*Warning!! Heavy topics ahead! Discretion is advised!*
The initial days after the departure of the Duke were normal, nothing extraordinary happened. Nothing we, the ladies of the house, saw, though Fanny complained at us as she saw new people in the vicinities. And according to her, none seemed nice or had an air of belonging in there.
At that suspicious behaviour, I told her to watch over close by and find an exit only she knew about.
Fanny became concerned at the request and I thought Jenni too would be wary of it as well, but even she agreed to have it like that. And so in the few days that passed, we planned an emergency escape, hoping never to use it. As children, I was afraid we wouldn't go far... though I didn't say that to Jenni or Fanny.
But besides me and Jenni being required to go to those hellish classes separately because of our difference in knowledge (and interest, I may add), nothing was abnormal. The life inside the Mountenero house was calm and suspicious.
Until little by little, my head became heavier and heavier. Like rain drops dripping one by one, creating a ripple on my brain, making it freeze at times.
Soon Fanny reached us with a piece of alarming information. The Templar were now in charge of the security of the manor. Fanny, being an optimist, believed it to be Aunt Belladona's power and influence in place, however, both me and Jenni knew that to be impossible. If the Duke had agreed to have Templars keep guard, which he would never do as he didn't seem fond of his sister, he would have told the servants and at least Jenni. No, this was another thing...
As we, the ladies and Fanny, were conferring possibilities in my pink laced room, we got interrupted by a distraught head maid, who came to inform us that she found out that Lady Beatrice was reading our corresponce to the duke or anyone outside. Burning all the letters that she didn't like or carry any unsavoury opinion. This news, the head maid gave us, was acquired by a poor maid who ended up suffering corporal punishment for catching Lady Beatrice in the act.
This filled us all with horror, yet my mind again started to blackout. More each time, with a frequency that would have scared me if not for my total lack of energy. Life passed me through fast pictures, blurry and soundless. Yet a scene came to be sharp and with an alarming frequency.
In there Lady Beatrice paced in the study room, so frequently used by us children, in slow circling movements. She walked around the square white table. With small and calculated steps, she circled and circled it, repeating the mantra she loved, always with a sweet poison for a voice:
" A lady is only a great asset when she obeys. A useful lady does not talk back and does what other's in power say. The rest... is trash... And you, my lady, are not trash. Right?"
This last time her words appeared to be more vicious and icy than usual like my body felt more stiffed and sore. At a moment of clarity, I requested Fanny to help me undress so I could call the night after my bath time. We moved slowly to my marble and gold bathing place, where Fanny had started to prepare for my bathing, something I normally did, yet now it seemed impossible.
Not sure what happened, as all was fuzzy in my head, but I heard I gasp of horror coming from my personal maid, my confidant.
"My lady... your body... is covered in wounds..." there was a feeling of deep sorrow in the normally chirpy voice of Fanny.
It was only now that I got the energy to look at myself in the bathroom mirror that filled a whole wall. Even with the intense fog that covered it, I could see them... the black spots that covered my legs, my arms, my back. In complete disbelief, with a crying Fanny beside me, I decided to force my brain to work. It was all still a big blur, but something else did come up.
Lady Beatrice walked and walked, yet my other senses came in full as well, with her intense perfume pushing my memory back, as her image circled mine in that room. I could finally ear the stick she always carried, beating in her hands as she walked, closer and closer. clack, clack, clack. Until the sound no longer was the same and the stick she always carried, was not just on her...
As Fanny recovered from the shock, now going for an ointment to help with my wounds, my mind still blank had the fortitude of recalling something else, this time useful for me.
"Bring me... the cristal bottle.... on the bed stand."
Not sure if Fanny understood what I meant, however, I did sense her presence disappear from the bathroom. With the renewed silence, I again pushed my brain into thinking.
Lady Beatrice was beating a child. And my mind was so out of it that I could barely process it was me.
Fanny, carrying the bottle plus other first aid kits, came to the room in a rush, letting everything fall to the ground. Seeing my lifeless self, Fanny in fear, sat me on the cold ground, where I stayed, naked and bruised, while she likely went in search of help.
Another leap on my brain and now my whole body was on the ground. I cursed and with the little amount of energy I had left in me, I reached for the cristal bottle Francis had given me. I hadn't use it yet, and I was not sure it would work on me, but I took a sip, careful to not dip too much into me or into the marble ground.
As my mind cleared, I realized that Bitch tutor not only was beating me, she was poisoning me as well... fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.... ohhhhh if could rip that face of hers...
Soon Fanny returned, yet this time, behind her, came Jenni, running in her nightgown, who started to cry at seeing my sorry self laying down on the ground.
"Oh, Goddess! How come it became like this?!" Jenni threw herself in the ground, helping me steady myself in a seating position, as Fanny took the cristal bottle and started to dip some of it on a cotton disk.
"Be... careful Fanny... save it..." I told her in panic as I saw her using the liquid, Fanny as usual was able to understand my gibberish and signalled it with her head before returning to preparing the stuff. Then I turned to Jenni, grabbing her hands in a desperation I hadn't felt in a long time. "Lady Beatrice... she... has poisoned me...." I managed to say, looking at those watered blue eyes growing wide.
"Oh, my lady Jennifer! What a horrible woman! We must warn the Duke!" cried Fanny as she secured me, to start pass the cotton over my body.
"She is reading all our letters... and we are surrounded by Templars which affiliation is dubious at best..." replied Jennifer, helping Fanny with my treatment. I, still recovering from my hazzy head watched them as they touched my body.
"But, then what shall we do, my lady?" Fanny asked, stopping midway with a cotton in her hand and with her eyes glued on Jennifer, who continued concentrated on her task. Then, I noticed Fanny's grab become more energetic. "Maybe we could send a message to prince Cedric. I would even try to deliver it!" ended Fanny with a ray of hope in her eyes.
"They would be watching you, like all of our loyal servants..." cut Jennifer, serious and concentrated in me. Deep in thought, she stopped for a while before continuing. " No. Lady Beatrice planned this and wouldn't let anyone inform the outside world of how things are being run at the estate."
"But.... what can we do, my lady?" Fanny's weak and supplicant voice echoed in the room, as she hugged in form of protection.
Jennifer now looked at her, the blue eyes, which many times were filled with warmth and support, now looked calculating. With a touch, she made Fanny recover and position herself back on her task, before continuing sharing her ideas.
"We must be smart about this. And for that we must hide our intentions in plain sight. We will contact a prince, but our royal prince instead, Prince Francis." at those words, the silence grew in my bathroom, both me and Fanny looking at Jenni with surprise, which she took advantage to continue. " In two days is the official birthday of Princess Odette, which in truth is actually a lie. Her real birthday is shared with the late Emperor, so they changed it. No one in the Empire is aware of it, except very few people... me included." she stopped and looked at now clearer mirror, her visage, hard and foreing to me.
"I will write a letter with urgency to his highness Prince Francis, requesting his and Lord Fridh's help, so I can choose a present in time for princess Odette. Since I have been busy with Father's absence, her highness, princess Odette, birthday passed my mind. Lady Beatrice, while she wont be happy about it, would not find it completly unreasonable and would be obliged to let it be sent. The fear of offending the royal family or have them suspicious would be enough to guarantee us that." Jennifer got up, gently giving me to Fanny, who took my full body without a word.
Before reaching the door, the only family I had at that moment, turned to our maid, ordering her to prepare the bath again, so to help me recover my energy. Then, she left to write the letter that would help us in our precaurious situation.
And while Fanny helped me with my bath, I thought in complete frustration at my situation. Powerless and worn, I loathed waiting to be saved my others, worst... I loathed to not be able to do as I wished with bitch Lady Beatrice. A right kick in her smug shin, would not begin to cover the bottom of what I wanted to inflict on her.
How I fucking hate this body, these shitty adults and this screw-up world...
Now I just hoped the foxy prince would come to help me get away from this nightmare... before it swallowed me whole, into darkness worst than death.
Here is the start of the conclusion of Act 2! It touches heavy themes, which not everyone may be comfortable with it. I tried not to be too graphic, as I don't think it is that necessary.
Still, I appreciate feedback! Hope you enjoyed reading it!
By the way, the cover is this current one (it seemed to be the favourite one!). Hope it is ok with everyone!!
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Some suggestions while you wait for the next chapter:
My blog: http://andreasousa.com
My podcast (has the blog chapters): A writer's journey (on Spotify)
Do you like that I give suggestions? I always feel this space is to connect with my readers and let them know about other things that they may enjoy... I hope is not too much XD
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