Just the Maid

Chapter 36- Intervention

CRACK! I almost screamed in pain...
CRACK! It was digging in deeper each time.

When I arrived back at the cottage, I was immediately swarmed by guards and taken into the basement, where they do all of their punishments. Mine was severe: whipped to death. I wasn't going to let that happen, of course! But, I was outnumbered by the guards outside of the room and there was no way out of these chains. They were made by the one metal I can't break: titanium. I couldn't reach my mouth to the chains anyway. I was held aloft, spread eagle with my arms, my legs chained straight down. Gotoh brandished a bloody cat-of-nine tails.

"This is the punishment you receive when you run away from the house of Zoldyck!" he yelled. CRACK! "You should have never returned. You must've known something would happen to you." CRACK! "You should be thankful that you ran away with Master Killua and not by yourself, or else you would have suffered something MUCH worse..."

I waited for another 'crack', but it never came.

"M-Master Silva!" Gotoh was saying. My eyes were shut tight from the pain, but there was no need to open them.

"That is enough, Gotoh. She has been punished enough," Silva said. "Release her."

I heard no response, but I was dropped from my chains, almost immediately. I collapsed to the floor, unable to hold myself up. I couldn't even think clearly, the pain was so intense. I blacked out once more.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I woke up on my stomach, warm towels laid on my back. It felt so nice, laying here. So warm...

"Katara? Are you awake?" My eyes popped open to see Katrina laying underneath me, a pillow under her head. I smiled.

"Yeah, I'm awake. What happened to me?"

She got up from her makeshift bed and I felt her start to peel off the towels.

"Well, I don't know much. I don't know anything, actually. All that I know is that Gotoh summoned me here, and when I arrived, you were laying on this bed, face down. You can sit up now."

She peeled off the last towel and I sat up slowly.

"Owww... That kinda hurts..." I went to scratch my back, but she stopped me.

"You might not want to do that. I haven't exactly unlocked my strongest healing magic, so there was only so much I could heal..." She looked at me, pain in her eyes. "You're going to have scars..." My eyes widened a little bit. Then I smiled a big smile towards her.

"Don't worry, I'll tell anyone who asks that they're war wounds, haha!" She smiled back a little, then hugged me. Pain seared my back, even though she wasn't touching it. I hugged her back though.

"I missed you-"

"GET OUT YOU PERVERTS!" She screamed behind me. I couldn't turn around to see who was there, but I finally realized that I wasn't wearing a top. My face burned.

"Excuse us, but Master Silva requests Ms. Katara's presence. We will wait outside," stated the voice. A moment later, Katrina released me.

"I guess we should get you dressed then, hunh?" she said, smiling. I nodded and slowly slid off of the table. She took a set of red clothes from the table behind her and started helping me dress.

As she was helping me with my shirt, I said, "Looks like you are the strong one after all."

She looked up at me and smiled. "Only because you look after me so well."

I finished dressing and we greeted the bodyguards. Katrina and I said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.

They took me down a long hallway to Silva's room. I knocked. A voice said 'enter', and I obliged.

Silva was laying on his bed-couch, facing the ceiling with his hands behind his head.

"You asked to see me, Master Silva?" I questioned.

He sat up, and turned so he was facing me. He set his hands on his knees and rested his face on his hands.

"Yes, please sit down." He gestured toward the open area next to him. I sat, folding my hands politely on my lap.

"Listen... I wish for you to continue your watch over Killua. It seemed that my hunch was correct before, so I know that he will not stay for long. I've decided to let him go."

My mouth opened slightly, but I shut it immediately.

"Why is that, sir?" I asked, curious.

"Because I want him to leave freely. Not like last time, where he ran away. This way, maybe there's a chance he won't hate us for his entire life." He chuckled.

I managed a sort of half-nervous smile in return.

"To be honest, sir, I believe that this is one of the best gifts you could ever give him. Would you like my advice?"

"Yes... You know him better than I do."

"Speak to him. Before you let him leave. Give him a good father-son talk. Then, you two will really have a good bond, and Killua may be more willing to come back in the future."

He was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

"Very well. But I should wait until Milluki gets his fill. I've heard that a boy named Gon and a couple of others have come for him."

I flinched. I masked it by itching my thigh.

"Go then. You can bring him his dinner." He waved me away.

I stood to leave.

"One more thing," he said. I turned.

"We never had this talk."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I walked with Katrina into the kitchen. There, I made a beef soup mixed with vegetables and Katrina prepared the tray. I carried the tray to where Katrina heard Killua was being kept.

It was dark, musty, and damp. A huge, wooden door stood in front of me. I looked on both sides of me, making sure no one was coming, and I made my way inside.

I could describe the cell the same as the hallway. But seeing what state he was in almost made me drop my tray.

His once pure white hair had turned gray from the dirt and grime and dried blood. He had marks and bruises all over his body, scorching his pale body in red. He was held in the same manner as I was when I was punished, only in normal chains this time.

The door shut behind me, a little too loudly. He lifted his head slowly and our eyes met. I set the tray onto the floor without breaking eye contact. I ran the short distance between us and threw my arms around him, tears streaming down my face.