Chronicles of The Crescent Court

5

I wasn't awoken by the sun nor the night sky as I had all my life.

No dreams or the lingering screams that accompanied them. 

Instead, a small, warm hand was pushing me gently. A voice called, "Wake up, miss. Wake up."

I cracked my eyes open, instantly raising my hand to sheild them from the painfully bright candlelight that was somehow directly in my face. I had cried so violently in the night my eyes were swollen and sensitive.

"Stop." I muttered. The hand listened and allowed me to rise, stiff and slowly. Ironically, I was reminding myself of the vampire lore I had read as a child.

"You are to be my sister today, miss." The voice spoke up once more.

My head turned slowly to see a little girl staring up at me. Her small body was halfway on the bed, halfway dangling as she looked at me with innocent eyes so big and brown. So plain and lovely, I thought to myself. I was surprised I had energy to envy them.

She looked very excited and no more than six or seven years in age.

"Your sister?"

She nodded happily, "You and I are not supposed to speak either. Mama said so."

"Then why are you waking me, tiny one?" I asked in a voice as monotone as a ghost. She let out a sweet giggle and put a tiny finger to her mouth.

"Papa said I could wake you early. So get up!" She chirped and began to pull onto my clothing again. I groaned. I did not want to leave this bed. I did not want to move an inch. But, she was insistent.

Deliberately taking my time, and much to the tiny one's frustration at not being able to pull me by her own strength, I got out of bed. Her small fingers wrapped around my hand, and I was pulled into the hall of the house once again. I noted how skinny even she was despite her cheeks being so full. She was truly small. I hadn't seen many children but it seemed she much smaller than she should've been. 

I was escorted to a dining room table where four plates had been set up. Anne was stirring a pot atop a simply black stove, her back facing us. I did not see the man anywhere.

"Goodmorning, Mama!" tiny one sang. She plopped her small self into a chair, pushing the one next to her out for me. I silently took it.

"Goodmorning, my Lilly. Did you sleep well?" Anne asked sweetly.

Lilly instantly began talking about some dream she had that included dragons and faires taking her to a ball. Anne nodded here and there while laughing at the child. Watching their short exchange, I felt as if something was squeezing my heart. It hurt but I did not have the energy to think any deeper on it.

"I wish my dreams were as vivid as yours, darling. Are you ready for-" her words dried when she turned and noticed me.

Anne and I held eye contact for a second. I was the one to look away first, remembering our exchange from yesterday. She cleared her throat and gave a false smile.

"We're having porridge."

Lilly ate greedily and conversed with her mother the entire meal and tried several times to get me to speak. The most I could do was nod awkwardly as I forced the mushy food down my throat. Anne did her best to seem comfortable and totally absorbed by her daughter, but I could see the discomfort in her posture, the creases in her forehead deep as her anxiety began to build. 

By the time we were done eating, I heard someone making their way into the room with big heavy steps.

"Papa!" Lilly sqealed, hopping out of her chair and running into the man with a soft thud.

"Dear?" Their was a sudden fear and apprehension in Anne's eyes now.

"Where have you been? I almost ate all the porridge!" Lilly's little voice did nothing for the new atmosphere. The lightness in it seemed out of place. Even though i hadn't turned to face the man, Anne's face had revealed enough. Any color she might have had was drained completely. 

My heart began to speed up, my body clenching. I felt I was suddenly being crushed under the heavy weight of his arrival and what he would finally say. I tried to breathe, to steady myself, but his words knocked the wind out of me.

"They've started."

.

.

.

Before I knew it, Lilly was being pulled out of the room by Anne and I was being forcibly held down in my chair.

I had tried to make a break for it. My body instinctively went to hop out of the chair and run to the nearest exit.

I tried but, as if it was expecting it, and he probably was, the man pushed me back into the seat with surprising strength. One large, weathered hand on my shoulder and the other threateningly tight around my throat.

My heart was hammering along with the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

"Listen." He said lowly, tightening his grip when I attempted to jerk my body away.

"That little girl in there, she is my life. My world, you understand? I won't let anyone hurt her. I paid good money for you, damn near an arm to make sure you got here in time. You are going to play the part of my daughter today. You're going to do it well. Or else, you're going to have the blood of an entire family on your hands. Do you want that?"

A tear slipped down my eye as he shook my body roughly.

"No." I whispered.

"Good. You'll be good today. And, if you know what's good for you, you'll be good everyday from now on. God knows what your life is about to become."

His hands finally left me the moment Anne walked back into the room, without Lilly.

She had her eyes lowered in grief and submission. The man simply helped himself to what was left of the porridge. Both of them silent as tears silently fell from my eyes.

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Thank you for reading!