Healing her heart

6

TW: Violence and mention of blood

I woke up with a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, instant worry fills me. The last time I felt like this was the day Ella's mother passed away, I just hope nothing like that happens today. Ben is out travelling, I don't have news from him and I don't think Ella has too. Sitting up I take some deep breaths before Imelda knocks on the door and opens it to help me get ready for the day.

Entering she instantly notices that I'm not well "Y/n, what's wrong?" she says approaching me and sitting down next to me on the bed, I nervously look to her "That strange feeling in my stomach is back." her eyes widen, she knows what I'm talking about "You think it's going to happen again?" shrugging I answer her "I don't know." she then embraces me and I rest my head on her shoulder "Everything is going to be alright, don't stress about it. Let's get you ready for the day, shall we?" I nod and get up from the bed.

After getting ready and eating breakfast the familiar sound of the clock hitting 7 am echoes through the house. Closing my eyes and ignoring the anxiety I'm feeling at both, the strange feeling in my stomach and the arrival of Mrs Allard, I stand up straightening the skirt of my dress and walk to the front door to greet the stiff woman that had knocked on it moments after the clock anouced the hour.

Standing in the same place as always, I change my posture and stay silent while she enters the house. As always she looks me up and down analyzing every inch of my body for a flaw, she hums and walks closer to me, Imelda already gone to do her chores, "Good morning, Ms y/l/n" I let out a sigh of relief under my breath "Good morning, Mrs Allard" she nods and starts walking to our usual room, me walking right behind her.

Today the class was more posture and how to talk and pronunciate some words. Currently I was walking with six books on my head, I was going very well today and Mrs Allard wasn't liking it, she needed to hit and scream at me, it was eating her from inside, I could see her getting frustrated. Once I walked past her I felt her foot in front of mine making me fall with a loud thud and, consequently, the books that once were balanced on top of my head flied and landed right in front of me.

Landing on my stomach, I felt the wind being knocked out of my lungs, even if I tried to reduce the impact with my hands "Get up, y/n! You're such a mess, you can't even walk straight!" I let out a groan while trying to bring air back into my lungs "Get up!" she screams. Struggling to breathe I try to get up, slowly, which makes Mrs Allard even more frustrated and angry "A lady doesn't make such scene when falls- A lady doesn't even fall!" she screams making me flinch "Your hands, now!" I look at her terrified, my hands aren't totally healed "But-" she cuts me off "Now!" she says, harshly grabbing my wrist and positioning my hand "Please." I plead, tears threatening to fall from my eyes "A lady doesn't cry and certainly doesn't plead!" she hits my hand, right on a wound, making me let out a small scream, she seems surprised by my reaction and I could see a glint on her eyes, an evil one. She hits my hand ten more times and repeats the treatment on the other, every time her small cane makes contact with my damaged skin I let out a scream. When she finishes the punishment it's time for her to leave, gathering her things she walks out without looking at me again.

I'm left there alone in the room, falling on my knees I start sobbing violently, I couldn't see my hands, only red warm liquid and it was falling onto my dress. I feel someone grabbing my wrists, I jump and look up, with my vision all foggy I try to figure out who it is "Shh, I'm here sweetheart." it's Imelda "I-Is she gone?" I ask between sobs "Yes, she is. I'm so sorry, y/n." she embraces me tightly.

Once I calmed down she leads me to the kitchen and takes care of my hands "Thank you." I say quietly, she looks at me with glossy eyes "I'm so so sorry. You know I can't do anything about it and I feel terrible for that." I caress her cheek with the back of my hand "It's alright, maman" she smiles and gives a soft kiss on each of my hands, just like she used to do when I was young "Let's change your dress, yes?" I nod and walk up to my room.

I stay home the rest of the day not wanting to talk with anyone, specially Ella and Lady Tremaine. I help Imelda in what I can, she keeps saying for me to rest and take it easy with my hands, but I just want a distraction for everything and everyone. The feeling in my stomach didn't disappear, but I ignored it and focused on what I was doing.

"Y/n, thank you for helping me, but now I want you to relax. Go for a walk or something." Imelda says "You want to get rid of me. How cruel!" I say fake offended, Imelda hits my arm playfully and giggles "Don't be silly, I care about you and want you to rest!" I roll my eyes playfully and give her a smile "Alright, alright. I'm going to the stables and stay a little with h/n." she nods and I head to the stables.

I do what I could do with my hands in this state, I change h/n water, give them more food and obviously I pet them, a lot. I was currently sitting on the ground petting h/n while they were laying behind me when Ella comes running inside startling the both of us "Ella?" she looks at me, tears streaming down her cheeks "What happened? What's wrong?" I ask standing up and approaching her "It's father... He- he got ill on the road and-" I look at her hopping that she wouldn't say what I was thinking "And he passed away, y/n..." my heart aches and tears start to form in my eyes "I'm so sorry, Ella." I say giving her a very tight hug, she grabs onto me for dear life and starts sobbing, I let my tears fall down my cheeks while Ella's face is buried on the crook of my neck.

After she calmed down I pull slightly away "Is there anything I can do for you?" she shakes her head "No... I just- don't know what we're going to do... Everything is falling apart." I cup her cheeks with both of my hands and look straight into her eyes "Everything will be alright, I'm here for you, always." she nods, I clean her tears with my thumbs and kiss her forehead "I should go." she says in a low tone "Do you want me to accompany you?" she gives me a soft smile "It's alright." I nod and she walks away.

I should have known that this weird feeling was nothing good, specially when it has happened years ago, I close my eyes and that's when I think about her. Is she alright? She just received the news that her husband has passed away, should I go check on her? No. I can't, Ella would see me. The fountain, I need to go there. I grab the skirt of my dress and pull it up so I won't step on it while running to the hidden place.

Once I'm almost there I slow down and try to catch my breath, I hear someone crying and I assume it is the woman who's always on my mind. Carefully and slowly I walk in the direction of the source of the crying sound and there she is, sitting on a rock facing the fountain with her back to me, crying. Approaching her I rest a hand on her shoulder, she jumps and looks at me over her shoulder, her eyes widen and like nothing has happened she wipes her tears and stands up "What are you doing here?" she asks coldly, I look at her knowing what she was trying to do "Ella just told me..." she looks away trying to contain her tears "It's alright, you just lost your husband. There's no big of a deal to cry or show emotions." I say softly, she frowns "Crying is for weak people and showing emotions if for fools." she states harshly taking me by surprise "I must say that your statement is very wrong, Madame." she lifts her eyebrows "What do you know? You're just a silly girl! You know nothing!" those words felt like a dagger on my heart and my face must have shown that, because as she said those words I could see regret on her eyes, but she stayed silent "Yes, maybe... I am a silly girl for believing that someone cares about me the way I care about them..." I say turning around and starting to walk away, but she stopped me "Wait! I'm sorry... I just- You don't understand!" I turn around and I could see tears threatening to fall from her eyes "I may not understand, I may not know what you've been through, but I know that I care for you and I want to help you... If you let me." she closes her eyes and turns around hugging herself, I hear her softly sobbing and walk closer to her hugging her from behind, she tenses with the affectionate interaction "I'm here, it's alright." she relaxes and then reaches for my hands "Your hands..." she says turning around "Not the important thing right now." I say and wipe a tear that runs down her cheek, she closes her eyes inhaling deeply and then leans her head onto my chest letting out the sadness she's feeling right now while I hold her.

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Hello!
Well... Ella's father is out of the way sooooo y/n can make her move ;)
I hope you're enjoying the story, give me some feedback, I really like to read all your comments :)

Kisses
-S