To a new beginning
There came a sudden weight that fell upon Arabella's shoulders. Within her, it struck the urge to spin around in search of the eyes which burned holes into her back.
"What is it?" Ada followed Arabella's gaze.
"Nothing!" she turned to the maid, offering an awkward smile, "I am just being silly. Don't mind me,"
There was, indeed, nothing or no one that stood at the bottom of those stairs to watch them.
"Alright then, let us go. You need your resting," Ada nodded, and without another word, began climbing the second half of the stairs leading to the first floor.
The way Lord Emeric's portrait almost covered the entirety of the wall was intimidating, to say the least.
Not only the silver framing, but the centuries old brush strokes left on that canvas also glistened under the chandeliers' lights. Immortalised in a stance that invoked chills in his beholders and the flames sowed life back in those golden eyes that seemed to glare down at her disapprovingly. It was as though he still stood guard over his home from the beyond.
Arabella threw one last glance towards the deserted bottom of the stairs behind herself, once she'd managed to look away from Lord Emeric's painting, that is.
"This way, Miss Arabella,"
"Call me Arabella, please," Arabella flung her eyes to the ground and hurried to catch up with the maid.
Little did she know, her instincts told no lie as a pair of diamond eyes did, in fact, stalk her every move.
Silas too stopped in front of his father's portrait for a moment after the two women had disappeared up the first floor.
No more words were exchanged between them. Only the muffled sounds of their feet tapping the carpet came to his ears. Well, that and the untamed beating of a heart that ensued from the same direction.
The hem of Ada's skirt stopped at the ankles. The white stripe of silk at its bottom swayed from left to right as she walked.
Even the maid outfits were fashioned out of expensive materials there. Sprinkles of white upon an all black attire were the colors of choice.
At times, Arabella would dare raise her eyes up Ada's back. It was quite hard to determine the skin tone of the maid at night and with candles as a sole source of light at that, but if she had to guess one, the pick would have been olive.
Her hair had been gathered up and tied into a bun but even then, Arabella perceived its nature to be on the thicker side.
All around them the silver decor was inescapable. No piece of furniture had been varnished with a different shade than silver which piqued Arabella's curiosity since it was the home of a vampire, after all.
She cleared her throat before muttering, "Ada, may I ask you a question?"
"Yes, of course," the maid replied without stopping or turning around.
"I see that a lot of the decor around the property is… In the silver tone. I do find it a bit odd, considering…," Arabella trailed off.
"Oh! I do see what you mean, but rest assured, none of the items decorating this place are fashioned out of
Even the metal armors that adorned the long and wide corridors were colored silver. Arabella assumed such peculiar interest in the color from Lady Persephone had to be due to the unique looks of her son.
"Here we are," Ada had finally stopped in front of a large, beautifully carved wooden door that she pushed open before standing aside to welcome Arabella inside.
Stunned at the very threshold of the door by the standard of the room she'd been assigned, Arabella remained rooted in her spot until Ada placed a gentle hand on her back.
Silver lines threaded the great chandelier that hung at the center of the room from the ceiling.
The light it cast manifested on the platinum walls and pearly white, silk curtains.
The bed was the piece that had gobbled most of the space in there. The four, white posters that rose from each of its sides had been garnished with a rich layer of velvet curtains on top and a second one that peeked from underneath it made of thin lace.
A quite elevated bed frame that was just as intricately carved as the rest of the furniture around held a mattress topped with lush, embroidered bedspreads and pillows.
"The bathroom and restroom stand behind that door to the left," Ada pointed at said door, "Please, do make yourself at home while I fetch the remedy for your injuries," she swiftly exited the room, shutting the door behind herself.
In response, Arabella merely nodded. Mouth a little agape and starry eyed, she took to slowly spinning round and round to soak the sight in. She hastened towards the gigantic window and greeted the moon with a broad smile.
Better than anything she'd hoped to find, running through the mud to reach the manor, her eyes welled up with tears. Better than anything her own father had ever given her.
It wasn't the oddest thing for a vampire to capture every little sound behind a closed door. It was but another skill they were bestowed from birth and learned to hone.
From where Silas stood, Arabella's every move was deducible. The creek of the bathroom door told him where she was headed.
Then the squeaking of the tap reached his ears right before water rushed out to end its journey in a splash against the bathtub.
Through the way her feet lightly tickled the floor, it was clear she'd taken her shoes off.
The young woman winced multiple times during the process of getting out of that heavy dress that had been covering her body. An actual thud traveled to him when she'd allowed it to fall.
The faint rustling sound of something brushing against her skin, no doubt came from her turning the golden chain of her necklace in search of its clasp. The soft click that followed confirmed that theory. Gold links clinked as they slid against each other when she removed it.
Finally, soft crackling that lasted a fraction of a second when the metal made contact with a hard surface.
Every breath she took was so audible as though she'd inhaled the air mere inches from his ears. Her heart rate had calmed down a tad, but Silas' thumb itched, practically feeling her pulse beneath it.
His fangs begged to be let out… "Just a little taste" the voices in his head cried. All he had to do was grab that knob and twist it. She'd be there, ready…
His imagination ran wild, dreaming about the taste of the crimson nectar that coursed her veins.
Did he truly need to wait in order to find out? What if it turned out stale in the end? She was a Sterling after all. No. Not ever. Not with that euphoric scent, it couldn't.
"Master Silas," Ada's voice intruded on his thoughts.
Silas cleared his throat, glaring at her from the corner of his eyes.
Ada's heart skipped a beat. She took a sharp breath seeing his displeasure and most importantly his fangs, "It is the new girl, Master. She's been injured on the way here, but I've got the remedy with me," she hesitated, "The scent of blood won't bother you for long,"
Much to her relief, he nodded, "No worries, Ada. Just make sure she has everything she needs," his signature icy cold voice did little to quell her fear.
Ada bowed and thanked him extensively. By the time she'd raised her head, Silas was nowhere to be seen in that corridor.
The door to the room clicked open for a clean and freshened up Arabella, donning a beautiful yet much more comfortable white dress to peek through.
"Ada? It was you all along," Arabella placed her hand upon her chest, "I worried I heard more than one voice," she smiled.
"Worry not, Miss. I've got all you need here with me," Ada lifted the silver tray that carried a glass containing a liquid, "Do be sure to drink it. It is for your injuries to heal faster,"
"Please, it is Arabella. I no longer am the noble I was just this morning," Arabella took the tray from Ada, "Does it contain
"Yes. Although it comes from a younger vampire, therefore I fear its effects won't be as strong as that of an older one," said the maid.
"That'll be more than enough for me. Thank you, Ada,"
"There is a small bell placed upon the nightstand beside your bed. Please do not hesitate to ring it if you find yourself in need of anything," she had begun to turn around, but then seemed to recall something important, "Oh! And the candles on the chandeliers shall extinguish of their own accord once you'll be in bed,"
That night, as Arabella draped her body in those cosy sheets and as she laid her head upon the cushiest of pillows, she cried…
She'd have been grateful to sleep with the maids if it had meant she'd be safe. She hadn't hoped for much but that sure exceeded it all.
Clutching her chest, Arabella shed tear after tear and sniveled until her eyes could stay open no more.