Note: I was also wondering if this will be a ghost story of not. Seemed like, even I don't really know my own plot. Ridiculous isn't is. Anyway, I'd like to thank all of you for those support and great ideas. You guys keep me going.

Enjoy and tell me what do you think of this chapter!

Chapter Three

David pushed the door to one of the mansion's seven kitchens. He politely lets the lady in before he did. "I hope no one sees us. You know how Madame hates visitors in any of her kitchens, especially honored guest, like you," David said in a whispered as he offered her a seat by the fireplace.

Yaone shook her head. "My, my, she said. "There is no need to worry. I promise I'll tell her it was I, who wanted to see the kitchen. You are innocent, dear."

David kept silence as he prepared tea for her.

Yaone sniffed as she walked around the large century old room. There were cobwebs at almost every corner of the shelves. The air there was damp and suffocating. How could anyone work in such condition? She wondered. The room, large it may be, but looked crowded and filled because of the dark and dusty walls. Yaone lets out a low-pitched sneeze as she walked to the fireplace again. Pity those who work here, she thought.

After a while, the boy came back with a tray of warm muffins straight from the oven and a pot of hot tea. He placed it silently on the table and invited her to it. "Forgive me for this messy and dirty kitchen. You see, there are only two of us here."

"Two?" Yaone asked surprised. "Where's the other one?"

"David and I."

Yaone gave a low gasped and spun around. What was the buzzing sound?

"Did I scare you? I'm sorry…" The buzzing continued.

"Who are you?" Yaone asked, trying to conceal he fright. She stared at one of the dark corner. "Is this real, or I am losing my mind and hearing things?"

David walked passed her and slowly reached out his hands towards the darkness. Yaone gasped again as a pair of small hands came out from the dark. She looked down and saw two dainty little feet. She stared, speechless at the small girl beside David. She looked exactly like him, except she has the most pitiful looking green eyes she had ever seen. Though the room looked warm enough, she realized that the girl was shivering.

"Are… Are you alright, dear?" Yaone asked concerned. "David, she looks unwell. She should be sent to the doctor for a check up." She moved closer towards the girl and draped her velvet scarf around her neck. "I hope that this could at least keep you warm for the moment. I…"

David gently pushed the countess' hand aside. " Do not burden yourself. Sarah is fine."

" Thank you."

"What is that buzzing sound I still hear?" Yaone asked, still rather suspicious.

Sarah gave a small laugh. "I am mute. I have no voice and cannot talk, but, ever since I was young, I was blessed with a gift to communicate with people through mind. It is nice, really, that you, of all people could hear and understand me."

Yaone stood speechless. Poor girl, she thought.

"I do not pity myself, why should you?" Sarah replied instantly, like as if she could read her mind. "I am not fully useless, am I? I can still work to support myself. You do not need voice to do daily house works. It is strength and wisdom that you need to survive."

"But…" Yaone said, barely able to contain herself. "How can they let you…"

"Please, do not bother yourself. I have been like this for the past sixteen years without complexity," Sarah said softly.

"Well I'm still not satisfied!" Yaone broke. She turned around angrily, making her way to the door. They could not possibly be so heartless to let a you work under this condition."

"Wh… where are you going…?"

I am going to get you out of here. You need help!" She stormed her way out.

"Miss Yaone!" David cried out. "No, please do not tell anyone about her. Stop…" He left his sister and rushed for her.

The boy ran down the stairs. It will be his fault if Madame finds out. He should not let the countess into the kitchen and see his sister in the first place. If they find out, he could not imagine what would happen to both of them. "Miss Yaone…" He called out. How could she disappear so quickly, he wondered. But, deep down, he was praying. Praying hard that the countess could not find Lady Maori, the wife of Lord Adaon, and had given up and returns to her carriage instead.

Unfortunately, luck was not at his side. He shrieked as a pair of cold hands grabbed his collar from behind. David made a choking sound as the guards dragged him back towards the kitchen. He felt dizzy as they pushed him down to the ground. Dark red blood trickled down his forehead. The lady of the house stood in front of him, looking furious.

Yaone suddenly came up from behind, but was stopped by the other guards.

David was on his knees, clutching his stomach as the loyal guards, under the orders of Lady Maori, beat him up mercilessly. Questions after questions arose, but none was answered. "I would rather die than lose my sister!" He said angrily.

"Stop! Stop this beastly act this instant!" Yaone ordered angrily, but no one heeded.

Maori smirked, ignoring the countess and walked towards the badly beaten up boy. "Enough," She said. With her hand, she pulled up his hair roughly, revealing his bloody features. "Stop being so stubborn, and tell me where did you hide that witch?" She asked softly but with a demanding tone.

"Never," He answered instantly. "You are mean as well as heartless. What has she done that is wrong in your eyes?"

Maori growled angrily. "Question me not, you ungrateful brute!" She shouted and slammed his head down. "I have, unconditionally given you a job here because your mother was my best friend. I should not have agreed in the first place if I had known earlier that your sister is an evil witch. Why, your mother sent both of you away because you two are… dangerous, so to speak."

"My sister, what has she done…?"

The woman shook her head in disgust. "Those weird sounds I hear every night. Those sounds and mysterious events that had taken place ever since I let both of you in. Though I had never seen the person, but I suspect both of you, because I know that you hate me, as I hate you. I know that both of you are trying to drive me insane. Unfortunately, today, both of you will pay! Now, tell me where is she or I'll have to torture you with excruciating pain slowly until you decide to tell me!" She ordered angrily.

Yaone paced uncomfortably by the kitchen entrance. Once in a while, she could hear shouts of pain. She felt helpless and blamed herself for not thinking before acting. Look what have you done? She scolded herself. All she wanted to do was get help, but it turned out the other way. She wished that Hakkai was there with her. He would usually come up with an idea. Unfortunately…

"Do not worry," Sarah said, suddenly appearing from behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Yaone shrieked silently. "You are going to get caught. Please, do hide."

Apparently, she ignored her and stood silently beside her and watched them torturing him. "They will get tired, soon," She said.

Yaone stared in disbelieve at what the girl had just said. Has she no feelings to what they are doing to her brother? She wondered. "It's my fault."

Sarah turned her head and looked at her with her green eyes. She smiled. "Stop blaming oneself. Lady Maori had been stalking us ever since we entered this mansion. This is not a new thing. I do not blame you and neither does my brother."

"If you are innocent, then why, does she really want you both… dead?"

Silence.

They stood there for a while.

Suddenly, Yaone jerked up at the sound of a high-pitched scream that came from inside. "What is going on!"

The guards did not answer but instead fled away instantly from the room. As they ran out, Yaone noticed that they did not even see Sarah, who stood beside her. Were they ignoring her or, they did not see her?

As soon as they were gone, both of them entered and quickly searched the room for the boy. Yaone almost burst into tears at the sight that greeted her when they finally found him at the corner of the room. With the type of personality that is easy to feel pity and cares for other's pain, what she saw was really one to deal with. Still, in drained and weakened condition, she watched David busily wiping and cleaning up the messy floor. Every time he squeezed the damp cloth into the small bucket, Yaone knew that the liquid was no other than his own blood.

"Brother," Sarah said, as she picked up another cloth from the table nearby and bent down to help him. "Ellidyr, what are you doing here?"

Yaone was surprised at what she had heard. Ellidyr? What is she talking about?

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tall, blacked hair boy appeared in front of them. Yaone almost screamed in surprised.

"Hello," The boy said.

Sarah walked up to him and kissed him on his cheek. " What are you doing here?"

He gave her a playful laugh and pushed his long springy hair away from his face. "Phew, what a mess!" He said, looking around. "I can not imagine you two really could stand this all these years."

Sara gave him a stern look.

Ellidyr immediately raised his hands trying to calm his cousin down. "Relax!" He cried, as he was raised up into air by some unseen force and brought down with a thud. He quickly got up and arranged his outfit.

"Now…" Sarah repeated. "No more joke."

The boy gave her a low cough. "My sister and I were playing hide and seek…"

"From Rome to France?" Sarah cut.

"Nope," Ellidyr replied instantly. She was hiding in one of the royal carriages, without knowing that it will leave soon. Unfortunately, when I already came to realize where she was, it had already left. So, I followed her all the way here."

Yaone stood at the corner, still puzzled. She had never thought the Hakkai could have relationship with such weird families.

"And, where is she now?" David interrupted from behind.

Ellidyr did not answer but laughed instead as the kitchen door slammed open and Sanzo barged in with Hakkai in his arms. Sanzo's face was pale like as if he had seen a ghost.

"She's here, alright," Ellidyr said.

"What are you talking about!" Sanzo shrieked as he quickly locked the door behind him. "There is a maniac looking girl outside there who would not stop following us!"

"How could you call my sister a maniac!" Ellidyr said, almost in tears.

Sanzo left Hakkai to Yaone and peeped through the hole of the thick door. "She is mad!"

"Mad?" The girl's voice suddenly appeared from behind and almost gave Sanzo a heart attack.

"H… How did you get in here?!" The young lord shrieked.

The girl ignored him and walked through all of them towards the unconscious count.

"Stop her!" Sanzo yelled. "She is going to harm him!"

"Harm?" Ellidyr repeated. "What are you saying? Elena is well known by her fellow friends and families for her ability to see and heal illness. Seriously, I do think you friend does really need help."

Yaone caressed Hakkai's forehead gently with her fingers. "Sanzo, what happened?" She asked shakily.

End of chapter…