The Indentured Mistress of a 'Human'

Being Popular With the Humans

            Latsliant’s famous gathering place; Rocon de Fal. Despite its old age, the historic ball room sparkled, chandeliers stationed symmetrically around the domed ceiling with angels painted on the walls.

            Royals mingled together, conjuring false smiles whilst trying to find some weakness in the competing house’s political standing. The “friendly chats” were laden with venomous, double-edged words of “praise”.

            A pianist in the corner quietly filled the room with sweet tunes, the soft keys singing gentle words, as if trying to smooth over tensions.

            And that’s when theWalker couple walked in.

            The large double doors creaked open, gathering everyone’s attention to the floor above that was about the size of a balcony’s. The doors were designed so that it was impossible for any entry or exit to be left unnoticed.

            A few from the Knez family smiled at the noisy creaking; they specifically requested that the doors be noisier to –uh- make a warmer welcome the new entry to this game. It wasn’t a problem, really, they sneered to themselves. If the brat couldn’t handle a little pressure and stage fright, she wasn’t fit for the royal world anyways.

            Brook breathed in slightly at the view. Ice sculptures of swans, angels, castles, and dragons glittered next to long buffet tables lined with delicacies and wines of all sorts on spotless white tablecloths. The floor was polished granite, a mirror reflecting the sleek and unbelievably beautiful figures of the royals.

            “So that is the newWalker heiress,” skeptical voices whispered.

            “She’s so plain.”

            “MY daughter would have been a perfect match.”

            “Without status or wealth!”

            “Fat around the waist.”

            “Unknowledgeable.”

            “Gold digger.”

             Brook stiffened, raised her head, and erased all signs of intimidation. Nathan smiled, looking at her determined gaze in the corner of his eye.

            The two of them descended the ivory banister with dignified smiles. They greeted the bottom step along with several falsely smiling adversaries.

            “What a pleasure it is to meet you, Miss-”
            “How long has it been, Master Walker. Why, only yesterday-”

            “-Madame Sulivan. You looked prettier than those pictures of you my daughter and I saw in the paper,Brooklyn dear.”

            “You have such an exotic taste in women, M-”

            “Nathan!” a young girl an inch shorter than Brook called warmly. The crowd of people immediately parted to make way for a young alluring Chinesian girl with radiant black flecked red eyes and long lashes.

            She wore a long traditional Chinesian red dress with a slit on both sides of her legs up to her hips, revealing long, slender legs. Her short black hair stood up in tiny, messy spikes that bounced slightly with every graceful stride.

            “How’s it been, Eva?” Nathan smiled. Brook, to her great surprise, felt the tension leave his body as he shook Eva’s hand. So she was to be trusted? Eva Lee? The one who framed Will and turned his life upside down?! Brook wasn’t letting her guard down.

            “Well, well, well,” Eva said cheerfully as she turned to examine Brook with a mildly interested gaze. “So this is the girl who ‘stole you away from me’.”

            “I’m sorry, what?” Brook asked with a false smile.

            “Is that SO?” Eva said. “Nathan never told you? It wasn’t exposed to the public, but our lovely parents were about to sign the contract until you showed up.”

            “Sign the contract…?”

            “I’m referring to marriage. You know, how the bride and groom sign a written contract to seal their engagement?”

            “Oh, right. Forgot about that,” Brook feigned. So the flamboyant humans didn’t bother with any extravagant ceremonies pledging their everlasting love, huh?

            “I’ll leave you two to chat,” Nathan said when some wealthy looking old women waved him over.

            “So,” Eva said, taking a gossipy tone, “how’s he in bed?”

            Brook blushed so hard that she felt her blood rush through her entire body in a flash. Eva burst out laughing.

            “I didn’t really mean that,” she giggled. “You’re really interesting, you know? Normally, I’d think you were stupid for choosing a royal as a husband, but I think you show the signs of a genius.”

            “Which would be?” Brook asked curiously despite herself.

            “One; a clear understanding of psychology, the way people think and act. Two; the people you surround yourself with… I wonder if you can tell me what the third one is.”

            Brook stood their contemplating for a while. “Probably,” she said cautiously, choosing her words to be exact, “a person’s grasp on what they want out of life. What they want to be when they grow up, who they want to marry, that kind of stuff.

            “You can be a genius, but if you don’t see the purpose of living, then what’s so great about you? You’ll just flounder around, only living because you’re alive.”

            Eva remained silent for a while, her eyebrows high on her forehead and her eyes wide. Brook blinked a few times. “Am I wrong?”

            Eva broke out into a bright smile. “Nope. You’re absolutely correct. You really are a smart person.”

            Brook felt as if a weight was taken off her chest. She opened her mouth when Eva interjected. “So; what do you want out of life?”

            “I…I think,” Brook said tentatively after thinking about it. “I think just never want to cry again.”

            “And being around Nathan will help you achieve you goal?”

            Suddenly, a creaking of doors drew everyone’s attention to the top of the banister. Everyone immediately went on one knee right hand on their heart, to salute them.

            Eva hastily dragged Brook with her to the cold granite floor and hissed, “Get DOWN, you idiot!”

            “It’s an honor,” everyone in the room recited, “to be in your presence, Mr. and Mrs. Walker.”

            Brook dared to sneak a peak at Nathan. He wasn’t on the ground, but bowing slightly, staring coldly at the couple.

            Brook followed his gaze. A tall, middle aged man with sleek black hair and frosty eyes was flanked by a brown haired beauty that looked to be in her late twenties.

            They averted their eyes from their son after a while and met Brook’s eyes. She felt her palms become clammy and her legs started shaking. Brook could just feel it.

            She was going to die after all.