Lyra's P.O.V

I tear up on the bed, feeling broken and used, sobbing hard as Asta sits there and holds me. I can feel her confusion and worry rolling off of her in droves; she gently kisses me and mutters sweet nothings into my ears as all the memories come flooding back.

I was pressed against the wall with a stranger's fangs buried deep into my neck, a violation all on its own. Tears stream down my face as I remember feeling his hands and body continue to violate me. The only thing keeping me going at the moment was the one thing I loved: The thought of Asta.

The visions of what happened keep plaguing me as I sob harder into Asta's chest. "My little Lyra... You should have told me..."

A cold shock runs through my veins as my anger flares, and I shove her away, snapping, "Can you stay out of my head for once?! I wasn't ready to tell you!"

She looks shocked as I turn over and grab the nearest pillow, sobbing harder into it. She slowly approaches me and rubs my back, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry, Lyra; I shouldn't have done that..."

After I calm down and let the thoughts wither away, I sit up and sniffle, wiping my eyes and looking at her, smiling softly, leaning forward, and kissing her deeply. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, but sometimes I need boundaries, okay?"

She nods and smiles sadly, kissing back softly. "I understand. I'm sorry, my love." She pulls me into her chest as I nuzzle into her bosom and sigh. I sit up a bit straighter. After our morning shower, the warm water helps further clear my mind, and I get dressed in jean shorts with tights underneath and a crop top showing my midriff. I approach my waiting partner at the door.

"Are you feeling better, my love?" This makes me smile as I nod, causing me to be more enthusiastic about the day - despite the news her father dropped on us like a bombshell that morning. With a wave of dread and nausea churning in my stomach, the unpleasant memories come flooding back to me.

I lean up and gently kiss Asta on the cheek before gently grabbing her hand and following her out into the castle as we do every morning to eat breakfast. I'm feeling pretty good as we sit down, and everyone begins chit-chatting as our plates of food are set in front of us: Scrambled eggs with bacon, pancakes with syrup, and a biscuit to finish it off. I feel Asta's hand on my thigh, squeezing it as per usual; I think it brings her comfort in the face of her family. As I tune back into Lord Psyren's words, fear shoots through me when I hear the one name I never want to hear. "As the start of your punishment, you two are to go to the House of Sanguine today to rewrite one of the treaty clauses we have with them; hopefully it'll cease the casualties we keep seeing over this pitiful piece of land. You two will leave after we are done here, got it? Your host this time will be Dominic Sanguine, the heir of the family, so be on your BEST behavior, Asta." At this, my thoughts are crashing against one another in mounting panic and mayhem. Asta... Asta... ASTA, please, can we leave? I need to talk to you, right now...

Her head whips, confused, though she nods and excuses us. Once we return to the room, I'm on the verge of a complete breakdown. "Oh my god... Oh my FUCKING god... Why today..." Asta gently grabs my arms and pulls me to her as I gasp softly, her deep crimson eyes meeting mine. "Relax, Lyra, tell me what's going on?"

I sigh and nod, digging into her chest before breaking down into sobs again. "D-Dominic Sanguine..."

I snap back to the present again when she repeatedly kisses the top of my head, rubbing the small of my back. I can feel her anger radiating off of her. "It's okay, love. I'll protect you, I promise; he will not touch you while I'm around, okay?"

Her words calm my tired mind as I nod and soon relax. "O-okay, I trust you..."

Asta told me there must be procedures for when we visit another house. We have to get all dressed up fancy and introduce ourselves to them. I'm expected to do the same... Fucking bullshit... I want nothing to do with that family.

I sigh as I get dressed in a frilly black dress, watching my sweet Asta get dressed in one of her black and white tuxes, grabbing her as we walk downstairs to the main lobby of the castles where our overnight bags are already waiting with a couple of servants, soon going into a limo and sitting next to Asta in silence. I can't help but have the memories in my head now. Asta gently squeezes my hand as I squeeze back. After a few hours of traveling into their territory, we get to their castle when I see the black and red castle, the very tall Victorian structure smug in all its blood-red glory. As we step out of the limo, we see a tall figure step out of the castle doors, with that damn ethereal silver hair cascading like moonlight and stupid fucking eyes reflecting the azure hues of the celestial realm. It is said that the Sanguine possesses an otherworldly charm when it comes to emotions.

Unfortunately, that's true - to a horrifyingly destructive degree.