The Transcended: My Lord

Chapter 8

After a trip to the latrine, Meya silently opened the door to her room. The women didn't notice her at first, but Winnie looked up the moment Meya closed the door. She poked her sister, who then turned around to look too, followed by the rest.

"Where were you?" Lea exclaimed. "Juris said you left supper in a hurry without saying a word and he couldn't find you anywhere. We didn't see you either at... the baths..." She fell silent as she realised Meya was only clad in a towel and her hair was still wet.

"I, ehm..." Meya started, but she didn't know what to say. She swallowed and tried again, as the silence of the women told her they weren't going to let it go. "Lord Deminas had asked for my presence after supper, so I complied."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock and some mouths stood agape.

Nina gasped loudly. "Don't tell me he—"

"Did he really—" Gail started.

"—used his bath?" chimed Brit.

Winnie muttered something inaudible.

"Shush!" Lea gave them all a stern look before turning back to Meya. "Please, dear, sit down."

Meya shuffled towards the group and sat down between Lea and Nina.

"Now, first things first: were you punished?" Lea asked gently.

Meya wanted to say no, but that wasn't completely true. Her silence caused the women to glance at one another with fear in their eyes.

"Did he—" Nina started, but her voice faltered. "Did he... hurt you?"

Again, Meya wanted to say no, but doubt set in. He didn't physically hurt me, but it was still humiliating to strip in front of him on command, not to mention telling him everything and his reaction to it all... Meya groaned internally, unable to process or make sense of what had happened. Finally, she managed to whisper, "I'm not sure."

Nina grabbed Meya's hand and squeezed it. "You can tell us."

Meya wriggled her hand free from her grasp. "It's fine. He didn't hit me or anything like that—if that's what you all fear."

Winnie pointed to her crotch and Meya's eyes widened in shock.

"No, no! He did not force himself on me if that's what you're trying to say." Meya frowned. "Why don't you say it? Come to think of it, I've never heard you speak before..."

Winnie pointed at her mouth and opened it. She stuck out her tongue—or at least what remained of it. The little stump of flesh was just able to touch her lips.

Horrified, the colour drained from her face. "What... What happened?"

Brit answered in Winnie's stead, "As kids, Winnie was able to taunt Lord Deminas without much consequence, be it the occasional beating with a whip or exclusion from supper. When Lord Marius died in battle and his son became lord, Winnie couldn't comprehend that her rebellious actions were now no longer directed at the son of a lord, but at the lord himself. Her behaviour didn't improve—in fact, it only got worse. She told the lord, multiple times, that she refused to call him by his title."

Flustered, Winnie averted her gaze and chewed her lip.

"After several warnings and mild punishments, she stated, in front of everyone, that she refused to ever call him lord. That's when Lord Deminas decided that if she wasn't going to use her tongue to speak nicely, she wasn't to speak at all."

Winnie looked at the floor as she played with her long hair.

Meya tried to process what she'd heard. "But why?" She directed the question at Winnie. "Why didn't you just behave?"