AN: Sorry about the belated update, this chapter was hard to form and might be on the terrible side. A story like this is something new to me that I am eager to try. Thank you for the two reviews that I have had for the first chapter.
Mariashagoddess: Thank you for the review and compliment. I do hope it turns out to good or decent.
PreciousRaymond: Thank you so much! I'm sorry about the delay in the posting.
Now I hope I an get another chapter out soon. Right now is busy but I will try my hardest to. After this holiday season I will come out with more. Thank you for the support and reading. The title of this chapter is from a song called Blood Doll by Anarchy Club, it's a variant of one of the lines. Though my friend will not read this, this is also for her since there was the death of her grandfather and someone my fiancee worked with, his wife had a baby.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Life began and life ended. It was a natural stated fact that proved itself time and time again. When an old man died a woman gave birth to a baby boy. It was a thought out process that was both joyful but terribly sad. When that old man had been born another had died and so on. The natural order, the way life was supposed to work and anything different was just a sin.
So it was said at least.
Lord Edwin had suffered a terrible accident from the top of his home. He had fallen to his death early in the morning while the dew still reigned the morning. It had appeared an accident, oh yes, it did but it was not so.
There was another thing that was considered a bastard of the force of nature. Humans deciding when humans died and lived was a montrosity. Murder. In the plainest of all terms, it was simply and unconditionally murder. Yet, what if that murder was a key part of the way the times turned?
Anyway, back to Lord Edwin before the story fully begins. Lord Edwin was born when another woman had died, that woman was his mother, her sacrifice paved way to an undeserving life. He was a cruel man that had the simple pleasure of watching his people suffer. Breaking the human spirit was something that cme naturally to him. He broke his wife, he broke his children, well almost all of his children.
Now we come to another key player, a young valiant man with the strange name of Prosper. One of his caliber hadn't been seen for many many yearss…The whispered of an old forgotten martyr when he had been born.
The superstitious lot said that it was preordained that such a soul would come around. He would play a part in the relieving of their misery.
Well, so far the father was irritated, that was when the secretive people came. They came like the shadows without speaking a word to each other. They had found out the mans secrets and trends. Then they murdered him masking it with a clever death.
For all the people knew the man was tired of his tyranny and ended his life. But it had been decided by a human to take him off. So thus the good Prosper came into power. Was his hands clean? No, not quite, he helped the shadowed people in the return that there was a favor in return.
It came that day soon enough.
That was why Vivian was riding with Lord Prosper now. It hadn't taken much to convince him of her request, after all, she herself had set the plot up to its downfall. But her hands were never bloodied that wasn't her deal she just gathered the information and patterns with her observant fawn eyes.
Lord Propser was a strange handsome man. His hair was fair and light with the lightest of eyebrows, his eyes a sincere shining blue and his skin was quite fair as well. He seemed a creature of the past in Vivian's eyes. A strange handsome with elegance that nobody came around to these days.
Today he was stiff, his spine was straight from his neck to his hips as the journey continued.
"And I can't know of the plan or even the true name. I must refer to you as a false name." Prosper was repeating, he did that too, perhaps he wanted information or just wanted to think the strane predigament out.
"It's better for your safety just in case…" Vivian said with exasperated patience as she glanced to him raising an eyebrow. "You are the key and little else."
"In case you fail and he murders you like a dog. You find that a good fate?" Prosper said with a neat little sniff of his nose to show his distaste of the idea.
"I'd rather not die. That is the only thing I hold certain…I don't bother to think that far ahead it always makes it seem so bleak and useless. When you came to my father you said that you wanted to change the peoples suffering, well this is what we want to do. It isn't the cleanest way, but its more than the rest of the lot are doing." Vivian's mouth quirked with dedication, the tips of her rose lips moved up lightly before falling once again.
Prosper knew it was a failing argument with a woman that as stubborn as they came. It came as a surprise to find despite her stubbornness she was sweet tempered with a spark for life. So he shook his head.
The castle hung in the distance. Tall and grand with the finest of bones, what a feat it was with it's pale glory. There was a stone bridge before them as well. It was unheard of for stone to be used in such ways it must be heavy.
"A stone bridge…How curious!" The young woman piped up with a sudden smile of delight crossing her honey face.
"You ought to make there in time if you spend less time gawking." Prosper's voice gave away a hint of amusement and warmth even when he wanted to be more severe. Like his father he supposed.
"You aren't very good at being cross are you?" Vivian gave a laugh all signs of stubbornness was gone and there was just a spirited young woman.
"I never have been, I don't believe I ever will." He admitted to his strange companion. It was clever enough, she was the niece of a great servant that wanted more and had begged him to work in the kitchens in the castle. As far as he knew she was actually Bree the strange and eager young woman with too much life in one being.
Time passed and finally the castle was a looming giant above them. More stone bridges and walls were errected out of stone long the way. The guards were straight face and cautious beings that made Prosper want to protect the strange companion.
"State your name and purpose." The guard imposed a mean stature with a grmance to match it.
"I am Lord Prosper reporting to duty for my king. This is Bree, a niece of my faithful servant who wishes to work in the kitchens." Prosper stated with a straight face towards the man, Bree smiled prettily up to the guard.
"There is a strict process in which servants are handled. You may enter Lord Prosper, but the King himself will need to approve of her working here. Its nothing personal, too many attempts for one life." The guard gave an awkward smile back, the charm had worked, otherwise he would have turned her back then.
The king, Vivan's face blanched lightly at the idea of seeing his face so soon, but she straightened herself in her seat. "I understand, that is fine, I just wish to make a better life for myself. I have nothing to hide."
"Very well, go on through, when you reach the courtyard a servant will be there to inspect you. Off you go." The guard said with a nod his face returning to the grimance.
"You're quite good at this." Prosper whispered to her,
"Thank you m'lord." Vivan with a smile yet her eyes watched the bridge with a keen interest.
The courtyard was massive with life streaming around it miserably. The structure was amazing, strong and ever lasting. It had been around for niney years. That was the time when kings were living in stick homes but nothing grand like this. It was beautiful in a sense that humans could never achieve, beautiful and everlasting…
"It is quite amazing isn't it? I'm Delma, the head of the kitchen, follow me." The woman named Delma looked nearly identical to her sister Dorean. Delma was a woman with a heavier frame and a long thick braid. She stood above averge height with a deadpan expression on her face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Delma. I'm Bree, I appreciate you welcoming me." But the woman was already off, Vivian followed with ease into the marrow of the castle. Life bustled in there like a honey hive.
"My sister did tell you of the conditons that you must enter through? If she hadn't it's terrible, but of course the man is smart. I will vouch for you but you must prove yourself to the king yourself. That I cannot do for you." The woman continued through the halls, her voice hushed, but it was still strong enough to hear.
"I understand, I'm fairly sure I can handle this." Vivian responded with a smile. Oh yes, over confidence was her downfall, so eager and young, still so unaware and she hadn't learned her lesson of confidence quite yet.
"You are a confident one aren't you?" Delma's thin lips quirked into a smile.
"To a fault." Vivian nodded. "What do I need to say to please this king?"
"Mostly he will stare at you deciding your characters. He does not speak much, when he does its more of an order to do. Some of his days are spent in his library designing his next bridge or something of that sort." The older woman explained opening the door for the kitchen. It was massive kitchen, like none that Vivian had seen in all of her life.
"This is…amazing…It must be quite busy often." Vivian said with a smile. Oh yes, this would be simply too easy at this stage. She paraded herself as the sweet girl and humble beginnings wanting to escape a marriage and take some of her own life back.
"Can you remain on one subject for five minutes?" Delma asked with a tried patience look.
"If I try hard enough. I do understand with the king, don't worry, I'll have it managed. When can I see him?" Vivian asked knowing dread should have filled her veins. But she felt no dread, she felt only excitement. This man was cruel, unchanging and a strange being. In her mind he looked withered with thin hair and too close of features. He appeared a monster from a fairy tale. Yet he was a grand man, it could be told by his designs and progressioin.
"I'll take you to see him now. This way…" Delma said with a small sad smile.
Vivian followed without another word. In her mind, the plan was working perfectly, it would work she knew. Yet there was something more…That was just the mystery that would be found later.