Chapter 9Meeting the Servant

☆*: .｡.Maid. .｡: *☆

I'm lying on my bed, but the comfort of my room doesn't soothe me. My whole body is trembling violently as I rock back and forth, repeating over and over,

"No, no, no, no, no."

My hands are gripping my hair so tightly it feels like I'm tearing out my scalp. My eyes are filled with tears, a true river of despair, while I bite my lip until it bleeds.

"I can't take it anymore. The pain, it's unbearable, but it's the only thing that keeps me grounded in this shitty reality! My master... oh, my master MASTER!!! Your demands have become unbearable!"

Each day, HE pushes me a little further, and his latest request... no, I can't even think about it. The very idea of what he wants from me terrifies me beyond words. I can't...

"I can't... I don't WANT to! NO NO NO NOOO!"

I feel my body writhing with anxiety. My heart is pounding so hard I think it might burst. The memories of his hands on me, his venomous words... His hands HIS HANDS

"NO My master... oh, my master nooo."

How can I endure another minute of this? Each breath is a struggle, each second a torture. His face haunts my thoughts, his voice echoes like a sinister refrain. I am a prisoner of this endless nightmare in the name of my MASTER, and I feel like I'm about to lose my mind for his reason, his reason, his reason HIS REASON! His reason?

No, I can't... I don't want to... I want to scream, but my voice is stifled by terror. NOT THAT I EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO SCREAM ANYWAY... My body is a prison, my thoughts a labyrinth of fear and pain. I am nothing but a shadow of myself, or his shadow, I don't even know anymore... The light of dawn, which once comforted me, has become a cruel reminder of my despair, as if this dawn had become the terrifying twilight he promised to make me flee from.

"Why me? Why me? WHY ME? Why me? Why me, me, ME, ME, ME? Why must I endure this? My master... oh, my master, why?"

My fingers grip my hair even tighter, and I feel I'm on the verge of tearing out entire chunks. The physical pain is a meager respite from the horror of my thoughts.

Suddenly, a shrill noise made me jump, and involuntarily, a scream escaped my throat:

"AHHHH!"

I immediately bit my lip to stifle any other sound. The doorbell rang through the house, resonating through the silent walls. My heart raced. Who could be ringing at this hour?

I immediately bit my lip to stifle any other sound. The doorbell rang through the house, resonating through the silent walls. My heart was pounding. Who could be ringing at this hour?

"NO, NO, NO, THIS PERSON MUST NOT WAKE MY MASTER. HE WOULD BE EVEN MORE FURIOUS THAN USUAL."

I hurried to put on my linen robe, a shapeless and drab garment that was my only allowed attire outside moments with my master. With trembling hands, I rushed down the stairs with a speed I didn't think possible. Each step seemed to echo through the house, each step risking waking my master. Moreover, I fervently hoped the person at the door wouldn't ring again, fearing the noise would wake my master from his fragile sleep. Reaching the front door, I took a Lumicrystal in my hand to light my body trembling with nervousness. My fingers slipped on the door handle, and I cautiously opened it, silently praying to Auraclis or whatever ridiculous deity for the intruder not to be an additional threat to my precarious existence.

☆*: .｡.Naboru. .｡: *☆

... A young girl, seemingly around my age, stood before me. She had beautiful plum-colored eyes, deep and captivating, though their brilliance was dulled by fatigue and pain. The dark circles beneath them hinted at a severe lack of sleep. Her black hair, slightly wavy, had a magnificent violet sheen that caught the light from her crystal. It was long, cascading messily around her face and shoulders, revealing her dire condition. She was barely shorter than me, reaching just below my lower lip. The skin on her face appeared as soft as a peach despite the numerous bluish bruises. Violent marks of abuse adorned her cheeks and forehead, contrasting with the apparent softness of her skin. Her lips, thin and slightly chapped, bore the traces of recent bites that I couldn't comprehend.

Her neck was slender, hinting at her protruding ribs, a testament to her pronounced malnutrition. The skin there was almost translucent, showing a network of bluish veins. On her neck, small marks of strangulation or violent blows were evident, mirroring her daily suffering. Her chest seemed excessively concealed by the coarse sackcloth she was dressed in. The linen robe hung loosely on her body, hiding her form beneath the rough and worn fabric. The garment, frayed to the weave, revealed glimpses of her bare skin in places.

Her body was frail, almost delicate, as if a mere breeze could make her falter. Her thin, emaciated arms bore visible bruises and purple marks even in the dim light of the Lumicrystal. Her hands trembled slightly, revealing recent and old scars on her wrists, signs of things I did not want to know about. The frayed edges of her tunic reached just above her knees, exposing thin and bruised legs, marked by traces of past violence that would likely continue in the future. Her bare feet were dirty and covered in small cuts, the injuries on her toes showing that she was used to walking long distances without any protection.

The way she stood, slightly hunched, revealed a fear I was not sure I could fully comprehend, as if she was trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible. She avoided meeting my gaze directly, her eyes fixed on the ground or glancing furtively towards the interior of the house, probably dreading her master's reaction. Her movements were hesitant, as if each gesture had to be carefully calculated to avoid provoking any anger. Unfortunately, these gestures also seemed habitual.

The light from the Lumicrystal I held faintly illuminated her face, accentuating the shadows of her fatigue. She seemed on the verge of collapse, both physically and emotionally, yet there was a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes, a remnant of a will to live or at least survive a little longer despite the suffering. However, another fear seemed to weigh heavily on her.

I stared at the young girl, expecting a violent reaction, perhaps an attempt to make me leave. Yet, after a remarkable hesitation, swaying slightly on her bare feet, she spoke with a trembling, weak voice:

"Wh-Who are you? Wh-What are you doing here? Wh-What do you want?"

Her words were marked by a terror almost palpable, but also by curiosity (or just an excessively pronounced fear). Her gaze, initially evasive, finally settled on me. And then, a strange expression crossed her pale face, her eyes widening as if she had realized something, or perhaps simply out of surprise, I couldn't tell you.

I responded as calmly as possible despite my own fatigue, knowing hers was much heavier.

"Servant, I believe we have met before, but I didn't have the chance to introduce myself. I am Naboru. To make a long story short, I remember your dear master's words assuring me of his willingness to look after my safety. With no place to take refuge, I was wondering if his offer still stands."

Saying these words made me uncomfortable, especially knowing the suffering her master inflicted on her. However, I needed to maintain a certain composure to maximize my chances of getting a roof over my head, so please don't judge me too harshly, dear reader! Yes, I am aware that my lack of housing already undermines my credibility, but there's nothing I can do about it!Her face fell as her large eyes almost closed, as if my words had deeply hurt her. Was it my request that caused her so much pain, or something else I didn't understand? She lowered her head and ran a trembling hand through her hair to push it back. Then, she slowly looked up at me and forced a big smile.

"Oh, Naboru, your situation seems quite dire,"

she said in a trembling voice.

"Unfortunately, my master is asleep. I will wake him immediately to announce your arrival. He will surely be delighted! I can't wait to welcome you properly, sir. Please, take a seat, I'll be back very soon! You like tea, don't you? I'm sure you'll love our saffron tea, a specialty of the city!"

She quickly walked away, rushing up the stairs to her right at top speed.

☆*: .｡.Maid. .｡: *☆

Stressed, I hurried up the stairs to my master's bedroom on the first floor, hoping not to keep Mr. Naboru waiting too long. I stood before the large red leather door adorned with gold, the chamber of my dreadful master. My heart raced, fear of waking him abruptly and facing his wrath almost paralyzing me.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands. The massive and intimidating door terrified me. I knew waking him for such a request could bring severe consequences, but I had no choice. Mr. Naboru was waiting, and I had to obey.

With a trembling hand, I gently knocked on the door.

"Master"

I called out in a hesitant voice, barely more than a whisper.

"Master, there is an urgent... an important visitor has arrived."

There was no response. My heart raced even faster.

-Should I open the door and wake him myself? -

The thought of facing his wrath was unbearable, but ignoring Mr. Naboru's orders could lead to even worse consequences. I took another deep, shaky breath before placing my hand on the door handle. My fingers slipped slightly from sweat. The cold metal handle sent shivers down my spine. I opened the door slowly, each creak making me jump, as if any sound could cause disaster.

His room was plunged into darkness, with only faint moonlight piercing through the heavy curtains. I could make out the outline of his body lying on the bed. My steps were almost inaudible on the thick carpet, but with every move, fear gripped me tighter. I approached him, my heart pounding, and leaned in gently to wake him. I placed my trembling hand on his shoulder and shook him softly.

"Master, master, sir, there's a gentleman here, he says he wants to see you," I whispered, hoping not to wake him abruptly.

He stirred awake slowly, opening his eyes and fixing me with a chilling intensity. My heart clenched in fear at his gaze.

"What the hell are you doing? Do you want to ruin my life by preventing your master from resting? You'll pay for this, you filthy bitc-"

I didn't let him finish, overwhelmed with terror.

"Sir, sir, I apologize for disturbing you, but the gentleman from the other day, he's here, he wants to see you,"

I rushed, the words tumbling out of my mouth.

My master grumbled, sitting up slowly, annoyed, as he continued,

"What? The gentleman from the other day? Who is that?"

he asked in a still sleepy voice.

"The young man... the one you met in town... Naboru,"

I replied, my voice trembling, saying his name as if he knew him.

"He says he has nowhere else to go and is seeking refuge here, as you mentioned."

He abruptly got out of bed, causing me to step back.

"And why didn't you tell me this right away, you fool? Can't you do anything right?"

he snapped, dressing quickly.

"If he's here, he must be important. Stay here and don't do anything stupid while I go see him."

I nodded frantically, trying to hold back my tears.

"Yes, master"

I murmured, stepping back further to give him space.

My master stormed past me without a glance and hurried out of the room.

Within less than a minute, I heard a scream, my master's voice echoing,

"You bitch, where is he? You lied to me? You dared to find an excuse to wake me up? What did you really want?"

I collapsed onto the floor of his chamber, kneeling, my body limp. Tears streamed endlessly from my eyes, wide open and staring into emptiness. I made no effort to hide my face, uttering no sound. The tears fell without cease, wetting the ground beneath me. I couldn't comprehend the situation. He was there, I was certain of it. Why hadn't he found him?

-I'm going crazy. Did I dream? Am I mad? Am I MAd? Have I lost my mind?-

Suddenly, my master continued unabated, "COME HERE, COME! You're going to suffer this time, you'll understand that you have no right to lie to me. Come, I tell you, hurry up!"

-This time, he's going to kill me, for real...

I'm sure of it.-

____________________________________________________________________

Explanation:

Hey hey! I think I owe you an explanation about a certain technique I used (now that you've read everything and maybe struggled a bit to understand because of it, haha).

So, here's the deal, it's quite simple actually...

Every time you see something like this ☆*: .｡.[???]. .｡: *☆

It means you're changing narrator. In other words, you're entering the Point of View (POV) of the person whose role is written there. Pretty cool, right? Hehe