Chapter Three – Marred

Serena organized her small amount of belongings in her new room that Mrs. Blair assigned her to. The room was quite small and narrow, but she found it quaint and appeasing. It even had a small window, allowing the late morning breeze to come in. The room was especially delightful after having no privacy in her previous living quarters; she always found one of the butler's eyes upon her. A miniature version of the Mistress' room, the top half of the wall was adorned in light blue floral wallpaper and the bottom half contained painted white wainscoting. A small bed took up most of the space. White linens lay atop the small mattress, along with two, plush, down pillows. The blonde plopped herself on the bed, she inhaled the sweet smell of lavender that now surrounded her. The linen had been freshly sprayed with lavender water, she sneezed as she was unaccustomed to the fragrance, but she found it comforting.

As she sat there for a moment she thought she heard a whimper, but thought it was only the wind. She closed the small window, but could swear she still heard something. She stood up, walking out the doorway of her room that was adjoined with the Mistress' room. Making her way into the hallway the squeals seemed even clearer, almost of pain but they could be mistaken for pleasure. Serena stopped abruptly thinking that maybe the mistress and her husband were having their time of intimacy. But she remembered the day prior, the petite brunette's body peppered in purple-bluish spots. She continued, following the uneasy voice down the hall. She reached the door of Aristocrat Bass, the door slightly ajar. The maid peered through the slit in the door, Blair seemed to be bent over something, maybe the bed. Serena could only see the young woman's pain stricken face. It was evident that her husband was inflicting pain unto Blair's small body. Abruptly a hand lashed at the young woman's face along with a startling confounding yell filled with profanity was directed toward Blair. Serena winced as she observed the loathsome situation. Suddenly the brunettes chocolate eyes, filled with tears, looked into Serena's navy blue eyes for a moment, and fear swept through her. Her eyes darted away as fast as her feet moved back down the hall and towards her new room. She thought she might as well start packing her belongings as she no longer thought Mrs. Blair would see her fit to be her maid, let alone her lady's maid. She sat there, on the bed, wishing she had never followed the noise.

After quite awhile she heard footsteps coming down the hall, she stood from her unchanged sitting position, straightening the skirt of her dress with both of her hands. The footsteps were heavier than that of the mistress. He stood in front of her. She could now only see an evil man that of which abuses his wife. Serena's breath quickened at his sight, wondering if he had too saw her watching. She wondered if she too were in for a beating.

He spoke, rather quietly, "Mrs. Waldorf-Bass is calling for you… she is waiting in my room."

Serena face was blank in confusion. She said nothing.

"Don't just stand there, bustle along!" He said in an agitated tone, but still hushed.

The maid's pace was quick, until she reached the doorway where her and her mistress made eye contact a while before. Lightly she knocked on the door, her head looking at her feet.

Blair's voice was lowered and smaller than Serena had heard it before, she spoke, "Come in, Serena."

Serena now looked at the woman, it was worse than she thought, and unsure of what to say or do. Blair was slouched on the tremendous mahogany four-post bed.

"I need to be dressed, go along now and get my things." Blair said monotone.

Serena hurriedly grabbed luxurious garments out of the armoire and was back to Blair in less than a minute.

"Are you able to stand?" Serena asked with a worried look on her face.

The brunette just nodded her head as she sat up from her laying position on the bed.

Serena hands guided the smaller woman to her feet, "Here just rest yourself on me if you feel unsteady."

Blair did so as her body was extremely sore from being battered. Serena felt a wave of electricity impinge inside her body. She brushed the feeling aside at the sight of the damage done to Blair's body.

Her body red with new welts, imprinted from her husband's destructive hands. Old bruises were still there, now harder to heal, as new bruises were forming. Serena's caring hands unknowingly graze lightly over the brunette's marred flesh. The brunette shivered at the sensation.

As Serena dressed Blair, nothing was said. Serena was unsure of if she was supposed to say anything. Although Blair lost herself the silence and the safety she felt whilst leaning on her maid. It was the first time in a long time she had felt this way.

...

Later that night Blair pull Serena aside to tell her why she moved her into the small room off of her own.

"I suffer from extremely horrid night terrors," she told the blonde. "If I ring the bell in the middle of the night I will need you to get me my medicine that the doctor prescribed me."

Serena nodded her head, "My pleasure Mrs."

Blair showed her where the prescribed medication was on her vanity, "The doctor said three to four drops would be satisfactory, it is supposed to aide me back to sleep."

Serena made a mental note of this, although she thought it might be hard to remember all of the details, when she was newly awoken and groggy. Blair continued on about other chores that must be done for the day. But Serena's mind continued to wander. She now thought of the previous events of the morning, when she saw her mistress' face stricken with pain. She thought that she would do anything now to protect this woman from her bastard of a husband; she just had to find a way.

A/N: Finally! I am still planning on going through with these stories,
school is just always in the way! Summer break is coming so hopefully I will be able to write more.

Let me know what you guys think, I really appreciate feedback/reviews!

Thanks for reading!
-hautecouture09