Clementine was headed towards the dining hall since she received an unexpected invitation to dinner from Alcina earlier. She unlocked the door and entered the room to find the entire family inside, the three girls had already washed and were dressed in their pajamas, except Alcina, who was still dressed in her normal white dress. Alcina was seated at the end table, with Daniela and Cassandra on her right side and Bela alone on her left.
"Clemy! Come sit next to me!" Bela made a wave with her hand.
She took a seat next to Bela and smiled at them. This was strange because she had never eaten with the family before and was used to eating in the kitchen with Ingrid and Adela.
"You're finally having dinner with us!" Daniela squealed.
She shrugged. "Who am I to refuse, Lady Alcina's invitation," she awkwardly laughed.
Alcina smiled as she turned her gaze from Clementine to her daughters. "Dinner will be served shortly; I directed them to make dinner for five at the last minute."
They all nodded in response to Alcina.
"I'm not that hungry yet, my lady," she smiled.
Cassandra smirked, "I'm extremely hungry, Clementine tired all of us today."
She made a point at herself. "Why me?"
"You started the mud fight," Bela stucked her tongue out to her.
She crossed her arms and said, "It wasn't intentional; I got upset at you three for bickering because of me."
"I'm sorry about earlier," Daniela pursed her lips.
She rolled her eyes in amusement. "How about you two? Do you want to say anything?"
Cassandra sighed. "I apologize for arguing with them earlier, and I promise it won't happen again."
"I'm also sorry for fighting with my two ugly sisters—" she stopped talking when Clementine gave her a glare. "Alright, alright, geez! Sorry for fighting with my two gorgeous sisters that I adore so much," she said rolling her eyes.
"Aww, we love you too, Bela!" Daniela squealed
"I guess I do love you?" Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
Bela rolled her eyes. "I am simply doing this because of Clementine."
She shook her head. "No you don't, you love them but you just don't want to say it," she said teasing her even more.
Bela huffed and pouted her lips after crossing her arms. When she did this, the table burst out laughing. Alcina was overjoyed to see her girls finally expressing their emotions for one another; it was one of those rare times she had hoped to never witness.
"That was the first time I'd seen something like that. I've never seen the three of you express your feelings for each other so openly before," her lips were full of a pleasant smile. "You're always together and inseparable, but you never actually express how you feel. This is one of my favorite types of moments to witness."
"It's Clementine's fault mother," Bela pointed the woman.
"Fine, blame it on me again," she rolled her eyes jokingly.
The table was full with laughter once more, and their eyes twinkled with delight. Clementine continued to laugh as her gaze fell on Cassandra. Suddenly, a vision appeared in her head, making her dizzy. Cassandra was in her seat, seated behind the large window, when a gunshot was heard, and a bullet struck the window, breaking it and allowing cold air to enter. When the air hit Cassandra, her body suddenly froze, and another bullet struck her, turning her into crystal ice. She shook her head as the vision faded away, and everyone but her continued to laugh. The sound of a gunshot startled her out of her position, prompting her to leap from her seat and rush over to Cassandra, dragging her away from her chair.
"What in the world, Clementine—" Cassandra came to a halt in her speech when the window in the room abruptly shattered, and she felt the cold air rush in.
"What on Earth?!" Alcina got out of her chair.
Cassandra wrapped her arms around Clementine, feeling her warmth as she shivered from the cold. Clementine hugged her before stepping away from the window and into the dining hall's fireplace.
Daniela and Bela hid in the corner next to Alcina. Another gunshot was heard, and a bullet pierced the dining room's other window.
"Those bastards!" Alcina tightened her hands and gritted her teeth. "Bela, go to the safe room with your sisters and bring Clementine with you," she ordered.
"Come out via the kitchen, Clementine, and we'll meet in the hallway!" Bela remarked.
She obeyed Bela's commands by nodding her head. She and Cassandra exited the kitchen and encountered the other two outside the hallway.
"Let's get out of here before they find us," Daniela said, her hand in hers.
"They? Who are you referring to?" She inquired, her tone betraying her uncertainty.
"We'll explain later; for now, more walking and less talking!" Cassandra remarked.
The four of them hurriedly walked along the hallways, gunshots and shattered glass can be heard in the background as they walked.
Bela quipped, "I can already see mother's furious face."
The four of them continued walking until they came to a door that looked like a prisoner's door, with another door behind it with the Dimitrescus' golden insignia. Bela took two keys from her pocket, one of which was linked by a ring, and inserted it into the keyhole of the first door, which opened. She then took the other key and inserted it into the keyhole of the second door, which also opened.
"Come in," she said, motioning to the open door.
Cassandra was the first to enter, followed by Clementine, Daniela, and Bela, who then locked the door behind her.
"Finally! Peace!" As she laid on the bed, Daniela said.
Clementine scanned the room with her gaze. It was a large room with four beds; she believed the three beds belonged to the girls and the fourth, which was rather enormous, to Alcina. A television, bookshelves, and a little living room were also there, with another door at the other end of the space.
Bela remarked, "Welcome to our safety chamber."
"I had no idea you had such a room here in the castle."
Cassandra took a seat on the sofa. "Well, she thought having one would be a wonderful idea, especially while the serum for us is still in the works."
"Serum?" She cocked her head.
"We haven't told you, have we? Our grandma, Mother Miranda, is working on a serum for us with her laboratory colleague. It's a serum that will allow us to have flesh instead of bugs for the first time." Daniela expressed her thoughts.
Clementine smiled and nodded. "Wait, wait. How those gunshots outside? Your mother is alone down there!" She said suddenly remembering Alcina.
Bela burst up laughing. "Clemy, mother is perfectly capable of handling it; it's not like she can die from a bullet or knife."
Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean when you say she can't be killed by a bullet or a knife?"
With smirks on their faces, the three glanced at her.
Cassandra laughed and said, "My, my, Clemy."
Bela nodded, "We should really let you know more about our family background."
"What?" Her face was filled with a perplexed expression.
Daniela chuckled, "Clemy, mother is immortal."
Her mouth fell open, and the three girls laughed at her. Of course, why would she expect that Alcina could just die? The lady is incredibly tall and she even has claws, what was she thinking?
"All right, could you please explain those gunshots to me?"
Bela's lips were pursed. "They're just a bunch of scumbags attempting to murder our entire family."
Daniela chuckled. "As if they could easily murder us."
"Hey, Clementine?" Cassandra was the one who called.
"Yes?" She shifted her gaze to her.
"About what occurred earlier," she swallowed before speaking. "I appreciate you dragging me out of my chair."
She stared blankly at Cassandra, entirely forgetting that she had raised a ruckus at their purported supper earlier.
"Oh um..." she mumbled, unsure of how to answer.
Daniela got out of bed and walked up to Clementine. "Talking about dinner, that was strange."
"Apart from those individuals attempting to harm us, what you did was strange," Bela said.
"Me?" She made a point as well.
Cassandra nodded. "You grabbed me from my chair, and the window cracked and the bullet passed through in a matter of seconds after you did that."
Clementine's lips were pursed as she sensed the strained atmosphere in the room where they'd all congregated. The three stared at her, and she gulped as she clutched the hem of her maid's uniform.
Bela scoffed, "What happened before can't be sheer coincidence."
"Not unless...," she says. Daniela cocked her head and clenched her chin.
"You're a psychic?" Cassandra's lips were pursed.
"Psychic? What? No!" She chewed the inside of her bottom lip. "All right, I'll tell you three something, but keep it a secret."
The three of them gave her a big smile and nodded.
They all exclaimed, "Promise!"
-
Alcina was in the living room, her claws and clothes already smeared with blood. The spotless marble flooring were splattered with blood and the remains of men dressed in black were spread across the floor; some of her maids were also on the floor, having perished earlier as a result of bullets.
"Stupid scumbags!" She sighed in exasperation. "Those windows were just refurbished, and you came in and ruined them!"
Another glass cracked, causing her to wrinkle her nose in irritation. These males have damaged the majority of her vases and glass cabinets. She was standing alone in the living room when she felt a bullet pass through her back; a chuckle escaped her lips as she turned around to see another man in black approaching from the staircase.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "How pitiful, do you honestly believe that thing will kill me?"
She glided smoothly towards the stairwell, but the man bolted, and before she could even get away, her claws were already embedded in his torso, killing him. She sighed and tossed the man's lifeless body onto the living room floor.
"Now that they have fresh meat, my daughters would be overjoyed," she exclaimed.
The door of the living room opened and Heisenberg dashed into the room, breathless as he searched the room for any traces of Alcina or his nieces. Alcina smirked and shook her head, indicating that she was clearly standing tall in the stairwell and that he had missed her.
"I'm here, you metalhead." She murmured something that made Heisenberg look up at her.
"Thank God!" He breathed a sigh of relief. "Where are the girls?"
"In the safe room," she said casually as she descended the stairwell.
"Donna called me and said there were visitors on her property; I went there and saw men in black; thank goodness her hallucinogen was active tonight or they would have found her."
"Why did you abandon her there? Have you informed Mother Miranda?"
Heisenberg smiled and nodded. "I called her, but she stated she was still in another world,"
Alcina sighed and rolled her eyes. "And we were convinced that the barrier would prevent them from entering."
Heisenberg looked around the living room while tapping his right foot on the floor.
Alcina crossed her arms and said, "We're fine here; it was nice of you to check on us."
"I care for you even if I despise you." He commented.
"I think you should stay with Donna for the time being; I'm afraid and worried about her being alone in that manor especially of what happened tonight."
Heisenberg nodded. "Tell the girls I came by. Sorry for the damages on your castle, "As he walks away, he says.
"Yes," Alcina said, clenching her teeth. "My castle, which was recently rebuilt, requires yet another repair! Those stupid man things!" She grumbled.
She then turned around and began to walk up the stairs toward the safe room. She entered the room and noticed the girls, including Clementine, playing a board game.
"Mother!" When Bela saw her, she leaped.
"Are you alright?" Daniela exclaimed as she ran up to her.
"Your have blood on your dress!" Cassandra approached her as well.
Alcina laughed. "Girls, don't worry, I'm alright; as if they would hurt me."
The three of them hugged her and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Even so," Daniela continued, "We can't be concerned about you."
Cassandra admitted, "I'm a little anxious because you're taking so long."
Alcina turned her eyes to Clementine who was now putting the board game away, the woman smiled at her and slightly bowed her head.
"All right, let's get out of here; I've got a surprise for you three." Alcina spoke up.
"Let's go!" says the group. Bela yanked Alcina's dress excitedly.
Alcina unlocked the door and the three girls were the first to go; she looked around to see Clementine still putting away the board game they had been playing earlier.
"Aren't you coming, Clementine?" Leaning in the doorway, Alcina inquired.
"I'll be out in a minute, i'll just put this away," she says as she turns back and places the box on the shelf.
She proceeded towards the door and exited the room, followed by Alcina who exited the room as well. They all followed Alcina down the hallway towards the living room. They were in the stairwell where they were given a view the dead bodies on the marble floor, the three girls jumped in excitement as they go down.
"Yes! Finally we have fresh meat!" Daniela squealed with delight.
"I want to be joyful, but some of our servants died," Bela pursed her lips. "Who would clean this up, Mother? Approximately half of our servants have died."
"We still have servants in the basement who have recovered, i'll allow them out to clean this mess. Mother Miranda will undoubtedly take the position of the deceased," she responded in a nonchalant manner.
"Ugh! Let's take these down to the cellar; I'm excited to eat them!" Cassandra stated this while pulling two bodies behind her.
Daniela smiled at Clementine and said, "Good idea, I don't want Clemy to see us dine here."
Clementine smiled at Daniela and simply nodded, indicating that she understands and doesn't find it strange. After all, those bodies are already dead.
The three began to drag the bodies behind them. Alcina and Clementine were left alone on the stairwell, staring down at the three hungry females.
"We'll be back with the other bodies later!" Cassandra yelled as they entered the door to the east wing.
Alcina smiled and nodded before turning her focus to Clementine, who stood behind her, staring at the bloodied marble floors.
"Are you alright?" She inquired, causing the woman to raise her eyes to her.
Clementine smiled and nodded. "Yes. I was expecting a peaceful dinner tonight, but this occurred instead," she let out a chuckle.
Alcina let out a sigh. "Please accept my apologies for the dinner. These bastards ruined everything."
She smiled and said, "It's okay, Lady Alcina, there's always another time."
"You're right," Alcina nodded her head.
As they stood in the stairwell, silence descended upon them. They were both considering what they should say to one another.
"I'm glad you're all right," she blurted out.
When Clementine realized what she had just said, she pressed her lips together and shifted her gaze slightly away. Alcina glanced away as well feeling the heat in her cheeks creeping up on her.
"Y-you w-were concerned?" Alcina said stuttering as her heart was beating fastly.
"Y-yes, I-I was worried about y-you," Clementine swallowed, feeling her heart rapidly beating like it wanted to get out of her chest.
The two of them continued to avoid looking at each other, silence filled the room once more, and only their calm breathing could be heard.
Clementine acted as if she was coughing. "I'll go find the other servants," she said taking a few steps away from where they were standing. "I'll assist them with cleaning."
Alcina also acted as if she was coughing. "I'll get going, too," she said as she walked away slowly. "I'll be in the cellar, the girls are taking too long."
They walked their own ways, Alcina to the east wing door and Clementine to the west wing door, and before they could ultimately open the door, they both turned around.
"Lady Alcina/Clementine?" They both called each other.
Their eyes widened and they avoided each other's gaze by looking in a different direction in the room.
"What is it?" They both said it once more.
They both exhaled a disappointed sigh.
"Nothing." Finally, the two of them said parted ways without looking back.
-
After several days have passed after the incident in the castle, renovations are now underway, and the castle has returned to its previous routines. Clementine has been assisting the other servants with their job after several of the maids died as a result of the attack. She was outdoors today with Red in the drying area, where the two of them hang the washed garments and textiles.
Red stated as she hung another fabric on the drying rack, "My back is killing me."
Clementine squeezed the cloth she was holding to drain the extra water and remarked, "Hopefully the new maids will arrive next week."
She giggled, "I'm still hoping for the washing machine that Lady Dimitrescu ordered."
"Yes, having a washing machine would make washing clothing a lot easier."
They continued to hang the clothing in the basket that were still in the basket.
"There you are!"
Clementine and Red turned around to find an irritated Cassandra leaning in the laundry room doorway.
"Lady Cassandra, what can I do for you?" She smiled at her.
"I need you to come with me right now!" Her arms were crossed.
Clementine stared at Red, who just nodded, indicating that she was free to depart.
"Are you sure?" She inquired once more.
"What? Go with her; she appears to be in a foul mood." Red reacted.
Clementine nodded and slid the cloth from her hands into the basket. As she approached Cassandra, she rolled her sleeves down to her wrist and untied her hair, which had been tied in a messy bun due to her being in a hurry earlier. Her long defined curls swayed on her back as she walks.
"Ugh, finally," Cassandra said as Clementine approached her.
"All right, so what do you— hey!" Cassandra snatched Clementine's wrist as she spoke.
Cassandra took her out of the room, and she was stumbling on feet due to Cassandra's quick walking.
"Slow down, Lady Cassandra!" She said.
Cassandra came to a halt in front of her and gave her a soft glance.
"I'm sorry, i'm just excited," she spoke in a soft tone and lowered her head.
"Hey, it's okay," she lifted Cassandra's chin. "We can walk quickly together, but don't drag me," she laughed.
"Okay, but let's go!" Cassandra linked her arms with Clementine's.
The two of them continued walking until they reached the north wing, which Clementine rarely visits because it is now undergoing extensive renovations. When they arrived at that location, tools, equipment, and paints were strewn on the floor.
"What are we doing here? Is there a place where you'll kill me?" She jokingly asked.
"Yes, i'll put you up there in the ceiling to replace the chandelier." Cassandra quipped.
As they continued to walk, the two of them chuckled. Clementine took a peek around the area and immediately and she can already recognize it as an event hall for the castle. They came to a halt in front of a brown two-door room.
Cassandra handed her a blindfold and added, "Please put this on before we enter that room."
"Alright, I can already feel the torture that I'm going to experience," As she received the blindfold from Cassandra, she humorously grimaced
Cassandra helped her wrap the blindfold across her eyes. She can't see anything once the blindfold is on because darkness has gathered in her eyes.
Cassandra said, "Hold my hand so you don't trip."
She clasped Cassandra's hand and heard a door open behind her. Cassandra had already taken a step, so she followed suit. Cassandra removed her hand from hers after a few more paces before they finally came to a halt. Cassandra untied the blindfold on her eyes at the back of her head, and as the blindfold was removed, her jaw fell when she saw the room they were in.
"No way!" Clementine covered her lips in awe. "What are we doing here?" Glee filled her voice.
Cassandra grinned at her and said, "Welcome to my secret lair."
Cassandra's music room was where they were. A little stage was in the center of the space, with several instruments hung on the walls and some placed on the ground.
"Why did you bring me here? You never allow anyone to go in here except your sisters or you mother."
"Well..." Cassandra approached her and took her hand in hers. "You told me about your visions, and I figured I should tell you a secret as well, which is why we're here."
Clementine burst out laughing. "I told you it happened only twice, and you didn't have to bring me here."
"I wanted to bring you here, Clementine, because..." She exhaled deeply. "I'm starting to trust you a little."
Her eyes widened and she locked her gaze on Cassandra. "What?"
"I mean, you saved me that night," she shrugged. "You had the option of saving me or not, but you chose to do so, and I believe I don't deserve it."
"What makes you say that?"
"Have you forgotten already? I was constantly terrorizing you to the point that mother had to take you away and made me realize that you were different."
Clementine burst out laughing. "It was nothing, I just thought it was the right thing to do," she explained.
"Seriously, Clementine, you're not like the previous servants we've had, you're not like—" she paused.
"Sam?" Clementine went on.
Cassandra's face showed a trace of pain as she pronounced the name.
"How did you find out about her?" Her eyes glistened as she inquired.
"Your mother told me a brief story about her."
Cassandra sighed, her shoulders slumping as she recalled the traumatic event.
"I heard you were close?"
She nodded. "Very close in fact. You and she are quite similar, which is why I started to despise you."
Clementine burst out laughing. "However, you still despise me."
"Not as much as when you first came!" She admitted. "She was the first person I brought in here, and the first to betray the trust I placed in her."
She hugged Cassandra and said, "I'm sorry." "You don't deserve to be treated that way."
"I'm a monster and I drink blood. That's what everyone always says," she replied quietly.
"Not to me," Clementine stated emphatically.
Cassandra raised her eyes to her, a smile on her lips.
"I still despise you," she said as she put her arms around Clementine's waist.
She laughed and said, "Of course you do."
"Clementine?" She called.
"Yes?" She looked down meeting Cassandra's eyes.
"I'll murder you if you ever betray me like Sam did."
She gave a slight nod. "Go ahead and do it."
Cassandra stared at her, her eyes wide with surprise. "What? Are you sure you're not scared?"
"I have made a commitment to myself and your mother that if I ever hurt any of you, just kill me straight and do not let me live. You can just hang my body to replace the ceiling here if I betray you."
Cassandra grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."
The sound of the camera snapping caused the two of them to turn around the door, where Alcina stood taking a picture of them hugging one other.
"Mother!" Cassandra drew back from the embrace. "What are you doing here?"
Alcina slid the camera into her pocket with a big grin on her face. "I was looking for you; Mother Miranda is on the phone and wants to speak with you; your two sisters are currently conversing with her in my study."
"Clemy, I'll see you later. I have to speak with Grandma!" She muttered this as she rushed out of the room.
Cassandra had left, leaving her and Alcina alone in the room. As the two of them stood there, avoiding each other's gaze, awkwardness filled the room.
"Lady Alcina, I'll take my leave now," she remarked, bending her head as she walked to the door.
"Clementine?" Alcina summoned her and made her turn around.
"Yes, Lady Alcina?" She gave a response.
Alcina pulled her lips together and stared her down in the eyes.
"Meet me at the balcony at eight o'clock," Alcina said as she walked away from her.
Her jaw dropped slightly, and she was taken aback.
"At the balcony at eight?" She pondered this calmly.
--
Okay, I wanna continue this but then the words already reached 4k+ so the rest will be in the next 🥴
Oh yea, wanna say thanks for all you who, keeps reading this I may be starting to go a little confident on writing because of your nice words. Tysm for giving me motivation (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
Happy reading, you can kill me for cutting this short.