Born to be a slave.

17

"No. I found them. Under..."

I could not finish, as she cut me off: "Don't lie to me, slave! I saw you rushing away with these. Did you want to stash them somewhere safe? Just wait until Master hears about this. You will have lots of problems." She sent daggers in my way with her squinted eyes.

"No!!! I... I..." I started to panic slowly. It was not true. I did not steal and never such a thought crossed my mind. Why was she not listening to me?

"Keep quiet. I don't want to hear any of your lies!" she hissed and grabbed my upper hand strongly. In seconds I was pulled against my will to wherever she had decided to take me. It was hard to keep up with her speed. Her angered moves hurt my hand very much. I thought she will tear it out.

We stopped in front of library doors and I knew she had led me straight to Edmund. For some unknown reason I felt afraid to face him. What if he did not believe me?

This servant pushed the door wide open with force and I saw Edmund's face, as he was sitting on a couch on the far end of the room. A slim and rather young woman was in front of him holding a book. Her eyes came to the commotion we both have stirred up upon entering a library. Now Edmund stared at us unpleased as probably we had disturbed his studies.

"Carla! What is this? I have told to not disturb me at this hour." his words were cold but very demanding.

I saw Carla step back in realization, what she had done, but her face still held that anger which she had towards me.

"My Lord.... "she stuttered.

Edmund gave a subtle wave to a young teacher, who was present the whole time. She quietly left and we were alone – me, Carla and Edmund.

"What is it?" he sounded annoyed.

"This girl stole some valuable things." Carla nudged me hard.

I shook my head as I watched my Master slowly stand up from the blood-red sofa.

"What did she steal?" He eyed me suspiciously.

I did not like this at all. The dread filling my stomach was starting to make me sick.

"These earrings, my Lord. And I caught her running away with them." The sound of her voice was cutting painfully in my ears.

Carla handed the two-piece jewelry to Edmund. He examined them like seeing these things for the first time. He was lost in thoughts until Edmund closed his palm and squeezed the precious items hard in his hands.

"No..... no... I didn't..." Tears started to fall slowly one by one. I shook my head in denial and I hoped that Edmund will not believe a single word this woman was telling him.

"Why? Why, Thea?"

My heart stopped for a second. He seemed to believe her. Without any explanation from me, he assumed I stole from him.

"Don't believe the lies she tells you, Lord. I know these slaves, the way they do things and think. She should be punished!" Carla nearly spat at me.

"I will decide myself, what to do with her! Leave!" He told Carla in a calm voice, but I could tell he was angry.

Now I was alone with him. It would be good because at least I would have a chance to explain to him what happened, but my throat was constricted by fear and no words wanted to come out. I just stood in front of him crying like I will be facing the end of my days.

"How did this happen? I trusted you, Thea!" It was not a question awaiting an explanation. "I have done so many things in favor of your well being and you pay me back like this? Is all I give you not enough? ... I am so disappointed. I should have never considered treating you better than a thing you are – a slave. One pathetic and worthless creature."

Edmund had never talked to me like this. The venom in his words was real and there was not a small amount of pity in his voice.

This was what he was, what he always had been and all the times I have failed to see his true self. This arrogant, heartless and spoiled boy, who's life is almost like a fairy tale.

"I will send you back, where you belong to – to that miserable life you had before."

He took hold on my arm, the same way as Carla and dragged me out and way back – where I came from. I could not stop crying. My whole face was wet with tears and lots of them were falling on the floor beneath my feet as well.

Edmund yanked me hard to move faster.

I had never seen him so mad. He was scary, even though his face managed to stay quite calm, with no animate anger visible.

He shut his bedroom door with a loud thud. I was left standing in the middle as he paced around frustrated. I could not stand a sight of this. I was so afraid and hurt emotionally. I thought he was different, but nothing of my imagination seemed to be true.

"You deserve nothing, Thea! Not the food I give you, not this 'bed', nothing. Even clothes on your back."

He walked up to a rug, which all this time served as my sleeping place and pushed it away using force with his foot.

"From now on you will be sleeping on the bare floor, as you suppose to. There will be no comfort for you in this house as long as you live."

It was not much, but this tiny space was the best spot I had been sleeping on in my whole existence and now he took it away from me.

I felt so overwhelmed and hurt and afraid, that I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to disappear and be somewhere far far away. Away from my pathetic life.

I spun around and run towards the exit in hopes to leave my aching heart behind. But something stopped me, just before I managed to get out.

"THEA!" Edmund shouted in full voice.

His voice was more threatening than ever before.

"I DID NOT ALLOW YOU TO LEAVE!" In the instant, he came and blocked the only way out.

I was trapped by his presence. I could not move any further even if I wanted to. My mind was paralyzed and all that was there was a sense to obey. Why? Why was it so hard for me to go against somebody's will? It is like my mind was shaped that way to ever and always obey the commands of others.

Edmund was watching me from above, as little height as there actually was. My hands came up to my face and I tried to shield myself away from his gaze. I didn't want him to see me look so miserable and crying and I didn't want to see his face either – full with unsatisfaction.

"You are not leaving! You will never be leaving this place, remember that. Never ever."

With that, he left me standing in his room. I felt out of place, like being somewhere where I didn't belong, lost all of a sudden. I didn't know what to do or where to go. Edmund didn't allow me to leave, but neither he said what I should be doing.