Chapter 3 Her Misery

As ordered by the duke, Narrah got no food that night. No one dared to give her any. Despite her hunger, she was unconcerned by her growling stomach.

She sat still on the cold bed of one of the servant's rooms. She was ousted from her bedroom, bringing nothing but a few personal things and a framed painting of her parents. A painting she did herself. Her mother likes to paint, and so does she.

Caressing the smiling faces of the two most important people in her life, sobs filled the room.

"Mother...father..." she whimpered as she tried to catch her hitched breath as tears poured down.

"I was not ready for this. How could I fight alone?" she whispers painfully.

She has a lot of questions no one could answer. Her mind is in turmoil, and her heart is breaking into pieces.

She is so caught up with her emotions when her stomach growls. She is hungry and she has nothing but water. She was used to a feast her family would always enjoy. Laughters and stories over their sumptuous meal. But now, she will be sleeping with an empty stomach, accompanied by self-pity.

The night is cold and she only has a small candle she doubts would last until morning. The blanket is thicker than she had expected and she was grateful. The bed is like a floorboard compared to her previous soft one, surely occupied by Charlotte by now. For the first time in seventeen years of her lavish life, she felt pitiful and miserable.

She cried silently, mourning her loss. She has no one to share her pain with. She curled in the hard bed, hugging the frame closer to her shattered heart.

Her shoulders tremble as sobs fill the cold room, her whimpers muffled. She stayed for she didn't know how long until she drifted off to sleep. Tears kept falling even in her sleep.

She doesn't know what time she slept from exhaustion with tears staining her face. She is having a dream of being lost when rain poured down. She gasped as the cold water hit her skin.

"You are no longer the precious princess here, Narrah, get up and do some chores or you will not have food again!" an angry voice of Duchess Merlin filled her ears. She was also the one who splashed her with cold water, which she thought was rain from her dream.

She looked up at the two pairs of eyes while she slowly got up from the already wet bed.

"How's your sleep, my lady?" Charlotte mockingly asked.

Narrah just stared at her in silence while she got up, trying to pat off the water from her dress.

"You haven't learned common decency, aren't you? A Duchess is in front of you yet you choose to ignore my presence" a stern tone made her turn to the woman.

"I only know one Duchess, and she's my mother" Narrah responded calmly while looking at Merlin's glaring eyes.

"How dare you!" a forceful slap ringed Narrah's ear and made her head turn to the side.

"Insolent!" Merlin continued while she grabbed another bucket of water from the servant and splashed it over Narrah.

The girl gasped as the cold water poured over her. She was drenched wet but did not utter a single word.

"Know your place from now on. You have no one, your so-called mother and father abandoned you with their death" Merlin muttered angrily before she turned to the door.

"Make her scrub the whole kitchen floor. She will not be fed until she has finished and no one will help her. Dare to defy me and you will all be in the drain by nightfall" Merlin announced as she looked around the servants.

Every head bowed for Merlin who in return smirked, looking satisfied. She glanced at Narrah for the last time before she arrogantly strutted down the hall with her daughter following behind with a triumphant smirk on her face.

Silently, she went out of the room and went to the kitchen to do what Merlin ordered. With her wet clothes, she started to scrub the floor, hurting her hands and knees in the process. All her life, she never cleaned or scrubbed any part of the castle.

The servants were all too afraid to help her. Even her previous maid, Erra, was crying while secretly watching her from afar.

She struggled to scrub the cold dirty floor when a brown sticky liquid was splashed at the side she had already cleaned.

"Oops…my bad…it slipped my hand…" Charlotte chortles as she sways her way out of the kitchen.

Narrah stared at the mess on the floor and heaved a sigh. She slowly crawled back to the spot of the spilled liquid, bringing with her the bucket of soapy water. She almost reached the spot when she was suddenly pushed to the floor, face down.

"Argh…" she groaned in pain as her face hit the stone floor and the bucket of soapy water she was holding splashed on her.

"You've been cleaning the floor since morning! You're still not finished?" Merlin's angry voice filled the entire kitchen, glaring at Narrah who was slumped on the floor.

Narrah grimaced as she tried to sit but could hardly move from her spot as she kept on slipping at the soapy water.

"Useless brat. I will mop your face to that floor if you keep on dallying. Faster! I have important visitors, you are an eyesore" Merlin angrily snapped, glaring, but at the same time smirking at the miserable state of Narrah.

"She will not have any food until she finishes cleaning," Merlin sternly announced, looking around at the servants' forlorn faces.

"Yes, your grace"

The woman holding her head up high, spared another disgusted glance at Narrah before she turned to leave.

"My lady…" Erra softly called.

"Don't call me that, Erra… leave me here" Narrah muttered grimly as she gathered herself to sit. Her face is throbbing, her hands blistered, her knees hurt, and her stomach growling from hunger.

Even with the slow movement, she cleaned the new mess caused by Charlotte and the spilled water. She was all drenched wet and smelled awful when she finished. Her whole body ached but she tried to walk back to the room she was occupying to change her already filthy clothes. Sadly, she has no luxury of a warm bath.

Rushing back to the kitchen, she quickly had her fill before any of the family torments her again with chores.

"Narrah, come clean my chamber" another order from Charlotte.

Walking to the hallway towards her chamber, her eyes misty with a lot of memories. Across her room were her parents, but now occupied by another.

She stood at the door, staring at the carved initials, AC, her initials. Taking a very deep breath, she slowly knocked.

"Come in…"

She slowly opened and entered, her once, bedroom but came to an abrupt stop.

It was a mess everywhere. Her books, her dresses, her knick-knacks, and everything were on the floor, scattered and some were destroyed.

"Clean my room, throw whatever on the floor, it's all useless" she sneered, looking at Narrah's devastated face. She even smirked before turning away to wear the dress.

With all the mess around the bedroom, Narrah felt like fainting not from the impending work of tidying the room but because of her precious belongings, destroyed by Charlotte.

"Don't just stand there! Clean that garbage and throw it all away!"

She was startled when Charlotte angrily screamed at her. With a very heavy heart, she devastatingly started to gather her stuff and put it in the trash. She felt like weeping. Her loss is suffocating.

All the things she cherished and cared for several years were all in the trash now, even the books her parents gave her were torn apart. She seems to have lost everything, even the reminder of her happy childhood, her baby books, her stuffed toys her mother sewed for her, and her baby pillows and blankets. Her bedroom was her sanctuary, but now it has been thrashed.

"Wash all these clothes. I don't want to wear this smelly trash" Charlotte interrupted her thoughts as she threw several dresses toward her. Covering her with thick fabrics.

"Hurry!"

"Bring me snacks too, hurry!" the woman added.

Gathering the heavy dresses, she slowly brought them out and struggled her way down the stairs. She was almost halfway down when she came tumbling, wrapping herself with all the dresses she was holding while she rolled down.

" Argh…Argh…Argh…"

She groaned every time her body would hit the steps, fortunately, the thick clothes embraced the impact of her body against the hard steps. She tried to protect her head but her body was surely beaten by the impact.

"Arghhh…" she groaned painfully when she reached down. She remained unmoving, whimpering from the pain all over her body.

"Lady Narrah…" Erra gasped in disbelief and shock upon seeing the young girl at the foot of the stairs.

"What happened?" Erra worriedly asked, hesitating to touch her. Afraid of the broken bones she might worsen.

"I…I fell…" she responded, her voice, pained.

"Oh my…" Erra abruptly stopped when she saw the figure approaching them. She stood straight and bowed her head.

"What is this drama?" Merlin asks, unconcerned, even after glancing at Narrah's pained look.

"Good day, your Grace. La…Ahm, she fell from the stairs, Your Grace. She was hurt" Erra cautiously explained with a bowed head.

Merlin stared at the servant for a while before she turned to the girl on the floor and sneered.

"She doesn't look hurt. Get up, Narrah, enough of your dramatics" Merlin sneered as she glared at the grimacing girl.

"Charlotte needs that dress. You wash it and bring her some snacks" Merlin added with raised brows.

"Your Grace, I can wash the clothes and bring Lady Charlotte the snacks" Erra carefully volunteered.

Merlin's sharp gaze turned to Erra who instantly bowed her head in submission.

"If you are desperate to do chores. Clean all the bedrooms upstairs, while you, Narrah, wash those clothes and bring my daughter snacks" Merlin angrily snapped before she turned away, leaving nothing for an argument.

The instant the woman left, Erra hurriedly checked on Narrah again.

"My lady, where did it hurt?" she softly asked, loosening the fabrics around the girl to take a closer look at her.

"My waist, and my shoulder…" Narrah breathlessly whispered. Pain is all over her body, she can't move without hurting.

She was trying to sit when she saw something move upstairs, only the hem of the pink dress she saw but she was sure it was Charlotte. She clenched her jaw realizing what happened. She was pushed, and Charlotte did it.

Her misery did not end from falling down the stairs. A few days after, she was called upon to her father's study.

A dirty gaze followed her, as she gestured towards the sofa.

"Narrah, you've met Baron Crane, before. He wanted to express his condolences to you for what happened to your parents" Merlin amicably said with a sweet smile.

"I came upon hearing about the tragedy. I greatly sympathize with your loss, my dear" the old man approached Narrah and got her hand into his. He even kissed it, to the aghast of Narrah. She wanted to pull her hand but Merlin was sharply glaring at her.

"Thank you, Lord Crane" Narrah responded while subtly pulling her hand away, wiping to her dress the part where the man's lips touched her skin.

Her action did not escape the earnest eyes of Merlin, getting her a warning glare.

"I want to share your sorrow, my dear. Please tell me what I could do to help" the old man continued. His smile crept Narrah to the bones and it showed in her face.

"I'm quite fine now, Lord Crane. No need to worry. Just spend your remaining days with your grandchildren" Narrah sweetly replied, making Merlin's eyes widen in pure irritation while the old man's smile contorted. Both were too appalled to speak, giving Narrah a chance to continue.

"I'm grateful for your concern, Lord Crane, but you shouldn't have exhausted your old body, traveling this far to sympathize. I would understand. Your children must be very worried for you" she chirped wryly, her sweet smile never leaving her lips.

Not only the man's lips contorted, but his whole face upon hearing what Narrah was saying. It's more of an insult than of concern.

"Narrah!" Merlin lost her composure and snapped warningly at her but Narrah ignored her.

"Surely, you won't be living long, Lord Crane, you should be resting in your estate instead of traveling. It would be nice to spend your last days with your family. Deathbed is like heaven when you're surrounded by family" Narrah continued with her innocent mockery.

"You have a sharp tongue here" the man sneered as he turned to Merlin who looked toasted from anger.

"I will deal with her, Baron" Merlin muttered with gritted teeth.

"Come here, you brat!" she forcibly pulled Narrah's arms but the Baron stopped her.

"No need, Merlin. I can handle her" the man smirked as she provocatively stared at Narrah.

"Leave us," the man said without looking away from Narrah's face.

"Enjoy, Baron" Merlin smiled as she walked towards the door.

Narrah remained unmoving as she stared back at the dirty old man's gaze. The smirk on his face is creeping her but she remained calm, despite her thundering heart.

"I like your sharp tongue, I'm looking forward to what it can do, '' the man sneered as he trailed his filthy gaze from Narrah's face down to her whole body.

"Merlin is quite harsh towards you. I can get you away from here. We don't want this kind of beauty to be put to waste" he continued. His smile is sloppy as he licks his chapped lips.

"You grew up gorgeously. Beautiful is an understatement…you are a goddess, my dear. The late Duke Draco must really be afraid to show you to the world, he hid you well"

Narrah stood still like a statue, her thundering heart deafening as the man took a step closer to her.

"You will be a great adornment for my bed, serving me with pleasure" the man snickered, rounding her. Smelling Narrah but she moved away.

"You are older than my father, even than my grandfather" she sneered back, her tone cold.

"Does it matter? Merlin had promised you to me. Payment for a long due debt" the man retorted with a smirk but Narrah scoffed.

"What right does she have?" she asked grimly. Fury rose in her gut like bitter bile.

"You are at her mercy, my dear Ahnarrah. She has all the right" he devilishly smiled.

"I am at no one's mercy" she retorted, sneering at the old man who scoffed at her.

"Let's see…" the man muttered before he suddenly grabbed Narrah's head and tried to forcibly kiss her. She was startled but she had avoided his face, struggling to get away but for an old man, he was quite strong. Strong enough to push her to the sofa, trapping her.

"Get…away…from me…" Narrah struggled while the man trapped her in his strong arms. He seemed to have gone mad as he hovered above her, trying his best to press his filthy lips to Narrah's.

He tried to ravage her with his filthy kisses but Narrah fervently turned her head sideways to avoid his onslaught. Her feet wiggling and trying to kick him just to get away.

"Get…off…" Narrah continued to struggle as she got hold of his chin and desperately pushed him away from her face. But his next move got Narrah stunned.

"arghh…" a punch landed on her stomach, immobilizing her, leaving her breathless and gasping for air.

"Don't make this hard for the both of us…" he muttered angrily as he glared at her. Slapping the hand holding his chin.

Strength seemed to abandon her whole being as she tried not to faint despite the unbearable pain in her gut. All she could do is curl up, gasping to regain her breath.

Taking several deep breaths she tried to gather her strength. She cannot allow the shameless man to touch her more than he already did.

"Behave or I will hurt you more" he warned as he tightly grabbed her neck to keep her head steady.

"Let… me go…" she tried to speak despite being choked while desperately removing the man's hand around her neck.

"Keep still!" he snapped but Narrah ignored him. She kept on struggling until she had the chance to forcibly push him away, landing on the floor.

He groaned while on his back but Narrah didn't spare him a glance. She hurriedly stood up and moved the farthest away from him, standing at the opposite side of the long sofa.

The man was still whimpering on the floor and Narrah had a great chance to escape him.

She quickly rounded and ran towards the door when he caught the hem of her dress, forcibly pulling her. She fell to the floor near him but she struggled, kicking his hands away while she held tightly at the foot of the sofa.

"Why are you failing me now…?" she hopelessly whispered to herself while she tried not to be pulled closer by the man.

"Don't fail please…" she continued with her soft murmurs while trying to concentrate, without stopping her struggle to get away.

"Come here!" he suddenly pulled her foot but Narrah had her other foot ready, kicking the man in his face.

"Argh…" he groaned in pain, letting go of her to cup his hurt face.

"Filthy old man" Narrah coldly muttered, her voice laced with pure disgust. Before she scrambled to stand, she first left a strong kick to his groin, stronger than the first time.

"Arghhh…you stupid brat…" he groaned as he cupped his throbbing groin. His ugly face grimaced, making him uglier.

"Yes I am a brat…but you will never have this brat. You are disgusting" she sneered before she rushed towards the door.

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