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The first thing Jasmine felt as she awoke was the shooting pain throughout her body. She moaned softly as she attempted to open her eyes. Her left eye felt as if it was more swollen than it was the day before. A cold breeze nipped at her body, causing her to realize she was naked. She bent her head to look at her body. A strangled cry emitted from her throat.
Everything came back to her as she viewed her torso. Judge Trupin. The knife. His mouth. She attempted to pull herself upright, but was cut short as a sharp pain shot its was through her uterus. As she looked down, her gaze stopped on the dried blood on her thighs. She wanted to be sick as she thought of what transpired last night. Gazing at her mutilated body, her thoughts were stopped as the main door opened, reviling Robert.
She desperately attempted to cover herself up with the bloodied blanket, but had no luck as she lay upon the sheet. Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment as Robert gazed at her bloody body.
"Have a good night my little whore?" Robert smirked as he approached the bed, followed by a maid with a dress in her arms. Her eyes watered up at his comment. She had never hated him more than at this moment. He could have dropped dead and she wouldn't have given a damn. "Come on, get up. I have business to attend to today. But first, we must go by the barber."
The maid walked out from behind him and laid the dress upon the bed, giving Jasmine a sympathetic look.
"Be downstairs in ten minuets, no more." Robert announced as he left the room, closing the door quickly.
"Come on deary, lets get you all clean'd up right quick." Spoke the maid softly. She grabbed a wet cloth out of a small bowel and began to scrub at her body. Moments of silence went by, every once in a while being intruded upon by the sound of the rag being rung out. The water had turned a dirty brown. "There ye go mish. Best I could do wi'h teh time allowed."
Jasmine opened her mouth to respond, but when she spoke nothing but a soft squeak escaped her lips. Her throat burned from the dryness.
"Poor thin'. How bout ye get yur dress on while I go and get ye a glass of wata?" I nodded her agreement. She left the room in a swift motion as she moved her body slowly to the edge of the bed. Her muscles protested with sharp pains. Reaching the edge of the bed, her feet hit the cold, wooden floor. She sighed as she grabbed the dress and other garments. She dressed herself to the best she could without causing her to cry out in pain.
The maid returned with a glass of water and handed it to Jasmine as she turned to tightening her corset. Jasmine drank greedily from the glass, emptying it contents to her stomach. She sighed in relief as she set the glass on the bedside table, muttering her thanks to the maid. There was no time to powder her face, as time was running short. She did not want to anger Robert, and all she wanted to do was escape from this dreadful palace.
She exited the room by herself, hearing all to familiar voices traveling up the stairs to her ears. She tried to keep from wincing in pain at every step she took. The top of the stairs creaked as she reached them, causing silence to radiate from the bottom. Judge Turpin and Robert's stares fell upon her as she descended. She kept her face on her feet. She couldn't bare to look at them in the eyes.
"Good morning Mrs. Crane." Spoke Turpin sweetly as she landed on the ground level. Jasmine mumbled a quiet 'Morning' to him before taking her husbands arm and leaving the house.
"We are going to visit Mr. Sweeney Todd's barber shop. Behave." Robert warned as they made towards Fleet Street.
Mrs. Lovett was busily rolling piecrust as Toby leaned against the side of the counter with his eyes closed. Mrs. Lovett slammed to rolling pin upon the crust, causing Toby to jump with a start. She looked at him with a knowing glint in her eye.
"Sorry mum. Me head just hurts a bit." Toby muttered, rubbing his temples. Mrs. Lovett rolled her eyes.
"Well maybe ye should calm down a bit on the gin, Tobias. Thirteen years old and already an alcoholic. Poor deary." Mrs. Lovett muttered to herself, causing Toby to grin. A flash of color outside caused Mrs. Lovett to move to the window.
"Oh, customers!" She cried quickly leaving out the side door. Toby followed eagerly. A couple approached the steps leading up to Mr. Todd's shop. Mrs. Lovett recognized the man at once. Though she had never met him personally, she knew by the rumors around town. He was Judge Turpin's apprentice. She vaguely remembered the couple from the day before.
"Ah, welcome dearies! Such a lovely day fur a pie, won't ye say Toby?" Mrs. Lovett greeted them, ignoring Toby's reply. The woman on Mr. Crane's arm looked a fright. Her skin looked almost as pale as Sweeney's. Her cheek had a small gash, one of her eyes were purple and swollen; poor thing looked as if she had fell down a flight of stairs.
"I am here for Mr. Todd's establishment, Miss?" Robert explained.
"Mrs. Lovett dear. Mr. Todd is right up them their stairs. Why don't you go on up yourself Mistah Crane, while I take the Misses fur a nice pie?" Mrs. Lovett smiled a sweet smile.
"I think not Mrs. Lovett. She will accompany me." And with that, the couple set off up the stairs. 'Not a very nice man, actually' thought Mrs. Lovett.
Jasmine grimaced as she went up the stairs. Her lower torso burned with every step. She was thankful to have reached the top step to Mr. Todd's shop. Upon entering the shop, a cold chill ran thought Jasmine's body. 'Bloody colder in here than it is outside.' She thought.
As the bells above the door chimed, Mr. Todd looked up from stropping his razor. He was surprised to see the woman from the marketplace in his shop, upon the arm of a gentleman. Her face looked worse than it had yesterday. Her eye looked worse, and now a sharp gash had formed itself on her cheek. Even her skin looked paler. Sweeney greeted them with a small smile.
"Sit." Said Robert, roughly pushing Jasmine down onto the trunk. As she sat, her eyes wandered about the room. Its surroundings went with the chill about it. It looked dusty everywhere. A huge window loomed over the room, giving a view to the gray skies of London. For some reason, it looked as if Mr. Todd actually fit the room with his brooding looks.
"I have come here for the best shave in London, Mr. Todd." Spoke Robert, removing his hat and coat, throwing them at Jasmine. She manually folded them to the side of the trunk.
"Well, you have come to the proper place, sir." Sweeney smirked a sickly smile. "Sit, please sit."
Robert took his seat in the barber chair as Mr. Todd pulled out a yellowing sheet, wrapping it around Robert's neck. Mr. Todd turned to his vanity, beginning to mix shaving crème.
"So, how was last night my little whore?" Robert inquired to Jasmine. Sweeney turned to look at the couple, not knowing whom he was referring to. Jasmine's cheeks burned with shame and embarrassment as Mr. Todd stared at her. "From what he told me, you were complete rubbish."
Jasmine looked down at her lap. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She had lost all strength to keep them from falling.
"Answer me Jasmine." Robert spoke in a dangerously low tone. Jasmine didn't hear a word he said. Her mind was concentrating on using what strength she had left to stop her tears.
"I said answer me!" Robert yelled as he vacated the chair, crossing over to Jasmine. Both Jasmine and Sweeney tensed. Robert grabbed Jasmine's throat, raising her face to look him in the eyes. "You will look at me when I speak to you, and you will answer me when I ask you a question! Do you understand me?" he yelled in her face. Mr. Todd approached the pair, his hand going instinctively to his razor at his side. Sweeney was boiling on the inside, seeing how horribly this young woman was being treated.
Jasmine didn't say a word. A loud 'smack' was heard throughout the small room. The force of Robert's hand hitting her face was enough to turn her head.
"Don't touch her again." Came a cold raspy voice from behind Robert.
"She is my wife, and I shall do as I please with her." Robert stated matter-of-factly. He didn't even turn around to speak to Mr. Todd. Robert grasped Jasmine's hair in his fist, pulling her head back.
Within an instant Sweeney was at Robert's back, holding his head in one hand, while his other carried his razor across Robert's exposed neck.
A blood-curdling scream resonated through the building.