Duchess Of Sebria ✔️

The Lead

5

It took her two days to cross the borders of Sebria.

Throughout her journey, she hoped to see her father for the last time but people had buried him by the time she made it there. Her tears were unstoppable, her heart was lacerated by the cruelty of people. One of their neighbours handed her the key to their house. Courage betrayed her when she stood before the house that she was forced to leave eight years ago. A tsunami of flashbacks hit her in a split second.

She inhaled deeply and strode closer after a whole minute. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and shut her eyes to draw in the air of the house. Her ears prickled on the voices that barged inside her head. Her screams, pleading, whimpers spewed by his dreading voice. His kicks, whips and twisting of her arm. She could see and hear it all.

Renai parted her eyelids and roamed her eyes to every corner of the place. Nothing had changed enough. She ambled and brushed her fingers on the old furniture. Her father's slaps, threats, curses words echoed in her mind. Her eyes fell on the sofa that used to be Aldrich's favourite spot to take. He loved sitting there and have his tea while reading the newspaper. Her steps halted the moment she reached the poky kitchen where she had seen a spirit in the shape of her mother preparing one of her herbal remedies. Tears brimmed and eventually streamed down. She pressed a hand against her mouth and ran outside.

She ran and ran until she reached the place that she missed the most. Her secret spot. The place from where her doomsday had begun. She kneeled before the sun which was her only best friend and cried her heart out until there were no more tears left in her system. Once the burden upheaved from her heart, instinctively she surveyed the spot with a soothing smile. Really, nothing had changed much.

A broken smile crept on her lips as she rested against the tree and closed her eyes to seek peace that her body awfully craved.

Renai had no idea what would she do now and how long it would be safe to stay here. She dismissed the thought and let her mind have some rest.

Meanwhile, her body was totally oblivious to the fact that someone was eyeing every gesture of hers.

***

Zebian

It was cockcrow when he woke up. After fixedly blinking thrice at the intricate ceiling, he leapt out of the bed and left to the private dungeon that he constructed for personal use. The guards outside his chamber stomped their feet out of respect as he trudged in his boxers and a full-length robe cloaking his muscular body.

The doors of the dungeon slid apart and the second guards took note of His Majesty's arrival. He climbed down to the basement and crossed the passage that was lit with sconces on the wall. The main door at the end of the passage opened and there stood his right-hand commander inside the room. The commander deeply bowed and clasped his arms across his stomach.

Zebian spared him a stare while taking off his robe and silently laid on the bed that was situated in the middle of the room. "Begin," He sternly commanded and buried his face in the mattress. The commander nodded his head once, picked the whip and went back to stand at a marked spot. He hoisted his hand and flogged his back with full might, causing red blemishes to appear above his previous scars.

Zebian's eyes tightly clenched and he suppressed a groan in his throat. The commander again raised his hand and flogged, this time with dual force. The scorching sensation inside Zebian's heart hadn't outrun the burning sensation sewing over his back yet. He was flogged again, still stubborn to feel the pain. After having five more flogs, he finally let out a beasty groan. His nails dug into the stony mattress.