Beleaguered

Breath



The anger in her grew the next day, till it almost consumed her. Every breath was painful. Every word that escaped her parents’ mouth made her almost kneel over from the clenching of her stomach. She breathed deeply. After all, what could she do? WHAT COULD SHE DO!?



Her life given up to serve some undeserving, spoiled brat? How could this happen to her? She was strong. Always strong.



‘Breathe in, breathe out… softly…don’t lose control.’ Whispers that did nothing to her deep-seated anger. She just needed time. Time healed all…right?



Her parents had left. She was alone, except for her mother’s damn dog, the dog that her mother loved even more than her. And her father’s mistress; blonde and petite, and no older than 22. Such a young life wasted on her repulsive father.



Slowly she stands up. She walks with no destination in mind. She just has to do something or she will begin tarring out her hair, clawing at her skin; her own skin is mocking her, laughing at her, she can feel every second of it.



Entering a room, she stands. Not looking at anything, just standing, her whole body tenses. In the corner she sees it. A long, thick sort of stick. Polished to have no hard edges, smooth. She picks it up, fascinated. It feels nice in her hands. Easy to handle. Something used to play some sort of muggle sport. Her father’s shame; love of muggle sports.



She waves it around. It looks powerful…it looks as if could destroy. She stops and looks at it. Then she grips the handle tightly. Coming closer to a glass box, a box that holds one of her father’s most prized possessions; a small, white ball with a great deal of signatures on it. She raises the stick, only half conscious of her movements. And with one quick swoop glass shatters everywhere, the ball falls down without regard and rolls under the table.



She stands, a piece of glass in her left shoulder. She doesn’t feel it. She is euphoric. Her heart wants to jump out of her chest. Without a second’s hesitation, she swings again and again and again. The shattering is like music.



Too soon she is finished, but, wait…there are many other rooms in this manor. Her smile is that of happy realization. From room to room, she destroys. The paintings, mouths agape, scream at her to stop, but she doesn’t hear. There is only the sound of melodic obliteration.



Her mind is calm, but her body is restless. When she is finished with her mother’s parlor, she stops.



In front of her, stands that bloody dog, with its nose in the air, resembling more a rat than any sort of dog.



All the memories of her mother’s neglect return. The dog always by her mother’s side, scoffing at her. Her nostrils flare and black takes over her vision. When she is able to see, the dog is front of her, but no longer standing, now, rather lying on the floor with blood pouring out of its mouth, and there is blood on her face. Trembling, she looks up and sees her father’s mistress Nicole, on top of the staircase… Nicole looks frightened. When she sees Millicent looking up at her she dashes to her room.



Millicent leisurely walks up the stairs and proceeds to Nicole’s room, the stick securely in her hand. She knocks on the door, don’t let it ever be said that Millicent had no manners, but there is no answer. Again she knocks and again there is no answer.



Finally fed up Millicent calmly call out, “Nicole, you know that I am your superior and should be treated as such. Now, please, open this door.” Millicent waits a few seconds, but, again, there is no answer.



Millicent takes a long breath and with that breath it seems she inhales all her fury. “Open!” She commands and her manor naturally obeys her. Nicole stands behind her bed, her thin nightgown doing nothing to cover her up. She looks so innocent with her blonde hair and childish face, much younger.



Millicent walks in, an easy smile on her face. “Nicole, you know what I’m going to do?” She asks in sing-song voice. Nicole shakes her head and glances at the somewhat bloodied stick in Millicent’s hand. “ Well, I’ll tell you…I’m going to kill you.” Millicent smiles her fake smile, the one she is forced to put on whenever in the presence of company. Nicole lets out a little moan, terrified.



Millicent still hasn’t moved from her position and she hasn’t stopped smiling. To Nicole the smile is childish, one of those smiles someone uses when they’re about to do something mischievous. Millicent winks, “So are we ready?” Nicole does nothing but stands there, looking in horrific fascination as Millicent advances.



Millicent stops a foot in front of Nicole and raises the stick. Nicole closes her eyes, waiting for the blow. She hears the tell-tale swoosh of air and then she hears….. laughter and the braking of a mirror. Opening her eyes she sees Millicent clutching her stomach and laughing.



“You are such a bitch, Milli!” Nicole screeched, but Millicent continued laughing. “And look, you broke my mirror.” She exclaimed pointing to the remains of her mirror.



“Come on, you hate that mirror. You said it yourself.” Millicent said, giggling a little. All traces of her previous mind-set gone from her voice.



“My God. What am I going to do with you? Look at yourself?!” She said as she took a piece of cloth and began wiping Millicent’s face.



“What happened Milli?” Nicole asked, voice more subdued.



“Sorry. I sort of lost my head there.” Millicent winced as Nicole took out the piece of glass.



“What will your parents say when they see what you have done.” Millicent winced again as Nicole began to clean up her wound.



“Stop. Just use your damn wand Nicole. I don’t see why you have to do everything manually. You’re not a muggle.” Millicent sneered as she kept her shoulder away from Nicole.



“Alright, alright. You’re such a baby.” Nicole shook her head as she muttered a spell to take care of Millicent’s injury.



“Thank you.” Millicent said as she surveyed the little scar that remained.



“So……How are you?” Nicole asked. Millicent quirked an eyebrow.



“How do you think I am?” She asked with a smirk. Nicole smiled and looked away.



“I love your voice Milli. It’s made for the bedroom.” Nicole said absently. Millicent grimaced and set down on a chair near the window. She never set on the bed, she knew what went on on it. “So cool and collected. You would make a great dominatrix.”



Millicent let out a short laugh, amused at the turn of the conversation. “Why is it that whenever we talk, sex always ends up in the conversation?”



“Millicent. Millicent, my dear girl.” Nicole shook her head in disapproval. “Life is sex. Everything revolves around sex. Sex can brings people to power. Sex can ruin lives.” Nicole waved her arms, emphasizing the importance of her words. She went on saying a many more things about humanity and sex and greed and living. Millicent laughed at the performance, clapping at appropriate times. Finally, with one last gesture, Nicole took a deep bow.



Millicent continued laughing as Nicole stood in front of her. When she stopped she saw Nicole looking at her, with worry in her eyes. Nicole gave her a small smile and asked, “Is everything really okay.” Millicent’s smile instantly vanished. She simply sat in the chair, not saying anything.



“Are you afraid?” Nicole asked tentatively. Millicent said nothing. “You’re obviously angry.” Millicent let out a snort at that. “But are you scared?” Nicole asked quietly.



Millicent looked at Nicole quaintly. “Malfoy, he doesn’t scare me.” She said. “He doesn’t.” she whispered yet again.



“Milli, what’s wrong?” Nicole asked sitting at the foot of her. “You don’t seem very convinced. Come on, Milli….you’re not scared of anything.” Nicole encouraged. Millicent looked away, not able to look at her. Nicole, now uneasy, asked again, “You’re not scared of him? Did he do something to you?! Milli, did that little bastard touch you?!”



“No.” Millicent said quietly, “No, nothing like that. But…” She took a deep breath.



“But?” Nicole asked.



“Can you imagine binding your life to that of another person?! Practically becoming their servant?! I see how it goes. My mother…and all of the other “noble” women that I’ve seen; they lose everything, just to be part of their husbands’ life, a very insignificant part.” Millicent closed her eyes. “Depending solely on one person…the simple thought of it is terrifying.”



Nicole rested her head on Millicent’s lap, taking a deep breath she asked “What do you want?”



Millicent opened her eyes with a slight smile. “I want…a blank canvas the size of the world. I want love, passion, something beautiful. And a house hidden in vines.” Her head rolled to the side, her eyes became heavy lidded. She was gone.



Nicole looked at her thoughtfully. “You will have all of that.” She said in earnest. “You will. You will have all of that.” She said, a spark in her eyes.



“Nicole don’t be delusional. Such things don’t simply fall into someone’s lap.” Millicent looked down at her skeptically.



“How would you like to go on a little vacation before school.” Nicole asked.



“My parents would never consent.” Millicent replied.



“The only person who needs to consent is your father and I’m sure that I could persuade him.” Nicole said slyly.



“Where will we be going?” Millicent’s smirk was arrogant and daring to Nicole.



Nicole said nothing, she smiled.



Millicent could breathe once more.



Note from Author



I'm not very happy with the beginning of this chapter, but the ending was adequate. I'm not sure where this story is going, but I'll try my best with it. I'm still working out how to introduce Draco.