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Chapter 3: Settled…Safely?
As Saix guided them through the castle halls, there were many questions that were raised in Mary's mind that she couldn't shake off no matter what she tried. Though she did want to simply be grateful for the unexpected rescue and the bizarre hospitality of the master of Hollow Bastion, there were still negative feelings knocking in her conscience, nagging that there was something completely off about everything. For one thing, when Xemnas offered to let them stay in his castle until another transporter could be found, she couldn't help questioning why he would have them shelter here for about a week. Secondly, what kind of a man was he? What man would say he already dined, or has withdrawn from wine for that matter? Something was going on, but she couldn't figure out what it is.
Her thoughts were interrupted when everyone stopped at a section of the hall, and Saix opened a door close to him, leading to a rather nice bedroom fit for an expected guest.
"Perhaps this room would be fitting for at least two of you," he said plainly.
Jane and Caroline stepped inside to take a look around the room they were offered for themselves. It was a simple bedroom with two beds nestled side by side, a vanity table seated across the beds decorated with old-fashioned cosmetic containers and hairbrushes of varying styles and use; the drapery and the carpets were severely faded and starting to wear down, but still managed to maintain a small sense of dignity from the old ages. Candlesticks also were scattered around the room, some of them having candles that have already been melted down from long periods of use.
"Well, it's doesn't look like what we're expecting, but I suppose it will have to do," Caroline commented.
"What she means to say is that this room is very suitable," Jane explained, meaning to prevent any offense.
Saix gave a curt nod in approval. "Excellent…"
Without any other comment, he moved on from that room and led Mary and Mina further down the hall until they turned a corner to a few more doors. He stopped at the first door, and opened it to show another bedroom awaiting a guest.
"Perhaps this room will be more suitable for you, Mary Chastain," Saix said without giving any details.
Mary carefully went inside her intended bedroom, and got to take a good look at what was presented to her. It was a room slightly more ornate than that of her older sisters' guest rooms, with a bed surrounded by faded drapes and a table next to it (a rather nice place to put a book down when someone gets tired after reading a while) bearing a single candlestick; across from the bed is a table with a few hairbrushes and two more singular candlesticks, and a sitting stool placed near the table ready for use. But what Mary's room had that the first room didn't was a small shelf of books neatly arranged together.
"Wow…I'll admit, it looks quite hospitable," Mary admitted, "I guess it'll do."
Saix, however, made no comment on her opinion of her lodging and moved on with Mina following close behind him. But before Mina disappeared from sight, Mary poked her head out to say something.
"You be careful, Mina, for our sake," Mary whispered loud enough for only her youngest sister to hear.
Mina gave her a nod, even though she wasn't sure what her older sister was talking about, before she hurried a bit to keep with the guide.
In her case, Mina was led further down the hall until they reached an ornate, well-treated door nestled carefully into the farthest part of the winding hallway. She couldn't help but wonder why a door like that would be far off from all the other doors scattered around the place, or kept thoroughly in great care for that matter.
But as they stopped by the door, Saix opened it wide and gestured her to enter inside to see what was offered.
"I presume you will find this room more suitable on your part," he said plainly.
Shyly and cautiously, Mina entered the room she was offered, and was quite surprised at what it was like inside. The bedroom was grand and beautiful despite how faded the furniture became, with a single canopy bed set near the window to the balcony and a small table that can hold smaller objects of one's choosing; on the other side of the room was a vanity table much like the ones her sisters were given, but more ornately crafted with floral motifs, holding a wide array of brushes for her use as well as perfume jars and very small candlesticks at their designated places. Also settled next to the vanity table is a small shelf with old books and antiquities neatly arranged against each other, as though someone intended it more for décor than actual utility. Set right between the bed and table were two portraits, one which was a young lady of radiant beauty from what seems to be ages ago and another was a an unknown, faceless individual that cannot be recognized – a rather stark contrast, but nonetheless stood out within the already decorative bedroom.
"It's rather lovely, but isn't it a bit much in comparison to my sisters?" Mina had to ask, "I mean, surely this room was meant for someone else, am I wrong?"
"This room once belonged to someone of importance in Hollow Bastion. It's because of that the master keeps this room carefully attended in case anyone special among our guests require the best," Saix answered bluntly.
"And who was this 'someone of importance'?" Mina asked.
Saix looked at her like she was asking the wrong person. "Only the master can answer that question for you."
Without another word, the man with the scar turned and walked away from the halls, vanishing without a trace and leaving the curious girl confused about what she had heard.
The night was reaching its peak, and Xemnas knew this as he watched the beasts of the night scour the wild forests for any foolish prey that dare tread their territory. It gave him pleasure to see the cover of night ruled by creatures as terrifying as the nightmares within a weak psyche, but nothing made him feel greater than knowing he has found something new to observe.
Just then, his right hand man returned under the cover of an eerie blue mist, still grasping the candlestick he used to guide the guests to their rooms.
"All of the Chastain sisters have been shown to their own rooms, as you requested," he gave the rundown of the situation, "They should be settled in right now, Master Xemnas. If I may, how shall we proceed with them from here on in?"
Xemnas said nothing for a moment, but then answered, "Keep a close eye on each of them, Saix. It would be best to know how each woman works before making a verdict on them. But until then, maintain hospitality with them. We don't want to frighten them off by luring them in too hastily, now don't we?"
Saix shook his head in agreement. "We certainly do not want that. I'll keep an eye on them, my lord." But then, something piqued his curiosity. "Pardon my asking, Lord Xemnas, is there someone among the sisters that fascinates you?"
The master sighed deeply as he replied, "It seems…that there is one that has caught my eye. The youngest of the four, Mina…Her face bears much resemblance. You've noticed, too, have you not? The innocent looked so much like her…like the one I lost so long ago…"
The blue-haired follower knew that his master has wandered in his own thoughts when his voice trailed off, and decided that it would be best to leave and tend to the orders given to him. Without another word, Saix left the room and disappeared into the darkness with no trace of him to be seen.
When he was gone, Xemnas walked across the room until he approached what appeared to be part of the wall; then, he reached for an unlit branch of the candlestick, pulled it down, and let the hidden door open wide to reveal a secret passage concealed within the walls. From there, he stepped inside the passage and walked through the dimly lit halls hidden from view, looking around as though searching for something; but then, after a long walk through the winding hall, he stopped before a blank canvas framed on one side of the wall and opened up a latch that revealed holes small enough for anyone to look through and observe without being detected too easily.
The master peeked through the holes and watched the innocent brunette look around the room a moment with curiosity, noticing how she would look around to make sure nobody is spying on her most rudely. Any woman would do that since they don't favor being watched by dirty eyes filled with disrespectful desire, but in her case, the reason for her search was far different than anyone else; perhaps she is wondering if she has an admirer, or she dislikes stalkers. Who would know? Indeed, it certainly brought back an old memory in his mind as Xemnas closed his eyes to relive a piece of his former life…
Flashback – Centuries Ago…
Within the carefully concealed passage, Xemnas had a strong urge of curiosity as he opened the latch on the canvas and gazed through the holes to find out what his new foreign guest was doing. As soon as he did, he could see a beautiful but rather fragile young woman just about to settle herself to bed…but immediately stopped as her eyes looked around with the feeling she was being watched somewhere within the area.
He kept watching the woman as she stood up and carefully scanned the entire bedroom, all the while allowing him a clearer view of the fragile beauty presented to him from the other side of the wall. Though thin in physique, her skin was fair and radiant like a flower newly blossomed into maturity, and her face was almost as though the legendary fae carved it together so delicately and perfectly; and her brown hair, how silky it looked, arguably could be able to compete with the smooth weavings of countless silkworm's threads and possibly put them all to shame. Honestly, just watching her move with an unparalleled grace no other woman could do if it'd save their lives was simply too much for his noble mind to even comprehend.
The viewing went on until it was noticed that the fair woman turned her attention to where the portraits would be, and walked over to see who's there. Then, to his surprise, she showed a knowing smile and tapped against the wall like she's trying to get a reaction from the other side.
"I know you're watching me, stranger," she said as she tried to get a better view, "If you want to talk to me, why don't you come out?"
Stunned at the awareness, he couldn't help but back away from the peepholes as though he didn't want to found. But oh, was she persistent.
"So, who is it that's eyeing me from back there? Is it the host who graciously opened his doors to unlucky souls such as me?" the lady asked with curiosity.
What should he do? What should he say? He felt frozen in his tracks.
"…Yes. It is your host, my lady," he answered unknowingly.
The lady chuckled lightly at the answer she was given. "You know, you could just come in and talk to me directly if you want something. It would be easier that way."
Xemnas opened his eyes once again as he closed the doors to his memories, and resumed viewing the guest in the room. She had just settled to bed, blissfully sleeping in innocence in the midst of the gloomy atmosphere present around her. It was a wonder to him as to how such a person would enter his dark and unwelcoming world, but what did that matter? He knows what he desires, and when he has the chance, he will know whether he can seize the object of his longing.
Mary didn't feel tired at first. There were many things on her mind, especially the question as to how she and her sisters are going to reach Twilight Town since their own stagecoach is trapped in the middle of nowhere.
It was true that Xemnas, the master of Hollow Bastion, granted them rather nice rooms to stay in until other options for transport could be found. But why do that if he has a coach of his own, especially since it was used by Xigbar to retrieve from the unruly countryside they were travelling in? That was a question in which she had no answer to.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she would hear the faint sound of a thunderstorm from a distance, and the window near the vanity table began to creak and sway in the wind in an unsettling fashion. Whether it was because the windows themselves have been uncared for over the years or the elements did most of the dirty work, she didn't have the faintest idea; but she didn't want to be bothered by the wind blowing through the room and putting her in complete darkness (she had a few candles lit in order to see better), so she walked over to the window and struggled to get it shut tightly so that nothing can get inside.
But as she was closing the window, however, Mary immediately noticed the vague silhouette of Saix walking around the courtyard below as though he was checking for any intruders poking through the ancient walls. He kept looking around the area diligently until he was sure that there was nothing at each section that could be perceived as a threat to the dissonant serenity surrounding Hollow Bastion. But when he approached one of the nearest tower walls, Mary watched as he did something that widened her eyes in shock: Saix walked toward the walls as though meaning to go through, but then he started walking on the walls like it was a normal thing! And she thought that spiders were the only things capable of doing that!
Not wanting to get caught spying, Mary quickly shut the window and locked it, paranoid that someone might've noticed her watching. But despite her shock at the crazy sight she saw, she couldn't help but think that such feats were not possible in actuality.
I must be seeing things; she kept thinking to herself, I must've been drugged by something back in the dining room. What other explanation is there?
All this stressful thinking made her want to just close her eyes and sleep it all off, hoping that she could forget about what she saw and think about how she and her sisters are going to be able to head to Twilight Town as they were supposed to. However, as she slipped into bed and began to succumb to sleep, Mary didn't know that the same man she saw outside in the courtyard had just taken note of her before disappearing under the cover of the night to attend to other matters of importance.