Chapter One: Marked
1262 Words
“Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought. Our brightest blazes are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks”
-Samuel Johnson.
It was about 3am in the morning, Blair sobbed quietly as she recounted the things that happened earlier on. She couldn't hold back her tears as she replayed the events in her mind.
She glanced at the prince, fast asleep, looking peaceful and charming. Her neck had stopped bleeding, but she still felt pain elsewhere. It was a mix of emotions for Blair, torn between being in the presence of her longtime crush and the pain caused by his actions.
As Blair gathered her thoughts, she couldn't deny the undeniable truth: "He violated me, and he must face the consequences," she whispered to herself. She observed him, still peacefully asleep. Moving closer, she gently brushed the hair away from his face. He snored softly, unaware of the pain he had caused her. "Why did he have to bite me?" she questioned, her fingers caressing his face. His features were perfect, from his curved face and jawline to his long blonde hair and fair skin. His pink lips added to his charm. Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, revealing his warm brown gaze meeting hers.
Marcus slowly woke up, finding himself face-to-face with a stunning girl. Confusion filled his mind as he wondered how she ended up in his room and on his bed. He didn't recall bringing anyone home the night before. Startled, she quickly pulled her hand away from his face and moved to leave the room.
"Hey, wait! Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Marcus questioned, approaching her.
"Wait...aren't you the maid who served me tea last night?" he asked, noticing her turn around. But she remained silent, her face filled with anger and tears streaming down her cheeks.
Suddenly, Marcus caught sight of her neck, and his eyes widened. The mark...
Blair, with tears in her eyes, could only think to herself, "This monster doesn't even remember what he did to me last night." He had enjoyed himself while she endured unimaginable pain.
"Wait...your neck...those marks...fangs...did I...?" Marcus asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Yes, you did! You bit me! As if forcing yourself on me wasn't enough. Despite my cries and pleas for you to stop, you...you..." Blair couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. Her eyes welled up with tears, and bitterness choked her throat.
"That's enough. It was just a mistake. Now get the hell out of my room," Marcus coldly stated.
Blair's jaw dropped, unable to believe his callous response.
Marcus stared at the bloodstained sheets and the weeping maid before him.
"What the hell happened last night?" he muttered to himself.
He recalled losing control completely after she had served him tea. "Who knows if this was her plan all along... she must have spiked it... after all, who wouldn't want to share a bed with the Prince?" he thought to himself.
"That's enough. It was just a mistake. Now get the hell out of my room," he snapped at her.
"Obviously, I wasn't in my right mind, or I would never have slept with a mere servant. Who knows what you put in my tea last night to make me lose control like that?" he accused.
She was already in tears, but he didn't seem to care.
Blair couldn't believe he was saying all these things to her. "There must have been something about that tea last night, but it definitely wasn't my doing. No girl wants something like this to happen," she thought to herself.
She wanted to speak, but the words refused to come out. Her throat felt tight with bitterness, and tears blurred her vision.
Suddenly, he started moving closer to her. What was he doing? She kept stepping back until her back hit the door.
Their bodies pressed against each other, and she could feel her heart racing. He reached out and stroked her hair, then forcefully grabbed her neck. "Not a word about what happened last night to anyone, or else you'll be in danger," he whispered in her ear. Blair had never felt so terrified in her life.
He finally released his grip on her neck and moved away. She coughed, trying to regain her composure. She brushed her hair over her shoulders, and he commented to himself, "Nice hair." He had always liked it long and blonde.
Blair had never let her hair down before. As a maid, she wasn't allowed to do so.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Those captivating emerald eyes and the mark on her shoulders below her neck held his gaze.
Images flashed in his mind of the previous night, when he had sunk his fangs deep into her flesh. His tooth twitched as he stared at the mate mark. It was so tempting, but he quickly looked away.
"You heard me, and I never want to see you again," he said firmly.
She turned to leave the room, but he couldn't resist adding one more thing. "And those marks on your neck... you might want to hide them," he said quietly. She left without uttering a word.
Blair let out a sigh of relief.
"Why was I crying? What did I expect him to do? Marry me?" she muttered to herself as she made her way out of the room.
"And these marks... I have to hide them. The way he stared at them was so unsettling," she thought, her voice filled with unease.
Quietly, she made her way to the maids' quarters without attracting any attention. It was already dawn, so she quickly got ready and headed to the garden to start her chores.
"Blair... Blair!" Lyka called out, waving her hands in front of Blair's face. Startled, Blair dropped the pruning knife.
Lyka had been trying to get Blair's attention for a while now, but Blair was lost in her thoughts. Lyka was Princess Olivia's personal maid, known for being nosy and talkative.
"I've been calling your name for a while now, Blair. You seem tired... are you okay?" Lyka asked, concerned.
Blair forced a smile. "I'm fine... I just didn't get enough sleep, I guess," Blair replied, knowing she couldn't share what she was going through with Lyka.
"Are you sure? What's that scarf around your neck?" Lyka inquired, always trying to poke her nose into other people's business.
"Anyway, that's not important. The madam has sent for you," Lyka stated.
"Oh my God!" Blair exclaimed, realizing she had completely forgotten. The head maid had sent her to deliver the tea last night, and she must have been wondering why Blair hadn't returned.
"Oh no... what do I tell her now?" Blair whispered to herself, quickly leaving the garden to meet the head maid in the kitchen.
"Good morning, ma'am," Blair greeted Madam Eunice with a respectful bow. Madam Eunice, an older woman in her sixties, turned around with a serious expression.
Blair noticed Madam Eunice's neatly packed gray hair in a bun, which accentuated her facial features. Her caramel skin, slightly wrinkled face, pointed nose, and a mole just above her lips.
"Why didn't I hear from you last night?" Madam Eunice asked, her tone stern.
"Ma'am..."
"Did you serve the prince the tea I gave you last night?"
"Yes, I did, ma'am."
"Alright, that's fine. Go check on him this morning."
"Check on him? How, ma'am?"
"Oh, I mean it's your turn to clean his room. Go do that now."
"But, ma'am..."
"No 'buts,' Blair. Do as you're told!"
- Writer
