Chapter Four
A Noble Daughter

It had been about two weeks if I am calculating the time right. But two weeks is two weeks and in those weeks I have learned a great deal. Well about where I am at least and whom these people think I am.

Looking out over the gardens of the More family estate, which are bare and covered in snow, I can't help but still feel lost even with the knowledge I've gained.

Apparently the woman who had revived me using smelling salts is my personal servant, by the name of Isabel.

This however was not a happy household. Ever since the night I fainted Isabel said there had been sightings of a ghost, a woman. That only brought more questions. I had yet to see this ghost but I had a feeling everything somehow tied together.

The three men that were there that night I guess I also know, at least according to Isabel. The man who had spoken to me so bluntly is my 'father.'

"Father my ass," I mumbled into the wind at my window. "The man is a sexist and no doubt a bigot as well."

But in this time it was the way of things. Men were men and women were only here to serve the man and birth him sons.

Just as I had guessed the first moment I saw my 'father,' he was not a kind man. In fact he had tried to beat me a few times but quickly learned I wouldn't take it when I broke his nose in three different places. He hadn't tried it again, but I was sure he took out his rage on the servants.

The two other men were guests who had come to ask for my hand in marriage. Of course they didn't come to ask me personally just my 'father,' Lord James More. I had seen them both only that first night and then briefly the next day before they left.

They haven't come back since. No doubt my outburst was not something they wanted their wives to do. Good, at least that meant I wouldn't have to do anything else to ward them off.

Luckily the 'amnesia' that these people think I'm suffering from gives me an excuse to not see anyone. All guests are turned away saying, "The Lady is not well and is not seeing callers."

Which is perfectly fine by me. I'm in no mood to see anyone. I have locked myself in my room and refused to greet even James who has been growing increasingly mad at my lack of both respect and memory.

Isabel is the only person I ever see. She brings me my food, bath water, clothes, etc. Despite my first impression of the younger woman having spent the last two weeks around her I have grown to care for her. She is just barely fourteen but deals with life in a manner that any woman would be proud to say they have done the same.

I hate it here and I know what anyone would think hearing this story. Why haven't I left or at least tried to leave. Well, the truth is I have on a number of occasions. But it quickly, and painfully, became apparent that whatever had brought me here also took my mutant abilities.

My first attempt to leave was to simply walk out the door. That was quickly met with James' guards dragging back to my room. It was then that I truly realized that I had lost my powers. Which is also why my heart had sank to my feet. It knew what had happened even before I did.

James has since told everyone in the household not to let me leave because I was ill. The fact that I can't keep my mouth shut, or recall anything about this place doesn't help my case. Of course that didn't stop me from trying both to escape and to bring back my gifts.

My next attempt was to fly out the very window I'm standing at now. The only thing to save me from breaking my neck was my remembrance of martial arts training. I managed to only sprain an ankle and get several minor scrapes and bruises.

My duplication, strength, flight, heightened hearing and sight, agility, and even the ELET tattoo on my shoulder are gone. All of it is gone but my memories and the training for those first sixteen years of my life is still there. I can still do every martial arts move, can still track, and assess as if nothing has changed. But something has.

The next few attempts to escape were more primitive and only resulted in my capture. I had tried to even convince everyone that I did remember this, remembered them. But I couldn't possible learn a lifetime's worth of memories in only a few days. Therefore the trick had no chance of working.

Now there are four guards outside my door. Four because they needed that many to handle me when I got caught. I had already broken several bones of previous guards. I smiled at that thought. Usually they needed more but James sees no reason that four grown men can't handle one woman. Which actually works to my advantage.

I turn my head at the soft but firm knock at my door. I know it would have to be Isabel, but it was rather early for her to be up and about. The sun isn't even beginning to show its light and wouldn't for a few more hours.

"Yes, Isabel, come in," I said turning my gaze back out to the crystal sheen of snow.

As soon as I heard the footsteps inside my room I knew something was wrong for it wasn't Isabel who entered. I swung back around to be faced with James' servant, Ruth. A woman who was usually rich with color was now paler than the setting moon outside. Blood was evident in black streaks along her face.

"My lady," she sobbed, and came running to me.

I openly hugged her, she too was young just a couple of years older than Isabel. I myself, at the age of twenty-four, acted more as a mother than a boss to the two young women. My heart ached sharply as I saw and heard Ruth's pain.

"What is it Ruth?" I asked my voice not hiding my sudden dread. "Please, what has he done to you?"

"It's not my blood, my lady."

My heart stopped in that moment.

"No," I breathed looking down at Ruth who nodded.

"He dragged her . . . to his chamber, my lady," she cried into my chest. "He's drunk . . . beating her . . . taking her . . . he's killing her."

Taking her, in other words he was raping her and with the beating it was bad enough to threaten Isabel's life. My anger flushed my cheeks and even in the dark room I'm sure Ruth saw that as she looked at me with fear and hope in her eyes. I was the only one to stand up to James and Ruth knew that.

"Quickly, Ruth," I ordered in a hushed tone. "Faint."

"Faint?"

She looked completely confused. I put my hands gently on her shoulders and looked her square in the eyes.

"Yes, Ruth, faint, or at least act as if you have."

Maybe it was the adrenaline of fear or the promise of hope that I had a plan but in either case Ruth's eyes suddenly shown with understanding. When she nodded I stepped back to allow her to lie down but instead she simply fell. Under different circumstances I would have laughed, but not now. Her body made a dull thud as it landed and I turned to run to my bedroom's door.

"Quickly!" I called to the guards as I flung open the door. "Ruth has fainted. I need your assistance. Quickly men quickly!"

They came into the room behind me as I rushed over to Ruth's body feigning worry for her. Which wasn't hard to achieve considering my body was riddle with the emotion for Isabel.

Two of the guards knelt down beside Ruth as the other two stood behind me.

"Don't just stand there you fool!" I barked to the two still standing. "Get some water and smelling salts."

They looked at each other briefly and then one turned to leave. I waited only until I couldn't hear his steps in the hall. I knew I'd have to make this quick otherwise I wouldn't make it. Even one less guard was a blessing. With lightning quick speed, that had been learned rather than mutated, I dropped to one knee and kicked out the feet of the guard who was still standing.

As he fell I stood grabbing the hilt of his sword pulling it from its sheath. The two other guards had stood and were advancing, but one tripped as Ruth reached out and grabbed his ankle.

The second guard drew up his own sword, as did I as they clashed together. With the advantage of mastering several fighting forms I twisted my sword around his pointing the tip to his hilt. A swift smooth jerk and his sword flew from his hands and caught it in mine. Flipping back from a standing position I kicked him in the chin sending him back before landing on my feet again.

Ruth was still struggling with the other guard as I turned to leave the room.

"Forgive me, Ruth," I whispered as I pulled the door shut behind me and jammed one of the swords into it to keep it shut.

I could only hope she would not be injured with the men.

James' room was in the other wing of the house but my feet carried me quickly to his door. Softly I opened the door to find him with Isabel bent back over the side of his bed. She was naked with her legs pressed forcibly apart by James' hands. The sight of his hips thrusting mercilessly into Isabel made my stomach turn. Whenever Isabel made a sound or even moved he reared back and punched her.

I'm not sure what made me do what I did next. I don't normally lose it like that but I just couldn't take it. The short time I had been there I had seen the aftermath of his beatings. The anger that surged through his fist blow after blow. I had stopped him before but even I couldn't stop it every time. If he were allowed to live the beatings would continue.

With feather silent steps I crept up behind him. His groans with every press of himself into Isabel made the bile in my stomach move upwards. The sword raised high over my shoulder and with a swoosh of split air it came down hard and fast against his neck. James' body fell in a heap beside the bed as his head rolled off the foot of the bed.

Suddenly the room was just as silent as the night outside. The only sound I could hear was the beating of my own heart as it thundered like an iron fist against my chest. Then slowly I heard the beginnings of tears, my tears.

With a loud clatter I dropped the sword to the floor at my feet and rushed to Isabel's side. Her face was barely recognizable anymore as it was covered with crimson. Cuts and gashes marred her once beautiful features. The bone of her nose was jutting out as the lower half hung completely shattered. Bruises the size of apples were already appearing in red, black and blue welts. Deep fingernail scratches left stripes along her exposed breasts.

I didn't dare look towards her lower half. I had seen that already. It looked muddy with blood that still flowed from inside of her. The bastard had torn her apart inside, literally.

"Isabel," I cried softly brushing her blood stained hair from her eyes. "Please, Isabel, answer me."

But there was no answer and even though I continued to cry and shake her body I already knew there was no hope left. He had finally done what I always thought he would. He had killed her. I began to sob unhindered as I hugged her sticky body to me and rocked her slowly.

"I'm so sorry, Isabel, I'm so sorry."

In the midst of my crying I couldn't hear the approaching footsteps of men.