Julian had already reached the library which was close to the royal quarters for easier access. He could tell from the eerie silence that there was no one around and it was most likely only the maidservant who was inside. He looked around alertly before he crept open the door that separated him from the library.
He entered the library room, grasping the door handle without pulling on it, then turning the knob so the latch receded completely into the door as it closed.
Then he sauntered inside it, first noticing a stack of books that looked like they were perhaps under cleaning. He got the hint that she was probably in that area of the library and walked to it, a devilish smirk smeared on his face and one who saw him knew he was up to no good.
He kept walking in that direction until he saw her rarest features that enticed him. Red hair...
He had to admit this was the prettiest lady he had ever come across with red hair. He used to hear of it and the drawings of those who had them looked nothing close to alluring like the one in front of him. A naughty thought entered his head. There was no one here, why summon her to his room when he could do it here?
He strode to her, a bit noisily so she could notice his presence but she didn't seem to have noticed it. Instead, she was in deep thought. He didn't mind and didn't stop walking until he was standing right behind her and he saw the way she snapped back to reality as she turned to face him, her back hitting the shelf that she had been scanning through earlier.
Melina could not explain the fear she felt when she saw who had been behind her. When did he come into the room? Had he been here all along or did she not just notice when he came in? Her body didn't even allow her to think as her heart began thumping fast and her face turned pale with this man up close.
"S-s-sir J-Julian" Her throat turned dry. "Do you need something?" she managed to ask with fear engraved in her mind as she attempted to shift from her earlier position to the other side but Julian quickly closed their little gap and placed his hands on both sides of the shelf to stop her from moving, his face plastered with a smug smile that unsettled her.
"Nothing much. I heard there was a snack in the library so I thought to give it a try," his hoarse voice sent shivers down her spine that caused her further irritation.
Melina was not stupid to not put the dots together now and she didn't waste time acting as she tried to shove him away from her by pressing his chest while turning her face away.
This one will take a little combat, Julian muttered to himself, smirking. He knew she would put up a fight with him. He had done this so many times with other maidens but when they got tired, they succumbed, he believed.
He tried to hold her hand from the constant throwing of it but he missed and she used it to hit the bridge of his nose, causing him to wince and drop one of the hands that had trapped her, giving her a chance to run and she immediately took it.
However, before she could leap to the other side of the library, Julian had recovered from the pain and quickly ran after her and jabbed her back, this time, pulling her to the wall just beside the shelf and her back hit it with force.
A loud sound that came as a screech erupted from Melina's mouth as she groaned in pain, almost going numb from it. Julian had turned angry at the nerve of this lowly maid to try and hurt him. It was like a strong blow to his face. He did put up a fight with others but it was a feminine one and they usually quickly gave in but this one had gone brutal on the first try and it provoked him terribly.
She would pay for it, he deadpanned in his head and without giving her a moment to process or recover from the ache in her back, he swiftly turned her around, her back now facing his front while he used one of his hands to hold both of hers firmly in place.
Melina on the other hand, could barely comprehend what was happening. Everything occurred so fast that she couldn't even breathe properly anymore. God, was this how she was going to die? Her imagination was going wide at what Julian did and just when she thought it couldn't get worse, she felt him rip her uniform from behind, exposing her bare back to his sight. Her screams echoed louder in the room, if anyone had been there, they would probably have turned deaf from the racket.
"Please! Please! Let go! Let me go! I beg you," she cried and pleaded when she realized screaming and struggling wasn't going to do anything as no one could hear her.
Julian ignored her pleas and smiled triumphantly at seeing her reach her weak point, surrendering to him. Just like he had guessed, she would give in like the others.
He ran his hands through her slender back, though he noticed some lash scars there, it was still smooth to touch and much more bearable than that of others. Hunger and lust filled his eyes as he pressed her frail body into his, ready to take her.
"Please..." he heard her beg once more as her voice slowly began to wane as if she was fainting. She couldn't bear the repulse she felt anymore from his wild touching.
Julian didn't give a care seeing her weakened and he rather took advantage, turning her around again to face him.
This time, he tried to pry open her gown that was at knee's length and just when he was about to touch her lap to lift it, he felt something hard hit his head with intense force, if it was a female, she would have been knocked out by now but he staggered, completely startled at the blow.
"Argh!" he gripped the side of his head that had been slammed and attempted to see who had hit him but before he could even react, another hard punch, this time from a different hand hit him again...and again...again until he was trashed on the floor helplessly. Blood oozed profusely from his body, particularly his head and when he managed to open his eyes, he saw the tall figure hovering above him, carrying the fragile woman he had tried to assault a minute ago with his bloodied hand.
His eyes widened at who it was but the person had already rushed away with the maiden and now, when he tried to stand up, a familiar face he hated the most came in front of him, looking down at him with a disdainful stare before giving him one last punch that finally knocked him out.