It was always her.
It has always been her.
It didn't matter if she was in the kitchen or doing errands, it didn't matter if she was sewing or if she was sorting through the books after he had one of his tantrums, she has always been there, by his si...
Oh, how stupid I was for believing that he would just let me be when now that he knew and internalized my name, he now had the power to simply have me called, no matter when or where.
Behind his careful put-on, charming façade laid a hunter looking at his prey, bathing in the attention he got with just one snap of his fingers. And I knew that he played a game, to see when I would break under his torment of letting me handle far too many tasks at once. But I endured it, all the while showing no reaction just like he showed no mercy.
I did not know whether he got frustrated by my nonchalant behavior or not. His anger issues did not get better by far, even now I could hear the crash of a vase shattering against a wall. I winced when the image of my body collapsing with the wall, just like the vase did, invaded my mind, frail body shattering just like the fine porcelain. But when being near him, he concealed his emotions, anger and frustration getting replaced by the curiosity of seeing my mind break. Sometimes, his grey eyes glistened with mischief, seemingly thinking about a way to see me react in some kind of way. He looked at me as if I was an interesting toy, one he would play with sometimes and then discard altogether when he grew bored of it.
I felt on edge when I was around him, fearing and respecting him, yet trying to stay nonchalant. Fear was a weapon he could use against me anytime. And there were many things I feared. I feared him knowing more about my encounter with the young Guardians than he led on, I feared him discarding me on the streets because he grew bored of me or just to see me struggle on my own. I feared him using my necklace against me. I feared for my life.
I did not fear much, but Prince Phobos brought out all of it.
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When something crunched underneath my shoe, I sighed lowly, lifting my foot up. There laid a broken piece of the vase that was scattered all around the room. It seemed like I missed a piece. Carefully, I lifted one of the bigger pieces at eye level. The white porcelain glistened dully, black streaks running through it like a pure soul getting touched by something dark, sinister.
I placed the pieces into a bucket and made my way to the kitchens to discard them. Nia was washing the dishes, her blonde hair getting ever so often in the way. With puffy checks, she turns towards me before releasing the air with a loud huff.
"This is the fourth vase he smashed this week," she complained "Soon there will not be any left. And whose fault will it be? Ours!" Another maid hushed her fearfully, leading to Nia snapping at her.
"What?! Thinking he has got any powers over us in the kitchens when he will never even go near it?? Nuh-uh, I do not think so!"
I chuckled at her behavior, clasping her shoulder. Then, I gently took the plate she was holding into my hands to dry it with a towel. But before I could start, I heard a voice behind me.
