Night Terrors
Her nightmare that night was of when she lost everything, and gained an urge for revenge, to help her achieve said revenge. It was as if she was in the fire again, she could smell the smoke, feel the heat, and see the flames consuming the only place she had ever called home before. "This isn't real", She told herself, and she wanted to believe it, but her mind wouldn't let her. Her legs moved with a mind of their own, and she ran down the hall to her father's study as fast as she could, just as she had done when the fire wasn't a dream. When she got to the door, she hesitated for a second, and then opened the door. She saw the same thing she had before, her father, sitting in his chair, dead, but this time, something was different. She could just make out the figure of a man standing behind her father, almost hidden by the flames. She took a tentative step into the study, and felt an arm grab her arm tightly, and a cloth be pressed over her mouth. She gasped in surprise, and smelled something overly sweet, and that was when she woke up.
She sat straight up in bed, sobbing. She tried to calm herself, so she wouldn't wake up the servants, but she couldn't. She heard her door open as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Young mistress, I heard you crying, and came to see if you were alright. What happened?" she heard her demon butler Sebastian, say. "Did you have a nightmare again?" she nodded, not trusting her voice, as she was still crying. "Was it about the fire again?" she nodded, and held up her arms like a small child wanting to be picked up, and he did. She buried her face in his shoulder and just sobbed. "Young mistress, I think you should go back to sleep. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow." He said as he tried putting her back on her bed
"No!" she said as she clung to his neck. "Don't leave me alone!" she knew that if he wanted to, he could easily take her arms off of his neck and put her down, but he chose not to. For whatever reason, he continued to hold her.
"If I stay until you fall asleep will you actually go to sleep?" he whispered in her ear
"Maybe, if you stay a bit longer to make sure that I'm really asleep." She looked up at him. "Will you?"
"If that is what you wish, then I will stay." He laid her down and pulled the blankets over her.
The next morning, she woke to her butler pulling back the curtains to let the sunlight in.
"Good morning young mistress, for breakfast today there is fresh baked scones with tea." She nodded. "I shall send the maid up to dress you, and I will have your breakfast waiting for you in the dining hall." He bowed and left the room
When she was dressed, she made her way to the dining hall and sat at the table. "What is my schedule for today?" She asked Sebastian
"Your aunt is coming by today, and she will take you to London to get a dress for the upcoming ball that Lady Madeline is throwing. Besides that, your schedule is wide open."
"Do I really have to go to a ball?" She despised dancing, but as a proper lady, she must dance at balls. "And last night, you said I have a busy day ahead of me. Why is the only thing I have to do today going shopping with Aunt Michelle?"
"Yes, you must. Lady Madeline would be quite put out if you didn't. And I said that because shopping with your aunt is an all-day affair" She glared up at him. "Why do you hate balls so much young mistress?"
"That is none of your business. When is my aunt getting here?" Just as she said that, there was a knock on the door. "Well, that answers my question."
"Let's go answer that" Sebastian said as he walked out of the room. She sighed and followed behind him
"Hello Cecilia, it's been quite a while since I last saw you. How have you been?" her aunt was at the door, and she, for once, wasn't being overly happy.
"Hello Aunt Michelle. It has only been about a month, and I've been good, how about you?" Cecilia asked politely. "Shall we go? I have a very busy day ahead of me."
In the carriage, Cecilia and her aunt were discussing the ball. Or rather, her aunt was discussing, and Cecilia was listening
"You do know you'll have to dance at this ball, right?" her aunt asked
"Why do I have to dance? I don't dance at other balls."
"You have to dance because it is your duty as a proper lady to dance at balls." the carriage stopped just then. "Hm. looks like we're at the dress shop already." The door opened, and Sebastian stood there. He held out his hand to help Cecilia and her aunt out of the carriage
When they reached home, it was already starting to get dark, and Cecilia was worn out. "Sebastian, I am going to go to sleep."
Her dream that night was different. It wasn't quite a nightmare. She was standing on a chess board, in the king spot. She looked to her right, and saw nothing; she looked to her left and saw Sebastian, standing in the knights spot. She looked forward and saw her aunt, Lady Madeline, and her servants before her. She realized the meaning. She was the king in the game of chess that was her life, Sebastian was her knight, and everyone else was just a pawn, and it terrified and exhilarated her, knowing that she had people to dispose of to avenge her parent's murders.
FIN