Chapter 35
Anneliese
She woke up in the dark. The spiders webbing had gone.
"Hello?" she asked the dark.
No reply.
She sat up realizing she wasn't wearing her cloths, which consisted of black trousers and a white top and brown jacket all two sizes too big. But found herself in some sort of robe, like she had seen the necromancers wearing when they came to see her in the tower.
Someone is about to open the door. A little voice whispered in her mind. The voice had become really hand to her over the last couple of years. She always knew when things were going to happen. Like when Tanith was being brought in she knew even though she was wearing magic dampening chains. But she suspected now they were just mundane chains.
A couple of seconds after the whisper, the door opened to reveal the little man who had brought her here (where ever that is).
The Torment the voice whispered. Oh yeah and he was with Madam Mist.
"Your awake" his voice as cold as his eyes.
"Ummmm, yep" she really didn't know any other way of answering that.
"Come child" The Torment commanded
"Where are you taking me?" she asked her voice hurt from lack of use.
"We have decided to feed you" he stated. Making her sound like an animal.
"Feed me what?"
"You ask too many questions" The Torment mumbled not answering her question. When she didn't move the follow he turned on her.
"Come with me or stay here till you die" then moved away, Anneliese stood and followed she just got out of the doorway when the voice whispered again.
Watch the door she turned to watch the door slam back into place.
"CHILD" The Torment shouted. She hurried after him. He led her into a large room much like her father's throne room. In the middle of the room was a table, which had vast amount of food. From roast chickens to tomato soup. Rich wine to water. Anneliese hadn't seen this much food before much less tried it. When she was at the palace her father, Mevolent had kept up the performance that she was a prisoner and had only fed her prisoner food. Which was no more than slop on a plate.
"Sit, child" Madam Mist purred from behind her veil. Anneliese obeyed. "I know who your father is" she chimed
"Mevolent" Anneliese voice had gotten smaller with the other woman present. It was unnerving to sit with a lady who didn't show her face.
"Yes, the whole City knows now, you can't walk anywhere without hearing the gossip mongers, I wonder if China Sorrows knows" she placed where her chin would be behind her veil on her gloved palm. "But then she already knows doesn't she?"
"Yes Miss, she's my mother"
"Ummmm" she leaned back in her throne like chair "Eat up child – "
"My name is Anneliese NOT Child"
"Oh my don't you have a temper, so much like your mother"
"I'm nothing like her" Anneliese seethed
"Oh but you are, over the years when you were in the tower I sent my spiders up to see what was there. When they came back to me they described a child who looked like China Sorrows" as she spoke spiders seeped from her sleeves spreading out over the table weaving between the dishes. Making something that looked so beautiful before now look unappealing. "Eat, you look like you need it"
Anneliese picked up some grapes and popped them on her plate with other food she had only heard about form the servants. She avoided the dishes near the spiders.
"What do you want from me?" Anneliese asked Madam Mist.
"We want you to join us"
Liar the voice whispered
"Why" good girl question her
"Because we are trying to help you"
"That doesn't answer my question"
"Your mother – China Sorrows – kicked you out"
"Actually she didn't"
"Oh what happened then?"
"Ummmm, she well tried to put me in the Crypt of her church but Anton Shudder told me to run instead" eating her grapes
"So you are a – What age are you?"
"23"
"So young" she muttered before continuing "So you are a 23 year old girl who has nowhere to go, your mother kicked you out of her pathetic little group and you were taken from your father, where do you suppose to go?"
"I'm trying to find somewhere to stay"
"and we are offering, you would be foolish not to accept" Anneliese mulled this over Madam Mist had a point.
"I've already had my surge" Anneliese murmured
"What was that child? You have to speak up"
"I've already had my surge" Anneliese told her raising her voice.
"No matter, we have space for you in our spider family" Anneliese tried not to cringe at that name. "But you are welcome to stay here"
"Thank you" she was actually glad that someone wanted her. No matter where it was.
Cheers for reading so far :)