In The Night - Fallacy x Encre

Chapter 2

My wrists and legs were bandaged by the skeleton's servant.  They left me in the room with only the bed and a bookshelf over on the other end of the blue strings.  I then remember my small sketchbook and pat myself down.  I find my sketchbook and a lead pencil.  I look through my sketches and other things.  I start to draw the bed posts and the blue strings stretched across the room.  Every little shadow, detail and speck of dirt there is captured in the photo.  Suddenly there is a knock at the door and I jump, an "eek!" escaping my throat.  I quickly hide the sketchbook and pencil.  The door opens rushedly and the black skeleton's servant is there, a worried expression on his face.  "Are you alright monsieur Encre?"  He asks.  "Yes... I was merely startled is all."  I laugh nervously.  They nod and let out a sigh of relief.  "My lord would like for you to dine with him this glorious evening."  They say.  'Why, would he want me to dine with him?'  I think confused.  "Monsieur, you seem to be lost in thought again."  They say.  I jump slightly and quickly say "Oh... Please do forgive me... I am just so used to being alone, I sorta forget, that... I cannot dive so deep into my thoughts, is all."  They nod in an understanding way before saying "My lord gets like this as well, it is something you both share as similar traits of your characters."  I blush slightly hearing that.  Then the servant suddenly moves out of the road as the blue strings disappear.  My eyes go wide as the strings disappear.  It all happens in a slower pace then what would seem natural and I am left in a gaze of awe.  "It seems my lord sees you no longer as a danger... Forgive him for the tight bonds you woke up in... We were unsure if you would attack or plot an attack, or possibly try escaping."  The servant says gently.  "Oh... I never even thought about that, nevertheless about escaping, it fled my mind once I saw the small details and the uniqueness of this room."  I say my voice soft and gentle.  "You are quite interesting... My lord is right about that.  Now, my lord must be waiting, and you must be hungry by now."  They say.  I feel concern fill me as I stand slowly from the bed.  Suddenly my lead pencil slips from my pocket and the servant is already in front of me holding it up to me, but I am flinching and protecting my ribs by keeping my arms close to my chest, my eyes squeezed shut as well.  "For why are you so concerned over a pencil falling, Encre?"  I hear from the door's direction.  I open my eyes to see the black skeleton and all his features for the first time and I am taken back by his height.  Then I remember that I was asked a question and answer with "I... I used to get hit for having anything on me other than my-my clothes... Since having an-anything sharp would be considered a thr-threat towards the king and queen... So like the rest of the servants to the king and queen... We were trained not to mess up so I got scared..."  I am standing with my arms in front of me hand over hand and head bowed apolitically.  I hear footsteps and close my eyes tightly getting ready to be hit.  I feel a soft touch to the side of my face before feeling my chin being lifted up gently as there is also a careful hand on my shoulder.  I open my eyes slowly to see him towering above me.  "You will not be hit or attacked here in this castle, Encre... That is a promise, I intend to keep." The black skeleton says placing the hand that was holding up my chin against my cheek gently.  I find myself just staring into the eyes of the black skeleton, who I do not know the name of.  There is a warm feeling in my soul that I cannot place, it just feels so foreign to me.  "He seems to be lost in thought, my lord."  I hear.  I blush hearing that and pout looking away.  "Oh my..."  I hear.  I look up at the black skeleton and they have a yellow blush across their cheeks.  'His blush... It is different... Like mine...'  I think.  His eyes narrow slightly looking down at me.  I advert my eyes right away looking down to not offend him.   My mind and thoughts silent as I continue to look down my eyes closed.  "Encre... Come... You must be hungry..." He says.  'Hungry? I am used to rationing... Are these people like this as well, or are their crops better off'  I think trying to remember the last time I ate.  I have only eaten rations due to the famine the farmers are having.  So I learned not to eat much.  "Oh yes... You must be used to rations... We shall change that..."  the skeleton says.  He takes my hand gently and starts to lead me from the room. He starts to lead me down long dimly lit halls, the fire from the torches only being able to light so much of the cold dark stone halls.  There are many wooden doors of walnut and handles of black iron as we walk swiftly down the halls of this castle.  We begin to slow down as there is the soft hum of music in the distance.  The tune almost sad, but calm and gentle.  It begins to speed up and the mood becomes brighter as the tune goes on.  I remember a song that you can sing with the tune and frown slightly.  I go to grab my silver cross and it is not around my neck.  I let my hand go to my side feeling a bit empty now. "Encre... Are you alright?" The skeleton asks me.  I nod gently. He nods and he pulls me along through a set of doors.  I have to jog slightly to keep up with him, now.  He stops suddenly and I almost trip.  He has me by my hand and waist.  My cheeks flare brightly as I blush hard, having had to been caught by him.  "Forgive me... I was going far too fast for you, was I not?"  He says.  "Just a little... You... Just stopped so abruptly..."  I mutter.  "I see... Well the dinning hall is to the left.  I will join you in a mere moment.  Suave please take him to the dinning hall, and keep him company."  The tall black skeleton says helping me up.  The servant I now know as Suave brings me through the doors to the left and I am left in amazement.  It looks all ethereal, as the room is extremely bright and there are huge windows showing the midnight sky.  Everything just seems so elegant and sophisticated, compared to the king and queen's castle.  Their castle was more down to earth and not very charming.  "Lord Fallacy's guest seems to enjoy everything greatly."  I hear.  "He looks so relaxed as well."  I hear.  "Lord Fallacy, seems to find them of great interest since our guest seems to analyze everything to the smallest detail."  I hear Suave's voice say.  "Wait... I recognize our guest, that is monsieur Encre the king and queen's royal painter, but he was outcasted from the village due to him saving a Vampire child's life when he was extremely young, I even heard he was disowned by his family for it... He lives alone miles from the Royal castle on the far outskirts of the Royal castle's village."  I hear and it gains my attention.  I see three servants off to the side all huddled together.  "I saw him painting once and he messed up, due to me startling him.  He was almost done his drawing as well, but he just laughed gently and created a fence with the line I had accidentally caused him to paint.  He gave me the painting too, since it went 'against anything the king and queen would care to have.'"  I hear one say and I remember the words spoken. "He is looking towards us..."  I hear someone whisper.  I jump hearing that and turn away from them.  I let my arms go in front of me and keep my head bowed, feeling frightened.  "Why is he standing like that?"  I hear.  "Chains... He used to be chained whenever outside his assigned home, due to him being declared as a vampire... He is merely allergic to silver."  I hear.  I force myself to be blank as I stand off to the side, so I avoid conflict.