"Good morning, Princess." The creature speaks, quickly catching her attention. (Y/n) gives him a small nod and takes a seat on the couch, putting a decent distance between herself and the creature. She had been awake for a while, but boredom was beginning to sink in and she wanted a new setting.

The Slenderman was reading, at least that's what she assumed he was doing. Not a lot of men in her life read, and certainly none with no eyes could read. None of the men in her life believed in reading either, or, at least, they didn't believe the women should read.

So, she sat there, hoping her presence didn't annoy him as she tries to find comfort in his. The bedroom had been nice, but it was starting to get too warm and her motivation to sketch had slowly disappeared. Out here it was slightly cooler, and her desire to be around someone was fulfilled.

"You should eat something." Slender suggests, turning the page.

"I'm okay." She answers quietly, brushing the creases out of her skirt. "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"No. You just look bored." Slender answers. "What would you normally do?"

"Well, I'd usually spend time with my mother, but, in recent years, father's made me spend more and more time with the duchess and noble women." (Y/n) answers, laying her head back against the cushion, her face tight in a grimace, like the memory had given her a headache.

"You didn't enjoy spending time with them?" Slender asks, lowering his book into his lap, thumb pressed between pages to hold his spot.

"Not at all. They were either rude or sleeping with my husband." She answers with a small shrug of her shoulders. "But, sometimes we'd have tea in the garden which was only so nice until they started gossiping. My lady in waiting was much better company. I wish I'd never been forced to marry because she was the only friend I had."

(Y/n) brushes her hair behind her ear. It was strange to have her hair down for so long, she had been used to having servants pluck and pull at her hair until it was perfect. She had never been so natural before.

"You're welcome to step outside, just remember I know every inch of this forest. If you run, I will find you."

'Run to where?' She thinks, brushing her hand up her arm to soothe the goosebumps on her skin.

"I understand." She answers instead, not wanting to upset the man. She didn't want this to turn into what her previous life had been. (Y/n) didn't quite care if he killed her. She could die at childbirth for all she cared, at least she'd accomplished something before her death.

"Why did you come out here?" He asks, crossing one leg over the other as he opens his book once more.

"I just wanted to be in someone's company."

"Ah yes, isolation can slowly drive one insane." Slender answers, turning the page. "How come your father didn't just have another child with your mother?"

"He's just as infertile as I am. He certainly tried though." She answers, laying down as another wave of exhaustion comes over her. "Besides, she is unwell. I doubt she would be able to carry another child, I have heard she had trouble carrying me."

"Yes, she did. I remember." The Slenderman states, crossing a leg over his lap.

"You... remember?" (Y/n) question, confusion in her eyes. Could this be why he knew her father? He'd done something similar before?

"She struggled greatly, experiencing lots of problems but you were a healthy child nonetheless." He informs, turning to the next page of his book.

"What did you take from them?" She asks, a sorrow in her voice. The creature glances her way, examining her beautifully confused features. Certainly she had questions, why wouldn't she?

"Nothing really. They didn't actually need my assistance. I am glad to have taken something from them this time around." He replies, an internalized smirk forming on his invisible lips.

"Have you decided what you're going to do with me?" (Y/n) asks, a lack of hesitance taking him by surprise.

"If I tell you, you might try to escape." He answers.

"Why would I bother with that? I don't have much to look forward to regardless." She inquired. "I was married to a man who beat me daily, I lack any skills or ability to carry out normal tasks, I can't read, I can't cook—"

"You can't read?" The creature questions, suddenly very focused on her.

(Y/n) felt her heart fall from her chest as anxiety crept up into her stomach. She looks at the creature, looking like he was ready to pounce on her.

"Uh... n-no. Father did not believe it lady like to read." She responds, caution in her tone.

"Your mother can read, she didn't teach you?" He continues to pry.

"No, father didn't let her. I was rarely alone with my mother, father made sure she never taught me anything of the sort." (Y/n) answers.

"Well, I believe we have a few things to occupy our 9 months together." Slender states, closing his back and rising from his seat. "Come sit at the table. You are going to read everyday until you can read a full page without a single stammer."

"What?" (Y/n) questions, raising to her feet, quickly reminded of how much shorter she was compared to him. "Why would you want to teach me?"

"It gives you something to do, doesn't it?"

"I... yes it does."

"No more questions, sit." He commands, motioning to the chair at the dining table. She wanted to speak, but instead took a seat, afraid of what might happen if she made anymore fuss.

Besides, she was happy to learn, just confused. It was certainly strange for a man to want her to read after all.

She watches as he writes on a piece of paper, large letters on the page in front of her. He then goes to a bookshelf and pulls out a small book with images in it. The creature put the paper in front of her first.

"Do you recognize any of these?" He asks, earning a swift head shake. "Use your words, princess."

"My apologies. No, I'm afraid not."

"Alright. I'm going to read off these letters, after I read them, you're going to repeat, understood?"

"I understand."

"Good." He moves his finger to the first two letters written down. "A, a."

"A, a." (Y/n) repeats, assuming the two were just written differently to differentiate something she wasn't certain about.

"B,b."

"B, b."

"Good."

This went on for a while, listening and repeating, attempting to recognize the letters. She had forgotten a few when she had been expected to reread it on her own, which only made the first step repeat.

"H, h," her fingers drag under the corresponding letter. "I, i, J, j, K, k—"

She was finally able to read the alphabet all the way through when a pain struck through her body. She grunts and curls up in pain. The creature moved quickly to aid her, he eases her out of the chair, catching her as she loses her balance.

Slenderman lifts her up and brings her to her room. Using healing magic to aid whatever injury she had inside of her. The baby had been fine, or else he would have sensed it before it happened, this had been something else, most likely from her last miscarriages and her extensive history of physical abuse.

"I'm not meant to have a baby, am I?" She whispers, closing her eyes, ignoring his hand on her stomach as the pain progressively went away.

"I can't say. You certainly shouldn't be having a child now, but your father won't give you any time to heal. Perhaps if you were fully healed this would be easier on you." He answers, moving his large hand in a circular motion and slowly. He lightly presses down on a spot, earning a strangled cry from the woman before him.

"Gah...! Do you know what it is?" She questions, placing her hand over her mouth.

"I am not a medical professional. I can just simply heal things and sense when things are not how they should be." He states, reapplying pressure and receiving no response. "Do you feel pain anywhere else?"

"No." She responds, biting her knuckle.

"You should rest in here. If you feel any pain return, let me know." He suggests, though it was more a demand. (Y/n) just nods, not wanting to disobey him and afraid that if she even moved the pain would return.

She rolls her head back on the pillow as he leaves, her eyes closing and her mind leaving her just as quick.

"I need the doctor who has been treating her's address, name, and the ability to contact him." Slender demands, watching the man sit down on the bed beside his new wife.

"Why? It doesn't matter if she dies after she gives birth, you just need to keep her alive long enough to carry my heir." The king answers with an annoyed grunt. Slender felt a storm of anger in his chest as he imagined ripping the organs out of the king's body.

"If she dies at birth the deal will be broken and you will no longer have an heir. The deal was her for the baby and I will not allow what is mine to pass just because you chose the wrong daughter." The creature growls, his anger hitting him in hot waves that his conscious had to fight off.

"Fine. His name is Dereck J. Hayne. He lives at 1893 in town square and owns a practice at 2047 in the market. I send a letter to his assistant and they usually handle it from there. I'm sure you'll find him accommodating." The king grins, knowing the man would probably scare to death at the sight of the creature.

"If my profit has been lost by the end of these 9 months I will destroy everything you have left and you will suffer. I told you no more deals, you're just lucky your daughter would do anything to please you and made it herself. I doubt your new bride cares that much." Slenderman states before finally disappearing, leaving the king angered and paranoid.

He soon arrives back at the cabin to find it still quiet, he enters her room to find her face twisted in discomfort and her skin discolored. Placing a hand to her head, he finds her skin was burning and a weak cough was quick to confirm her fever. Slender needed her healthy, but he just wasn't sure what to do. He just knew he needed to make a safer, healthier, and cleaner environment for her. Her body will be weak, but she needed to be strong by the end of this if she was to keep her end of the deal.

The creature had plans for her after all.