Dedicated to - ashfia67 (I'm sorry for taking so long to start the book 2)

Avyanna, March 1, 1863.

The mansion shone bright, the massive estate with wheat plants glimmered in a golden hue, sun-kissed by the summer daylight, the splendid view surrounded acres of possession, dominating the rest of other inhabitants' houses.

Amidst the peaceful breeze and serene evening echoed a mourn from the inside, painful grunts, and the sound of whimpering heeded it.

I ignored the noise and started sipping my tea, sitting in the middle of the sunflower region lawn, relishing the beauty of the flowers and plants that grew around the mansion I live in.

Once I was done and the tray was taken away by the maids, I sat there, basking at the grandeur of the sunset and dark slowly covering the brine blue. Venus making her disappointed exit as the moon seizes her place completely.

The wailing of the feminine voice ended and I knew her tormentor was gone, left to dominate another prey out of his own dormitory.

After a few more minutes of peaceful solitude, I sauntered inside the mansion through the huge steel doors that led to my prison.

The poor maid stayed at the foot of the large bed, silently sobbing at what she committed to. She was a young maiden when she walked into this estate seeking jobs with her father, her doe eyes huge in enchantment with the outer endure of the property, with no notion of the penitentiary that would soon become her home.

She hoisted her face in my arrival, upon realization, she hastily stood up, adjusted her attire, and spoke in a small voice, "may I get anything for you lady Winston?"

I raised my hands, she immediately retracted backward in fear. I brought my hands to her cheek and wiped the stranded tears from her face, tears streamed down her sunken eyes in my kindness, pity coated in my heart.

"You fell in love with my husband," I asserted, shock and shame veiled her face. I proceeded, "you are only a mistress for him, among the hundreds."

Listening to my murmurs, she cried further, confirming her feelings towards my lord and her tormentor.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't realize when that happened-

"-it happened when you agreed to be his mistress behind my back, what did you expect? That he will love you?" I inquired, agitated but I also sympathize with the poor girl.

"I sincerely apologize my lady, I deserve it. You have been so kind towards me and I stabbed you in the back, I am a fool, my lady, a complete fool" she cried out, momentarily falling on her knees, outbalanced.

"Aren't we all? the romantic fools, falling for the demon? What does the devil knows, except to torture and to torment?" She muffled out a sob, I crouched on my knees next to her, patted her cheeks, and continued, "Oh dear, and we wonder why they don't love- leave alone, at least treat us right."

"I'm sorry my lady, I'm so sorry" she cried further, hiding her face into palms. I let her cry, she was in the least allowed to break in front of her lover's spouse unlike me.

She wept long until I decided to stop her sobs, it was time the tormentor returns, only this time, to torture his rightfully wedded wife.

"You need to leave Vivienne, my lord will return soon, try not to happen upon seeing my lord in solidarity. That is the only way for you to be spared. Love isn't what you think you, young girl, it's an illusion, the more that you hallucinate the greater it will hurt. Now dust your tears and get back to your father, I need fresh milk with honey in the morning" I tried to assign her the duties and her worth but I sincerely dispute that if this girl would follow them, she was lost in love.

I heard the sound of my husband's footsteps echo through the corridors as soon as the maid made her exit. I loitered for his entrance, feared his alcoholic stench and uncaring caresses. His unruly black hair was left open, reaching his neck as if ruffled by women. His tired grey eyes spoke of his adventurous night and sloppy steps uttered a thousand words about how spent he was yet when his gaze fell on me, his features morphed into a devilish smile.

With a hunter's strides, he walked forward, precisely slow, conclusive that his every step should frighten my stature but I stayed still, with my head leveled at his eyes and my feet grounded to the place where I stood when he walked in.

For a minute he smiled, dropped his malicious look, and glanced at me in the eyes as if I mean the world to him just like the way I believed that he was the world to me when I walked into this bedroom on my wedding night, glorious in my wedding gown and with dreams replenished in my eyes. I was determined that he was the one, the one that I'm going to spend my eternity with, the one who is mine and only mine but I was wrong, the manipulative bastard played his games with his charming smile and mysterious grey eyes, just like he was playing with me at this moment. It was all an act, it always has been.

I smiled at him, his deception isn't anything new to me. His features faltered at my actions. Rage filled his eyes and he stormed red in anger, without mercy, his hands gripped my neck hard, tightening it with every passing minute.

"Don't dare raise your head high, my beloved wife." He let out, gutturally. A tear slipped involuntarily from the force of his tightened hands and a smile bloomed in my tormentor's face. His grip loosened and he continued, "now that's what I wanted to see, catch a glimpse of your tear-streaked eyes, completely at my mercy" he let me fall on the floor and walked to the foot of the bed, sat on it, and sighed contently.

I have hated my traitor tears, falling vulnerable to this monster but my tormentor always wins, either from causing enough pain physically or verbally.

"Now haste forward and fulfill your duty as a respectful, good obedient wife," he hurled me forward. His eyes were once again alive for his favorite game.

Familiar tears now trained down hot on my cheeks, and like a ragged doll, I walked to my lord, only this time, willingly at his complete mercy.

"Hasten up wife, don't make your lord wait, after all, you are only married for your beauty, I'm the only one who won the most glamourous maiden in the world and I would like to use my property well," I heard his fiendish words reach my ears and stab my heart. The truth of my state slowly washing away my dignity.

I scuttled towards my lord with shame, with slow steps and realization of my pitiful state, the mansion completely silenced to its lord's arrival and the servants went to their peaceful shelter to celebrate their nights with their loving spouses and children, I knew there was no one to rescue me from the fate I was bestowed upon but I prayed for it anyhow, for someone to come to save me from my eternal doom.

When my lord's hands trailed down to the zipper of my dress, my hopes vanished into thin air and the night faded with echoing screams of pain and despair.

Beauty has always been the most advantageous subject to the maidens in the world for centuries, but I have come to know how it can destroy the most beautiful relationship with yourself, it veils your heart and desires, men sprint towards beauty like moths attracted towards the flame, alluring the innocence with their lustrous visions in the name of marriage, and the maidens have always fallen victim to the marital rape with ease, scared to rumors of the society and the well being of their families if opposed.

I have been one of them unintentionally, and so far as I have realized the truth about marriage, I have been ashamed by the beauty that I possessed, and the men that only claimed their wife as property, to be used and to be pleased, bent according to their will and I have so far successfully served as my lord's beautiful trophy to the world.

But I will no longer be...

Word count - 1410

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Hey guys! Long time no see.

We are back on tracks to hit the road, full speed if I must say.

Let me know what you think about this chapter in the comment box but according to me, I completely hate this chapter, coz this, this is where I got stuck in the vicious cycle a.k.a - writer's block for months! I completely hate this chapter but this chapter is a must.

So far in this story, book 1 in other words, you experienced horror in the form of scary dreams, foreseeing, and a ghost but book 2 is a little different and focuses on serious topics, for example, I have brought in the attention of Marital rape, although you may not know, these things still exists in smaller countries like India and Sri Lanka, etc. So I'm glad that I could bring this subject to light.

So in book two, you will still have your favorite ghost, dreams, and foreseeing scenes but we will also focus on the horrors of the world we live in and I like and appreciate all of your support in this cause.

I hope you enjoy the story!!!

Stay safe
Spread love.
-haf

Ps. Who do you picture Avyanna as?

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Ps.s - I feel that this poem suits this chapter well

This poem is mine and has been published in my poetry collection - Unspoken Languages, check it out for more poems if you are interested.