The moon which shone brightly in the night sky, slowly disappeared as the sun woke up from its slumber, rising up high in the sky. Birds sitting on branches sang to a tune as a new day came.

A knock echoed through the large room. It was painted in beige with many ornaments placed all over the room as decorations.

"Your highness, it is time for you to wake up." a muffle maid's voice spoke.

Soft rustles from the bed movement were heard before a petite body rose. Her long curly white hair rested on her shoulders as she rubbed her eyes.

"Come in." she ordered.

The maids waiting outside soon came in and dressed her up. She wore a black dress with mid length sleeves. Her hair was brushed out and put into two neat side buns. Another knock was heard before a figure walked in.

"Good morning your highness." Alec spoke and bowed.

The maids did the same once they finished dressing her up. She paid no attention to them and walked towards Alec's side. A smile bloomed on her face as she looked at him.

"Good morning. Seeing your face is always a good start." Hera said and nodded.

She reached her hand out and caressed his cheek but he avoided it. He turned his back to her,

"Your breakfast is ready, your highness."

Hera frowned at his response to her touch but nodded.

"Bring me there."

"As you wish, your highness."

Footsteps echoed through the mansion, every servant bowed their heads as she walked past. She never once glanced at them only looking ahead at Alec's back.

The memory of him taking care of the red haired girl flashed between her eyes. How his eyes only looked at her, ignoring everyone and their surroundings. She heard how soft and gentle his voice was as he took care of her.

Her hands that were at the sides, curled into tight fists. Why wouldn't he look at her that way? Why wouldn't he even spare a glance at her? He never once did and only looked at her if she called him.

What makes them so different? Hera knew Elenor took him in because of his face. So why did he look at them so differently as if they weren't the same?

She should be the one where he spoke gently to her, not some mere marquess daughter that barely stood a chance with her looks.

Upon reaching the dining hall, Alec pulled the chair allowing Hera to take a seat. Without wasting a second, the servants brought her meal out before disappearing, only her and Alec remained in the dining hall.

It was silent for the whole meal. She glanced at Alec who looked straight ahead, waiting for her to finish her meal. She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"Look at me." she ordered.

Alec followed her orders and looked at her. She looked straight into his eyes. Although it was her in it, she wasn't satisfied. She wanted him whole.

"Leave."

Alec bowed and walked away. Once he was gone, she threw her utensils in anger. Taking in deep breaths, she calmed herself down. A thought came across her mind.

'Ah. How could I forget?'

An eerie smile was plastered on her face as she got up from her seat. She then headed down to the basement where no light could come in. As she slowly ascended down, muffled whimpers and whispers began to fill her ears like music.

Her heels clacked against the hard pavement. She could hear sharp intakes of breaths as she walked past the cells. Stopping at the last cell, she walked inside. She snapped her fingers and a guard that was guarding the basement saluted and waited for her orders.

As she walked past the cells, she had briefly scanned through the bodies. Pointing her finger to a random boy in a cell, she smirked.

"Bring him in here."

"Yes your highness!" the guard dragged the boy out.

"No! Please! Not me please!" he yelled out, struggling out of the guard's hold but he was too weak.

Hera giggled at the sight as the guard tied his hands and feet up to the wall with chains. Hera looked at the boy who trembled. The sounds of the chain hitting against the wall as his body trembled in fear, excited her.

She smiled, forgetting about her anger previously. She lifted his chin upwards before looking at her tools.

"What shall I do today..?" she muttered to herself as she picked up each tool, thinking hard.

"P-please... let me go.. I want to see my family.." the boy whimpered.

Hera laughed before shaking her head, "Silly you, I bought you from them remember? Why go back to them when they threw you to me?"

"No..!" he shook his head.

Hera picked up an electric tool. Checking if it was working, she thought a bit before nodding to herself. She turned back to the boy who was still shaking in fear.

She drew closer to the boy who tried to get away from her but failed. She laughed at his attempt.

"Even if you went back to your family, they wouldn't want you. You look so ugly now. Aren't you glad I'm still giving you attention? Nobody would want to look at someone as ugly as you." she whispered into his ear.

His face paled. The chains clashing together grew louder as he tried to get out of it. Hera rolled her eyes at his poor attempt to escape.

She sighed before pressing the cool metal rod against his skin.

"People like you who can't appreciate my kindness should be punished. You're still alive although you are hideous. Your sin is being ugly."

Electric shock ran through his body causing him to scream in pain. Hera closed her eyes, listening to his screams before cranking it higher causing him to scream louder and higher.

She fluttered her eyes open to see his eyes rolling to the back to his head as he screamed. Blood began trickling down his mouth as his body shook.

She smiled happily as she watched him scream in agony, "This is your punishment. Repent."

His screams echoed through the basement, letting everyone in the cells hear it. They all could hear the pain in his strained voice as he continued to scream and howl in pain but nobody above could. Above the basement, it was peaceful.

Unable to see or hear the screams of pain that run through the basement.

Hera often didn't grow bored of torturing however today was different. Her mind wandered elsewhere even when she increased the voltage more. She sighed, already bored of today's event.

She turned it off and left the cell, "Take him away. If he dies, throw him somewhere no one can find the body and if he lives.."

She chuckled at the thought, "I doubt he will be."

She left the basement. Her attire was still clean as if she never went to the murky damp basement. She returned to her room. At the corner of her eye, a brown teddy bear sat on the furthest corner of the cupboard.

She walked up to it, brushing her fingers on the soft material. A fond memory that had been locked away deep inside her, resurfaced.

"Brother! Brother!" a small child figure, clinging on to the teddy bear tightly as she ran towards a figure taller and tanner than the latter.

The figure turned to the small child and smiled. Stroking her head, he spoke in a soft manner.

"Hera, do you like the present?" he asked.

Hera nodded. A bright happy smile plastered on her face as she lifted the teddy bear up to let her older brother see.

"I love it brother!! Thank you!"

"This is for your birthday. Sorry big brother wasn't able to celebrate on the day."

She shook her head, "Brother already gave me a gift so I forgive! And I love brother very much. There's no way I can hate brother."

He chuckled at his cute sister whose eyes sparkled as they gazed at the teddy bear.

"Your highness! Please don't associate with that princess." a large chubby figure came into view, strunting over to where the two siblings were at.

"What's wrong with talking to my baby sister?" he asked.

The chubby man coldly glanced at Hera who flinched at the gaze, hiding behind Judas.

"A child born from a lowly maid has no place here." he spat.

"As your tutor, I advise you not to go near this child. It will not look good when the higher ups see this." he then proceeds to grab Judas by the arm before taking him somewhere that Hera will be unable to find.

"Hera! I'll come back another time!!" he yelled out hoping he didn't upset her.

Hera mustered up a smile before waving goodbye, "Alright brother, see you!"

Hera fluttered her eyes open, staring at the teddy bear she had been touching as she reminisced the memory. A knock on the door was heard before a man in a butler attire walked in.

"Your highness."

"What is it?" her cold gaze swept towards the man who kneeled before her. Dark blue hair and eyes.

She never tried to remember his name or his existence. Not beautiful enough.

"I have brought the people you have requested."

"How many did you buy?"

"Not more than ten, your highness."

"Good. Keep them in the basement. I will head there later and see which one is suitable to be brought out."

"Yes your highness." the butler left without another word, leaving Hera to her own thoughts once more.

Her celeste blue eyes fell back on the teddy bear. A surge of anger rose in her chest. She threw the plush toy to the ground. Her breathing becoming erratic. She continued thrashing her room until her anger subsided.

She sat on the couch in her room. After anger came laughter. Small giggles slipped through her lips before it turned to chuckles and lastly loud fits of laughter. She laughed until she couldn't. Until her throat was parched and scratchy.

Staring at the ceiling, a small mutter flew out of her lips.

"You never came back brother..."

---

hera's pov ( *^-^)ρ(*╯^╰)