Chapter 2

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Nethelia's POV

A few months have passed since I last read the book and since then everything's been the same as always. For instance, Brother is still at the academy, father is busy with the east, and mother..... Well let's just say everything is normal in the household.

I walked through the hallways as I felt all the maids stare at me with mocking and disgusting looks, they wouldn't bow like they should but I don't mind, as long as they don't bother me I could care less on what they think of me.

I reached my chambers and as I head inside I see no one, no attendants, no personal maid, and no knight just pure silence and furniture.

I close the door behind me and got on my bed before taking out a small box from under my pillows, having no servants was both torture and heaven for me saying that no one would help bathe my body, no one would take care for my wounds, and no one to care if I have eaten or not.

The heavenly side is that I can keep secrets, do anything I want, and keep anything I need. For example, the box wich was filled with coins of gold, after reading the book I had a thought in wich if I wasn't a main lead I had to try some other way to survive so I have to start saving some money.

As I put the coins that I got from earlier inside the box I then shut the box and put it back under my pillow, as I stared at my pillows thinking about what should I do next the doors slammed open and In came my mother

Cynthia Carthengtion, Duchess of the east and sadly my mother, she gave birth to my brother and me but for some reason she doesn't like me that much, I don't like her either.

As maids followed behind her with they're head down and smiles up in the ready, the knights guarded the doors

I quickly got of my bed and bowed down as she came forward, she stood in front of me with a disgusted look before scoffing

"To think he still took you in" she spat, it hurts to think she would treat her child like this but what comes next hurts even more.

My mother would sometimes spit words that didn't come to sense, because of this I had a bazillion question in my head. Like, maybe she was lonely? Maybe she just didn't like life? Or maybe she was just born mean like Helena.

But that can't be true since she "Adores" my brother like a mother bird guarding their egg, I stood up but kept my head down since if I put it up it wouldn't do any good

"Alright you know the drill" my mother spoke as she put a hand on her forehead before grabbing the wip from the head maid, this was a daily occurrence where everytime father doesn't come home before noon mother would barge inside my room and take her pain and anger out on me.

It would last a few hours or sometimes the remaining of the day but each time after she's done she would leave me alone like she used to and that would be the true pain.

I held back my tears as the wip slashed my Back countless of times, as I heard both my mother and maids mock and laughter fill the empty room, I really hated this life.

After a couple of minutes I soon became numb and motionless, my mother noticed this and slashed the wip even harder in each moment that I looked tired.

As the slashes began to lessen my mother then stopped and dropped the wip on the floor "You should be lucky I'm only using a wip" she said glaring at me like I'm a mouse stuck in a cats paw

"Stand up and take a bath, you reek." my mother said with a tiny bit of hatred, I couldn't say anything in this situation no matter how many insults filled my mind

I stood up emotionless and tired "As you wish mother." I spoke like a robot obeying their creator, my mother gave me one last disgusted look before turning to the door

"you and you" she said pointing to a maid and a knight in the back, "make sure she doesn't disgrace the family name later, if she does your heads will be the new furniture displayed in her room"

Ah. There it is.

The reason why the people don't like serving me is that I always create a mistake and they'll be the ones who will be punished for it, I looked up to see both people glaring at me with disgusted looks, I quietly sigh as mother leaves my room with her people and only the 3 of us left

The knight quickly layed on my bed in a comfortable position and began to nap, he did not care if he was being disrespectful in front of the dukes daughter, he was a knight. Someone with a status rather than me, who didn't have anything.

The maid looks at me with a dirty look before grabbing my hand roughly and dragging me to the bathroom, I didn't bother to flinch at the pain, whenever a guest or father would come home mother wouldn't just leave me behind with scars and bruises so she always ordered some people to wash me and clothe me and after the arrangement was finished she would send me back to my room and the rest was just humanity at its greatest hour.

As we entered the bathroom the maid yanked me to the side making me hit the tub filled with burning hot water, I looked at the water carefully and my face is filled with fear, I hesitantly look at the maid who was now looking at me impatiently

"take of your clothes and get on the tub." The maid said, usually they'd give me cold and dirty water and though I didn't mind that but scorching hot flesh burning water? No thank you.

I looked at the maid straight in the eye and shook my head roughly, "I said take of your clothes you wench!" The maid screamed at me, without a moment to waste the maid slapped me making mentally to the ground as I tried to defend myself but I knew there was no use anyways

I stood up before lowering my head and gripping my dress as I took it off and started to dip my foot in the water, it really was scorching hot! Before I turned around to make reason with the maid I found myself up in the air and thrown inside the tub

All sense lost in me, I grabbed the edge of the tub as I pulled myself up feeling the hotness surround my body, I feel like I'm burning in fire! Tears fell on my checks as I panted from the sudden surprise

I looked up at the maid who was smirking and laughing at me, laughing! I really hated this life! What did I do to deserve this?!

A few hours later I come out of the bathroom with my face red as a tomato and my body looking like I came from the beach, the maid put on my black sleeveless dress with a ribbon tied on my waist

The maid braided my hair and for some reason it felt like she was pulling it instead, I got maid gestured for me to follow her and the guard and they escorted me both with displeased looks, the feeling was mutual so I don't really care.

As we reached our destination the knight stood by the door and the maid beside him, I walked inside to find my mother having tea with a white haired lady who looked like she was in her late 20's

It looked like they had a lovely chat before I came in, I greeted my mother with the proper curtsey and turned to the white haired lady, my mother looked at me for a moment before sighing

She put on a smile in front of the lady and stood up next to me "Your Highness This is my daughter, Nethelia Carthengtion" my mother told the lady

"Lia, this is Her highness Lady Amyela Faxington" she said with a smile, I hated her nicknames cause it would always be faker than her fake breasts.

But wait, Faxington? I feel like I heard that somewhere before...

"It's nice to meet you little lady" Lady Amyela said with a smile, for some reason her smile felt genuine and not because she is pretty but she has the air of a person you could trust for a lifetime

I did a curtsy and greeted the lady "It's nice to meet you too my lady" I spoke before standing up straight with a smile, if my mother can be fake then what doubt are her genes?

My mother did a simple "ahem" before smiling brightly at the two of us "so Lia, me and her highness here did a little talk" my mother said sweetly, and when she uses the tone sweetly it always reffers it to opportunity

I sighed quietly before smiling back at her "go on" I said sounding eager but I could give less than a fuck.

"And we decided that you should stay in the Archdukes house for a while" she said sounding happy, I really hated her voice. but hold on, archduke? As in THE ARCHDUKE?? THE ONLY ARCHDUKE IN THE EMPIRE? THE ONE WHERE THE VILLAINESS LIVES???

Hell no.

I tilted my head trying to look innocent and perfect by hiding my hesitation and fear "B-But mother I don't think the Archduke or Duchess would like for me to stay with them" I said trying to avoid staying with.... Her.

"And besides, what would I even stay there for?" I told her sounding angry but happy at the same time, I smiled at her and seeing her frown a little before smiling up again was a view

"Oh don't worry about that sweetie" lady Amyela said, she then stood up from the couch and walked over to me "as the archduchess I'll happily accept you into our home" she said happily while towering over me with a smile

My inner thoughts went on a rampage, The archduchess was here! THE MOTHER OF THE VILLAIN IS HERE!! I could feel the fear start to go up but I pulled it down and forced a smile

"I-is that so?" I stuttered, well this was going to be a long day.

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