Chasing my mate

Part 20

I have to dig in quite deeply to find the bar she was talking about, turns out it's no bar, is a whole a square the size of my hand. I look at it then at the clothes, what exactly am I supposed to do?

I freeze trying to contemplate, if I throw the dirty clothes out I can rinse then wash them before putting them back into the basket. That's what I do before grabbing a maid dress and kneel before the water.

I drop the the dress in wetting it, the weight in lifting it out the water forces me forwards and I almost drop in myself. Woah. Why does this feel so heavy? Am I really losing that much weight?

Either way, I start scrubbing the soap everywhere on the dress before I'm kneading the fabric to wash it clean. The process continues and all I get is the sound of the soaring birds and soft rustles of trees.

I want out. I don't want to be stuck here doing nothing but laundry, with my bare hands. Don't they have anything better for me to do? I regret asking when the next day I'm escorted to the stables and I have to stash the hay, next time I'm not saying anything.

I alternate between the stables and the pond for the next two days, I also don't see Azriel anymore. That's good, well it would be if I could stop thinking about him. But I continually remind myself that he stopped me from getting to Addison, he forced me to watch.

Blondie, who hasn't told me her name yet, finally comes to pick me up from the pond. "It's shower day." She tells me and I follows her back into the dim room where I put my basket full of washed clothes down. I'm glad it's shower day, I haven't been smelling too good lately.

She takes me back to our room where I grab a clean set of clothes and my cloth, as it's my first shower day I don't know what to expect but walking into three girls just standing around doesn't feel right to me.

I've seen these girls before, they always sit together when it's diner time, even if I don't eat the food I still have to be present. They spot me and start to undress themselves, I turn back to the blonde. She's made her way across the room and is coming back with a bucket in hand. This is what they call a shower?

"Undress yourself." She instructs and I put my dry clothes down on a surface before I un zip myself form my dress, I have to take my bandages off my neck too, am I going to get a replacement after this? I don't know.

I take my ribbon out and then I'm completely nude, I wasn't given a bra or panties and for the three days I've been here I've been going commando. Not my cup of tea but what can I do about it?

Without warning blondie splash me with the water, I tense up fast feeling the icy breeze on my body, why is the water so cold? I take in a shaky breath. Okay maybe shower day isn't all that.

Form behind my hair gets dragged and I slip on the wet ground lading ass first on the stone, my eyes spring open as I try to see who just pulled my hair, instead I receive a fist at my side at the same time I receive a kick in my stomach.

"Not her face!" A voice orders. I can't concentrate, not with the various kicks slaps and punches I'm getting. I don't get it. I haven't said a word to these girls, I haven't even made trouble yet and here I am getting jumped, naked!

The struggle continues and I can't even begin to fight back. My head is smashed against the stone floor, my back, ribs, legs and stomach are kicked in and I hear myself let out a terrible sob. They stop.

My body is sore and I'm left confused and shaking. What the hell did I do? Like I haven't even socialized with anyone but blondie, I haven't said anything witty, I haven't tried to escape, I haven't done anything.

I pick my head up. My stomach flips and acid is working up my throat, I let it out. I empty my stomach, not that there was anything in there to begin with.

From behind I'm lifted and dragged to my feet, I blink back tears as I'm place sitting up. My eyes open to blondie, she grabs my cloth and starts to scrub me down. "They must be tired of your screaming."

"I can't help my night terrors." I mumble, if I could forget holding my sister bleeding body in my arms I would, if I could wash my mind clean form seeing Patrick force himself on her, I would, but I can't. I've been screaming awake ever since.

"These wall are thin," she scrubs under my boob "people start to get impatient." I wince as she adds pressure to my stomach. I'm glad she's helping me get cleaned up but a little surprised to why she didn't join in, we do share the same room.

When I'm dress I try walk without fault but I always catch myself holding my side. I'm stopped by one of my watchers "Stop." We both freeze, Blondie was going to help me finish the clothes. "Why are you walking like that?"

"Like what?" I try play it off. He doesn't look pleased, like at all.

"Move your hand." He instructs and I look over at the girl, she has her head bowed. I sigh. When I don't he reaches out to me and I'm quick to shove his hand away.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I raise both hands in the air, even though I put up another fight to stop him he goes to pat me down anyways "I don't have anything!" He touches my left side causing me to flinch. He presses it again "God I don't have anything!" I shove his hands away.

"Turn around." When I don't he forcefully makes me turn by my hips, I've missed this. The defiance and how much it thrills me, I keep my head up as well as my hands. He pats me down to my shoes. I turn back around.

His eyes grow dark just looking at me "Permission to be dismissed." I hear besides me.

"You should learn off of your blonde friend. Move." I feel a tug at my wrist as I'm pulled forward.