Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Serena
Dialogue "sample"
Thoughts 'Sample'
Techniques [sample]
Author notes -sample-
Chapter 31
Serena
Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of torture.
"And…you are?" Siegfried gave the girl a closer inspection. She did look like someone in need of help. She had several visible bruises on her neck and probably many more under her robes, but it was hard to tell. She also had a look of desperation in her eyes.
"Can we talk inside?, please" She kept looking around like she was afraid of being found by someone.
Siegfried did not detect any nefarious intentions from the girl so he let her in and closed the door.
"Now, do you mind explaining yourself? Who are you hiding from?"
The girl clutched at her dull grey robes.
"My name is Serena and as you can see from my robes I am a commoner."
Siegfried did not comment and she took it as a sign to continue with her explanation.
"During our first day at the academy, we were informed about the guidance system. I wasn't sure how to feel about it, but everyone else in my class was going along with it…so I thought of giving it a chance."
She took a moment to calm herself down.
"During my second day, some of the girls told me to come with them. They said that a very influential high-tier noble was doing a selection. I followed along, not sure what to expect, there were six other girls with me, so I wasn't that worried. We went to an unpopulated corner of the academy grounds where three boys were waiting for us, there were also a few other girls already there. Those girls wore vermillion-colored robes, so it was clear that they were nobles."
"And the boys, who were they?" Asked Siegfried.
"The one in charge introduced himself as Charles Artois, heir of the Artois high-tier noble family. The other two boys were called Arthur Garret and Lancel Ashwood, they were mid-tier nobles. But they made it clear that the selection was only for Lord Artois."
Serena clenched her fist with frustration.
"When I first saw him, I was a bit mesmerized. He was this tall and handsome noble boy with short blonde hair and green eyes. At at moment, I felt that it wouldn't be bad if I was chosen by someone like him. If knew the kind of monster he is…I would have run away back then."
"So, He chose you." Siegfried pointed out the obvious.
She nodded. "Me and five other girls. He chose three commoners and three nobles. The girls were all soo happy and the ones that didn't get chosen gave us some very nasty glares. My friend Angelina was another one of the chosen ones, we both came from the same village….Lord Artois left without saying much. It was Lancel Ashwood who turned to address us. He told us with details, how to arrive at Lord Artois' private room and then instruct us to visit him that night after dinner time."
The girl seemed to be tired, so Siegfried offered her a seat at the small table he had in his bedroom.
"Then, what happened?"
"We went to his room after dinner, as instructed. Lord Artois was there, alone. He invited us in and closed the door. He then gave a little speech in which he described the benefits of serving him and his family. At the end of it…he…he gave us a warning, he said that betrayal will not be tolerated with a very threatening expression on his face…that was the moment when I realized the mistake I just made…but I was too scared to turn around and leave."
Serena gave a pause before continuing.
"He first told us to remove our robes. I was already prepared for something like and the other girls were the same, so we just did as told.
He then called one of the girls, a commoner called Julia and she approached him. We all thought that he was going to…you know…but he just looked at her up and down. He then told us that our job was to make him happy, He asked Julia if she would like to make him happy and Julia nodded with a bright blush on her face. She was probably thinking what we were all thinking, that she was about to lose her maidenhood in front of everyone."
"But Lord Artois had other ideas, he told us that he had very specific tastes. He pointed to a wall. I felt an immense dread when I saw the steel manacles hanging from that wall. I looked around and then noticed several other strange devices that I did not know what they were for…"
Serena was looking at the floor, remembering the details.
"He ordered Julia to approach the wall and get her hands up so he can close the manacles. She looked at us, probably hoping that we could help her…but there was nothing we could do. Lord Avery repeated the order, sounding a bit angry now. Julia must have realized that she had no other choice and obeyed. Once she was secured with her face against the wall, He took a long black whip from a chest and started using it on Julia's back."
"We all had to sit there and look in horror while Julia screamed. The noble girls looked less shocked. I think they already knew about Lord Artois."
"They probably did. Rumors like that run fast among noble families." Siegfried said.
Serena nodded.
"After he was done with Julia, He started to call us one by one…the whipping was not as painful as I thought it was going to be, I think he was going easy on us on the first day because things got worse from there on."
"I think I get the idea. So, eventually, you got fed up and decided to run away. Let's get to that part" Siegfried was not a stranger to torture since He was a man of war, but he prefers not to hear more details about a spoiled noble brat torturing girls.
Serena nodded. "He wasn't that bad with the noble girls…but he did not hold back with us, commoners. I don't think he cared if we died, that's when I decided that I had to get away from him no matter how, if …and when I saw what He had prepared for us today…I turned around and left through the door while ignoring his shouts. That's when I ran into another student from the elite class who was walking by. I begged for him to help me get away from Lord Artois and he seemed to understand the situation immediately. He then told me to come here and ask you for help. He said that you would not turn me away."
"What did that guy look like?" Asked Siegfried, already knowing the answer.
Serena seems to think for a moment.
"I remember that He had beautiful long black hair and blue eyes."
Siegfried sighed. 'Edward, what did you got me into?'
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone