Episode 3
1118 Words
MADISON BLAKE'S POV
How vicious. I felt my knees getting weaker. I knew struggling was useless as it would only make the curse more effective.
The Blood Guard's curse was a wicked curse and a side effect of the Blood Guard pact.
This curse has the power to force a blood guard to obey his master's order, even sacrificing their own life.
But people rarely use it on their blood guard, except one that is trying to revolt or kill them.
It slashes twenty years off the lifespan of the blood guard, sucking off their vital energy, while it does not affect the master.
Except strengthening them with the vital energy seeping out from their blood guard.
It was a wicked technique formed by the witches of the western mountains.
How vicious!
Despite knowing it would draw away twenty years of life from me, she still did it.
Not just that, I could feel her sucking off my vital energy at alarming speed.
I turned to her and saw her smiling viciously, her amber eyes now had a red hue from the use of the abominable practice.
Her skin had become rosy from using the vital energy I got after years of painstaking training.
I fell to my knees weakly, and she laughed loudly, cackling like a wicked witch.
"I will destroy that beautiful face of yours that always made you proud. And you will become my dog's little slave and harlot" she said viciously, walking towards me.
My heart skipped a beat.
It was no secret she hated seeing anyone as beautiful as she was, or worse, more beautiful.
I looked just like my mother, who was the most beautiful girl in the country then.
Princess Jennifer never made her hatred of my face and physique a secret.
And now, she has finally decided to mutilate me?
"Hold her down and cut her open" she ordered, and her attendants quickly moved to obey.
I wanted to fight them, but I was too weak to move a finger.
They cut open my arm.
One of my veins was slashed open, making torrents of blood flow into the bowl of herbs and dog food.
My eyes widened, and I bit my lips to hold back the pain.
Others normally slashed the skin, but they targeted my veins, making their intention obvious.
They wanted to kill me!
They threw me off once the bowl was half filled with blood.
Torrents of blood kept flowing out of my body, dyeing the garden around me red.
I tried to channel my energy to seal the bleeding, but my efforts were pitifully weak.
Jennifer walked to me, slashing my face with a dagger, carving a thin line from my ear to my lips.
She cackled loudly like the demonic witch she was.
I looked up in despair at the dog hungrily lapping up my blood.
Soon it finished the bowl and looked at me hungrily as if it wanted to eat me too.
I looked at it with my wolf eyes, daring it to.
It whimpered before running after Jennifer, who kicked me before leaving the garden.
I finally allowed the tears to fall from my eyes as I looked at the sun.
****
I lay there till evening before I heard my brother shouting my name.
He found me and gasped.
"Goddess, Maddie, she did this?" He shouted angrily and hurried to seal my wounds.
He carried me up and began to rush out of the palace.
I was surprised when my little brother carried me up.
I smiled, the little boy had already grown up.
He dropped me on his bed, before attending to my wounds and channeling his vital energy to my body.
He screamed, startling me.
"What happened to you? Who sucked your energy and cut off your lifespan? I will kill her!" He roared, a hint of madness in his eyes as he stood up.
I quickly held his hand to calm him down.
"No, please. You will be in big trouble. It's okay. I'm okay now. Think about father, you will put him in an awkward spot if you confront her", I whispered in a weak voice.
He bit his lips and clenched his fists angrily.
He sighed helplessly and sat beside me, pouring more energy into my body.
Soon, the pounding headache I felt stopped.
I stopped him from giving me more energy, to avoid hurting him.
He rushed to his cloth cabinet and brought out food and milk which he had hidden there.
He always hides food away, to feed me every night.
He must have discovered me while searching for me to sneakily pass it to me.
I smiled as he set the feast before me.
I ate the liver stew and the fried fish, hungrily dipping the bread in it at intervals.
I soon cleared the food and drank the milk.
He kept the plates in a basket and hid them, before carrying me to my room, which was the attic.
Beatrice had sent me away from my room into the attic years ago.
The bed in there was brought up by my brother when he was ten. He had caused a big fight back then.
I smiled as my heart filled with warmth at the memory.
He laid me down and hurriedly left. He soon returned with expensive elixirs and herbs which he gave me.
He probably stole some of them from our father's cabinet. He poured some into my mouth, before cleaning me up with a wet towel.
He applied some elixirs on me and tied my arm. I could feel my veins re-connecting. He applied the anti-scar ointment on my face, before putting the vials away.
"I'm sorry dear. I'm too weak to help you now, sis. I will get more powerful and take us out of here. Okay?" He whispered, holding my hand.
I nodded, and before I knew it, I slept off. Probably because of the potent herbs.
*****
I felt the sunshine on my face and opened my eyes.
I stood up and realized I had recovered a bit.
The bell tolled, making my heart jump in horror.
It was past noon, which meant I slept for a whole day.
I bathed with the water I always reserved in my little bathroom.
I untied the bandage and saw that my hand was almost healed.
I wonder how much those herbs cost as I dressed in my warrior's garments, the only clothes I seem to have.
I tiptoed down into the house only to hear my brother and father arguing.
My heart immediately turned sour at my father's uncaring words.
Finally, I realized that I had no father.
- Writer
