Hi everyone!
Thank you all for dropping in and reading my story. This tale is part two of my first story: Family is Forever. It takes place sometime after Alcina inherits the castle. It will begin with her meeting three individuals who may or may not become her new daughters.
Thank you again for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Please leave reviews; I love to hear what you guys think.
In the bowels of her castle, Alcina stood in front of the cell containing the fresh delivery. With her experienced eyes, she knew right away six would be used for her wine; however, the remaining three held her gaze. They were seated up against the far wall, huddled together. They were covered in mud and other grime Alcina did not want to think about, but looking past all that muck was an intensity in each of their faces.
'They do not appear to fear me. Not like these other sniveling blood bags here. There is something different about them. I see a combination of defiance and…, is it curiosity in their expressions?'
Her heart fluttered with renewed hope. Excitement uplifting her spirits when she unlocked the cell door to observe the three girls did not flinch. Unlike the other girls who backed away to stay out of her reach. Begging and crying.
"You three." Alcina motioned for the three girls to come to her.
They exchanged looks to one another and then stood up on shaking legs, walking out of the cell. Alcina anticipating for them to make a run for it, and fully prepared to stop them with a single strike with her claws, she was greatly surprised when they all stopped and stared up at her, waiting patiently for the next direction.
"This way girls. I will have you all cleaned up once we get upstairs," she said, locking the cell door and leading the way.
They were completely silent as they followed her, Alcina casting glances over her shoulder to make sure they were still behind her, she couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. They walked in single file, holding hands. Gazing around every time they would enter a new part of the castle. She had even caught snatches of conversation between them.
And when they entered into the Main Hall, Alcina noticed all three stop dead in their tracks and stare up at the chandelier.
"I know," she said, smiling when they all looked at her. "I had the exact same reaction when I first saw it. The castle has been around far longer than I have resided here. And in that time I have had to do plenty of renovations."
One specific renovation was making more bathrooms and bedchambers, especially now that she was to be expanding her family, she would need to create enough space for them. On she led the girls into a dining hall, where the smell of food was being prepared. She observed the girls inhaling the aroma of herbs and spices in the air. A roast being cooked in the oven; they were nearly drooling.
"Lady Dimitrescu!"
She glanced over at the doorway to see the Grand Chambermaid, Anya, exiting the room out of breath.
"Anya, I am glad you are here. I need you to prepare for them a bath. They are to be washed and dressed. Once that has been finished, escort them back down into the dining room. They are to join me for supper."
"Yes, my lady," she said, staring at the girls in wonder as to who they were and where they came from. "Right, this way you three."
They did not budge.
"Go on now," Alcina cooed.
Once the order was given, the three girls followed after Anya, all the while Alcina stared after them with a growing smile on her lips. Once they had disappeared up the stairs, Alcina entered into the courtyard and to her personal chamber. She wanted to call and thank Mother Miranda for sending them here, and also to get more information on them.
She could not get over how obedient they were and already they acted as though they belonged to her. Part of her. She considered Mother Miranda had already done something to them to make them act this way, but Alcina did not believe that to be the case. Then again, Mother Miranda was just as unpredictable as herself.
Alcina reached her bedchamber and dialed the number. The phone rang and rang, but there was no answer.
"Strange," she said, hanging up the phone. "Well, it does not matter anyway. I must begin preparations…"
{-}
"My, my," Anya said, admiring the three girls who stood clean and in fresh dresses. "Who would have thought underneath all that grime we would find three lovely young ladies." She looked over to the clock. "Though it did take longer than I wanted, it is time we meet with Lady Dimitrescu in the dining hall. This way."
They marched down the hallway after the woman, two of the girls beginning to giggle and talk softly to one another, the third girl cast a glance back at them with a hard expression.
The two fell silent only to start again when she turned her back on them, but as soon as the smell of the food from earlier hit their nostrils, they fell silent.
"Well, well," Alcina rose from her seat, taking in the girls' beauty. "Please have a seat. Dinner is just about ready to be served. I have also come to the realization I neglected to give you my name. I am Lady Alcina Dimitrescu, Tsar of the Castle Dimitrescu. I am sure you are filled with an abundance of questions, and I myself have questions for the three of you as well, but first off what I inquire are your names."
"Lady Dimitrescu," the girl seated in the middle said, bowing her head. "My name is Sybilla. My sister Vivian is to my left and Ezrabeth to my right."
Alcina nodded her head, pleased to find they were indeed siblings. It would make the transition all the more easier.
"I take it you are the eldest, Sybilla," Alcina said.
"Yes, my lady," she said. "And if you grant me, may I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Alcina said, the servers beginning to come around and fill their glasses with wine. Vivian quickly snatching up the glass, sniffed the aroma and took a sip, smacking her lips in approval.
"Why are you treating us like guests? I mean, I thought we were meant to be the servants here. That is what the man told us anyway."
"That stupid man was greatly mistaken. You see, my dears, I have a /very/ keen eye when it comes to determining who has great potential. You were brought here under the impression you would be nothing more than servants…," Or food… she thought to herself, continuing. "But when I saw you three I knew right away you were the ones I have been looking for."
"What do you mean?" Vivian said, already having finished her glass of wine and was being poured seconds.
"You will all serve directly under me and will be treated as part of my family. You will have power to command the servants and all those who reside in the village, and I will give you a proper education."
The sisters looked at one another in shock. To think they had spent countless nights sleeping underneath bridges, abandoned houses, or forced to sleep outdoors. Half starving and uncertain if they would live to see the sun rise the next day. Then came along a goddess, a true goddess, who plucked them off the road and had them sent to this castle.
'The castle will be your haven,' the goddess had promised. 'The lady of the castle will take you in and treat you with more kindness than you three have ever known in all your short lives. She will care and protect you…'
Sybilla was skeptical of her words, however, at the sight of her sisters who were nothing but skin and bone, she knew they had no other options. Taking their hands she followed the goddess to where a man had stood waiting beside a large carriage. This carriage also contained other girls, too, who looked just as awful as themselves.
No one had spoken. All eyes glued out the window as the castle had loomed over them in all its commanding and terrifying glory.
Sybilla had her arms tightly wrapped around her sisters, who were squished up beside her. None bothered to look at the window, deciding it was better to not know the true terror of what may be awaiting them.
The carriage came to a grinding halt. The carriage driver opening the door where three hooded figures and another man were waiting with cuffs in their hands.
"Out," he snapped.
The girls had gotten out single file, trembling as the hooded figures placed the cuffs on them and led them down a flight of steps. The room was poorly lit by candles and a foul stench filled the air.
One of the girls had screamed as a rat skittered past her foot.
"Sybilla," Ezrabeth had whispered behind her. "Where are they taking us? What are they going to do with us?"
Sybilla could not answer her, for she obviously knew absolutely nothing. Instead she gave her sister a reassured smile, catching Vivian's eye and seeing her just shake her head in dismay.
After thirty minutes of walking through the dark labyrinth they entered into a dungeon. From there the cuffs were taken off and they had been shoved into their cell.
Many of the girls had begun to panic once the group had left. Claiming they were left their to die, or would be taken out and experimented on.
"Do you think they are right?" Ezrabeth had asked.
"No," Sybilla had said firmly, wrapping her arms around her sisters once again. "The goddess promised us we would be safe, did she not?"
"I didn't think you believed in her," Vivian had said.
"Considering our situation now and all we have been through up to this point, I think we need to have something to believe in to give us hope, and her words are what give me hope…"
Sybilla removed herself from her thoughts and stared straight at Alcina, tears in her eyes.
"How can I ever repay you?"
"No payment is required, Sybilla," she hummed, no payment in currency anyway…
The kitchen doors then burst open as the servants brought in the meal. The girls looking about ready to tackle the poor servers for the food, all paused their conversation and looked to Alcina, who nodded in affirmation they could eat.
'Life is returning into them.' She thought to herself.
Their faces were already filling with color as they ate and drank their fill. Talking and giggling as if they had lived here all along. Alcina reached up and touched her heart.
'The emptiness I have felt for so long. I can feel it leaving me and in its place are these three, and thanks to Akila's sacrifice I now know what I must do…'
But there was one thing that Alcina had intentionally neglected to tell them…
The only way they would be able to live in the castle with her: the parasite.
Author Notes:
I wanted to let you guys know that the symbol {-} means a short lapse in time. {…} means a long lapse in time.
I hope you guys liked the first chapter. You will learn more about who Akila was in the next chapter.