Chapter 33:

Naya was tired, Simon had been working her nonstop these days, she was busy with alot of things, and she was fed up, she had barely gotten any sleep for three days, she was given a specific amount of potions to produce, and it she didn't she would get no food, and of course her brother would be threatened, she tried to remain awake and keep a cheerful spirit, but she couldn't, she was making poisons, love potions, body and mind enhancements, she was making things she didn't want to, just to make Simon treat her like a human, and she was a duke's daughter, thinking about that made tears well up her eyes, remembering the way her father called her the most beautiful girl in the whole world, and her mother would reply that he only said that because she took after him alot, and he would laugh, remembering his warm hugs, and her mothers pretty smile, and sweet kisses, Francis tender care, even if he wasn't much older than her, and their usual fights, she cried bitterly, she was forced to grow up too quickly, while lady Dorcas and Simon treated her like a slave, they loved their daughters so much, and treated them with so much care, it wasn't difficult for her not to like any of them, they were all alike, and treated her with so much hate and disdain, like she was a prized slave, so she wasn't close to any of them, even if the first was older than her the second was also older than her by one summer, and the third was her mate, they were both eighteen summers, she was feeling dizzy, so she sat down, waiting for the spell to pass, before she continued with her work, Simon's daughters have all been announced to the society, more than once, and each time she hoped they would all get married so she wouldn't have to deal with them, but it never happened, she could understand why, and she wasn't talking about just outer beauty, they were spoilt rotten because of their parents....

"Didn't you hear me calling!, you filthy animal!!, a loud voice followed by a loud crash sounded close to Naya and she sat up immediately, she was so tired, so dizzy, she couldn't respond she only stared at the wicked face of oephilia Saxe, Simon's eldest daughter, her eyes were filled with rage,

"I...,, I didn't hear you, Naya replied weakly, really just hearing or seeing her now, then blood trickled down her face and she touched it, realizing that oephilia threw a bottle on her head, when oephilia saw Naya touching the blood in shock and pain she smiled...

"Serves you right! , you should keep your ears open at all times, what if I need you like I did now? oephilia queried not minding the blood pouring down Naya's face,

Naya stared at her in disbelief then she stood up, and punched her hard, oephilia fell on the floor and fainted, then her mother rushed in immediately seeing her daughter on the floor and Naya bleeding...

"Ophelia! she shouted, rushing to get her child, " Simon!, Simon!, what did you do, you wicked soul!, she shouted at Naya with so much hatred...

"She split my head with a bottle, but I hit her just once, and she fainted.., Naya said nonchalantly, and lady Dorcas stood up furiously and charged at her, but Naya didn't back down or move away, she stood still , lady Dorcas slapped her, and wanted to slap her again, but Naya held her hand firmly, and she couldn't release her hands, she stared at her wide eyed..

"What do you think you are, do...

"I will only allow one slap!, Naya cut lady Dorcas through clenched teeth, and if you hit me one more time, I will make sure I infect you with measles, that will rot, and leave you scarred for life...., Naya threatened and lady Dorcas pulled her hands free in panic falling down from shock, and staring at Naya like she was a devil..., Simon walked into that scene, an confused look on his face...

"What the hell is going on here!, he thundered and lady Dorcas ran to him, crying bitterly,

"She has gone mad, she is crazy, she hit our daughter and threatened me, , lady Dorcas whined hysterically, Simon rushed to his daughters side at that and screamed for the guards to come in, and help him,

Three guards rushed in and froze, they kept on staring at Naya like they had seen a fairy, or something that was surreal

"Stop staring like a moron!, lady Dorcas shouted, "She isn't that beautiful, she said bitterly and the guards shook their head to focus, and went to carry oephilia still knocked out...

Naya smirked at that, she was enjoying the whole scene, if only she could laugh out loud, when the guards managed to stop drooling and take oephilia out, Simon stared at her angrily..

"You seem to find this funny, need I remind you what you have to lose?, he asked with a hard voice and Naya nodded vigorously

"I know Francis is strong enough now, and with enough backing, and I am not to be threatened at all, she said with spite,

"Dear, do you see this!, kill her...., kill them all, lady Dorcas shouted at him angrily, but Simon looked at Naya in disbelief and anger then he walked out, going to console his wife as he took her with him...

Naya sighed deeply, and she fell to the floor and cried, the blood still gushing out, she was tired, she was just tired of everything and she couldn't take her life yet, not when Theo and Francis still needed her, she sobbed, and sobbed till exhaustion caught up with her and she fainted...

Simon paced his bed chambers, if only he could subject her to being the obedient girl she once was, he didn't see it coming, of course his plans to have francis killed didn't work, instead he killed Frederick and gained more wealth, now he had to do something to show her that he was superior to her, and she had no choice but to do what she was told, she was too valuable for him to lose just like that!.. and killing her was out of it, instead he would build a castle and make her his mistress, he was sure none was fairer than her in the land, and having her to himself is just going to be epic, then he remembered her kissing Theo, he clenched his fists, that was when all this started, he thought, then he had to find that pauper, and teach him a lesson!..

Francis returned home, tired after the days work, the fight was really fierce, and he was tired, he needed food and a warm bath, but thinking of the conversation he had earlier with Mary made him scoff, she demanded for half of her father's castle like he was going to hear of that, immediately he shunned her, but he knew he had to talk about it again, although he didn't want to tell her anything, not to raise her hopes, he fell to his soft bed, his servants were seeing to his warm bath already bringing in the hot water, then suddenly his chest constricted, he shook, what was the matter?, he sat up, holding his chest, his heart thudding wildly, he found it difficult to breathe, and terrified, he wondered what was going on.. then he heard noises outside, he ran to his window, and saw the reason for that, that cursed witch was trying to escape, she was riding his stallion, and she is unaware that he won't allow someone else ride him, except his master.., so it was running wildly and she was barely hanging on, and his men are chasing her, making the horse more thrown off in panic, he stared in shock, then he got himself under control running down the stairs, that woman would be the death of him!, he ran as fast as he could after them...