Chapter Two- Darling
1754 Words
Renata
Standing in the large green room the slightly thin woman paced gracefully. All the rooms had been inspected and up to standard. Now the guests were requested to join the Duchess for a banquet. Everyone ready and waiting downstairs for the Duchess’s arrival.
Well.
Everyone except this Lady, who wasn’t even high ranking, her brother had married up. Now she thought she owned the world. Her red straw like hair pulled tightly into a sophisticated bun on her head. White flowers I didn’t recognise woven into the bun itself and dangled down her back. She looked exquisite as she floated around the room, even though she continued to yell at a very red face Mimi whose lips remained sealed.
I kept my mouth shut; hidden in the shadows. Afraid of the punishment I would likely receive. It wasn't my place to tell the beautiful woman she was very wrong. I had learnt my place the hard way. Disobedience had been beaten out of me, or they thought, I had just learnt to adapt, this wasn’t my fight. The sheets were pure silk. The hives plastered down her legs had been from her own undergarments that seemed to have a mixed thread. Mimi has tried to explain that it wasn’t the sheets in such an apologetic way that left her open for ridicule, even though the woman is clearly wrong.
“I'll be telling the Duchess of such subordination. Do you hear me? I will not tolerate this, look at my legs”. The red head woman screeched.
Why did they always screech? This was not an atrocity. This wasn't the end of the world, something that couldn't be fixed. Not like walking through yoi home and see all your loved ones, your friends and family dead. The faces still haunt me.
Learning my place had been difficult.
My Pride that ruled their own land, the Seven City, that once sat peacefully on the outskirts of the Duchesses domain, didn’t believe in enslavement. The Lion King of Old had declared it barbaric and forbid the use of slaves many centuries before I was born.
Yet the Dragon Empire thrived on the trafficking of slaves. Here lives were expendable, death a mere sport.
“Renata will run you a hot bath with some special oils that she made herself. That will sooth them m'lady. Mora will rub in some cream and that will take away the redness”. Mimi tried to hold her tongue which was difficult for the old wolf.
Even though she hated all the slaves underneath her, Mimi was known to be fair and reasonable, life mattered to her, unlike her Dragon masters.
“Fine”. The woman clicked her tongue and gestured for Mimi to leave the room.
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“Darling”. I heard a knock on the guest bedroom door but stayed in the bathroom mixing the concoction that I hoped would help the dramatic Lady or at least get her out of my hair. “What is taking so long, I thought we were traveling into the town for the market before the banquet but when you didn't show for either I became worried”. A young gentleman had clearly stepped into the room.
“Oh Bero, don’t look at me. I have had a reaction from the cheap sheets and I told them….”. I heard her wail unceremonsily and rolled my eyes.
Cheap undergarments were her issue.
“My Darling, how dare they mark you. I shall take this up with the Duchess myself”. I heard heavy stomps leave the room and let out the breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
“M’Lady, the bath is ready for you now, would you like me to assist you?” The woman threw down the end of her gown to cover her legs.
“No. You have done enough”. The red haired Lady pouted and turned her back, signalling me to undo her lavish green dress.
After record breaking time, even the nuisance made it down to the banquet before the Duchess. My chores were not over, I had to check and redo any messy beds, clean the bathrooms and fill the water jugs on the night stands. Then wait for the guests to return to help them out of their gowns; my least favourite bit of the day.
For some guests didn’t stop partying until early hours of the morning, giving me only a small window to sleep and wash before starting the morning chores but I felt sorry for Marcus more. The men stayed up longer and some only arriving back to their rooms in the middle of morning chores. The young squire looked haggard and malnourished. I had tried to help him as much as I could, again, my food being stretched further but I couldn’t help with his chores, not that I didn’t want too. Assisting the men was the boys job, they would notice and be offended if a young girl stepped in his place.
“Hey Marcus”. I whispered and nudged his shoulder as I stood at the end of the east wing quarter waiting for the guests to return.
“Hey Rena. How’s Nessy feeling?” Nesta and Marcus were the same age but Marcus came from a small Oasis tribe, he never spoke of his past and when I asked questions he turned mute.
I knew that the past was a painful subject so I gave up asking. At least he had Mitch who had been called away to help downstairs.
“Better, thank you for that bread yesterday”. He smiled and nodded.
The cheeky chap had snuck it in his pocket from the leftovers of the guest before the Butler inspected, a very high risk. One I probably wouldn’t have taken but was grateful he did, they both needed the food. I gave half back to him and watched him r****h it. The other half had filled Nesta and she perked up.
There were a large number of slaves in the castle, many we didn’t know, we learnt not to know, not to get attached. It was hard making friends knowing that the turnover of slaves were high, many not surviving a few months either due to starvation, exhaustion or by the hands of the masters. Marcus had once been one of the slaves I had thought wouldn’t survive but he proved me wrong. Five years and he was still fighting against the odds. The three of us had turned into the East quarter team, we took the youngsters under our wing and hoped they’d survive. Soon our team grew into a healthy group of seven slaves.
Our daily goal to survive, not a simple task within the castle walls.
“YOU”. My insides flipped and my stomach churned, the Duchess in the East Quarter in the middle of her party only meant trouble. I turned slowly and prayed she wasn't pointing at me or Marcus.
Her fiery green eyes fixed on me.
I involuntarily flinched.
“Duchess”. I bowed and tried to make myself look as small as possible.
The beautiful young Duchess stormed down the hallway in my direction. Her long black shiny hair braided to one side with gems throughout making the gloss shimmer in the light. Her silver sparkling dress hugged her curvaceous figure, making her hour glass figure sexier. She glided forward with evil intent gleaming in her eyes as I shrivelled into myself.
The beautiful evil creature descending down on me.
“What happened to Lady Avoca? Who disobeyed my instructions and placed down unsuitable sheets for such an important guest of mine. Why did you embarrass me in such a way?” My body trembled at her sadistic tone.
Even though it wasn’t my room but Mora’s I had been the one in the firing line.
Fear engulfed me.
Punishment was inevitable.
“I should have your head for such disobedience.” I continued to keep my stare fixed on the floor and my lips tight shut.
I would only stoke the fire if I answered back, my mortality now the only concern. The Duchess cruel and the mood she was in today, could kill me here and now.
“You shall receive ten lashes by the hand of Sir Bero, yes.” I choked down a whimper.
“Thank you, Duchess.” I recognised his voice, the man from the room.
The man true to his word and gone straight to the Duchess. The excited tone in Bero’s voice did not go unnoticed. Ten lashes of the whip would be doable if it were by Mimi's hand, who took pity. Tolerable if the head butler dished them out but I stood uncertain about Bero. He seemed to lap up the gift. Pain of others looked to give him pleasure.
“Strip”. Her command left no room.
Defeated and about to be given a punishment for bed sheets I didn’t even change, I nodded and stepped forward.
Marcus, who had been cowering in the corner looked up, shocked. I shook my head as he opened his mouth and turned, dropping the thin beige linen dress that covered my torso. My undergarments were washed out white, torn and dirty. They were all I had and I knew the whip would tear them even more. I rolled them down my upper torso and bared the flesh of my back to the Duchess.
“Go ahead, Bero. I haven’t got all night.” Amusement rung in her voice.
I heard movement and tried to prepare myself but when the whip licked my back, the pain seared through my body and I couldn’t do anything but buck and scream.
Lash after lash tore at my back and I could feel the first drops of blood drip slowly over what is probably the start of the painful welts forming. Finally on whip six my knees buckled and gave way as I landed on the floor in a heavy thud. Yet the whips rained down, my pain only encouraging the man as he grew out of breath. Ten lashes came and went and he continued his unyielding punishment.
“That’s enough.” The Duchess voice just an echo to my ears. “You. Clean this filth up. I have a party to go to.”
My breathing came out whispery and I slowly fell into an unconscious state.
- Writer
