Thank you all for tuning in! Dorothy and Harriett continue their escape from the bowels of the castle.
The two were breathing raggedly as they ascended up a staircase with the creatures still on their heels.
"Right there!" Dorothy said, seeing a dumbwaiter of sorts and a rope lever. "Get on."
"Will it hold us?"
"We are about to find out," Dorothy said, squeezing in beside Harriett.
The creatures were now in the room and swiping at them.
Harriett screamed again.
Dorothy pulled the lever and upwards they ascended at a slow pace. The creatures attempted to grab at the dumbwaiter to pull it back down, but it was already too far out of reach.
Instantly the cold wind hit them and made them both shiver violently.
"Where are we?"
"T-the Ter-race," Harriett said through chattering teeth.
"Where d-does it l-lead?"
"Back to Lady D-Dimitrescu's private… chamber. Oh god let us get back inside."
"How?"
"This way," Harriett said, leading them along and forced to hop over the balcony.
Dorothy went green at the sight of the drop. It was too high to jump down from. No escape here.
"Here, my friend," Harriett said, offering her hand out and helping her over. "I do not see Lady Dimitrescu in her room. Thank god for that."
"That does not matter," Dorothy said as they reentered the room.
"What do you mean?"
"Look at us. We are covered with blood."
Harriett blanched at her words and looked down at her attire to see her outfit was stained.
"What do we do?"
"We must sneak back to our quarters. We will be able to clean our attire and don fresh ones." Dorothy stated, suddenly realizing another dilemma. "The statues. We must put them back."
"How do you know they will go back and hide what we have discovered?"
"We must try!" Dorothy said, walking across the room and exiting out of the room with Harriett close in toe.
"Do you think the creatures are in there?" Harriett whispered.
"No," Dorothy said. "I do not think they can climb." She hoped anyway as she opened the door to find it empty. "Come on."
Harriett followed Dorothy in and, as they had done before, they returned the statues to their proper places. It took a few moments, but the two took a collective sigh of relief as the bathtub closed.
"Let's go," Dorothy said, once more the two exited the room and cautiously made their way to the steps. "You should lead the way. I do not know the layout."
"We will enter the Courtyard as soon as we exit," Harriett explained. "The Dining Hall doors will be within sight. There should be no one within. I hope…"
Dorothy and Harriett descended the staircase when another realization hit Dorothy.
"Wait!"
"What?" Harriett hissed, nearly jumping out of her skin.
"Our tracks. Our shoes have blood residue. Someone is going to notice that."
Harriett started to laugh.
"Believe me that is a more common sight than you think."
Dorothy just stared at her in disbelief.
"It is far more important we get ourselves cleaned up first. We can return and clean up afterwards."
Dorothy hoping Harriett's simple and easy way of thinking would come true, but she had doubts. She was so fearful. Fearful as soon as they left the space and stepped foot out into the Courtyard. Once again they were very much alone. Hard to believe with so many maidens who worked in the castle.
Harriett did not speak only pointing towards their destination once they reached the doors.
Dorothy and Harriett peeked through the frosty window and found it was dark inside.
"Go," Harriett mouthed to her.
Dorothy reached out and opened one of the doors and went straight inside.
"Warmth," Harriett said, a fire roaring in the hearth and alleviating them for a second from the cold.
"Let's go," Dorothy said, beckoning for her to come away and go straight to the kitchen area.
They both walked through the yellow door and into the kitchen. Again there was no sight nor sound of anyone within.
"What a relief," Harriett sighed, the two walking through the kitchen and to their quarters.
They immediately got to work undressing themselves and setting their soiled clothes aside. They stood now in their white underdress, Harriett going over to a chest where fresh; folded attire was placed.
Dorothy; meanwhile, was over by her bowl and wiping the blood from her arms, hands and legs. Her hair was a bit more of a challenge to get the stink out, which required her to scrub her hair with her bar of soap.
"My water is already stained red," Harriett commented.
Dorothy stared down at the bloody water before she asked.
"What were those things we saw?"
"I do not know," Harriett said, cleaning her own hair. "Though I have heard stories from others they are the lost souls of those who were sent below."
Dorothy looked up at Harriett and then over to the thick, wooden door. It was always locked, but there were times at night she could swear she heard moaning. Someone calling for help.
Dorothy walked over to the door, placing her ear against it and listened in hopes to hear anything.
"You best get dressed," Harriett said.
"Yes, I suppose you are right," Dorothy said, pulling away and approaching the fresh clothes on her bed.
"I will clean these for us," Harriett said.
"Very well," Dorothy said. "I will go back and clean up any residue we left behind."
"Okay," Harriett said, starting to leave the room.
"I apologize," Dorothy said to her.
"For what?" Harriett said.
"For nearly getting us killed. I should not have let my curiosity get the better of me."
"It is all right," Harriett said. "Though next time you are going on your own if you ever feel the urge for an adventure."
Dorothy started to smile.
"See you soon…"
{…}
Dorothy had returned to Lady Dimitrescu's private chamber to clean up any further residue. She was beyond thankful to find it had been barren of any life, though she could not help but wonder if this luck would run out.
'Could those things really have been maidens?' she wondered as she cleaned the last of their footprints. 'They go below and are left to rot forever? I wonder if that is what happened to Wendy? Could she be somewhere else?' Dorothy took the dirty bucket of water and walked out to the terrace to toss it over the balcony. Once more her vertigo made her feel dizzy and she quickly returned inside. 'I must figure out a way to get to the other side of the door. That must be where the dungeons lie.'
Setting the mop and bucket back into the closet, Dorothy found herself back out in the frozen Courtyard. She took a moment to really gaze upon it.
'I bet this is filled with beautiful flowers in the spring and summer,' she thought, reminded of her mother's garden back home. The colors had always reminded her of a rainbow. It was like stepping into a completely different world.
A sharp wind woke her from her revelry and pushed her to return to the inside. Deciding to return to the servants' quarters to see if Harriett had returned.
"Harriett?" she called out, entering inside the room and stopping dead in her tracks. She could not believe her eyes. The wooden door was wide open. "How is that possible?" she wondered aloud, walking right up to it and peeking around to find it was a dark hallway. Her stomach was twisting into a knot. Afraid as to what she would find. More of those monsters? A cold breath of air traveled from the hall and straight towards her, like it were beckoning for her to come. Unable to help herself, Dorothy stepped into the hallway and followed it.
It was not a long hall and at the end was another row of stairs leading downwards into a dimly lit space. From where she stood she could just barely make out the sounds of something clinking together. Almost like chains. She turned back knowing that was the right direction, but the image of Gabrielle and Malkin flashed before her eyes.
Wendy. What if she was down there somewhere?
She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves, reaching up and taking one of the torches before she descended the stairwell and entered into the dungeons.
{…}
It did not take Dorothy long to discover the horror of what occurred below. In each cell there contained young woman who were either dead or about to die. Many of them were chained by either their necks or ankles to the walls behind them.
"He-lp," a young woman gasped.
Dorothy jumped at the sight of the young woman lying in a cage-like cell, her wrists bleeding from the metal chains binding her. Her stomach churned at the sight of others in the same cage who had not survived. They were already in the decomposition stage with their bones protruding from their skin.
She scurried passed the horrific sight, yet there was no escaping the horrors. Moans of pain was the only source of noise added into the crying and groaning of others. Dorothy wished somehow she could help them, but there was no possible way. Even if she were to find a way, where would they go? The castle was inescapable. The daughters and Lady Dimitrescu would be on them in seconds.
"Y-you," a voice called out to her from one of the smaller cells.
Dorothy stopped and turned to look at the young woman. She could only have been seventeen. She had dry blood on her face, arms and her kneecaps. She knelt down and felt about ready to cry from the sight.
"How i-is it you r-roam freely?"
"I am looking for someone," Dorothy said.
"Who?"
"Wendy."
"W-Wendy?" the young woman peered at her closer.
"Do you know her?"
She gave a faint nod.
"She is dead. I-I saw Anya drag her body down this very corridor."
Dorothy's throat went bone dry.
"Where did she put her body?"
She motioned Dorothy closer with her finger.
Dorothy drew closer to the cage when the young woman unexpectedly launched out at her. Her eyes wild and spittle flying out of her mouth as she tried to bite down on her arm. Dorothy stumbled away and hit her back off the bars of a cell.
"Dead! Dead! Dead!" the woman in the cell behind her chanted, reaching out their skinny arms to snatch Dorothy, who wheeled around and pointed her torch at them. All of them wearing the same manic smiles. Their eyes lifeless as they stared back at her.
"Why are we so damn noisy, huh?!"
Dorothy's blood grew cold. She knew that voice. Recognized the familiar click-clacking of heels. She did not hesitate to run further down the corridor and hid behind a nearby wall.
The hooded figure of Cassandra now standing where she had just been a few seconds ago. She was eyeing around the spot with a curved weapon in hand.
"Dead! Dead!"
Cassandra slammed the weapon against the bars.
"Shut your mouths!" she snarled, dragging the blade along the bars as extra emphasis.
The area fell eerily quiet, but Cassandra did not move. She was still eyeing about the area.
"How very strange," her voice echoed up and down the walls. "My nose detects something peculiar. Normally the smell of the dead or dying lingers within, but I smell something very much alive and fresh. Soapy, too."
Dorothy could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She knew she had to move, but where? Where could she go?
"Come now little mousy. Do not be shy. Step out and say hello."
Dorothy turned away and dashed as quietly as she could to the next wall upon Cassandra moving forward again.
"This is just fine," Cassandra giggled. "I like to play chase."
Dorothy felt a cold sweat sliding down her back as she continued further and further in.
"This is my domain. There is no nook and cranny you can hide away in. I will find you mousy, it is only a matter of time and patience."
Continuing to hold on to the torch for light, she stumbled upon a single door and beside it was a lever. Wondering if she should pull it, Dorothy was not given the opportunity as Cassandra's steps drew right upon her.
'Damn!' she hissed, looking left and right to hide in one of the cells. 'Please let this be unlocked.'
Thankfully the door opened and in she went. There were no dead bodies within, but a barrel with a broken top and what smelt of death. Sticking the torch inside first to smother it, Dorothy begrudgingly climbed inside and instantly felt her stomach churn. The contents inside were squishy and reached straight up to her chin, not to mention the wood of the torch was digging into her side. She could see nothing, but could hear Cassandra's heel stop directly in front of the cell.
'Damn it all,' Dorothy thought, taking in a deep breath and plunging her head fully in.
"Where oh where did you go?" Cassandra was now standing in front of the barrel, resting her hand down upon the lid and galloping her nails atop it in thought. "You are hiding somewhere." She set her sights down on the barrel, her lips twisting into a smile as she lifted the lid. Anger flared across her face to find nothing. She growled out her frustration and slammed the lid back down, her heels receding until all fell silent.
Dorothy exploded out of the barrel, the lid clattering to the floor as she coughed and gasped for air. She could not see anything for a moment and frantically rubbed the gore off her face. Once she had her vision cleared, she clambered out of the barrel and fell to her knees, vomiting.
"I-I need to return to the surface," she groaned, pushing herself back up to her feet and staggering along. It was harder now with no torch, but there was some lighting from other torches on the walls to guide her. She tried to ignore the cacophony of crying and moaning. She had not been aware of it due to her running away from Cassandra, but now it was all she could hear. "I cannot help you," she mumbled. "Forgive me. Forgive me."
One step at a time she reached the familiar corridors she had passed through. She then came to a grinding halt upon the cage with the young woman from earlier.
She was gone. The only thing left behind was a trail of blood splatter. Dorothy closed her eyes and looked straight ahead. There was nothing she could do for her.
"Please help us! Please!" their words echoed around in her mind, making her place her hands up to her ears and walk faster.
'She truly is the bloody lady,' Dorothy thought to herself, sighing in relief to find the familiar stairs that would lead her back to civilization.
Never again would she venture below. Never she vowed, but she would inquire with Anya about Wendy and see if the girl spoke the truth. The door was still open when she entered the room to clean herself off for the second time and change her attire.
"Poor Harriett," she whispered, the stench from the clothes making her decide to burn them instead. "The fire in the kitchen will do…, but before that." She turned back over to the door and closed it. Gooseflesh running rampant through her body to know how close they all slept next to death.
An hour passed her by and Harriett returned to the room to find Dorothy within. As she approached she came to a screeching halt, covering her mouth and nose upon the lingering smell.
"What is that?"
"I had a little accident cleaning out the kitchen," Dorothy said.
"You smell like death," Harriett said. "No offense."
"None taken," Dorothy said, eyeing about before she went on in a low voice. "I must tell you something."
Harriett approached her a little closer.
"What?"
"The door is unlocked."
Harriett stared at her in confusion and then over to the door.
"Impossible. The door is always locked."
Dorothy shook her head.
"Go ahead and see for yourself."
Harriett did just that and swore.
"How? Who unlocked it?"
"I have no idea. When I returned after cleaning Lady Dimitrescu's private chamber, I found it wide open."
"What was behind it?"
Dorothy could feel bile rising in her throat just thinking about it.
"I do not wish to say."
Harriett walked back over to her and rested her hand comfortingly on her shoulder.
"Who could have unlocked it?" Harriett asked again. "Anya is the only one other than Lady Dimitrescu to have keys to the rooms."
"I have no idea," Dorothy said. "And why open it?"
Harriett just shook her head, perplexed.
Dorothy, too, was silent in her thinking.
'Could it have been Cassandra? After all she was down there. No. I am sure she has other means of entering below.'
"Harriett?!"
Both jumped at the sound of Anya's voice. The two quickly standing at attention as she entered the room, her nose wrinkling at the horrid stench wafting in the air.
"What are you doing in here?" she snapped. "You are to be in the kitchen preparing the lunch."
"Yes, ma'am," she said, scurry out of the room.
"And you, Alice, Lady Dimitrescu requests you to attend to her eldest."
"May I ask why?"
"You are to prepare her for lunch, and she generously has allowed you this opportunity to prepare yourself for later on tonight," Anya said, sniffing around the room. "Are you the cause of that foul odor?"
"I am, ma'am," she said. "I have been cleaning out some unsavory things earlier today."
Anya sighed in annoyance.
"You have fifteen minutes before Miss Bela expects your arrival. I will take you to my quarters to clean yourself properly."
"Thank you," Dorothy said, following behind the older woman gratefully.