I never thought it would end up like this.
My story became like a little bird whose feathers had been ripped out and left to suffer the cold of the night on the terrestrial land. It was much worse than a nightmare; nothing could explain the pain…
"You fool." I felt her hard knuckles hit my head. I groaned in pain as my hairline broke into two, inflicting little cuts to my head. There was no way I could speak next to her; she would curse me, curse the day she met me, just like every single day I didn't make money as a courtesan.
"You didn't need a mate. I told you that several times, but you didn't listen. Do you really think you're suitable to become a man's heartthrob? What do you know about love?" She smacked my face, watching me fall to the floor.
The tears flowed out of my eyes, the gripping pain finally easing as I cried my heart out. I wasn't expecting sympathy; I knew the consequences of what I had done; it was something she had always whispered into my ears every night before I slept.
A courtesan whose ability to make money had diminished was considered a slave to the house. You had to match the head courtesan's every move, taking in hits for her, including dangerous poisons and blades, just to save her. Slaves were allowed in this part of the realm, and nobody dared to question it.
"I tried my best to make you useful, but you became just like your parents, useless and wasted." Hannah shot out.
I felt the rage in me burn furiously with each statement. The urge to pick up a fight filled me, but each time my memories were clouded by his words, "Why would the Moon Goddess pair me up with a piece of trash?"
His words kept playing in my ears, every other sound fading away. I cried my eyes out, but nothing seemed to be enough. He had tossed me into the forbidden lands, and just as I had always feared, I would have to move with the laws of the house.
It was laid out in bold that a courtesan who loses value is either made into a slave or sent out of the courtesan house. Princesses of the house just like me had to move out since we weren't trained to do any form of housework. I was made an exception to the rule, but it was pretty sure from Hannah's looks that she had no use for me anymore.
Ellen, a young lady who almost matched me in curves and beauty but lacked strides, was the second princess of the house, but she made a bit more than me the last couple of times. That was enough to convince Hannah that I was starting to depreciate even though I wasn't.
"I will leave." I rasped, wiping the tears off my face.
"You should do that; I have no use for a useless bitch in my house." She kicked me hard on the back.
I arched forward, holding myself from falling. It was a shame to be beaten by Hannah in front of lower courtesans, but it made me see the true meaning of life. They were all giggling underneath the hands of their boubou, whispering things I knew as insults and staring at me like the devil.
They all wanted me gone; it wasn't the first day they'd dream of this very day. Unmatched talent often brings hate, and I had a feeling I would be on their list.
"And don't think of pleading for forgiveness, cause I wouldn't listen to a thing you say." She let out…
Plead my way out… Tch. Hannah never forgave anyone but her spoiled children, who did things as they wished. Her husband, George, was just like her, and they both had a callous system that yearned to make life unbearable for me. Even though I had gotten rejected, I was finally going to leave the courtesan house without having to look back.
I grabbed my three gowns and silver jewelry, placing them into my little bag. That happened to be the only thing I had in the courtesan house. All my belongings had been used to make up for any loss of earnings that occurred, like transportation during each job.
I walked down the stairs, igniting the eerie gazes of the courtesans. Hannah waited for me at the end of the stairs, something with luster shining behind her. Knowing Hannah, there was no way she would have gotten me a necklace as a parting gift or a small bag containing silver coins for me to get a little apartment.
What was she up to?
"I'm leaving for good, Hannah." I let out.
She held up a smirk. "You can stay in the courtesan house for as long as you want." She closed the gap between us.
"Harry, the Alpha of the Grey Moon pack, has rejected me. There's no way any man would want me to entertain them after such an embarrassing scene at the mating hall." I reasoned.
"That's not true. A princess stays a princess even if a prince rejects her hand in marriage. There are multiple princes out there, darling; I just wanted to teach you that at the very beginning." She held up a gloomy look.
"I'm not buying that, Hannah. Live a good life without me." I turned my back to her.
"Why did you come...?" A loud thud ushered behind me.
"Hannah!" I veered around quickly, bending down to help her from the floor.
As my hands came together, I saw a faint smile on her face, followed by the sound of metals clashing against each other. "You could have walked out on me, but you'd never leave an old woman on the floor, right?"
A wave of fright swept through me as I saw the silver cuffs on my hand, her evil laugh filling my ears. "
What do you plan to do with me?"