"I say we cheer to the thought of our new lives together." A very posh man spoke as he ran his fingers throw his hair before pulling his glass in front of him. Holly quickly raised hers as her gaze shifted around the room to the fireplace to the stained glass window before falling back to her alcohol.
"Cheers." She said shyly before he pulled the glass from her hand.
"You have never had a drink before...have you?"
"My grandmother does not believe in it. She believes it raises the devils from inside."
"Sometimes that is not an awful thought..."
Her gaze changed to surprised.
"I suggest we ready for bed. I am sure you are quite fatigued and I myself am aching from working yesterday."
"Alright..." She turned to her hope chest that was carried in my servants before turning to find him looking to her with an intrigued expression. With her nightgown draped over her arm, she felt a cold touch on her wrist before being pulled closer to her husband.
"You are trembling..."
"I am quite nervous, to be honest..."
"Of me? Have I not proven my loyalty to you? Have I not proven my patience?"
She nodded. "Of course you have."
"Then you insult me by trembling."
"It is not my intention."
"I can deduct as much...but...I do fear that you do not care for me, as I do for you..."
"I admire you. You are an inspirational and honest man...I adore-"
Suddenly his lips smacked hard into hers as she could not find herself to kiss back. When he released her, he slowly began to nod his head before pulling her nightgown from her arm and throwing it onto the bed.
"You will not need to change tonight."
Her brow furrowed before he pushed her against the post of the bed. His hands rested on her hips as he forced his lips against her neck. Instantly, her hands attempted to push away his shoulders, but he had been too strong. In a fit of fear, she began to groan before he cupped his hand over her mouth.
"You cannot expect me to be patient forever." He said harshly as she suddenly realized her mistake.
"Please. I will eventually-"
"Eventually is too long. You are my wife-" His hand gripped her chin as he then forced another kiss. Cold fingers forced their way up her leg before pulling her dress far enough to expose her skin.
"Please..." Tears now filled her eyes. "I am not ready." She attempted to reason with him but found his lust was too strong for his reasoning. Quickly, she pushed him hard enough until he was knocked to the ground.
"Do you honestly expect me to not punish you for treating me this way? You are a woman of luck for me to have chosen you. Your family's name comes with a social leprosy...your father did not no better-and I can see that you have not learned any differently...You WILL learn you place, Holly."
He rose from the ground before moving back to her. To her surprise, he forced a kiss as he bit her lip, making her squeal.
"If you have not leaned it yet, I married because I could not fathom the idea of you being with another-and now, I never have to worry of it. You will be marked by me, and one day, you will be mine-begging to be it."
She listened intently as she conjured a way to escape.
"You cannot escape me. I am your husband, you are my wife, and we are bound by legality and spirit. There is nothing you can do but love me...as I thought you already did..."
"I loved the man you showed me you were-when you spoke of not forcing me to make love to you-"
He scoffed. "Make love? I do not love you. I bask in the thought of being wanted-but I don't want anything. I own, I do not desire-there is a difference."
"Why deprive me of a life I could have been happy in?"
"You and I both know that you would do no better than that gutter rat you are living with."
"Dawson?"
He nodded. "He is my-"
"I do not care what he is to you...I saw how his gaze fell upon you. I know of his intentions. But I intend on beating him to your thighs." He slid his fingers up her leg before stopping between her legs, seeing a tear fall down her cheek. "One night, you will be mine. If not, it will be your last night." She was left with a paralyzing fear as she made her place in front of the fire, falling into a ball before crying until she fell asleep.
When she awoke, she found a servant to be placing breakfast on the table before she stopped her from leaving.
"What is your name?"She asked quick as the woman looked at her with surprise.
"My name?"
She nodded.
"Amelia."
"Amelia, very beautiful-"
"Thank you."
"I have a question to ask you, and I ask for your discretion as well."
"Of course."
"Is he a cruel man? Is he capable of...is he capable of harming someone?"
Amelia paused before looking at Holly with a long gaze, as if she had experienced his wrath herself.
"He can be sweet-he is constantly charming-"
"That is not what I asked."
"I cannot speak ill of him...please do not ask me to." She lowered her voice. "If he discovers I spoke to you, he will certainly burn my village-"
"For speaking to me?"
Amelia nodded. "We are to serve, not befriend-it is what he says..."
"He will never know-I beg of you to be frank with me..."
She paused as tears filled her eyes. "I have never seen him kind. Not after being married-"
"You speak as if he as been married before."
She nodded. "Six times."
"Six? He told me I was his first-that he did not believe in it before me..."
"I am sorry...I cannot say more."
"I need you to tell me in truth, if he harmed anyone-"
"I cannot!" Now, the woman was nearly hysterical. "Please, I beg of you..."
"Alright."
As Amelia left Holly suddenly got an idea. Dressing for the day, she moved to the residence she would now be sharing with Nicholas before entering his office.
"My wife!" He spoke in excitement as his father and mother both rose from their seats.
"Good morn, I have a request."
"Not even married a full day and already making demands." Ewan, Nicholas's father spoke as he left the room with his wife following behind. Servants shut the door as they had been left alone.
"How did you rest?"
"Not well."
"You will not take that tone with me, nor will you barge-"
"I have a proposition for you, and I beg you consider."
"Why would I?"
She took a deep breath. "Because you are on the brink of war...your servants are too frightened to do their jobs-"
"Who faltered?"
He glared before she disposed of his question and continued with her point, "I am asking to not be alone here...that is all."
"I do not follow..."
"I believe somewhere you want to be good." His brow raised. "You do not want me to suffer each day, and if you do not want me to take my life by jumping from my window, then you will grant me this wish."
"Threatening me with suicide? Poetic...considering..." Her gaze fell to the ground as he brought his fingers under her chin before examining her lip and nodding. "I take it, you understood my lesson last night?"
She nodded.
"Then if so, why come for a favor?"
"Because he can be more of help then pain. He knows how to fix weapons and care for animals. With the end of the plague...it is difficult to find someone capable of so many trades..."
"And how do I know he is not a lover?"
"I can promise you he is not. Him and I have ever only been...siblings."
His eyes peered. "Siblings?"
"Yes. Half...but still siblings."
"That is not what I gathered...the way he looked to you-"
"He is far too protective...But I would feel greater if he was here. If you do not believe me, you can ask Eleana-"
"There is no need, she speaks of your time together-you and him...I suppose I do not trust easy. But if you do deceive me, it will be both of your heads."
She nodded before he removed a slip from his desk before sliding it across the table. "Official work permit for your gutter rat. I will have the carriage get him in an hour or so...I must stress my intentions for this-if I discover any deception...I will kill him first and force your gaze upon it. Do you understand?"
She nodded as she left his office before getting a breath into the hall as her view came across to Nicholas's mother. Pulling Holly aside she let out a large sigh before leaning against a window.
"I can see he injured your lip, are you alright?"
"Yes..."
"I hope you know you can come to me. As a mother."
"Thank you, truly, it is very kind."
"I am not trying to be kind. I am genuine. I have never had a daughter...and you are the perfect candidate for such a thing. I want us to trust one another...I hope we can."
Holly nodded, knowing it was all she could really do. But as she moved to her room, she realized how isolated she really was. Her sight fell to the window, watching the main gates-anxious to see a familiar face.