Not My Sins

 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

"Please!!" Rain yelled again and the man's grip tightened on her neck, cutting off her air supply, he pressed her harder into the bed and she winced in pain. "Marine!!"

He began tearing the rest of her dress, and Rain could do nothing but yell for help, even though her maiden had claimed she would come back soon, she didn't come.

Rain began to hyperventilate, even though she had fallen into a state of panic, her assailant couldn't care less. Just when she had started to lose hope, someone yanked the man away from her and tackled him to the ground. She scooted back up, it was so dark she couldn't see, but she could hear resistance and struggling sounds in her room.

 The fear had made her paralyzed, she fell off the bed immediately, covering her half-naked body with what was left of her torn dress. Her shaky hands searched the floor for the candle, anything she could use to see at the moment.

She wanted to know what was going on.

The thing that entered her room the second didn't sound like a human, it fought like an animal on all fours.

"Marine!" Rain still yelled just in case she was somewhere nearby and could hear her, but it was futile. She crawled out of the bedroom and towards the fireplace, the fireplace still had a fire so she could see now. Shakily she staggered up to her feet, her legs had been severely injured from trying to push the man that was on top of her away but that was not the only problem. Her head was ringing like a bell, it was due to the resounding slaps he gave her at intervals. 

 Suddenly, she didn't care about the candles or seeing the other thing that got into the room with her, she just wanted to get away from the room. Fear rose into her chest because she could hear things smashing in her room.

She opened the door and stumbled out, she tried climbing down the stairs but her weak legs gave out and she fell stumbling down the stairs. She landed hard on her head, but that wasn't enough to stop her from trying desperately to escape.

She could swallow her pride and beg the Duke, she could fight whoever he wanted her to fight, if she had been in the residence, this would have never happened.

The residence is surrounded by royal guards who guard the Duke's palace, one of them would have come to her rescue by now.

A small whimper escaped her when she heard footsteps behind her, she tried to run but she couldn't move her body as she pleased.

She was too weak.

"Princess," Doni rushed towards her, but Rain had lost all common sense, she yelled and pushed him away, trying her best to escape, she couldn't even walk, she was crawling in the dirt.

Which was unlike her.

"Princess." He grabbed her and despite the light punches she threw at his chest, he didn't let her go this time. "Princess calm down."

"Let go of me!" Rain was throwing her hands everywhere, she hit Doni in the face and his grip slackened, right before they tightened against her again.

"Princess, please calm down." He yelled and then pulled her into a hug, crushing her tiny body into his only then was she able to relax. She immediately realized that the person holding her in his arms wasn't her assailant, it was Doni, maybe it was because of his scent, but she was able to tell right away. "You're safe now, Princess."

 Tears were well in her eyes, but she bit down on her lips, she didn't want Doni to see her in that state, she tried her best to hold it in but she just couldn't. Doni held her so tight and palmed her hair as she sobbed into his shirt.

"You're safe now," He cooed softly, she didn't know how long she stood outside her residence in the arms of the stables boy but it was the most comforting period of her life. "I am here, I won't let anyone hurt you."

"S-Someone…." She tried to speak but her voice got caught up in her throat, Doni noticed it and he continued to palm her hair softly.

"Don't rush Princess," he said softly. "Please take your time and speak to me."

"There is someone in the house," she reported, her lips quivering as she spoke. "That person tried to h-hurt me."

"I know…" He hugged her even tightly and that was when she realized he was the other person who came in, more tears streamed from her face.

"Were you the one who saved me?" She asked in a small unsure voice, she wanted to hear him say it himself.

"Yes, I did." Confidently, he admitted. "I am sorry for hearing your screams too late."

 So, that's why he came, because he heard her screams… It was such a relief, she didn't know or rather she didn't want to imagine what would have happened to her if he didn't show up.

"Let's go back inside." He urged but she hesitated, her assailant was still in the room, and there was no way in hell she would go back in that room.

She shook her head hurriedly and tried to disengage from him but Doni didn't allow her the chance.

"I don't want to go back," she protested weakly. "He is still inside."

"I am with you, besides, I already beat him to a pulp, he is fainted, there is no way he could hurt you again even if he wants to." He said proudly but Rain still felt conscious.

"I need to go to the Duke's residence," She whispered, still clinging tightly to Doni's shirt. "I need to report the attack, maybe I will be allowed to stay with Lily."

"No," Doni refused. "You are in no condition to go around, you're seriously injured, please allow me to tend to your wounds, I promise I won't allow anyone to hurt you."

 Hesitantly, she nodded her head, and a small smile reached Doni's lips and finally, he disengaged from her, he picked her up in his arms, as he realized she was too weak to stand or walk on her own. She whimpered when they neared her room again, and Doni glanced at her in concern.

"Are you scared?" He asked and she nodded, he held her tighter to his body in his way he wanted to reassure her that nothing was going to happen to her. "I am here, just focus on me."

"Would you take me to the Duke's office too?" She begged and Doni nodded.

"Let me attend to your wounds first." He muttered as he got back into her room, Rain tensed, but since Doni was with her, she wasn't too afraid.

"Where is he?" She asked as he approached her bed, she looked around vacantly, but since it was dark she couldn't see anything.

"Don't worry he is in the corner." He said as he sat her on the bed, instantly she grabbed him. "I am not going anywhere, I just want to get a candle or a torch."

He peeled her hands away from his softly, and ran back to the living, in an instant he came back to the room, lighting up the room with the candle in his hands.

He tendered to her bruised lips, which had swollen drastically, the man wasn't kind enough to spare her the hits. He understood why she was terrified from the wounds he dressed.

Doni tightened his fist, he was angry but he didn't know why he was angry, seeing the Duke's daughter in despair should have filled him with joy but why was he getting angry?

"The man who attacked me," Her voice had gotten better, she hid her petite body in her blanket as she stared at the figure of the fainted man in the corner of her room. "Did you check his face?"

Doni nodded as he applied balm on her lips, she moved back slightly and hissed because he had suddenly touched it and the balm stung also.

"I'm sorry," he apologized and she shook her head.

"Do you know him?" She asked curiously and he nodded.

"Yes, I know him." He answered truthfully again.

"He is a worker of the estate right?" She asked curiously and Doni nodded.

"We worked together at the stables often, we have been close since we were children too," Doni explained and Rain's eyes widened in surprise, she didn't expect Doni's friend to be after her life. "He must have said something about his sister."

The rain froze as she tried to recall everything that happened, it was difficult to remember the particular statement, her mind became blank after the man had hit her once.

She didn't expect it.

"Yes," She answered, she remembered he talked about getting revenge for his little sister, whom the young Duke had made an example of.

"I thought as much, I had tried to get his mind off the grief but I guess he wasn't satisfied, but I had no idea he would go so far."