The Mansion – Chapter 2
My baffled expression eventually led to another break down. The elders had always told stories of a time long ago, when vampires roamed freely, devouring everything in their paths. They had said it was a time of darkness until the human population grew so immensely that the vampires had to live away in secret. Many today didn't believe in them or refused to believe but small towns, like mine, were often superstitious. Mother and Father never believed in the stories, they had told me when I was younger, that they were only stories, nothing more. How wrong they were. At least this time I wasn't alone in my misery, the green-eyed young man was there to comfort me. I knew I still didn't know anything about this man, why he was here, and what he wanted with me, but what did it matter? I was alone in the world, my happiness was broken, the shards much too small to pick up.
After my sniffling had quieted some, the man cleared his throat. "It is about time we go Miss Rima, keeping the Master waiting would not be pleasant." The young man got up, gently pulling me up as well.
"Master?" I asked questionably. Master, what master?
The man sighed. "I really didn't want to have to tell you this right now…" He looked at me and gently wiped away a tear from my tearstained face. "The townspeople gave you away to my Master."
I stared at him, dumbfounded. They gave me away? Why? I had done nothing wrong, and I knew them all like an extended family. How could they do this to me? Slowly, I sank back down onto my mattress, the weight of the information too much for me to handle.
"Why?" The question was addressed to the man. He seemed to have all the answers.
"They're afraid, Rima. After you passed out, a man walked by your house just in time to see the vampire about to kill you as well. He raised an alarm all over the town and the townspeople chased the dreadful creature away but they were still afraid it would come back to feed on more people. Sense you had no relatives; you had nowhere to go, so they gave you away to anybody willing. My Master was interested in your dancing skills and accepted the offer. He sent me to come pick you up and he expects us back by nightfall." Again the man put me to my feet, softly leading me to the door.
I yanked my arm back and stared at him with furious eyes. "I don't want to go! All I ever wanted was to live a happy life with my mother and father! Why can't I be happy? Why does everybody hate me?" I screamed the words at him, even though they weren't directed at him but destiny itself. He looked surprised at first but then the expression melted away into one of sympathy. Kneeling, he hugged me and because he was a great deal taller than me, my face went into his shoulder. When I thought I had no more tears to give, they flowed once more from my sapphire eyes, staining the man's shirt, which I now noticed was a butler's uniform.
"It'll be okay, Rima. I promise you that your misfortune will be over soon. Meanwhile, I'll be your friend." He broke the embrace and took my hand, his large hand enveloping mine. His eyes glowed with empathy and compassion, I knew he wasn't lying.
I realized I had yet to learn his name. "Sir, what is your name?"
"Hanaru."
I took my first steps away from ignorance.
.
The journey to my new home was long and tiring. My mind phased in and out of consciousness during the trip. At times I saw my parents and my chest would hurt and I would cry. During those times Hanaru calmed me down. Other times I dreamt about my new life; what it would be like and why I was chosen for my dancing. When I woke up from these dreams, Hanaru's expression would harden and I knew that there was something he knew that I did not. We arrive by nightfall, as Hanaru had hoped.
As I got off the carriage, the sight that beheld me nearly made me faint. The house, no mansion, that stood before me was stately, refined, and majestic, three things that I had never been exposed to in the world. I had to grab onto Hanaru's sleeve to make sure that I wasn't still in a dream. I was not.
Hanaru led me down a long bright corridor, and I kept looking to and fro at all the magnificent pictures hung on the walls and the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. How different this new life is compared to my old! Every corner of the long corridor was clean; no speck of dust was to be seen. Suddenly feeling self conscious of my dirty self, I held onto Hanaru's sleeve tighter, trying as hard as possible not to soil the sparkling floor. We walked to a set of towering oak doors, but while my eyes turned round with amazement, Hanaru's turned dead cold.
He knelt down in front of me to reach my eye level. "This is as far as I can accompany you Miss Rima, you have to walk through those doors alone. Please be cautious and whatever you do, accept what he tells you and do not contradict him." I nodded my head, feeling his worry fuel mine. After my confirmation, Hanaru abruptly stood up and turned to leave. "If you need to talk to me, go to the kitchen and tell the cook to find me. She will know where to look." With that he left, turning a corner into one of many in the long hallway.
I took in a breath and pushed the grand doors open. Classical music had obviously been playing because the instruments abruptly stopped when I entered. People stopped their conversations and turned to look at me. Their faces were all glorious, like everything in this mansion. The ladies wore jewelry of every sort, from earrings to bracelets to hair pieces. The gentlemen were equally as pleasant with their spotless black shoes and satin gloves. All of them had on regal rich-looking clothes that shown in the lighting of the room. I, in my plain cotton dress, stood out like a sore thumb. There was only a minute of silence before they started whispering among themselves.
"Is that the dancer? How small she is! She is rather pretty for a commoner don't you think?" Questions such as those circulated around the room, nobody even trying to keep their voices low.
In the mass of confusion, two burly men shifted through the crowd that was slowly forming around me. The first took me by the arm and dragged me harshly forward while his companion walked ominously behind us. They both had rigid remote eyes that were as black as coal and were the polar opposite of Hanaru. Finally they dragged me to the front of the spacious room and there stood a man quite husky in size. His clothes and the way he held himself just radiated regal in every way. He had golden rings on almost every one of his large fingers and I was sure the coat of his suit was lined with gold as well. A few stately women stood around him, smiling flirtatiously while batting their eyelashes. The rest of the woman, or rather girls, were the ones that caught my attention. Each one of them had blank stares, most of them dirty and all of them dressed in skin-showing clothes. They looked like…slaves. The worst of it was that most were around my age, only a few of the girls looked to have reached their teens. A line of sympathy and sadness crossed each of their faces as they saw me being dragged in front of the man who was surely the master of the house.
"Address your new Master, girl!" The second man pushed me so I was standing directly in front of the man. I opened my mouth, but I could form no coherent sentence. He my Master? A rebellious part of my mind struggled with the concept, refusing to believe it.
With my lengthening silence, the man's eyes narrowed. Without warning he barked a one-word order, "Dance."
When I didn't move, one of the men who escorted me came and slapped me on the face. With his strength and my small frame, I toppled over and hit my head on the hard marble floor. My heart gave a jolt as I gasped for air. Struggling to get up, I grasped my chest, coughing.
I expected to hear a collective gasp from everybody that witnessed the cruel act, maybe one or two to even protest it. But instead, they laughed. They laughed at my pain, my weakness. The only ones who didn't find humor in my misfortune were the girls next to the Master and the two bodyguards.
"Did you not hear what your Master just said? Dance!" snapped the first bodyguard.
I stood up and quietly dusted off my dress. In my mind I remembered what Hanaru had said outside the grand doors. Now I knew why he had held such a disgusted look. I didn't want to dance for them for they were only cruel strangers to me. They didn't appreciate my gift. They saw me as a toy, something to use until they grew tired of my service. I didn't want to dance, but I had no choice. I may have walked out of ignorance but now I had just walked into a cage.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. Hanaru's face appeared and it made me feel slightly more comfortable. Yes, I would dance, but never for them. Extended my foot, I prepared for my starting leap. I would dance for my freedom. One day I'll leave this wretched place. One day I'll be free, I will finally be able to spread my wings and fly far, far away.
When I was done, nobody spoke, nobody moved. Even the Master himself seemed speechless. I breathed deeply in and out, letting my fluttering heart calm down.
Master was the first out of the shock and he waved his hand for me to leave. His body guards immediately began to usher me out of the room but this time I was the one leading. My services were done for the night.
As soon I left through those two miserable doors, I ran desperately despite my condition in search of Hanaru, the tears already beginning to fall.
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WHOOOOO~! :D I got the next chappie out in only 2 days~!
Now I bet you're wondering why you're looking at this 4 days after the first chappie was out. Well, I was lazy so I sorta just left the document here without putting it out xD Ah, don't kill me please . Suspense is good for you guys after all, it keeps you more hooked :P
So about this chapter, like, dislike? Hows Hanaru? I like him frankly, he's cool :D He becomes cooler later but Shiki still beats him :D Personally, I like this chapter, and probably you guys reallize this doesn't seem like VK Rima at all...she'll emerge :3
Oh and Shiki will appear later, I'm moving as fast as I can to get to him but I have to develop Rima's relationship with Hanaru :3 And I have to come up with the rest of the storyline as well xD Give me time, I'm moving pretty fast already.
Note: Story titles now anybody? .
Second Note: Review and you shall be loved forever and a day, but after that I want it back please xD
Third Note: VK obvioiusly doesn't belong to me, I don't draw nearly as good as Hino-sempai.