Chapter 3

The Matriarch

The tunnel was too dark to see so we each held hands with the girl in front. I realised after groping in the dark for a while that I was in the lead and proceeded to blindly guide my friends down through the inky blackness of the tunnel, using my free hand to feel the cold, slimy walls around me. I could feel Selena trembling; she had never been one to tolerate the dark for long periods.

"It's ok guys," I tried to reassure them, "I think I can see a light ahead." It was only a faint glow that flickered, but it was definitely there and the closer we got the better my vision became.

"Come closer children," a soft voice said. A short cry escaped my lips for I had not expected another person to be there, the others screamed at my own cry. "Do not be afraid… come closer." I turned the corner and was confronted by a woman of about thirty years who held a torch in her right hand. "Greetings young ones," she smiled at us, "How many of you are there?"

"There are seven of us… I think." I looked behind me to double check that we were all there.

"Seven?" the woman asked in her soft voice, the flames of the torch cast shadows across her face and I could see that she was an attractive woman with kind eyes, her dark hair was pushed away from her face by a red scarf across her head. I could see even in this darkness that she wore a traditional worshippers robe with the hood down, "That must mean that they all wish for new blood. Come with me, I will show you to your new home." I did not understand what she had meant by that but we followed nonetheless.

After only a few paces, we reached another door and the woman who led us pushed it open. I had no idea what to expect behind this door, but it was nothing like I'd ever seen before.

The room was circular, the walls were white with ten small alcoves which looked like stone beds from the way the dark purple sheets and pillows were scattered on them. Dark red drapes hung from the alcoves and some had them hanging in front of them, covering the alcove entirely. Between each alcove was a flaming torch mounted on the wall, giving the room a wonderful glow. I had only imagined what it must be like to be a princess but what I had envisaged was not even closer to the splendour of this chamber.

"These are the concubines' private chambers," the kind woman said as she mounted her own torch in the empty holder next to her, "It is the closest room to the throne room, therefore it is the most pleasant to look upon."

"Where are the… concubines now? Are you one?" Sophia asked. It was a sensible question for the chamber was empty. I noticed that she struggled with the word concubine; it was a word none of us were familiar with.

"No, I am not. They are performing their duties to their masters. Come, there is no time for idle chat. I must take you to the Matriarch." She reached for her hood and pulled it over her head, thus concealing most of her face under cloth and shadow.

The Matriarch? More words that I do not know, I thought, I really must improve my vocabulary or I will never understand a word said here.

We were led through endless rooms and corridors, each one slightly less appealing than the last until we reached a solid door. Our guide knocked three times upon the wood and waited patiently.

"Enter," a harsh voice said. Our guide pushed the door and led us through to a small but elegantly decorated chamber, the air was filled with the scent of incense, the walls were covered in dark red drapes and on every flat surface lay masses of gold in the form of jewellery or ornaments. Our eyes must've glistened from the reflections and as I looked around I saw that I was not the only one whose mouth had dropped open in awe.

"Where are your manners?" the harsh voice called out, I looked ahead of me to where the voice came from. I could see a figure sitting on some cushions but the person was covered by veils which hung from the ceiling and draped around them. Only the outline of this person was visible to me through the veils, "Kneel before the Matriarch." The very power in the voice made me drop to my knees in an instant and I threw my body down with my face upon the soft carpeted floor. The sounds behind me confirmed that the others had followed my lead and done the same thing.

At a moment when I should've been intimidated, the only thought in my mind was, I've never knelt on carpet before.

I dared not raise my head at the sound of heavy breathing. I was more scared of this person than anything else right now. I was not scared of vampires, for I knew vampires. This was no vampire. I did not know what it was.

I felt fingers stroke my hair, pulling it into a bunch then a hand wrenched my head back with such force that it lifted the whole front of my body from the ground. I was so shocked that I could not even scream, the figure behind the veils was still where I'd seen it earlier. I reached for my hair to find that there was no hand holding it. I looked wide eyed at the thing in front of me. I could see it's head tilt to one side as it looked at me.

"Such an interesting combination," it said through the veil, it's voice becoming raspier with every word. "Hair the colour of blood, of life… but the eyes, eyes of dimension if ever I saw them. Tell me, what is your name?" I struggled against the force that held me up, but it only intensified the more I defied it, "Your name, creature." It insisted.

"My name is Anastasia," I managed to say at last. Who are you calling creature you witch! I thought.

"You should mind that voice in your head, child. Your thoughts are not as private as you would wish." The grip on my hair was released and I collapsed back to the carpeted floor. I could only stare with disbelief at what I had just heard.

What happened?

Two distinct cries came from behind me and I watched as both Selena and Sophia were both lifted from the ground as I had been, by their hair by an invisible hand. They too were asked their names but the creature did not comment on their appearances as she had mine. The last four were raised in the same manner and gave their names, Lilly, Gaia, Tanya and Thea.

"Useless," the creature hissed, it raised it's hand and beckoned "Isis, come from the shadows. Come where I can see you." The attractive lady who had guided us to this point emerged and knelt beside the creature.

"Matriarch?" she asked kindly.

This was the Matriarch? When it had said it's name earlier I had not believed it, now the proof was before me.

"These children are not worthy. Do you think Lord Kain will be pleased with these?" the Matriarch pointed to us.

"Matriarch," Isis started and bowed her head, "These children were selected by Kain himself. He selected these seven; it must mean that our Lords are growing bored."

The Matriarch turned to look at us, or was it only me she was looking at?

"Who led them through the tunnel?" she asked in whisper although she could be heard easily.

"The red head, Matriarch," Isis looked at me and the Matriarch's gaze seemed to follow. I heard her inhale deeply and then sighed a long sigh.

"The training shall be hard, Isis. We have never had to train seven in a single throw. Are you prepared for this?"

"Yes, Matriarch. The Dark Lords deserve the very best and I am prepared to turn them into the best."

What is our training? I wondered, What will it entail?

"You will find out soon enough, child." The Matriarch said as she read my thoughts again. I would have to get used to that. "Take them to their bedchamber, Isis. Tomorrow the training begins."

We all talked at length about what had happened while we prepared our sleeping quarters with our belongings. I looked at my shoes my mother had packed and hugged them wishing she were here to cuddle me now.

"Did anyone else think that Lord Rahab was so good looking?" Sohpia asked, "What I wouldn't give to have him drink from me."

"Rahab? Are you kidding Soph? He's one of the weaker of Kain's sons. You really should set your sights higher." Replied Lilly, "Lord Dumah is the one for me."

I looked at her confused, "After what he did to you outside?"

"He only pulled my hair!" she protested, "His face is so nice to look at."

Oh Gods, if you swoon anymore girl you'll fall off the edge of the world. I thought. My eyes rolled back at my silent criticism.

"Lilly, he's obviously a sadist. I don't care if he is a vampire. I'd rather settle for the lesser of Kain's sons than serve him."

Not that I was in much position to argue with her. I too was here to serve as high as I could and Raziel was the highest besides Kain. But Raziel was so attractive as well. I would love to have him drink from me, but I would not reveal that to anyone here. I would not be laughed at by my peers. If they knew that Raziel was my preference they would only laugh, they would only say that I was not good enough to be his. The first born and the most attractive; at least to me.

"He may be a sadist, Ana, but he's so good looking with it. And I'm sure he's only like that when he's angered in some way. If I were with him, I would not make him angry."

I rolled my eyes at her remarks and lay down on the cold stone of the alcove that was to be my bed for the foreseeable future. My friends chatted amongst themselves while I lay down and looked at the blank wall above me. There were many things to think of.

I did not sleep that night although I knew that I probably should, but I was much too excited about tomorrow. Images of the Matriarch filled my mind and I lay awake trying to figure who and what she was, and my insomnia was not helped by my new bed. Our chamber was not as elegant as the concubines'; we did not even have the luxury of pillows or sheets. It would appear that we would have to work hard to achieve these items. I missed my parents terribly already.

"Ana?" a tiny voice whispered through the dark, "Ana? Are you still awake?"

I raised my body from the cold slab within the alcove and stared across the darkened room. I could hear the sounds of people within other chambers besides our own.

"Yes, I'm awake. Who's that?" my eyes had not yet adjusted to the darkness.

"It's Thea," she whispered, I could hear her soft footsteps approaching me, trying to locate me through the dark by my voice, "Can I sit with you for a while? I don't like being on my own in the dark." Thea was a little younger than me and I did not know her particularly well. She was a tiny child and her voice matched her stature perfectly, she was blonde too and I always thought looked much too delicate to play games with us.

"Of course, Thea," I moved myself across my bed and waited for her to sit next to me. When she found me she threw her arms around my waist. I had not expected this, but I placed my own hands across her shoulders as I felt her trembling.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she whispered. I looked down at her questioningly, "Thank you for holding my hand earlier"

"But, I did not hold your hand in the tunnel."

"Not in the tunnel. Outside, when the vampires came." I remembered back to that moment. I recalled the tugging on the ropes as if someone were going to run. I had indeed held onto someone's hands, "If you hadn't held onto me then I would've tried to run away. I would've damned us all."

We rocked in each other's arms and held one another tight.

"I'm scared, Ana" she whispered.

"Don't be scared. We are worshippers now. We are regarded above all other humans for we have been chosen, and remember Lord Kain chose you himself. We are blessed, and we will be treated well for receiving his blessing."

I felt Thea's body relax into mine at my well chosen words and we began to lie down on the cold stone of the alcove bed again. Thea soon fell asleep in my arms but I stayed awake, comforted by my own words. I eagerly awaited the following morning.