Forces & Isolation (T/W: contains rape, and abuse)

The next couple of weeks has been hell for me, the time I often spend in the Woodlands, reading books and escaping from cruel reality through books, are now spent in my room, I felt isolated, with nowhere to run, nowhere to escape... I felt... Trapped...

As the weeks edged closer to my supposed wedding with the one person I don't want to marry... I found myself documenting every aspect of my life through writing in my journal, I felt like journaling was my only comfort... My only friend... Although my only father figure... Maylan... Is still around to comfort me, not even he can fill the gap in my soul, I felt like a bird, trapped in a cage with its feathers cut so that it couldn't escape.

This was treacherous... Not only could I go out anymore because of... Avion's words, I couldn't even seek comfort from my pet, I had to stay... In this enclosure... Until I married.

There was a frantic knock on my door, frightening me out of deep thought, I looked at the door and walked over to there, opening the door, It was Maylan... "Maylan?" he looked frightened, what most would describe as... Mad.

"They're selling Mindra" Those three words are enough to wake me out of any deep sleep, my eyes widened, and I hurriedly ran out to see my griffin with a muzzle on her beak with a leash attached, a stranger holding the leash in his hand and handing a shit ton of money to Avion. "NO!" I run outside, no longer caring for his rules, I went up to my griffin, hugging her, she kneeled her head down and rubbed her muzzle along my cheek.

"Mindra, I'll sort things out I promise, everything will be ok" I left her hesitantly before turning and glaring at Avion, who was just smirking at me, I walked frantically over to him and punched him, causing him to fall, guards rushing to hold me back and to help him up off his ass.

"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU MINGLE WITH MY THINGS! YOU HAVE NO RIGH-" Before I could finish my sentence, I feel a harsh punch delivered right to my stomach, causing me to scream in pain, falling to my knees instantly, gripping my stomach.

"Oh but I do..." Avion says calmly as he circled around me, that smirk still plastered on his bruised face, he sways his hand at the man, who's smile widens as he walks off struggling with my reluctant bird, who only want his papa. "NO! MINDRA!" before I could see anything more, my face was dug in the dirt, the guards pressed my face in the sand and that's when I saw Maylan, being held by Avion's brother, Oliver as he frantically tries to come and save me, I had never seen him like that... And it breaks me.

I groan in pain as I feel another pain shot through me, this time the guards let me go, allowing me to roll to my side, but the kicks continue, not giving me any time to breathe.

"Atticus... I don't think you quite realize the situation you're in, my love... See... I have your little pathetic life and your little friend's life... In both my hand, and i'm holding them like this" he holds both his hands up, as if like a balanced scale would like, "your little forest friends are in my hands too, with just a snap of my finger... That pathetic forest that you love so much... will burn to the floor... Killing everything in it..." I was still whining from the kicks, my body hurting intensely, everything was going south... My freedom was forcefully taken from me, and if I was not careful... the woodlands... My place of virtue... would be taken from me as well... I opened my eyes to see him swaying his hands at the guards, who looked back at me, it didn't take common sense to know that they were smirking underneath the head barrier.

They began to tear at my clothes, and as much as I tried to fight back, it was no use, they were too strong... They took advantage of me... All taking turns... Raping me... And the worst thing... I could do nothing about it... I could only lay there... crying and listening to my father's protest's as I was raped... I stared at the sky... Tears rolling down the side of my cheek as the final row of men finished themselves off in me... I felt paralyzed... Like I couldn't move… And I really couldn't... Everything hurts... Everything sucks... My life... Was ruined... And my precious innocence... Was taken from me by force... Again... I was healing...I swear I was... I... I almost forgot about that night... But no... It had to resurface.

Oliver finally let Maylan go, and he immediately ran to My side. "my child! No! It's ok, everything will be ok, I'll get you in the house and run you a hot bath ok honey?" All I could do was stare at him, my eyes held no emotion and my face was numb, in fact, my whole body was numb, I knew he was trying to reassure me, but nothing was fine... not at this point on... Not when my supposed fiancé just allowed the guards to rape me... If he did that... Imagine what more he could do to me... I always thought this fragile man was miserable, and lonely and I always pitied him... But now... This was the man I feared... He had pierced my heart at a deep level with a dagger filled with poison... and that dagger wouldn't come out... It took somebody strong to take this dagger out of my heart... Someone strong...

My father held me up and that's when I saw the puddle of blood between my legs... But that... That was the least of my worries... my eyes remained on the nasty puddle of thick red liquid between my legs, but I didn't seem to care much, that dull look still in my eyes as I felt my father lift me in his arms bridal style, bringing me to the house, where I no longer safe at, he brought me up to the bedroom, and into my bathroom, he set me inside the empty bathtub... Turning lukewarm water on my body... I didn't move much as he began to scrub the mix of dirt and blood off my body, all I could think of was... That time.

19 years ago

I was skipping through the town with my mom holding my hand I was licking an ice cream, chocolate flavored... My favorite.

Suddenly, I was snatched from my mother's arms, and she didn't even notice, oh no... My ice cream fell, I tried to reach out for it, but... Something scared me... My mommy looked back and gave me a look of pity before turning away...

When I finally turned around, I saw three big men standing over me, one of them, had a big belly, a beard and ear length hair, he wore a nasty grin… "Hello sirs... Uhm... I'm lost... I want to go back to my mommy..." they didn't say anything, they just approached me and grabbed the front of my shirt... Tugging at it, forcing it to rip open, buttons flying in all directions, they then proceeded to do the same for my shorts, I didn't understand, but I was uncomfortable.

I tried my best to cover my body with my little hands. "Only my mommy is allowed to see my body!" I yelled but one of them dragged my hand above my head, the other covering my mouth and putting a finger to his lips, shushing me I assume... The biggest man... Opened his pants and tried to put his thing in me, but I kicked at him. "No!" I cried out, but it came out muffled due to the man covering my face, the man in front of me winced and looked angrily at me, before pulling out a knife, not one like my mom uses to cook, it was like a dagger... He sliced into my skin with it, causing me to scream out in pain, but, as expected, it was muffled.

They... Hurt me... bad... after they all took turns with me... They left, dropping a cigarette next to me and outing it before laughing and leaving from the alleyway, leaving me battered and bloodied... I laid there in pain, crying uncontrollably, hoping that someone from the busy streets would hear me... And... That's when Maylan came... Looking frantic as he took me in his arms, screaming for help as he ran out in the busy streets with my small body in his arms.

End of Flashback

"Prince Atticus!" I flinched at the sudden intrusion from my memory, Maylan, called me back to the present, I looked emotionlessly at his face.

"... You... You've been here before... Not only that, but you've faced this before... My poor son... You have to go through this again..." he hesitantly stretched a hand out and cupped my cheek before lifting me out of the waters, once I was dried up, he brought me to the room and treating my face bruises before putting me to bed...

I could not sleep... Everytime I blinked... They... All of them... we're present... Everything was there at once... I didn't sleep until my brain shifted to Isaac... I felt me heart flutter... How could it still work even though it was so... Broken and hurt... I finally fell asleep... Imagining Isaac, comfortingly rubbing my back and saying soothing words to me.

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To whoever this chapter triggered, i'm sorry... And to whomever, who suffered through this... I am so sorry you went through any of that... Nobody should go through that. Once again, i'm sorry if this chapter triggered you.

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