Another mundane sunny day for the second day in a row. Nothing entirely a bad thing but no rain and no clouds made it feel as though the days had become one day. No snow surprisingly. I stopped doing more usual chores since Vadoma returned. Not in protest but more as a feeling as the instinct to do anything was a bore.

  You would think I was grateful to Catherine Valeria for allowing me to stay, yes, but the fact I must stay here to ensure my safety from marriage is redundant. Pointless. Do I not have a right like a man to go out a see the world? Must I decide between my well-being over being shackled to one pathetic man my existence? I would like to travel. See the new world. It is to be said Christopher Columbus found a land on the other side of the world. The new world? People who inhabit that foreign land. I wish it. One day.

  Catherine was asleep as per usual. If the sun is out, she's in. I ponder why she doesn't go out at night. If she has a sensitivity to sunlight, why does she not go in the night? I think I would enjoy that. To be out of this dust-filled castle, not alone for once. Even if Catherine is my only company. Vadoma would be a good companion if only she liked me.

  I ran down the flight of stairs in the foyer, turning a sharp left to the kitchen. Vadoma was hunched over the counter kneading into a slab of dough. "Ah! Diminea??! You up early, why?"

  "Do not know frankly. I couldn't possibly go back to sleep." I rested my back against the wall beside the counter watching tentatively over Vad's fingers dig into the lump of dough.

  "Hmph...perhaps the change of weather is affecting it. Go outside. You and I both are darker than Valeria but you are turning white as cloud." Vadoma sneered resting her hands, letting the gold bracelets fall to her hands. Vadoma was right, for once. I am from England, but since my mother was from a small village in Italy I got her golden skin complexion. It surely ruffled a few feathers in the higher classes; as it was more 'pure' to be white as the freshly fallen snow. I however found my complexion to be a gift at least in the snow, the English cannot be seen!

  "Hm..perhaps. If you were ever so kind to join me?"

  "I would happily, though some still have a job to do Bella. You must venture on your own accord today." Vadoma scoffed peering over

  "Very well."

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  The lake was a personal little sanctuary for myself, sneaking down here in the evenings before Catherine would rise. The water reconnected me to the living. Of what I once perceived as the living. The good of some. Even though the living hasn't been too hospitable to me lately. Roman has grown like a weed. He's grown into his fur. Not quite reached maturity but is more or less in the rebellious stage of any animal. Picking fights with Vadoma over slabs of meat and a chicken. Pestering Catherine at her door. Mewing to be let in only to be thrown out a minute later. His favourite thing was to swat my head while he sat on my headboard every morning.

  "Alright little man, do you fancy a swim?" I pinned my locs with a ribbon off my shoulders, dipping a toe into the water. With all of the unwanted intrusions going on I dared not to disrobe, merely wearing one of my white nightdresses. Roman purred sniffing the edge of the lake not before turning his tail at me, leaping onto a rock to observe me. I know animals of the feline persuasion do not have a liking for water but he did not have to be a twat about it.

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  "Fine, more for me." I leaped into the lake feet first, not coming for air until my feet touched the dirt at the bottom. I bent my knees jumping from the dirt, my head broke the water's waves. Grasping the sweet breeze in my breast. I took large strokes swimming back and forth to each end of the lake. Diving again this time head first. Something stopped me, however, as if a force held me back from moving an inch. I cocked my head to find the ribbon in my hair has unravelled and floated to the top. Only seeing my thick curls swimming up for freedom. As I was trying to do the same.

  I did not panic, I paced my breathing to peer down to see what had me entangled. It was a hefty branch wrapping the end of my dress. Dammit! I knew I should have taken this damn thing off! I pushed my feet on the edge of the lake to push away from the branch. It didn't work. A bubble escaped my lips floating to the top, too bad I wasn't! I swam to the end of my dress trying to unravel my dress. I had to leave it, my life depended on it. I said to hell with it all, untying the straps of my corset and worming my body out. I bumped my shoulder coming up to the top. I felt something hoist me up, piercing me under my armpits. My body flew up out of the water onto the grass. I coughed out half of the lake.

  "Jesus Christ Vad! I was fine!" I coughed. My hair was heavy hanging over my shoulder dripping a heavy stream back into the lake. "Did not look like that from where I was fucking standing!" Catherine dropped down under a tree for shade as her breath shook. My stomach dropped, I swore it was Vadoma. Catherine would never step foot outside in the daylight. Catherine's arms folded into her chest grouching over in pain.

  "W-wait! Are you alright?.." I arose to my feet as my body spun around. I took a step forward into the shade where Catherine resided. Catherine's eyes pierced into me, her pupils looked through her brows as though she impaled my very being. She leaped to her feet, her hand bent around my bicep, her nails dug into my skin. I swore she lifted me in the air, my toes grazed the grass. We ran in as though we soared through the tall trees, it might have been the stress of seeing Valeria injured. I was imagining things. My eyes ran down Catherine's body, I finally noticed her hand. Her knuckles sizzled, with a black ash substance appeared. "Catherine please allow me to see."

  "No! You stupid fucking girl! You created this! You cannot fix this!" She barked shielding her injury away. "My fault! How in the hell is this my fault? I was doing fine before you came!" I shivered realizing I hadn't had a stitch to wear. I was nude in the kitchen. I became increasingly embarrassed, covering my body covering my chest with my hair. Not even crossing my legs hid the most important part. "Like hell you did! You were fucking drowning! If I did not risk my health for you, you would be at the bottom of the lake!" Her eyes grew red. "My dress was simply caught! I was slipping out of the dress before you came! You did not have to come to my rescue like a damsel in distress."

  "You are not fucking damsel! You are my servant! My property! You learn that fact, the better you will be for it!" Catherine growled pushing me against the countertop.

  Property?! That is what she thinks of me? I am her servant yes, but her property?

  I ran out of the kitchen to my room, Catherine's bedroom door slammed as my body heaved up the stairs to my room. My door swung shut not leaving any air for the hinges. "Godamn her! That fucking egotistical woman! No one's property!" I cried out dropping to my knees behind the door. I could not stop. I tried to hold my breath to make my cries silent but all it did was create sobs echoing throughout these four walls. I was angry at Catherine Valeria, why must I cry over her? She's my employer, a rude one if that, but, a beautiful one if that. Fuck! Why! Why must such a beautiful woman hurt me so? Rip my soul, entangle me with her in livelihood just to cut me open to allow my wound to fester. Catherine Valeria must enjoy to hurt me. To see me suffer just because she is.

  My tears dripped all over the wood floors creating a puddle around my body. Still stark naked, curled up in a ball. I wanted to escape. Catherine toyed with my emotions only to destroy to hope I have.

  Fuck Catherine Valeria.