Audrey

Light and darkness were just as powerful as each other, so fights between darkness and light depended on which user was stronger. The Queen was a light magic prodigy who had mastered the art at a very young age, just as Audrey had mastered darkness very quickly. Achlys' blessing would grow with Audrey's mastery of her powers of darkness. She also kept Achlys a secret, she knew that users of darkness were often ostracized by society and she couldn't afford to be hated any more than she already was. The last time the Queen had personally punished her, she was also cuffed using magically enchanted cuffs that stopped her from using any powers at all. 

Three hours of agony passed as Audrey wondered if the Queen would visit her, and then, she felt her presence. She remained in the greenhouse the whole time and dipped into a curtsy immediately. "I humbly greet Your Majesty, and with the deepest apologies." She didn't dare shake or hesitate, she felt the Queen's eyes assess her posture, her obedience, everything.

"Rise." The sharp voice cut through the air and she gently rose, like she had been taught, but keeping her eyes lowered. "You may explain your actions to me." The Queen stated, coldly.

"I didn't want to upset Your Majesty or her Highness by rejecting her advances. I did not know before what I know now and will keep my distance from everything. It was not my intention to cause upset." She responded, still unable to raise her head. Knowing any act of defiance could result in an unending amount of pain for her, she didn't want any more scars. 

"Very well, I understand." The Queen answered, but her voice was unmoved. "I don't understand, however, why you had such an outburst. That is what has caused this mess. I cannot spare you of a punishment for that."

"Please, Your Majesty, I was desperate to survive. If you spare me tonight, you won't have to hear from me again. I will disappear into the shadows. Please." Although she begged, she held onto her dignity, she could only ask for mercy. 

Luckily, she had potions in every room of her palace that would heal her very quickly and very effectively if her begging didn't work. She would still be able to meet Viscount Bergmont's daughter tomorrow, she would just be a bit tired. 

The Queen laughed as she conjured light, she pulled up Audrey's face with her free hand, and finally, Audrey looked her mother in the eyes as her usually dark blue eyes glowed with the reflection of the balls of light in her mother's hand. They juggled through the air, and she gulped in fear as a tear fell from her eye. "Your Majesty, please." was all she managed as she was hit in the chest with five balls of light. 

For a second, she felt nothing, just an inability to breathe, and then the pain seared through her lungs and ribs. Her scream filled the green room as giant tentacles of light wrapped around her body, searing into her skin, and covering her arms and legs. The Queen pulled the familiar handcuffs from her bag and placed them onto Audrey's small hands, her dress was ragged on the ground. She lay humiliated and pained on the ground. 

The darkness that had protected her ever so slightly disappeared and the full force of pain hit her again. She heaved and kept screaming as they dug into her, only her neck, hands, and the soles of her feet were unharmed. The Queen didn't look away, instead, she snarled and used the motion of her hand to make the bounds of light even tighter, enough that Audrey passed out from the pain.

A sharp slap brought her back to consciousness as the Queen woke her, hours later, her body sizzling from the recently removed cage she was in. "Don't forget your place, don't try to take the place of the daughter I love." With that warning, the Queen left, and Audrey sobbed as she crawled to the corner of the room, pulled out a brick with all the strength she had left, and drank one of the three potions she had stored. The potion was made from her darkness, and shadows from all around the room disappeared and healed her wounds. The second potion she had stored, right next to this one, she drank it quickly and her energy was restored. She had learned how to make these potions from Achlys after the last time this had happened. 

"You unfortunate child." His voice echoed from behind her as a cloth woven from darkness covered her body. Her blood still stained the floors and she could still smell the stench of cooking flesh from earlier. "One day, everyone will regret their actions." He promised, misery and fury etched in his voice. 

"One day, I will be free of them. I couldn't wish pain on them, Achlys, even though they hurt me, they are my family. I will disappear and live a life of joy, that will be my ultimate revenge." She tried to grin but only tears fell from her eyes, she didn't have a potion to heal the pain in her heart. Such a thing would never exist. 

The third potion was for sleep, she took it with her to her bedroom and used it to fall asleep immediately. She had a day of hope in the morning and wouldn't allow anything to prevent such a day.