The Princess Slave
Chapter 53

Viktor POV

It’s been a week since the.. incident. We got her moved to her room, but she refuses to let anyone see her or speak to her.. anytime someone comes in she just throws things.

I permitted Lillian to stay with her.. but even Lillian, she won’t allow in. We tried getting Sylvia to go in, but it’s the same result.

I sat at my desk and sighed heavily. I had to force her to drink water. But she still won’t eat. She’s losing weight left and right and I can’t bear to see it.

“My, King. Cedric is hear to speak with you.” Loren mind linked me. Loren hasn’t been himself either.. I know he blames himself for what happened, but to be honest, it wasn’t his fault. We didn’t see it coming. I should’ve known better. I should’ve known that sending Gregory wouldn’t have been Arthur’s only attempt on her life.

“Let him in,” I said as I straightened out my mess of a desk.

The door opened and Cedric walked in. I know he’s had his hands full with Lillian and her moods. Violette doesn’t understand that this hasn’t just affected her.

“Hey, man,” Cedric said. He sniffed the air and grimaced.

“Have you bathed?” He asked. I leaned back in my chair and g*****d.

“No. Now, what did you need?” I asked.

“I wanted to tell you that we delivered the man back to Arthur. And with your public announcement, he believes she’s dead, just like you asked.” He said. I nodded my head in approval.

“Good. That will keep him away until I figure out what I’m going to do to him.” I said plainly. He pulled a chair to the front of my desk and sat down.

“Have you seen her?” He asked.

“Only when she’s sleeping. She won’t see me otherwise.” I said as I looked away. As much as it pained me, I knew she needed space.

“Yeah.. Lillian’s having a hard time coping with it. She thought maybe Violette would let her see her.. but you know how that went.” He said softly. I let out a sigh.

“I can’t take it, man. I don’t understand my feelings towards her.. but this? This has really f****d with my mind.” I said. It took a lot for me to open up.. I don’t usually talk about these things with anyone.

“You care about her.. and maybe you feel guilty for making her your slave. I can see how that forms a connection between you two.” He said.

“She’s nothing like him, Cedric. She’s good.. she’s kind-hearted.. I mean her best friends are literal servants. You haven’t seen the scars on her.. her father was awful to her. She didn’t deserve any of this.” I growled. I could feel myself getting angry. More than angry even. I was enraged.

“Lillian told me. She told me quite a lot, actually. I don’t understand how a Father could treat his daughter so.. horribly.” He said.

“He blames her for her mother’s death,” I said.

“But she isn’t the one who killed her mother. That was your father.” He said as he furrowed his brows.

“No.. but she was the one who was supposed to keep an eye on her mother. You remember how Father used to go on and on about the day he found Arthur’s mate just wandering around the kingdom town.” I said.

“Yes, that story is seared into my brain from all the times he talked about it.” He replied.

“Violette was supposed to keep her from leaving the palace. Her mother sleepwalked. It would look like she was awake but she wasn’t.” I said.

“How do you know this?” He asked.

“I.. went through Violette’s things not too long ago.. I was so curious as to what she was writing about. I hate myself for it.” I said. I rubbed my hand on my forehead and sighed.

“Damn.. Dude.” He shook his head.

“I don’t think Violette will ever be the same after this,” I said.

“I don’t know, man.” He said.

We heard a loud bang down the hall and I shot our of my chair. My heart raced fast in my chest as I imagined the worst.. I ran to the door and opened it.

“It’s Violette, again. She won’t see Beatrice.” Loren said.

I ran down the hall where Beatrice was standing at Violette’s door crying.

“I can’t take it.” Beatrice sobbed. I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight.

“We have to give her time. Let me see if I can talk to her.” I said. Beatrice nodded against my chest before pulling away. I opened the door and poked my head in, only to have a book thrown at the wall beside me.

“Violette, stop. I’m coming in and if you hit me I won’t be very nice.” I growled. When nothing else was thrown, I walked in and glared at her.

“You have to stop this. Beatrice is only trying to help. She does not deserve your anger. Do not make me tie you down again.” I said.

Her white hair was messy, her skin pale with dark bags under her eyes. She looked nothing like the Violette I first met.

“I’m going to let Beatrice in,” I said. Violette looked at the door and shook her head.

“She needs to remove your bandage and stitches.. and you need to bathe. You look awful.” I said. She leaned forward and sniffed me before rolling her eyes.

“Beatrice, hand me the stuff and I’ll do it,” I said. I walked to the door and held out my hands.

“Thank you.” She said softly.

“Have Loren bring hot water. I don’t want anyone else seeing her for the time being.” I said. She nodded her head as she left.

“Lay down,” I said. Violette looked at me and didn’t move a muscle.

“Don’t make me force you. Lay. Down.” I said. When she didn’t move I stepped towards her and she lifted her chin, showing me her throat. I let out a sigh as I got on my knees.

“This works,” I said. I slowly began to peel off the bandage revealing a long, deep red scar on her throat. Beatrice assured me that everything has healed.. but the scar would not go away. I had the collar removed as well so it wouldn’t rub up against the bandage and slow her healing process.

He cut right above the collar, so it was closer to her jawline.. but it was still a big scar. The collar position is one of the things that saved her.. at least that’s what Beatrice believes.

“It’s healed nicely,” I said. I took the pair of scissors Beatrice gave me and began cutting the stitches as gently as I could. Then took the tweezers and pulled them out. I would’ve thought that hurt her.. but she didn’t make a sound nor move a muscle.

The door opened and she jumped back, but I held her arms tightly so she wouldn’t try to throw anything else.

Loren began filling up the tub with hot water. He walked to the door and grabbed two other buckets from Cedric, then two from Beatrice after he’d emptied those, before shutting the door and leaving Violette and I alone.

“Come on, let’s get you in the bath,” I said.