by Sky Winters
Over the years their lands had dwindled, some taken by force during the wars, some sold to make ends meet until there was nothing left to sell. The last few years had been hard, her aunt had been taken ill and nearly died; the castle walls were crumbling around them and another bad winter could prove to be much for the old place, having fallen into disrepair and part ruin over the last few decades.
Fortunes had been lost, and there was little else of any value left, except for Lady Davina; the last hope of the McDougall clan.
Lord Edmond had the reputation of being a brutish man, a cold and heartless fellow with little time for compassion or love. Yet he had wanted Lady Davina the moment he had set his eyes upon her. For a man with such an ugly soul he craved beautiful possessions around him, to fill the black void of his heart. He waged war for lands and property, stole and ravaged the wealth of the neighbouring clans for all they possessed. He wanted Lady Davina and nothing would get in his way. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he would own her. With the might of his men he could have easily taken her by force, but he did not want to seem an utter brute in her eyes, not until after they were married anyway.
He had promised the aunt and uncle funds to restore their castle. Once they were dead he would claim the property as his own, so there would be no loss to his purse.
She had accepted willingly, there had been little choice, no other alternative open to her. Her aunt and uncle would not survive another winter.
Lady Davina peered out through the small carriage window and out onto the bleakness of the countryside. The moon picked out the shapes of tree’s and hedges, ghoulish in the wintry white glow and she shivered inwardly. Only her face reflected back through the glass, a pale and wide eyed young girl, lost in the bleakness of the night.
She had never been so afraid of anything before in her life and the feeling left her helpless; half sick with apprehension.
There were lights ahead and soon the grey high walls of Castle McConnel came into view. Her hand was shaking and she breathed deeply several times to calm herself before the door of the carriage was finally opened. A footman approached to help her down the steps and to the castle doors.
A line of servants graced the entrance, shivering in the bitter air to welcome their new mistress, all eyes keen to catch sight of their master’s bride to be.
Lady Davina felt her heart in her mouth as she approached the line of grim faced employee’s. Life was hard at the castle and the people that worked here had not much to smile about. She tried to meet their eyes with kindness and warmth, but there was none in return, only cold stares and something almost akin to hatred; something she had never known in her short and sheltered life.
She was marrying the master, and they assumed therefore that she too must be like him; cold, cruel and heartless.
The focus of attention soon shifted to the great oak door at the top of the steps as it suddenly swung open into the night. Two large mastiff dogs leapt down the steps and disappeared into the darkness, closely followed by a loud and bellowing roar; a noise almost beast like in its tone.
The line of servants visibly shuddered as Lord Edmond McConnel appeared like a demon in the night, raging at the top of the steps. The candles from inside the hall lit his backdrop like the fiery hue of hell itself.
His figure was tall and dark against the doorway, yet he swayed visibly as he shouted something incomprehensible into the night. He was clearly drunk and in a state of anger as he waved his arms aggressively against the small crowd of people gathered outside.
“What do you think you are doing out here, get inside and bring me more wine.”
The men looked at each other until one of the older men stepped forward tentatively to speak.
“Sir, your bride to be has just arrived, the Lady Davina is here. We came out to greet her as instructed.”
For a moment Lord Edmond stood silently, looking at his man with a fixed concentration whilst taking the words slowly into his brain. His hand swept back the thick, black hair that had flopped across his forehead before spinning around to face the young girl, now cowering behind him.
Her beauty stopped him in his tracks. He had forgotten how bewitching the child had been. Now she would be his. He licked his lips in anticipation of the pleasures to come and clumsily lurched towards her.
She had only seen him on one occasion. At the County Ball six months ago, where all the great and the good had paraded themselves like great pompous beasts. She had been shy and had inwardly shrunk as her aunt and uncle had introduced her to the Lords and Ladies present. She had smiled politely and nodded in response at the appropriate moments, not knowing the effect her beauty had on all those who met her. Anyone with a keen eye would have noticed her hand shake slightly as she offered her hand unwillingly to those earnest young men wishing to dance with her.
Lord Edmond had not asked her to dance, but after their brief introductions his eyes had followed her around the room like a jealous husband. He had known he would have her from that moment.
Lady Davina had been afraid of him from the first moment he had clasped her small hand within his own clammy palms. He had been handsome enough, but there had been something of the wolf about him, the eyes cold and unfeeling, even in his own lust.
She was already feeling quite faint. She was tired; the journey had been a long one, and she was ready for bed. Her last meal had been at the small Inn, almost 7 hours ago and it had been a simple dish of bread, cheese and ale; she was so ravenous that she was past being hungry.
Ever since their betrothal had been announced, she had tried to picture Lord Edmond as a kind man, someone she could live happily with, even if she could not love him. The sight of him now put all such thoughts out of her mind and she was filled with an overwhelming feeling of dread. What had she agreed to?
As his sneering lips parted in front of her, the stench of his foul breath, stale alcohol and tobacco hit her full in the face. She almost wretched and had to turn her face away from him, stepping back a little in repugnance.
Lord Edmond was in no humour to be greeted in such a way. He was used to his servants and men fawning over him as he played the great Laird. The fact that his bride-to-be seemed almost repulsed by the sight of him caused him some embarrassment, how dare this girl, his property, turn her face away from him.
The men and women in line caught their breath at the sight of their master; they knew him well and could sense his displeasure. His whole body bristled and they waited for the backlash, but there was none. Lord Edmond’s face was white in the moonlight as he calmed his inner rage. There would be time enough to tame the girl; he had dealt with wilder beasts in his time and they had all been broken in the end, there was not one battle that he had not won.
Lady Davina looked slowly back towards Lord Edmond. She hadn’t known what to expect, but not silence. She was half cowering before him, as if he might strike her at any moment but he did not. His red rimmed eyes narrowed and looked unblinkingly into hers and there was something that made her shudder deep inside.
“You are cold my dear, what am I thinking?” his voice was cold and sharp in the night air as he reached out a thin and grasping hand and laid it heavily upon her arm.
“Now, let’s get you inside and up to your room to warm you thoroughly.”
He licked his lips with the merest hint of malice in his voice that she stood unmoving, her feet unwilling to follow the vile man.
“Come my dear,” his voice was now impatient and his grasp on her arm grew tighter as he pulled her away from the carriage and towards the entrance to the castle.
She felt numb as each step took her nearer to the castle doors, up the steps past the line of servants, seeing the pity in their eyes as she approached them. Up close they could see she was just a mere girl, a slip of a thing; the beauty and the beast.
The room that had been prepared for her was beautiful and yet lacked the warmth and comfort of her slightly shabby rooms back home. Hom
e; this was her home now and she could feel the tears start to prick at the back of her eyes as she conjured up happy memories. Would she ever be happy again?
Her trunks and boxes were brought up and stacked neatly against the wall. With some relief Edmond had taken his leave at the doorway to her room and she had shut the door with pleasure. A plate of hot food was to be brought up to the bed chamber and she pulled off her slippers, stockings and outer garments before climbing onto the bed. A huge fire had been set in the grate and was blazing away, filling the room with the only cheer that she had felt all day.
She loosened her undergarments to feel more comfortable and untied her hair, releasing it into its natural state of long dark ringlets that tumbled around her face. Finally her shoulders sagged as the weight and worry of the day slipped away into the soft pillow beneath her head. She closed her eyes and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
Her dream was filled with fire and fury, and her new castle was surrounded by an orange glow. She was being chased by a wild beast and could not find a way out. With no exit from the castle she found herself running up the stone stairs and along the castle wall towards the turret. When she arrived in the tower, she held her breath and hid behind a pile of grey stones. Outside of the tower she could hear something calling for her, a sound that reminded her of her childhood. She looked down toward her skin and could see it was turning as grey as the walls around her. She gasped when she realized her skin was turning into scales. “He is coming,” a distant voice murmured.
The dream could have lasted hours or merely minutes, but when she opened her eyes the Laird stood close to her at the foot of the bed, his face twisted into a smug leer.
“The sleeping beauty awakes I see, I have brought you your dinner Davina,” there was no warmth or charm to his voice yet he appeared to be sober.
It was a second or two before she remembered her state of undress and sat up quickly, pulling her bodice up to cover her modesty. The silk of the garment had slipped down and exposed the soft curves of her breasts and she felt the heat blush across her pale cheeks.
A sadistic smile spread across the face of Lord Edmond. “Come, come my dear. There is no need for blushes. You will soon be my wife and your young, soft body will be mine, and mine yours of course. Let me look at you a while longer, you are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”
Stepping closer he reached out and his hand touched the delicate lace work of her bodice, brushing the warm and soft flesh encased within. His ardour was aroused and his eyes glittered with lust for his young virgin bride. It was not a loving feeling but one of pure animal desire and domination.
Lady Davina had never been kissed before, let alone touched so intimately by a man, alone in her room. Her initial reaction was to back away from his probing fingers and she pushed herself deeper into the bed, turning her face away from him for a second time.
“Oh no you don’t. If it wasn’t enough for you to humiliate me in front of the servants. I will not be refused by my future wife in my home.”
She felt the weight of his body move over her, crushing her into the bed. Lady Davina could hardly breathe as he pressed down upon her chest, his fingers now reaching inside the satin and lace and squeezing at the delicate flesh within. He had never been so aroused by a woman in his life, and the fact that she shrank away from him only increased his lust. The wetness of his lips brushed against her neck and it was as if a snake were slithering there. Her body lay unmoved and rigid beneath him, and the more he revealed her flesh, the more distant she became, withdrawing within herself so only a mere shell remained.
“You will look at me while I take my pleasures. You will enjoy this.”
He twisted her head around to face his, the hair caught under her head and pulling at her scalp. She did not notice the pain but just stared blankly into the distance, her eyes wide open in alarm, her mouth closed and silent.
Lord Edmond pressed his lips onto hers. His mouth was greasy, oily as it slipped and rubbed against her own. His sickly tongue tried to probe beneath the fleshy rosebud lips but her mouth was closed in a steely resolution. She would not open herself to this man; how could she, filled as she was with fear?
She was like a dead weight under him, unresponsive and leaden. Even Lord Edmond wanted some interaction from his conquests. He would have rather that she spat at him and clawed at his eyes than lay so still and silent. Eventually he sat up and adjusted his clothing.
His usually pale face was flushed with unspent desires and his hand shook with a fury that was starting to rage inside him.
“I will have you, my dear and you will want me to have you, you will be begging for me to take you, just you wait and see. But my patience won’t last forever and I will have you, one way or another.”
With a slam of the door he was gone.
Lady Davina lay on the bed for a few moments half numb with shock. She could still feel where his cruel hands had clawed at her flesh and felt as if she had already been violated. Her heart fluttered like a trapped bird in her breast; her head reeling and yet unable to think of anything clearly.
She wanted to cry but she was beyond tears; her life felt as though it had stopped and she felt nothing. As the hours ticked by and the moon moved across her window, slowly from west to east , her thoughts slowly returned, one thought recurring again and again, spinning through her head until she could stand it no longer and sat upright with a gasp of realisation. She had to get away.
Moving from the bed, she made her way carefully over to the window. The blazing fire of several hours ago was now just a layer of grey ash, tinged with the occasional amber and red and the only light was that of the moon. Brushing open the curtains she looked out into the darkness. She could make out the shapes of the trees and the hills in the distance but not much else. There was little she could do that evening, tomorrow she would plan, and tomorrow in the light everything would be clearer. Right now she needed to sleep, but before sleep she needed to eat. Walking over to the small table she lifted the cloth that revealed a plate of meat and vegetables. Although cold, it tasted delicious and it didn’t take Lady Davina long to clear the plate. With a calmer mind and a full stomach she climbed back onto the bed and snuggled under the blankets. Very soon she was asleep, dreaming of taking flight.
The sound of a heavy door being unbolted, opened and closed again woke her. It was still dark but a grey light had started to filter through a gap in the curtains. She thought that she could hear a bird sing in a nearby tree, and wrapping herself in a blanket rushed to the window, just in time to see Lord Edmond stride off across the fields, the two large mastiff dogs close at his heels. Very soon he had disappeared out of sight. The rest of the house was quiet, not a sound could be heard except for a creaking in the old eaves, the wind whipping through the rafters, high above her head. Running lightly across the floor she quietly opened the door of her chamber and listened, still nothing. Carefully she stepped onto the landing and looked around her; all was quiet, no-one else in the house seemed to be awake. Feeling exposed on the landing she headed for the open stairway, glancing around her, double checking that she was alone. A sudden sound halted her steps as she approached a bend in the stairs. A whirring and a clicking sound caused her heart almost to stop as she stood stock still. It was only the old grandfather clock on the landing, striking the half hour. It was half past five; Edmond was an early riser by all accounts.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs she glanced around; the hall was empty and she had to step lightly over the stone flagged floor to avoid making a noise. Reaching the door she pulled on the great iron handle, the heavy oak frame creaking as it slowly opened before her, letting in the cold damp air of the morning.
He had left the door open, probably the only chance she would have of escaping this place or its owner, but not just yet. She was still dressed in her under garments and wrapped in a blanket and would need much more protection against the elements; food and supplies too. That would take at
least a day or two to plan and she needed to get her bearings.
Gently closing the door, Lady Davina skipped up the stairs and back along the landing to her own room and jumped back into the bed to warm herself. For the next half an hour she patiently listened until the old clock struck the hour, 6 o clock. Just after the 6th chime she heard a creaking in the floorboards above her; within 10 minutes the castle was full of sounds and voices as the servants awoke and went about their daily tasks.
A half hour window, that’s all that she would have but it would be enough time to escape.
Before long there was a gentle tap at her door. Pretending to be asleep, Lady Davina closed her eyes and inched below the blankets. It was only a young girl, come to make up the morning fire and she could relax, maybe the girl could tell her more about the area?
“Girl, what is your name?”
The young woman jumped in alarm. The request had been made kindly but in her position she was rarely addressed by the servants in the household, let alone the mistress.
Her large grey eyes were red with tiredness and a look of weariness shadowed her young features, adding years to her youth – a sure sign of poverty and hardship.
She hardly dare look at the Lady as she spoke.
“It’s Roberta madam”, her voice wavered slightly in the local dialect as she dropped into a clumsy curtsey, unsure how to present herself. Her clothes were grey and her stockings wrinkled.
Lady Davina smiled; such a grand name for such a plain and simple creature.
“I’m the new mistress Roberta and I’m very pleased to meet you. I’ve never been to the castle before and I was going to go out later for some air and I wondered how far it was to the nearest village?”
The girls eyes widened and her mouth made a little ‘O’ shape before she started to speak.
“Oh Ma’m, I’m afraid there isn’t much around these parts for miles and miles. Even the nearest cottage would take more than an hour in a carriage Ma’m. I’m afee’red that the ground round here is rough and stony and not good walking for such a lady as yourself. I’m sure the master will take you trips into town, but that be nearly a day’s drive from here”.