Ma Petite Fleur - Chapter Two

Melissa explains all she knows about herself. She's still reluctant to show her true self to anyone. Meanwhile, another girl of Raveena's finds Melissa a threat.

“Ma Petite Fleur”

Chapter Two

 

Raveena led the girl to sit at the edge of the bed alongside her. She peered at Melissa’s down-turned face.

      “First, might you tell me your name?” she inquired although already knowing the answer.

      “Its�"Melissa, ma’am,” the girl said timidly.

      “And when were you born? Where? How old are you?”

      Melissa forced the answers out, even though she was uncomfortable being asked all these questions.

      “Uh�"I was born… November the seventeenth. I am nineteen, ma’am,” then she hesitated. “I�"well, um�"I think I was born at the institution.”

      “You think?” Raveena asked, furrowing her brow.

      “Not completely sure, ma’am,” Melissa admitted, fumbling with her fingers. “There are things I’ve never even been told about myself.”

      “Do you know who your parents are?”

      “Mm-mm.”

Melissa shook her head.

      “I’m sorry to hear that, my dear,” Raveena told the girl, putting her hand on top of Melissa’s.

      There was something else she wanted to ask the girl. But it did seem like Melissa would be the sensitive type, so she wasn’t sure if it would be acutely dangerous to ask. However, Raveena did not want to leave the subject untouched.

      Taking a deep sigh, she asked delicately, “Were you used for sex much of the time you were there?”

      The word ‘used’ felt like burning coal had been placed on her tongue. Melissa flinched at her asking and squirmed uncomfortably. Hot tears came to her eyes almost immediately as she remembered her time at the slave house. Raveena already knew the answer now without the girl saying anything. She embraced Melissa, gently rocking her back and forth.

      “Shhh, don’t cry. I won’t do anything like that to you,” she pledged. “I just needed to know. It’s okay. Don’t cry, love, don’t cry…”

      Melissa took comfort in Raveena’s kind intentions. Her tears dried up quickly. She reached her hands up and rested them on Raveena’s shoulders, turning herself to a more comfortable angle so she could lay herself on the woman’s chest. Raveena smiled tenderly and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at the ticking clock that hung on the wall, over the fireplace. Then she stood up and stood Melissa’s hands in hers. Melissa looked up at her.

      “Come, ma petite fleur. It’s lunchtime,” she said.

The girl nodded and let herself be pulled to her feet.

~*~*~*~

      As the two entered the main dining hall, Raveena’s older brother Lars and younger sister Fay were already enjoying their meal.

      “There you are, ‘Veena!” Fay said with a smile. “Who’s this girl? Is she the one you sent out Amaya for?”

      “She is,” her sister replied, placing a caring hand on Melissa’s back.

Fay got up from the table and made her way over to Melissa. She offered her hand.

      “Welcome! I’m Fay,” she said giddily. “In hope we can be good friends!”

      “Um�"thank you, Miss,” Melissa uttered and shook Fay’s hand.

Raveena looked at Lars, who was more interested in eating his meal than meeting Melissa.

      “Brother, at least make yourself known,” Raveena sighed.

Fay looked back at her brother and huffed.

      “Lars, don’t be rude!”

      Rolling his eyes, Lars put his napkin on the table and stood up. He turned to them, his eyes on Melissa. He made a graceful bow to her, a half-smile formed on his lips.

     “Welcome to our home. My name is Lars; I’m the eldest child. I would find it quite enjoyable if we could get acquainted later,” he spoke in a voice that was deep and smooth.

      Then he sat back down. Melissa was unsure of what to say. She was so wrapped up in his smooth voice. Then Raveena tapped her back.

      “Child, aren’t you going to introduce yourself?” she asked.

     “Ah�"yes,” Melissa breathed, respectfully bowing to Raveena’s siblings. “I’m Melissa. Pleased to meet you both.”

Fay pat her head affectionately and then sat back down in her spot at the table.

      “Come, sit,” Fay commanded, beckoning Raveena and Melissa. “Amaya made French Dip.”

Raveena put two of the roast beef sandwiches and a small bowl of au jus onto a plate.

      “I’d like to spend a bit more time alone with my new friend,” she said. “By the way, I’ve not seen Rachél all morning. Would either of you happen to know where she is?”

      “She’s spending today with Jean,” Fay filled in. “I don’t see why they don’t just get married and move in together.”

      Raveena shrugged. She motioned for Melissa to follow her as she headed to the back of the house. Her companion tagged after her. Fay’s voice, still discussing to Lars about the subject with Rachél, gradually faded out as they went further away from the dining room.

      The very back door of the house led out to the gardens. As Raveena opened the twin doors, Melissa’s eyes became wide with marvel. There were colorful plants all around; beautiful flowers, grapes on vines, stocks of corn and other fruits and vegetables. Gentle aromas filled her nostrils. Never before had she experienced something so lovely. Her breath caught.

      “Wow…”

      “Do you love it?” Raveena questioned her with a content sigh. “It’s magnificent, is it not?”

      Raveena sat down on a wooden bench near a bed of daffodils, her eyes admiring the grounds like always. She tapped the spot next to her.

      “Come, darling,” she beckoned.

      Melissa went and sat down next to her. Raveena grabbed one of the sandwiches and dipped the edge in the sauce, then ate. Melissa watched her, then her eyes stared at the other sandwich. She was tempted to take it, but thought her Mistress would be angry with her if she did. Raveena finished, and when she noticed Melissa hadn’t moved a muscle, she furrowed her brow.

      “You’re not eating?” she questioned. “Are you not hungry?”

      “No, I am, but�",” Melissa’s voice faded out.

      Raveena grabbed the untouched sandwich and dipped the corner into the au jus. She brought it up to Melissa’s lips. The girl opened her mouth, now eager to eat because she was allowed. She took a bite. The meat and au jus tasted savory and she was enjoying it immensely. Her Mistress continued feeding her until the sandwich was gone.

     “Yes, you were hungry,” Raveena purred.

      “Thank you, Mistress.”

      “No thanks needed.”

      Raveena rubbed Melissa’s head affectionately. Her companion made a small noise of approval. And for the first time in years, Melisa found herself smiling. Not a fake smile she had to give her previous Owners because it was expected of her; a genuine smile.

      Melissa allowed her eyes to wander the gardens another time. There, in a pot sitting in front of the window, a particular flower caught her eye. Its color was a soft pink and the petals extending outward revealed its dark red core. Unconsciously, Melissa walked over to the flower and stared deeply at it. Her head tilted, interestedly lost.

      “I see you like him,” Raveena pointed out.

      “Him?” Melissa questioned.

Raveena came over to her side and tenderly stroked one of the petals.

      “Yes, he is my favorite flower. Everyone else calls him a Knight’s Blossom, but I call him Beau.”

      “Why do others call it�"him a Knight’s Blossom?” Melissa inquired.

Raveena’s eyelids lowered. She smiled very softly.

      “There is a story�"in which a brave knight was in love with the Princess of another kingdom,” she began, her voice lowering to the tone of a storyteller’s. “The two fell in love, and planned to marry. But on the day he was going to propose to the Princess, their kingdoms went to war. They say the reason for war was for land; the Princess’s father had refused to give up a large portion of his land, so the knight’s king declared war in hopes the other kingdom would surrender. Instead of fighting for his king’s cause, the knight rushed to his love and took her out in front the forest, where he thought it would be safe. Because he was still quite poor, despite being one of the king’s army, he could not afford to buy his love a ring. So instead he picked her a beautiful pink flower.

      “Then he got down on one knee and gave the flower to the Princess, asking for her hand. The Princess’s eyes brimmed with tears, and just as she was about to accept his offer… Another knight, of the Princess’s army, stabbed him through the chest. He hadn’t been wearing his armor; he hadn’t even given it a thought. And as a consequence, he was instantly killed. The Princess mourned at the sudden death of her love, holding his body for hours until the knight, along with a few others, pulled her away and back to the castle.

      “The Princess told her father that this war destroyed her chance of love and demanded he surrender and give the other kingdom the land it wanted. The startled king, not wanting to infuriate his daughter by denying her, ended the war and gave up the land. After all was settled, the Princess held a memorial for her lost love. As they buried the brave knight, the Princess set a flower on his coffin; the pink blossom she’d been proposed by. The memory of the knight lived on in all who attended that commemorative, and that’s how this flower got its name.”

Melissa’s eyes shimmered with tears.

      “That was a wonderful story, Mistress,” she sniffled.

      After taking a deep breath, Raveena turned fully toward Melissa and took her hands. The girl also turned herself to face her Mistress. She looked into the woman’s eyes, and surprisingly, she wasn’t afraid.

      “Ma petite fleur,” Raveena cooed. “You’ve only known me a day, but I wish to tell you that you are precious to me. When I saw you for the first time, I wanted to have you. I needed to have you�"but I don’t mean ‘have’ to be the same as ‘own.’ I had to get you out o that hellhole, to be with you, together. If only for a moment.”

      Her face glowed red. She’d never admitted something so personal to her before. Melissa’s breath drew in. Her heart began to beat fast.

      “Wow, Mistress. Th-thank you,” she muttered. “I can only begin to understand the feelings you have for me.”

Raveena touched the girl’s cheek. She kissed her forehead.

      “Do you enjoy my company?” she asked.

      “I do very much,” Melissa assured.

      Unbeknownst to either of them, from behind the wall Amy was listening to them, gritting her teeth angrily.

Author's Note

Is the story going too fast?
How is the relationship between Reaveena and Melissa? Too close? Not close enough?