Born to be a slave.

54

I waited for the right moment to talk with Edmund, but it never seemed to be perfect. Whenever I saw him, he looked angry, frustrated and very unhappy. I don't see, what is going on in his life. With his given warning, I have tried to stay away from him, but this thought have been bothering me for some time. I just wanted it to be answered and it didn't matter, what the outcome will be, if only I will know his true thoughts and my position. I know, he will not say honestly the true reason for my existence, but there is a chance I will get a glimpse of it.

I felt extremely nervous and my heart was ready to break out of my chest. With every step I took, the dreadful feeling kept crawling up to my throat. A servant told me, that he is resting in a smaller living room, where not many people go. I have been there only once. It has a comforting fireplace and few chairs and couches, a table, but everything looks much less extravagant than the main guest living room. I wonder, why has he chosen to spend his time in it? 

All members of the house are getting excited, because my Master soon will marry Maria. The date has been set, it will take place in two months from now on. For this reason, I will be just a burden to him, to his emotions and well being. 

I stood in front of the door, hesitant and little bit afraid to go inside. I wanted this to end, for both of us. Deep in my heart it hurt nonetheless- a pain impossible to describe. With a soft knock I hoped to get his attention. 

"Who is it?" Edmund's voice was quiet and muffled behind the door.

"It is me, Thea." My voice was not much higher.

"Come in..."

The room was aerie quiet, only tiny sounds of wood burning filled the totally silent place. Edmund laid  in a chair  with his eyes set on fire. He was poking the red glowing embers.

"What do you want?" His words were unemotional.

"Sorry to bother you, Edmund.... . I wanted to ask you something."

He didn't move or looked at me, his stare was focused on fire in front of him. 

"I have been here for very long time and for last year... I feel like... I have been no use for you. I was thinking, maybe you could consider an option to free me..... It will be easier for both of us. I see, that my presence is affecting you badly. I wish you..."

He jammed a fire poker into embers with brute force, the stand holding more of fireplace necessities fell down on the floor and some into the fire. His sudden act caused me to jump out of my skin. I could sense fear taking over. Something happened to him, but I couldn't see anything out of ordinary in his outer appearance. Edmund continued to stare ahead of him.

"...Edmund?"

I waited for him to respond, which seemed to drag forever. Then he lifted his hand and waved it for me to come forward.

"Thea... come over."

I didn't like, how his voice sounded. It was calm, but I could sense a strange undertone to it. I obeyed. When I got closer to him, Edmund stood up and then his hands grabbed back of my neck and I was pulled closer to his face.

"Do you want me to set you free? Make you into a free woman?" With every word his fingers dug deeper in my skin. "It will never happen."

I was pushed on my knees and then down on the floor completely. Edmund was on top of me, his whole weight making me impossible to get back up. I could feel in his hold, how much anger he felt, he was almost shaking, while holding on to me. At this point, I could not see his face either.

"Edmund...., please. What are you doing?"

In the corner of my eye I saw sparkles of ember flying out of fireplace and a sound of metal being dragged over the similar material. My panic rise, as I realized, what was happening. Edmund hold me much stronger in place, making sure that my movements are minimal. He brushed some hair off and I felt a heat reaching my skin.

"Edmund! Edmund!" I cried. "Stop, please don't do it! Please!"

Hot metal pressed against the back of my neck, burning my skin. I screamed in pain, it felt like nothing I have experienced  before. Smell of burned hair and skin reached my senses. It made my body shake in agony. Why he did this to me? Edmund had burned a mark on my neck, marking me like some kind of animal. Tears were falling free on the floor, I couldn't hold them in, the pain was too much to bear. Edmund threw a poker to other side of the room. He breathed hard and his hands shook holding my body plastered against the floor.

"You will never be free and never will leave this house or me. Remember it for rest of your life, Thea. It will never happen." Edmund said in my ear and then released me, but the pain didn't go away.

His footsteps faded away and I heard him shout. 

"FIONA! FIONA! Get over here, fast! FIONA!" He was still angry.

I could not move. The cool floor provided some comfort, but not much pain went away. My wound hurt terribly, my body was shaking in fear and shock. I didn't want to believe, that Edmund had done this to me. What triggered him? I was being so careful in a way I approached him, but somehow, I made it worse for myself. I just wanted a better life for him, to see him happy after I would leave him with his new wife and family.

"Thea! Thea! Oh my god! What.... " Fiona came in speechless. "Let me take care of you." She nearly cried, I could hear the hurt in her voice. "Why my lord did this to you? Why you...."

"I... asked him to free me." I sobbed under Fiona's form, as I laid still on my stomach. "He didn't like it." 

"Be still. I will see, what I can do."

She had already taken some medical stuff with her and started to treat my burning mark - a sign, which implied, that my freedom will never be a thing.