We are all Lost Stars ---A Zodiac Story---

Chapter 9

"It's all your fault!"

"Sir, she's just a child!" The maid, Nora  held Ashley in her arms, trying to protect her from the objects that were thrown at them. "You killed Anastasia! You killed your mother, my wife! It's all your fault! You deserve this!" Her father threw another book at them. Ashley was shaking in fright, her head bleeding because of the history book her father had thrown at her after she had failed to memorize the royal families names. 

"You insolent fool! You can't even memorize his highness' name! What are you going to do when you meet him? You have to get on his good side. That way you'll be engaged to his highness' son!" He screamed, huffing as he ran his fingers through his hair. He adjusted his collar and turned away from them. Closing the door with a loud bang. 

"I don't want to be engaged to the crown prince," Ashley whimpered from the Nora's arms. "Oh, Lady Ashley..." Nora had looked at her with so much pity. She looked as if she wanted to take Ashley away and keep her safe from her father. That's what she would always say after she fixed up Ashley's bandages on her bed. 

"I promise you, I will find a way to take you away from here," And foolish naive little Ashley believed her. Then the next morning, her breakfast was served at her bed. With a bouquet of flowers and letter that read I'm sorry. Ashley would take the flowers and letter to show Nora. "Nora, Nora! Look at what father got me!" She'd exclaim with joy, bouncing up and down with joy. Nora would give her a smile that quickly fell as she looked at her. Ashley never had understood why, until that day.

Nora stopped coming to her room to dress her up. She stopped looking after her and it'll always be a different maid. She never came. Ashley was worried so she'd ask the other maids they never answered her. They weren't kind and never seemed to like her. Speaking in a monotone voice with no emotions. It scared her. But she never had the courage to ask her father. 

After a few weeks she decided to ask her father about Nora only to interrupt something she should've never seen. "Father?" Nora was on the floor and her father was in front of her with a knife. "Nora!" She shouted, her father turned to face her with the scarest face that made her cower in fear. "Take her away," He commanded to the maids that were nearby. She was dragged away as she called for Nora, screaming, pushing, kicking until a gunshot silenced her. 

"This is what happens when you do not listen to me,"

'Ashley!'

Her eyes snapped open. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. She got up quickly and looked around the room suspiciously. Her heart pounding as her hands shook. Taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "He's not here, He's not here," She mumbled under her breath. "Oh, Ashley, Your awake," Lilliana greeted as she put down the tray, handing her a warm drink. "Thank- Thanks," Ashley stuttered, trembling as she took the drink. 

Lilliana looked at her up and down with concern. "Are you alright? You're shaking," She asked. "I'm fine," Ashley answered as she screamed mentally in her head. She was still a bit shaken up because of her long distant memory she thought she had locked up in her brain. 

"Are you sure?" Lilliana had moved to touch her which made her flinch as she slapped her hand away. "I said I'm fine!" fumed Ashley. Lilliana froze looking at her with shock. She then got up and left the room without a word. Ashley sighed as she held her head in her hands. 

"Hello," Ashley turned to look who had spoken as she didn't recognize the voice. It was a tall man who seemed to be in his twenties? That or it could be because of his looks. "I'm Doctor Jace Oakley. I'm the one who treated you," He smiled at her as he approached her carefully. She eyed in carefully but gave him a acknowledging nod. Giving him permission to check her temperature and her health.