I dwelled in the silent hours of dawn, feeling uneasy due to a missing tranquility and darkness as profound as ink, I found myself caught in a recurring dream, sensing a hand entangling with strands of my hair, leaving me doubtful whether it was a wild imagination or a shifting reality.
As I pondered in that state, a gap of unconsciousness surprised me, placing me inside a room surrounded by profound darkness, I exclaimed loudly. "Where are you, Lady Cassandra?" Yet, my voice received no response, reinforcing my belief that I was alone in that dark room, which remained sealed as I attempted to leave.
Deciding to close my eyes and return to sleep, I tried to regain serenity, minutes passed peacefully, but then I felt another hand touching my hair, as if it were a tangible experience, not just a part of a dream, intensifying my mental disturbance and causing a swift upheaval.
As I raised my eyes, they fell directly on Bela's temple area, a peculiar effect appeared, resembling the aftermath of a broken skin, as if the region suffered from a state of deformity, the subtle break in the skin revealed an impact that seemed to be the result of some operation.
We exchanged glances, and her soft, blonde hair cascaded onto my face with cool touches, accompanied by a smile, from her emanated a scent blending floral fragrance with an iron-like character, evoking a taste of blood, intensifying my sense of smell.
I thought her smile was just a jest, expecting her to retreat a few steps back, so I closed my eyes in disregard, attempting to return to sleep, however she forcefully decided to remove the cover, and there was a voice pronounced with some sharpness, startling me awake.
"Why are you still lying on this bed? is this your maximum energy level?"
"The weather is cold today, please, give me a cover."
"My obedience or your pride? I'll have both, but I give you the choice."
"I wonder how much time you'll waste trying to teach me how to live."
"Don't bother pondering, I enjoyed my amusement at the expense of those terrifying moments for you, you prove to be a good source of inspiration in entertainment."
"Those were moments of panic, where terror engulfed me as if I were drowning in a nightmarish abyss."
"I know your sleep wasn't peaceful, perhaps you were swaying in troubled dreams."
"How did you know about my dreams?"
"I was listening to your whispers, uttering words in your sleep, pleading with someone not to leave as others did."
"Yes, those were recurring visions following the same story of the dream with hidden pain."
"Is this person one of us?" She asked with a subdued smile.
"It's.. a separative effect from my acquaintances after my arrival here and my clinging destiny to this place."
"Of course, entering places isn't like exiting." Her fingers touched my cheeks, wrapped around my waist, I slightly pull back as she sensed hesitation and a light touch of fear in me, she said. "Tell me, what do you feel?"
"Severe headache, heaviness in the middle of my chest, lethargy, a desire to sleep."
Bela continues to run her hand over my forehead, touching the features of my face, attempting to read my emotions through them. "How can I understand when you're having a good or bad day?"
"Your intention from the beginning was to gain joy, who are you really?"
"I'm just a playful companion, does that bother you?"
"I don't know, but you're not what I expected."
"I'll be what you wish, just to ensure your comfort."
"You now appear in a pleasant manner, is there a reason?"
"My goals are simple, I just wish for laughter and fun, but don't expect me to take responsibility for excessive joy and overflowing laughter, as laughter is enjoyment and seriousness is another matter."
"When I'm with you, I can't differentiate between them, that's why I believe I've fallen into your trap."
"It seems I've turned your senses upside down, do you find pleasure in entangling the threads of your emotions within my game?"
"You seem to possess sharp intelligence, if you're planning anything, tell me now before I find myself in an undesirable situation."
"Haha, anticipate the twists of fate in this realm, so you won't be surprised by a masterfully played move, now let's enjoy the moment and let tomorrow come as it may."
"Good morning temporarily, until I see how this day unfolds."
"I enjoy seeing people relish their meals, head downstairs to savor a delicious meal."
"And you, how does your taste in food delight you?"
"I have no appetite for anything."
"How do you live without the need to eat daily?"
"That's not the point of my conversation, how absurd."
"So, when you feel thirsty, your body becomes dry, and you only need blood, that's how you handle your food and drink."
"I'm a lover of blood, do you at least enjoy its scent?"
"Perhaps blood is a passion for you and those who resemble you only."
"A healthy man's blood, that adds an exciting flavor to things."
"Sometimes I dream of flying, do you also dream of things that can't be achieved?"
"Like what?"
"Like the rain wetting your skin, I mean.. how do you feel the cold? can snow touch your skin as well?"
"What prompted you to ask this weird question?"
"I'm just wondering about things that can't be achieved."
"The depth of your thinking forms your complex mind behind the simplicity of your face, as a response to that, don't attempt to understand my intelligence in return, for I'm not that easily fathomed."
"When I try to be ordinary, I find myself in unusual situations."
"Alright, follow me now." Bela signals innocently with her hand. "This time, you'll find something different, come, and you'll see."
I hesitate for a moment, then grasp her hand. "Fine, but don't surprise me with anything."
We all descended the stairs slowly, and as we moved, our fingers intertwined, we reached the lower floor where we found Cassandra and Daniela sitting together, Cassandra was contemplating, and on her paper, expressions of admiration were evident, despite her focus on drawing, Cassandra lifted her eyes to meet mine for moments, and I couldn't help but notice the subtle smile on her lips, Daniela was also busy with her book, but she closed it to cast a curious glance at her sister's paper, at that moment, Bela and I continued our way.
"Hey Cass, can I see the painting you've been working on?"
"It's not finished yet."
Daniela stays silent for a moment. "But could you give me a little sneak peek, nothing big."
"Sure, come see the painting when I'm done, but don't ask any questions."
Cassandra remained focused on the final touches of her drawing, delicately portraying the shape of his eye with a pen and carefully writing his name near the drawing, she seamlessly blended details and writing with her fingers.
"Here's the painting, it's kind of you to give feedback, perhaps it's more beautiful than the painting itself."
Daniela was amazed by Cassandra's enthusiasm and quickly smiled. "Wow, the painting is fantastic! and this eye, I can't believe its accuracy, it looks entirely realistic."
Cassandra responded with a smirk carrying a teasing touch. "Of course, why do you think I can't draw it accurately?"
"I just admired the intricate details without any extra embellishments."
"Maybe you noticed something else in this eye, something a drawing can't convey."
"What do you mean?"
"Perhaps there's a reflection of his hidden emotions, something not clearly visible except in his real eye."
"I think you're exaggerating, the boy seems like he lives within the painting."
"There's a line I wish to write, but I fail, it looks beautiful every time I repeat it in my head and appears ugly every time I write it, perhaps its charm lies in its absence, maybe existence distorts things."
Cassandra decided to place her drawing on the last page of her yet-to-finish favorite book, aiming for it to be a surprise when she reaches the end, this reflects her enthusiasm for exploring the ending with her passion for the artwork she created.
"Is that a subtle smile on your face, Cassandra? something seems intriguing!"
"Nothing special, just contemplating a beautiful moment."
Daniela leans forward slightly. "Beautiful? is it something you're hiding from me?"
"I don't think so, I'm not sure if you're serious."
Daniela smiles more and says playfully. "You're holding a secret, I can sense it! infuse your excitement into the conversation, I'm not waiting, tell me, tell me!"
"Oh, it's not something significant."
Daniela teasingly exclaims. "You don't like to disclose more, do you? do you enjoy a gentle and spontaneous artistic touch like love and passion, or do you have a mysterious and devilish allure that appears in cold and pragmatic moments?"
"It might be a bit of both, depends on the person's interpretation."
"I think you're mocking me, does this character represent someone you know?"
"A fictional character that inspired and appealed to me in one of the stories, nothing more, nothing less." Cassandra replied with a mocking smile. "Don't claim to know everything, Daniela, what I'm doing reflects my current mood, where I write about the art of drawing and express my immediate feelings."
"Oh, I really thought it was the guy we know."
Cassandra contemplates Daniela's expression nonchalantly, then replies with coolness. "Certainly not, oh great imagination, the mentioned person was just another being to me, we'll see how things evolve with him."
"Do you think this young man will find a way to break free from his servant role?"
"Does he consider his service to me a burden? does he hate being with me?"
"I mean, does he perhaps envision a different future, and do you think his blood imposes restrictions on you?" Daniela asks, observing Cassandra's internal reactions.
With an expressive smile, she answers. "Sometimes his presence embodies a new opportunity, and sometimes it's a heavy burden, even if his fate swings between freedom and attachment, he will remain here."
Curiosity persists in Daniela's interaction. "So, does he remain a positive embodiment, or does he remain a burden for you?"
"There's no clear answer." Cassandra gives a profound look, expressing her contradictions through contemplation. "He's a part inseparable from my existence, always coming back to me, he either becomes a part of me or not, and otherwise, there's no delineation between him being dead or alive."
"That's both challenging and beautiful at the same time."
"Well, enough talk, I don't have time to spoil my duties for the day." Cassandra said as she stood up.
"Oh, do we have duties today?" Daniela replied with a playful smile.
"Of course, my main responsibility today is managing the level of distraction when I try to work and avoiding drifting into something else."
Daniela giggled. "Well, I confess, my responsibility includes managing the blood level in my body and making sure it doesn't exceed the safe limit."
"I'm not the person who will politely manage hunger levels."
"Did I say I am too? nah, that's boring."
"Boring as if you're going to stay in the library for decades until your hair turns gray, and no one will know about you."
"You sound like you're crazy with your mystery, but they see you as a goofball just because you're mysterious."
"What do they say about me? they say I'm dangerous, true that I'm arrogant, but I'm not just kind, I'm a bit playful."
"Why don't I feel that? maybe the man with Bela is trying to resolve things between them, and that's why they couldn't come to us."
"Ah, they might be in a problem-solving session, but it seems solutions are coming slowly, as if they're in a workshop to repair relationships, or maybe they're trying to understand how to make dialogue more enjoyable and less dramatic."
"I mean, Bela wants to earn his appreciation, so she entered his room early."
"The little beauty fills my face with pride and adopts my strategy to make the captive not feel like he's in prison."
"Are these really the fake intentions you enjoy revealing, or are you looking to add a playful touch to these usual situations, just like me?"
"Your face tells me it's time to say goodbye, directly! I mean, the departure time has come, come on, leave in peace!"
"I hope you don't forget your responsibilities and that your current decisions make things easier for you."
"Who bears a significant burden here?"
"Perhaps it won't be you anymore."
"Exactly."
Cassandra smiled with a playful smirk, then vanished into a swarm of flies.