When Charlotte retired to her bedroom she was feeling very agitated. She couldn't believe the kind of person Alastor was. It was bad enough that he was a cannibal but the fact that the only reason he kept her alive was because he was bored? And he would only set her free if she just kept him entertained for a year? She figured that he was insane but it wasn't the kind of insanity she was expecting. Just what in the world did he want? Also why didn't he want her to look at him? Why was he so hellbent on keeping himself hidden from her?
"Obviously he's deranged." She said to herself as she changed into her night dress. "But at least he's giving me a chance to get out of here."
She thought about the riddle that Alastor had given her to solve.
"Tell me something about myself that I don't already know."
And just how was she supposed to do that? She didn't even know what he looked like. The only thing she knew about him was that he was completely mad and she was positive that he knew that.
"I suppose all I can do is try my best and hope that it's enough."
She laid down on her bed and soon drifted off to sleep.
...
She dreamt of sweet music that called to her and she followed it to a room bathed in gold light where she saw him again. The young man who had held her and kissed her with the most tender affection. He was playing the harpsichord and he played it beautifully. As soon as she stepped into the room he stopped and turned to look at her with a smile. He ushered her to sit next to him which she did and took hold of her hand to kiss the back of it like a perfect gentleman.
He then moved her hand over to the keys of the harpsichord, guiding her fingers over the keys. Sweet music once again filled the room and together they played for seemed like hours. She smiled, she laughed, she felt so happy. Happy with him. It was strange. He did not utter a word yet she knew what his feelings were.
His eyes said so much. They said how kind he was. How charming he was. How...How sad he was. How contrasting his features were. Even though his face bore a joyful smile those brown eyes of his held so much sorrow. As if he had spent his entire life living in misery.
"You smile at me but I know that you are not happy. When I look into your eyes I see that you are very sad." She observed. "Why are you so sad?"
He still would not speak. He only looked at her.
"Why will you not talk to me? Is it that you cannot speak? Have you lost your voice?"
He embraced her and began to stroke her hair.
"Please, I want to make your pain go away. Is there anything I can do?"
He pulled back from her and nodded.
"What? What must I do?"
Once again he took hold of her hand but this time he slipped something onto her finger. She looked down at her hand and saw that what he had given her was some strange but beautiful engagement ring.
"You...You want to marry me?" Her cheeks turned pink with blush. "I...I...I can't...I don't...I mean...I...
But her flustered stuttering was hushed by him pressing his lips to her own. She knew that she should probably object to such a bold move but she found herself not wanting to. She wanted him to hold her and kiss her forever and ever. She didn't know him but so far he was the only thing that made her happy. She didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to wake from this beautiful dream.
But all dreams must end...
Charlotte awoke to the sound of Niffty knocking on the door to once again bring her breakfast and start her bath. After her bath Charlotte dressed herself in a lovely gown, jewels, and slippers, then left the room to walk about the castle grounds. As she was going down the same corridor she had explored last time, she noticed two doors to two rooms which she could not recall seeing before.
She opened the first door to discover a large library with shelves full of countless books. She curiously ran her fingers over the covers of various books, reading their titles. There were many subjects but most of them were history books, books on different places in the world, poetry books, and storybooks. Some that she had already read and others that she didn't even know existed. The room also had a velvet chair for her to sit on so she could be comfortable whenever she wanted to read.
She pulled a book which she had never read from the shelf and sat down on the chair to begin reading a new story. It was a love story from Ireland, one that told of a beautiful maiden forced to marry an old king but she had fallen in love with the king's younger and more handsome knight. The knight returned her love and on the day she was to marry the king, the lovers drugged the wedding wine and ran away together. Charlotte very much enjoyed the story. It made her imagine that she was standing right there watching the events of the story unfold in front of her.
When she was done reading she left the library and went to open the second door. The room to that one contained every musical instrument there ever was including a magnificent white and gold harpsichord. Next to it was a shelf holding music books and notes. Overwhelmed with excitement, she quickly picked out a music book and skimmed through the pages until she found a song that she liked. She had chosen Aupres de ma Blonde which had been her mother's favorite song. According to her father, Lilith would haves played it for hours if she had been allowed to.
Charlotte proceeded to play Aupres de ma Blonde on the harpsichord and she played it perfectly. Part of her had worried that after not playing the instrument for so long she had lost her talent for it but to her great relief that had not been the case at all. She felt her spirits being lifted with melody of the song and as her fingers danced on the keys she felt a great happiness. When her song reached it's end she was surprised by the sudden applause from behind.
Turning around she saw both Vagatha and Niffty clapping rapidly for her.
"Wonderful. Just wonderful." Niffty said.
"Thank you." Charlotte said bashfully. "I did not think anyone was listening."
"I think everyone in the castle heard you." Vagatha said.
"Oh I did not mean to disturb you all."
"Nonsense! We enjoyed it." Vagatha said. "It's been far too long since we've heard any music."
"I'm surprised he's opened up this room again." Niffty said. "I thought he had hidden it away for good."
"I thought he liked music." Charlotte said.
"He does but he hasn't wanted to share it with anyone for a long time. You're the first person he's opened up the room to in thirteen years." Vagatha said. "Same goes for the library. I wonder why he's finally changed his mind on the subject."
Charlotte recalled to the night before when she and Alastor had talked at dinner. She had told him how much she loved books and music. The types of reading material she favored and of the harpsichord she adored. He had actually been paying attention to her words. Listening to what she said. She assumed that he had only engaged her in that conversation to lure her into a false sense of security. Not that he had actually cared to know her interests. Did that mean that he had these two new rooms made up just for her? If so then why? Wasn't she supposed to be the one entertaining him? That was the whole reason she was still breathing. So she could amuse him not the other way around.
"Is something wrong my lady?" Vagatha asked upon noticing the puzzled look on Charlotte's face.
"Has your master ever been known to treat his...Prey kindly?"
Vagatha and Niffty both looked at each other before answering.
"He's very complicated." Vagatha said. "On one hand he is a deranged predator."
"But on the other hand he's also a very considerate gentleman." Niffty added. "Especially in regards to a lady. I myself enjoy serving him very much."
"The feeling is neutral for me." Vagatha said.
"Does he mistreat any of you?" Charlotte asked.
"No not at all." Niffty said.
"I will say that he is very cordial with us." Vagatha says. "The tasks he assigns us are reasonable, he sees to it that our basic necessities are met, we are all given proper rewards for our service, and he speaks to us like we are equals."
"Equals? You mean he does not treat any of you as inferiors?"
"No."
"That is quite different from how my father and sister treated our servants when we were well off. I do love my father and sister but I always abhorred their behavior toward the staff."
There was no number for how many times she had cringed at the sound of Lucifer and Helsa screaming and shouting demands at the servants. Spouting insults at them and always speaking as if they were lower dirt. But the worst was whenever the servants unintentionally displeased her family and they would respond by striking them with their palms, belts, or canes.
It almost made her ill to think about it.
How strange and ironic it was though. That her father and sister, two upstanding memebers of society would cruelly abuse their servants while Alastor this blood thirsty maniac behaved benevolently toward his house hold.
"He just keeps becoming more and more confusing." She thought. "Just what kind of man was he?"