Love in the Shadows (CH.1)

Love in the Shadows

Chapter 1: Introductions

In this world, nothing is ever completely one hundred percent correct, no answer is better then another answer. No one being is more superior then the rest in the end, we are all our own leaders and deep inside our abilities are hidden waiting to emerge. The fictional stories that we are read to as a child are not only that of imagination, but instead a faded and torn apart version of the truth. Little girls turning into princesses may have occurred but it was not at the cost of a lost slipper. And vampires did not sparkle in day light, the older stories had that part correct in saying that they burnt to their final demise. As for my story, well I am here to tell you it actually. If you find that your attention strays just remember that at all times no matter how far you get into this memory, no matter how long you hold these pages to your nose...there is always an immortal watching you closely. This is the story of Alard Delequiar the first, and I...am a demon.

The day was late in the afternoon already when I had begun to light the candles at the masters table. It was nearing his arrival and we were running behind, each step had to be taken with meaning, our fingers working diligently placing his goblet on the right side of his place setting along with his red cloth napkin.
“He is just outside, hurry!” A woman yelled from across the room, she was dressed in the usual maid uniform that we had been assigned when we all began, dresses for the women, and for us men we wore black slacks with our white undershirt and black coat. We were the masters servants and had been for the most part since we were all of age to work for him. For me, I was eight when I began to live here. My story is a whole lot different then the rest of those whom reside though. My mother had died of a disease that could not be cured and my father had never even met me. He had gotten my mother pregnant before she was even sixteen. The man who did this to her had been old enough to be her father at the time, forcing her to have sex with him. I remember her telling a young friend of her this when I was a young boy. Once I had lost my only family I wandered the streets of London until one of the women here, Josaline had taken me in here and begged the master to allow me to stay. She was a very kind woman with the heart of an angel. She had ratty brown hair that was pulled into a tight bun at all times. He fought it for a few days until I showed him that I was a hard worker. He finally accepted me into his home on one condition; that I lived in his home until either my life ended or I was released on his accord. So for the last ten years I have lived here night and day waiting on his every call. I was his special servant as I remembered him calling me, the one he could depend on no matter the time of day. He was right in saying that, since every so often I would find myself cleaning up an odd mess of blood in the dungeon at the most odd hours of early morning. He always told me that if I were to tell anyone of these midnight cleanings that my life would end sooner then I believed. Therefore, I kept my mouth shut about it, no one else knew about them. I finally stepped back feeling a small drop of sweat run down my brow as everyone in the room lined the walls and we bowed our heads to the man who entered. He was the master, which was the name everyone called him by. Only a few of us who had been here nearly our entire lives knew his real name. The younger ones or the ones who had just begun did not bother finding out what their masters real name was. He had deep brown hair flowing perfectly over his scalp, longer then what most would expect for a man, but during this time It was a sign of wealth. He wore a deep red jacket that buttoned twice over his breast and new black pants with his shined shoes. He handed the closest woman his cane that he held with him at all times. The top of the cane was a silver embossed dragon with red diamonds as its eyes. It was rumored that inside it was a hidden sword, but no one dared to test that rumor after the last one that tried. The boy who had tried had been handed it just as he always did and when the master was not looking went to open the top. Instantly the master must have heard it and turned around grabbing the boy by his neck dragging him into the hall abandoning his dinner which was very unusual. That was the last we ever heard of that boy, he was never seen again.
The master took his seat at the head of the empty table and tucked the napkin on his lap glancing over at me with a small grin. I kept my expression clear of any emotion which was the way he liked it. He bowed his head which was our signal, like a dance routine our feet turned and we headed through the doors where we were greeted by more of our fellow servants with platters, we took them to the table placing them in the spots which were dedicated to each platter. He never allowed us to be in the room while he ate, so we stepped outside in the hall going towards the room where we waited for the minute he beckoned.
“That was a close call,” a young girl said sitting next to me. I knew her as Belinda Smidgen, she had been here nearly as long as I had. She had a different story then myself, being born in this place, so it was technically her home since birth. Her mother had supposedly finished her sentence here when Belinda was born so she was let go and told to never come back. Although it has been known to happen deep inside I had a feeling that was not what really occurred the night her mother left. Even Belinda did not know the entire truth, always saying that her mother is a ghost and that we were her real family. I did not blame her for saying such things, but it made me often miss my own mother who had not been a ghost for a whole nine years.
Belinda had bright blonde hair that was more often then not pulled back in a pony tail which still reached her mid back. Her face was clear of any blemishes, each time you looked at her it was like staring at an angel.
“Yeah it was, good thing we are quick on our feet. I just hope he does not take all night to eat because I am quite hungry myself,” I sighed knowing that we would not be allowed to touch our own dinner until he was completely satisfied and ready to retire for the evening.
“Same here, I do not think that he should take too long though after all, word is that he has a woman coming over later tonight...” She told me quietly, I looked over at her cautiously. Every time he had brought a woman home, we never saw her leave. It was a mystery that we all contemplated on cracking but knew that if we attempted it would be the end of our own life and stay here at the masters mansion.
“One day all his secrets will spill over like a broken pot,” I noted which made her smile. She leaned her head over on my shoulder and shut her eyes. I slid my arm around her waist putting my own head on top of hers, she was like a sister and yet like something more. Secretly inside, ever since I had come here I had found her simply beautiful in all ways. She never once held a side to her that I disliked, but living here was not a life I could use to fall in love with so I had gotten so used to not thinking about her that way, she was simply a good friend. It was nearly an hour later when we were called back into the room, everything being taken away. I headed for his glass and plate that sat in front of him when he grabbed my wrist and pulled it down a little. My entire state of mind went blank, my muscles becoming very still.
“Alard, care to stop by my room in one hours time?” He asked me but it was more of a demand then a question. Herold stood up walking out of the room leaving his stare on me before completely shutting out the scene. Belinda came up behind me grabbing the goblet from my frozen hand.
“What was that about?” she asked me, I shook my head and followed her into the kitchen where we began to wash the dishes. A small chatter began with some eyes on me. I could feel the hair on my neck standing up.
“In an hour he wants me to stop by his room...” I told her slowly, something inside of me was hesitant on going, half thinking about leaving before he could do anything, but I knew he would hunt me down if I did that. She looked at me with fear in her eyes, and the same hesitance I had written on her lips.
“Well...maybe he wants to give you a gift for being such a great servant? I mean, you have not done anything wrong, correct?” she asked me, reaching over to take my hand softly rubbing it before going back to the sink washing as I dried the plates that she handed me.
“I have not done anything that I can remember...maybe you are right, nothing to be scared about.” I assured both of us and took a deep breath before we finished our chores. I had about fifteen minutes until I was expected up there. I could barely finish my dinner with everything going on my stomach felt on fire and like it was doing somersaults in there. I sat in the room with Belinda on her small bed that she shared with a younger girl who was not around at the moment. “Belinda, just in case anything happens and he wants me to leave or he does some absolutely terrible thing to me I just wanted to let you know that you are special to me. You have been my best friend since I came here and no matter what you will always be the person I go to when I need help, just wanted to let you know that.” I smiled leaning over hugging her tightly. I had shaggy light brown hair that was messy on top of my head, only getting a haircut once or twice a year by a skilled woman with the scissors. My eyes were a deep hazel which had no comparison to her light blue eyes which could have been nearly silver.
“Alard you will be fine, I will see you in the morning,” she told me looking over at me. I nodded and kissed her cheek like I did every night before bed and got up straightening myself out. I walked down the halls to Herold's room which was one of the rooms on the top level of the four story mansion. His doors were huge, towering over top of me as I stared up at them. Was this my final goodbye like the other boy? Or was this a good thing...
“Alard, please enter and stop wondering,” his booming voice announced from inside the room. My breath was caught in my throat as I looked at the door wondering how he knew I stood there. I quickly pushed the thoughts aside for now and pushed open the doors which were extremely heavy. I had never been inside his room before, everyone had been forbidden to enter except when asked and after someone had been asked to come into the room they were never seen again. My heart began to beat so hard that I could swear I was about to pass out. My eyes were sent into the darkness of his room, everything a deep mahogany red with heavy purples catching my sight. “Come now come now, stop admiring the colors and come over here,” he said as he stood in the corner with a cigar between his lips. I slowly made my way over to him with my feet feeling like solid heavy pieces of metal. They dragged along the wood until they sank in and stood in one stop a few feet from him.
“Yes master,” I bowed my head in compliance as he walked over closer to me putting his hand on my back gently as he walked around me. I did not dare move, even if I wanted to my body was in some sort of physical lock.
“Do you have any idea why I have asked you here tonight?” he inquired to me, I honestly did not know though one possibility was that he knew there was going to be a mess and would want me to clean it up later on. I admitted to him with the simple word 'no' that my mind was blank. “Tonight I was supposed to occupy a woman in my room, I believe at your age you can understand what that means...” he snickered a little but my fear was too high for me to find the words humorous. “But alas, she has escaped my grasp due to a leak of information it seems...” he said slowly, his words beginning to turn bitter. I did not understand what sort of information could be leaked to a woman about him that would make them not want to come over.
“And what information is that, if I may ask,” my words slipped even in the most manner filled way, and my heart stopped. I knew I should not have spoken and now my fate was set. I expected a lashing, or something vicious to slip from his fingers to my skin but I simply got a smile from his lips.
“Information that in time you will understand entirely too well,” he informed me. My eyes widened completely lost in the conversation at this point. “I know you did not slip her this information because I know you have no idea what I speak of. However, your little girlfriend well...not so girlfriend...girlfriend,” he laughed a bit as his repetition. “Belinda.” He said each syllable of her name with distinction. “Miss...Smidgen I believe her last name is, she has learned a dirty secret about me.” He paced the room slowly walking from where I stood to the opposite side where a window sat facing out towards the street. “And this secret is big, I can not have her wandering the halls here bearing this information. And this is why I need you,” he said quietly turning his face towards me walking back my way. My arms completely fallen at my side holding my breath to not breathe too loudly afraid that it would annoy him in some way.
“I do not understand master...what is it you wish for me to do?” He did not speak until he circled me fully then stood facing me completely. His eyes were entirely black, no pupil, no scelra or iris, just complete utter blackness. This definitely freaked me out, I felt everything stop working when I stared at him. He noticed right away because he looked away which sent everything into hard drive. I grabbed at my chest, it hurt immensely, enough for a groan to slip through my teeth. I heard a small snicker from Herold. He turned back around to look at me then lifted my wrist up pushing the sleeve of mine up my arm.
“Do not worry Alard...you will thank me in the end. Tomorrow evening you will return here for a very important night. I am going to allow you one final day of freedom, you will not be working tomorrow. You may go anywhere you please just return to me by nightfall. Do everything you possibly can I suggest.” He ran a finger over my veins in my wrist which were pulsing with flowing blood. The adrenaline was rushing throughout my body. I just nodded unable to answer him with words. He dropped my wrist, the sleeve falling over my arm again. “You are dismissed Alard,” he turned away from me with his hands behind his back and his eyes watching out the window. I turned on my feet and left his room shutting the door behind me taking in a much needed deep breath. My first reaction was to run down to Belinda's room, I knocked on her door softly but many times. She answered it groggily rubbing her eyes, I pushed into the room, it was still just her.
“She is sleeping with Amy tonight,” she told me quietly seeing my eyes shoot to the bed. The room was so tiny that there was only room for her small bed and a tiny side table. She sat back down on the bed rubbing her eyes. “So what did the master want you for?” She asked me as I sat next to her. I took her hands in mine lifting her chin to look at me, just lost in her tired gaze.
“What did you find out Belinda.” my words were soft but her reaction was harsh, she looked away from me and bit her bottom lip. I quickly pulled her gaze back coaxing her for the answer. “Belinda, this is important for both of us you need...to tell me,” I whispered to her. She reached up touching my cheek rubbing it gently. “Please...”