The night air was cold, it clung to Eloise's skin like a damp cloth. She sat against the rough stone wall of the mansion her arms wrapped around her knees. Streaks of dried tears on her cheeks, and dried blood on her temples. Her jaw was still sore from Madame Selene's cruel slaps.
The laughter from inside the mansion felt like a different world entirely. Cold air moved through her skin as she pulled her knees even tighter to her chest. She texted her head on her knees as she swallowed back her tears. She told herself that she wouldn't cry. Not again, and definitely not here.
Around her, the servants moved fast. None of them spared her a glance, they didn't want to get in trouble with Madame. Her trembling hands clutched the necklace around her throat; the small cool pendant pressed against her chest. That was the piece of her mother she had with her.
She wondered why everything had gone so wrong. Maybe if she hadn't gone out that night to feed the cats, her mother wouldn't have had to look for her and she wouldn't have been killed.
She wondered how her grandparents were doing and how she missed playing with her sister.
A soft voice broke the silence.
"El…."
She lifted her head through her blurred vision and saw Mira crouch beside her. Her friend's face was pale with worry and concern.
"My goodness! What did they do to you?" Mira whispered gently dabbing her temples with a warm cloth.
Eloise tried to smile but she could barely curve her lips due to the pain in her jaw.
"I made a mess of things," she murmured, her voice raw and cracked. "I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to…"
"Hush," Mira cut her off, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You don't have to explain. Just… thank the goodness you're still alive. Nobody comes out of that place. I wonder how you did, you're something special aren't you?"
A bitter laugh escaped Eloise before she could stop it. "Maybe I'm too stubborn to die."
"Maybe, but I'm glad you're alright." Mira whispered, though her voice trembled.
The scent of spiced wine still hung in the air, mixing with the sharp metallic smell of blood. Eloise's hand found the pendant again, and as her fingers brushed the surface, it flickered softly with a faint glow like a dying star. She always reached for her necklace when she feels anxious. It somewhat made her feel at peace.
"What do you think Madamd would do to me?" Eloise asked her voice trembling.
"I don't know… you survived the east wing, nobody does…we can only hope she goes easy on you. Mira replied softly.
"I hope…."
Meanwhile, inside the hall, everyone continued like nothing happened. All but one person thought of the incident that just happened.
Vincent minded still lingered on the servant girl that was humiliated a few hours ago. He wondered why he cared so much. She's just a servant. Matter of fact, he had seen worse things being done to servants and never for once did he pay them any attention. And this servant was human. A peasant he thought. Still, he couldn't get his mind off her.
"Aidan." Vincent called
His personal assistant Aidan, hurriedly rushed to meet his master.
"Yes , master Vincent?"
"The servant girl who was hit a few moments earlier, who's she?"
"She doesn't seem like anyone important, she's just a mere slave" Aidan replied
Vincent tried to brush it off but he couldn't. Moment later, he asked madame Selene the name of the girl. And she wondered why he would want to know about a mere servant so she lied saying she didn't know. And gave a fake chuckle saying "you can call her the ginger rat".
Laughter rang across the crowd and Vincent decided to remove his mind from the girl. After all, she was just a human.
"Will you excuse me for a moment" Madame Selene said with a fake smile as she exited the hall. She went down to the servant quarters demanding to know Eloise's location.
"If I see any of you speaking or even looking at that girl, I'll have you be headed."
"Guards, search for her outside and when you find her, watch her closely. Make sure she doesn't run away.
Selene walked towards the main hall to return to the party. She hated that servant girl. Not because of any reason in particular but because she had always seen her husband staring at her ever since she matured. She became jealous. Jealous of Eloise's innocent beauty and joyous face. She hated her and wanted her gone.
This was a perfect opportunity to get rid of her permanently and she wouldn't let it slide.
She smile to herself a she walked into the hall to continue speaking to her guests.
Outside the mansion, Mira had gone inside to avoid being seen outside. Eloise laid on the floor besides the guard's quarters as she drifted off into a deep sleep. The moment she shut her eyes, the nightmares began.
The same suffocating darkness.
The same cries echoing through the trees.
The same coppery scent of blood in the air.
Eloise could feel the cold mud beneath her bare feet as she ran, her breath sharp and ragged in her chest. The branches clawed at her skin, tugging her hair. The sound of angry voices chased her, closing in from every direction.
"Run, Eloise!"
A voice…it was her mother's.
She turned in the dream and saw her mother standing just ahead, her long dark hair tangled and wild, her face pale as death. Blood soaked her gown, and her eyes… those eyes were not the soft, gentle ones Eloise remembered. They were hollow, empty… hateful.
"Mama?" she called, her voice small and trembling.
But instead of reaching out, her mother smiled. A cold, twisted thing that made Eloise's blood freeze.
"I told you not to be weak," her mother whispered, and then a blade flashed in her hand.
Eloise screamed as the steel plunged toward her chest.
She woke with a gasp, her skin drenched with sweat. Her heart thundered in her ears as the remnants of the nightmare clung to her like heavy chains. She sat up, pressing a trembling hand to the necklace at her throat. It was warm. Glowing faintly, the soft light pulsing like a heartbeat.
"I must survive." She whispered to herself as her firm on the necklace tightened.
The night air was fogged and the pale moon hung low in the sky.
From an upper balcony, Vincent stood, his frame partially covered by the shadow of a statue. His mind kept going back to the servant girl he had seen earlier. Then he began to take a walk; he let his feet lead him to wherever they wanted.
He stood right in front of the guards quarters and was about to return to the party when he heard a soft whimper. He turned to see who it was…it was her.
She had her back facing him and was crying so loudly she couldn't hear him behind her.
He stared at her for a few seconds, he saw how she clutched her necklace. Her necklace…it had a special kind of glow. Not just a glow that says "this is expensive" it had a special kind of aura. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest. The necklace glow seemed to sync with her heartbeat.
"You're not an ordinary servant girl, are you…?" Vincent murmured to himself as he returned to the party