Chapter 4: From a 'Friend'

Author's Note: Again, I have to apologize for an uneventful chapter in advance. If things continue as they are, I might replace these chapters with something a bit less... boring at a later point, but for now, I'd just like to continue the story. So enjoy, and please leave a review, I'm always open for criticism, as I know full well that my works are far from perfect, and I'm sure half the time that you're reading this, you're thinking 'oh, there's a mistake, and there's a mistake...', so please, let me know. If not in a review then a PM is fine, but not telling me certainly won't make the story you're reading any better, so please, criticize away!


The rest of Ashley's day after her meeting with Draejin in the garden was fairly nondescript. After her walk, Ashley met with Damien for a while, had a nice royal dinner of odd Otherworld foods that were more interesting to look at than they were to taste- not it was bad tasting by any means- and afterwards she returned to her room, read some of her old books and eventually fell asleep.

Very late that night as Ashley slept peacefully in her room, a small, quiet fist rapped on her door, not nearly loud enough to awaken Ashley. After a pause, a second knock, louder than the first, sounded. Ashley grumbled and sat up tiredly, she was awake, but she wasn't sure why.

What's going on..? Did I hear something or was I just dreaming? Ashley thought groggily as she rubbed her eyes somewhat awake. After another pause, a third knock, a bit louder than the last one.

"Just a minute." Ashley grumbled as she got out of bed and straightened her bed hair a bit with her hands in a desperate attempt to make herself presentable.

Who the hell's this at this hour?! Not a servant, and no one NORMAL, that's for sure... I should be on my guard... Ashley thought as she made her way to the door, reaching for the knob with her right hand, while preparing a Black Magic spell with her left- if it was indeed someone dangerous, they'd be falling 3 floors when a hole opened up underneath them.

Ashley quickly unlocked and opened the door in one quick motion, the visitor... was not nearly what she had expected.

The visitor was a child, or at least child-like in appearance, the top of its head only coming up to Ashley's collar. In the dim light in the hallway, the visitor appeared to have milk-white skin and was wearing a child-sized maid's uniform and, most perplexing of all, a brown paper bag over it's head with two holes cut out for eyes.

Is that supposed to be some kind of disguise..? What manner of spirit is this? Ashley thought, not entirely sure what to make of this little visitor- she didn't release her spell yet though, as this could be someone powerful and dangerous, just innocent-looking on the outside, sent to catch Ashley off-guard and kill her to get to Damien, who would likely send her away right away.

"Sorry to disturb you Lady Ashy..." The visitor said in a preteen young girl's voice, evidently having forgotten Ashley's name in between the time she was told who she was supposed to be visiting and now; then she abruptly held up an envelope for Ashley to take. Ashley tentatively took the envelope with her right hand.

"Thank you... who's it from?" Ashley asked cautiously.

"I was told I wasn't supposed to tell, or else..." The little girl then pointed to herself with her right index finger, then she held it up to where her mouth probably would be, had it not been covered by a brown paper bag, and made a 'shush' noise. She would be silenced, or something to that effect.

So this is a rendezvous that is to be kept secret... most suspicious... what does that tell me? That it was likely something meant for Damien, but instead they brought it to me since they thought I'd be easier to manipulate, well we'll see about that! Let's see what this envelope has inside!

"Ok, thank you dear, you may go." Ashley waved her off, but the strange girl stayed put.

"I was told I was supposed to stay with you as you read the letter, or else..." The little girl said, then making the same motion as before- point to herself, then 'shush'. That made Ashley even more suspicious. Why leave the messenger with her? To make sure she read it? There was no question that Ashley would read this, a letter delivered to her in the dead of night by a little girl with a paper bag over her head, regardless of whether or not said little girl stayed with her, so why did the girl have to stay? Perhaps the answer lied in the envelope, Ashley figured.

"Ok... come in I guess, sit down anywhere you'd like..." Ashley stepped aside and the little girl noiselessly entered the room and took a seat -where else- on the floor in the middle of the room. As if she wasn't odd enough already, apparently she wouldn't sit down in a nice convenient chair or on the bed or something when given permission, either. Ashley rolled her eyes, closed and locked her door again, then went over to and sat down on her bed, then she ripped the envelope open and read the letter inside, using her own magic to produce light.

First things first, Ashley went right to the bottom of the letter and read who signed it- Lord Draejin.

Ok, that solves that, but what the hell does he want that he couldn't just say, TELL ME instead of giving me a letter in the middle of the night? Ashley mentally huffed, then she returned her focus to the top of the letter and began to read the letter in full.

'Lady Ashley,

I hope this letter finds you in good health-

Ok, that's a laugh! 'Finds me in good health'? I WOULD be in good health if I could just get some sleep! Ashley mentally fumed, letting out a sigh, then she shook her head and continued reading. The messenger girl made no comment, she sat perfectly still on the floor as Ashley resumed reading.

Lady Ashley,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. Due to the nature of your circumstances, I'm sure you're eager for me to get to the point and be brief, so I will: relating to our conversation earlier today, I have come up with a conclusion that I'm sure you will be satisfied with. I would prefer to speak in person, so if you would indulge me, I ask you to accompany the messenger that brought this message to you as she returns to me so that we may come up with a decision as soon as possible.

Sincerely, Lord Draejin.'

That appeared to be all that was on the page, but once Ashley reached Draejin's signature, more words in the margin below appeared, much in the same fashion that Ashley had received letters from Damien while she was in school, especially during the latter part of her Freshman year.

'While I have no evidence to support this, I ask you to take this on faith that the messenger is a very powerful spirit that I have instructed, if the need arises, to protect you with her life, so you needn't worry about personal safety. It is paramount that this meeting is kept secret, as Lord Damien would obviously not be pleased to know that you and I were both plotting behind his back. Again, I ask you to trust me in this, and I assure you no harm will come to you, else it will be both of our heads.'

Well, that's... cheerful, isn't it? Ashley mused once she finished. He makes a big deal about my safety, which makes me more suspicious that something might happen if I go to this meeting, almost like he's saying 'don't worry, this will ABSOLUTELY NOT happen' just before he himself betrays me. Or I suppose it could also be that I'm naive and I'm only thinking this because I'm not experienced enough in these kinds of things...

Ashley paused her contemplation and looked at the messenger, who was still sitting silently on the floor, looking intently at Ashley. Ashley still didn't know who this girl-spirit was, though the letter did explain the purpose of her staying while Ashley read the letter. Neither said a word for the long, uncomfortable minute that they stared at each other, so Ashley relented her gaze and resumed her contemplation of her course of action.

Maybe I should just take a step back and look at this from a broader view: if I blow him off, everything will likely stay as it is, I'll be alive with Damien for the rest of my life and I'll probably also be bored to tears for the rest of my life. Alternatively, if I go to Draejin or whoever sent this and I take the risk... well, it could easily cost me my life if I'm not careful, or I could be captured and held for ransom... or suffer a far worse fate than that... and if things don't work out, Damien certainly won't be happy, he'll probably send me back to Earth, and he'll have to come with me and... he's still a criminal in the magical community, he'll be hunted down to face who-knows-what fate... on the other hand, if I take the risk and it pays off, I can still live here with Damien with all the freedom I want and we live happily ever after... probably, I suppose I won't really know until I meet Draejin... and I suppose if I go, I'm not agreeing to anything yet except to listen to his idea; I'm still putting myself at risk to do so though, but if I refuse, Damien'll never have to know... so I suppose the best thing to do would be to go, but I must be extra cautious, and the moment I smell a double-cross or an ambush, Draejin will wish he'd never met me...

"I assume you've been instructed to lead me somewhere?" Ashley finally spoke up, the messenger immediately perked up.

"Yes. If you want. I was told it was to be your choice, I was not to force you or beg or pressure you in any way, or else..." Again she made the 'shush', Ashley would have to mention that to Draejin, threatening something that appeared to be a child made her very uncomfortable and disturbed, not to mention all the secrecy that followed a conversation that Ashley thought was just exchanging casual pleasantries in the garden.

"Alright, then let me just get dressed and we'll get going." Ashley said, quickly throwing on a set of robes- whatever was on top, she didn't even bother to look, not that she'd be able to see much this late. Once finished, Ashley motioned for the messenger to lead on, and together they left the room- Ashley left it unlocked behind her, so if she went missing they'd discover it quickly, if she left it locked they would probably think she was still sleeping. Quietly the pair walked down the corridor, down the flights of stairs and out of the castle.

"By the way, what's your name?" Ashley asked finally.

"Draesin."