'Jayne Clarke-fifth place.'
Jayne looked at the four words that sealed her fate and stumbled as she dropped the letter in her hands. She tried to calm her erratic heart as she met her father's infuriated gaze. She said in a shaky voice,"I-I apologize father and mother. I was feeling light-headed before class had even started and I didn't focus hard enough."
Her mother scoffed. "What a sorry excuse that is. So this is what we get for raising you for 17 years? A pathetic and weak daughter who can't even score well on an exam? Do you know how much money we've spent on you to make you into the person you are today?The least you can do is do well on a school exam. Don't forget; without us, you are nothing and you will always be worthless."
In a cold voice, the duke added,"You are treading on dangerous waters. There will be consequences for this Jayne. Right now, you are going to be confined to your room for the rest of the night until further notice, understand?"
Jayne felt chills as she met her mother and father's gaze and looked down as she replied. "Yes, father." She made her way up the stairs to her room and noticed the sympathetic gazes she received from the servants and she could hear the whispers they said to each other as she passed by them.
"Her mother and father don't even love her. How could they treat their child like that?"
"What type of consequences do you think she's gonna receive? I hope it doesn't affect our work loads. She's honestly so troublesome."
"She truly is ungrateful. All she had to do was score well on the exams and she couldn't even do that. Sigh. That's years of schooling down the drain."
Jayne didn't want to hear any of it anymore and quickened her pace to her room as she held back hot tears that were threatening to fall. She knew that they were going to react this way, but she was still hurt. She was hurt even more by the fact that they didn't believe her when she said she had felt ill and they didn't even seem to care at all. Her father had even raised his hand against her.
After a few hours, a servant informed Jayne that her parents had called for her to come down stairs. Jayne braced herself for the consequences and made her way to the parlor. She noticed that the atmosphere of the servants and the hallways were strange and she couldn't help but become more nervous about what was going to happen.
When she entered the parlor, she saw her parents sitting on two large cushioned chairs while drinking wine. Her father noticed her and gave her a cold glare before commanding her in a cold voice.
"Kneel."
Jayne knew she wouldn't be able to go against him and obliged to his command. "Yes, father."
As she kneeled on the ground, her mother said in a wicked voice. "Since you can't seem to listen to our instructions, we've brought in someone to make you. Bring her in." As the duchess instructed, two servants brought in Charlotte who had been tied up and evidently beaten. She had visible bruises and whip marks on her body and she looked as though she had aged 10 years. She laid on the ground shaking and whimpering from the pain.
Jayne's eyes widened in shock and she tried to rush to Charlotte, but she was held down by two servants. She struggled against the servants and called out to Charlotte."Charlotte! Charlotte!"
"She can't hear you. Her eardrum has probably been damaged by the whipping and the poisoning. As of now, she's in a state of pain and fear as her eyes are slowly losing their vision and she's slowly losing control of her muscles." Duke Clarke remarked with a cold smile on his face. He took a sip of wine and his smile widened as he said in a wicked tone,"The best thing you can do for her now is kill her to end her suffering."
Jayne was in a state of disbelief. Her parents were cruel, but she never knew they could be this cold-blooded. She was shaking from head to toe and tears had started streaming down her face as she watched Charlotte writhe in pain. The duke threw a dagger with a ruby handle in front of her and said in a commanding voice. "Kill her."
Jayne shook her head desperately and said in a pleading voice,"No, please, I swear I won't disobey you ever again father. Please don't kill her please. Please don't make me do this." Jayne pushed off the servants that were holding her and rushed up to her fathers knees and begged him to spare Charlotte's life. She pleaded on the ground until she realized that her father wasn't going to do anything. A glimmer of hope arose in her as she turned towards her mother-only to find that she was wearing a cold smirk on her face and sipping her wine. Her last shred of hope faded when it became evident that they were not going to help her.
She slowly turned and crawled to Charlotte and held her body in her arms. Tears streamed down her face as she called out to her. "Charlotte, can you hear me? Charlotte. Charlotte." For a second, the shaking person in her arms looked up to her and Jayne could see the once bright brown eyes that she had found comfort in her whole life had dulled. Her pupils were out of focus and Charlotte squinted to make out the figure in front of her. In a weak and frail voice, she called out," Y-Young M-Miss, is that you? Where are you? I can't hear you or see you very well."
Jayne grasped Charlotte's hand and replied in a tearful voice,"Yes Charlotte, I'm right here. I'm right next to you." Tears dropped onto Charlotte's pale and bloodied face.
Charlotte heavily coughed out blood. She faced Jayne with an unfocused gaze and mustered up a weak smile. "D-Don't cry Miss. You're too pretty for that. I-I know that I don't have a lot of time left, but I wanted to tell you that it has been an honor to serve you for the past 17 years."
Jayne sobbed as she brushed off dried blood and dirt off of Charlotte's face. "No, don't say that. You are not going to die, you hear me? I will not let you die. Please don't die, I need you. You're all I have left. Please don't leave me alone Charlotte." Jayne sobbed as she repeated this.
"Y-Young Miss, p-please grant m-my l-last request."
Jayne desperately clung to the limp hand and nodded fervently. "Anything. I'll do anything."
Charlotte coughed out more blood and inhaled many deep breaths before slowly speaking again.
"Please, kill me."