About a week after my beating, I was speaking with my best friend Andrew in the living room.
“So Zera, where’s your snake?” Andrew avoided the floor and dark places, everyone always was afraid of her.
“Aviana? She’s slithering around somewhere, how about your hawk? I haven’t seen him around.” He seemed a tad paler with my answer.
“He’s er...g-getting a che-check up a-at the vet," he chuckled nervously.
“Don’t tell me you are still afraid of snakes!” It was getting ridiculous, “Aviana come here. Aviana! Come here, girl.” I let my hand droop so she could slither onto my lap.
“How can you touch that thing?” Andrew jumped.
“That thing is my girl. She won’t do anything, Aviana go ahead and give him a kiss,” I smiled, and she slithered onto his leg, up around his waist and onto his shoulder as he sat petrified. She flicked her tongue out and tickled his cheek.
He chuckled nervously, “Um...are y-you going to the ball?” Aviana looked at me.
“What ball?” Father and the servants hadn’t told me anything about a ball.
“Hunter Richardson is holding a ball,” Andrew said.
“Father hasn’t sai–,”
“My lady! My lady!” The maid and gardener came running in, the butler right behind them. “My lady! You have an invitation!” The gardener tripped the maid, who dragged down the gardener, who in turn dragged down the butler.
“Anthony! What is the gardener doing inside?” I looked at my butler.
“H-he was talking to Jenaveve my lady,” He said nervously, handing me the invitation.
“Hmm...,” I read the invitation with some difficulty. “A masquerade?”
“Yes, you know how he loves masquerades. So will you go?” Andrew asked me and smiled.
“Anthony, escort Timothy to the gardens, and Jenaveve give the invitation to my father, he’ll decide,” I let Aviana slither back to me.
“Yes my lady!” they yelled and went off.
“We’ll leave it in the hands of my father, Andrew,” he seemed to sigh in relief as Aviana left him.
“Alright then,” Andrew said and waved good bye. “I have to go pick up Talon.” He left me with Aviana.
Jenaveve walked in, “My lady, your father wants you in his study.”
I nodded, “Thank you Jenaveve.” I walked to my father's study. “What did I do now?” I whispered to myself. I couldn’t have done anything. I stopped, “The invitation.”
I sighed and looked at the bright red wallpaper, the golden designs never looked more wonderful than now. I felt so distressed, so shaken, I looked at the carpeted floor with designs from France. The silver chandeliers hanging overhead seemed to shine more. I stepped into Father’s study and looked at him, “Ye-yes Father?” I asked and his eyes looked devilish, almost..like death.
“Did you open the invitation, without my consultation?” He slowly raised his voice.
“Y-yes...,” I said barely above a whisper.
He stood automatically, his voice boomed, “What have I told you? All mail goes through me!” He then stood only inches from me. “Well?”
“I-I wasn’t thinking...I’m sorry Father...,” I whispered.
“What kind of lady will you grow up to be, if you don’t listen?” He shouted at me, then slammed me into the wall. “What kind of man would want a girl like you?” He said coldly, I refrained from crying out. The pain was extreme, the tightness of the corset did not help either.
“I’m sorry Father...” She silently cried, the girl who took over in the beatings. She came out, satisfying my father’s thirst for my fear. She was not me.
“Good girl...we’ll go to the ball, should you behave recklessly, so help me when we return.” My father glared and I slowly nodded. He threw me at the door. “Leave.”
I walked to the kitchen, “Anthony, bring Aviana to my room, but feed her first.” I ordered the shaken butler.
“Y-yes my lady.” He choked and bowed.
I left for my room, I looked at my books. Most were poetry, others were fantasy books. All I had read numerous times or should I say my servants have, the dark brown wallpaper began to turn black, my wolf doll was old and ragged sitting on my bed under my pillows in it’s den. My crimson bedsheets made the doll stand out a bit. There was a knock on my door, “Come in.”
The door opened to Anthony, with Aviana slithering in. “Would you like anything else?” He asked, fearful of the snake.
“Black tea with chocolate cake,” I responded as Aviana slid into my bed.
“Very well my lady,” With that Anthony left me with Aviana who looked at me instantly.
I said. “Nobody can help can they Aviana?” I slowly began to cry, and waited for my tea and cake.
YOU ARE READING
Demon's Path
FantasíaA young girl lives in the late 1800s, she lives with her abusive father who blames her for the death of her mother, who died from child birth. She has to survive life with her father as things take a turn for the worst. Secrets are exposed, creature...
