In the quiet stillness of Sedona City at night, the world seemed to hold its breath. It was around four in the morning, with two hours left until dawn's first light. The city was cloaked in silence, save for the soft footsteps of the night guards patrolling the castle's stone corridors. Inside, everyone else was lost in slumber, the beast-eared maids nestled in their beds, their faces serene with the peace of sleep. They rested easy, knowing they were under the protection of Lucas's castle, a sanctuary where they felt safe and secure.
But for Ayesha, the horned beastkin, sleep was no refuge. She was trapped in a nightmare, haunted by familiar faces twisted with malice. Their voices echoed in her mind, sharp and accusing.
"You're nothing but a slave! How dare you try to control me?" One sneered.
"You're just a filthy slave! Slave! Slave!" Another taunted, the word cutting deeper with each repetition.
"No… no, I'm not a slave! I'm not, I'm not…" Ayesha mumbled in her sleep, her voice trembling with desperation. Her hands flailed, clutching at the air, her brow furrowed in anguish as beads of sweat glistened on her forehead.
"I'm not a slave! I'm not!" Her voice grew louder, her expression contorted with fear. Suddenly, her violet eyes snapped open, and she gasped for air, her chest heaving as she gulped down saliva. She stared blankly at the burlap canopy above her bed, her heart pounding. It took several long moments for her to ground herself, to realize she was awake, safe in her room.
"Another one of those nightmares," Ayesha whispered, rubbing her eyes wearily. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but sleep eluded her now, chased away by the lingering dread of the dream. This was the third night in a row she'd been plagued by the same tormenting vision—crowds of people shouting, branding her a slave, their voices dripping with contempt.
Tonight's dream had been the worst yet. It wasn't just strangers or distant acquaintances mocking her. The faces of those she held dear—Annie, Mina, Nicole, Elisa—had joined the chorus, their eyes cold with disgust as they labeled her a slave. The betrayal cut deep, but what truly shattered her was the image of Lord Lucas and Bella, her trusted big sister, turning on her, their voices harsh as they told her to leave, to disappear forever. That had jolted her awake, her heart racing with terror.
"What am I supposed to do?" Ayesha murmured, her gaze falling to her right arm. There, etched into her skin, was a stark triangular slave brand—a cruel mark from her past, when a deceitful peddler had tricked her into servitude. The sight of it made her stomach churn.
"Should I just… cut it off?" Her left hand rubbed furiously at the brand, the skin reddening and stinging under her touch. Tiny abrasions formed, but the mark remained, defiant and unyielding. The pain flared as the heat in her arm subsided, and she hissed, blowing cool air over the tender skin.
"Ow…" Ayesha winced, cradling her arm. With a heavy sigh, she let it fall to her side, her violet eyes drifting to the window. Moonlight filtered through, casting faint shadows across the room. A whirlwind of thoughts swirled in her mind. Would this cursed brand haunt her forever?
She had always told herself she didn't care about being labeled a slave. It was just a word, a relic of a past she'd escaped when she came to Sedona City. But these nightmares had unearthed buried fears, forcing her to confront the shame she'd tried to ignore. The disdain in those dream-voices had seeped into her waking thoughts, making her question her place among her friends, her colleagues, her new family.
Ayesha lay on her bed, lost in her tangled thoughts, until the first hints of dawn crept through the window. The faint sounds of movement outside—servants stirring, the clatter of morning preparations—finally roused her. She sat up, shaking out her long purple hair, her ample chest swaying slightly with the motion.
"What nice weather today," Annie's cheerful voice rang out from beyond the walls. "Yesterday was all wind and snow, but now it's clear skies!"
"Annie, keep it down," Helen's gentle voice chided. "The others are still sleeping."
"Oh, sorry, sorry!" The fox-eared maid whispered, her tone apologetic.
Ayesha listened quietly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Only Helen, Lord Lucas, or Nicole could rein in Annie's exuberance. If it were Ayesha or Mina, it'd likely spark a playful argument instead. Glancing down at her chest, Ayesha chuckled softly. "Probably just jealous of these," She murmured, amused. Her figure was the most prominent in the castle, a fact that had once led Bella to cuddle her during late-night chats, much to Ayesha's chagrin.
"Being this big is such a hassle," She muttered, scratching her head. "Walking around feels like a workout." She could already imagine Annie's indignant squawk if she teased her about it.
Ayesha threw off her blanket and slid out of bed, intending to change for the day's work—patrolling the roads as part of the guard unit. But as she reached for her leather armor, her eyes fell on the slave brand again. Her heart sank. The thought of facing her colleagues' curious or pitying glances made her stomach twist. She couldn't bear it today.
"Maybe… I'll skip work," She decided, pulling her hand away from the armor. Instead, she grabbed a long dress from her wardrobe, one she hadn't worn in ages. Today, she'd take a break—a day off, she told herself.
"There we go," Ayesha said, smoothing the dress over her frame. Without the tight constraints of her armor, her chest felt oddly free. "Haven't worn something like this in forever." Her purple hair cascaded loosely over her shoulders as she opened the door and stepped into the corridor.
As she walked, the servants' wide-eyed stares caught her off guard. Instinctively, she clutched her right arm, hiding the brand, and quickened her pace toward the dining hall.
"Wow, Miss Ayesha looks stunning today!" One servant whispered. "It's the first time I've seen her in a proper dress."
"Right? And that chest—so enviable," Another giggled.
"Shh, don't let Miss Annie hear you…"
Ayesha didn't catch their chatter, her focus elsewhere as she entered the dining hall. Annie, Nicole, Hazel, Amelia, Elisa, and Helen were already there, their lively conversation pausing as they noticed her.
"Ayesha, are you feeling okay?" Annie asked, her eyes wide with surprise. The sight of Ayesha in a flowing dress, her figure accentuated, was almost blindingly striking.
"Are you unwell? I can fetch the master to check on you," Nicole added, her voice laced with concern. Ayesha's demeanor seemed off, lacking her usual boldness.
"I'm fine," Ayesha said, forcing a yawn to mask her unease. She tucked her right arm behind her back. "Just taking a rest day."
Elisa's eyes narrowed, catching the subtle shift in Ayesha's posture. The horned girl's usual carefree confidence was replaced by something guarded, almost hesitant.
"What's going on? Is someone sick?" Lucas's voice cut through as he entered with Mina and Freya, fresh from a light morning training session. He'd overheard the conversation from the doorway.
"Ayesha, you look beautiful today," Mina said, her tone genuinely admiring.
"Thanks," Ayesha mumbled, scratching her cheek awkwardly. She turned to Lucas. "Master, I'm fine. I just… want to take it easy today. No guard duty."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, his gaze settling on the dark circles under her eyes. "You sure you're okay? You look like you haven't slept well. Take a few days off from the guard unit, Ayesha. You need rest."
"Yeah, just some nightmares," Ayesha said with a strained smile, her right arm still hidden behind her. She didn't know why, but the thought of anyone in the room seeing her brand filled her with dread.
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