Eyes opening slowly, I looked around the room. I did not know this room, which frightened me at first, but there was a fire in the fireplace, and I was tucked in a warm, comfortable bed. It soothed the aching in my bones.

My head was pounding, and when I touched the back of my skull, I winced as a bruise must have formed there. I sat up slowly, trying not to sit up too fast. I looked my room again, and noticed I was in a...strange room. The furniture seemed old and regal, and the walls were made of ragged stone. I looked above me and there was a chandelier which light came from candle light.

I got out of bed slowly. I saw I was still wearing my clothes from before, but my body was clean. I guess whoever was taking care of me cleaned me up. I don't remember getting hurt at all, except falling and hitting my head.

I headed to the door, and when I opened it, my jaw dropped. I saw balconies and marble floors and two twin stairs, cascading to the first floor in elegance. Was I in some kind of...castle? I walked across the red carpet that cascaded across the marble floor. I looked over the balcony and saw an old woman sitting at a small table, holding a little teacup. She was just sitting there, sipping away, staring at the wall across from her.

I tiptoed down the stairs, trying my best not to disturb her...but I did need her help. She must have some information of how I got here and why I'm here and not home...

I approached her, and she just smiled softly at me, and then turned back to the wall. "Hello..." I murmured, trying my best not to sound frightened.

"Hello, Dear. I see you're awake. Do you feel better? You must've hit your head hard..." She smiled politely, her eyes firmly on the wall.

"Yes, thank you..." My thumbs twirled around one another, as if dancing. Should I ask her? I should...I must. I need to know where I am... "Do you, um, perchance know how I got here? And...where I am, exactly?"

"You're staying at the Bastallion Manor, Dear. My son, Lord Bastallion, is your host, and has taken you into his home. I'm afraid you got yourself into some serious business yesterday, Dear, and this place will be your refuge until it is safe."

Bastallion Manor? I've never heard of such a place... And Lord Bastallion? Since when was there ever Lords in the city? "Well, then i thank you and your son for taking me in..." I sighed. "Do you know exactly when it will be...um, safe?"

She laughed, almost sipping her tea across the floor. "Oh, Dear, that is a good question indeed. The dispute between our clan and your brother's has been happening for...oh, I don't know...centuries before you were born."

"Centuries?" I gasped.

"Sit down, Dear! You're making me nervous!" She laughed. I sat down in the chair next to her, waiting patiently for an explanation. "You see, my great-great-grandfather had an ancient heirloom. It was said to be the parallel plate, an antique of great and mysterious power. But then the opposing clan from the city, the clan that your brother is currently apart of, took it from my ancestor, the rightful owner! So, now they fight, and they will continue to fight, unfortunately."

"How do you know of my brother?" I asked.

She laughed. "Why, this whole manor knows of your brother, and every other member of his clan. And I obviously know my son's clan. Your brother has often come to this manor, fighting with my son and his men, but he wouldn't dare come now."

"Why not?" I asked. I would hope he would come and take me back home.

Before she could answer me, a man walked in from the front door, letting the cool, night air in as he came through. We both turned to him and stared. He was easy on the eyes; beautiful, really. He had long brown hair and a chiseled face, with a lean but not too skinny figure. His eyes, however, gave me an unsettling feeling; I felt goosebumps rise to the surface of my skin and I darted my sight from his eyes. They were yellow; a mustard, eerie yellow. No, I couldn't look into them.

"Well?" He growled, his tone demanding and impatient.

The old lady sighed. She signaled me to rise, which I did immediately. "Dear, this is my son, Lord Bastallion. He is your host, who has graciously opened his home for you, to keep you safe."

I just blinked, staring at my feet. I didn't know what to say. What was I supposed to say to a Lord? "Um, thank you for taking me into your home." Was that good enough? I didn't dare look him in the face; no way did I want to see those eyes.

I heard him scoff and he made his way to the stairs. "Don't waste my precious time with your words. A curtsy would've suited better." He disappeared, and then I heard a door slam.

"Well, he was rather unusually kind today, I must say." The old lady eyes widened. "When he's in the room, it's usually much more horrid. He didn't even call you a name! I must say, you probably gave him a good impression."

I turned to her to see if she would start laughing but she didn't. Was she...serious? Was he really worse than that? How could someone be so rude like that? She saw my face and shook her head. "I'm not toying with you, Dear; you'll see him act worse very soon. However, he's not usually around the manor too much. He has too much business to attend to, you know, as he is a Lord. Maybe you'll be lucky enough not to see him much."

I sighed, sitting down in my chair once again. I turned to her. "I'm sorry...I've been terribly rude; my name is Rose." I should've introduced myself earlier... She did take me into her home, after all.

The old lady smiled. "Oh, we all know who you are, Dear. But it is very nice to meet you, finally, after hearing so much." Hearing so much? How could she have possibly known who I was? How did she hear about me? ...I didn't know if I wanted to know. They were a rather odd bunch, at least from what I could tell. And I was in a strange place... I decided it would be best to settle down and then ask questions, as I was going to be staying here for quite a while, apparently. "My name is Lady Beatrice Bastillion, but you can just call me Beatrice, of course." She smiled such a sweet smile. "I think you'd better run off to bed, Dear. Lord Bastillion will become angry if he finds you lurking about the Manor at night."

I wasn't tired, as I had just woken up, but I nodded and rose from the chair. I bid Beatrice goodnight and climbed the stairs to my room. Surprisingly, there were only three rooms despite how large the manor was, and I remembered which one was my room. I opened the door, and found myself shutting it quietly and collapsing on my bed.

I burst into uncontrollable sobs.

At first, I had no idea why my body was acting the way it was, and then I began to think, began to realize that I wasn't leaving, at least not anytime soon. For centuries they had been fighting, and now I'm stuck here! And with a horrible man running the place, no less! Will I ever see my father or brother again?

And...where exactly am I?

I knew I was at the Bastillion Manor, but where was the Bastilion Manor? Beatrice talked of the city as if it was a far away land, a place that couldn't touch us. A place that we weren't in...

And what was that story about the...parallel plate? She said it had powers...like magic powers? But how? There was no such thing as magic, of course. What was she even talking about?

I couldn't sleep for hours. I tried to keep the questions down, trying not to think about them. I buried them deep within my thoughts, there but closed off, and only then did I begin to sleep.