A Match Made in Hell

Chapter 1 - A Courtship - Part 1

   

"Lady Victoria, you must attend your father's meeting in the common room at once." The maid had told me, dressing me in a fine, crimson red dress of silk and cotton and sending me on my way. My hands shook as I approached the room, my breath shaky and shallow as I lifted my hand to the door. One knock, two knocks... The door had opened for me, my father glaring down at me as I stood motionless in front of him. It's that look... The look of disgust and resentment he gives me every time he sees me... 

   "Father... You requested my presence.." I said with a bow, showing my respect to him. His look never changed, a look of disgust... "You're late." He hissed, grabbing onto my arm and dragging me into the room. He threw me against a chair and cleared his throat, looking at a well-dressed man that sat upon one of the chairs seated at the table.    "Forgive me for my daughter's incompetence..." Great... Another beating, that's exactly what I need. Father is ruthless when it comes to his punishments, each time I screw up, I'm left bruised and bloodied. Safe to say I don't make the same mistake twice.

   The man nodded and crossed his hands, resting them on the table as his eyes switched from me to my father. "It is quite alright... I assume she was notified late." He said simply, his eyes trailing over my body and stopping at my face. "She is quite beautiful. She will be perfect for my son." His son? My thoughts wandered to the possibilities I could face in this situation, staying silent and neatening myself up as I crossed my legs. "Yes... She's got her mother's beauty." My father huffed, glaring at me and straightening his tie. "Victoria, you have the remainder of today and half of tomorrow to pack your things... I'm courting you with Mr Kennedy's son. You will become the wife and partner of the future lord of this land." Courted? Married?

   My eyes widened and I looked at my father in shock, tears pricking my eyes as I felt my chest tighten. I stood up and pushed my chair in, tears spilling down my face as I glared at him. "You courted me without my permission!?" I felt betrayed, enraged even. How could he do this to me? Just hand me away to another family... "Don't you dare raise your voice at me, woman!" He's angry... In a split second, I could see him rush over to me, raising his hand and bringing it down against my face, hard... The sound of a slap echoed through the room, as well as my Father's heavy breathing and the sound of my sobbing. "Learn your place, woman."

   That was all he said... As she sat on the floor, holding her reddening cheek. He glared down at her, brushing himself off and looking back at Mr Bullmon. "Forgive me, she'll be ready for collection before tomorrow's moon. Victoria, you are dismissed. Leave." His voice was harsh and cold, he spoke to her as if she was nothing but a servant, made to follow his every command. "Yes, Father..." She whispered, bowing to him and the other man before leaving, closing the large, cherry-wood door behind her. She walked calmly to her room, holding her head down as she walked past maids and servants, her eyes puffy and her cheek a deep red from the force of her father's slap.

   She entered her room and locked the door behind her, bursting into tears as she entered, sitting herself down on the hard floor, her legs held to her chest and her face buried between her knees. Her tears fell onto the floor, creating a puddle of water as she stayed still. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with each of her breaths, sobbing uncontrollably as she rocked herself on her floor, lacking the comfort she desired. She didn't understand her sadness, she hated her father... So why was she so upset...? Her cries could be heard from outside the room for a few hours, each person that walked by pitying the girl.

   She'd fallen asleep after she'd had no tears left to cry, laying on the hard, wooden floor and letting herself drift to sleep, her self-worth too low to be able to carry herself up onto the bed. Her body shook as she slept, sobbing softly and twitching occasionally, the sound of banging on her wooden door caused her to jump up, gasping softly and opening her door. There stood her Father, that same glare resting on his face as he looked down at her. He roughly grabbed onto her arm, pushing her back into the room and throwing her against the floor again. "How dare you disrespect me in front of a lord!" His voice was loud and ragged, taking hold of her hair and forcing her to look up at him. "Your disrespect and disobedience will not be tolerated any longer!"

   She yelped as he pulled on her hair, dragging her away from the door and throwing her against a wall, her cries of mercy meaning nothing to him. He'd strike her over and over again, blooding up her face and bruising her body as she lay helplessly on the floor, gasping for a single breath as he beat her. His hand held tightly onto her neck, pinning her against the wall and squeezing. "You will get your things packed and you will do it before tonight's moon rises." He growled, releasing her and smirking as he watched her gasp for air. And with that, he left. Leaving her gasping for air and holding onto herself.

   She regained composure after a while, crying softly as she began to pack her things, leaving nothing behind. In a way, she was sad she was leaving. But the relief of finally getting away from her father's brutal beatings filled her mind. Things used to be alright between them, but that was a long time ago. Things had changed and her father had turned into a cold-hearted man, not even caring for his daughter.

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"Mummy, Mummy!" The small girl laughed, running around the tall, black-haired woman, her hand flowing through the dress she wore. "Mummy, I got you a flower." She said happily, watching as the lady bent over and smiled at her. "Thank you... How kind of you my sweet" The woman said softly, her voice calm and sweet as she took the flower from the girl, placing it in her woven basket. Victoria was young and sweet at this age, unaware of her mother's sickness. Her father always insisted she leaves her mother alone, but much to his annoyance, her mother always insisted on going to play with the girl. That day was the day everything went wrong. Victoria had run off to find more flowers for her mother, leaving her leant up against the large oak tree that sat in the centre of a field. Her mother had fallen, leaning against the tree for support as she grunted in pain, holding her chest as the pain worsened. Victoria's father came to find them both, only to find her crying as she clung onto her mother's lifeless body, shaking it and crying for her mother to wake up. "This is why you shouldn't tell her to play with you!" Her Father screamed, enraged that this had happened in the first place.

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