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Chapter 13: The Missing Duchess

Satine said goodbye to Obi Wan and walked into her room. The lights were dimmed making the room dark and gloomy. She searched for the switch, stroking up the wall and flicked the switch, the light blinding her momentarily. She looked round for Tallulah as she picked up her brush and pulled it through her tangled hair, watching as a few strands of blonde came from her head. She walked over to her bed, unbuttoning the back of her dress and flicking of her shoes. She let it slide of her smooth skin, the satin crinkling to the floor. She lifted her feet from the dress and pulled her nightdress over her head, the silk brushing against her arms and legs, the light blue showing of each area of complexion.

"Tallulah are you there?" Satine shouted out to the empty room. She looked round to see no one coming to her aid. She moved over to her mirror, the shine glinting in her eyes from the moonlight and began to remove her make-up, watching as the wipes began to fill with blusher, mascara and lipstick and she placed it in the small bin beside the dressing table.

"Milady are you there?" a voice sounded behind her door, which sounded like Tallulah so Satine walked over and opened it to be greeted by her young handmaiden.

"I'm sorry for being late milady, I was asleep." Tallulah apologised hurriedly, curtsying towards her and taking her hairbrush and pulling it through her hair again.

"Its fine Tallulah."

Tallulah looked towards Satine with curiosity.

"Milady, how was the ball?" she asked, her head turning round to see if anyone was there.

"Oh it was wonderful. I danced with Master Kenobi and he kissed my hand. It was so romantic" Satine looked to the sky and began to daydream.

"Milady could I use your bathroom?" Tallulah asked with her sweet voice.

"Of course Tallulah. Be my guest" Satine indicated towards a white door and Tallulah walked into the room.

Manizra walked into the bathroom, feeling a smile come on her face as she closed the door behind her, feeling Satine's eyes following her. She sighed and delved into the force and let her transformation commence. She felt her hair turn blood red and her hair grow slightly longer, her height increased and her curves became more prominent. Her face transformed into a cold hard stare and she felt as her eyes changed colour painfully from the smooth violet colour to her blood red.

"Tallulah are you alright in there?" Satine's voice sounded from behind the door sounding concerned.

"Yes milady" Manizra said in her sickingly sweet voice. 'Change that' she thought, feeling as her vocal cords changed to a lower tone.

Manizra took a deep breath in and stepped out of the bathroom, seeing Satine's back to her, her short blonde hair swaying gently in the wind as she stood on the balcony overlooking the gardens. She looked around for a pen and paper and found some on a small desk by her bed. 'Perfect' she thought to herself slyly as she approached the Duchess.

"It's a wonderful night tonight isn't it Tallulah" Satine said, not turning to face her as she continued to look to the sky.

"Yes, indeed it is Duchess" Manizra said, grinning to herself as Satine turned to face her, confused by her change in voice.

"Hello milady" Manizra said, looking at Satine's shocked face as she turned to scream.

"I love it when people scream" Manizra told her, laughing as she moved her hand over Satine's face making her collapse on the floor in a undisturbed slumber her head colliding with the marble floor, a slight amount of blood seeping from her forehead and dripping onto the floor.

"Sweet dreams Duchess" Manizra said, attaching binders round her wrists and ankles and stuffing her into a potato sack, feeling her turn in discomfort as she tightened the rope. Manizra put the sack on the bed roughly and walked over to the desk, using the force to pull a pen to her. She began to write a note, her swirled writing across each area of the paper; she grabbed the sack and jumped from the balcony landing gently, feet first upon the ground and looking to the sky. She began to run through the garden, the rain beginning to fall around her, the water dripping down her smooth face. She jumped onto another balcony overlooking a large willow tree, dumped the sack on the floor and entered the room. There he slept, his auburn hair covering his eyes, his breathing, and his rising chest filling her thoughts. 'I could kill him now' Manizra thought to herself spitefully. 'No the Count needed him ALIVE. But not broken' she grinned and placed the note by his bed, placing a necklace worn by Satine that night to weigh it down, the shine glinting in the moonlight, the emerald colour shining in her eyes. There she jumped out the window with the sack into the night. The note she had placed had simply said:

'Come and get it'.

CLIFF-HANGER! Wonder what happens! Next Chapter: Grieving. Please review!