Year 1699
Elira was now 7 years old. She could no longer hide the scars inflicted on her by Mara. Even worse, at some point, her brother Rian began to join in. Though the duke never did it himself, he always ordered it.
It was during this time that Elira began to figure out why people hated her. Through many of the conversations she could hear from outside her door, she learned that she had effectively killed her mother with her birth.
The biggest thing she learned was that the reason Mara hated her was that she was the childhood friend of the late Duchess.
By now, rumors were spreading throughout the kingdom that Elira was a cursed child who only brought death to people. Acting like saints, Duke Veylen and Rian acted mad whenever they heard it, but in truth, they were the ones spreading it in the first place, along with Mara.
Of course, Rian and Mara were typically unable to control their smiles when acting mad, but the Duke's face could convince anyone to believe anything. Regardless of the absolutes around him.
But to Elira? The most important thing she learned is that her mother had silky white hair and vibrant blue eyes.
To her disappointment, when she looked in her broken mirror, she had none of that. Elira had silky black hair, which was recently cut after getting tangled with one of the whips upon it smacking her; violet eyes that seemed to have almost faded in color, and fair skin that could be mistaken for being anything but fair with the amount of dirt on her.
Two knocks could be heard at the door. Elira was now tall enough to reach the handle, but there was a lock on it so it didn't even matter.
"H-Hello Miss Mara..."
Elira trembled as she got down on her knees, bowing her head in no way a noble should or would ever act to a servant. But alas, here was Elira.
"Good Girl. Here's your food."
The stench of meat and a smelly liquid overwhelmed Elira as her hair and skin were suddenly drenched in the stew. Luckily, like all the other food she's eaten, it was cold.
"Thank you Miss Mara..."
[Just eat it Elira... Just eat it. Father will forgive you some day, right?]
Mara left almost immediately, making a rude remark about Elira's dirty appearance before closing and locking the door, leaving Elira to pull the meat out of her hair and lick the liquid off the floor.
[I need to be a good girl so I don't get beaten... I need to be a good girl so I don't get beaten...], She repeated in her mind in between gags.
The door lock clicked and slammed open. Elira whipped her head to look up, suddenly gaining hope despite the sudden fear from the loud sound.
"Fathe-", Elira was cut off before recieving a kick to the head.
[No! I was a good girl! Not again! Please no!]
Almost instinctively, Elira got on her hands and knees, touching her head against the floor.
"Hah. Pathetic Bitch. This is for taking my mom away."
[Brother?]
"I- I'm sorry Broth-", Another kick slammed into the side of Elira's body as food suddenly spewed from her mouth.
"I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER!" With a disgusted face, he turned and ran out, but of course, he remembered to lock the door. "SHE THREW UP EVERYWHERE!" Elira could hear through the ringing in her ears.
[No... It's not my fault... I didn't mean to...]