The Givers

Olivia was currently walking down the stairs behind the vampire. According to the butler, everyone in the household gets together at 7am sharp, so they could have breakfast together. Fortunately for Olivia, last night was the most comfortable and delightful sleep she ever had so right now she felt lively and energetic and did not mind being woken up by the butler so abruptly.

Although she felt spirited, this mood soon dissolved and was replaced by nervousness as they got closer and closer to the dining room.

Once they had reached the room, the butler promptly pulled out the seat for Alexander to sit on. Olivia meekly followed Alexander, awkwardly standing behind him when he took a seat. She finally decided to look up and survey the room. Sitting at the table were four other people. At the head chair, sat a lofty and detached middle-aged man with slick black hair, in a formal suit. Beside him, a woman with chocolatey brown curls and rouge red lips, she seemed to currently be conversing with one of the maids.

Opposite her sat a younger looking man, the same colour hair as the one sitting in the head chair, dark black. He seemed noble and reserved. Last but not least, sat a younger looking girl, a sweet smile on her lips as she conversed with the younger looking man next to her. She, much like the other woman, had brown locks stopping just past her shoulders. Of course all those present, had crimson eyes, just like Alexander.

Once Olivia's eyes roamed around those present at the table, she soon took notice of others who seemed to be the odd people in the room, standing behind the people who were currently seated at the table, just like she was doing. They were not wearing anything that indicated that they worked around the house, yet they were not wearing clothes that displayed they were special either. Each of them wore white, plain, long sleeved upper garment, with matching coloured trousers. Another thing she had noticed was that almost all four of them were very pale and sickly-looking. She did not know what their purpose was nor why they looked so unwell.

Truly, looking around the room, the odd one out was Olivia. She was not wearing clothes usually worn by nobility, neither was she wearing what the other four pale faced ones were wearing either. She stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Why did you come down so late? Must you make us all wait for you?" The man sitting at the head chair, called upon Alexander.

As he had finished his words, an immense pressure covered the room making Olivia unable to even breathe. She felt as if thousands of people were stampeding upon her lungs. Her surroundings had turned pitch black and she couldn't see anything.

Although she knew she couldn't die, she felt that if this went on for a few more minutes she might really kick the bucket this time. While she was stuck in this ordeal she felt as if this was something similar to what she had experienced last night with Alexander, except a hundred times more intense.

"Dear, you'll end up killing the others," A soft and enchanting voice broke the harsh and extreme atmosphere, finally allowing the room and Olivia's vision, to turn back to normal.

As soon as whatever got hold of her released her, Olivia greedily took large deep breaths, wanting to fill her lungs to the brim lest she experiences another involuntary drought of oxygen.

Once she composed herself again, she looked around the room to see the other's that were standing with her, even more pale than they first looked. Some were even trembling, looking as if they were a small push away from collapsing on the floor.

"I slept late last night. Do forgive me Father," Alexander replied, not one bit affected by what had just happened.

"You do seem to be working a lot more recently, take it easy," The woman, who had saved everyone earlier, replied.

"I'll bear that in mind, Mother," Alexander said.

Once that was cleared out the way, the younger girl took the chance to ask, eyeing Olivia, "Brother, have you got yourself a new Giver?"

Olivia, looking back at the young girl, blanched at the question. If anyone knew anything about vampires, they also knew that vampires took in humans as mobile blood bags. People to conveniently feed upon, wherever, whenever. Olivia now understood the circumstances of the other four. No wonder they always looked so pale. But, to the young girl's question, Olivia was most certainly not a Giver.

"Her name is Olivia," Alexander neither admitted nor denied the question.

Olivia's eyebrows furrowed but nonetheless stayed quiet. Once all questions and answers were done with, the family of five started to dig in. Olivia stood awkwardly behind Alexander, not knowing what to do.

A few minutes later, the butler quietly ushered them to the far corner of the room where a low rising table stood. The other four plus Olivia, sat down on the floor. Each of them were served a bowl of porridge and a slice of bread, much different to the eggs, cheeses, loaves of warm bread and jam that were served on the other table.

Olivia did not have much of an opinion. She had led both life on the streets and life as a captive, as long as she had something edible to eat, she would eat it. Therefore, Olivia heartily ate big scoops of porridge and munched on her slice of bread, not leaving one bit of her crumb behind. Who knows when lunch would be?

Once Olivia had finished eating, she continued to sit where she was, twiddling her fingers as the other table had far too many plates to of had finished yet.

After a while of quiet eating, someone had finally broken the silence, "Are you reporting to house Greville today, Alexander?"

For the first time the other younger man, apart from Alexander, had taken the opportunity to speak.

"It seems dear Julian knows a lot about my affairs. It's a shame you're not my assistant. How about it? I'll pay you a good wage," Alexander replied, apathetically.

Julian pursed his lips against his brother's antics. Alexander, having seemed to have had enough food, stood up. He gave Olivia a single glance, and strode out of the room. Olivia quickly scrambled off the ground following after him and not daring to look back at his family members. As she continued to try and keep up with his long strides, she soon realised that he was heading for the front door.

"Are we going somewhere?" Olivia asked, while the butler rushed over, helping his Master put his coat on.

The vampire didn't even spare her a glance, merely walking out of the door and towards the already drawn carriage. The driver, as routine, pulled out the step for his Master. Once Alexander got in, the driver shuffled over to take the step away but Olivia managed to step on it to get into the carriage before he could do so. Although the driver felt bewildered at the new presence next to his Master, he did not dare to show a change in his behaviour as he hurriedly put the step away and started to drive off to the Greville residence.

As Olivia watched the scenery pass by outside the window, she startled, forgetting that she hadn't asked an important question.

"Where are we?" She tentatively asked.

"Where do you think we are?" He asked back.

Olivia frowned, "I don't know, that's why I'm asking you."

"You don't recognise this place?"

Olivia took another peek outside. She took notice of the high rise buildings, the sheer amount of people on the streets and the variety of different and lively merchants trying to sell their goods.

She turned to look back at him. A confused expression on her face.

"We're in Whitchurch, the capital," Alexander finally answered her question.

Olivia's emotions slowly turned perplexed. She had never been so far away from her village let alone all the way at the capital. She couldn't even dream of setting foot in a place like this yet here she was being driven on a carriage on those very streets.

The ride went by in silence until they reached their destination. Before her, Olivia saw a similar large estate, albeit not as big as Alexander's household. The trees surroundings the entrance were no longer barren, its branches giving birth to small cherry blossoms, a sign that spring had come.

Waiting outside of the door was the same man Olivia had seen the day before. His blonde hair continued to glisten under the rays of light much like the first time she had seen him. A soft smile gracing his face.

Both Olivia and Alexander got off the carriage and approached him.

"I didn't think you'd actually take her with you," The man joked, walking towards them.

He moved to stand in front of Olivia, "I don't think I introduced myself to you. I'm Eli Cromwell."

"Nice to meet you Mr Cromwell. My name is Olivia," She smiled back at him.

Alexander walked passed them without a word. Eli gave a helpless smile to Olivia and both of them trotted behind the vampire to enter the house.

Once inside, both Alexander and Eli took a seat opposite the Greville's while Olivia awkwardly stood behind them.

"Did you find him? Did you find our son?" A woman's voice broke through the silence.

Olivia looked up at her while the woman's gaze was on Alexander. She wondered whether the lady opposite her was Mrs Greville. She wore a fancy looking, lavender coloured, dress. Her brown hair in an up-do style. Olivia guessed she was in her late 30s, if not, her early 40s.

Seeing that Alexander wasn't responding to her questions, the woman's gaze soon landed on Eli.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs Greville," Eli replied with a solemn face. Once his sentence fell on Mrs Greville's ears, her face visibly paled. The man sitting next to her, who Olivia assumed to be Mr Greville, looked unruffled.

"How did he die?" Mr Greville calmly asked.

Eli looked at Olivia slightly before moving his eyes to Alexander, who had yet to say a word. No one spoke for a few seconds before Alexander answered.

"The witches were responsible for his death."

"Where is his body? Where is my son's body?" The woman started asking hysterically.

Alexander frowned for a moment before replying, "We couldn't retrieve his body."

The woman started pounding her chest with tears rolling down her face as she kept repeating, "My poor son, my poor son!"

Mr Greville's frown began to become deeper and deeper before he could no longer take it, "Stop acting like a wretch and screaming like a shrew. Behave yourself!" He reprimanded.

Mrs Greville slowly started to regain her calm, reducing her hysterics to a few stray tears.

"And the witches? What of them? Have you dealt with them?" Mr Greville's sharp eyes landed on both Alexander and Eli, waiting for their answer.

"I dealt with them. Personally," Alexander promptly replied. Eli gave a small glance, his eyes flitting between both Alexander and Olivia before turning away. He continued to sit in his seat in silence.

Olivia shifted on her feet, but nonetheless said nothing and did nothing. She wasn't going to correct Alexander, neither was she in a position to. In fact, she felt content just watching.

Suddenly the door to the living room, where they were currently seated, opened.