Hiraeth

Chapter 17

Samara Shaw

"You were told strictly, do not touch her. How is that instruction so difficult to follow?"

"What did you expect me to do? Leave her so she'll keep screaming at me? She was freaking out, what more do you expect from a normal human? Things like this are new to her and I can't be the one to explain that"

"Regardless, you shouldn't have hit her Lucinda. Take a look at her, face looks all swollen now"

"I'll hit you next if I hear another word from you and yours will be more than just a swollen nose"

"She's been unconscious for hours now and no one has any idea when she'll wake up or if she'll run away when she does"

"I'm not joking Rapunzel_"

"I'm not Rapunzel. Have some respect Lucinda, at least for yourself"

"Silence!"

I'd been conscious for minutes, if not hours. I felt the fresh air hitting my skin and the warmth from the sunlight but chose to stay paralyzed. I didn't feel a thing. My face was numb, I could remember breathing but I didn't feel the hot air fan my lips. My nostrils felt restricted, I couldn't take in deep breaths. Just shallow ones that kept alive. My eyes were sealed shut and I didn't have the will to open them either.

The first few minutes had never been so peaceful. It was deadly silent but this time, made me feel better. Maybe it was because I didn't remember a thing when I first woke up or because that moment felt like the best in my life.

What if I froze orange juice? What if I saw ghosts? What if the people were not normal? What if I felt insane? At least it was better than being locked up in a castle. It was far better than feeling like a prisoner in my own home, if that is what a home felt like. I spent years and years living like everyone expected me to be perfect. I wasn't permitted to make mistakes, not even once and it made me believe it was normal to live that way. I didn't have anyone growing up, not even a friend. All I had was myself and the person I was meant to be closest to, my mother, judged me for every single thing.

There was a specific way to walk, a specific way to talk, a specific way to act, a specific way to look, my whole life was controlled. I felt like a robot, always being told what to do and I didn't have a say on what I wanted. I couldn't dare look my mother in the eyes because I feared something bad would happen and my father, he wasn't even a part of my life. He didn't speak to me, he didn't check up on me and didn't act like I existed. He wouldn't even care if I died. All my life, I only saw my father during parties and that was once in two months. Even when I got the chance to be a few feet away from him, we never spoke. In fact, I only recognized him because I had seen his pictures. That was how bad I didn't get any love.

After all I went through, they didn't appreciate it. Instead, they chose to sell me out like a bar of gold. I was just an investment, nothing more. They kept me in there to polish me till I was grown enough to make money from so yes, a school with weird creatures was better. If I found happiness in insanity then I'd like to stay insane for the rest of my life. It was worth it.

"I've had just enough of both of you and I certainly would not tolerate you hitting anyone else Lucinda. For the sake of Astra"

"I don't care what Astra feels, she spent years roaming around and this is who she chose? A princess?"

"If you're referring to me, I'm not a princess. I'm a Dutchess" Those were the first words I said and after, I opened my eyes. Sitting on my bed was Vince, he was a few feet away from me right at the edge. He wasn't in uniform but in thick leather pants and a top made of the same material. It covered his neck and exposed both his pale arms.