Bloody Shackles

Chapter 15: Hold me close. I don't feel like myself.

Ellianna’s POV

            My hand was in his and his thumb glided slowly back and forth across my knuckles.  His gaze held mine and his eyes were so calm and gentle, that I was certain this was a dream.  Or maybe I was drowning?  The ripple of the water above me was the consistent motion of his thumb.  The deepness beneath me was his eyes, slowly dragging me down.  The entirety of it all was my last vision of what I wished to happen before I succumbed to death.  Yes.  I am suffocating.  I am dying.  Being like this with Master Marcus is what I longed for and what never shall be.  It was difficult to come to terms with, but I finally understood.  This isn’t real.

            “Alright! I’m gonna get this hand o’ mine bandaged up.  Emily, why don’t you draw Ellianna a bath?  And get her something to eat afterwards, yeah?” Abby exclaimed before bustling quickly out of the room.

            Her voice was like a clap of thunder in a summers’ rain.  Loud and unexpected.  I floated slowly upwards as Master Marcus looked away.  His hand slipped out of mine and I broke the surface of the water.  I took a gulp of air and lifted myself up completely as he quietly excused himself and left the room.

            “Let’s get you cleaned up!” Emily cheered as she helped me out of bed and led me to the bathroom.  I silently complied with her suggestion that I get undressed while she turned on the water. 

            I stepped into the tub and sat down in the warm, bubbly depths.  Emily scrubbed what I could not reach of my back, but left me alone to clean the rest of my body in private.  As I quickly ran a cloth over my skin and scrubbed suds into my hair, my thoughts wandered.

            Fear plagued my thoughts.  I worried that Master Marcus was only behaving this way towards me now as a game.  That as soon as I was washed and fed he would come back, reverted back to the angry, red-eyed, master I had become accustomed to. 

I was absolutely terrified.

My fear and terror abruptly subsided when a fluffy towel was thrown at my face. 

“I already have some clothes ready for you, so dry off quick.  The faster you get dressed, the faster we can get some food,” Emily explained with a smirk, and left me to dry off and get dressed on my own.

Once dry I folded the towel and placed it on the sink.  I knew that Emily or another maid would come by and take it to the laundry.  I found my clothes on the bed and sighed in relief at finding the bedroom door closed.  What a shock it would be for someone to walk in the room right now, I thought with a shudder.

I pulled on my undergarments quickly, not liking the feeling of being naked, even though I was alone.  I stepped into a pale pink dress, and adjusted it swiftly, remembering Emily’s notion about dressing fast and then getting some food.  I shoved my feet into the flat-soled boots on the floor, and was about to saunter towards the door when it opened.

Emily popped her head in.  “You ready?” she wondered, and grinned at me.

I smiled in return.  “Yes,” I cheered, and joined her at the doorway.

“Then let’s go!” she exclaimed and bounded off.

Fear spiked through me briefly as I glanced back down the hallway to find that Master Marcus wasn’t there.  As we moseyed down the hall towards the eating area, another wave of fear washed over me when I remembered what happened here last.  He hurt Emily.  He cut my hair.  He took me to his room…

I stumbled and leaned hard against the wall.  Emily turned around and called my name, but her voice was muffled to my ears.  I closed my eyes.  Don’t think about it.  Don’t think about it.