The sunlight peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow on Maria's still form sprawled on the floor. Her once lively lips were now a deep shade of blue, and bruises marred her delicate hands and neck in the bright light. All clear signs of her struggles from the night before. The room was silent save for the whooshing of the breeze coming in from the half open window.
The peaceful hush of the room was abruptly shattered by a tentative knock on the door. "Miss Mariana?" The voice echoed through the wooden panels, tinged with concern. When no response came, the knocker persisted, rapping their hand against the barrier once more. "Lady Maria? Are you awake?"
There was still no reply.
"Forgive me, ma'am, but breakfast will be served soon. I must help you get ready," pleaded the maid, her voice muffled by the door. With a gentle push, she cautiously opened the door, only to come to a halt as her eyes fell upon Maria's lifeless figure sprawled on the floor at the foot of her bed. A moment of shock and horror froze her in place before she could muster any words or actions.
"Lady Maria, Mariana!" she cried out desperately as she fell to her knees beside her. Her hands trembled with fear as she grasped at the lifeless body of the beloved young woman. She only knew her for a day but that was enough time for anyone to have a special place for the kind woman. "Wake up, please wake up," she begged, shaking her frantically. But there was no response, only a cold stillness that sent shivers down her spine. "Someone, anyone, help us!" she screamed, pounding on Maria's chest in a desperate attempt to revive her. The sound of her own voice echoed back at her, mocking and haunting, as she realized that Maria was gone.
Isabella Navarro, Maria's grandmother, burst into the room upon hearing the bloodcurdling screams of her maid. Her eyes widened in horror as she took in the scene before her - her beloved granddaughter, bruised and battered, lying on the floor, seemingly dead. A surge of anger and grief consumed her as she realized what had happened to Maria the night before - she had been brutally raped and assaulted. Fighting back tears, Isabella knew she had to put on a brave front and act as if she didn't already know that Maria was not actually dead as if she had not planned it all herself, for the sake of justice and protecting her granddaughter's well-being. So she kneeled by her body as tears ran down her own face. "NO!" she cried out as she held her granddaughter's lifeless body in her arms.
Tears blurred her vision as she ran her fingers over the bruised handprint on her neck. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, noticing matching bruises on her wrists. Her anger boiled inside of her, but she tried to remain composed. She turned to the maid and ordered her to keep the door closed and not let anyone enter. This was exactly what she was hoping to avoid, this was what she did not want happening to her beloved child.
She knew that the effects of the potion she gave Maria could be wearing off soon so she had to hurry. With shaking hands she lifted Maria's skirt. As she lifted Maria's skirt, she gasped at the sight of torn and bloodied undergarments. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized how much pain Maria must have been in.
"Call out for a funeral! Tell them the lord of this house, the general of this town has killed his bride to be. Tell them he killed my granddaughter before he even could call her his wife. Tell them I will take my revenge." she seethed through clenched teeth, her voice trembling with rage and sorrow. The maid stood frozen, unsure if she should speak or flee from the older woman's wrath.
Seeing the maid standing still with tearful eyes widened, she screamed "Go!" which set her in motion and she hurried out the door.
Isabella held Maria closer to her, "you will be okay child. I'll keep you safe. I'll take you away from him."
She quickly looked around her and took the empty vial and hid it in her pocket, then she felt for Maria's breathing and when she felt a little bit of breathing quickly took out another vial and dropped a few more drops into her mouth.
"I'm sorry my child." she whispered in Maria's ear.
The door flies open and two soldiers barge in, followed by Isabella's personal trusted maid and a physician. Isabella's eyes narrow as she glares at them, her voice dripping with venom as she warns, "Lay a finger on her and I will sever your hand." Her fists clench so tightly that her nails dig into her palms, drawing blood as her body trembles with rage.
"Ma'am please step aside, the physician must confirm her death." one of the soldiers said with a calm voice.
With a sense of satisfaction, Isabella Navarro watched as the physician approached her grandchild, fully convinced by their clever ruse. She stood back, knowing that the doctor would confirm what she already knew - that Mariana Navarro was dead. As the physician checked her granddaughter's vitals, Isabella's heart pounded with anticipation and anxiety. It only took a few minutes for the doctor to declare the young girl deceased, and Isabella couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness mixed with relief.
"I want her to be buried on the island where she was born," Isabella declared firmly. "It's where I grew up and it's where she belongs. And as her only surviving family member, it is my responsibility to take her there."
Her voice trembled slightly, but her resolve remained strong. She would do whatever it takes to take Maria as far away from her as possible.
Hi Hi!
Sorry for the delay in posting the next chapter! I've been going through a storm of good and not so good things that life has been as is still throwing at me! I hope you liked this short chapter! I will do my best to write more as soon as I can.
Love,
P :)
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Tides of Revenge (A pirates of the Caribbean/ Jack Sparrow Story)
Fanfiction"You left me. left me to die. So I teamed up with the devil to take my revenge." She screamed, tears running down her flushed face. "I saw your dead body! Your lifeless body! Do you have any idea what that does to a man?" He screamed back. *** Set...