Secrets

I woke to a cold and dreary morning. Big drops of rain hit the window of the room. I got up from my damp bed and walked to the door, trying to push it open but it was no use. I thought about trying to yell for someone but then realized the people that were in this house had locked me in the room. So, instead I walked to the bed and laid down again, waiting for someone to come get me, thinking about my dream.

*_*

"Brother." Jai said walking into Dmitri's study. He kissed his hand. "I am sorry I could not come to you sooner." Dmitri did not look up from his work. Jai tried again "I was in so much pain."

"How so?" Dmitri asked.

"Terrible headaches and these dreams." Jai answered quietly. "I can't decipher them."

"Dreams." Dmitri said more to himself then to Jai. That had been his mother's talent; there was no way that insolent Jai could have such a gift. "I am sure it is nothing." He looked at his brother, obviously telling him what he had wanted to hear. Jai smiled.

"She is awake, master," Lydia said coming into the room. "Oh, good morning sir." She smiled at the younger brother, placing a tray with tea on his desk. "Anything else master."

"No." Dmitri said mixing honey into his tea. "I really must get to work," He told his brother. Jai nodded and left.

*_*

I sat on the bed for what seemed like hours. Finally, I heard a key turning in the door.

"Good morning," Lydia said eyeing me. I glanced at her. "Here," she said dropping a pile of clothes on my bed. "Master requires that you be bathed and dressed and meet him." She led me into the bathroom. She filled the bath with water and helped me settle into it. "Well, I'll leave you to it." She said turning from me.

The lukewarm water relaxed me, my muscles sore from all the walking I had done in the past couple of days. It felt like I had not seen my parents and sister for months. I wondered why my mother kept all these secrets, and why did she not help me when I was so lost. I wondered if my father knew, if my sister ever thought we were much too different.

And what of Dale. Although I despised his cockiness, I still did not want him dead. And Lysander was he worried about me?

And lastly I thought of what Dmitri wanted with me. There was still so much I didn't understand. Like what my powers could do, what he could do. I felt like there was this big game going on and I was the only one who didn't know the rules. But maybe that was just the thing, maybe there was no rules.

"Lady Asha." Lydia called, disrupting me from my thoughts. I rose out of the now cold bath and meet her in the room. She helped me dress without a word. I promised myself that as soon as I saw Dmitri I would demand some answers. With that thought Lydia lead me out of the room and through the house towards what I presumed to be Dmitri's study. Once we reached the door she knocked twice, there was a muffled reply; Lydia opened the door and swiftly pushed me in.

Dmitri was seated at an oak desk. There was a scramble of papers in every crevice of the room. There were two chairs facing the desk and a fire place behind the two chairs. Books filled one of the chairs and the other held a breakfast tray. Looking for a place to sit, I decided it would be best to stand.

"I'm just finishing here." He told me. "Then might you like a tour of the grounds." He looked at me.

"That sounds lovely." I said losing all my previous thoughts. I shook my head trying to remember what I had been so determined to tell him. "What are you doing?" I asked tentatively.

"Oh, work of the state. Nothing for a woman to preoccupy herself with." He sounded just like narcissistic Dale. He looked at me again and the thought was lost.

Later, while we walked the grounds he told me about the Ashlyns.

"When this land was first settled," he began. 'It consisted of 5 magical families. The Ashlyns were the oldest and most powerful of these. They took complete power."

"What happened to the other families?" I interrupted. He scowled.

"Well they began mixing with humans who came into the land and most of their powers were lost. Some of them had to be extinguished," My face shadowed. "Sometimes history isn't pleasant," He said knowingly "but it is our history. So, the Ashlyns controlled the land. The big family began dividing into smaller ones all hailing from common ancestors. The kept the line pure and the magic strong. Soon all the families began fighting for complete control. Mine formed an alliance with two others forming the royal three. The royal three has held the power for centuries. They bonded their children and became the lords. The other Ashlyns still remained a part of society but they began losing the power, only being able to communicate in dreams."

"Your father comes from the oldest part of the royal three, Leo's line. I am from Claudius's line. The other family is Tritium's line. You see," he said cupping my face in his hands, "we have to keep the line pure. There has been so much civil unrest, adherents wondering where we have been. My parents died so suddenly, I was not ready for the power. Then the riots began, I could not control them, I could not control Puer. And you were gone, I did not know what to do. All the royals dying, fleeing; most were displaced. And then there was just me and I had to find you." He grinned.

"So, the rest of our family is gone?" I asked. He sighed.

"So many of them were corrupt, the Tritiums wanted their line to rule."

"So what happened to them?" His face shadowed.

"Do not interrupt me." He growled. I stuttered an apology. "We should go back inside, I have work to do." We quickly turned and hurried back to the manor; Dmitri holding my arm tight the entire way. Once inside he left me and turned the corridors back to his study. I did not understand what I had done; Dmitri was so moody I had to be more careful what I said around him.

I spent the rest of my day wandering around the huge estate. There were so many rooms, many of them unused, some containing the most trivial things. The parlor was the main room; huge windows covered its massive walls. Next to it was a proper dining room, with a stunning chandelier. Double doors lead to what I presumed to be the kitchen. Past the dining room were several other rooms and just before an open courtyard was a spiraling staircase. There seemed to be nothing else so I walked up the stairs tentatively, some of the steps unsteady. When I reached the top there was an open room and inside the room was another stair case. I walked up that and reached, after many flights, what seemed to be the top of the massive manor.

Walking inside the little room I realized that I was not alone. The man got up quickly from the floor. The room was orderly, a massive bookcase covering a wall. On the other wall was a window looking out. The bright golden green eyes I recognized instantly and in person they looked even brighter. Jai got up, studying me. Why had everyone I had seen in my dreams been appearing? He wiped his charcoal stained hands on his pants. For a moment we did not speak and then finally I turned away from him and began down the stairs. He did not watch me go instead turned to the huge window.

Once back in my room I realized how mad I was. I had to get out of this house. Pacing back and forth I wanted to scream.

*_*

'I'm going mad, I have to be.' Jai thought in his room, his private sanctuary. His head was pounding as it often did. 'I'm just stressed.' He thought. 'I need some human contact.' After months of trying to contact Opal, since his brother left, Jai seldom left the room. He ran his figures through his matted hair and ran down the stairs.

After a ride with his favorite horse, Jai felt much better. Eli had been surprised he was going out but paid little attention to him. The horse freed him from the house, from all his thoughts.

*_*

Dmitri invited me to dinner. He sent Lydia in with a dining gown and requested that I wear it. Wanting to please him after his foul mood with me early I agreed. The food was very good, but Dmitri was hardly said a word to me. We had been eating in silence when Jai entered the dining room. I prayed that I was not having a vision, but Jai seemed rather surprised to see me too.

"May I sit brother?" Jai asked, staring at me quizzically. Dmitri nodded. Lydia brought Jai a plate and he sat down with us. "Who is she?" Jai asked after some time.

"I do not like to be disturbed while I am eating." Dmitri said as his answer. So we ate in silence, Jai and I staring, trying to figure out if we were imaging the other.

"This is my guest." Dmitri said simply when he had finished eating.

"Asha." Jai whispered. So he did remember our meeting. "How can it be?" He asked Dmitri. The former looked shocked that he knew who I was and answered with a snort.

"Asha," Dmitri said turning to me. "Good-night I wish you a pleasant evening." He told me roughly I got up from the table confused. I walked out of the dining room and hid in the shadows trying to hear what Dmitri would tell his brother. There were so many secrets in this house.

"How can it be?" I heard Jai ask again. "I thought she was dead, gone."

"I found her. How did you know?"

"I had a vision about her." He paused. "She came to me."

"And said what?"

"Nothing."

"And you did not tell me." Dmitri yelled getting angry.

"I did not know you were looking for her." Jai whimpered back. Chairs pulled back.

"What did you think I was doing?" Dmitri asked through clenched teeth.

"I am sorry." There was the sound of flesh being hit.

"Leave me you fool." Dmitri screamed. Footsteps. "Get out of the shadow's girl do you think I could not sense you." I breathed the footsteps had been coming towards me. "Do not hide from me." Dmitri said, pulling me hard. "You are more powerful than I thought." He dragged me to my room. "You will learn to never lie to me." He screamed. I had never seen him in such fury. He entered the room after me and walked towards me. Not understanding what I had done I backed away, very much afraid. His eyes were enraged and his hair was no longer in its sleek ponytail. He slammed the door shut and advanced towards me. Grabbing my hair he threw me on to the bed. He licked his lips hungrily. "You will obey me Asha." He said calmly before climbing on top of me. My gown was ripped away. "You will obey me."