Red as Blood

3.

She opened the door, trying to not let the numb air into their house. Elena stamped her feet, shedding off the excess snow as a desperate cry ripped through the house. She ran dropping the basket and headed towards the bedroom. Greta was screaming, the furs covered her and a smell hung in the air, its disgusting scent penetrating the material. She carefully picked Greta up, her nappy heavy and her body constricting as she pushed her little lungs into fits. Elena sighed, her black knight nowhere in sight before getting down to feeding and changing Greta, nursing her like any mother could. She sang sweet lullabies, rocking her peacefully in her arms until the little one had calmed down enough for Elena to cook.

The darkness had fallen, small lights shined through the windows as Elena frantically searched through their one window for her husband. Jillian had been right, she knew he was at the tavern but she knew he had to come home. She rocked Greta, hoping she would fall asleep soon and praying she would sleep through the night. Her silence turned to gurgling as Elena glanced down, her baby involuntarily clapping, her smile growing each time she successfully was able to make a sound. Elena laughed, then Greta laughed, a little hic up at the end, Elena nuzzled her little nose.

"What did I do to deserve a precious little thing like you? You are my one and only. I give all my love to you, I swear." She held her close, listening to her rapid little heart beat as she absently checked out the window waiting for him to appear. He didn't, she sighed and retreated to the bedroom, knowing he would eventually find his way home.

The sky was dark when the front door slammed. Elena sat up in bed, jolted by the sound, she checked on Greta and headed out. His head leaned against the door as he sloppily stamped his feet. Elena reset the fire, waiting for it to burst to life. He flopped down into the chair and rolled his head towards her.

"I'm hungry." He called out loudly.

"Be quiet, the baby's sleeping." She spoke softly.

He glared at her as she walked towards the kitchen, grabbing the stew pot and setting it back over the open flames.

"Where were you today?" He asked, anger lacing his words.

"I went to see Jillian. The snow has been getting worse." Elena replied, not looking at him but she could feel his eyes, narrowing against her back. "You left Greta alone today, again."

He scoffed. "She's alive ain't she."

"She was screaming when I got back." Elena continued.

"Not my problem." He huffed.

She could feel him shuffling in the chair as he stood up and walked towards her, his footsteps pounding against their wooden floor. His large hands groped her, rubbing the dirt and blisters against her thin shoulders. His putrid breath smelling of ale as his head almost flopped onto her shoulder.

"Move your hair." He muffled into her locks.

Elena reluctantly moved it to the side before his large, clumsy mouth found her neck, she tried to not feel the saliva as it drippled down her back and his hands roamed around her waist.

"Your foods ready." She said, trying to move out of his grasp.

He held tighter. "I'm not finished." He said slowly, forcibly.

Elena stiffened under him as his hands continued their roaming up her chest, his lips locked to the same part of her neck. She stared across to the corner of the wall, watching a lonely spiders web sway in the air winding through the house. She imagined herself a spider, with eight legs spreading out towards a new destination, an ability to move unnoticed by others. Elena pictured herself looking down on the scene, she was currently trapped in. The girl like a board as the guy took advantage of her, purely because she wasn't fighting back. Why wasn't she fighting?

"That's enough." Elena called with a burst of confidence, throwing his arms off of her.

"What?" He nearly yelled. "What did you just say to me?" His gaze grew hard, those blue eyes piercing through her tough exterior, searching for the frightened child beneath.

She swallowed, hard. Trying to bury any shred of uncertainty far within her, hoping he wouldn't find it.

"I said, that's enough." Elena said confidently, holding out a hand.

He advanced towards her, his steps slow and his breathing raggard. The words, she knew, had no effect on him, they only seemed to rile him up further.

"How dare you." He spat.

He slapped her hard across the face, Elena remained standing and stared back up at him.

"I am the man of this house and what I say goes."

He slapped her again, harder. This sent her to the floor, her face inches from the flames, her arm catching the edge of a burning piece of coal. She could feel the heat singe into her skin. She looked back up at him, terrified as he climbed on top of her.

"I tell you when to stop." He screamed, pulling at her clothes, his drunken mouth searching every inch of her, claiming her as his. Even if she resisted.