The blanket of night covered the sky, a sea of diamonds strewn across with the full moon illuminating the world below. Sitting by her vanity, Lilith glanced out the window to watch for a moment, a sigh escaping her lips. The pang of hunger coursed through her abdomen, her right hand resting over it in a futile attempt to stop it. Was this really all she could do? To continue going along to every whim of her parents? She glanced over to her unmade bed, eyeing the sheets especially. Maybe.. It could be possible to just tie her sheets and hang herself somewhere in the manor. It was better than having to tolerate another day of this miserable existence, of what she could barely call a life. It wasn’t like anyone here would actually miss her if she did.

Then you’d just let that woman win.

Lilith’s eyes suddenly widened at that intrusion. That.. That wasn’t one of her thoughts. How in the world did that…? A knock at the door made her jump in her seat, turning her head to the door.

“C-come in,” she called, getting up from her seat at the vanity. She smoothed down the simple and modest white nightgown she wore, watching the doorknob turn. Mentally bracing herself for either her mother or father to walk in, to see one of the maids walk in brought a wave of relief to wash over her, visibly relaxing as she recognized this particular maid. Wearing a long sleeve light brown dress, a white apron over it as her hair was tied in a sideways low ponytail, the young woman smiled gently at Lilith. Though, what really caught Lilith’s eye was the plate in her hands, a cut of braised chicken, a dinner roll, and a side of steamed carrots. Closing the door behind her, the maid walked toward her with careful steps, the look in her eyes one of worry and kindness.

“You brought me food? I.. thank you,” Lilith stammered, eyes starting to water out of gratitude. “But how did you get by the guard out front, Blair?”

“Oh him? He’s a simple one - a little feminine charm can go a long way with him,” she chuckled, setting the plate onto the vanity. She reached into her apron pocket to set a fork beside it, taking a step back as she looked over Lilith.

“I can’t have you go hungry, even if the lady of the house orders it,” she said indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Though, I take it this happened to begin with because today didn’t go very well.”

“You could say that,” Lilith muttered, turning to sit down and start eating. Since she wasn’t at the dinner table, she practically shoveled the food into her hungry mouth, etiquette and manners be damned at this moment. Besides, it was only Blair with her, and she highly doubted the woman would rat her out about something trivial like this. No, Blair was someone she could trust. Pausing midway through her eating, she stared at her food a moment, setting the fork down to pick up the dinner roll.

“Blair… I’m not sure that I… That I can keep going like this,” Lilith started, voice trembling. “I’m tired of it… Of all of it. I just - I just can’t anymore.” Dropping the dinner roll, Lilith’s hand came up to cover her watery eyes instead, a sharp breath inhaled as her body shook. “Everything I do is never good enough! I… I can’t even do the simplest of tasks. I-”

“Lilith,” Blair interrupted, her voice firm as she bent down some to be eye level with her. “I know things are difficult but… Oh, who am I kidding? I honestly can’t blame you for feeling like this. If I could, I’d take you far away from here, but… I can’t do that.” It was so easy to say you can protect someone, wasn’t it? To promise them that you’d take care of them, keep them safe. But it was so much harder to actually do it, especially when she was but a lowly maid. What could she really do against a family with the fortune to track her down if she could help Lilith escape?

Her shaky arms reached for the young black haired girl, holding her as she closed her eyes. She could feel her trembling in her embrace, body racked with frustrated sobs. This.. This was all she could really do. Give comfort and try to make the worst of days slightly bearable. But it didn’t feel like it was enough, not when the girl already felt like giving up. She can’t protect her from the biting words the Lady and Lord told her, from the blows they inflicted on her when they were infuriated with her.

“I’m sorry, Lilith… I hope you can forgive me for.. Failing you like this,” Blair said softly, pulling away some. Her hands found the sides of the girl’s face, gently making her look up at her as her thumbs wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “Please, just hang on a bit more. I know that eventually you’ll have a man fall for you and take you away from here. I know you can do it, just keep hoping for it and it’ll happen. It won’t be like this forever.” Lilith barely managed a smile, slowly nodding her head at Blair’s words. Just hang on a bit more. Tomorrow was another day, and maybe it won’t be as horrible.

But hope was a parasite, pushing one forward to feed on that hard work without giving a future. And after these long eighteen years of her life, she allowed it to continue feeding on her when the situation had never changed.

Pitiful child…

The dead of night. Silence hung heavily throughout the manor, Lilith sleeping soundly under the covers of her bed thanks to her earlier meal. All evidence of the food was promptly taken care of by Blair, who had taken the plate and opened the window for a couple minutes to air out the room of the smell. No one would know, save for the guard Blair had bribed to sneak the meal in. And indeed, no one would breathe a word of this… And yet a figure walked toward the bedroom, purpose behind the quiet footsteps. The doorknob would turn as the door creaked open, the sound stirring Lilith awake as she groggily sat up. Squinting at the door, she saw it open further, barely recognizing the silhouette of her father.

“Father? Why… What’s going on? Why are you here,” she asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “It’s the middle of the night.”

He would close the door quietly behind him, approaching the bed as Lilith watched warily. Why wasn’t he answering her?

“Why won’t you say anything?”

She suddenly felt his hand brush against her cheek, the light of the moon outside giving just enough light for her to make out the features on his face. There was.. Something in his eyes that she had never seen before. It made her heart beat faster as she realized the predatory gaze he had. Her body tensed up as his hand glided down her cheek and onto her neck, caressing the skin there.

“Don’t say a word,” he said in a low voice, climbing on top of her, his other hand grabbing at her wrist to hold her down. “Lilith… You know you’re as beautiful as your mother, don’t you? So much like her… Yet so inexperienced. I can help you, show you what a man really looks for, how best to please one.”

“Stop,” Lilith whispered, turning her head away and shutting her eyes tightly. “Please, stop. Why.. why are you doing this? Mother… She’d be furious if she found out.”

“She doesn’t need to know, does she? She has control over everything about you as is, let me have control over this one thing,” he growled, his knee slipping between her legs. His hand that was over her neck moved quickly down to feel at her chest, Lilith gasping as her free hand suddenly swung, fist closed as it connected against his cheek. Her own legs coming up so her knees pressed against his stomach, all while trying to keep them close together. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she did, eyes opening in shock as she turned to look up at her father. Even through the dim lighting of the room, she could see the anger boiling in his eyes now.

Heavy hands suddenly grabbed at her neck, weight pressing down to cut off her air. Her own hands immediately reached at his, scratching at the skin as her legs began to kick at him. Panic ran through her mind as she realized he could very well kill her like this, her own body lacking the strength to fight off a grown man.

“S-stop,” she gasped with what little air she had, fingers futilely trying to pry his hands off her neck.

“Why are you fighting against me,” he demanded, voice raised. “You take everything your mother gives you, why aren’t you doing the same for me!? This one little thing!” He suddenly paused, his hands holding back ever so slightly to allow her some air to breathe, gritting his teeth in anger as she took a sharp breath. “I see… This is how you’re playing your sick little game. Luring me in with your corrupting magic, only to humiliate me.” His grip tightened again, now violently shaking her against the bed. “You’re disgusting! How dare you cast a spell and make me feel like this for you!? Your own father! After all we’ve done to house, clothe, and feed you, you decide to have a little revenge on your mother and I like this!?” One hand slipped away from her neck, only to have it smack across her cheek that echoed in the room.

“A disgusting monster! That’s all you are!!”

The door swung open, the light of an oil lamp suddenly filling the room. Her father would look over, Lilith only managing to catch a glimpse with her eyes. But what she did see only filled her with dread. It was her mother.

“Yvonne… Lilith, she.. She used her dark magic, made me want her,” her father breathed, letting go of Lilith at last. Lilith would wheeze as she took in a much needed breath of air, coughing as her hands covered her aching neck. Her father would climb off the bed to approach her, but Yvonne quietly shoved the lamp into his hands, the older woman in a nightgown of her own as she walked quickly toward the bed. Grabbing a handful of Lilith’s hair, she yanked the girl as hard as she could toward the edge of the bed, enough to make her fall off. Lilith cried out from both the yank and from her leg colliding against the bed frame, whimpering as she breathed heavily. But she only had a moment before her hair was yanked up again, forcing her to look up and gaze at the fury within her mother’s blue-grey eyes.

“You dare to use your own father against me? For your own selfish gains,” she hissed, each word filled with venom. “You little bitch… You couldn’t get the attention of a lord so you prey on your father instead!? That’s sick! Revolting!”

“No, I didn’t-” A slap interrupted Lilith, making her gasp out in pain as she was pulled up again by her hair, this time feeling her mother’s foot kick at her stomach. Knocking the air out of her, Lilith felt her mother let go of her air as she wheezed again, body trembling from the sudden blow. Her arms went over to cover her stomach, just in time as Yvonne began to kick and stomp on her.

“You horrid creature! I wasted my time trying to use you!! You were better off dead from the beginning!!” She would then pause her kicking, Lilith quietly sobbing as her body shook violently. From where she laid, she saw her mother walk over to her window, grabbing at the curtains and yanking them so hard that they came crashing down. Grabbing for the pole that held the curtains, it slid apart so it was free to hold, Lilith realizing what was about to happen. Bringing her arms up, she got into a fetal position as she tried to cover her head as best she could, crying out as she felt the blunt object collide against her ribs. Over and over, her mother swung down on her, using all of her strength to make each blow painful as the last.

This… Was this it? Was this how she was going to die? Beaten to death by her own mother? Maybe it was best to accept it, there was no getting out of this alive. No one would come to save her and she’d be foolish to believe it. Maybe it was for the best - she would finally be free of this torment, free of her parents’ clutches at long last. Perhaps death wasn’t awful if it could do that, finally giving her the freedom she longed for.

But don’t you want to put this woman in her place?

What? Who… Who said that?

Your one true escape. Hear me out, child… Why must you forfeit your life? Shouldn’t this despicable woman be the one who shouldn’t continue to breathe?

She… I guess she shouldn’t. I suffered so much.. Because of her.

Because she was so afraid of you, afraid of me. Why not show her why she should be afraid? Don’t you want to see it? To see her beg and suffer for a change?

That would be… nice.

You’re slipping away. Stay with me… Just let me have control. I want to see them suffer as much as you do.

Her consciousness was hanging by a thread, pain coursing all throughout her body from the neverending blows against her. Hand over control? She supposed she could do that, whatever that meant. What more could she lose at this point?

Take it, if you can make this stop.

I will, and I thank you, child. I can finally remind these humans where their place truly is.