Rapid Change

The usually energetic early bird songs were nothing but grim reminders of the next day's beginning. Effy knew the time had run out. Her limbs felt heavy from the lack of proper rest, and the stiffness ran throughout her body from lying on the floor all night.

Still, she forced herself to stand and search for a handkerchief to clean her face. Her puffy eyes were blurry from all the crying, and she felt listless. Finding the water bowl hidden in the corner, she washed and sat down in her bed, waiting for the doors to open.

It would be soon now, the moment the head maid would grab her and drag her to whatever plans the old woman had for her. She stared at the planks forming the floor while wondering how it had gotten to this and what she should do.

If she pretended to follow the head maid's orders, maybe she could escape somehow. They wouldn’t keep her locked in all the time, right? Maybe after having that lunch with the stable boy? But she hated Eric. He was constantly harassing her and calling her names.

Sighing, she realised her mind was running in circles. Effy had explored all the ideas during the night. Maybe she just needed some fresh air.

Opening the window and taking in the fresh morning air, Effy sniffed, feeling tears forming again. She rubbed her eyes before jumping in startle, hearing the doors open. She spun around, finding the head maid standing in them, a fresh change of clothes in her hand.

“Good morning, Effy. It’s time for you to get ready. There were some changes in the schedule.” The head maid dropped a package on the bed. “Some rascals are running around screaming about a beauty stepping out of the woods. They are making a ruckus, and apparently there will be a town meeting midday. Of course, Madame is going to attend. She is one of our rightful rulers. And I will be accompanying her.”

Effy moved, reluctantly picking up the prepared dress. The yellow garment was admittedly nice, if a little too revealing. It certainly was better than anything else she had. If only it didn’t have such a deep cut to show off her chest.

It didn’t look like the head maid would leave, so she was forced to head towards the bathroom where she would have to clean herself more and dress up. Even then, the hag didn’t stop rambling.

“Eric’s father will have to come, too. Which means you will be having a romantic breakfast instead of lunch or dinner.”

The news sent a shock through Effy. Her head snapped up to look at the harbinger of her demise. “I am not ready.” She shuddered.

“You will be. Or else.” The head maid’s hand twitched, showing the willingness to use force.

Nothing had changed. There still was no escape. All Effy could do was to delay by plodding along. Each movement she made was as slow as she could make it without earning punishment.

The head maid allowed her to use the toilet, and then she had to dress. Despite Effy’s attempts to prolong her fate, it didn’t last, as the hag insisted on being in the same room at all times to watch over her. The humiliation ran deep, the lack of tears explained only by them drying up from crying all throughout the night.

Before she knew how, Effy was sitting at a table in the room she recognised as one of the guest ones where they usually gathered to gossip. In front of her was a luscious breakfast, by her standards. Eggs, white bread, a sweet-smelling juice and even a bit of meat.

“Wait here. Eric will soon be here.” The head maid ordered. “I have made sure the place is secured, so don’t get any ridiculous ideas. Now. I will leave and come back in an hour. By then, I expect you two to be close and know each other on a personal level.”

A knock on the doors announced Effy’s chosen partner's arrival. An unkempt head poked inside, and the young man grinned upon spotting Effy sitting neatly at the table. “Granny Harriette! Good morning. You too, my fiancé.” He shamelessly entered and hugged the head maid before plopping down across the table from where Effy was.

Effy could not help but scrunch her nose in disgust as a faint stench of horse manure entered her nostrils. She pushed the chair a little back, just to gain that little bit of distance and have fresher air.

“Now, children.” The head maid coughed. “I am leaving. Pretend I was never here, dear. And have fun.” She touched Eric’s shoulder before leaving the room.

And just as soon as the head maid was gone, Eric’s demeanour changed, becoming haughtier and more lecherous as his eyes shamelessly peered at Effy’s cleavage.

“Do you know how hard it was to get Granny to arrange all of this?” He picked up a fork and began stuffing his mouth with the food. “It was probably unexpected for you, right?” His eyes didn’t leave Effy’s breast area. “But I know you are hiding a nice body under those baggy rags. I will marry you. It’s totally worth it.”

It was unbelievable. Effy couldn’t even imagine where this creature's confidence came from. But she had to set things right. “I am not marrying you!” She vehemently refused to acknowledge the arrangement.

All it did was cause Eric to laugh. Crumbs of food flew from his mouth as he guffawed. “Who cares what you want? You are useless. I know how it is. You need someone who can show you your place. Someone who can take care of you and your body.”

The man’s gaze made Effy’s skin crawl. She felt naked in front of Eric and tried to cover herself with her arms while looking for an escape.

“You want to run?” Eric’s voice was nonchalant as he kept eating. “I knew you were stupid, but I didn’t know you were this stupid!” He spat on the ground. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. I just need your body. Everything else about you is useless.”

“Wh-what?” Effy’s cheeks became stained with tears again. She was treated like a lump of meat!

“Why are you so shocked? Don’t tell me you don’t know about fucking.” Eric jeered. “What did you do outside every day if you didn’t sleep around?” He slurped his juice. “Oh! But that means you are a virgin!” His gaze burned.

“T-that’s none of your business!” Effy recoiled even more. She felt sick to the point of vomiting. It all felt like she had been sold. She couldn’t continue like this, and her eyes found the knife on the table. She bit her lower lip, wondering what would happen if she…

“Hohoho!” Eric stuffed more food into his mouth while still speaking. He sounded more like a pig than a man.

But regretfully, Effy could still understand him. Her eyes burned hot as the colourful sentence reached her brain. “How dare you!” She jumped to her feet and pointed her finger at the creep while hiding the knife in her other arm’s palm. “You! You, you degenerate!”

To which Eric just shrugged. “So what? We are going to sleep together, and I want you to serve me properly.”

“I-I-I am not doing that! Never!” Effy screamed. “I will not sleep with you!”

Eric slammed his fist on the table, also rising to his feet. “Then I will force you!”

“That’s rape.” Effy whispered, backing away from the table, almost tripping on the luxurious carpet covering the floor. She had to get out. But the windows were shut, and there was just one exit behind the disgusting pig.

“Rape?” Eric sneered. “What rape? There is no rape between a husband and wife.” He burped before rounding the table.

“Don’t come closer.” Effy’s hysterical voice did not deter the man. “I—I warn you! Don’t come!” She felt her back hit the sofa and realised she had nowhere left to run. Her fingers tightened around the hidden knife’s handle as her breathing grew heavy.

“Or what? Just a kiss. Give me a kiss, and I will forget how ungrateful you are.” Eric didn’t stop. He licked his lips, his eyes stuck on Effy’s breasts again. And the next step he took was one step too far.

Cornered, Effy’s hand moved, the knife in it flashing as it neared the disgusting man’s body. She saw his eyes widen in surprise upon witnessing this defiance. Eric shouted something as he moved his hand in front of him, the knife cutting into his forearm.

There was blood. More shouting. A lot of numbness as her body stopped feeling like her own. Effy felt something hit her upper arm, and she fell back onto the sofa. Another voice joined the chaos. The head maid had returned, likely to check what the commotion was about. She was now screaming, too.

Effy’s world became distorted. It turned blurry. Unfocused. Everything was bad. Sickening. Hostile. She needed to get out, and she forced herself back to reality just in time to hear Eric’s words.

“You bitch!” He hissed, nursing his bleeding arm. “You will pay for this. Once Granny leaves, I will pay a visit. And then – Eric’s voice turned into a whisper as the head maid hollered and approached. “And then I will show you the man I am.”

The next moment – before Effy could process what had been told to her – the head maid’s steely grip around her arm yanked her up. The woman squeezed tighter, causing Effy to drop her knife.

“You terrible child!” The headmaid’s cold voice chilled everything around her. “What have you done to the poor boy?”

Effy wanted to speak, to explain. But as she opened her mouth, a sharp pain shot through her body as the head maid’s palm hit her cheek. Her head flung to the side while her body was forced to remain standing, as the hateful woman didn’t let her go.

The world crashing and shattering around her, Effy felt like she was in hell. Helpless to resist, her hand was pulled and bent to drag her out of the room. The head maid continued to speak, her voice deceptively calm as she explained Effy would be punished. All she had now was her desperate thoughts and the wish to go back to the river. She wanted to see Elfy again. It was the only place where she could be herself. She wanted to be herself. This was not it. She hated this. She had to get away!

“Once we get back from the town meeting, we will have a nice, brief discussion. Tomorrow… Yes, tomorrow, we will arrange a small ceremony. The priest should be free.” The head maid decided Effy’s fate here and now, not caring about the girl’s opinion at all.

Behind them, Eric was trailing silently. Effy felt his eyes on her and wished she had stabbed the knife in them. The man deserved the worst that could happen. Not just blindness but worse…

But she was too weak…

“There!” The head maid wrenched Effy forward. “You will wait in your room for our return.”

Effy gasped as she was pushed inside the room with the doors slamming shut in front of her. She heard a click of the lock and was once again trapped. All alone. And if-

“Finally!”

A cheerful and somewhat familiar voice exclaimed behind Effy. The sound washed over her, leaving her stupefied with how it made her feel. This sensation… She knew what it was, but it was impossible. Yet… It made her feel safe. It took away her darkness and replaced it with something brighter and warmer.

Hope blooming in her heart, Effy turned around, wanting to know who it was and why she sounded so close to her heart. “Who—”

Effy froze, wondering if she was dreaming. And then, all she could see were breasts.