Part 1
The slave quarters of the castle were dim, small and cramped. The lighting was dim, one or two electric lamps, as slaves were not allowed much wood for a fire. Wood of course, was kept out of the way, and if a slave was caught with any, then they were hunted down.
The rain pounded hard on the brick roof, dropping through the oak into a metal bucket with a terrible racket. Julia Starling had lived here all her life, in this dull, lifeless place, which was really hell on earth. She had no family, as they had been hunted down. Her mother had been discovered with a silver necklace that her father had given her, and as silver was forbidden, they were hunted down, leaving Julia alone. She worked in the pens, cleaning out after the animals that were kept for food or hunts. Her older sister Mariana was personal maid to the queen, chosen by the king for her witchcraft abilities. The Starlings were witches, Harmans on the male side. But generally, before the battle, they had mainly been Circle Midnight, which was why they were allowed to live.
Julia herself had never in the castle, and longed to see it. For the first few weeks of her new position, Mariana had come back to the slave quarters, telling about the magnificent art work, the fine clothes they wore, the stunning jewellery. This castle had some rare features, like electricity, as the queen had grown up in the 20th century and refused to give up luxuries like that and heat and stereos. Mariana would tell all about these wonders, which Julia had never seen. But as the days grew into weeks, and the weeks grew into months and the months grew into years, Mariana changed. She had always been a bit spiteful and nasty, now, she was almost as cold and cruel as the queen herself. Julia admitted, only to herself, maybe she was a little jealous. Especially when Mariana had bragged about an affair with the King Redfern himself and how the queen had absolutely no idea and must never find out. Mariana had soon become a noble woman, she had moved permanently into the castle, and Julia had never seen her again.
Julia had lived alone for a while, then had made friends with some of the other slaves who worked in her area, Poppy North, who was an ex-Circle Daybreak made vampire. She had survived the battle but was condemned to slavery for life, and Damien Anders, a human boy.
Julia wondered what Poppy had been like before the world changed over a century ago. She seemed mechanical, going through the motions of her work like a robot. She had lost so much and lived through a nightmare, but she kept going. She seemed to have brightened slightly at the friendship that was sparking between her and Julia and Damien.
Like herself, Damien had been born into slavery and had no idea of what the world outside the castle was like. Poppy had told them it wasn't always eternal darkness. Something called the sun had lit up the world at a time once, creating daylight for a large number of hours, and there had been seasons too, winter, spring, summer and autumn. Spring and summer was a time for joy and happiness and new growth. Autumn was a change, when the leaves changed colour into bright reds and golds, and orange, and the sky was crisp and cool. Winter had been the only cruel season. Cold and wet and remorseless, caring for nothing.
Now, there was nothing but endless winter, and endless dark and death. There were hardly any plants, except evergreens and artificial ones. There was hardly any colour out here in the back of the castle's slave quarters.
Julia herself, was a daydreamer, and loved to imagine the world Poppy had lived in. Poppy had once mentioned she used to have a soulmate, someone who understood her completely and loved her. But he had died during the battle, and Poppy had never really gotten over it.
The Soulmate Principle was nothing more than a myth, nowadays. A story, like a fairy tail.
Julia caught a glimpse of her reflection in the metal bucket that was catching the drop from the leaky roof. A pale, thin young woman of seventeen with long blonde hair and wistful grey eyes. She wore a black tunic and pants, the same outfit all the slaves wore, meant to make them look dark and blend in with the darkness and shadows around them. Only the nobles and important people wore colour.
This can't be all there is to life, Julia thought, closing her eyes as she lay down on a few brown sacs spread out on the dirt floor. There must be more. I want the world Poppy used to have. There must be some way to get that world back...
* * *
The slave quarters of the castle were dim, small and cramped. The lighting was dim, one or two electric lamps, as slaves were not allowed much wood for a fire. Wood of course, was kept out of the way, and if a slave was caught with any, then they were hunted down.
The rain pounded hard on the brick roof, dropping through the oak into a metal bucket with a terrible racket. Julia Starling had lived here all her life, in this dull, lifeless place, which was really hell on earth. She had no family, as they had been hunted down. Her mother had been discovered with a silver necklace that her father had given her, and as silver was forbidden, they were hunted down, leaving Julia alone. She worked in the pens, cleaning out after the animals that were kept for food or hunts. Her older sister Mariana was personal maid to the queen, chosen by the king for her witchcraft abilities. The Starlings were witches, Harmans on the male side. But generally, before the battle, they had mainly been Circle Midnight, which was why they were allowed to live.
Julia herself had never in the castle, and longed to see it. For the first few weeks of her new position, Mariana had come back to the slave quarters, telling about the magnificent art work, the fine clothes they wore, the stunning jewellery. This castle had some rare features, like electricity, as the queen had grown up in the 20th century and refused to give up luxuries like that and heat and stereos. Mariana would tell all about these wonders, which Julia had never seen. But as the days grew into weeks, and the weeks grew into months and the months grew into years, Mariana changed. She had always been a bit spiteful and nasty, now, she was almost as cold and cruel as the queen herself. Julia admitted, only to herself, maybe she was a little jealous. Especially when Mariana had bragged about an affair with the King Redfern himself and how the queen had absolutely no idea and must never find out. Mariana had soon become a noble woman, she had moved permanently into the castle, and Julia had never seen her again.
Julia had lived alone for a while, then had made friends with some of the other slaves who worked in her area, Poppy North, who was an ex-Circle Daybreak made vampire. She had survived the battle but was condemned to slavery for life, and Damien Anders, a human boy.
Julia wondered what Poppy had been like before the world changed over a century ago. She seemed mechanical, going through the motions of her work like a robot. She had lost so much and lived through a nightmare, but she kept going. She seemed to have brightened slightly at the friendship that was sparking between her and Julia and Damien.
Like herself, Damien had been born into slavery and had no idea of what the world outside the castle was like. Poppy had told them it wasn't always eternal darkness. Something called the sun had lit up the world at a time once, creating daylight for a large number of hours, and there had been seasons too, winter, spring, summer and autumn. Spring and summer was a time for joy and happiness and new growth. Autumn was a change, when the leaves changed colour into bright reds and golds, and orange, and the sky was crisp and cool. Winter had been the only cruel season. Cold and wet and remorseless, caring for nothing.
Now, there was nothing but endless winter, and endless dark and death. There were hardly any plants, except evergreens and artificial ones. There was hardly any colour out here in the back of the castle's slave quarters.
Julia herself, was a daydreamer, and loved to imagine the world Poppy had lived in. Poppy had once mentioned she used to have a soulmate, someone who understood her completely and loved her. But he had died during the battle, and Poppy had never really gotten over it.
The Soulmate Principle was nothing more than a myth, nowadays. A story, like a fairy tail.
Julia caught a glimpse of her reflection in the metal bucket that was catching the drop from the leaky roof. A pale, thin young woman of seventeen with long blonde hair and wistful grey eyes. She wore a black tunic and pants, the same outfit all the slaves wore, meant to make them look dark and blend in with the darkness and shadows around them. Only the nobles and important people wore colour.
This can't be all there is to life, Julia thought, closing her eyes as she lay down on a few brown sacs spread out on the dirt floor. There must be more. I want the world Poppy used to have. There must be some way to get that world back...
* * *