Treason to the heart
by LovelyLadyLovett.
It had been a year since they had been married, yet the young woman found herself trapped in a never ending misery. Her husband, did not love her that way she wanted, he was not there for her, he never really cared. It was an arranged marriage, neither of the two ready to compromise to one another, for they both had their own love, yet they were forced into the marriage. Of course, her husband was not one bit merciful, no, he was cruel and merciless.
In the night of their wedding, he had hurt her so badly and had showed no compassion, not a small drop. She had laid in bed the following day, hurt beyond repair. The memories of that night haunted her, turning the little hope she had harbored into anxiety and fear for the next day, for the next time he would do that to her again.
She was weak, she cried and cried, wishing that her incessant tears would soften her situation, but it did not. Things if not became worse, remained the same, and she grew cold and emotionless. Pain and suffering had made that to her, although her scars had healed, her heart had hardened, never to be the same girl who walked into that church in a pure white dress. No. it was all different, her smile never showed, her enchanting eyes did not shine, she grew as dull as the dark colored dresses she wore.
This day, had come and passed just as any other day had. In the morning she had arose shortly after her husband had, she had eaten her morning meal in silence and without any company, gone back to her chambers and let the day pass through her window. Her life was dull, her heart was dark, she was as dry as a desert, or at least that is what she had come to believe in. Was it true? She did not know anymore.
"Lady Valene," a maid announced herself as she opened the door that led to Valene's chamber. Her dulled eyes shifted to the elderly women. The elderly maid felt awfully bad to see such a beautiful flower as Valene devastated as she was for she had seen her beauty at full bloom, and it was a shame to see it all vanish inside these walls, inside this life.
"Yes?" she asked, no emotion in her voice, she knew what she had come to announce. The young lady shifted her gaze to the window once more, her eyes mid-way, saddened and melancholic. Yes, those two words described her perfectly.
"Sir Nnoitora is here," she said in a hushed tone, afraid that the rude and crude man would hear. The young lady, nearly closed her eyes, as if she did not mind. She opened them once more before turning to the maid.
"Thank you, I will be downstairs in a moment," she responded kindly, but offered no smile. She gave a slight nod before standing up, her long violet dress falling graciously from her lap and onto the empty wooden floor. The maid, wanting to say more but afraid to what her response would be, quieted herself and exited the room before the young lady.
Resigned to what awaited her and not wanting to prolong it any further walked down the carpeted stairs and into the dining room where a rich meal awaited them. How she had dreaded these meals, how she had dreaded his arrival, but soon she realized that her dreading was not worth it, for it always came, no matter what.
As she entered her abhorred room she took a small glimpse to her husband, who had already started eating without her, wait no, not eating, drinking. That was his vice, a terrible one at that, for it distorted his senses, well more than they already were. Oh, she knew, she knew all too well of what happened when he was drunk. In fact, she had proof, a couple of scars remained on her back, how she had come to bear those, she did not want to recall them, yet whenever she would bathe, she would reach her back and feel the faint scars, only then would she break up and cry like in the beginning.
With a small bow of courtesy, for there was no other feeling in it, she sat down in the seat across from the tall lanky man. He merely glimpsed at her, but returned to his drinking. She did not bother, she did not mind one bit, she preferred his ignoring than when he took an interest in her. Soon, a plate of food was put before her, and without hesitation or looking up at the man across from her she began to eat. She wanted to finish as soon as possible, she wanted to leave his presence, for he stayed up late drinking.
Foolish hope it was, and just when she thought she was had no more hope, she did. She knew better, no matter what time it was he would eventually creep up into their room, and wake her up briskly, not really caring of what she felt, if he needed to use her, if he needed to satisfy himself.
"Hey!" he shouted, slamming the table harshly, startling poor Valene. She had been too lost in thought to have taken notice of his comment, but now she was alert. Her dark eyes, showing nothing, although she felt a lot, she stared at him, waiting for him to answer.
Poor Valene, that was what he hated the most, that no matter what he did she would no longer shed a tear, she would not show any weakness, no, not anymore. "Stupid bitch!" he shouted, angry and desperate to see her crying and broken, he was deeply drunk and all his anger was being poured onto her.
He pretended as to slap her, hoping that she would flinch, but stopped halfway, but her expression remained the same. She did not blink or flinch, this sent his blood boiling more than it was already due to the strong alcohol, unable to contain his anger, he slapped her this time with full force.
Her face was hit loudly and painfully, but she nearly reached up to touch her cheek, her nose bleeding badly. It hurt, yes, she knew that it did, but she just couldn't find the tears. She could not cry in front of him, not anymore.
All the servants flinched and feared for what came next, for they too clearly knew what happened next. They had seen it far too many times, they new exactly what came after. As bad as they wanted to, none of them dared to step up to her, for fear that their fate would be the same and if not worse.
Nnoitora began walking to where she sat and once he reached her side, he stared down at her. She remained staring down at her bloodied hand, not bothering to look up at the tall man who had every intention of beating her up until he felt tired. "Why don't you cry woman!?" he asked in pure fury, harshly picking her up by grasping her long hair.
She gasped in pain as he forced her to stand, her hair feeling as if it was about to fall, like it did all the times he ever did that to her. She stared at his evil eyes, sure of what came next. He scoffed at her angrily, she did not break not one bit, she was hardened as a stone. Without mercy he threw her to the floor, landing terribly Valene found herself in her knees.
It would have been easier to have just cried to have just given up, she thought she had resolved to continue her life here, but the sad truth she still yearned to leave, to be somewhere else, to be leading a different life. She wanted to cry, she had reasons to cry, yet she couldn't. Why? She did not know and desperately wanted to find the answer. How she wanted to cry before him, to leave him, abandon this forsaken place. Valene limply found herself on her two feet and would have made a run for it where it not that he grasped her wrists and threw her into the closest wall.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked harshly. His evil grin never seemed to cease, not at the sight of her, not at the sight of her bleeding, at nothing. "Or did you forget so soon? I'm your only family now!" he snickered as he shook her harshly, trying to remind her that she was all alone, no one there for her. It hurt, and he knew that.
He laughed dryly as her eyes began to tear, despite her wishes, they were acting on their own now. "Sir Nnoitora!" one of the servants interrupted, in great hopes of saving her for what was to occur to her next. Nnoitora, angry for the interruption, looked away from Valene and to the person who had interrupted.
"What!?" he shouted furiously, causing the man to shake in sudden fear. He hesitated in answering, but finally found the voice to state his reason, after all if he kept quiet any longer he would only increase Nnoitora's fury.
"There is a man here to see you," he replied as he nervously eyed the door, where this young man awaited them. Valene was still under Nnoitora's grasp the whole time, but Nnoitora, not too happy for the sudden interruption let her go briskly.
"Get cleaned up and then come meet us, and don't you dare do anything stupid, understood?" he demanded as he fixed his shirt somewhat and then headed towards the entrance. Valene simply nodded as she carefully stood up and walked over to the table to retrieve a napkin.
She gently wiped her face of tears and blood, but before she could do anything else, the maid from before gently smiled at her and with a wet towel she was holding cleaned her up. "There," she whispered once it was done. She quickly fixed her hair a bit, before urging her to take leave and go greet the guest.
She nodded firmly as she tiredly got up and left the dining room, staring at the kind maid before leaving into the vast future. As she slowly walked to the entrance, she could hear some words being exchanged, she couldn't help but feel one of them as familiar. She scoffed at herself, seeing as her unending hope never seemed to seep up once again, even after being a victim to it.
Well, whatever awaits me I am resigned. I must be. To good or bad, I must embrace it with open arms and wish that wherever it may take me turn out for the best.
I decided to upload this story after much thought, just want to see if any of you are interested in it... If you guys like it I'll continue it, if you don't I'll leave it at that, but hopefully you like it! ^^ BTW I got inspired to write this story after listening to 9 crimes by Damien Rice. It is a very good song, try it and see what you think! Reviews are welcomed, tell me what you think, I want to know! :)