Consequences
1350 Words
AGATHA'S POV
“I didn’t tear your dress,” I say, my voice rising more than I intended.
Penelope folds her arms over her chest and smirks at me. "You really thought ruining my wedding dress is going to stop me from marrying the king?”
"Come on, Aileen,” she nudges her sister with her elbow. “Why don’t you tell her right now that we’re the ones the king wants? We’re better suited for him.”
I was actually so wrong to think that they won't confront me about it.
"You're pathetic, you two." I chuckle in pain. "You like stealing other women's men just like your mother. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?"
Their gaze darkens.
“You and your mother are losers who can’t keep their men,” Aileen shoots back. “Men always know who’s better.”
“Better?” I try to hold myself together. "King Atticus is marrying you because that’s what his brother offered him. Your pretty face is all you have to offer him.”
“And what about you?” Penelope sneers. “You’re nothing. Time and again, it’s been proven we’re better. Even father prefers us. Your mate is happier with us, and let’s not forget, you’re carrying your pathetic mother’s curse.”
Her words hit me like a slap.
“Don’t you dare talk about my mother like that,” I warn looking at their evil faces.
"Or what?" Her grin widens. She's getting to me and she knows it.
"What's your f*****g problem?" I take a step towards her but Lilith grabs my hand, holding me back.
Penelope steps closer, breathing on my face “My problem? It’s the fact that someone as pathetic as you think you deserve love from a mighty king. Watching him that night order you to kneel and beg for my forgiveness sure put a smile on my face."
I pull my hand out of Lilith's and before I know it, I lunge at her and she falls back down.
I hear the other servants in the room scream and some rush out calling out to the guards but I don't care. I am angry enough to hit her. She may be my little sister, but I am not going to endure more of their stupid insults when I have done nothing to deserve it.
She attempts to hit me on the head, I dodge and pin her down. I punch her on the face. She yelps out loud.
Aileen seethes with anger as she marches forward with her fists clenched.
She swings a blow which lands on my left cheek. I ignore the pain and punch her back. She stumbles back, clutching her jaw. Penelope manages to get up from underneath me and joins her and they both attack me.
I can punch harder than any girl, but I would need to be a warrior to fight two people at the same time. No matter how many punches I swing, I am receiving a lot more and it really hurts.
Two guards suddenly pulls both away from me as the other grabs my arms and forces me to my knees.
"Calm down." One of the guard orders, holding them back by their wrists.
Almost every single part of my upper body is in pain but I smile in satisfaction when I see Aileen's swollen and bleeding lips.
The entrance door opens and king Atticus and Lahore walks in, their eyes assessing the situation.
"You, you're the one causing trouble?" He asks furiously glaring down at me.
"My jaw hurt." Aileen calls out. " She was fighting both of us!"
"You two started it." I yell.
"They did. It's true." Lirith chimes in as king Atticus walks to where Aileen is and checks her jaw. Wiping away the tears from her face.
"You hurt anywhere else?" He asks and she shakes her head sniffing like a little f*****g toddler.
“Everyone sit down, except for you two,” he says, pointing at me and Penelope.
“Penelope,” he calls out.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” she replies softly.
“Tell me what happened,” he demands. Why doesn’t he just ask the other servants who witnessed the whole thing?
"She tore and destroyed my wedding dress and when I ....asked her why she attacked me and my sister." She lies.
Murmurs ripple through the other servants and king Atticus turns to them. "I said sit."
I have never seen a group of servant drop so first at a command. He approaches us, his eyes on mine.
"Is it true? Did you hit your mistress?"
That's very undeniable. I search his face for clues of his mood but his expression is impassive. "Yes, your majesty... I did.”
He nods slowly. "We'll make this easy." He strides over to Lahore, who hands him a folded whip. My stomach drops. So he ain't even going to ask why I hit them? or even consider the fact that they hit me back. Yeah I guess the servant is always the one on the wrong.
“Strike her as hard as she struck you,” he instructs, passing the whip to Penelope who is having a very hard time keeping a smirk off her face.
"Hold on to her." He orders and another guard steps forward and holds one of my arms. I fight them trying to free myself but they only squeeze my arms harder.
I swear I hate him, I hate him so much.
"Your majesty...." Lirith begins and King Atticus glares at her.
"I would suggest keeping your mouth shut unless you want to join your friend here."
Lirith’s gaze flickers between him and me. I give her a slight nod, urging her to back down. She lowers her head and sits back down.
“Go on,” he says to Penelope. I close my eyes tightly as I see her move to position, to the side of me, lining the whip against my upper back. Obviously enjoying my humiliation.
Not a moment pases before her first strike. A wave of excruciating pain spreads across my back but I don't make a sound more than a gasp at the first one, but the second one has me crying out loud. I bite down on my lower lip as more strikes continue landing on my back.
"You are not hitting hard enough, my lady!" I hear Lahore mutter in disappointment even as a panting Penelope continues raining down heavy lashes on every part of my back.
“My arms are tired,” she grunts landing another agonizing lash. Lahore approaches and she hands him the whip and steps back.
I shiver because the massive strength of a man, expecially a gigantic man like lahore can rip fresh out of bones.
"This is what happens when you disrespect royalty,” he hisses before landing the first powerful strike on my lower back.
The pain makes my vision blur. I actually feel the wetness of blood against my skin as it flows out from the cut that the whip has made.
He continues to swing the whip with even greater force and the resulting pain becomes impossible to withstand without letting out raw screams.
He lands a dozen more strikes on my already sore back ruthlessly before I hear king Atticus authoritative voice say it's enough.
Lahore steps back, breathing heavily as he lowers the whip.
“Take her to the dungeons,” Atticus orders.
The guards try jerk me up but my legs have grown numb. I do my best to make my legs work as they drag me towards the door of the opulent chambers.
"Thank you for ridding us of her, Your majesty." Penelope says.
I wish the guards would pick up pace to spare my ears from more of their slanderous remarks. Still I get to hear one last thing before being dragged out.
"I will instruct the council to postpone the coronation so you can see a doctor and get rest." I hear him tell them.
- Writer
