Monarch’s Requiem

-Warning: sensitive content-

”Miss, please don be difficult. The Lord will be disappointed if he learns that you refuse to be treated.

Doctor Harlow was the harems physician, which gave him quite some power despite his commoner status. He often abused of his privileges, taking advantage of the ladies of lower standing in exchange for his services, since the Duke never verified whether he had done his job properly or not.

The woman laid beneath the sheets with her back to the doctor. The only thing he, and the nurse he had brought, could see were her black tresses splattered across the pillow like ink on a paper. A small peek of her beautiful olive skin was visible where the quilt left her nape exposed.

”Just put the medicine on the table and leave, ” she muttered with a velvety accent.

Although not much of her figure was displayed, he had been present when she was brought into the castle. The black armor she donned was not even comparable to the darkness of her eyes. They shone like black diamonds as she glared at anyone that met her fiery gaze while they dragged her by the chains that bound her hands and neck.

The doctor had heard that the Ronna were beautiful people, but he never knew to what extent. Every one of her features were exquisite. Even her wild black hair and the scars that marred her limbs and face only seemed to add to her charm.

”Im sorry, Miss. I was instructed by the Lord to conduct a thorough inspection. ”

Now that he had her to himself, he couldn wait to undress her and see what she had been hiding underneath that armor. While wondering about how the curve of her breasts would be, he grabbed the sheets, trying to pull them away from her body.

The menacing growl of her voice startled him away from her figure.

”Touch me and I will cut off the pathetic pieces of meat that you call your genitals. ”

”M-miss, it will do you no good to threaten the Lords aide. He will not stay put if he hears of this. ”

”You
e right, Im sure your Lord wouldn be very appreciative of a mere servant trying to take one of his women. I wonder, who do you think would leave unscathed, you or me? ”

Doctor Harlow swallowed as his face turned red in embarrassment. She was right, the Lord would not hesitate for a second to decapitate him if he heard he had touched one of his toys. In truth, he had only been instructed to concoct an ointment for her bruises and wounds, but he decided to come himself and apply his twisted version of an inspection. Just for this disobedience he could be sent to the dungeon, not even mentioning what he had planned for later on.

Ashamed, he stood from his chair and left. The nurse hurriedly placed the bottle of ointment on the table and followed after him.

Silence fell in the room once again, but the woman was not alone. She slowly sat back on her bed, trying to avoid wincing as much as she could. With a severe face, she called out towards the window.

”I know you
e there. I recommend you come out before I stab something into your throat. ”

A brilliant pair of eyes popped up from the windowsill.

It was a little girl with wild brown hair and a sharp gaze. The woman immediately understood there was no childlike innocence left inside her. The girl looked straight into her eyes, analyzing every single movement she made with the utmost attention. She even noticed how her hand had gone underneath the pillow to grab the dagger hidden there.

This child is dangerous.

”Your vocabulary is quite colorful, Lady. ”

”I am no lady, nor do I intend to become one. Now, tell me, what do you want? Who sent you here? ”

The girl climbed into the room, patting her clothes and readjusting her shawl.

”I am no lady either. My name is Neera. It is a pleasure to meet you. ”

The perfect curtsy, befitting a noble, contradicted her light spoken words.

”I will not repeat myself. Who sent you here? ”

”I guess you could say I sent myself. I heard of the addition of a ronnan warrior to the harem and decided to come to meet you. Could you please tell me your name? ”

The woman was surprised. When she arrived to the castle everyone referred to her as the Ronna woman, some called her derogatory terms such as he new toy or even hat thing, but never had anyone acknowledged her status, her true identity. The Ronna strongly prided themselves in their battle prowess, regardless of the gender, but here everyone only seemed to see her as the lesser sex, a term she had come to comprehend in her short stay in the dukedom.

”You understand our customs. ”

”Ive had my fair share of studies of your people. ”

”My name is Davina. What have you come here for? ”

”I came to check on your state, ” Neera said while walking to the table. This room was way bigger than hers, with a carpet and even a desk. She grabbed the ointment and approached Davina.

Smelling its contents she quickly emptied them out the window. Seeing Davinas confused face, she quickly explained.

”That doctor intended to abuse you, so he added a strong sedative to the medicine. ”

She then lifted the hem of her dress, pulling out a new bottle from her stocking.

”This one is clean. ”

”Where did you get it? ”

”I stole it. ”

Neera uncapped the bottle and held Davinas arm, where handprints had been brutally painted into her skin, and gently applied the cream. The cool sensation soothed some of her pain, easing part of her weariness. Still, she didn let go of her dagger.

The girl didn seem to mind, and continued to gently trace the bruises and scratches with the tips of her fingers.

Davina followed the pale hands with her eyes, but her mind was elsewhere. In the brief moment when Neera lifted her skirt, a small gap of skin appeared from where the stocking didn cover her thigh. There, dozens of scars shone to the light. Notwithstanding her apprehension towards the girl, she asked her about it.

The gruesome tale that followed made her understand the girls unresponsive gaze. She couldn help but hold the hand that had never stopped dancing across her skin.

Neither of them said anything for a while. Neera had never told anyone her story. Her only confidant had been Alea, but she quickly realized she was too frail-minded to share her burden. On the other hand, this woman… This woman had the same dead eyes she had.

”So the Duke is waiting for me to bloom in order to do to me what he does to you. ”

The simple sentence carried a load of memories that slapped Davina in the face. The Dukes hands, his contorted face, the way he had ripped her dress apart, the way he had ripped her apart. She could still vividly feel his warm venom dripping from inside her, along with the smell of sweat and sex that permeated everything every night. She felt used, dirty, disgusting.

Her body doubled over and she emptied her stomach over the luxurious carpet.

Neera stepped aside and avoided touching her. She simply muttered words of comfort.

”Let it all out. Remember you
e alive. He hasn won. You
e alive. ”

These were the mantras she repeated to herself over and over when her body was not her own anymore, when the pain became too much to bear.

Davina fell to her knees on the floor. It took a long time for her to begin to cry. It took even longer for her to stop. Her shivering shoulders were held up by Neera who softly surrounded her with her small arms as she felt the sobs racking the tattered body in front of her. Her chest was bare from the ripped dress, and on her breasts even more bruises and wounds were visible than on her arms.

”You
e alive. You
e alive. ”

Once she made sure that Davina was stable enough, Neera picked up the medicine bottle and resumed her task, this time on her chest and stomach. She met no resistance, even when she guided the olive-skinned legs from underneath her body and stretched them in front of her to coat them as well.

”He will come again tonight. ”

Davina, whos breathing was relatively under control by now, immediately knew who she was talking about.

”At that time, wet yourself. He will probably beat you more, but it might extinguish his arousal. This will also the last time he will come for a while. ”

”What do you mean? ”

”A revolt is brewing in the city, and he plans to escape the castle until the situation is resolved. He will most likely leave right after the assembly tomorrow. ”

A chilly breeze made itself present as if to remind her of the girls absurd entrance earlier.

”How do you know all of this? ”

”There are tunnels all around the castle that allow you to easily travel unnoticed. It is almost time for me to leave, but I will explain everything in more detail next time. ”

Neera helped her back into the bed.

”The doctor will come back to see if his sedative was effective. If he sees that you
e awake and the bottle is empty he will probably think you have an abnormal resistance, since its one of the traits recorded in the Ronnas physiology. It will deter him from trying anything again. ”

The girl placed the medicine into her hand.

”Use what is left for where you
e most in pain. Im sorry if I have abruptly brought up harsh memories, but from my experience it is easier to face them head on than running away. We don have the luxury of time to let you slowly come to terms with everything. ”

With eyes unbefitting her age, Nera said:

”Weak women don tend to last very long here, so don let them kick you down. I will be back in two days. Good luck. ”

She then jumped out of the window and closed it, taking the winter wind with her.