petals of blood

Chapter 3

Eloise

...had I perished...

The fiery-haired girl caught my prolonged gaze and leaned in, revealing bold freckles scattered across her cheeks.

"Spot something amiss on my visage?" I flinched, averting my eyes, realizing I had been openly staring. She smirked, pressing further.

"Cat got your tongue?"

It dawned on me then that I hadn't uttered a word since my arrival. My spirits sank. Ida noticed my despondence.

"So, how old are you?"

Raising my battered fingers, I displayed seven digits. Though merely a child of seven, I appeared half my age.

"Seven?" She arched a skeptical brow. I nodded, beginning to feel a semblance of familiarity with her.

"Is that so? And what's your name?" She redirected her focus to me. Once again, fear seized me.

Unable to write, read, or communicate with my hands, I could only mouth the word.

"Eloise."

"Eloise?" I nodded. Satisfied, she resumed her attention to her meager meal.

"You're quite the curious lass... Let me share a little secret with you..." A sly smirk graced her lips.

"I intend to flee this wretched pit soon, and when I do, I'll seek you out. The name's Ida, by the way."

Hours drifted by until dusk descended, and we were ushered into another cell. The wounds that marred my body still throbbed, refusing solace.

"Here."

A soft voice broke the silence nearby. Turning, I beheld another girl, older than I, with curly brown hair and dark skin, her eyes a piercing blue.

"These will aid in your healing. You need them more than I do." Her voice was gentle, laced with pity for my plight at the hands of the Domineers.

Accepting the offered container and powder, I bowed my head in gratitude, touched by her kindness amid our shared suffering.

Seated on the grimy floor, I gingerly tended to my wounds, the fabric of my dress clinging to the festering sores.

As I applied the salve, a searing pain engulfed me, threatening to shatter my resolve. I stifled a scream, stuffing my garment into my mouth to muffle the agony. The other girls turned to us, their gazes curious.

"Forgive me... I forgot to mention it might sting. It's made from elf blood. Let me assist you."

Her unexpected offer left me bewildered. How had she acquired such a potion? At my tender age, I understood its rarity. Yet, she tended to my wounds with care, alleviating the pain and fostering a fragile sense of relief.

"So your name is Eloise, a peculiar yet endearing name. I'm Ehid. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

I offered a faint smile, resting my head, wary of the perils that awaited in slumber.

---

"She's the one... T5017."

At dawn's first light, the dungeon remained cloaked in shadow. Domineer guards approached Ida's cage, her back turned in silent defiance. With rough hands, they roused her, binding her with fresh chains before leading her away.

I watched, bewildered by their actions. Where were they taking her?

As her gaze met mine, a devious smirk played upon her lips. In an instant, her countenance shifted to one of indifference, concealing her clandestine plans.

It appeared her scheme to escape was unfolding as planned.

In time, I learned the fate that awaited captives like us in the auction house: to be bred like livestock for perpetuity or to serve as sustenance for the Domineers. Those deemed defective or non-compliant met a swift and merciless end.

I pondered the myths surrounding our captors, their vampiric nature shrouded in falsehoods. They walked beneath the sun's rays, dined on garlic with impunity, and possessed no ability to morph into bats or manipulate minds.

The prospect of turning into a vampire with a single bite remained unsubstantiated, a mere fabrication spun to foster fear and compliance.

Lost in reverie, I felt a presence lurking nearby. Turning, I recoiled in fear, only to realize it was but a figment of my imagination—the specter of my father.

The doors creaked open once more, and the routine of captivity resumed: washing, auctioning, feeding, and confinement.

Days turned into years, and I remained ensnared in the cycle of despair. Ehid's memory lingered, a beacon of kindness in a sea of darkness. Yet, her absence served as a stark reminder of the cruelty that permeated our existence.

---

Seven years elapsed...

"You never seem to learn, do you? No wonder they always return you!"

Whack!

The fabric of my garments rent with each lash of the spiked whip, my flesh bearing the marks of cruelty. I endured the punishment until my tormentor deemed it sufficient, spitting in disgust before departing.

Crawling back to my cage, I dared not sleep during such perilous times. The other girls slumbered, but my eyes remained wide open, fixated on the darkness enveloping us.

With no salve or balm to soothe my wounds, my health deteriorated rapidly. Dawn broke, and we were led to auction once more. I glanced down at my ragged nails, another casualty of my captivity.

"What about the white-haired one?"

White-haired? I surveyed the room, finding no one but myself possessing such distinctive locks.

"T5076? An intriguing choice. Let's start at ten gold coins..."

And so, I was auctioned once more. Astonishment swept through the room as a bidder claimed me for an exorbitant sum, ushering me into a new chapter of uncertainty.

Unchained and clad in a simple gown, I awaited in the Mistress's office, apprehensive of what awaited.

Mistress Almut Bade approached with two figures in tow, signaling the beginning of a new chapter in my tumultuous journey.

To be continued...