Chapter 2: Barkis Bittern's Sin

---

"Prospect..." Emily sighed to herself, reading a book silently in the dusty library untended by the maids, for they were off-duty that day. She was sitting properly on the dusty couch, staring down at the fine rug for a moment, before concentrating and absorbing herself into the love story she had been reading. She had hoped her little sister wouldn't bother her that day, for then she would feel vexation, remorse, despair, distress, and anguish whenever she saw the little sister she coveted, whom was already engaged, and she was not. She sighed, and focused on the book again.

"Miss Emily?" a gentle woman's voice said, quite startling Emily, who did the reflex of hiding the book behind her back.

"I'm sorry..." Emily said, "I don't know what's gotten to myself..."

"Off reading love stories again, haven't you?" the maid, Mathilde, smiled gently, and Emily sighed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, and daydreaming once again. "You know it's improper for a young lady to read..." Mathilde softly reminded the young girl.

"Oh, I know." Emily agreed, nodding, "But nobody's here to notice that I am, right?" she smiled softly, "Besides, my parents taught me to read... they wouldn't do that for nothing, correct?"

The nurse nodded, "I suppose you're right, Miss." Emily sighed again. "What is the story about?" Mathilde asked, curious since she had been like all women, incapable to read for she had never learned.

Emily smiled, flipping the book open, and looking up at the nurse. "It's about a pauper who falls in love with a rich man... But their love is forbidden and the queen discovers their secrets... She claims that the rich man is the prince, her son. In shock, the pauper runs to the woods in anger, weeping. That's as far as I've gotten to... But I'm so curious on what should happen next..."

"That does sound rather fascinating." Mathilde agreed. "Don't be late for the ball tonight, although..."

Emily gasped, she had forgotten, "The ball...?"

"Yes, the one you were looking so forward to!" Mathilde reminded Emily, who was in utter shock, gaping, and severely disappointed. "That is tonight at seven o'clock."

"But I can't tonight..." Emily said.

"But it'll be so grand, Miss!" Mathilde said, "I would give anything to go to a ball like that." Ah, what a great idea... Emily smiled at the household maid.

"Oh, Mathilde..." Emily said kindly, "Why don't you go to the ball instead of me?"

The maid's eyes lit up with happiness, but then rejected, "But Miss, I can't..."

"Why not?" Emily asked, smiling. "You'll look so beautiful!"

Mathilde thought for a few moments, "I'm not sure..."

"Please, Mathilde..." she beseeched, stroking the maid's face. "For the master's daughter?"

"Alright..." Mathilde gave in, smiling, "Thank you ever so much, Miss Emily..."

"You're welcome so very much." Emily said, hugging the maid, and skipping off in excitement, down the stairs.

"Where are you off to now?" Mathilde asked.

Emily's head appeared for a moment, "I'm going away for a while..." Emily smiled, and winked, "Don't worry... I'll be back this evening after the ball is over."

"Alright!" Mathilde smiled at the woman running downstairs lovesick.

---

"Barkis?" Emily called out once she arrived at the road where they had first met. She stared at the distant plains, which looked so unfamiliar, since it used to look so gloomy in the dark. Her long brown hair blew in the wind, and she placed a hand on her head to keep it from blowing to vigorously. She smiled to herself, and looked up at the blue skies that were adorned with fleecy white clouds. She sighed, and glanced over at a blue butterfly. It landed on her index finger.

"Emily?" A voice called back to her, and her eyes widened with wonder. "Emily?" she heard again.

"Barkis!" she blurted out, running toward the voice, her long evening dress dragging in the dust and rubble-strewn paths, with the drab rock trying to trip her as she ran in high-heeled shoes. She faltered slightly, and nearly completely fell over into the daises, but restrained herself from doing so. She corrected her mistake, and continued running, noticing that the sun was setting. "Barkis!" she called out again, smiling happily, and racing faster and faster, her legs never tired out, for she was truly in love.

"Emily!" she heard, and at her name, she laughed loud enough for the other person, whom she assumed was Barkis, could hear her laugh. He laughed as well, and she threw her arms out as if to receive a hug. "Emily!" he called out again, also holding out his arms.

Her eyes widened as she was embraced in the arms of somebody tall and strong... it wasn't Barkis. Or at least, it didn't feel like Barkis. "Barkis?" she said, wondering if she had come to the right person.

"Yes?" he replied. What a relief! She sighed, hugging him tightly, closing her eyes. "What, afraid I might bite?" he joked.

"Barkis, you sly fox!" she said, pushing him a little, causing him to stagger slightly, and she began laughing, and so did he. "Why did you scare me like that?"

"I didn't intend to." he shrugged, smiling, bringing her closer to him.

"Oh, Barkis, take me away..." she said, closing her eyes tight, "... Take me away from home... Ask for my hand in marriage... I love you... so much..."

"We just met briefly yesterday." Barkis said.

"I know, but please..." Emily begged, her grip tightening on Barkis's shirt. "Take me away..." she repeated that phrase constantly throughout their conversation.

"Take you away where?" Barkis finally asked.

"... Away." she said.

"Alright..." he sighed, taking her hand, and escorting her into the carriage, sitting down in the seat across from her as he did previously on the night that they met.

---

After a twenty minute ride in the carriage, Emily was excited to know where she was going. Barkis suddenly stopped the carriage, motioning a hand for them to be stopped for a while, and he sighed. "Barkis, what's wrong?" Emily asked, cocking her head like an innocent child.

"Nothing, dearest." Barkis said, "A little change in plans..."

"And what might that be?" Emily asked, looking out the window and then focusing back at him.

"I'm not taking you to my house... but to my mansion." Barkis replied.

Emily gasped in wonder, "You have a mansion?" she asked, her eyes aglow.

"Yes." he replied.

---

Meanwhile, a bride in a wedding dress walked around inside of Barkis's mansion, where she found a key that was blood-stained. She unlocked the door to his bedroom quarters, walking in silently, peering into the dark room, nothing visible could be seen. She gulped, pushing the door open, and entering with a lantern. She looked around the room, seeing all of these pictures on the wall.

"What kind of place does he have?" she whispered to herself, silently walking around the enormous room that was so large, she couldn't even see the walls or if the room ended at all. She finally found a wall, and placed her hand on it to suddenly feel a wooden surface. Her eyes widened, and she lifted the lantern to view what she had discovered. Her beautiful red hair that was held up in a bun was slowly tangling. Her gorgeous eyes looked innocently at the picture. "Oh?" she said, and suddenly recognized what she had found, "Barkis's first wife!?" she exclaimed, and suddenly she ran her hand horizontally across the wall to her right to discover yet another picture... and another... and another!

There were at least eight pictures of wives that Barkis had been wed to. "What kind of man is this!?" she shouted as she found more and more pictures. "Wait... the best question is, what happened to all of the wives? Why is he married to me?" she suddenly gasped, dropping her lantern, which was not wise.

"What are you doing in Master Barkis's room?"

She gasped, turning around to see an eerie man glare at her.

"I'm sorry!" she pleaded, "Please don't kill me!"

"So you've found the secret of Barkis's previous wives..." he tsk'ed, inching closer toward the beautiful bride, and grabbing her around her waist.

"What are you trying to do to me!?" the bride shrieked, her bun coming loose, and her hair falling to underarm-length. She looked horrified, regretting that she had ever looked into her husband's room.

"You will die." the man declared, stomping on the lantern, instantly putting out the flickering light, and the remainder source was a foggy, thick smoke.

There was a shriek, and when the crack of dawn appeared, there was a blood-stained body lying on the ground, and a knife lying beside her... she was still alive, but barely... she breathed her last breath, "Sorry..." she whispered, a few tears of pain rolled down her face, and her eyes slowly closed...

That is Lord Barkis Bittern's sin.

(sorry for the amount of blood... heh, heh.)