Reign of Deceit

Chapter 8

Before leaving, Joan made sure she had left no stone unturned. Even if she was sure she would be back before her mistress, she could not afford to anger the lady. She bounced off the house soon, wearing on her old skirts she had brought with her. As she approached the group of girls, her heart raced against her chest. It was the first time she was having an interaction with the outside world and she couldn't help but wonder how it would turn out.

As she approached the girls, suddenly, a bright yellow small ball rolled to her side. Joan's eyes widened as she looked at the ball, then to the girls whose eyes were on her. She picked up the ball after some hesitation, a small smile forming on her lips at the thought of actually holding the ball in her arms. She had seen them play the game several times so she knew just how to play it.

With a little backward motion, she threw it to the farthest girl, watching the other girls marvel at her skill.

"Do you want to play with us?" One of the girls asked almost immediately like she couldn't wait to draw Joan to her team.

Joan nodded with enthusiasm.

Beside her, another girl scoffed. "What is so good about her? I can easily beat her in one round."

"Well, let's see you try." The girl who had spoken to Joan replied.

The game began again with Joan's team on the winning end. Maybe because of her attentiveness, she soon became the star of her team. At the end of the game, she had become really famous within her team. The little girls looked up to her with bright smiling faces while nodding their head.

"What is your name?" The girl who had spoken to her first asked.

"Joan." She replied with a smile. somehow, the bright look on the girls' face made her anxiety disappear.

"I am Alexandra. You can call me Alexa."

Joan nodded with a smile.

"Do you live around here?"

Joan nodded, but just when she was about to reply, another voice interrupted her.

"How does it feel cheating your way to victory?" The girl who had boasted about winning from the onset attacked.

"That's Wendy." Alexa whispered beside her. "She hates to lose and bullies the others when she does."

Joan blinked twice, not knowing what to say. it was her first time being in such a fix and she was frantic.

"You said you could join the game?" Wendy demanded angrily.

"Give it a break, Wendy. She beat you. It wouldn't hurt to admit that."

Wendy frowned. "You might want to shut up, Alexa or I may just help you too. I was speaking to the new girl."

Alexa backed off almost immediately. Clearly, nearly all the girls were scared of her.

"I am talking to you, new girl."

Joan still did not say a word. She turned to Alexa for help but it seemed the girl couldn't help her out either.

"You answer when I talk to you!" She ventured closer, pushing Joan hard to the ground. Pain coursed through her as her knees and palms were bruised by the little pebbles on the sand. She hissed loudly, raising her head to look at her opponent.

However, Wendy was not done. She signaled to the girls behind her and quickly, they surrounded Joan, holding her in place.

"You still don't want to talk? Do you really think you are worthy to be here?"

Joan still refused to reply her. At first, she had been speechless but at that moment, Matthew's words rang in her head. They had been reading the bible in their morning devotional when Matthew read a passage that spoke about forgiveness. Maybe, it wasn't worth the fight, she decided.

However, Wendy didn't want to take the situation lying down. Raising her hand high to the sky, she forcefully pulled it down towards the cheek of the snubbish girl when a voice stopped her midway.

"Get out of there kids!"

Joan looked in the direction of the voice, relived to see her master. He was no longer wearing a robe like he had been when she left the house. He was now properly dressed. Except his outfit lacked a slinger. The kids scampered away; all except Joan who was still kneeling on the ground. She helped herself up and back into the house, avoiding the eyes of her master. Somehow, she feared to be scolded by him.

It took her time before she ventured back into the house. She stood by the door, wondering if she should have rejected his idea of going out to have fun. Although she had enjoyed her little time outside, it hadn't ended pretty well. Finally, when she summoned courage, she pushed the door open, her eyes studying the room before sliding inside; afraid to be seen by her master.

"Done hiding?"

She jerked. There he was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in his hand.

"I-I wasn't hiding." She defended quickly, hiding her arms behind her. Luckily, her dress covered her injured knee.

"Come here." He summoned.

She approached him in unsteady steps, her legs shivering as she did. Had he seen her? Will he stop her from going outside next time?

"Yes, master." She stood in front of him like a lamb ready to be slaughtered.

He placed the glass in his hand on the table. "Sit."

Joan fidgeted, taking her time before finally sitting on the couch with him.

"Is this your first time going out to play?"

She swallowed hard. In as much as she wanted to sound all tough, it wasn't in her place to lie either. "Yes sire."

He sighed. "Let me see your hands."

She looked at him nervously, afraid to be scolded for getting herself bruised. "I..."

"Your hands, Joan!"

Not having much of a choice, she stretched forth her arms, displaying the slight but painful bruises to him.

He held her hand, turning it to see her wounds, "That is one bloody gush. Does it hurt?"

She shook her head, swallowing the tears that welled her eyes. All these years, she had learnt to swallow the pain no matter how much it hurt.

His jaws deepened in a frown. "Nonsense! Wait here."

He entered his room and soon came out with a box. "This is going to hurt for a while. You better sit still."

And she did sit still, afraid to make a sound that would annoy her master even when the cool liquid he had poured over her injury hurt like hell. However, that moment, she made up her mind to either grow stronger or to stop playing all together.