DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE UNDERLAND CHRONICLES!
Chapter Seven: Corrupted
Takes place after the meal when Gregor arrives. Luxa and Alexander go back to her royal chambers...
Luxa`s POV
I felt his hot breath on my neck as his strong hands grabbed at me and forced me against the cold stone wall.
"Have you not learned how to behave yourself?" He hissed venomously. "You deliberately humiliated me before the entire dinner party..."
"I had no intention of humiliating you, Alexander dear. " I seethed through my clenched teeth, as I unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw from his forceful grip.
His nostrils flared and his dark eyes went ablaze with fury as he tightened his unescapable grip on my hips. I tried once again to push him off but he stood as still as the stone behind me.
His eyes went thin as he scrutinized my face. "Watch your tone Luxa, I am in no mood for your arrogance." His voice was dangerously low, and I had heard it before...
He suddenly pulled away from my face and smirked at me. Although his demeanor had changed, his eyes remained menacing with annoyance and hatred.
"Speaking of the dinner party...I could not help sensing...hmmm...what should I call it...a spark between you and that Overland filth." He mocked.
I blushed deeply. Alexander was very well aware of the relationship Gregor and I had formed several years ago. He also knew perfectly well that it caused me an immense amount of emotional pain to speak or even think about Gregor...and that is why he insists on intentionally bringing the topic about whenever he has the slightest opportunity.
But Alexander was incorrect. I deliberately made sure that there was nothing, not even the slightest hint of a spark between me and the Overlander during the meal. I cannot say my eyes did not roam his body or face, inspecting for changes. He seemed even more handsome than he was four years ago. I also cannot refrain from saying that he had matured very much. Nor from saying the way his muscles appeared through his tight fitting black shirt and the the mature and cold glint in his brown eyes gave me the desire to embrace him...
Alexander boomed a laugh that told me he was aware of my somewhat provocative thoughts. I returned to reality.
"There was nothing..." I scoffed.
His wide smirk grew and he scrutinized my face. "Do not be foolish. I noticed how he looked at you. There must not be many Overland women who have your looks... Really, did you not see it? It was priceless actually. The way his eyes followed your eyes..face..and of course your body...It was quite amusing..." He pinched my side and a laughed harshly.
His touch made me want to vomit.
"Stop it! Now!"" I barked as I slapped his hand away. He was intentionally embarrassing me. Mocking me. Making me uncomfortable. I knew Gregor would never think of me as only a girl with a beautiful body. I was offended by Alexander`s inappropriate remark about my body, but I was not surprised. He had done much worse vulgar things...
"Oh relax darling. I was merely joking. The idea of you being with him is preposterous, as I am sure you are fully aware of the fact that you belong to me..." He whispered in my ear as he forced me against the stone wall once again. His sharp nose trailed along my collarbone as he inhaled my scent. When I tried to rebuke him his strong hands restrained my wrists and slammed them to the wall above my head. He chuckled. He knew I was struggling to withdraw from him, but he enjoyed it, it may have even thrilled him.
My breath became ragged. I did not want this again. I had to distract him.
"It may be not as preposterous as you think. I would surely have him over you any day." I blurted
He froze, his nose right above my chest. I could not see his eyes, but I knew they would be terrifying, I could practically feel the anger radiating from his cold skin. I scolded myself mentally. Insulting him was the last thing I should have done.
"It matters not what you want. You stupid girl. When will you get that into your damn head?" He hissed as his lips rose to my left ear.
Anger flooded through me. I felt a wave of emotion that I had not felt in a long time rush to my head. I recognized it as the fire and spirit I had contained long ago...
I ripped my wrists from his vice like grip and pushed with all of my might on his solid chest. He staggered back surprised " Get out! You will not speak like this to me again! You filthy man! I despise you more than anything in this desolate pit we all live in! I am a Queen! I take back what I said earlier, about having the Overlander rather than you! I was wrong. I would have any man in the world over you! I would let them do whatever they wish with me rather than you touch me again!"
SLAP!
My head conflicted with the stone wall as his hand connected with my left cheek. I yelped in pain. I was prepared for it, but it sill hurt like needles had been stabbed into my beautiful face. It was not the first time he had hit me. Nor the last most likely.
Tears flooded out of my eyes as I stared up at his trembling form. I reached up to touch my sensitive cheek bone, but hissed in pain. I tasted the familiar taste of my own blood in my mouth. I felt it cover my usually white teeth and slip out the sided of my lip.
He grabbed my long braided hair and forced my face to his. He was truly the most horrifying thing I had ever seen. He looked like the devil himself. His eyes were lustful, no doubt from the violence and my vulnerable state. His nostrils flared and his teeth were bared like he wanted to rip my face apart. I could feel his body against mine, aching more me. He was a monster, and I was terrified.
"You disgusting whore. You dare speak to me like this? I am superior to you! You are my fiance! You are truly the dirtiest, disrespectful woman I have ever had the displeasure of meeting." He grabbed my face and forced me to look into his disturbing eyes.
"If I am such a whore then why do you insist on marrying me and making yourself impure by violating me?" I spat in his rigid face. Blood splattered his nose and mouth and he looked like even more of a demon than before.
He smirked at me tauntingly as he ran his hand up my black shirt, "Beautiful women must learn their place."
I hated him, I wanted to die, I wanted him to kill me. I would not be able to ever describe the emotional and physical pain I felt as he defiled me for what felt like the millionth time...
I woke covered in large purple and black bruises covering most of my body, a small gash on the back of my head, teethmarks under my right breast, a broken rib, and two broken fingers. It had not been the most brutal of Alexander`s beatings, I could endure it.
I inspected myself in the large mirror before me. Even considering my brokenness, I was gorgeous, I had been told and I knew it very well. The sparkle in my light violet eyes, my creamy white skin, the curve of my nose, my high cheekbones, my arrogant smile, and of course my wonderful body all contributed to my beauty. I was mature for a girl of almost eighteen, even for an Underlander. Here that was the age of a young woman, and thats what I was, and appeared to be.
I was also aware of how stubborn, arrogant, disgusting, filthy, dirty, and impure I was. Oh! And of course, how could I forget? I was a whore... It was not the first time he had called me those vile names, and I was certain it would not be the last.
Last night was not the first time he had harassed me. I had attempted to rid my entire being of thoughts or memories of his assaults, but found it impossible. The memories were too and colorful. I found myself sleepless, and when I did sleep I dreamt nightmares where all of his beatings and voice haunted me. I would have to endure my rape every night.
I also became stressed and anxious. I had felt like I could trust very little before this monster had entered my life, but he made my trust for anyone or ability to trust vanish completely. He actually was haunting me. He had tortured me emotionally and physically for the past month. I could not escape him, his dark lustful eyes, or his cruel smirk. He enjoyed my suffering...Why? I had not the slightest clue.
I tried to fight him every time he invaded me, but without luck. I actually received a even greater beating, he did not fancy it when I fought, and that is why I did it. Not to escape, for I knew that would be futile, but to cause him distress. He despised being disobeyed.
Fighting had become the only possible way of me trying to rebel against him. For I could not tell anyone. Not Vikus, Hazard, Howard, or even Aurora. He new something...something I was ashamed of, but did not regret. It was my secret, and If anyone realized what I had attempted, I would be locked away, and my family name besmirched.
It began after the Overlander departed from my city, after the War of time. I knew I would never be able to change the way I felt about him, I loved him. Though I was young, I was mature, I had felt pain and seen death, I had ordered others to murder and I had murdered others myself. I knew and was fully aware of what I felt. Love. And that was the greatest mistake I had ever made.
I was foolish for loving someone from another world entirely, but I could not prevent my feelings from acquiring what I wanted, I had always been stubborn. Despite Gregor`s lack of...intelligence, I loved him. I desired something that I could not have. And it hurt when he left.
It hurt ten million times worse than being ripped apart from Alexander, emotionally anyways. My parents had been slaughtered, my cousin had betrayed me and died for it, my Uncle murdered, many of my friends had been killed, my city trampled and destroyed, and Gregor, the one person I had learned to trust and love, left me. He left me alone and wounded when I was only twelve years old. I have never been the same.
Every day I prayed that he would return and sweep me off my feet, but he never did. I was lonely and depressed. I felt as though something in my life was missing and could not be retrieved. I became isolated from others, wishing to speak to no one. I became brutal, caring not for what others cared for, but only myslef. I became untrusting, feeling as though I could trust no one because they too would turn there back to me and leave forever. But most of all I became empty, I could feel nothing except the numbness the internal suffering had brought me.
And that was when I was subjected to choosing a suitor. Someone who did not love me, but power. Vikus said I would recover and learn to love once again, but I knew that idea was preposterous. I was too scarred to trust anyone, too selfish to care, and too pained to feel any form or type of emotion ever again. It needed to end. I could end it. And I tried.
I was in my chambers with a sleek black blade pointed at my chest when a strong hand pulled it away and threw it to the floor. I remember being shocked by his rudeness, he should have asked before he entered. It was not the first time I had met Alexander, he was she General of my army and I had greeted him numerous times at banquets and such. He had appeared to be arrogant and powerful, like me. He was also one of my choosable suitors, though I had no intention on choosing him, nor anyone else for that matter.
He had not forced me to choose him over the others, but we both knew very well that if I did not he would report my failed suicide attempt to The Council. And if I was locked away I would have to endure the emotional pain for the rest of my life. So I became engaged to him.
He first struck me during a heated argument about the current conflict Regalia is in with Cutters. I recall calling his battle strategy weak and him foolish and unintelligent for even imagining any of his plans working. He told me he would not stand to be insulted by a woman. I, of course became infuriated and cursed him and his rude words, I told him he should not speak so to a Queen. Thats when he hit me across my right cheek. I recoiled, mostly from surprise not pain. He told me to respect him more and that I must learn my place. He was trying to help me, he did not want a insane and suicidal woman for a wife, and that I was wrong. I was not wrong, but how could I fight back? My spirt and fire had burnt out long ago, and him blackmailing me did not help.
I would actually kill myself now, but the idea of Alexander ruling alone frightens me. He is tyrannical as it is.
I smeared the skin colored, paint like substance over my face, covering my bruises. I continued the process with my forearms and any other part of my body that was still visible without clothing. No one could find out.
I walked out of my personal bathroom, into my bedroom. Alexander had left long before to train and plan for the War with the Cutters. I had missed the first part of an entire day...again.
"Luxa, dear. Where have you been? You were missed in training today."
I jumped at the sound of his voice. It came from the stone archway, leading the bedroom the the sitting room. I turned and saw him smiling at me sweetly. His blonde hair messy. And his face kind, as if nothing had happened the night before.
"I apologize. I slept late. And I was just...freshening up." I trembled.
His face changed and his eyes scrutinized my bruised face. He was probably looking for the marks he had left the night before.
"Well do hurry dear. The midday meal will be served soon. And we would not want to be late for that as well would we?" Alexander smirked.
I choked back a sob as his smirk brought me back to the traumatizing previous night.
He noticed my distress and rushed to my side. He placed his large hand on my shoulder and turned me to him, so he could see my face.
"Now, now darling. Did it really hurt that bad?" He asked softly.
I could not distinguish whether he was being kind or he found my pain amusing.
"Yes...it did." I pulled away sharply from his touch. My bones ached with soreness.
His eyes became thin with cruelity.
"...And what shall you do about it My Queen?" He questioned me sarcastically.
I had no answer. What could I do about this?
"Why? Why are you doing this to me?" I whispered. I gazed into his dark cruel eyes only to find nothing.
His face became marble, his nostrils wide and his mouth in a straight thin line.
"Because darling...I am afraid that beautiful women must learn their place..."
