A/N: Hey! Please forgive my horrible lateness with this chapter. My summer has been certainly been...unusual. But now that things have settled down, I was able to write this out. *bows* thank you so much everyone for you reviews. Really, they make me want to write and update asap! Honestly, the really do motivate quite a lot! Thank you all for reading and please continue to. I love angst by the way...so all good things come to those who wait...which means that I want to set up some pent up frustration between Bella and Edward. No nice Edward for quite some time. Just bear with me till then :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter Seven
- VII -
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The thunder boomed inside the castle walls. It sounded like a violent growl as it made its way through the stone corridors. It was like a beckoning…calling out for someone.
Bella abruptly sprung up from her bed. She was breathing deeply as another thunder rumbled in the chamber. The storm had awakened her, which she was grateful for. Bella put her palm to her forehead to calm herself down. She quickly noticed that she was cold and covered with sweat. She must have had fallen asleep and dreamt about that night. The night that she was left out to die - to await the Black Dragon…as a sacrifice.
She still is his sacrifice. Bella shivered involuntarily at the thought. She wanted to gag hearing herself call herself that word. It was a vile word.
The room was dark, there was no candles lit. There was only the little light that came from the bright outbursts of lighting from the window. Unhurriedly, Bella glanced over to the narrow window. The rain was thudding against it mercilessly. It reminded her of that night; it is alike to that night that she met her captor.
A moan escaped Bella as she tore her eyes away from the window. She closed her eyes, wanting to drown out all that had happened. She wanted the rain to cleanse everything away. Why couldn't it?
Another clap of thunder brought her out of her thoughts.
Bella didn't know how long she was asleep for, or even what time of day it was. It could've been night or day with the horrid storm raging outside. It was depressing. She missed the sun-drenched daylight, not this miserable darkness.
Bella's attention was swiftly averted when she heard a sudden knock at the door. Bella's breath held for a moment. The lock soon clicked and the door slowly swung open.
Bella was relieved to see that it was only the maid. She let out her breath that she didn't know she was holding in. The maid's face was flustered and strands of hair were astray from its firm up-braid, but her eyes held a motherly gaze which comforted Bella. The maid was the closest thing Bella ever had to a motherly figure…even though she barely knew this woman. She actually only saw her when she had taken care of her when she was taken with fever. They have never exchanged words. But yet, it was the closest motherly care she ever got, which proved she had very little. No one ever really cared for Bella, except for her father. It was strange that no one liked her. She was always teased and made fun of, and she never knew the reason why.
"M' lady, your presence is requested to dine tonight with the master," the maid spoke nervously. She walked into the room, quickly lighting the candles, bringing some brightness into the room. The maid tried to smile at Bella, but it was very unnatural due to the conditions of her visit.
Bella was caught off guard at the request, and took a quick intake of breath. Her expression soon turned into a frown and her hands turned to fists into the soft bedspread.
"He doesn't like to be kept waiting, so we must make haste," the maid added anxiously, while she beckoned with her arm towards the door.
"If it is only but a request…I will decline his invitation," Bella spoke resolutely, turning her face away from the maid. Bella was dying to escape the confinement of the bedchamber, but would rather be with the later then in the company of a monster.
The maid became panicky and rushed to Bella's side.
"You must go to him! Forgive me for speaking out of my place, but you don't understand your situation," the maid spoke hastily, her brows furrowed with worry. Honestly, this lass didn't know not to test her master's patience.
"He wants to act civilized by inviting – no, demanding me to accompany him to supper!?" Bella laughed angrily. She wouldn't give in to this; she would stand her ground.
"I am afraid you have little choice in the matter," the maid spoke regretfully, "If the master summons you, then you must go to him." The maid truly felt pity for the girl, but was powerless to do anything for her sake – not underneath the sharp eyes of her master.
Bella crossed her arms, "I refuse to do so. You may tell him that I simply am not well and do not have the stomach for such. You can blame him for me not being well!"
"But you must!" the maid pleaded, grasping Bella's hands, "I'm not even permitted to speak to you, unless I am instructed to! I fear for you!" The maid was trying to help Bella.
Bella swallowed hard; her captor is trying to control her like a little puppet, with him tugging away at the strings. She isn't a plaything and wont dance for him if he wishes it. He can't choose what she will do or who speaks to her. Her life doesn't belong to him, even if she is branded as his sacrifice. To hell with him!
"If he wishes me to accompany him, he should act like a noble man- not a cold serpent! I am curious what carnage of fare he brings to his dining table! Is it his prey? Does he eat it raw?" Bella inquired, suddenly tears welling up in her eyes. She was loosing herself in her frustration.
"Please, my lady, for your own safety…" the maid beseeched, lightly touching Bella's arm. She was trying to comfort her, but restrained herself due to the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that the master wouldn't like this, not one bit.
"Forgive me. I do not mean to lash out on you with my aggravation," Bella spoke softly and continued, "He doesn't scare me. He's only mortal."
"He's a demon!" the maid yelled, but quickly placed her hand over mouth. She knew she shouldn't say such dangerous things…she would be treading over unsafe ground. "You should very well be fearful of him," the maid sighed with concern, "Remember, it's not only your own safety, but the safety of others at your very whim."
A rumble of thunder filled the room. The maid jumped in shock at the loud noise.
"I hate these bloody storms," the maid muttered under her breath. She looking around the room like the walls would come smashing down, as if the thunder was like the trumpet that brought down the great walls of Jericho.
Bella bit her lip out of habit. She remembered the word of warning the Black Dragon spoke to her of. Her errors would bring others pain. She saw that man in the dungeon murdered as a sick demonstration. He wouldn't dare go to such extremes for such a petty thing as tonight? …Would he?
"Won't you go?" the maid implored, giving one last squeeze on Bella's arm.
Bella shook her head in response. She had made her choice to not abide with his demand. Come what may now.
"Oh dear, dear Lord, may nothing bad come out of this!" the maid cried and swiftly left the chamber, leaving Bella alone.
Bella could feel her body frame begin to tremble. She tried to calm herself down, but her body refused. She tempted the dragon…now what will happen?
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The maid cursed silently to herself as she walked briskly down the corridor. Her skirts were firmly in her hands while she scuttled down, thinking what to say to her master.
She was skittish of the shadows on the walls. Her mind was fooling her, thinking that they were demons clawing after her. The castle had that affect. It had a sinister air that seemed to house sin.
She was a very superstitious woman and that was certain. She believed her master was some sort of demon- he had to be with his menacing aura and his malevolent character. The only reason why she serves him is out of fear and need for the pay.
She descended the constricted staircase hastily, minding each sharp step, and walked into the hallway.
Large arched windows adorned the passageway, giving a larger view of the storm brewing away outside. The rain pounded heavily down the window panes, streaking down as if it was crying.
The maid tightened the shawl around her frame securely in the passageway, as another draft snaked its way through the stone corridor.
At last to her dismay, she was standing in front of the large oak dining hall doors. It was quite an intimidating door. The door was masterly crafted with an etching of a forest.
The maid stared down at the iron handle of the door. It resembled a dragon's head with the ring tightly lodged in the dragon's jaw.
She hesitantly opened the dining hall door, terrified that the iron dragon handle may snap at her hand. Soon after, her legs were trembling out of fear. The maid's face was usually a ruddy colour, but now, it appeared pale white.
She stepped fretfully across the entryway into the dining hall. She had entered the dragon's den.
The dining hall was a large and magnificent structure of the castle. Unquestionably, the ceiling was quite lofty and the décor was of expensive and fashionable taste. A large fire was housed in the grand hearth. The flames licked the wood nosily as it devoured the timber. In the center of the large and spacious hall, lay the dining table. The dining table was made of a dark mahogany wood and covered with various dishes.
The maid's heart stopped in panic as she stared ahead at her master, sitting at the far end of the large dining table.
He was wearing a black mask that concealed the upper portion of his face. She was taken aback at the sight at first, but thought it most intimidating and even luring. It invited curiosity, but curiosity was deadly. She knew her master was concealing his face from the lass. She wondered why though.
The Black Dragon drummed his hands on the wooden table. To the maid, the rhythm sounded like a lion circling his prey.
His legs were settled on top of the table and was reclined comfortably back into his chair. He really didn't care for manners.
"It looks like you have seen a ghost," The Black Dragon stated in a low voice. He tipped his head to the side, to look up at the maid.
The maid would've sworn she had seen a flame in his eyes, or it was just the candlelight playing with her imagination. She just stood there wide eyed – her voice had left her.
"Where is she?" The Black Dragon whispered, his eyes firmly staring at her.
The maid began to stutter, thinking of the best response. She feared those eyes could almost penetrate her mind and read her very thoughts. She couldn't look at him straight at him.
"You must have a good reply, because I'm not a tolerant man," The Black Dragon slowly mouthed. He was now tipping his goblet around with his fingers on the rim.
The maid just stood there, avoiding her master's stare. She felt like she had turned into stone and was paralyzed. He could've well been a basilisk with those devilish eyes.
"She's feeling too ill to dine, m'lord," the maid blurted out. She quickly held her breath, afraid what was to come next.
"Ah, poor little thing…" The Black Dragon cooed with slight venom lacing his words.
The maid took a few paces back hearing the unpleasantness of her master's voice.
"As her fiancé," The Black Dragon growled in the back of his throat softly, "It's obligatory for me to see just how ill her condition is...it would be quite dreadful if she were to lie to her future husband." He emphasized his last words quite clearly to the maid.
He stood up from his chair all too gracefully, which made the maid uneasy. He then paced leisurely towards the door where the maid stood near. Each footstep thudded on the stone floor, the sound of his sword hilt striking his belt made a clanging tempo.
He then stopped at the maid's side, and whispered down to her ear. "You're fortunate tonight I'm in such a decent disposition. You should very well fear for your wellbeing otherwise." His voice became low and threatening, "Don't expect such leniency in the future, for there certainly will be none provided."
The Black Dragon then walked past the maid and left the dining hall. He then slammed shut the large oak doors behind him, causing the maid to jump in shock.
A great rumble of thunder then filled the hall, which sent a chill down the maid's spine.
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Bella was standing up by the window, gazing outside into the darkness. She watched the rain create veins down the window pane. Her finger was tracing the path that the rain was coursing through.
She sighed and pulled her hand away from the glass. She didn't know what she was waiting for. However, what was clouding her mind was that she would truly like to eat some sort of food. She couldn't remember the last time she ate a good meal. Then right on que, her stomach grumbled out of hunger.
She groaned and hugged her stomach. Hopefully the maid would come back and bring her some food out of sympathy. She hadn't eaten properly the last two days. She had been locked up and expected to survive off of air and sleep. She would wither away if this continued on like this.
The rain continued to streak down, and Bella watched it reverently. It comforted her to some extent, even though it seemed so sad…the rain just crying down.
Bella cried out of shock as the candlelight in the room extinguished in a heartbeat. She spun around, with her back up against the window, looking around scared. She hated the dark. It was in the dark that she felt defenseless. She was blind to everything before her. Worst of all, her eyes weren't very good to adjust to the sudden darkness.
She was afraid to move. Someone or something must have put out the candles. There was no draft in the room, nor where the candles about to flicker out - there was plenty of wick and wax left to them.
"Is anyone there?" Bella whispered unthinkingly to herself. She just stood there with only the rain thudding against the glass as her company.
She exhaled nosily and spoke to herself to keep calm, "There's no one here. It's only you. There are no such things as monsters. They are only old wives tales to scare children."
She breathed in and out slowly and stepped away from the window. She reached out her arms to feel into the darkness, to make sure she wouldn't walk into anything. She was attempting to locate herself to the iron candelabra on the other side of the chamber which held the candles. She knew there were some flint and steel close by it to strike a flame.
She walked slowly into the center of the bedchamber, still unaccustomed to the darkness. She was squinting her eyes, as if it would help her see better. Her hands were outstretched to help guide herself ahead.
She managed to make it to the middle of the chamber, because she could feel the Persian carpet's smooth texture beneath her feet. It reassured and relieved her a bit; the nice sensation of the rug distracted herself from her fear of the dark.
Bella gasped out of surprise as she felt a weird sensation over come her outstretched hands. Something covered her hands…it was another pair of hands. Fingers found there way to fit into the spaces between her fingers. There were entwining with hers in an unyielding grasp. Bella's immediate reaction was to pull back in fear, not knowing what just taken in her hands. She attempted to jerk her hands away, but the hands just gripped onto hers more firmly. She cried out of panic and continued to fight back.
"You lied to me," A deep baritone voice stated hellishly, as if she had committed the worst sin to man, "Betrayal is the worst sin, my dear."
Bella froze hearing that voice. She knew whose voice it belonged to…it was him. She was completely at a loss for words, trying to comprehend what was happening and the man who had seized her hands in an interwoven hold.
"I-I'm n-not feeling well," Bella muttered out of breath, trying to regain her composure from her fright. She was trying to loosen his fingers from hers by tugging away her hands.
The Black Dragon snapped, "Don't speak!"
Bella's heart was beating furiously in her chest; anger was boiling in her blood.
"It's because of you that I'm not at all well!" Bella replied angrily.
"You shouldn't provoke me!" The Black Dragon barked, dragging Bella closer to his chest with his death-like grip.
"Do not touch me!" Bella yelled, struggling against the constricting interlaced grip. He was too strong and she was too weak, but that didn't mean she wouldn't stop trying.
"It's of no use," The Black Dragon chuckled at Bella's useless effort, "Surrender to me."
He then gripped tighter, making Bella cry out in pain. She was like a little doll being abused by a child. He then snaked his hand around her back, forcing her into him. She crashed against him, trying to resist him, but couldn't sever free. She noticed he smelt of burnt wood; it was a charcoal-like scent and was very masculine. It was suffocating her with her face pressed against his chest.
"I will make you incapable to do the slightest action if you continue attempting to break away…even if it means breaking your fragile bones," The Black Dragon cooed cruelly. He then touched with his finger a tendon on the back of her hand forcefully, which made Bella yell out in pain again.
Bella immediately stopped her unpromising struggle. She had a gut feeling that he wasn't lying, which was frightening.
"Yes, play nice, Isabella," The Black Dragon whispered approvingly into Bella's ear.
Chills were sent down her spine hearing her name come from his mouth. He spoke her name so possessively and in an infatuated way…it sickened her to her stomach.
Bella stood silently still, not daring to make the slightest move. It would be dangerous to be disobedient in his deadly embrace. It was frightening for her to realize she was helpless that moment.
"Come with me," The Black Dragon murmured deeply. His voice had taken on a spellbinding authority. His tone was like velvet liquid. He soon followed by seizing her more strongly, which made Bella gasp for breath.
"I know you are starving," The Black Dragon whispered into her ear mischievously. She could feel his breath down her neck and the feeling sent a shudder through her body.
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A/N: Bwahaha, a cliff hanger. Please read on! Reviews are always welcomed :D