The Bone Cutter

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

We returned to the house in silence. Inanis's mother gasped when she saw her beloved son covered in mud.  

"Vita!" She shouted, her eyes wide, "You are covered in filth!"

He didn't spare her a single glance, as he turned to me, "That was a lot of fun." He spoke loudly, a tone that was a bit odd for indoors. "I hope next time you will let me be on top, I don't fancy the worms slithering on my body as you have your way with me."

His mother screamed appalled, "What?" Her voice cracked she spoke so loudly, so threatening and terrifying for such a short woman, "What did you do?" Spit flew from her mouth as all her fire was directed towards me.

Of course he said that. What other way to wreak havoc than to tell his mother -who already hated me- that he was marrying a girl who couldn't even wait until their wedding night.

Not that I was planning for anything to happen on our wedding night.

I frantically shook my head, "We didn't do anything!" I turned to Inanis, "Tell her you're joking!" I didn't care whether she thought I was a whore or not, I cared about her coming into my bedroom during the night and slitting my throat because she thought I was an impurity to her son.

He seemed to act like this was all a game, "Oh, don't be modest my dear." He wrapped his muddy arm around my moss-covered shoulders, "I will never forget it as you hungrily pulled my coat off, pushing me into the mud, so eager to-"

"Shut up!" I shoved him away.

"You." His mother pointed at me, her voice deep and wicked, "You are an animal. You bring nothing good for my boy. You should have been killed on stage, you are nothing but an embarrassment to the Messor family."

My skin burned as I took a step closer to his mother, "First of all," I said, having to control myself from leaping on the woman like the wild animal she claimed I was, "I never wanted to be here. Second, if I had a choice, I wouldn't touch your son with a ten-foot stick. Third, you may call me the animal, but I'm not the one carving living men and women in front of the nation, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a long bath, and wash away every thought about how appalling it would be to have such low self-respect, that anyone would ever lay a finger on your precious Vita."

I didn't bother looking at either of them, as I turned away, and headed up the marble stairs to my bedroom. Though I didn't look back, I could hear them talk behind me.

"She's a wicked thing," I could hear his mother say, "I have never met a girl with such a disgusting attitude."

"And yet," Inanis's voice was practically dripping delight, "I can not wait to prove her wrong."

"I think you should just be rid of her already." I could hear his mother start to walk away.

"No." Inanis's voice was faint, "No, I think I'm starting to like my wicked girl."

I returned to my bedroom and slammed the door behind me. Making a beeline for the washroom, I turned the bathwater on, and impatiently waited for the tub to fill up. I couldn't stand another second in these filthy clothes.

I pulled my clothes off and when the water was high enough, I dove into the tub, making the water immediately turn murky and brown.

I had to drain the water and fill it back up three times in order to get clean, and even then, I sat in the tub and thought about things for hours. I recalled the day's events, replaying them back in my mind. The questions Inanis asked me were odd, but I expected them to be because, well, Inanis is just that. But the more I thought about them, the more unsettling they became.