The Prince's Substitute Witch Bride

Pain

The Viscountess took Seraphine to a room inside the palace. They went through the servants' door and Seraphine could immediately know why. Remembering how the nobles looked at her when she entered the wedding room, the Viscountess must do not want any more unnecessary drama. 

The old lady knew that maids would talk. But at least they would not dare to say it out loud in front of Seraphine. While nobles, or perhaps even the royal family, would. And as human nature goes, they would not filter their words for the likes of Seraphine. Yes, the likes of Seraphine. A bastard daughter.

No wonder the Prince was angry at her. Instead of marrying his beloved, the perfect daughter of the Duke, he instead married who was considered as the trash of society. 

Still, he is rude and obnoxious!

Viscountess Perrone took Seraphine through the kitchen and the maid passageways until they got to a room on the third floor. Seraphine realized that on that side of the building, there were fewer maids and staff coming and going than the rest of the building. 

"It feels like you're hiding me," she mumbled. 

"We all just want a peaceful life," Viscountess Perrone said while fiddling with the door. The keyhole seemed rusty and had not been used in such a long time. "You'll have food and things you need to be delivered to the room every day. I will make sure of it." Her tone was firm as if the location of her room was not debatable. 

"Don't worry," Seraphine said, "I have eighteen years of experience being hidden." She said it nonchalantly, but the Viscountess turned to look at her with her brows furrowed. 

"Where did they keep you all this time?"

"The attic."

"Hmm." The Viscountess had succeeded in unlocking the door. When it opened, an eerie creaking sound was heard. Once they entered the dim room, the Viscountess was already waving her hands in front of her nose due to the amount of dust. But Seraphine took in the room calmly. The body was already accustomed to so much dust that it did not bother her. Of course, the Viscountess was riddled by this. 

It was by far the largest room that the body owner had seen. The bed was huge, the window was huge, and there was another door on the far right side of the room. She pointed at the door. "There's a bathroom?" 

The Viscountess' face became more contorted. "Don't tell me you did not have your own bathroom?"

Seraphine shrugged. In the body's memories, there was no recollection of her ever acquiring her own bathroom. She had to share with the other maids. But since she was the 'bastard daughter', she could only shower and relief herself at the break of dawn or during the maids' working hours, when the bathrooms would be empty. 

Surprisingly, the Viscountess's face was full of surprise. But then her gaze turned cold. "I heard you have taken lives."

Flashes of memories from the old Seraphine came running to her mind. Suddenly, everything around her seemed to be muted. She felt like being transported to that scene playing in her mind. 

She remembered falling to the dirt. Her ankle was swollen. Then she remembered her hair was being pulled. It was hurtful. 

They dragged her. They were laughing. She was crying. 

No one came for her. 

Only the darkness.

Seraphine blinked and instantly the sounds came back to life. She could hear the rustle of the wind from outside the window, the little sounds that the Viscountess had been making when she fidgetted ever since she met Seraphine. And if she heard carefully, she could almost hear the subtle sound of the dust wafting in the air. Or perhaps she imagined the last bit, as she was used to spending her time in the attic.

She blinked again. 

The Viscountess fidgeted more at the stretched silence. Seraphine realized then that behind the hatred people bore for the old Seraphine, deep down they were afraid of her. They were terrified of the things they have heard, obviously, after some exaggeration made by Karen and her parents. 

Her own body trembled again at the memory. Even the old Seraphine was scared of herself. 

This has to change, she thought. I have to retrain this body. 

"What you heard is correct," Seraphine said in a cool tone. She held the gaze of the Viscountess, waiting for the old lady to give any response. When the Viscountess did not say anything, Seraphine turned to the bathroom door. She entered the room and after a second of appreciating the largeness of the room, she turned the water faucet. 

The Viscountess followed her to the doorway of the bathroom. "I assume you were used to preparing your own bath too?"

"It's not like you're going to assign maids to me, right?"

The old lady went quiet for a moment. "I have tried offering triple the wages than normal but no one wants to be associated with you."

Seraphine had to use more force to turn the hot water faucet. The sound of water pouring out filled the room. 

"At least you have hot water here."

"You never bathed with hot water?" 

"Do maids have a bath with hot water?" 

Viscountess Perrone's eyes widened. It seemed that Seraphine kept on surprising the Viscountess. She was now afraid it had been too much for the frail old woman. 

It'll be a shame if she dies due to shock. She's my favorite person as of now.

"How about in winter?"

After acquiring the perfect mixture of hot and cold water, Seraphine stood. "I simply don't take a bath."

She took off the crown and the veil. Then she started pulling out the strings on the back of her wedding dress. She cursed inwardly for the many intricate knots the designer put.

Oh, it was supposed to be Karen's dress.

As she struggled to let loose the knot at the top of the dress, the Viscountess stepped in. Her frail hands swept away Seraphine's and started to loose the knots faster. Seraphine let the Viscountess help her. 

"What about you?" Seraphine asked, "Aren't you afraid to be associated with me too?"

The Viscountess scoffed. "I am not associating myself with you, child."

Seraphine winced a little at that remark. 'Child'. If only the Viscountess knew that she had lived for centuries before... in the future. In fact, the Viscountess was an infant compared to her age!

"And my reputation does not crumble easily."

The Viscountess had completed loosening all of the knots and was helping Seraphine got out of the dress. Underneath the dress was a suffocating corset and underwear. Again, the Viscountess worked to loosen the strings on the corset. 

"The Prince trusts you, doesn't he?"

"He has no choice," the Viscountess said, "I practically raised the man. His mother was a friend of mine and when she died... well, he was never quite the same."

Seraphine rolled her eyes. That asshole had a sad childhood. Boohoo. Whatever. 

"I hate this marriage," the Viscountess said, "I never agreed for Rowan to pursue Lady Karen. The lady is as slippery as a snake."

Seraphine snorted at the remark.

Once all of the strings on the corset had come undone, Seraphine felt a huge pressure was lifted from her body. She took in a deep breath. The corset fell to the floor. 

"Goddess," the Viscountess cursed as she saw Seraphine's bareback. "What happened to you?" Viscountess Perrone asked in a raised voice. This was by far the most shocking expression the old lady had made. It made Seraphine curious as well.

There was a mirror near the bathtub, a full body mirror. It was rusty at one edge, but it still served its purpose. Seraphine stepped in front of the mirror to observe the state of the body. She saw the same face she had seen earlier with the hair still donned in a bun. Her eyes darted lower. 

Oh, wow!

The body was too thin to the point of her ribcages showing. But that was not the worst. There were scars all over her body. Most looked like lashes, but some looked like stabs. Others looked like burnt scars from the butt of a cigarette. Black and blue bruises were also seen on her shoulder, stomach, and legs. 

She turned to observe her back. Surely, it would not be as hideous, right?

Yet her back was almost fully covered by lashes upon lashes. There were two deep gashes on her back that seemed to be neglected. And thus, the corset had opened the wounds again. 

The old Seraphine endured so much... The Dark Witch felt something was softening inside her. A feeling of solidarity to the poor girl that was no longer there. Don't worry, I'll avenge this whole world for you. 

From the mirror reflection, Seraphine saw the Viscountess covered her mouth in shock. The old lady gasped at the sight of Seraphine's body. 

"This... this is inhumane!" the Viscountess cried out, "This is barbaric! Who did this to you? Who would–"

"Viscountess," Seraphine called her in a firm voice. "Didn't you say you are not associating yourself with me?" Cold. Sharp. 

The woman stared wide-eyed at Seraphine through the mirror. Her mouth was agape but soon she cleared her throat. 

"Y– you can have a bath a– and relax. Take all the time you need. I will bring you some food..." Her eyes trailed to Seraphine's body again. "Lots of them. Is there anything else you would require?"

"Sewing kit."

"Huh?"

Seraphine pointed to her open wounds on her back. "These will need stitches."

"How are you so calm seeing your body like this?" the Viscountess asked suddenly. In all honesty, the old woman seemed more disturbed in Seraphine's body state than Seraphine herself. But then the Viscountess averted her gaze and corrected herself. "No, you're right. I– it's not my problem."

"It's not."

"But how are you going to stitch the wounds on your back?"

"I'll manage."

The Viscountess blinked. She stared back at Seraphine, her face was still full of shock. Especially with how Seraphine answered her questions nonchalantly.

"I see... I will grab what you need then."

Seraphine nodded as the Viscountess passed her to get out of the bathroom. The old woman brought the corset and the dress with her. 

When Seraphine was alone, she submerged herself in the warm water. 

Oh, it feels so nice!

As the Dark Witch, Seraphine never really felt hot nor cold. Perhaps her sensation was numb. She just existed before, not really living. But this time, in the new body, she could feel everything. Hunger, coldness, and heat. 

Most of all, she felt fear. For the first time after centuries of existing. 

The body made her feel fear. 

She splashed her hand in the still water out of frustration. 

Fear. 

She scoffed. Ridiculous. I don't feel fear. I make others fearful.

She was about to submerge herself in the water fully to wash her face when the door of the bathroom opened. The Viscountess had entered again, bringing a small brown box. The old woman approached the bathtub carefully. 

"The food is prepared in your room," the Viscountess said in a flat tone. 

Seraphine nodded. She extended her hand, waiting to receive the box that she guessed as the sewing kit. Yet the Viscountess kept the box in her palms. 

"Let me," the old woman said. "I'm not associating with you. I'm just... just... Let me help you stitch the wounds."

That took Seraphine by surprise. She looked at the Viscountess. The old woman seemed to fall into the kind category. The type of person that could not let others suffer though she wore a tough exterior. Seraphine decided to take the Viscountess's offer. She turned her back against the old woman. Then she put her hair to one shoulder. Following her cue, the Viscountess kneeled and started prepping the sewing kit. 

"This will hurt a little," the Viscountess said. 

"I won't scream."

"How about we just call the royal physician?"

"No. Don't make a big deal out of this."

"Your wounds are... many, Lady Seraphine. And they all looked painful."

Seraphine rolled her eyes upward. She did not want the royal physician to be involved as it would put her in the spotlight. Something she did not want if she ever wanted to escape the palace and search for that last gem. But she could not possibly reason with the Viscountess by saying all that.

Instead, she said, "I don't want myself in the spotlight, Viscountess. Who knows what they will do to me if I tarnish their name?"

The Viscountess gasped. "So it's true... they... your own family did this to you?"

Seraphine turned to look at the Viscountess. The old woman had a completely different attitude than she had before. It was full of... pity. Something that Seraphine despised most other than not being able to destroy the world. 

No one pities the Dark Witch and no one shall!

"Your pity insults me, Viscountess," Seraphine spat out the words, "After your cold and hateful attitude towards me. You are no different than the rest. Let's not be a hypocrite, shall we?" She raised one eyebrow to make a statement. Then she turned her back to the Viscountess again, meaning their conversation was over. 

The Viscountess took the hint. She cleared her throat then started to sew the wounds on Seraphine's back. 

When the needle pierced through Seraphine's skin, she winced. s**t, she cursed. It had been quite some time since she experienced pain. She gritted her teeth and focused her eyes on one spot on the wall. She would not scream. 

The needle made its way across Seraphine's back. In and out they went, bursting flames and pain to her skin. 

She would not scream. In fact, she welcomed the pain. She took in the hurt, collected it in a special box inside her heart. 

Another reason to destroy this world, she thought, the world that caused me to feel pain.

Oh, right, I have not eaten.

Right on cue, her stomach grumbled.