"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, Shall be lifted-nevermore!" ~William Shakespeare
The pale sliver cobblestones were cold and smooth underneath his damp slippers. Each little stone had a place among the others, unlike the orphaned noble slowly hobbling along through the dark alleyway after just abandoning his new home. The gap between two old terraced houses was long, dark and menacing; growing colder and more uninviting by the second. It was like a cavernous mouth just waiting to devour anyone who dared enter its narrow and dank orifice. Unknown creatures scuttled underfoot and in the midst of the alley waste as he trod along its length. The walls ran with slime which covered the now long forgotten brickwork, once presenting posters of missing children and sponsoring the French military. It smelt strongly of stale urine and feces, causing the dull eyed male to cringe and stagger but, nothing stopped him from distancing himself from society. A society that believed him either dead or a murderer, perhaps that is what he truly was...
Water from many days ago remained stagnant in between the cracks and crevices, forming large foggy puddles vaguely reflecting the moon. Such florescence and dominance could not be hidden behind the creeping grey clouds or the hazy dampness of the alley puddles. All the raven haired 16 year-old could see, besides the despair inflicting trail, was the moon speckled darkness, not the kind of utter blackness that swallowed a person whole, but instead a shadowy world painted in grey-scale. He would often describe the moonlight as his only companion in the darkness. It's soft shimmering glow held another purpose, it gave him a direction in what would otherwise have been a maze of impenetrable blackness.
"I do not wish to sleep, Mother!" the loud cries of the young duke resonated throughout the manor as the Duchess of France dragged the 7 year-old to his grand room, regardless of his countless protests. The sudden sharp grip of the golden haired woman sent the boy cringing in pain as his blood circulation diminished rapidly.
"Now now, must you be so troublesome..?" the duchess casted her auburn eyes down at the other's identical ones now filled with sadness. A defeated sigh escaped her soft rosy lips as she released her son reluctantly, her eyes never leaving his.
"How about I make you an an offer too exceptional to resist? I promise to tell you a story if you retire afterwards, what do you think?" The words hadn't escaped from her lips when the young patrician wrapped his arms around her tightly, clearly enthusiastic about his mother's imaginative tales. With a light giggle, the lady of the manor escorted her son to his room, where the nursing maids assisted him into his nightwear. After settling his rather excited demeanor and wrapping the impeccable ivory sheets around his 7 year-old body, the youth's mother cleared her throat and began:
"According to the ancient Greeks, Selene was the goddess of the moon. She was the daughter of Mother Earth and Father Sky, who I will tell you about another day. Selene and her brother, Helios, were responsible for controlling the movements of the sun and moon across the sky. They believed that Selene would drive the white chariot of the moon across the sky each night. Her brother Helios would do the same thing each morning in his golden sun chariot. They said that Selene was a beautiful woman with lovely, long, flowing hair and often wore a crown with a crescent moon..." The duchess paused momentarily to glance over at her son, his gaze fixed intently on his mother; clearly wishing for the rest of her tale.
"One night as she moved across the night sky looking down on the Earth below, Selene saw a beautiful young man sleeping. The young man was named Endymion, a Shepard tending his sheep on the countryside. Entranced by the beautiful sleeper, Selene asked Zeus- you recall him right? Well she entrusted him to give the youth eternal life and to make him sleep forever. The young man, who had also fallen in love with the lovely moon goddess, asked that he might sleep forever beneath her soft light. Therefore Zeus agreed. It is said that each night since then, Endymion dreams of Selene and his love for her. Sometimes if you look closely at the moon you may see their two silhouettes and Selene may visit your dreams soon after." with a reassuring wink, the Duchess leaned over and gently pecked her son's cheek. His wide auburn eyes lighting up at the mention of such a beautiful goddess appearing in his dreams, almost immediately the boy shut his eyes and awaited sleep to overtake his eager mind.
Except Selene never came, for it was only a myth and with that thought alone, the moon wasn't something as magical as he was always taught to believe. Casting his tired auburn eyes that once looked up at the moon with great enthusiasm and awe now looked upon it with underlying disgust. The darkness of the night swirled around his weak form, tendrils of inkling bleak reminders of his solitude and counterfeit life. The silence echoing in his ears, a white noise that never silenced. His head swam in a fire burning inside, the only smouldering embers of a time where there had been truth and hope. But now, the void had slowly filled with a cold, howling storm of tragedy that refused to ever let up. With the moon shining down at him intimidatingly, like that of the eye of the devil looking straight into the soul of the damned. He realized that he was completely and utterly alone in his mind, body, soul and most of all, entirely alone in the world full of lies.
His unbreaking gaze with the moon prevented him from seeing the tall and muscular male striding towards him, blocking his path with crossed arms. The impact from the thud was enough to shock the noble and push him backwards, nearly losing his balance and falling. Casting his wide auburn gaze at the intimidating individual in front of him, his breath turned from quiet and regular to a panting gasp. As the ominous figure approached, the raven haired male sucked at the air like it had suddenly become thick and was now too difficult to draw in. Unflinching, unblinking, the mysterious figure blocked his path. His face was mostly hidden in the ever-consuming darkness of the alley. The knife that was being toyed in his thin fingers glimmered in the radiant moonlight exhibiting its sleek blade eager to slice.
The noble's face fell faster than a brick at the sight of the intimidating male. In that instant his skin greyed, his mouth hung with his lips slightly parted and his eyes were as wide as they could stretch. He could practically feel the remnants of his broken soul escape his battered and overly exhausted body with the sight of the eerie male holding a dagger that had obviously been previously used. Casting his wide gaze to the darkness surrounding them, there could possibly be more armed assailants at the very least. He had nothing to protect him but empty words and the numbing fear beginning to consume him with each passing second.
"Oi! who dares trespass on my land?!" with words piercing him like a poisoned dagger, he could only stare aimlessly and mumble inaudibly. The dark brooding hickory eyes glaring straight into the wide auburn ones quickly filling to the brim with fear as the assailant stepped closer to the quivering noble. As he neared, the 16 year old could begin to make out the characteristics of his attacker in the pale moonlight illuminating vaguely; choppy ruby locks, muddy clothing, and a horribly graphic scar adorning the skin around his left eye. With a mere glimpse one can infer that this individual had endured quite a lot in his past perhaps leading to his behavior in the current situation at hand. Troubled past or not, the grim future was all the petrified male could ponder on; bombarding all senses and judgement.
"Your land? Nothing here belongs to you besides the piss you stand on, you bloody lushington!" A distinct and much deeper voice rang out through the alley, intimidating not only the noble but the red haired assalaint as well. A deep growl emenated from the obvious nonowner of the alleyway, one followed by a scowl that could easily cause anyone to cower in fear. Despite the blood-curdling response the second voice only replied with a chuckle that led the scarred attacker to grow more infuriated by the second. Slowly but surely the amused laugh grew closer, causing the raven haired male to whip around behind him to see a man clad in black; from his charcoal hair and matching eyes to his mysterious trench coat. Bewilderment stained the expression of the 16 year old standing in between the two attackers, not sure if he was safe or still precariously walking the tightrope.
"Who is this?" the sudden serious tone swiftly cut through the light atmosphere and replaced it with a tense mood thick enough to choke any within contact. The auburn eyed noble simply shifted his gaze from one stranger to the next nervously, awaiting his rapid demise due to the two men surrounding him. Uncertainty began to slowly devour the aristocrat from the inside out, the silence only adding more gasoline to the flame engulfing him.
"Some glocky idiot if you ask me..." The red head growled flashing the other two his glimmering blade, not doubting the use of it at any second. With a quick glance at both assaulters the ebony haired male casted his now dilated auburn eyes behind them before sprinting off in the direction he came hobbling in. The surprised cries of the strangers echoed throughout the void that never seemed to truly end. However, Distance was all that mattered to the escaping orphan. The darkness that engulfed him in the alley was like no other darkness he had endured before. It was no longer the kind of darkness bespeckled with bright stars filling you with a sense of hope and admiration for natural beauty. This was not like that. This was the kind of darkness that robs you of your best sense and replaces it with paralyzing fear. In this darkness, the male still clad in his night wear, sped throughout the countless turns of the dank alley.
Finding the entrance of the alley, hope lightened the grim features of the blue-blood. Fear no longer had control of his body or mind, causing him to collapse in both exhaustion and relief. Alas, his safety was not fully secured. The heavy footsteps of the two strangers, faint and what the noble had believed was all in his head, rapidly sounded closer. The fast rhythm of their heavy boots hitting the cobblestone street provoked the once relieved male to cower in fear once more. Not waiting to see the now angered attackers bickering about who was at fault for the escaped stranger, the escapee crawled to the nearest barricade in poor efforts to obscure himself to the others. Despite the ever-consuming blackness, the frightened male could not help but crouch as low as he could and cover his mouth to prevent breathing too loudly. Muscles cramped and unable to move, wide auburn eyes darted from left to right in poor efforts to see a sign amidst the impenetrable black. All he could feel was his muscles aching, his heart beating rapidly and his eyes blinking despite not having a use for them in his dark surroundings.
There was the ever increasing volume of continuous click clacks of heavy boots on the crooked cobblestone street. The darkness pressed in on him as he fought the strong urge to turn around and feed his curiosity. Perhaps the footsteps belonged to someone else? Too much was at risk and instead he became fixed in his cramped hiding spot with his pale bottom lip firmly in his bite. Then there came another unceasing set of click clacks, only these were lighter and slower as if the the maker of the noise was attempting to be quieter, to hear the shallow breathing of their prey.
"He has to be here somewhere!" the irritated voice of the red head rang out through the entrance of the alley, causing the noble to gasp in utter horror. To his dismay, the other stranger merely raised a gloved finger to his lips to hush the obnoxious other. His charcoal eyes gleaming with satisfaction and determination as his glance landed on the pile of used and dirtied crates. The scarred assailant merely looked around until finally he too came to stare curiously at the suspicious pile while approaching slowly. The terrified aristocrat could hear their victory in the prolonged silence until it was interrupted by the all too familiar cackle of that evil being. She penetrated his thoughts despite his obvious danger and the upcoming doom. Hunger clouded his already weakened senses causing his mouth to water and his teeth to sting with the desire to bite into something satisfying.
The clad in black stranger quickly lifted various crates to reveal a glowing red eyed noble, looking him up and down hungrily. With wide ebony and chestnut colored eyes, both attackers staggered backwards and only stared as the 16 year old attempted to release himself from his trance. The red head prepared his blade while the other reached into his trench coat to do the same. The noble gripped at his head and growled in pain as the giggling of the demoness only grew louder. Looking up with red eyes that blinked a helpless auburn, the orphan pleaded and begged to the other two males to assist him. Slowly he was being pushed to the brink of insanity and the strangers could only watch with precaution.
That laugh. The one of the demoness, was intoxicating, causing the red eyed male to burst out into fits of laughter. With tears streaming out of his glowing crimson eyes, the cackling escapee stood effortlessly, as if he had not just ran the great length he did. The malicious laughter only intensified with the sight of the other petrified males, as well as the flow of his tears. Suddenly his laughter was silenced and replaced by an excruciating pain emenating from his midsection. Time slowed to a crawl as the noble casted his blinking red gaze down to see the blade of the red head cut through his skin and sink in effortlessly. A searing burn flared throughout his body, causing his mind to run on a blank. The scarred stranger jerked the blade in further before yanking it out suddenly. The aristocrat's vision blurred as fresh tears lined his now auburn eyes. Gagging, he felt the taste of blood in his mouth as well as a warm crimson blush spread across his nightwear. The cold breeze of agony penetrated deep within him as he fell in a heap, slamming to the cold, hard cobblestoned ground. His eyelids became heavy, propelling him into complete and utter darkness once more.
"Master!"
"J-Juliette?!" the auburn eyed soon-to-be-duke sprinted throughout the darkness in search for the lovely owner of the voice calling out to him. No matter where he turned, he came to the same ever-lasting blackness that dimmed his hopes more by the second. He called out to her repeatedly despite the black surroundings, he forced his eyes to look for something that was not to be found. When he felt that despair was all that originated from the impenetrable darkness, he would hear her voice once more; causing the blue-blood to commence his endeavor from the beginning.
"Master! I never had the opportunity to tell you how I felt..."
"Tell me what you wish after this...I need you to do one last task for me.."
"Anything. However what I need to tell you is very important and I do not have much more time.."
"I-I need to see you before I can assign the task.." and in a matter of seconds, the maid appeared in the beautiful tan opal dress she had perished in. Approaching him slowly, the deceased maid looked up at him and bit her lip nervously.
"You look absolutely stunning, love..." with an awed breathlessness he raised a pale hand to graze her porcelain-like cheek softly only to meet the air. A devastated frown replaced his small smile almost immediately as he let his hand fall to his side slowly.
"Master, I know what you wish to ask of me...I want to, I really do. However, you are bound here on earth and the layers below. You cannot join me..." tears fell slowly down her ivory cheeks, causing her master to clench his fists at his side in utter rage. A furious cry erupted from deep within him that was soon muffled by the laughter of the wretched demon at fault for all his pain. He felt her clawed hands wrap around his waist as he screamed in protest.
"Come, we have much to do down here, your grace" the words, contorted into a seductive purr, sent chills throughout his body. Her breath tickled his ear with each soft inhale and exhale, causing the noble to tense and squirm in her grip. Juliette could only glance downwards and shake her head before her faded image became nothing but an engraved memory to continue haunting the aristocrat until the end.
●▬▬▬▬๑۩۩๑▬▬▬▬▬●
"Oi! I say we leave him where we found him.."
"He shouldnt 'ave been in my land...I say we rid of 'im!"
"Let us not be rash....Perhaps he can be of assistance to us? "
"I say we keep him...he's rather cute!"
"Stop touchin' him, Peacock! You'll wake him!"
"Hey, you lot! He's waking!"
The obnoxious voices quickly hushed with the soft whimpers escaping the waking noble. His head began to pound before his pained auburn eyes even opened. Slowly but surely his eyes fluttered open, the shapes and colors around him appeared as distorted blurs that slowly became clearer as he processed his surroundings. Before him were six strangers, obviously not of the same social standing as he was, judging by their word choice and attire. With wide eyes he darted from each unfamiliar face, the next twice as frightening as the last until his eyes landed on his two attackers from the alley. Immediately, he attempted to stand and escape, to run and run until the remnants of what happened in that alley disintegrated from existence in his mind.
"You are in no condition to even draw a breathe without permission... You may have been a blue-blood but now you're nothing different than the shit I wipe off the bottom of my boots!"