"The tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of us while we live." ~Norman Cousins
"Master? It is time for you to awaken"
Thick ebony lashes provided sun-flecked shade for the auburn eyes fluttering open slowly to meet bright emerald eyes. Ones belonging to a certain chestnut-haired maid who held a delicate hand out to the raven-haired male lying below her in a sea of colors. Reaching up to grasp matching ivory hands the noble stood carefully and observed their interesting surroundings. It seemed he had awoken in a grassy meadow; dotted with petite, fragrant daisies. Their sunshiny centers perking with the contact of light while a soft breeze ruffled their white petals gently.
"Come, There is still so much to see!" The maid wore a bright yellow dress as if the sun itself succumbed to her every command. Its satin yellow torso hugged her figure and complimented her immaculate ivory skin. Its light skirt, laced with purity and grace as if it was made of an angel's wing, flowed and flared out above her knees showing off her toned legs. The burnt orange Butterfly-weed stood tall amongst the grasses and grazed her succulent calves as she danced along the meadows.
The noble, mesmerized by the beauty of the graceful maid in such picturesque surroundings, followed her without hesitation. Encompassing the two were a large kaleidoscope of colorful butterflies, lazily flitting around the lush grass and occasionally touching the surface of the bubbling brook running by. The sky was an attractive and deep cerulean with the occasional cloud bouncing across the heavens graciously. Juliette was now leading the noble near the edges of the lazy river where blue-violet irises grew tall and proud.
She daintily hopped on the ragged tips of stone steps peaking out of the river's gentle flow. Juliette turned to the auburn eyed male with a sincere and reassuring grin as she led him safely across. What lay ahead of them definitely had him breathless. Its great big trunk curved this way and that, sprouting new branches that birthed luscious leaves that sparkled in the faintest light. Its massive roots danced in and out of the dirt as they gripped the hard ground with powerful limbs. With its great boughs, it strived to touch the sky yet strengthened its hold on the ground. However, what caught the noble's attention were the bright fruit growing from the grand tree.
Auburn met a luminescent ruby as the male approached the low bough of the tree bearing many unripe fruit except the one right at his eye level, as if purposefully placed there. It seemed to have reddened quickly from the stem, the blush radiated outwards like the light from a distant star. A low growl came from his abdominal region, causing both the maid and the noble himself to be shocked by the noise. Seeing the ripe mouth watering apple in front of him, the raven haired male reached out to take it only to be stopped by a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You mustn't eat that apple, master"
"Why not? I am hungry and this is the only thing that will satisfy my appetite." He turned back to the branch to see a white Leucistic Ball Python with bright golden eyes. However the aristocrat showed no fear of the snake, instead he was entranced by its unique beauty. He felt as if the snake was calling to him, whispering to him in convincing hisses. With the rapidly increasing growls of his stomach and the hisses of the golden-eyed snake led to the pale boy reaching out and taking the apple in his hand. The crimson sphere contradicted greatly with the ivory hands holding it, similar to that of fresh blood on snow.
The raven haired male brought the succulent apple to his lips and took a large bite that caused both the snake and his sudden hunger to seize. The sublime and juicy taste of the apple matched that of its appearance, clean and crisp. It's sweet juices flooded his mouth and enveloped his tongue in a overwhelming satisfaction. suddenly the taste altered greatly, the once crispy and sweet apple bite he had, turned thick and irony. The new substance was considerably warm in his mouth and had a horribly bitter taste. He didn't hesitate to spit out the coppery tasting liquid to discover it was that all too familiar substance, blood.
He glanced down at the odd apple to see it had begun to melt in his hands, the thick crimson liquid forming a puddle at his feet and turning sticky in his hands.
"I warned you! Now we all must pay..." he turned abruptly to see Juliette pale with fear, her bright emerald eyes, wide in horror and agony. He took a step towards her but stopped as a searing pain in his hand became present. The now injured noble glanced down to see two small but bright red dots adorning the back of his left hand, he felt as though someone had pressed two white hot pincers onto his skin, a burning sensation began to overwhelm him. 'Now you are mine, foolish boy!' The snake hissed below him, causing both the maid and her master to cower in fear.
"Juliette, run!!" He pushed her towards the now roaring river, that replaced its once gentle flow. The stone steps that assisted them across had long disappeared under the chaotic water, but they had no other options, for returning to where the snake resided was out of the question. Juliette gripped onto the noble as he led her across the slim and disturbed waters. Propelling her onto the bank and lifting himself, the male turned back around to see that the snake had now taken the figure of a shadow that approached them at a horrifyingly rapid pace.
Without time to recuperate from the energy-draining river, the two took off in an exasperated sprint, not quite sure of where to hide from the fiendish being behind them. Adrenaline pulsed through his body like 1000 watts of electricity, filling his body with dizzying alertness that aided their escape. The once gracious clouds above them oozed and billowed across the ever-darkening sky, casting the meadow into a shadowy darkness. A jagged bolt of lightning tore the sky in half and they began to sprint, wincing as each icy raindrop pierced their skin. The violent wind whipped Juliette's chestnut hair around her fear-stricken face, tears mixing with rain as a numbing coldness began to grip her heart. Thunder rolled across the sky, seeming to crack their beautiful world in half and reveal the fury of the shadows. The serpent's cackles reverberated around the now dead landscape, eerily echoing as the noble desperately searched for a shelter for his beloved.
The now dead flowers crunched beneath their feet with each desperate step. The brown petals of the once colorful flowers were curling and stiff. The bone-chilling rain blew in at an angle, blurring their vision and smudging their possible destination from their view. The now blinded aristocrat desperately wiped at his auburn eyes to clear his vision in front of him when suddenly he felt a sharp pain radiating from behind him. His pain was an icy wind choking the breath from his lungs and making a noose around his neck. It's savage, bitter blasts cut right through his bones and gripped his brain in it's freezing claws. His heart constricted in it's wake as, if not sure if it should go on beating. Black filled the edges of his vision and the only thing he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat and that of the cackling evil behind him.
Suddenly, the young patrician went numb and fell to the dead and dry ground; his breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. He turned slowly at the cause of his sudden weak state to see the shadow from earlier had taken its true shape and form. Half woman, half snake, but all evil. The creature in front of him was a woman from the waist up with sharp ebony horns adorning her head with flowing ruby locks. From the waist down the creature had a white serpent tail that contradicted greatly to the sinfully beautiful coal wings adorning her back. The noble was mesmerized by both the horror of the situation and the unique beauty of the demoness that stood before him.
An evil grin found its way onto the golden-eyed beauty she lifted her jet-black wings, propelling the weakened noble into complete darkness. A bolt of white hot lightning broke the utter blackness and caught both the male and demoness' attention. Streaks of pure white crackled against a stormy blanket of gray, shrouding all with its blinding incandescence. Jagged bolts endlessly protruded, filling the sky with undying flashes of radiance until hitting a nearby tree. Almost as soon as the lightning had struck the tree, the world became illuminated. Its large boughs setting ablaze in a matter of seconds and spreading. Auburn eyes widened in utter horror at the sight of the ring of fire being produced around him and the evil serpent.
He watched the deep flames of the enraged fire through blurry eyes. The horrified blue-blood couldn't breathe, nor could he hear the simplicity of his heart racing in his chest. The fire leaped up, picking up speed like a roaring river. The flames held its head up proudly as its destruction spread while glowering at the surrounding, daring them to challenge its spectacular power. It ate everything in its path. The now entranced aristocrat reached his hand out of curiosity. It had all seemed so unreal, how the flames had rushed to him and the demoness.
The fire licked at his out reached arm, causing searing and a smell of burning flesh as it crept all around his hand. His mouth gaped in a scream as it ate his flesh, licking greedily at his skin, but no sound came. Each lick was harsher, more painful- leaving a greater black burn each time. The flames enveloped him as if hell itself was punishing him for succumbing to the evil serpent snickering in front of him. "Make it stop! I beg of you!" The noble's pleads and begs only had the creature smirking in satisfaction and her eyes gleaming with chaos. She held her ivory hand out for the suffering boy to take, her forked tongue clicking in excitement.
"I'll make you a deal...If I spare you now, you have to do something for me as well"
"Yes! I'll do whatever it takes! Just save me!" The previously scorching pain turned a numbing cold within seconds of his acceptance. The sickening smell of metal and rotting flesh blanketed the air in a choking aroma. It didn't help that the wind whipped around wildly, mixing the horrid scent with the smoke making a toxic concoction. Dull auburn met molten gold as the male recuperated from the horrid endeavor.
Suddenly his eyes wandered to the scene around them. Their bodies lay like ghoulish mannequins, the esophagus and arteries sticking out at eerie angles, but what was more traumatizing was the smell... That smell could only come from recently slaughtered animals. In this case the animals were human and their corpses were still warm, the blood thickening but not yet dried on their waxy skin. All these peop- no corpses were individuals he knew, cared for even.
The now broken patrician walked amid the corpses as if expecting to catch a sign that this was all a sick joke. He grazed his hand on the cheek of one, they were cold now. So so cold. The life that had dwelt within them has gone and they are safe from the perils of this world. No harm can come to them now. Hearts that used to beat with love are still. Minds that felt so many emotions are blank. Did he cause this?
In the far corner of his eye, he caught sight of a slender figure graced with a flowing yellow fabric. The woman before him was lifeless. Lifeless. Her emerald green eyes that once danced with light were vacant and held a sudden sadness as if she was going to tell him something important. The once rosy complexion was waxy and pale. The mouth that was so quick to smile in life lay stiff and agape. The lips that begged to be kissed were now blue and cold. The arms that held him tight when he was sad or lost, that wrapped him in warmth and security were arranged on the bed of dead flowers like the limbs of a rag doll violently thrown.
The legs that used to dance gracefully and run after him playfully were now twisted up unnaturally into a position no living person could maintain. And if all that wasn't enough to scar him, there was a dark red pool under her head, matting her chestnut hair. Even with all this, staring at her lifeless form he could not believe she was gone. Something that powerfully alive could not just disappear in a matter of seconds.
"D-Don't go, Juliette..I'm sorry for everything...just- please stay with me a little longer..I n-need you- here with me.." Ivory hands gripped at her corpse gently, wiping the tears that seemed to fall onto her grayish cheeks. He felt a gentle tap on his shoulder, interrupting his thoughts and last moments with his beloved. Turning with dull eyes that no longer gleamed with charm or mischievousness, the demoness giggled and applauded.
"Come now, my cute little apprentice..you don't need her, she's simply a bag of blood, a sack of meat. she's no use to us without a soul."
"How could you say that!" The noble growled at her disrespect for the maid he held dear. Suddenly, the irony scent became stronger and he glanced downwards at the source. Juliette's body melted into the thick crimson liquid he dreaded so much. Much like the apple that seemingly caused the horrid series of events, he was no longer to savor her. "Don't forget our deal, my apprentice. I will come retrieve when you have finally accepted your fate at my side, until then, Adieu"
Auburn eyes widened and a scream reverberated throughout the room as he sat up abruptly. He wiped at his sleepy eyes, he had had another nightmare. Similar to the one of the previous night and the night before. Ever since the 'incident', about a week ago, he couldn't seem to have a decent dream free of the demoness' corruption. He was plagued with her evil cackles and her silhouette wherever he went. Cursed with those golden eyes of hers that gleamed with chaos as well as those sad ones of his beloved.
He casted his gaze at his surroundings, he had awoken in a bedroom that was clearly furnished on a meager budget; but, it was full of more warmth than he had seen in his previous bedroom. The bed, he was currently sitting on, was not pushed up against a wall, but more centered with an elaborate mahogany headboard. The subtle blue-gray room contained a bureau with a mirror, a small desk, and a night stand; all made of solid mahogany but clearly worn-out since their first placement in the room. There were no drapery curtains at the small dormer windows, letting in all the light of the moon and casting an eerie lighting to the bedroom. Portraits, of another family adorned the walls, making the now- orphan feel even more out of place. Yet, the expressions the people wore made him feel warm, each one sported a happy and loving grin; clearly happy to be in each others presence.
On the night stand, there was a copy of the daily newspaper dating back to a week ago when his life changed completely. The male despised being reminded of the incident, but he felt that reliving it was inevitable. Ivory and shaky hands gripped at the delicate pages of the newspaper, which he re-read every night, burning every word into his brain until morning.
'ROSE MASQUERADE ENDS IN BLOOD!
All nobles and servants attending the annual Rose Masquerade Ball hosted by the Duke & Duchess were found brutally murdered. From the hosts of the ball to the cleaning maids, no person was left alive except for the son of the Duke & Duchess, who seems to be missing. Some say that he is responsible for the tragedy and others say that he was kidnapped and brutally murdered as well. All investigators are working hard on the case to determine the cause of this heinous crime and the whereabouts of the Duke...'
Enough. That was all he needed, to know that the events plaguing him with horribly vivid dreams were all real and not something from his imagination. The events of the ball and those that came after, were all real. The demon, his contract, the deaths, and his new residence at the home of his father's trusted friend. It all still hadn't dawned on him, that all he cared about was gone..forever. He was never to see his mother and father again; never to embrace them lovingly, never to call out for their assistance, never to receive a warm smile that reassured even the most shaken souls...never. He was never to gaze upon his clumsy yet kindhearted maid, who defended him regardless of his actions. She saw good in him, when most didn't; but, now she was gone and it was all because of the power hungry, 16-year-old orphan staring sadly at the week-old newspaper.
"Y-Your race..?" the soft quivering voice of a seven year old girl, interrupted the raven haired noble's thoughts; causing him to hide the newspaper under his pillow and stare at the door nervously. A small, frail girl with short dirty blonde hair walked into the bedroom hesitantly, her bright emerald eyes scanned the moonlit room before meeting the auburn gaze in front of her. The male couldn't help but avoid those eyes that reminded him so much of his beloved maid.
"Did i wake you, Katherine? Do forgive me..." he muttered while glancing down at the hand embroidered white dovet. He despised having people know of his recurring nightmares, especially if they interrupted other's sleeping bliss. "I heard you talking, your race. Was it another bad dream..?"
"Erm...yes. wait, 'your race'?"
"Mama said you're a noble, so I need to call you that" she giggled and took a seat next to him, gripping her worn out teddy bear as if it held the answers to the secrets of the world. "I do believe she meant, 'Your Grace'" a deep chuckle erupted from his lean chest with her comment and poor attempts to remain polite. Katherine could only huff dramatically and try to cover her deep blush of embarrassment. The young green-eyed female opened her mouth to say something in protest, but instead let out a not very feminine yawn; that caused both her and the male to look at each other in shock before breaking out in a fit of laughter.
"I suppose you should return to your chamber and continue your blissful rest. I assure I will no longer disturb you, miss Katherine." The smooth words followed by a sincere smile persuaded the stubborn girl to sleep rather than protest and remain awake as she did the night before.
"Can I sleep here, your g-grace..?"
"Wouldn't you prefer to rest more comfortably in your own bed, miss..?"
"My mama says that if I have scary dreams that it's better to sleep with someone so you feel safe.." the sleepy emerald eyes bore into the clearly distressed auburn ones, it was as if she sensed all his pain despite the prideful and smooth shell he liked to put up. The orphaned noble couldn't help but smile gratefully for her comfort and assist her onto his bed.
No sooner had he tucked her in, when she shut her eyes and fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. Oh, how the male longed for such relief, for such consolation and solace that the seven-year old seemed to demonstrate. However, such a thing was never to occur due to his desire for power. What else was he to sacrifice for such an unworthy thing? who else was destined to suffer due to his drive and insanity? What more was to be destroyed by his forever blood-stained hands?
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With the course of a month, the orphaned noble became more and more accustomed to living in the Le Beau household. He was starting to see why his father had entrusted his son to the Le Beau family of three. Victoria Le Beau, the lady and the authority of the house, was indeed the embodiment of a typical mother and wife. She cared for all, even those that didn't exactly belong to her family as the aristocrat. Thomas Le Beau, the support and strength of the house, was a tough exterior, but once you got around to break his shell, you would see how truly thoughtful and loyal he was. Katherine Le Beau, the sunshine of the house, was what truly kept everyone in a content mood. With her generous nature and adorable actions, she made sure those around her were in the best of moods.
The auburn eyed blue-blood clearly comprehended his father's choice; the Le Beau's were commoners, nothing noble or royal but their hearts and intentions were better than all of the luxury. Although, his time there was turning out to be pleasant; something deep within the cursed noble was evolving. He couldn't sleep well at night, his nightmares were causing him to sleepwalk throughout the house and alarm the Le Beau's. His hunger was starting to diminish and with it his sense of taste. Anything and everything he ate, turned to tasteless mush in his mouth. No matter what condiments he bathed his food in, he couldn't taste a thing, let alone crave anything. He attempted to confide in the Le Beau's but each time they dismissed it as a sign of depression and trauma. If only...
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The lingering light was obliterated by the rapidly falling night. The once salmon and purple sky transformed into a vast expanse of jet-black that seemed to engulf the house. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night. The Le Beau's were all sound asleep except for the troubled orphan who tossed and turned in his bed vigorously searching for the most comforting position.
The young patrician pulled up his duvet closer and rolled toward the darker side of the room, in attempts to shy away from the light casting into his room by the eerie moon; however, he still managed to face rectangles of projecting from the windows. He tossed from one side to the other, his bed that had been so carefully made became a tangle of covers. For spells he would close his eyes and be conscious of breathing slowly, rhythmically but suddenly he would awake abruptly and continue the tedious process. The night wore on, a lingering haze of sleep sat somewhere at the back of his mind but was too far away to reach, floating in the pool of his sick and tragic memories. Icy discomfort blossomed in his chest and made it difficult for him to breathe. In attempts to finally fall into slumber, he took as many deep breaths as he could, but many just caught in his throat, like an icy wind had blown down there and managed to freeze the air solid. At that moment, he sat up, knowing full well that he was not going to gain any sleep simply laying there.
The restless noble untangled himself from his mess of covers and made his way out of the room that seemed to haunt him with its ominous lighting and foreboding scenery. Evil cackling played itself in his head as he made his way out of his room. With each eerie giggle of the demoness, he felt himself grow weaker and the pain in the back of his left hand, as if the skin from within was burning from the serpent's bite of his nightmare. In the midst of all his overwhelming symptoms, he felt a strong sense of hunger overwhelm him; his mouth watering to the idea of eating once again.
Making his way slowly and painfully down the dark hallway towards the kitchen, his strength diminishing with each step and the voice of the demon ascending in volume. The now desperate male gripped at the walls of the hallway, slowly but surely taking small steps towards the end of the hallway, until stopping at a certain door. He felt his hunger increase and the cackling intensified with each step towards the room. Shaking ivory hands gripped the brass doorknob and weakly turned it, gently opening the oak door to find a small frail girl sleeping peacefully. A small breeze coming from her open window set a more tranquil mood to her room. she was the subtle sea flowing calmly past without a ripple or a wave in sight. she was the sun glowing insistently shining down like a beacon of hope and serenity, tempting all to join her in slumber.
Auburn quickly turned a bright crimson as he approached the young Le Beau, hunger and evil in his newly and odd colored eyes. Within her he saw something beautiful that by the looks of it, could satisfy his hunger and silent the demon. Within her, there was a light, its glow, its shine, everything about it was beautiful. The emerald light emanating from the young girl, was full of love and warmth, as if the contents of her innocent and kind heart had melted and become this stunning display of light. What was this light? and why hadn't he seen it before? but more importantly, would it satisfy his hunger?
He turned stiffly to her bureau and gripped hold to her letter opener, his eyes now a glowing ruby scaled her frail body and searched for a way to release the light. He approached her slowly and raised his hand to strike with whatever strength he had left. His shadow casted over her and caused the sleeping seven-year old to stir and open her eyes slowly to meet his
"Y-Your grace..?!" she shouted in utter horror at the sight of the charming noble now turned into a red eyed beast. Screams of the terrified Le Beau warned her parents, who rushed over to her room to see the madness at hand. The noble could only stare at her hungrily, until he realized what he was doing. The soft clattering of the letter opener caused the ruby to turn auburn once again, but full to the brim with regretful tears.
"Please f-forgive me...I don't know what came over me..." the noble gripped at his head, the evil snickering continuing and intensifying. Katherine continued screaming and her parents rushed to her side, glaring at the insanity of the patrician. Auburn met the angry gazes of the Le Beaus and he slowly began stepping away from the family he was supposed to incorporate himself into. The raven-haired noble glanced back at the emerald eyes filled with horror and underlying sadness, much like those that haunted him, those of Juliette.
Run Run Run the words repeated and intensified in volume, causing him to cringe in pain and search for a way to escape. Remembering the open window, he turned rapidly and sprinted away from the family, ignoring their calls out to him. Run Run Run the runaway orphan obeyed willingly and continued to run until his lungs were about to collapse and his legs burned in agony. His throat ached as if he would have swallowed nails and his feet throbbed, just about ready to bleed.
"I s-suppose...i was not designed...f-for running.." he muttered to himself in poor efforts to regain his breath. He had absolutely no idea where he was supposed to go, all those he knew had perished due to his drive for power, where was he to run to? Run Run Run panting and gasping for air, the cursed aristocrat continued to run away from the place he had begun to call home. However, he was to continue to run away from places such as this, for he did not belong anywhere in particular but in solitude. There was no place for those bound to evil and broken away from humanity and sanity.