I stared at Rachel as she bawled her eyes out. She couldn't stop crying and none of the girls seemed to be able to comfort her. I didn't want to interfere. It was obvious that anything I tried to do only ended up making it worse. I hated myself for what happened to her. It was really my fault and I hoped that I could do something to make it better or different for her. If I had known that this would happen, then I would have made sure that the King's orders were followed. But how could I? I was not here. I barely knew how to shift and I was confused.
' Do you see now? We are a family here. We suffer for each other's consequences and we carry each other's pain. This is all your doing Jessica.'' Cecilia shouted and the rest of the girls stared at me with so much judgment. I felt so little under their scrutiny. Yet there was nothing I could do now.
'I didn't know.'' I cried out, ' I didn't know this would happen. I didn't mean for any of this to happen.''
' And you think that matters? She got hurt because of you. We don't even know what happened to her. We do not know what the master did but whatever it was it has clearly left her so broken. Have you seen the lashes on her back? Or the way she flinches every time someone touches her shoulder. She's scared and she is in pain. Let this be a lesson to you. Never disobey the master again.''
No one needed to tell me that twice. It was pretty damn obvious. I have always been a firm believer of everyone bearing their own burden. I didn't like it that Rachel had suffered for my mistake. Why could he not just deal with me? Wasn't that the character of a coward? I tried to hide my anger as much as possible. It didn't make sense that this was the way the king would choose to handle it.
Here I was thinking that he was being lenient with me yet all this while he had been planning a way to retaliate? He punished and hurt someone innocent for my mistake.
How could he do that?
I hate myself for this. I want to make it up to Rachel but I don't even know how. She doesn't want to talk to me and she can barely look at me. Emily is very protective of her and on top of that, she has never liked me from the beginning. I just don't know how to handle this. I feel lost and confused.
I get up from the bed and walk out. Feeling that things had already gotten worse and my presence wasn't really helping, I decided to give them some space. Over the past few days, I had grown comfortable. I had realized that there was no way I would get myself out of this. I was trapped and I was a slave. So I have been trying to make things better for myself. To learn our way of life as much as possible.
As I walk around the big compound, I can't help but feel confused and scared. How has my life turned to this? Only less than two weeks ago I was fine. I was at home, worried about my final exams and my mother's relationship with my stepdad.
But now, I can't help but feel that the things that worried me before are nothing compared to my troubles now. I am a slave to a horrible man.
While standing in the compound, I couldn't help but notice the large window right at the top of the king's bedroom. He was standing right there on his balcony, in nothing but a robe barely covering his naked body. If I didn't know this man, then I would pity him. Because a lot of times he seemed sad and lost. Yet I'd never judge a book by its cover.
One could barely see his face from up there. His bedroom is always on the highest floor. Yet even with all that distance, I could still feel his aura.
I was not sure he could see me, the distance from the top of the floor down to here was quite big. But I couldn't help myself. He lured me in. Made me feel enslaved to his aura and the power that he held. And so, I chose to walk straight towards the water pond where the girls and I had been previously. If I was going to survive this, then I needed to keep him out of my mind.
Out of sight, out of mind.
While I stared down at the big hole that was filled with water halfway, I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be if I just threw myself in it. Would alll my troubles end? Would this world be a better place without me in it? I have always believed that hard work always paid or. and that's why all my life I have worked towards becoming the best version of myself. How can I do that when I am trapped in a situation that does not allow me to be my own person?
'The next time you disobey me, little one, you will incur my wrath.' The voice sounded so lovely in my head that I was almost afraid I would explode. it was so loud and with so much anger. I rushed back towards the middle of the compound and looked up at the King's bedroom yet he wasn't standing on his balcony again. But I was sure that voice was his. and I still couldn't understand how he was able to speak into my mind like this. What did he mean by that? Why would he not punish me instead of punishing Rachel? I tried to focus myself into asking that question yet I didn't know how to speak back to him in my mind. if that was even possible. I knew that I needed the girls for this. I needed them to help me understand what this was. but how could I do that? they were all mad at me and this time I just wasn't sure what kind of apology would make up for it. I remained standing there, in the middle of the compound, confused and lost in my thoughts.
Then suddenly the ground began to shake. and the sound of loud voices and banging against metal filled the empty compound. Then a faraway distance where the large gates were always situated a big crowd of people pushed their way in, some almost rambling on others. I stared with wide eyes and a shocked expression as I felt myself freeze on the spot.
' Run.'' one guard shouted at me as he began running towards me yet I just couldn't move. I felt scared. petrified. The large crowd of people ran so quickly that you could hear the ground shaking beneath it. It was almost one hundred and sixty people from the view I had. and none of them seemed happy. Most of them carried burning torches in their hands and they kept shouting profanities against the king. I noticed a lot of the Gods preparing themselves for something but I just didn't understand what it was. I wanted to run but I couldn't. I was frozen. I felt helpless and like a coward. What would happen to me? Would I be trampled? would I be banned by this angry mob?
Why had they come here, and why were they so angry?