Strange Magics 1.5: When the Stars Align- a M/F Demisexual/ Transgender romance

5- Consequences

*****TRIGGER WARNING: childhood physical abuse******

HESTIEL—

"Hestiel, you fucking little bitch!" my father screamed, beside me so quickly I barely registered his words before he had my hair clamped in his fist and my face smashed against the stone of the hallway. Amer cried out in surprise and horror, tears immediately springing to his eyes. I met Mari's eyes, jerking my head to the side. She grabbed Amer's hand and, with only one backwards glance, yanked my brother away from me and my furious father.

"I would know the stink of your hand in my business anywhere, you fucking cunt," my father spit into my ear, his hand painful in my hair. But I kept my expression blank as I stared off behind him, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Father, I don't know what you're—"

"Shut it, slut," he hissed, yanking me back and slamming me forward against the wall. I gasped but didn't cry out— it was exactly what he wanted, so I kept as quiet as I was able, though I felt hot liquid trickle down my cheek and drip onto my chest. "You got to d'Ange. I don't fucking know how, but you did. He's managed to talk all the others out of the Butcger deal, and I'm losing fortunes! Millions of rubies, Hestiel! Millions! You'll pay for that, little girl. You'll pay for it, if I have to take it out of your cunt, I swear to—"

"Your majesty!" a voice called, stern and demanding, and I glanced up in a mix of relief and horror to stare across at Dew's younger brother Sage. Barely a teenager, he had only just come from their small farm to the west to serve as a guard in the castle, and I had only met the boy a few times, but he was kind, gentle and, even at his age, bigger than most in Veil besides, of course, his brother Dew.

"Sire," he called when my father glared up at him at his interruption. "Lord Butcger calls for aid. His mine, sire. It's collapsed. He said there was no one inside, no one was injured or died, but he requests—"

Sage was cut off by my father's harsh, furious growl down at me as he lifted me off of my feet by my hair and yanked me so we were nose-to-nose, my feet dangling two feet off of the ground. I wished desperately that I had thought to wear something more than flimsy silk slippers, but I hadn't known my father's attack would be physical. It never had been in the past.

I would have to take this into account in the future, because my body was far too weak to endure too much punishment.

"Sire, please! She's just a child!"

My father shook me as I clutched at his hands, trying to untangle my hair from his grip, and glared at him with as much hatred as I could muster in my fear.

"That was you, too, wasn't it, you little bitch? You'll pay for this. Believe me, little girl. You'll pay for all of this."

And then I was on the ground, my knees crumpled beneath me as I hit the stone and was unable to hold myself up. Sage was there, his big, calloused hands gentle on my shoulders, then my face, as he lifted me to study the blood dripping from the wound on my temple.

"I'm fine," I whispered, the words coming out pathetically weak and distant.

"You're not. Your father shouldn't—" he began, but he was cut off when Dew, led by a frantic Mari, rounded the corner and fell by my side.

"Amer?" I asked Mari, and she glanced over at her husband before turning back to me and smiling with trembling lips.

"Oh, he's alright, sweet girl. He's with your maman and Sally. They will keep him safe."