Cedric leaned forward and took the wine glass and drank from it.
"You're persistent," he said, rising to his feet, I watched as he walked swiftly to the window standing with arms folded.
I took another shot of my wine, chugging it this time. I poured another and repeated the action as the silence bored me.
"Nothing to say?" I said out loud.
He didn't alter a word.
"Convenient," I said while taking another drink.
"Giving up a status like that must mean you got something higher" I add drinking.
I heard him let out a snicker, more of a sarcastic one. It sounded strange in my ear, I just rolled my eyes while drinking, I needed relief. I kept drinking and drinking until my head spun like circles and everything blurred.
I groaned holding my head. I leaned on the chair turning my head as my eyes landed on Cedric, the cloud cleared as the moon reflected in the room making my silver hair highlight more, it was one thing unique about my hair when the moonlight was present.
Cedric turned and his eyes landed on me, my eyelids grew heavy and I drifted off to sleep on the couch.
"Papa" I whispered remembering his face as I slept off, hoping and wishing I would wake back at my cranky bed made of wood with enough foam, at the sound of my papa's voice, but who am I to cheat fate.
☆
I have never felt so happy in my life, the excitement coursing through my veins as I ran in the wide garden, the grass brushing my bare feet, the wind against my face, breathing a fresh air that sang freely to me. I was 5 years old, chasing after a butterfly, it was one of my favorite creatures, they seem to create wonder whenever I see them fly freely in their own content, I wish I was born as one of them so that I could be free but it was just a dream and yet I kept chasing after it with hope.
"SYLVIA!".
I halted when I heard my name as I turned, the wind carried my long silver hair with me. Near our small cottage house I saw my papa standing, watching me with an ax on his shoulder, he wore his worn-out hat I always knew he had on.
He smiled at me, I did also but then his eyes averted away from me staring into a distance.
"SYLVIA?!".
This time he called my name for a different reason. And then I heard horses neighing, I turned at the sound but I didn't see anything but I knew my father noticed something. I gasped when I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned and saw that it was my papa and already beside me.
He lifted me off my feet and carried me. I held him tightly as he ran back to the cottage, my eyes drifting in the distance, and then I saw black horses coming, with men in robes on top, there were about five.
"Papa?!" I said as my father dropped me and rushed to remove the rug on the wooden floor, he reached for a lock and opened a small space.
"Is it time for me to go under?" I asked without a doubt, his eyes landed on me.
"Yes my dear, now come to papa before the Raids get here," he said, spreading his arms out for me. I teared up rushing to his arms and hugged him tightly.
"I'm sorry my dear this is the only way, I lost your mother, I can't lose you too," he said sobbing.
I nodded as I obediently went below. He smiled at me.
"It's alright my dear, papa will always protect you" those were his words as he closed the wood and darkness found me, I could only hear my breath in the small space.
☆
I slowly opened my eyes as a tear fell from one of my eyes. My dreams since I came to the Empire were more of my memories from years ago, how I grew up in the confinement of a small space, hidden all my life but all that effort was void cause now my destiny has already found me.
I pulled the covers more to my body and then I blinked in realization, I gasp sitting up in a start and then I came face to face with Cedric, he was seated on the bed like he was watching me, his eyes drifted to my face down to my chest and then I followed his eyes.
I squeaked, pulling the blanket to cover my bare body. I paled instantly at what just happened, he saw me NAKED!
"M...my..my clothes" I panicked, could it be what I feared the most, happened? And I had no idea it did?! My eyes drifted to my cloth scattered on the floor, my eyes widened as I faced Cedric in shock who kept a neutral face.
"Did we?!" I was lost for words as confusion filled my features and my cheeks flushed red.
Cedric leaned on the wood stance on the edge of the bed and folded his arms.
"Well what do you think," he said like he expected me to know what happened.
My eyes went wide.
"How could you!" I began pissed, this man was ruthless and had no respect for my dignity, he had his way with me last night and I had no idea, he definitely used magic on me, all I could remember was being drunk and sleeping off on the couch, that was a big mistake on my part I shouldn't have felt vulnerable when I was in the same room with him and now he's done it.
I let out a gasp as my hands tighten on the sheets around me. I was unable to think clearly.
"You're an animal," I said furiously.
He raised an eyebrow at me. Does he even have any empathy at all?
"You should be clear on something, Sylvia" he began.
The sound of my name rolling off his lips sent a deep shiver down my spine.
"You're my wife and all rights to you belong to me, that's the law, your body is mine to do as I please, your heart is mine to use as I please, you should begin to accept that," he said finally as he rose to his feet with hands in his pocket, I noticed his clothes were changed, I couldn't help but wonder how long I have been asleep and how long he has been watching me.
"Your maid will be here any second, get dressed, mother will see you soon".
He walked down the stairs, heading for the door.
Anger boiled inside me, without thinking my eyes scanned for something, anything I could use against him, making sure it was expensive I grabbed a detailed vase on the nightstand, smashing this on the ground will surely gain his attention, but my throw was too high, I panicked as the vase came for his head.