What Makes a Monster

♱Thirty-Two♱

I'm hesitant to peer inside until realization sets in that it's a perfectly normal bedroom. Pressing my hand to the door, I swing it open just a bit more to reveal a portion of the room, which is similar to Lord Makai's yet somehow more lived in.

There's a friendly sitting area. A couch faces a white stone fireplace and an armchair at its side. In that armchair is a half finished blue and white blanket with sewing needles and a ball of blue yarn in a woven basket. The rug is a little worn out, like there has been constant movement atop it and there's even a little brown teddy bear in the corner of the couch.

It isn't the blanket or the sewing needles or the bear that has me freezing in place though. No, it's a painting that is half concealed by the door that has my eyes going wide.

Across the room, between the balcony doors and a wide window, is a large painting with deep brown trim. In that painting is a man that I recognize yet don't because I've never seen Lord Makai with such a cheerful expression. Even his deep red eyes are bright as he sits with a young girl in his lap, probably no older than seven. Her light brown hair is curled around her thin shoulders with dark green ribbons in her hair that match the color of her eyes. She's holding the brown teddy bear in one hand and Lord Makai's fingers in the other. Beside her there are clearly more people as I can make out a woman's shoulder and a hand on said shoulder, but nothing more.

When I attempt to push the door open further though, it suddenly slams shut so fast that it smacks me in the face. I'm rubbing my soon to be very bruised nose when I hear a familiar growl, "Snooping, are we?"

The door is locked with a loud click, and standing beside said door is none other than Lord Makai with a menacing scowl. His red eyes are alight and focused solely on me, which sends a shiver down my spine.

"I didn't...the door was open," I explain as if I think that will help.

Judging by the shaking in his clenched hands or the slight movement of his jaw, he's furious for even glancing in there. Far more furious than he has been, especially towards me, for a very long time. Cold air consumes the hall. I question whether it's my imagination. He takes a menacing step closer but I stand my ground, uncertain of what's to come.

"So you decided you had the right to look inside rather than close it?"

"I...I'm sorry, I didn't⁠—" I stop myself before I even finish since it would be a lie. I did mean to. I knew what I was doing. The rooms have always been locked up. Only Higra and Layne are permitted entrance. Rather than lie, I admit, "I shouldn't have done it and I'm sorry. It was wrong of me. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

The anger in Lord Makai turns to disbelief. His hands go limp at his side, although his jaw is still grinding. His forehead creases and nose wrinkles, as if he has tasted something sour..

I'm quick to explain myself. "None of us are allowed back here so it was weird for the door to be open. First I thought Higra or Layne needed help, but when I saw they weren't there I looked in because...well, I was curious, but I shouldn't have done it. It clearly upset you so I won't do it again, I promise."

The red of Lord Makai's eyes diminish. His neck cracks when he uncomfortably rolls his shoulders. By now, I expect to be yelled at, but it's obvious he's holding himself back. He turns away from me, shoulders shaking with rage that he refuses to show. His voice, however, is not as easily controlled when he growls, "Don't do it again."

"I won't."

"And don't speak a word about it."

I want to ask what "it" is, but Lord Makai has already stormed off, disappearing downstairs to who knows where. It isn't until he's out of view that I realize I'm shaking too. From the tip of my toes to the top of my head, I'm quivering like a leaf in a storm. I press my back to the wall and run my fingers through my hair.

"That could have been worse," I whisper, glancing once more at the locked door that isn't as innocent as it seems. Seeing the door reminds me of what I saw behind it; a painting that implies much more than Lord Makai likely wishes any to know or even guess. Now there are even more questions surrounding him.

Whose room is this? Or whose room was this?

No one has ever been seen coming in or out yet it has more personality than Lord Makai's room. What was up with the blanket and the teddy bear and, most of all, the painting? Who was that girl? Who else was in the painting?

I rub the back of my neck with a heavy sigh. A headache is coming on and for good reason. I don't want to risk asking Hael. He'll either be suspicious as to why I keep asking about Lord Makai or he may guess I saw something I wasn't supposed to. My only option is to attempt finding answers from a book.

I hesitate to do so even if my studies have been coming along great. I'm capable of reading some books, but I struggle with those located in Lord Makai's libraries. They're massive, some as heavy as a brick. They lay spread out across the table in the library. The fire crackles in the distance, warming the room as I contemplate if snooping is the best option. At this rate it's the only option, and the more I'm here the more I suspect that Lord Makai's past is shrouded in mystery because someone wants it to be. Not necessarily Lord Makai, maybe the royals, maybe everyone.

I'll just take a peak, at least at some timelines or family trees. Although many books are too advanced for me, my search continues after work hours. I dig out any having to do with family history and the only discovery I find is that it's messed up beyond belief.

Thankfully there are drawings in one of the books leading back 2400 years ago. In the beginning the Makai family was revered for their strength, prowess and advanced battle strategies. Once nothing more than a family of farmers, they rose up against invaders and expanded the lands until it grew into the empire of Aberia. There were countless Emperor's afterwards, some better than others. Emperor Elyon is a prime example of how bad times can change when someone with power is a fucking lunatic.

There's simply a bloodbath after Elyon. With 19 children in total, the obsessed lunatic was worried they'd plot against him. Before ordering his Priests to search for answers to immortality, he rounded up all his children to be slaughtered. None survived and I think it's safe to assume Lord Makai wouldn't have either had Emperor Elyon lived. What a messed up family.

After that there's mentions of Lord Makai, mostly his business ventures, but nothing more. And he has no books specifically dedicated to about his life in the library. Maybe that'd be weird to have around, but I also wonder if anyone has ever even attempted to write one.

Has anyone ever cared?

"Damn," I groan after yet another failed attempt at finding answers. There certainly is no mention of a young girl living with Lord Makai, not in any of these books at least. I wish to ask, but with his reaction it is obvious he doesn't want to speak of it. There is no reason for him to confide in me nor do I have the right to pressure him about it...

But the situation here is growing fishier by the day. So much is unknown about the vampire that everyone claims to know so much about. How can they when the vast majority of his past is unwritten?

Putting together the facts; lack of written history, secret closed off rooms, bad reaction when said room is discovered, no mention of this girl or whoever else is in the picture and⁠—

"So you have lost someone you've cared deeply about?"

"No. I've never had anyone like that."

"Surely there must have been someone."

"No."

And a question I once asked that lead to a rather telling response.

Fishy indeed. Taking in his age, the people in the painting are likely long dead...but who are they? How did they die, and does it have to do with Lord Makai's isolation now? What is it that Lord Makai is hiding and why?

♱♱♱

Most people suspected Wallie catching someone spying or Soran performing dark magic but, oh, it was neither of those things! Who was the girl in the painting? Who else could be in that painting and why is there no information about them, or even Soran? And if that's in one of the closed off rooms, what could be in the others? =O At least Wallie survived his snooping, honesty does work best with Soran ^_^