[Hey everybody. Sorry for such a late update we were both very bust with work and school, it was midterms, but here is chapter 4!]
[Just a disclaimer, we have changed it from saying the characters name POV to just the number of the character. We did this because for new characters being introduced we want you to find out their names in their first chapter. After they are introduced we will put their name.]
[Each character has a different number. Thank you!]
[Authors note will be at the end of each chapter.]
Character #2 POV:
"Your highness!"
I hear through the door as the messenger knocks. I roll my eyes when it happens.
"I am here yet again to remind you that your father is waiting on your arrival to the throne ro-"
I sign loudly, huffing out an annoyed breath, "I know this. You have told me twice already, Cliff." I cut him off, using his first name to stress him out.
Most servants here never get called by their name. So when we do, it frightens them, they fear that they are in trouble, that they might get killed. Which isn't entirely wrong. However, right now I am doing it to just keep him alert. Maybe also stop him from bothering me. But, everyone here is more afraid of what my father will do to them if they don't follow orders than they are of me and what I would do.
The servants here are highly trained, skilled, they know if they put one foot out of line it can cost them their head. Even with the high standards you need to work in this castle, they still mess up quite often. With the risk you are taking to work here as a servant, people still try their hardest to get a job in this castle, because they know that the alternative is having to survive all alone in this dangerous world. And being alone here in this world is a death sentence to anyone that isn't powerful.
For as long as I can remember people of all species, those who are of the lower class need a job in this castle to be able to live peacefully. Or they need a job somewhere that will give them safety and stability. Though for any species other than demons and angels, their only destiny is to be a slave, a servant to one that is of higher class, unless they are lucky enough to be a weak species with some kind of higher social class.
Servants and slaves are much different. This castle has both, but you wouldn't see me with a slave of my own. The difference between the two is slim, not even noticeable unless you are a royal. Slaves get nothing in return for their work, they live in filth, eat trash and get treated that way. Servants however get something in return. It isn't much, but for them it is everything. They have a clean place to sleep at night, a meal every day that doesn't taste like something is rotting. Servants still do have to agree and do every order given to them but they get some respect. They get to have their own thoughts.
"My Lady, please your father will have my head if you don't show an appearance."
I get pulled out of my thoughts when the messenger speaks again. "Cliff. I will have your head if you speak one more time. Go tell my father I don't want to make an appearance. I am busy!" I respond to him frustrated, as I place my book back onto the shelf in front of me. I hear the messenger yelp quietly before he walks away from my door in a panic. I wouldn't have killed the boy but scaring him did give me some pleasure.
I look at the massive bookshelf in front of me. It is filled with all different kinds of books, but none of them are giving me an answer to my question. And now my mind is too distracted to try and figure it out.
Right now I am in my study, it is just down the hall from my bedroom. I know it kinda seems pointless to have a study and a room, but I have a lot of books. And sometimes it's hard for me to work in a space meant for sleeping.
I sigh then turn around and walk to my desk, flopping down into the black leather chair.
"It's always the same with my father," I mumble out of my mouth, lifting my hand to the side of my head, rubbing it gently. My mind is now crowded with questions. Sometimes it's hard to quiet things down when I'm stressed. My father piles work on for me and it takes a lot out of me, along with all the royal duties I need to do in this castle. It's stupid. I don't understand why my father cares.
"Mistress are you all right?" I hear a soft female voice say. It brings me out of my thoughts.
I look up and see three of my servants standing in front of me. I had completely forgotten they were in here. They all look worried, but also scared. I tilt my head at them when I sense the hint of fear. What did I say?
My eyes go wide when I remember that I threatened the messenger. My servants don't hear me threaten people much, mainly because I normally don't. But with how stressed I am it just slipped out.
"I'm fine," I replied, giving them a small smile. "Sorry for what you heard, please know I would never have hurt Cliff," I tell them, hoping to ease their panic. They all nod in understanding.
"We know Mistress, you are just under a lot of stress lately," Lauren says kindly.
She is the oldest of the three, nearly 34. She is just a simple human with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. Her looks are soft, porcelain. She is almost like a doll. Despite her being the oldest she is also the shortest of the three. Maybe around 5'0.
I look at the servant next to her, Eleanor. She is the tallest of them. Nearly 6'0. She has thick long black hair, with bright blue eyes. A beautiful woman to anyone's standards. She has a calming look to her, but her eyes hold anger. Never does she smile unless because of something I did. She is closer to my age, only a few years older. Eleanor is also a human.
The last servant is Lily. She is 27 with stunning red hair. It is short, cut right at her chin. But it suits her face. Makes her look younger. Her eyes are violet, a rare eye colour among her species. She is a Mermaid, but when she was younger she wanted to walk. To live on land so she traded something for it.
Most of the servants and slaves here aren't powerful beings, most are species found in the overworld. Because that's where they get trained to live this life. The only species that isnt looked at to be servants or slaves are demons, well mindless demons. And in all honestly, I don't blame them because no royal would want a rotting mindless demon as serving them. However the reason mindless demons are looked at to be servants in this castle is because of my father. He enjoys controlling them. It give him pleasure. Also there are so many of them in this world so its easy to get them. However, for any other royal family they wouldnt want that kind of thing living in their castle.
Most of the demons living in this castle are mindless demons, but not all. The ones that arent belong to my father which are his most trusted servants, guards and right hands.
Generally speaking, there are two kinds of demons, one without a human form and one with a human form. Out of the billion demons in existence, only a handful have a human form. Most of them are in hell, where they can be watched and controlled. But some left hell to live a life in the overworld. Demons with a human form are the kind that have a soul, meaning they arent a mindless demon.
Lily is the first to move from standing in front of me after I sat down. She walks behind my chair and places her hands on my shoulders. I let out a quiet groan as she starts to massage the tightness away.
"Is that alright Mistress?" she asks quietly.
I nod, letting her continue. "Yes, thank you Lily," I say, my voice starting to be more relaxed.
The other two make their way to the drink cart that is in corner of the room. I hear a liquid being poured then footsteps getting closer.
"Here you go, some water," Lauren says handing me a black mug.
My servants have grown to know me. Know what I like and what I need in certain moments. They don't need to ask to make sure I'm okay with something. Unless it is something new. I trust them with my life. They have all been around since I was a child. They watched me grow into who I am today. Whoever that is. When they got hired as my servants my father made sure to put a curse on them so they wouldn't age or be able to leave the castle. That's why they are not so much older than I am. It was one of the kind things my father did for me. He wanted me to have some sort of constancy in my life since he couldn't be around all the time. And since my mother passed when I was born.
I close my eyes and try and focus on relaxing but I can't help but worry what my dad might do if I don't see why he summoned me to the throne room. I have my guesses, but sometimes he just sits in there to help him think.
I open my eyes and bring a hand to my shoulder, placing it gently upon Lily's. She gets the hit to stop, and backs away, bowing slightly.
I slowly stand again and begin to make my way to the door. Lauren and Lily stand beside each other, next to the door. Before I can look behind me to see where Eleanor is, she speaks up.
"Wait! Your highness. You need to change before heading to the throne room," she says quickly.
I look down at what I'm wearing and realize I'm still in my combat outfit. It's not that I don't look like royalty, but my father is going to want me to look at my best while in the throne room.
Nodding at Eleanor, I make my way over to her. She quickly grabs the dress I had on earlier to hands it to me. I had changed in here earlier today when I wanted to let off some steam. So I did some training. The other two servants make quick steps toward me to help me undress. I can do it myself, but they insist on helping.
When I am changed into the black dress, my servants look at me with a smile, helping with last-minute details before i go.
"When you return from the throne room me and the others will be here," Eleanor says softly. I reach out toward her and place my hand on her cheek, rubbing it gently with my thumb for a moment before pulling away.
"Thank you, my dear," I say, causing her face to go red. I don't know why I make her nervous when I do these things, I mean she has seen every part of me. She practically raised me. Nevertheless, it makes me happy that I can still make them feel.
When I make it to the door, I put my hand on the handle and slowly open it then head towards the throne room.
While walking there I take a look at my surroundings. I know this castle by heart but sometimes I forget the beauty of it. I take for granted how amazing the architecture is here, the careful delicate details put into every piece that was used to build this place.
All the walls are built the same, with black crown moulded arched ceilings, black stone brick walls carved with intricate designs and dark stone floors. The floors all have a deep dark purple coloured carpet laid upon it and paintings hung on the walls. The paintings never have anything meaningful to them, just scenery of beautiful cities and villages, mountain ranges and rivers.
When I was young I always wanted to travel to every one of these places, but I was never allowed. The furthest I could go was to the courtyard located in the middle of the castle.
I never get bored walking down the halls here. There is always something to look at, to be mesmerized by. So I try to savour this moment when I walk down these halls because in the end will be a very angry father.
I reach the doors to the throne room in a short amount of time.
The whole castle has a very symmetrical layout. It's a big square. The courtyard is right in the middle. To the front of the castle is a big entrance room with a dual staircase in the middle of it. On each, the left and the right side is a hallway that wraps around the whole castle. Doors to many different kinds of rooms on each side of the hall. One which leads down to the dungeons. Upstairs another hallway wraps around the whole castle, one side belongs to my father and whatever business he needs to have there and the other side belongs to me and my sister. At the entrance to the castle, right in the middle of the dual staircase is another arched door that leads to the throne room.
That is the door I am at right now. It is a large wooden door with a story carved into it, I have never been able to figure out what it means but it's an amazing story. It is about a beautiful and powerful being. A female. I don't know what species she is, but my guess is an angel. What I do know is that it looks like she is saving the world. That she is ridding the world of destruction.
I have tried to ask my dad what the story means, but he doesn't know either. All he knows is that this castle is thousands of years old and nothing has changed, no one has been able to decipher this story.
I reach both my hands forward and push the doors open. When I enter I immediately look down, and bow.
"You requested my presence father?" I ask, keeping my head and body bowed. But when I hear no answer, and no movement I look up quickly.
My father does this often when I don't come right when he asks me to. He just gets up and leaves. I am thankful for it in a couple of ways. One, it means I don't have to listen to him go on and on but stupid things. And two, most of the time he requests me to meet some prince suiter for me to marry.
I don't even understand why he wants me to marry someone. It doesn't make sense since he will be around a very long time to run this castle. Me marrying someone wouldn't give him anything, well anything that I can think of. Nevertheless, at least I don't have to attend his business. I take this chance to go back to my study.
I quickly and quietly look around to make sure that my father isn't coming back then make my way to the back of the throne room where another door is located. This door goes in the opposite direction from my room so I have to take a long way. Though I am doing this on purpose because it will give me more time to admire the architecture in the castle.
I don't get to explore very often even if I am a princess in this castle. My father always has guards around to bring me to him or to bring me back to my room to do the work he has given me.
I don't come to this side of the castle often, I try to stay in my wing upstairs but it's nice to see different things every once in a while.
I notice a few open doors when I walk through the halls. I am a nosey person so I like to know what is going on when I see or hear things.
I walk past the first door and take a peek inside noticing some servants preparing food in the kitchen. I realize the time and it's almost dinner so seeing that food makes my stomach growl.
Unfortunately, I know that since I didn't show up when my father wanted we will be having a family sit-down dinner. My father likes to make us act like a normal royal family but we are far from that.
I look back at the servants to distract myself from what will happen tonight at dinner. The servants here work themselves to death just to make food that pleases us. It almost makes me feel bad for them but at least I don't have to eat filth. The food they have to eat isn't horrible, at least to them. But I would not be caught dead eating that.
I leave the servants to their work then make my way to the next door on the other side of the hallway taking yet another peek inside. This room is the laundry room. I see more servants cleaning out carpets soaked in blood.
I snicker, "Looks like someone upset my father." I say quietly then back away from the door.
I make my way to the door that was at the end of this hall. All the doors were open other than this one. I know when servants are working they need to keep all doors open because my father is a paranoid person. But this one door is always closed. It is near the staircase that leads to the dungeon.
As I get closer to the door I hear two guards coming up the stairs from the dungeon. They were talking to each other about one of the prisoners we have at the moment.
"Some servants here are pathetic. Can't even talk correctly to the king." The one guard says.
He has a scratchy voice, almost like he has been eating gravel his whole life. I think I remember his name being Bruce. But I'm not so sure anymore.
There are way too many guards to keep track of and remember all their names. And anyway I only learn the names of people I like.
"Yeah, the wrong king to be around when you don't know how to correctly address him." The other guard replies.
I panic when I hear their footsteps reach the top of the staircase. So I quickly open the door to the last room and enter without checking if it was empty. I look around in the darkness and to my luck, I am the only person.
Exhaling heavily I lean my back on the door and slide to the ground trying to calm myself. The guards don't scare me here, because they know I am more powerful than any of them but I can't do anything to them or my father will do horrible things. That is why I try my hardest to avoid running into them.
Looking around the room I notice nothing but an empty cage right in the middle of the back wall.
"Strange" I whisper to myself, standing up and taking small steps towards it.
This cage has been in this room for years. I don't understand why my father still has it here. That is why I'm confused.
I've been in this room many times before but all I can recall is a monster being locked inside that my father caught. He held it as his pet in hopes to turn it into a weapon. His weapon.
I don't remember much from this room or the monster that was here. My memory is foggy regarding the whole thing. I do remember that this monster left and betrayed my father.
I reach my hand forward to the cage and run my hand along the edge. Dust coats the entire thing. It has been a while since anyone has been in here.
I try to remember what I can about this place but my mind runs blank so the only other option I have is to look in my book.
This book I have is very special. There are many things unique about it. It was given to me by my mother. I may have never met her when I was young, but this book has helped me learn different spells and movements that go along with them.
Only I can summon this book, and only I can read it. To anyone else the pages are blank but to me the whole world is on the pages. Even if I put the book down someone else cant get it, because once it leaves my grasp it goes right back through the portal in came in.
I raise my hand forward, palm facing away from me and twist my wrist towards my chest. This is the hand motion used to summon the book. I don't need to say any spell or use any energy. Summoning it is just like breathing, I can do it in my sleep.
I small blue portal opens around my hand and the book appears in it. Blue magical essence wraps around it as the portal begins to close. Eventually dispersing into nothing. I smile at the book now in my hand.
It has a simple-looking cover. Brown leather with a leather page holder attached to it. The cover has a blue magical essence around it, shinning and illuminating as if it were real. This book is something everyone wants to get their hands on, including my father but he knows he can't get it. No one can until I pass away or I pass it down to someone willingly. It holds everything you need to know about any species, realm, city, kingdom, and so on. It even has some of the more powerful beings in here by name. For example, my father is in this book. however, not everything is explained in this book. The basics are explained, but when it comes to unknown realms or high-class powerful beings you only get the smallest of information. Now everything in this book is true, none of it is fake or myths people made up. It has nothing but the truth. I don't know who created it, or who would even know all this information but it is astonishing. It is amazing someone has this much knowledge.
I guess that they are beyond old, creatures who have been around forever. And I assumed they are the ones that update this book. Because every once in a while something new shows up in it. Did the author just figure those facts out or are they now just giving it to me? It is a mystery no one can solve.
I flip open the book, to the center of it. This makes it easier to navigate through all the pages. This book is organized in a certain way. Right in the middle is a mystery to everyone, it is what I have been trying to figure out. I have been doing research upon research to understand it, to find an answer but I have found nothing. It is a black hole kind of thing. A nothingness in this world. That is all I get from this page in this book. It has no writing on it. Just a drawing. But, what this realm is isn't my biggest question. On this page, there is also a creature. It is a cloaked figure, with eyes filled with a void. Nothing about it is settling. Even just looking at the drawing of it makes a shiver go down my spine.
The beginning of this book is all about heaven and angels. About their powers, weaknesses, important families, how they live, and all the basic information you need. From there to the middle it slowly switches to the overworld, about the different species, starting from the least powerful. Once it gets to the middle the information stops and it is those two pages of mystery for me. After the middle, it continues explaining about the overworld, though it is now about the kingdoms, higher-ups, important people that live there. It also explains and shows different magical objects that are in this world. I have a few of them and so does my father. We however don't know where the rest are. It is something that we are trying to figure out. My father wants all of them. I just don't know why.
After the information about different magical objects, it moves into the workings of hell. The species, different realms, higher-ups, and how everything works there.
I go to that section first, then locate where my father's page is. There has to be some information on what this cage held. In this book, my father's page, or well pages has a lot of information. So it is very helpful to understand certain things about him, his life, or even my own life.
When I reach his page I begin scanning through it with my finger. Trying to find the information I need. I reach a section that talks about what he was doing before I was born. It says he took in a demon intending to turn them into a weapon. There is nothing about who this demon is, or what happened to it. Just that for 16 years my father trained and changed this demon into his weapon to help achieve his goal.
I look through the page more than see in small writing, an arrow pointing to the cage that my father held the demon in. The cage that is right next to me. With words saying to flip to a certain page. I wave my other hand over the book and it quickly turns the pages to the one I need.
When I reach the page the first thing I notice is the very little amount of information on this demon.
"Why does this book never have the information I need," I say, groaning out loud.
My book is very useful, but most of the very important things or information on different people is very scarce. If I don't know the information, the book doesn't have it in detail. At least that is how I think it works. I honestly don't know how new information gets put into this book.
I scan through the page on this demon, reading all the information about it. I know its age, height, where it was born, and where it went after those 16 years in hell. This demon is 274 years old. It is 6 feet tall and was born in a realm of hell that is longer in existence.
I look at the next line and read it out loud, " Taken in by my Jarlath Valafar when he was a baby. Raised by him for 16 years before he left to help complete Valafar's goal. After 3 years away, he betrayed his master, Jarlath, resulting in a curse. The curse made him stop physically aging and doesn't allow him to rest, so he will be stuck looking youthful until the curse is lifted or the master's goal is completed. "
I look through the page more, for any kind of information but the only thing I haven't looked at yet is a drawing. It looks like some sort of design. And I realize it's this demon's curse mark. I squint my eyes trying to understand it and notice it is a curse from my father. I am not surprised. This demon did betray him, so he deserved whatever horrible curse he got.
"This is why no one should ever betray my father," I say quietly, closing my book and watching as the portal opens back up around it, sucking it back in before closing once again.
After I make sure guards or anyone was not around I leave the room and began making my way back to my study, wanting to be in the comfort of my own space and have my servants surrounding me.
While walking up the stairs I hear footsteps behind me, everyone would say my name and call out to me, or like my father just grab me. But, whoever this person is they want to be sneaky. I smile when I know who exactly it is.
Senka. My little sister. Well, technically my half-sister because we didn't have the same mom but that never mattered to either of us.
She always tries to sneak up on me. And she is getting better, I can tell her that. However, my senses are way too strong to not notice when someone is behind me. I may not have the ability to feel aura anymore but that has only made me work more to be able to sense others a different way. Using the natural senses we all have.
I think about turning around to scare Senka but I think today I will be nice and let her have this win. So I continue walking up the stairs waiting for her to pounce and scare me.
"Boo!" I hear her yell, putting her hands in front of her to emphasize the scare more.
I turn around, and pretend to jump, hoping my acting skills are up to par for her to not be able to see through the act.
"Oh my, you scared me!" I say loudly, putting a hand over my chest to further play the part.
Senka smiles, then does a small fist bump for herself. She looks at me after and charges in for a hug.
I of course hug her back, "You finally scared me, good job Senka" I say, patting her head gently. She pulls away from the hug just a bit, now holding both my hands.
Senka is still very young, only around 11 years old. She has been in this castle her whole life, never being able to leave. I feel horrible for her, and what she has to go through sometimes, I can only do so much to protect her. But no matter what she is always smiling. She always brings my mood up even after such a bad day.
Senka is short, but it makes sense for her age, she is only around 5 feet tall. However her hair is extremely long, basically goes down to her ankles. Right now it is put into a neat braid bun, with a few loose pieces in the front. I look at what she is wearing and notice a dark purple dress that goes to the floor, with jewels sounding the neckline. Her shoes are black with matching purple jewels on the heels. I can tell she chose this outfit herself from how much sparkles it has. Sometimes the servants let her choose the outfits she wears that day. It makes her happier and more energetic to be able to choose her own. I envy her energy, her happiness. She is still so pure, this world hasn't broken her yet and I am scared for the day it does.
"I told you I would scare you one day!" she exclaims happily. I smile at her and nod.
"You did tell me," I say leaning down and giving her a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "What have you been doing today?" I ask, grabbing her hand and beginning to walk to my study, bringing her along with me.
"Father made me clean my room and the training arena after I had my lessons today, After that, I begged my servants to let me choose my outfit!" She says smiling, letting go of my hand and skipping ahead of me to do a little twirl. "Do you like it?" she asks.
I nod, smiling at my little sister, "It is beautiful," I say walking up to her again. "You should be dressing everyone in this castle."
Senka grabs my hand again, chuckling at what I said, "Next time I will choose your outfit Mesina."
"You definitely can, I promise," I reply to her as we continue walking toward my study which is just around the corner now.
When we get to the door my sister stops and looks up at me, "When is father making you leave again?" she asks, sadness clear in her voice now.
I sigh, bending down so I can look at her face to face, "Soon, he will send me back soon. It has been too long since I have been doing his work outside this castle. I'm sorry Senka. But I will visit whenever I can. Alright?" I tell her, the seriousness in my voice leaving just slightly and turning into my sadness.
I don't want to leave her, I don't want her to be here with my father alone but I have to go. It is the only option.
My front always leaves when around my sister, she makes my stubborn passive-aggressive personality melt away from just her smile. It is crazy that she is even the daughter of our father. Her mother must have been the sun itself.
"I don't want you to go!" she pouts, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I know, but we both know it's for the best. I promise when you are older you will be able to leave this castle too. But it is just not your time yet." I tell her, opening my arms for a hug.
She runs into them, wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me tightly. I hug her back just as tightly. No matter how much I promise her I will visit, we both know it's not true. No matter how hard I try, our father won't allow it when I'm doing tasks. I barely even come back to the castle unless my father commands it.
"I love you, sister," I hear Senka whisper.
"I love you too Senka," I reply to her. Pushing her away gently and standing straight up again.
She takes a step back and waves at me before running off to her side of the hall. Most likely to her dress room to play with all her clothes and force her servants to play with her. It helps distract her from what will soon happen when I leave again.
All I hope for is that she doesn't change. I don't want this world to take away the light within her.
I don't want the darkness in this world to take her over.
------------------------------------
[Hello Readers! Once again sorry for the late update. We will try and be more ahead these coming weeks. But please let us know in the comments what you think of chapter four and if there are any mistakes we might have missed. We would love to hear you feedback for this chapter and what you think of the new character we have introduced! Remember this story is portrayed and written in different POV's. Thank you again for all of you! Love every single one of you readers! <3]
[Show some love to the artist who created the cover for this story. We have also gotten new commissions from them we will be sharing soon! Their twitter is @JLPhillipsArt]
[Please follow our twitter @KarmaandMesina. Further updates and drawings will be posted on there. Please let us know if we should also create a Instagram.]
Vote/Comment/Follow