Abused Again

**Natalie POV**



*I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. The least I could do was pray your soul shed a tear for you, Noname girl.*

I swallowed hard, remembering the assassin invading the peaceful, safe haven. Somehow the killer had snuck in unnoticed and waited.

Behind his back was a scrawny girl wearing colors reflecting her pride for the Kingdom of Lutz and the land of Vernen. Out of all of us rescued, one requested to serve the new Lord of Vernen. Some kind of debt with Devon, Shiuku's ex-lapdog.

Her skin was almost translucent, completely drained of blood. Any wound she would have sustained was burned closed around her wrists and neck.

A twinkle from the girl's bracelet made my skin crawl, a teddy bear hugging a strawberry on a cheap chain. That kind of jewelry was not found here.

There was no reason for an assassin, busy cutting the throats of nobility, to kill a maid. A girl who simply craved an everyday life.

I'm not a hero, never wanted to be, but I would've fought for her life. Unlike that disgraceful knight, Trevor left me with.

His eyes were clueless as a cow's before the slaughter as a knife punctured his voice box. He gurgled on his own blood, but none touched the ground. Any blood that escaped his wound, like that girl's, burned mid-air.

In my hesitation, the assassin tackled me. A shiny knife diced up my arms. None of the cuts were deep enough to cause me too many issues. It hurt, but I could ignore the pain. I rolled my body before he could slice at something more vital. In the next second, I was on top. My blood dribbled onto the assassin's plain black mask. Fire flared to eradicate the blood before it could mix with the grass. Taking crucial time to keep any red from mixing with the plant life perplexed me. Everyone knew an assassin was within Lutz castle's walls, so why?

Unless he was using the Queen's courtyard to hide the victims! But why wait until Trevor left. Somehow he was gaining access…

The assassin kicked me off of him and jumped back. *Focus! It's the first lecture Mom ingrained!*

Instead of waiting for the killer to make another move, I charged him. Taking him by surprise, I used my ability to shake the ground under his feet. I couldn't see his face under the mask and hood but imagined him angry and shocked. There weren't many elementals here, and most of them were disguised within the royal family.

While he watched the ground, probably waiting to see if I decided to split it beneath him, I propelled myself forward.

The assassin was ready for me. I was blasted by a strong wind and knocked back inside the castle. By the time I wrestled away from the guard, the assassin was gone. The clueless guard ordered me back to the kitchens since Trevor had already taken his leave.

On my way back to the kitchen, I'd notified one of the knights about the corpses outside. Slim, but there was a chance the wall guard was an accomplice of the entire operation.

***

I winced at the pain in my arms when I opened the doors to the kitchen. If someone asks, I'll say I was butchering chickens or something.

Chaos was still exploding in the kitchens. Although nothing compared to the horrors outside.
Well, it wasn't all horrible... a fuzzy tug directed my memory to the minutes leading up to the assassin's appearance. To a blissful facade, played out perfectly to mess with my head.


Putting two fingers to my lips, I noticed they still tingled from Trevor's intense kisses. The way his sinful lips moved in sync urgency with mine, I would have thought he was yearning for me as I had him.
Wetness was pooling in panties again. Couldn't my hormones get under control a little bit today? Every limb was sore from my fight, and all my body was willing to do was get all hot for an evil, hurt-eyed man I could never have.


"Natalie!" The head maid screamed at me. "We are behind schedule on the desserts! If you are done flirting, get to work. Ungrateful harlots, thinking they can just mooch off the royal family because they're blessed."

I nodded, happy for the distraction. Baking was an easy relief that I needed.

"Get cleaned up in the supply closet. Fetch some clean water when you're finished! Izzy will be back soon to help you catch back up."

Desiring no further scolding, I marched my bloodied self to the janitorial closet. It was small and dusty, filled to the brim with random clothes, buckets, and a basin used for cleaning utensils. I guess it would do for now, so long as I didn't imagine the dirty dishes scrubbed off in the off-colored water. Better than drawing any more attention to myself.

The only light shining in the room was from a high-up window, warming the basin's water.

My sanity must have left me today. As one dueling force diminished, this new one rose. That part of me resisting Diana's lessons in the Queen's Safe Haven consumed the older purple in my aura. Leading images into my head. My body heated, picturing a shadow leaving a certain princess' side to check on me covertly through a tiny window.

And as abruptly it came to me, that was all I could think.

A quick flash of Trevor's naughty boyish grin as he ogled the sight of me washing entered my head. I could visualize him stroking himself up and down with a rough hand. Most of my body would be bare to his hungerly gaped at me. His palm would wrap around his manhood. From how he felt between my legs, he must be very blessed. I shouldn't have, but I loved having my skirts bunched up above my hips and his hardness touching me where no man ever has.

Before I realized it, my hand was rubbing my aching pussy. Something was seriously wrong with me. I've never been so at war between my mind and instincts. I tried to reason with myself.
Maybe making myself cum would cure my foggy head from seeking out my true love. At least I would be safe from him and satisfied. That should be enough for my depraved sex.

I held a bloody hand up to my lips. My rubbing became more furious as I pictured Trevor attacking me. His large frame pinning me against the dusty wall. Hot breath fanning my face as Trevor lost control.
I clawed at the room's border, adding pressure to my clit, imagining him tearing the bottom of my dress. Swiftly entering me, he'd bite down harshly on my aching nipple. Drawing the nub between his teeth, mixing sweet pleasure with a sharp sting of pain. I'd scream in ecstasy, begging him to take me faster. Making me hurt and ache as he pulled out to his tip and drove harshly back inside, filling me with his massive length.

"Mmmm," I muffled my moaning the most I could. Images of him plowing into me, his hard chest pressing against my nipples, sore from his mouth's assault. Keeping up his thrusts, his hands would squeeze my full breasts. He'd coo with that naughty smirk, 'say my name, I'll let you cum'.
My core was soaked as something bubbled in my lower stomach. I wanted to release it; I needed to. "Trevor…"

I came just as the light from the door being opened shined in.

My heart pounded like a teenager caught after the discovery of porn. I grabbed a cloth and set to cleaning off the rest of the blood from my skin, praying whoever was on the other side heard nothing.

Please be that deaf girl rescued from Shiuku.

Voicelessly, Izzy set foot in the supply' room.' Her face was white with blood running down both her arms, similar to how Diana's had been ten years ago. Several ugly marks from what I would guess to be a candle were burned into her skin. Those marks were familiar as well. So was the agony and fear on Izzy's innocent face.

I ran up to her, forgetting to finish cleaning the blood from myself. Without any words passing between us, I held her close to my chest. Tiny whimpers escaped her mouth while I brushed her hair with my fingertips. None of the aches or pains from earlier mattered. In fact, I couldn't feel anything but anguish for my friend.

"What happened?"

She cried harder into my chest. My heart felt like a tight fist was mercilessly squeezing it. Hadn't Izzy been through enough while bearing Diana's mark? Did she have to be abused again?

"I…I don't… don't like Prince…Trevor…anymore. I can't…or she'll ki…kill me." Izzy could barely form any words. Similarly to when I met her, every syllable was painful for her to get out. She was stuttering as if still living in fear of becoming a 'reward' for an evil demon.

Prince? "Trevor did this?" My stupid heart would leave me weak and vulnerable anytime Trevor was in front of me. Now my friend was hurt because of him.

"Don… don't let anyone…hear you…say Trevor… he was adopted…apparently… he's a prince… she'll whip you…"

No one is going to whip any of us. Weren't we under the King's protection?!

"He hurt you?"

"No… not…him. He doesn't…know… can't tell him…or I'll be…executed." Her tears mixed with the water dripping down my skin.

I couldn't let that happen. My own body was trembling in equal parts fear and anger. Forcing myself calm, I gently caressed the top of Izzy's head. Getting enraged would only scare her further.

"Who?"

From outside, a shrill voice screamed, "hurry up! We cannot fall further behind! Today's celebration is too important!"

If only the head maid had an inkling of how one of her girls was suffering. I was sure even her bratty ass would chill. She was a strict lazy boss but not cruel. And trust me, it may not seem like it, but there is a distinct difference.

In a low voice, Izzy confessed, "it was because the Princess…she…she is to be with…Trevor…I had a small..cr…crush. They took a c…candle and burned me…then made little cuts…with a fru…fruit knife. Please… don't te tell… Prince Trevor…I know you two…are probably close now…but please! They're insane!"

Everything clicked. The assassin gaining access to her Mother's courtyard, the Vernen girl's death, my instincts battling in Trevor's defense, and Izzy's suffering had one common denominator. The Princess!

The old dry internal tug pointed to the truth. Izzy said Trevor was to be kept in the dark about her actions. So, did Diana may have been tricked herself? Perhaps the Princess had another accomplice. A mind elemental to alter our perceptions!

My true love may be innocent, just naive about Aileen's twisted mind! And instead of giving him a shot and listening to those clear, pure eyes, I pushed him away. Literally…to another woman's arms…while she abused my friend.

"Go to Nessi." She was an incredible baker, almost as skilled as I was. Nessi had a fire talent, so she could perfectly control the oven's heat. If we made something together, it was Masterchef class.

Izzy was suspicious. Not good. I couldn't follow through with anything if she was skeptical. "I'm feeling ill."

"Is that why you and Prince Trevor came back… so soon? You really… need to be careful yourself. You don'...t want the Princess to find out you two were… alone together. Even while I… was burning… all I could think about was what would happen t..to you. I had difficulty envisaging it; unwilling to think of …something so horrible and …dark."

Always with a kind-natured heart. Izzy was the living embodiment of a carebear. I smiled at her image as a pink bear with a wounded heart on her belly. The scheming Princess of darkness wouldn't break her any further. Wouldn't have a second opportunity.

Pretending to be weakened and dizzy, I stumbled out of the small room into the kitchen. I tripped on my own feet and tumbled into the head maid. Acting out of breath, I waddled over to the mixing area. At least, I tried to. The head maid grabbed my arm, nearly snarling, "are you going to get the whole royal family sick!? Do not touch their food! To your chamber now!"

I pursed my lips as if deeply troubled. "I'm needed."

"Get out of here!" She ordered.

As I made my way out, I accidentally fell into a counter. I swayed and gripped my head. I pocketed a fruit knife with a sleight of hand, the same implement used against my precious friend.

I didn't want to do this. The knowledge made my stomach churn and bile form in my mouth. However, if I had to act like my Mom to finally have my own life, then so be it. I'll let myself swim in the fires of Hell, a completely different person than letting someone destroy who I hold precious.

Maybe I could live a peaceful life after this, just one more monstrous act. Right?

So why day by day, did it seem less realistic I would ever settle down with my bakery and raise a family of my own.