except for Vivian. She usually asked if I ate, if I was fine, if my bruises still hurt, but I was alone there. I had no one to talk to or ask questions. There were always eyes on me. And the head maid liked me even less. She always yelled when it came to me, even when I did nothing but ask for directions.

One night, while I had gone to bed late due to the prince’s demands, a chill splashed on me and I jumped to find the head maid glaring down on me with a bucket of water that had been emptied on me.

“The prince wants you.” Her voice sent an extra chill to my spine. And laughter followed. I tried not to cry, but my eyes stung and I got up from where I laid. Without looking at anyone, I started towards the door, with their laughter echoing into the silent night. That was exactly how I was treated.

The bird returned on my shoulders and I swatted it away roughly, tears running down my cheeks. Did I really deserve this?

“But will crying make everything better?” My thoughts whispered to me and I immediately wiped my cheeks. Just then, I noticed someone coming from the opposite end. I stopped when I noticed who it was. And almost immediately, the goddamn bird returned to my shoulders.

“Phineas had said the bird sticks with you now.” Ren entered almost immediately. He sounded more cheerful than I ever thought possible. But he was still large, still very much the man who had tortured me without mercy, still very much the man I thought looked like a beast one minute, then a man the next.

“You can have it, it won’t go away.” I answered, trying my possible best to stop my voice from shaking. He frowned and quickly ran his eyes over me.

“Keep it. I found it on you anyway…” he responded and I frowned. But then, I recalled the day I opened my eyes to find a wolf and a man. The bird had indeed fallen off me when I could not move my legs.

“Run along, the prince awaits you.” He added and walked past me.

I sighed.

“Great.”

When I arrived at the door of the prince, I took a deep breath and walked in. He was sitting on his bed, with his eyes trained on the door.

“You should know better than to keep me waiting…” He began almost immediately.

“And bow, when you step in the presence of a royalty.” He snapped and I immediately bent into a bow. Forgetting to do that was always the beginning of my trouble everyday.

“Why are you drenched?” His voice suddenly softened and I raised my gaze to meet his.

“It was my wake up call.” I answered.

“What would the prince like me to do for him?” I entered as I was taught to. He frowned.

“Make me a bath.” He responded.

“Today is an exciting day and I can’t keep still.” He grinned, like I could care less.

I did as I was ordered. I prepared his bath and waited. When he was done, he made it his duty to find his clothes himself. Whatever was happening that day was definitely big and grand.

“What do you think?” He showed me what he wanted to wear and I swallowed, wondering if that was a trick question. I was walking on thorns as it was.

“Tell me, honest truth.” He inquired when I said nothing immediately.

“It’s marvellous.” I entered grandly and he chuckled.

“You are a terrible liar, like always.”

I frowned.

“Always?”

“Show me what you would pick if you knew how special today was.” He entered immediately. And I shook my head, scared of what that might lead to.

“Show me, Raven.” He entered, losing his cheerfulness when I made no move. Without having much of a choice, I turned to his closet and picked out what I thought was best. If it was a special event, he had to look very much like a prince, like royalty. He carried the air, but dresses could make you. My mother taught me that. It was probably the only thing she thought me.

When I showed it to him, he smiled and nodded his head. Making me sigh in relief.

“Now, go in there and have your bath.” He entered. And I froze.

“This special day needs you to be complete,” He smiled.

“You have to look your very best,” He added and turned to the wardrobe. When he stepped out, he had a gown in his hand. It was nothing grand, nothing beautiful, nothing special. It was just an extra pair of the very same servants uniform I wore, only cleaner and shorter.

“Now go…” He ordered. And I knew, it was no time to protest.

I shooed the bird away and did as I was ordered nervously. I had a quick shower and just as I finished, the door was pulled open and the prince stepped right in. I screamed, jumping away to the furthest distance, with my hands covering my breast and he smirked.

“What are you doing?” I snapped, not meaning to. And his eyes lit up, strangely. He said nothing and shut the door behind him. My heart skipped and immediately started racing inside my chest.

“Turn around.” He ordered and I froze. He could not be serious. Not again, how could he? What did he take me for? Something to feed his eyes with?

“Turn around, Raven.” He entered when I didn’t move. I wanted to retort but his eyes suddenly dimmed and a familiar pressure slammed me. It took a hold of my heart and kissed my skin with a chill I was getting too familiar with. Fear. I couldn’t tell him to go to hell. I was too scared to do any of that. I was a coward. And I fearfully did just as he wanted.

His gaze burned into my back, while tears burned the back of my eyes. And the longer he stared at me, the more I thought I wanted to vanish.

Suddenly he started towards me and didn’t stop till he was right behind me. I tried to not look back, to not show him how scared I was, but my hands were shaking. And when the tip of his finger touched my back, I trembled in fright.

“Shhh shhh…” He shushed and a whimper escaped my mouth as tears ran down my eyes. I hated him. How dare he treat me like a thing without value?

He slowly trailed his fingers through each line of the phoenix tattoo at my back, like it was the first time he had seen one. And he didn’t stop till he squatted down and trailed it down to its tail, its tail that had reached the side of my butt and my right thighs. Tears couldn’t stop running down my eyes and I could not stop shaking. When he had his fill, he placed a kiss on my thighs. I shook and tried to get away from him, but he grabbed my thighs and looked up at me. I could tell what was going on through his head, it was what went through every body’s head, and back then, I could always fight them off. Yet, as I stared at him, I didn’t just feel bare, I felt vulnerable, empty, useless, powerless and open to be used however he wanted.

He stood up on his feet and stood in front of me. His eyes dwelled on my face for a long time. Then he placed his fingers on my chin and made me look at him. He grinned at me. That beastly grin.

“Please….” I found myself begging.

“Just a moment…” He growled dimly.

.

“I want to know what this feels like.” He added and crashed his lips into mine as he slammed my body into his, making me feel his hardness.