Post by spottedpaw on Jun 15, 2009 9:41:46 GMT -6
Chapter 9
I looked at her with wide eyes and shook my head rapidly. “No way! I don’t do formal.” I said and turned away. “But if you don’t, Mistress, Master said he would cast you away.” She replied. I gradually turned around. I can’t go back out there; I’ll die!, I thought, upset. I sighed. “Alright that and shoes; no more.” I walked towards her.
“Oh, Mistress, also the necklace! You have to! It will look so appealing! Please!” I heard her respond. I rolled my eyes and mumbled: “Fine. Nothing else.” She nodded.
I took off my shoes, pouch, and poncho and laid them on the bed. She quickly picked them up and tossed them into a basket. I frowned and took off my auburn halter top and brown skinny jeans. She also tossed those in the basket. She helped me step into the dress. The corset was terrible! I could barely breathe. She buttoned it up the back and smoothed down some parts. She motioned me over to another area of the room, and set some shoes in front of me. She took a hold of my hand and I stepped into them. I stepped back, hoping she would forget about the necklace. “Nah ah ahh, Mistress. Do not forget the necklace.”
My eyes widened at the sight of it. Black velvet held in place a gem redder than any ruby I'd ever seen. It couldn't possibly been a ruby! Gold circled the stone, making it mysterious in its own beauty. I couldn’t say anything. I turned my back towards her. She slowly walked over and clipped the necklace around my neck. The back of it rested in my wound. She gently touched it and it vanished away. “It will only be away for a while, Mistress.” I nodded. The choker gripped my neck. I couldn’t even gulp.
I sighed as she walked me over to a black make up table. I sat down on a red chair that revolved and she turned me around to face her. How much more of this?! It’s just stupid dinner!, I thought as she started applying makeup. In the end, I had deep red lipstick and lots of eyeliner.
“Alright, Mistress; you are complete.” “Ok thanks.” I said to her.
*~*~*
Down the long table filled with food sat Demitri. His hair glinted in the moonlight coming from a window above him.
He stared at me. I wished I had my pouch to fiddle with the strings like I always did when I was anxious. Finally he broke the silence. He cleared his throat. “I believe you want to know what happened to Chameli?” he asked. My mouth gaped at him. “Yes, but I already know that I killed her. You don’t have to remind me.” I blinked back a tear. “Well I can tell how you did.” “No you can’t, I was passed out.” “But I can…” he said and shooed a maid off. “Alright, spit it out.” “I controlled you.” “You what?!” I screamed. A maid dropped her tray in the kitchen. He nodded. This was the last string. I got up and stormed up to him. “Why…?!” I yelled. He shrugged and said: “I don’t know. I guess I had to get you here somehow.” I could feel my eyes darken. “I lost…my home…and killed one of my best friends…because you wanted me?!” “Yeah…I guess.” He lazily sipped his drink. That’s when I finally broke.
I hit his face and ran out of there. I scampered through the building until I finally saw a door leading outside. It was locked but I kicked it open.
I threw off my shoes and started running far away into the darkness.
*~*~*
I sat against a tree. It was still dark outside and I shivered against the icy bark. I could feel my wound on the back of my neck coming back. I closed my eyes and tried to stop my tears. My hands and feet were numb and I hugged my knees.
I heard a movement in the undergrowth. I turned the other way quickly. I didn’t have my gun or knife with me and I was petrified. I heard another movement towards my left. I quickly turned that way and without warning, one leaped out at me. I screamed; I didn’t know what to do. Its long nails grabbed me and scored my legs. My dress was ripped. I didn’t hit it because it would bite my hands and I didn’t want to know what would happen after that. Help!, my mind screamed.
There was a flash of movement next to me and then a gun shot. The monster fell on my legs and I dragged myself away. I saw a flash of white hair and at first I thought it was Sam to my rescue. But it turned out to be Demitri. He had a bruise where I had hit him; it was right under his right eye.
“Come on.” He simply said. I got up and he saw my legs. He picked me up bridal style and started carrying me through the forest. I blinked many times and stared at his pale face. His hair glinted in the fading moonlight. I could tell he was in a rush to get home before dawn. I glanced up at him once more and then I finally fell asleep…
Chapter 10
Sam stood there in his room, staring out the window. It had been a week since Kaira left, and he missed her dearly. The sun shined a golden light onto his face; it was a little while after dawn.
Someone knocked on his door. “Come in.” he called and didn’t turn around. The door opened slowly with a loud “CRREEEAAAKKK.” He turned around to see Lang.
“Hello, Lang.” he said. “What brings you here?” He put his hands in his pants pockets. “Greetings, Sam. I came here to ask you of a favor. Aba wishes that you and April patrol along the walls. He said he heard some noises along them. I hope one isn’t making a hole in it. Those dim-witted monsters…” she grumbled. Sam smirked but said, “Okay. Sure. Now?” he asked. “Yes, April is waiting in the center room.” “Ok, thanks. See yah, Lang.” he muttered and walked out his room, down the hall, and into the big room.
April stood there near the gate, her eyes sparkling at Sam. What the heck is wrong with her? He thought grumpily as he walked up to her and nodded to her. She smiled and opened the gate. They stepped out into the warming sunshine. Sam closed the gate and cocked his gun, and in turn, April did the same. As Sam walked behind April, he noticed many new features he wasn’t aware of:
She had changed her hair style and grew it out longer. And her clothes were much more provocative then before. What the heck is she playing at?
As they turned the first corner of the wall, she turned around quickly. She had a big grin on her face and she seemed to be blushing. “So…..Sam…” she giggled. “Any special girls out there….?” He wrinkled his eye brows. “What kind of question is that?” he muttered. “You know…silly!!…Girl friends…” she flushed at the word, but that evil smile was still on her face. “Um, no; April are you feeling okay?” he asked nervously. He had a strange feeling that she was going to do something really bizarre. “Yeah, of course,” she said quickly. “But maybe this will make me feel better.” She forced her lips on his. He stumbled back and managed to her push off. “What the-,” he shouted and she blushed deep red, giggling. He turned away and flushed crimson. She’s crazy! They started moving again along the wall, Sam secluded from April as far as he could get.
*~*~*
In the end, Sam and April had killed only two loners. As they turned the last corner, Sam saw Eilert, Mora, Rance, and Jacob guarding a group of large wagons. Aba, Ryan, Elyse, and Wendy were unloading large crates and bringing them through the gate. “Ohhh,” April cooed, her eyes sparkling at all the boxes of rations, weapons, and supplies. “What’s all this?” Jacob turned around. “It’s supplies for all of us.” He muttered to her. She and Sam nodded and squeezed between the groups to get inside the gate. April flounced away to the mess hall, and Sam sat down on a couch close to the entrance. He wondered where the caravans had come from, and where they were going next… Maybe he could find out; yes, that’s what he would do: follow them. He got up half-way, but sat down. It would be a little more while until they left, so he decided to wait.
*~*~*
At last, about half an hour later, the caravans had finished unloading and were getting ready to leave. Aba, Ryan, Wendy, and Elyse had come inside; they must have been exhausted from all the work. Jacob, Rance, Mora, and Haben were hanging around near the wagons; Eilert had gone inside from a sprained wrist.
Sam quietly got up from his chair and stepped lightly towards the gate. He lingered at the edge of the doorway, listening to the merchants chatting: “Listen, Jade,” a man’s voice said. “We need to get to the next stop as soon as possible, and remember we can’t be moving at night. Let’s get as far as we can today, and settle in the evening somewhere. I’ll make sure Brandon and Tiffany keep watch; you, Jason, and I will get some rest.” A woman exhaled; she must have been Jade. “Okay, Adam.” Sam could hear a kiss, and leaned over to peek. Jade was kissing Adam on the cheek. A woman with long brown hair was talking sternly to a young boy with blond hair and wild green eyes, who looked about 12. “If I ever catch you climbing up there again, I’ll make sure you don’t get to help at all the next time we trade; and that’s final, Jason!” she scolded. The young boy, -Jason- was just looking up at the sky, not listening to a word his mother said. By about the time she was going to scold him again, a man with blondish-brown hair stepped out from behind the curtain of the last wagon; he was smiling warmly at Jason and his mother. He approached the two. “Calm down, Tiffany. No need to scold the boy a billion times.” Tiffany looked up, and told him, “Thank you, Brandon, but I know how to punish my son.” Jason’s eyes grew as big as his gaping mouth when he heard his mom, but Brandon was keeping his cool. “Of course, of course,” Brandon chuckled softly. “No need for my comments.” Tiffany gave him a stiff nod and turned away.
By then, Adam and Jade had started to get on the first wagon, while Brandon hoisted Jason up on the second wagon. Tiffany approached it and went behind the curtain as Brandon went to the front of the second wagon to manage the horses. Adam had his hands on the bridle while Jade sat next to him in the first wagon. Haben and Mora had taken opposite sides between the wagons; Jacob had taken the front of both wagons; and Rance stayed at the back of both wagons. That’s when Sam noticed the gun sitting in the seat next to Brandon in one wagon, and a gun for each Adam and Jade in the other. Wow, they’re actually smart. Sam thought. Rance swiftly walked over to close the gate, and that’s when Sam leaped out and hid behind a bush, out of sight.
At once, they all started down the faded path, leading away from the building. Sam looked back at it: Its brilliant blue color was fading in the sinking afternoon sunlight; the clouds making bare patches of shadow on it.
*~*~*
After stumbling over tree roots and leaping out of the way of sight many times for about two hours straight, it had finally become darker. Rance and Mora had killed two loners, while Jacob had executed four, plus Haben’s recluse. Sam turned out to be quite impressed, but he knew Kaira or Tocho could have done better. His heart broke at the thought of his lost loved ones: Kaira, who he had loved after she became boy friend and girl friend with Tocho, and Tocho, his child-hood friend that had saved him countless times from death and trouble…And probably the time he died too… After recovering himself from his thoughts, he noticed in the evening gloom a dark shape, looming in the sky, in the distance. No one else had taken any notice: They were going towards the right but it was at their left. He readied his tired legs, and with one glance at the group of wagons and his team-mates, ran towards the mysterious structure. As he slowed down, much closer than before, he made out exactly what it looked like: It was a large, dark castle, with black iron gates, gargoyles with beady red eyes, and large glass windows, shining in the coming moonlight. He gasped, and wondered how no one had known it was out here. He walked closer, the hair on the back of his neck rising as the silence startled him. Was there anyone still here? He speculated. He came upon the large iron gates: black at onyx; cold as ice. He roughly pushed on them, and they opened slowly with no sound. He walked in silently, gripping his gun in his hand. Whatever’s in here, I’m ready to find out.
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I'm sorry Whisper, I'm really killing you with all of this. We don't have to everything right now. I really am fine if you want to continue it through the day. I'll be on the rest of the day, except for 12 for lunch and around 5 or so for a bike ride. =]
