Hello Everyone! The time has come. The daughters are finally in the village and ready to cause some destruction. Meanwhile, Charlotte's identity is questioned by her saviors. I hope you all enjoy! RUMBLING! RUMBLING! BEWARE!
Down in the village all was peaceful and calm. The villagers going about with their normal morning routines. Working in their fields, stores and whatever other jobs they attended to.
Unbeknownst to them three figures in dark dresses with hoods stood on a nearby rooftop and were watching them. Eyes glued to the center of the village where a statue of a horse and rider stood. That was where the majority of people were concentrated.
"Remember, Sisters, one hour and we meet back at the gate with the four maidens. And since we failed to have breakfast, you may dine on the morsels below, understood?"
"Yes," Daniela said, gazing around to find who her first victim would be.
"Cassandra?" Bela said.
"I hear you," she said, her eyes already on her first victim, a young woman carrying a small crying child.
"Good," she grinned. "Have at it."
They flew off in different directions, Cassandra swooping straight for the woman with the child. Snatching the child first and biting straight into its throat before she attacked the woman. All fell silent amongst the villagers, who stood and watched in horror as this young woman was consuming the other woman.
A scream then broke out not too far away. Clearly caused by either Bela or Daniela it did not matter. The scream was what shattered the stillness. Soon all the villagers were running. Screaming and yelling: "MONSTERS! MONSTERS! GET INSIDE!"
Cassandra laughed madly, flying after whomever she could get her hands on. Enjoying the fear in their eyes. Their pleas of mercy. Begging for her to let them go. To spare their miserable lives.
She moaned in ecstasy at it all. Their pain and fear. She wanted it all!
"More! Give me more!" she laughed, soaring after a boy no older than ten who had no chance of escaping. He tripping over a bucket and crashed to the ground.
"No! Mommy!" he cried out.
"Mommy cannot save you," Cassandra taunted, smiling down at the boy with bloodstained teeth and even more blood dripping off her face. "No one can save you!" she hoisted the boy up into the air and bit right into his throat.
He screamed and kicked at her as she drained him, but it was hopeless and in seconds he had gone completely limp.
"So delicious," Cassandra giggled, throwing his corpse away. "Now who is next?"
On the opposite side of where Cassandra was causing mayhem, Daniela had stayed close to Bela. Watching her older sister consume a young woman. No nonsense. She quickly grabbed hold of the blood bag and took her blood. Graceful as ever, she then cleaned her face with a cloth, and turned her focus over to Daniela.
"Mommy."
Both sisters attention went to a little child no older than six hiding behind a barrel. Tears flowing down her cheeks as she trembled from head to toe.
"Oh no, that is too bad," Bela said indifferently. "Go on and take her, Daniela."
"Very well." Daniela approached the little girl, who shrank away from her. Daniela knelt down and offered out her hand to the girl. At first she didn't move, but when Daniela presented to her a smile, the little girl took her hand. "There, there now. Everything will be just fine. I promise. Hey! Would you like to be my little sister?"
The little girl slowly nodded.
"Okay, but I must do one small thing in order for that to happen. Then you and I will be sisters forever."
Bela watched her sister in silence. The way she killed the child. In a bizarre way it was almost like she was trying to be kind. Not wanting the little one to suffer any more than what was necessary. The girl had not cried out. She silently slipped away as Daniela took her blood. Setting her down where she had originally been behind the barrel and turning back to her sister, smiling.
Bela smiled and gave her a nod. Pleased to see her feeding. It was a wonderful treat for their mother to allow them this opportunity. Another area of growth for both Cassandra and Daniela, though Bela knew Cassandra would be much more difficult to teach these lessons, too.
"Are you still hungry?"
"I am," Daniela said truthfully.
"Very well. We shall find another morsel for you."
It did not take them long. Working as a unit, as what their mother was beginning to teach them, the two managed to chase the woman down a path that led to nowhere. Cornered and alone, she was helpless as Bela grabbed her and slit her throat with a knife.
"Go ahead, Daniela."
"Thank you, Bela." Daniela consuming the blood as it poured out of the woman's jugular.
"Now, we best begin our search for the four maidens. I am sure Cassandra will be too busy doing other things to help us. So, it is up to us."
Daniela nodded her head, finishing her meal when Bela's head whipped up towards the sound of church bells and screaming.
"Cassandra," she growled.
Daniela looked up, too. Her mouth and chin dripping with the woman's blood, she narrowed her eyes at the harsh sound of the bells.
"What is that awful sound?" Daniela said, lips peeling back in a snarl.
"We best go and see. No doubt it is Cassandra causing the ruckus."
{…}
Charlotte went rigid when the stillness was shattered by screaming. From where she stood she could not see anything. She was tempted to jump out the window, but the bedroom door burst open.
"Charlotte! Close the window and follow me."
"Myra? What is going on?"
"Monsters."
"What monsters?"
"Please, we must hide in the cellar. We will be safe down there."
Charlotte trotting behind Myra as she led her down a short hall, the two stopped in front of a single door that had a strange symbol painted white on it. Wait, why did that symbol look familiar?
"You first, Charlotte."
Myra flicking on a switch to give them light to see, Charlotte walked down the stairs first. The cellar very cool and a much needed relief from the heat, but still. She could not fight the chill that lingered in her body. Something more was happening out there. Could it be a creature like the one she had seen before attacking? Or could it be something from the castle?
"Charlotte."
She turned and spotted Katja seated in a chair in the corner of the room. She motioned for her to sit with her. The chair big enough for two, Charlotte lowered herself down, continued to ponder what the danger outside could be.
"Mother, what about Father?"
Myra did not answer, she clearly just as concerned remained close to the stairs with a baseball bat in hand. Not much good that would do, but if it made her feel safer Charlotte was not about to criticize.
"Does this happen often?" Charlotte inquired.
"No," Myra looked over at her. "I mean, there have been disappearances, but they were all accidents."
"How do you know that?" Charlotte said, not believing anything here was an 'accident'.
"Because Mother Miranda would never do us harm. Never. She protects all who are faithful, and those who are not wind up punished."
"Mother Miranda…" Charlotte said.
"Do you think we have all done something to anger her?" Katja said. "Is that why we are being attacked? The reason why Abi died?"
"We are not to discuss your sister, Katja," Myra said sharply. "You already know the story and we have paid our dues for that. No…, someone must have done something to anger her."
Charlotte swallowed, starting to feel rather uncomfortable. There was no doubt in her mind it had to be Lady Dimitrescu. Had she sent minions to find her? Or perhaps the creature had reported her to Mother Miranda, which was the reason why the villagers were being attacked now!
"Char? You okay?"
"Yes," she released a shaky breath. "Just a little stressed."
Myra smiled at her.
"It will be all right, my child. You are safe here. We are protected by Mother Miranda, in fact, we should pray to her now. Come."
Katja got right up from her seat.
"Come on," she said, taking Charlotte's hand and leading her over to Myra.
"You know the prayer, I presume?"
"Yes," Charlotte said, biting the inside of her cheek.
"Would you like to lead us, then?"
"Me?" Charlotte blanched.
"Oh, may I do it, Mother? I never get to."
Myra sighed.
"Very well."
Katja cleared her throat, all taking hands and closing their eyes as she began to recite the prayer.
Charlotte whispering and speaking the words as best she could, cautiously opened one eye and trembled to see Myra staring directly at her.
"…. We give glory, Mother Miranda."
Charlotte did not move, nor did Myra as they faced one another. Waiting…
"Well," she finally spoke. "You take a seat. I will go upstairs and see what is happening."
"Mother!" Katja said in alarm.
"Do not worry, my darling, I will be right back."
Charlotte watched her go with a feeling of growing unease. Once the door slammed shut from above, she started to eye around for any way out or even a weapon to use.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine," Charlotte shot her a forced smile. "I just do better walking about. Helps to ease my fear."
"Mother will be back shortly."
'Great…'
{-}
Church had just started. All the congregation filed in and took their seats. The reverend standing at the head and held a bible, raised his hands into the air for silence.
"All rise as we will begin with the sacred prayer to Mother Miranda and the four lords."
Closing their eyes all chanted the words together. Amid the prayer the sound of bugs filled the church.
A few of the people swatted at their necks. Waving the vermin away as they buzzed about their heads.
"Praise thee. Amen."
"Amen!"
All sat back down.
"Please get out your books and turned to page 34," the Reverend said.
The mass picked up their books and were turning the pages. The majority now swatting at themselves as more bugs attacked them.
"Reverend, may we close the doors? We are being eaten alive by these bugs."
"Of course," he said. "Though it may become stuffy in here quickly."
"I rather die of the heat than of the bugs," one man said.
Which was answered by a few chuckles. Along with a light girlish giggle. The young woman sat in the back of the church. She was wearing a black dress with matching gloves, but what made it all the stranger was the hood that hid her face.
All around her people were swatting at themselves as the Reverend started to read from the page. All completely oblivious. Suddenly the young woman rose out of her seat. The Reverend finishing up the page looked up and immediately dropped the book, his face twitching or rather it was his skin.
The confusion amongst the people spread quickly. Uncertain what was causing the Reverend to look so pained as he scratched rigorously at his face, groaning in pain as he kept digging at his face, which had brought about blood.
"Reverend? Is everything all right?" one man inquired, beginning to rise when the Reverend started to choke. He reached for his throat, coughing violently. "Reverend!" the man and a few others approached him. His condition worsening by the second. "Reverend? Can you hear me?"
His eyes bulged and when he opened his mouth, a swarm of bugs flew out, burrowing themselves into the men. They screamed out in pain and terror, clawing and hitting at themselves.
There was a moment silence from the rest of the congregation. All staring at the Reverend who lay lifeless on the ground, blood dripping out of his mouth and eyes where the bugs had escaped. It took one scream to cause the rest of the mass to leap out of their seats and run for the doors, but there was no escape. The doors had been blocked by a swarm of the bugs. Unable to go near them some of the people started to break the windows, but that proved useless as the insects bared down on them as well.
"You blood bags," Cassandra giggled, standing now at the head of the church. "You are so fascinating… and so very stupid."
Bodies littered the floor as the bugs continued to slaughter all in their path.
"What is happening?" a young girl cried, she hiding underneath a bench with her mother and sister.
"Shh," the child's mother covered her mouth. Her gaze meeting her eldest's, observing the same fear she felt within. "It will be all right." She wrapped her arm around both her children and pulled them in close. Placing a loving kiss to her temple. "Everything will be fine."
The girl could not speak. She merely buried her face into her mother's shoulder and closed her eyes. Listening as the church grew quieter and quieter until there were no more screams. Save the whimpering of a few others who were still alive and one more sound.
Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
"Father. Father please wake up."
The three could see from where they lay the heels of the young woman. Stepping over the bodies and approaching the child.
"Shh, Tanya," the child's mother whispered, trembling from head to toe as the young woman now stood in front of her. "W-why? Why did you kill my husband? All the men?"
"Because I have no need for them, nor does my mother," Cassandra said, eyeing around at the other women. A total of eight. No. There were three hiding under the bench… eleven in total. Not bad. "If you wish to live, get up!"
All obeyed her command save the mother and her children under the bench.
"Oh little piggies, little piggies! You best come out from under there this instant, or else I may be forced to do something very drastic."
"Mother," the youngest child squeaked, tears pouring down her cheeks.
The mother's grip on her children tightened at the sound of the hellish heels coming back towards them.
"Mmm yes." Cassandra inhaled sharply. "Oh yes! I can smell your terror. The more terror coursing through your veins, the better the blood tastes; I want it. I want it all!" she licked her lips. "Oh, but that's right… I almost forgot. Mother wanted us to collect four morsels to be prepared for her special brew… What a snare we have hit in the hunt. Shall I bring you all back home with me? Or only four?"
The eldest daughter closed her eyes, praying the young woman would just leave.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Crash!
The sound of the wooden benches breaking and snapping made her blood turn cold, a whimper escaping her at the sight of the heels once again. They had been discovered. The creature kicked the bench away, her pale face now covered in fresh blood smiling down at her.
"Hello, hello."
The girl could not tear her eyes off Cassandra. Never before had she seen anything like this before. The violence and carnage she had created without a care. The blood of her friend's and neighbor's stained her lips and face. There were other women, too, who were cowering away from Cassandra. Mother's holding their crying children. Older women attempting to comfort the mother's.
"No…" a woman was wailing, staring at her lifeless husband who was being devoured by the bugs.
Cassandra laughed at her when she abruptly stopped at the sound of one of the babies wailing. The sound cutting straight into her ear drums and making her shriek in rage.
"Shut that thing up now! I said now!" she stormed over to the helpless mother, snatching the child right out of her arms.
"No! Please!"
Snap!
Silence.
Cassandra had broken its neck, dropping it down on the floor.
"You best keep those things quiet until we reach the castle, or else I will slaughter the rest here and now, and speaking of which…" Cassandra eyed over the women closely. "I fear Mother will disapprove of you two." She was pointing to the two elderly women. "You are far too old. She needs young blood."
Cassandra was upon them in a flash. Fingers wrapped around their thin, veiny throats.
Crack!
The old women were dead before their bodies hit the floor.
"If only Mother were not so picky with her food. Oh well. We are down to nine women, but perhaps we can narrow it down to an even smaller number." Cassandra turned her sights over to the two girl's mother. The three were standing close to the back door, the mother reaching behind herself in an effort to open the door knob, but of course there was no escape. The only way for them to escape was if Cassandra allowed it.
"You. Come to me." Cassandra pointed to the mother.
She did not move.
"All right, I will go to you. Either way the end is all the same."
"No!" the eldest bellowed, not even thinking about what she was doing as she charged for Cassandra.
"Seras!" the mother screamed.
"You will not touch her!"
"You have spirit, little piggy!" Cassandra laughed, grabbing Seras around the throat and hoisting her up into the air. "But that will not be enough to save her." Slamming her down against the floor, Cassandra materialized directly in front of Seras' mother. "Now then."
The world slowed to a crawl. Seras watched on as the creature snatched their mother up by the throat.
"R-run girls," she gasped. "You must run!"
"Pathetic," Cassandra sniffed, eyeing the bone necklace around the mother's neck. "What is this?" she snatched the necklace and examined it closely. "Is this a pendant or something meant to protect you?" she threw it away and without any hesitation bit straight into her throat.
Seras' ears were ringing. She did not hear her sister screaming for their mother. Unable to accept this was really occurring. No this was all a terrible nightmare and she would awaken. Her mother's face staring down at her lovingly. Telling her she had a bad dream and all would be well.
"Delicious!"
"MOTHER!"
"You want her back? Fine." Cassandra laughed, tossing her body back at Seras' little sister. Her blood spurting from the open wound and hitting Seras in the face.
"R-r-un," their mother gasped.
"Let's see."
All around her the dying screams of the others filled the church. Seras covered her ears, her own screams joining the chorus, while the youngest continued to just stare in silence at their mother's body.
How could this be happening? How was it they were all together so happy and gay. To…to… this carnage. Such barbaric violence she had never thought anyone was capable of. The smell of blood was what began to bring Seras back to reality. To realize that only six women remained.
"That shall suffice enough," Cassandra giggled. "Time to take you back to the castle. Won't that be a treat for me. I return with you six to Mother first. Bela will be beside herself with jealousy. Ha!" she gazed around at her prey. "You!" she pointed at Seras. "And you two. Carry the dead wailing things. They will be an extra present for Mother, though she would probably have preferred them alive still… Oh well."
The two did as they were told. Their countenance blank almost as if they were zombies, but Seras did not stir. That was until Cassandra kicked her straight in the stomach, sending her flying forwards.
Seras gasped for air, landing in a puddle of blood that stained her new dress.
"Get up! All of you! And do not even think of attempting escape. Not unless you want to wind up like your friends here."
The group filed out the single door. Cassandra walking up and down the line, monitoring them very closely as they neared the castle gates. Never once did she stop grinning with triumph. Sensing her sisters' were heading in her direction. Finally she had gained the upper hand on Bela. Finally their mother would see she was far superior than Queen B.
"Hurry up!" Cassandra barked at them, stopping at the gates and watching her prey already entering through the gate and shuffling closer and closer to the bridge. "My moment has fina—"
Thwack!
Cassandra vanished, reappearing with her teeth bared in fury at what had attacked her.
"How dare you!?" she glanced at the strange stick that had gone through her now embedded in the wood behind her. It had three feathers on one end and a sharp point on the other. Never had she seen anything like it before. "Who dares challenge me? Do you not know who I am?! I am Cassandra Dimitrescu, second eldest daughter of Lady Alcina Dimitrescu! Come out and face me you bastard!" Her eyes flashed as she looked around the area.
Whoosh!
Another arrow went whizzing passed her face, catching some of her bugs save one. Unnoticed by Cassandra it had been scratched by the arrowhead and was flying back to its hostess. Merging with Cassandra, the brunette continued to bark out at her enemy when she suddenly went rigid.
Wait!
She was feeling pain?! What was this. Nothing had touched her? So why the hell was she feeling so much pain?
Her head was starting to spin. She could not understand what was happening, which continued to further fuel her rage. How could she have been wounded? Nothing was supposed to be able to do she or her siblings any bodily harm, so why?
She looked up and watched the sun disappear behind grey clouds. She had not been aware of the change. She could already feel the cold coming down from the mountains in full force. They had been out for too long. Or rather the weather had changed so quickly… so this was why their mother did not want them going outside. The reason the cold affected them. She could feel herself weakening.
{-}
The shattering of glass from upstairs made both Katja and Charlotte look up. The next was the sound of heavy footsteps booming back and forth. Katja rose up from her seat and approached the stairs.
"What is going on up there?"
"Shall we go and see?" Charlotte said, not wanting to linger here any longer.
"I think Mother locked the door."
"Only one way to see." Charlotte slowly walked up the steps, cringing whenever one of the steps creaked, she finally got the door and started to reach for the knob.
"She is an outsider, Rowan! She did not know the prayer! She is the reason why there is disorder here. Why creatures are attacking!"
"Even if she is an outsider it does not matter to me, Myra! She was injured and needed help. Did you expect me to just leave her to die? I do not believe that is the will of Mother Miranda. Our benevolent ruler would not forsake anyone."
"If that is so than why are we being attacked now? Clearly Mother Miranda is displeased with us! You saved her and now look what has happened."
'These people are mad,' Charlotte thought to herself, taking a step back from the doorway. 'If the rest of the villagers get it in their heads I am responsible, I will be lynched.'
"… come along Myra. We best get downstairs and wait for this to finish. We will continue this conversation later."
The sound of their footsteps got Charlotte bolting back down the steps just as the door opened.
"Katja."
"Father!" Katja hugged her father, relieved he had made it home safely.
"And you must be Charlotte. I am glad to see you are back on your feet."
"Thanks to you," Charlotte said, trying not to look at Myra.
"Father, do you know what is happening outside?"
"Nothing to worry about, sweet pea, just a few villagers having a misunderstanding."
Charlotte watched on in disapproval. Why would he keep the truth from her? More brainwashing? Keep the truth from her and for what? To keep her loyal to Mother Miranda. To not question what was really going on in this village? That would only put Katja in danger. If she were to encounter Lady Dimitrescu, her daughters, or the creature she met that night… Charlotte shook her head. What did it matter? There was no saving these people was there? Was her goal of saving them merely a pipe dream?