Born to be a slave.

33

"Where have you been the whole day? Don't you know your place, slave?" Martha's fist around a stick tightened.

"I was busy." I said and tried to not show, how anxious I was in her presence.

On the way coming back I was hoping my absence will be unnoticed.  I had done nothing today, but instead, I have spent time in stables 'playing' around with Storm and James. I enjoyed it, though. It was so refreshing and different, compared to my daily life. I wished it would never end. Now my happy world seemed to be crushing down in front of Martha. 

"Busy? With what? Chasing butterflies?"

In my mind I could almost picture that kind of scene. I would have done it, if a day was a bit longer.

I did not answer, there was nothing to explain to Martha, who would not listen anyway.

"Come with me, you ..." she gritted her teeth in hatred.

I was dragged by my arm to servants house, then further down until we reached a basement. Air at this hour was cool down in the room. Martha pushed me down with such force, I buckled down on my knees, smearing my dress with dump dirt covering the floor.

A whip of her stick connected with my back suddenly, I even didn't have a time to react.

"I will teach you how to disobey and vanish from your tasks. After this, I hope you will never think of disappearing again."

Then came another hit, which made me scream in pain. It hurt so much, my body felt like on fire. I could not think, that such harmless piece of wood, would make a pain so strong, as it was now.
I could not make her feel satisfied with punishing me. She is in no place to do it. She is not my owner..... only Edmund.....

After another whip my mind went plank, I could not form a single thought, my cries were the only sound in my ears. 

The beating seemed to be endless. 

It stopped, Martha said something, but I could not distinguish a single word from her. The agonizing pain was too much for me to bear.

*** 

I cried silently whole night, still sleeping curled up in to a ball, even though it was hard position to be in. I thought I will die, but I see, that sun is up, so I have lasted so long.

"Thea? ..... Oh my god! What happened to you? Oh....h...hhh.. my." I heard a sniffing of a woman near me.

A voice was so recognizable, but my mind could not come up with the image of it's owner.

"Thea? Can you walk? You need to see a nurse."

I wanted to answer so bad, but I had no strength to say or do anything.

***

I opened my eyes and saw, that I have been laying in a bed on my stomach. My back still hurt like hell, but little bit less, than I remember.

A door swung open and inside came none other than Martha. Behind her Elizabeth rushed in too. 

"She can't work, Mrs Martha. Don't you see in what state you have put her in?"

"I see very well. But it doesn't free her from her duties. She needs to get up and go..."

"She will not go anywhere. I won't allow it. She can die, if she is pushed further..."

"Who cares, if she dies. Not like her life have mattered to anyone." Martha said arrogantly.

"It does.... to our Lord Edmund."

"Nonsense. Get her up or you will get your share of punishment too!"

"You can't hit me, Martha. I am a free person. You might be my boss, but in the end of the day, I do things for the owners of this property, not you. They are in full charge of me. And I am sure, even they do not approve of this kind of management."

"Fine. I give her only one day. If she does not come, I will give her more. Owners of this house do not care about her well being." 

Martha eyed me and Elizabeth and swiftly left the room.

Elizabeth close a door and came to me. Her face was so sad and pained. I had never seen her looking like it.

"How are you feeling?"

Instantly tears streamed out of my eyes. "I want to die, Elizabeth... It hurts so much.... my heart hurts so much. Why people do this to me? Why they treat me, like I am not a human?"

"I don't know, sweetie. I think they are just bad people. ... Thea, don't think of yourself like that. Your life must be the most precious thing in your existence, above everything else. You may not think, but there are people who care about you."

I continued to listen.

"You must be strong, don't give up on yourself. Find the things that makes you happy, do what you like. In the end of the day, people who hurt you will pay for their ill actions towards others. Just don't give up."

"I don't know, Elizabeth."

"Rest and think about it. You don't know, what life might be holding in store for you in the future. There might be something good, which does not seem possible now...."

"Thank you...."

She smiled and quietly left me alone with my own thoughts.

***

Years went by, but my life was still the same. Frequent beating from Martha, hard work in between. I try to stay strong, but eventually I will break, I feel it, but how much will it take, I don't know yet. 

Sometimes I go to stables to hang out with James and ride Storm, which I have become better at. It is my only source of happiness in this place, everything else have turned in to a gloomy looking world.

Martha beats me after a day spent in stables, but she doesn't know, where I have been in hours absent. It is my little secret, which makes her furious. The beating hurts, but I have learned not to cry anymore or scream. Sometimes it works better for me, as she gets bored of seeing no reaction out me.

Every punishment have left scars behind, my back is crisscrossed with streaks of previous hits and most recent ones stay dark for couple of days after Martha's work.

I am carrying buckets of water throughout the house and help servants with cleaning. 

"Thea! THEA!" Fiona is shouting and running towards me full with excitement. "Thea! I have wonderful news!"

She is breathless by the time she have reached me. 

"Young Lord is coming back! EDMUND is returning home!"