Disclaimer: This was written over 10 years ago, and the author no longer agrees with many of the concepts found in this story. Some of the content will be cringey and/or problematic. Please remember this is entirely fictional and does not represent the author's beliefs.
Twitter: dazzleizzy
Copyright © 2012-2022
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Abby's POV
Two pairs of eyes looked up at me - the brown ones annoyed, and the blue ones surprised.
Niall was the first one to speak. "What are you doing here, Abby?"
Zayn pushed his rolling chair away from the conference table, turning to face me. His eyes narrowed. "How much did you hear?"
I folded my arms nervously. "Enough to know that I need to help you."
"No."
"But Sir-"
"No, Abigail!" Master Zayn growled.
"Sir!" Niall interrupted, gaining the attentions of both of us. "Let's talk about this in a professional manner, yeah? Abby, take a seat." Niall pushed a chair to me, and I sat down across from him, next to Zayn.
I drummed the fingers on my unfractured hand on the table nervously, waiting for Zayn to say something. Anything.
Finally, I spoke up. "I'll just go to Sykes. It's not a big deal. I'll just go see what he wants and talk it out, and then we can leave, right?" I turned Zayn.
He ran an angry hand through his hair. "Abigail, can you be a little less stupid?"
I frowned, not taking offense to his words - he was just angry. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, he's not going to simply 'talk' to you. And I won't be able to take you back."
I pondered for a second. "If it stops him from threatening you - I'll do it."
Niall stood up. "She said she'll do it."
Zayn glared at him. "I heard." He turned to me. "No."
"But why not? It's just like being a slave here! How is this any different?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Niall, you're dismissed. Go."
Niall quickly got up and left the room without a word, leaving the two of us alone.
I pulled my chair away from the table, turning to Zayn.
"Why not, Sir?"
"Because." He snapped.
"But if it'll help you-"
He suddenly stood up, yelling at the top of his lungs. "No Abigail! I said no, and that's final! Do you not understand? Sykes will rape, beat and abuse you! Repeatedly, 'till you're dead! Do you want that?" He snarled.
I shrunk back into my seat. "No." I said in a small voice.
"Do you want to be beaten till you're nothing but a pulp?" He questioned.
I hesitated, but then looked into his eyes, piercing his with my blue ones as courage coursed through my veins.
"How is that any different than what you did to Harry?"
--
Zayn's POV
She looked at me with her bright blue irises, and spoke.
"How is that any different than what you did to Harry?"
I froze.
"Abigail..."
"Can't you call me Abby? Why is that so hard?"
I smirked, continuing. "Abigail, like I said before, Harold broke my rules. I don't ever hurt my slaves. I punish them when there is a reason. I punish when a rule has been broken. My rules are to be enforced and followed - not broken."
I paused, and then continued when she nodded her head. "Sykes is different. He'll do it out of enjoyment. He likes seeing those weaker than him suffer."
Her eyes were a dead giveaway to the fear that was bottled up inside her. "But I don't want you to get hurt, or in trouble-"
I let out a throaty chuckle. "Don't worry about it, I'll figure out something, okay?"
She frowned, a saddened look on her attractive features.
"Please don't worry about it?" I flashed her a smile, leaning down from where I was standing to her on the chair. I slowly cupped her face, a pout forming on her full lips.
"Sir..." she whispered, and then I closed my mouth over hers.
--
I sat on the edge of her bed, and she looked up at me from under the covers. She wore a worried look, her eyebrows scrunched up as if she was deep in thought.
I brushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face, and her distant eyes came back to me, piercing into mine.
"Don't think too much." I ordered.
She frowned. "I"ve got a lot on my mind."
"If it's about Sykes, don't worry about it. I'll figure something out."
She bit her lip, a sorrow look on her face. "Well, that too, but..."
"What? Tell me." I said softly. What could possibly be worrying her? Was it Harry?
She closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm not sure I want to bring it up."
Now it was my turn to frown. "Is this about...Harry?"
Her blue eyes flew open, and she looked a bit shocked. "What? No."
I pressed again, wanting an answer. "Then what?"
She shook her head again. After a few moments of silence, she spoke up again. "What day is tomorrow?"
I looked at her confusedly. Was there something going tomorrow that I didn't know about? "The fifth of December."
"That's what I thought." She said solemnly.
I paused, choosing my words carefully. "Is this date important?"
She didn't say anything, instead, closing her eyes and scrunch up her eyebrows once more. I took hold of the fractured hand with the cast in my hands, playing with her delicate fingers, holding her small feminine hand in mine.
A long time passed, without either of us saying a word.
Finally, I got up off her bed, squeezing her hand gently as if letting her know I was leaving. I bent down, placing a feathery kiss to her cheek. "Goodnight, Abigail."
"Good night."
As I made my way out of her room, I flicked off the lights. Closing the door, I glanced at the time. 10:13PM.
I knew that Niall would be coming around to lock all the lower slaves' doors any minute now, so I quickly fumbled with the keys in my pocket and pulled them put.
I sighed, locking the door. As I walked away, my mind couldn't help but wander to why tomorrow is an important date to Abigail.
Perhaps I'll interrogate her after breakfast tomorrow.
--
I made my way to my seat in the dining hall groggily. I was most definitely not in the best mood, having stayed up all night, unable to sleep. I looked to my side, not bothering to give Perrie her usual morning peck to the cheek.
Instead, I asked her, "Are you doing better, Perrie?"
She looked up at me, slowly nodding noncommittally. She'd been very quiet since her panic attack after going to Sykes' s mansion, as if the situation humiliated her.
The black suited servants quickly served us breakfast, and I quickly attacked the cherry turnover I had asked for.
She looked down at her plate, moving around her food without really touching it. I frowned, but let her be.
It was then that I realized Abigail hadn't showed up for breakfast, her seat beside me empty.
I surveyed the room, glancing at everyone who was seated. My eyes narrowed immediately when I noticed Harry wasn't in his usual seat either.
If they dared being together without my permission, they were going to get it.
I'd sworn to punish the both if I found them together again.
And although I'd hate to lay a hand - or whip, for that matter- on one of my female slaves, specifically Abigail, I always stuck by my word.
And there were no exceptions to the rule.
--
Immediately after I'd finished breakfast, I made my way to Harold's room, to see if I could find the both of them.
I quickly passed the main entrance and made my way to the upper slaves' wing, lost in thought the entire way. When I finally reached his room, I pressed my ear to the door, listening.
There were no sounds, so I quickly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
My eyes fell on a very exhausted looking Harry, asleep at his desk, with piles of his geography books beneath his head.
I've never really understood Harry - with his fascination of knowledge and reading. He was always looking for new things to read, to learn, to understand. The books that lay at his desk were obviously from the grand library I've built, open to all of my slaves.
Maybe he saw it as a way to escape slavery, even if for a few hours. To explore the world inside his books, since he was bound to this mansion.
After quickly glancing at his shirtless back which was covered in bandages from after the whipping, I turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me.
--
Abby's POV
I was curled up into a little ball on my bed, the covers over my head. I hugged my knees closer to me, and swallowed the stupid lump in my throat.
I was exhausted, tired, having not being able to sleep all night. All I could think about was him, and how he was supposed to save me once I turned 18, and how I missed him so very much.
And every time I looked in the mirror, I would remember him.
My ears perked and my eyes widened when I heard the door of my room. I didn't move, didn't acknowledge the person who walked in, although I had a feeling I knew who it was.
"Abigail?" His masculine voice came.
I didn't answer, insteading burying my face further into my knees.
"Is everything alright?" Zayn's voice came closer, and I could feel his presence beside my bed.
The mattress of my bed dipped, and he sat down next to me. A hand pulled the covers from my head, exposing my face to him.
I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "I-I-I.....no."
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
I bit my lip harshly, forcing the lump in my throat to go down. "Hold me." I whispered under my breath.
"I'm sorry?" He leaned closer, not having heard me.
"Please," I pleaded, my eyes brimming with tears. "Please, just hold me."
He paused for a second, before I felt his hands around my arms, pulling me upwards and sitting me up. He brought me onto his lap and put his arms around me protectively.
I buried my face into chest, inhaling his masculine scent. I took long, deep breaths to calm myself, not wanting to cry.
I felt him rest his chin on my shoulder, rubbing my back soothingly.
After a long period of silence, he finally spoke. "Do you want to tell me what this is about?"
--
Zayn's POV
I found her curled up in her bed under the duvet, her arms wrapped around herself as if she was trying to hold herself together.
"Abigail?" I spoke softly, making my way to her bed side slowly.
I saw her move slightly under the duvet, but she didn't reply. "Is everything alright?"
I dropped down onto her bed, pulling the duvet from over her head.
She stuttered, struggling with her words. "I-I-I.....no."
I frowned. I knew that from experience, girls tend to talk out their problems to feel better. Maybe she'd be the same. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
She murmered something I couldn't catch. I leaned closer. "I'm sorry?"
"Please, just hold me." She pleaded, her eyes begging me. My eyes widened slightly at how direct she was being, but I didnt say anything as I pulled her up and into my lap. I wrapped my arms around her small body, rubbing her back soothingly. She buried her face into my chest, closing her eyes.
I let her calm herself down for a while, waiting for her to tell me what's going on.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and she still hadn't said a word. I cleared my throat, and spoke up. "Do you want to tell me what this is about?"
She froze, and then sighed. "It's his birthday today." She stated.
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Whose birthday?"
"He was supposed to come back for me, to take me with him once I turned 18."
I frowned again, even more confused. "Who?"
She continued, talking more to herself than me. "But I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to go. I needed to leave."
I let her continue. Perhaps she'll explain everything if she keeps talking.
She turned to me, her eyes full of worry. "What is he going to do when he comes to get me on my birthday? He won't find me! I-I-I need to let him know where I am!"
I immediately felt my stomach twist in jealousy, wondering who this man was supposed to be. I could already feel Abigail's hysteria coming through, so I squeezed her arm reassuringly.
"Let who know?" I asked again.
Her arms wrapped themselves around my torso, pulling me tighter. I continued to rub her back. "Abigail, who are you talking about?"
She just shook her head, a few more tears streaming down her face.
I began to get more and more frustrated with not knowing, the burning desire to understand who she was talking about slowly devoured my every thought. I let out a breath, trying to maintain composure. I was not going to get mad.
I slowly pushed her out of my arms and onto the mattress, and laid down beside her. I wrapped my arms around her, and pulled her small body into me. She buried her face into my chest, wrapping her feminine arms around me.
As I brushed my hand through her hair soothingly, I placed a soft kiss to her nose. "Are you okay, love?"
She sniffled, nodding ever so slowly. "I think so."
I continued to run my fingers through her hair soothingly, resting my chin on her head. "You didn't eat - are you hungry?"
She shook her head. "No."
After that, I didn't say anything, and neither did she. I continued running my hands through her hair and rubbing her back comfortingly in silence. After quite some time, her sobs became trembles, and her trembles reduced to frequent sniffles.
Within an hour, she was out cold, and I held her there for a few minutes, watching as her chest slowly rose with each breath she took.
I finally disentangled myself from her carefully as to not wake her up, and pulled the covers over her. Bending down, I placed a short kiss to her nose, and turned to leave her room.
I closed the door behind me, and exhaled in exhaustion as I slid down to the floor outside her room.
--
It was nearing dinner time, and I still hadn't seen Abigail since I left her room this morning. A part of me was annoyed that she wasn't completing her duties as instructed, but the other half told me I should let her mourn or whatever it was she was doing in the privacy of her room.
As I entered the dining hall, I decided that if she would not show up for dinner, I would pay her a visit and make her eat. She couldn't starve herself all day, no matter who it was she was mourning for.
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