Chapter Ten

Anneliese opened her eyes slowly waking from a dream as if it were but a weak memory in her head. The reality of the dream had startled her. Meeting the king in the hallway and then the man on her balcony. How had her mind conjured such an event? It seemed so strange.

Or was it?

As the room came into focus, Anneliese realized that she was no longer in the palace. Where she was, she didn't know. The dark, dank walls were evidence enough that she was far away from home. After all, she knew her kingdom well and there wasn't a place as dark and lonely as this in all the land.

Groaning softly, she rose to her knees and then, unsteadily to her feet. She stumbled and steadied herself by a wall. Where was she and how had she gotten here? Perhaps she hadn't been dreaming.

She called out uncertainly into the dark space, "Hello?"

"Master." A small, nervous voice came from nearby.

"What is it?" The harsh reply rang out through the air and Anneliese could hear a small shuffling sound as someone moved about in the adjoining room.

"I think she's awake."

"Good."

Curious, Anneliese tiptoed over to the door and peered out the small, barred, window. She could see no people in the room beyond, which was more of a cavern. A cave of sorts, holding a variety of mismatched, scarred wooden furniture and a burning candelabrum. It was most eerie. Anneliese shuddered.

The voices continued.

"Well, then. Aren't you going to show her to a more comfortable room?"

"Maybe later."

"Maybe later? But master-"

"Shut up, Bartok! I will do as I please. I must first make myself presentable."

"You look fine."

The second man chuckled. "Of course you would say that, you're a bat."

Bat? Anneliese turned from the door and furrowed her brow. A talking bat? She had never heard of such a thing!

"But it's true, sir. It's true!"

"Flatterer."

"Hey, I'm not lyin'. Even ask the Princess what she thinks."

"Not yet."

They're talking about me. Anneliese went back to the window and looked out again. Nothing had changed. The room was still as it was. Empty. But then where are those voices coming from?

The first voice came again. "Well, can I at least go say 'hi'?"

"Of course not!"

"Why not?"

"You'd make a horrible first impression."

"But master, I'll be good, I promise."

"You be good and you're fired. Good, as you recall, is not in my vocabulary."

"I'm sorry master."

"Don't be sorry, just shut up!"

Anneliese ducked down as a man suddenly entered the cavernous room beside hers. She straightened slowly, taking in every detail. She had to swallow a scream. Oh, how ugly he was. His clothes were long and dark and his beard was very much the same. His hair, well, there wasn't much on his head. The man had to be extremely old and obviously didn't believe in brushing his teeth. Anneliese cringed. Why wasn't there a such thing as a handsome villain?

"So master, the nicer accommodations…?" The voice came from a little white bat, perched on the man's shoulder. So she had heard right. A talking bat.

"Soon, Bartok. Very soon." The man turned towards her door and she ducked again. He seemed to be headed her way. What should she do? Anneliese wasn't sure if she should pretend to still be unconscious or chance a conversation with the grizzly man.

Her decision was short-lived as the door opened suddenly.

She froze as it swung in and prepared herself for what she would see.

"Aw, you're awake." The man smiled at her. Anneliese stared. "I hope you weren't too uncomfortable last night, but we couldn't have you screaming and waking up the whole castle."

Anneliese blinked and then quickly mustered up the courage to respond. "Please." She said. "Where am I and who are you and why am I here?"

"So many questions…" The ugly man chuckled. "My dear, this is your new home, as for who I am, my name is Rasputin. I am, or rather am going to be, your husband."

Anneliese swallowed hard. Husband? She must have heard incorrectly.

The white bat poked the man.

Rasputin's face suddenly lightened as he remembered, "Oh, uh, yes. Princess?" He stepped to the side of the doorway.

Anneliese didn't understand. "Um, yes?"

"Come on, this way. We have a room prepared for you."

"A room?" She didn't mean to sound ungrateful, but she wasn't quite sure that she liked the arrangement.

"Yes, a room. With furniture. Then again, if you'd rather stay in here…"

"No! I mean, thank you." She slipped by him and he closed the door firmly behind her.

"This way." He led her down several dark corridors and to another door. He opened it up. Inside was a small cavern, modestly furnished with a vanity, armoire, dressing-screen and bed. It wasn't spectacular, but she had to admit that it held a certain homey quality.

Rasputin motioned her inside and then took the bat from his shoulder. "Stay with her and see that she gets everything she needs."

"Yes, sir."

By the time Anneliese turned around the door was already closing. "Wait!" She cried out, just as it shut and the lock was bolted. She ran to the door and tugged at it anyways. "Locked in? No, no!"

The bat, meanwhile, flew over to the vanity and sat down. "Don't worry." He said, smoothing his wings. "He'll be back soon."

"I don't want him to be back. I just want to go home." The Princess left the door and sat, distraught, on the edge of the bed. Tears gathered in her eyes but she blinked them away. Now was not the time to get emotional. She needed to think and act quickly. She needed to get back home. Her mother would be frantic.

"There, there." The bat flew to her and sat on her knee. "It's going to be alright."

"Is it?" She looked at him, "I can't see how it could get any worse."

"Well, now you won't be marrying that King Dominick. My master will be a great husband, he will care for all your needs."

Anneliese frowned. "But I don't want to marry him either."

The bat looked puzzled, "My, my, what a picky princess you are. You don't want to marry King Dominick or my master?"

"No, I'm sorry, but I don't."

And then, the bat began to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, I was just thinkin'." He said, "If I were in your shoes, I don't think I'd want to marry my master either." His laughter continued and soon he was on his back, rolling around.

"Really, the thought is not at all funny. I have to get out of here." Anneliese stood and walked over to the vanity, opening a drawer. The bat fell from her knee.

"What 'cha lookin' for?" He asked her from his position on the ground.

Anneliese didn't know what to make of the white, flying mammal; she didn't trust him. "Never mind, it really doesn't matter." She rummaged through the drawer in search of a hairpin, or anything that might help her escape.

"Did you see all the nice perfume?" Bartok flew to her side and landed on the vanity counter. He walked to the edge and looked in the drawer she was searching. "Right there in the bottom. See all those nice little glass bottles?"

"Please leave me alone, I'm not interested in that right now."

"Then how about this powder puff?" He picked the item from off the vanity. "Achoo!"

"I don't care about that either." She watched as he fell backwards, pressed flat under the floppy pink puff. "A prison is a prison, whether or not it is filled with finery and talking creatures!" Pitying him slightly, she lifted plush applicator and returned it to it's compact.

"Thank you." The bat sniffled and then sneezed again. Rubbing at his nose, he took a look at himself in the mirror. "Well, here's something you don't see everyday. A pink bat."

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and Anneliese tuned away, not wanting him to know he had amused her.

"I'd better get cleaned up."

When she turned back, Bartok was shaking himself off. The powder that fell from his wings tickled her nose and soon she found herself sneezing along with him. The situation soon grew so ridiculous, that between each sneeze and scratch of the nose, the bat and the Princess began to bubble over with laughter.

"That's the last time I go snooping around in somebody else's things!" Bartok gave his wings another shake and sneezed again. Anneliese giggled.

"What is all this racket?" The door suddenly flew open as Rasputin entered the room.

The laughter instantly ceased and Anneliese turned to face him, eyes wide.

"Master!" The bat spoke first, taking in the scene. "You won't believe what just happened. You see, I was messing with her powder puff and then it fell on top of me and now I'm all pink and-"

"Silence!" Rasputin glared at the bat and then turned his attention back on Anneliese. "What is going on in here?" He demanded again.

"It's just as he said." She nodded. "He got himself covered in blush and then the both of us were sneezing uncontrollably and-" The door shut again and he was gone. To say the very least, Anneliese was mystified by his actions.

"Oh, don't mind him." The bat began and walked across the vanity-top, still shaking out his furry body. "He doesn't have a sense of humor."

"I've noticed." Anneliese kept her eyes trained on the door, unsure of what to think.

"Anyways," The bat continued on, "Look on the bright side, now that you're here, I won't have to laugh alone." The bat smiled, waiting for her reaction, but Anneliese could only frown. If only there was a bright side to this situation. She wanted freedom, but no matter where she was, somebody wanted to marry her.

She sighed and went over to the bed to sit down again.

"Hey, cheer up." The bat said and he flew to her. His color of pink had lightened, but a pale blush coat still stuck to his white fur. "At least you've got me."

"Yeah…" Anneliese smiled lamely. "At least that's better than being alone."