His Hidden Jewel

Chapter 11 (TW)

It’s now the fifth day since master isolated me in my room. My neck and head ache from laying all day, which is something I never thought I would say, but I don’t know what else to do. Some times I pace or stretch, or Ill peak outside the tiny fist sized windows with even smaller bars. But all I can see it sky and some trees; it’s still nice to look at some times.

At this point I’m upset at myself for letting my guards down. How stupid of me to do that? I’m a slave. Did I think I was special just because my current master doesn’t outwardly treat me like scum? Ha, as if. Every creature seems to hate humans why should I think master would be any different? … no, that’s not fair, Yeke is different. She’s always been kind and treats me like an equal despite being both a slave and human.

My mind sharply reminds itself not to throw a pity party, just because I’m miserable from being locked it. It isn’t as bad as when old master would. Closing my eyes, I try to fall asleep again.

OooooooooooO

“I love you, Chari,” my father is caressing my hair gently, his eyes are filled with sadness. I don’t understand.

“I love you too Chari,” my mom assures with a gentle kiss to my cheek. She’s sitting next to father, her long brown hair intermixing with fathers long white hair. She pulls me into their arms, I press my face against their chest.

“I love you too mama, papa, but I don’t understand,” I say gently. Why are they so sad? I don’t want them to leave!

“We will see you one day Chari, just remember we will always love you.” My mom assures instead, giving me another kiss. My father also kisses my head, I could see tears in their eyes. They get up, and suddenly my old master is there. They turn to him robotically, the eyes that were once filled with sadness now dead and emotionless. I watch all three start to walk down a long, dark hallway. I jump to my feet and run after them.

“Wait! Where are you going?! Mom! Dad! Don’t go! I don’t understand!” I cry, my voice turning desperate as the three figures start to disappear into the darkness. I race after them, but the hallway just keeps getting longer.

Screaming.

Blood curdling screams echo.

Mom and dad screaming.

My panic increases. “MOM! DAD! PLEASE ANSWER ME! PLEASE LET ME HELP YOU!” I yell, still running towards that looming, darkened hallway. Suddenly the screams stop, and the hallway stops elongating; there’s now a black door at the end of the hallway.

The suddenness sends a pit to my stomach, and my head starts to hurt. Something in me is fighting against opening the door, there’s something awful behind the door I can feel it, but most of me feels determined to open it.

My parents are in there I’m sure of it. I push myself to walk closer to the door, the uneasiness increasing as I get closer, and then without another thought I shove the door open. The room is small and stone, and looks familiar, but that isn’t what catches my attention.

Oh god.

Oh no.

No. No. No.

Fathers decomposing skin is hanging off a hook, his eyeless face gazing right into mine. Mothers skin was hanging off a hook next to him but in half. And next to them lay a pill of red, bloody flesh. My stomach is curdling, I feel like I’m about to be sick.

“Don’t you like my artwork slave?” The voice makes me freeze and slowly, fearfully, I look up to find my old master Bezing standing next to my parents skin with a bloody apron.

“That will teach you the next time you misbehave!” Bezing suddenly roars, his bloody apron is gone, and he’s suddenly standing over me. I flinch, and scurry back to create space, but he just continues to walk closer. The aprons suddenly gone, and he’s now wearing his favorite suit he would wear whenever he dishes punishments; a nice, all black suit with my and my parents dried blood on it.

Every time I see it I feel my insides squirm.

I cry as master grabs my hair and uses it to pull my body up. “Do you see what happens when you misbehave,” Bezing growls grabbing my jaw roughly and forcing me to look at my parents skin. I gasp as they suddenly appear standing directly in front of me, but this time as decomposing bodies, their decomposing faces hyperventilating as their glazed over eyes watch me calmly.

“Mom, dad,” I choke out.

“THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EXIST! YOU WILL BE THE DEATH TO EVERYONE AROUND YOU!” Bezing’s voice screams, and he throws my body to the hard ground. I slap my hands against my ears as tears leak shamelessly from my eyes.

Hands start grabbing my arms and shoulders; please make it stop!

OooooooO

My eyes jump open, and I realize they’re wet like I was crying. I’m laying face down into my pillow, my pillow soaked with my tears from that nightmare, but… that wasn’t just a nightmare… it was a memory… oh god. I can’t believe I forgot I saw what happened to my parents- then I realize familiar cold hands are touching my shoulder.

I sit up instantly. Master pulls back a bit at my sudden movement, but once he sees that I recognize him, he reaches to touch my knee. I flinch.

“Bunny,” master says gently. I wipe my eyes discretely, and the best I could against the back of my hand before I meet his eyes again. His red eyes are shockingly not cold for once, instead he looks concerned and sad.

“Master,” I grunt back, clearing my throat afterwards.

It has been a few days since I’ve had to talk. He watches me for a moment and I can’t handle it after a moment, and look away. These past few days, and that memory-nightmare last night reminded me where I stand. I’m a slave; I will forever always be everyone’s lesser. I can’t leave myself vulnerable, and so I can’t let my guards down around him. From now on, no matter what master says, never believe him and act like the perfect slave.

He reaches for my hair, the motion reminding me of my fathers, and I flinch back before he could touch a single hair. He draws his hand back.

Master finally sighs, “get dressed, we have somewhere to be.”

“Yes master,” I reply stoically, heading to the small pile of my only pair of work clothes: a white, thin, medium-length, long sleeved dress.

I listen to the door close behind indicating master leaving, and quickly dress. I feel relief I get to get out of this stuffy room, but I feel a bit antsy towards master again.

I slip on my shoes, and meet master outside. “Let’s go,” master orders and starts stalking quickly through the castle. I hurry after him, my shorter legs barely keeping pace with his without full on running. Curiously, master leads us through the castles grand gardens, and we eventually stop in a small greenhouse. The odor coming the greenhouse is sweet. My eyes widen; hundreds of flowers and ones I’ve never seen before. Gorgeous white and yellow flowers with small orange dots all over the petals.

“They are tempia flowers,” I jump slightly when master suddenly starts to explain. His usually piercing red eyes were watching the flowers with almost a gentle gaze. “They are rare, and can only be grown in places like Silvonya and Lybar due to the climate, and,” he finally meets my eyes, “they were my mother’s favorite flower. She loved their sweet smell; exactly like honey, she would say.”

I look back to tempias, unsure of what to say or why master was telling me about this. I never heard him speak about his parents before, even to other creatures. I softly touch the petals. “Bunny, we a lot alike in many ways. I also lost my parents at a young age,” I twitch slightly at the sudden revelation and meet his eyes. A small flash of the memory from the dream last night comes to my mind, but I quickly shove it aside.

“I’m so sorry for your loss master,” I whisper sincerely and I really mean it. No matter what he has put me through and what he may put me through in the future, I would never wish that on anyone.

“And I’m sorry for your loss too,” master states back and the genuinely of his voice shook me. Does he actually mean it? No, I said I wouldn’t let my guard down again.

I rest my hand on the table of flowers, and suddenly master places his hand over mine that resting on the table. “Bunny,” I glance up in shock; masters face is very close, and it makes mine heat up. “The world right now is hard place, and I apologize for the way I’ve treated you in the past.” My eyes widen, and my mouth drops; neither master has ever apologized to me before.

“You see, the world still needs some improving, and I want to improve it for you,” he continues sincerely, pulling my hands closer to his chest. My cheeks heat up more.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’ll find out soon,” master grins mysteriously. “But for now, I’ll give you a hint.” He pulls away and I raise a brow curiously as he picks a yellow tempia flower, and hands it to me. I look at him in confusion. “That’s the hint, think about that tonight Bunny.”