Chapter 7.
1852 Words
Summer woke up to the sound of breathing that wasn't her own. It was heaving, like a man and it was rapid as if he was running into the room. She listened, still, trembling. He started moving slowly, his heavy feet creaking floor boards that were silent for her. She rolled to her left and slid down the c***k between the bed and the wall, praying that an empty bed will send him away.
The door creaked and she could tell he was inside already.
"Get up girl."
The Old man's voice said and she slowly looked up. She was slightly shivering out of fear.
She had no idea where they were or where they were going. She only knew that whatever it was that was happening wasn't going to end well for her.
The last thing she could remember was being transported from the carriage to the an unknown place with the old Man who had taken her.
After that she seemed to have drifted into a deep sleep.
How long did she sleep?
She thought as she stared at the bed and looked around.
She was in a room, a proper room with a four poster bed, pretty curtains and a large vanity mirror.
"Get up girl!"
The man said again. Much more sternly this time. Summer looked up and got up slowly.
Her feet was wobbling as she struggled to stand on them.
"Come with me."
The man said after a while.
Where was she?
Where the hell were they going?
She wondered as she took in her surroundings.
From the little she could see, she was in a house. A very old dilapidated mansion. It was very similar to General Well's house. Except it looked like it was ten years older and in horrible condition.
Her captor, the old man that took her walked with the aid of an old staff.
She wondered if that meant she could run away but she quickly decided against it when she saw the number of people that flocked towards him in the hallway.
They all wore white robes.
A lot of them were bowing to him, with their arms outstretched. He touched each and every one of them, whispering words that she couldn't decipher.
She kept her distance till they left the hallway. Majority of them didn't even spare her a passing glance. They didn't seem to care about who she was or what she was doing.
Many of them were in similar robes like he was. White with threads of black forming designs on them.
They walked into a larger room. It was the dining hall. And there were already a few plates laid out for them to eat.
The dinning hall was old. And with the cobwebs hanging from the ceilings and a few on the chairs, she could tell it had been quite a while that it had been used.
Summer's stomach grumbled. She suddenly remembered that she had nothing to eat or even drink.
Her mouth was dry and her throat was parched, the bandits had not even thought to give her water.
"Sit."
He simply said as he gestured to a chair on the left side of the large mahogany table.
He moved slowly to the chair at the head of the table, a servant quickly ran towards him and pulled his chair out for him to sit down.
Summer looked around wearily.
She didn't like what was going on, nor did she have the faintest idea as to why she was there.
There was no harm in asking.
"What are you going to do to me?"
"Why am I here?"
She asked softly and the man looked at her and he shook his head.
"Sit first Summer. Let's talk."
"How do you know my name is Summer?"
She asked as she pulled out a chair.
"I know many things."
He replied as he reached out for the bowl of soft boiled vegetables to his right.
"You must be hungry. Why don't you help yourself with a little food."
Even though her stomach was grumbling, she refused.
"I'm not hungry. I want to know what I'm doing here."
She sat down slowly, watching him watch her.
He had small black beady eyes, but his gaze was sharp and piercing.
"What you're doing here? Before I answer that. Tell me about you."
"Tell me about yourself Summer."
What a strange question! She thought as she shook her head.
He was obviously teasing her. There was nothing about her mediocre life that he needed to know.
Or did he forget she was just an ordinary girl?
"Why should I?"
She retorted angrily.
"You kidn*pped me."
"Yes, I admit I did. But everything I've done has it's reasons. If you do all that I ask of you for I promise to grant you your freedom."
"My freedom?!"
She blurted out!
Oh he must have been bluffing. What man kidnaps a girl only to tell her that he would free her.
"Freedom you say? So you'll just let me go?"
"Yes. I would, but at a cost."
Cost? She should have known.
Nothing good ever came easy.
She massaged her temples achingly. The events of the last few hours had burdened her body and mind.
"And what cost is that?"
"You'll have to do something for me."
"I will grant you your freedom. I will even give you enough money to live comfortably at Ludmilla for the rest of your life. But you have to do something for me in return."
"What is it?"
She asked curiously. Her curiosity was piqued already.
What could possibly be so important?
And why was she the one he had to send?
"You will go to the palace, disguised as my Granddaughter. You will go there pretending to be part of the fair maidens partaking in Queenstrial. But, in reality, you will be searching for something else."
"Something a bit unusual."
"What will I be looking for?"
"A stone. It's a rare gem. My sources say it resides in the heart of the Castle. Some even tell me that it's in the hands of the Crown Prince. I need that gem."
"Why me? I'm far from a lady! I think you've gotten the wrong person for the job."
The Old man chuckled.
"Oh no! I think I got the very best person for it. You see, I was led to you! I was led to pick you. That is why I know that you're perfect for this. This has always been your destiny."
My destiny?
To steal some stone?
The words sounded familiar to Summer. Like someone had said it to her before or she had heard it in her dreams, but she couldn't be too sure.
"How? How will I even get into the Queenstrial? I'm not of noble blood."
"Like I mentioned earlier, you would be disguised as my granddaughter. No one in the palace has seen her since she was six, they wouldn't recognise her."
"And how will I find this gem you talk of?"
"I will explain all this in due time. Be patient with me."
"I admit. It is a quite tough mission. I myself haven't been able to retrieve the gem."
He confessed.
"And how do you expect me to find it if you cannot?"
He threw her a glare, her questions were beginning to be too unbeatable for him.
"Will you continue asking foolish questions or would you miss this opportunity to live a comfortable life in Ludmilla?"
"With the money I give you, you would never have to worry about being a servant again. Nor would you have to worry about someone ever hurting you."
It was a quite tempting offer.
To saved enough money to live in Ludmilla independently had always been Sal and Summer's dream. And it could come to pass.
But she didn't trust the old man.
And although the mission sounded very easy, she was sure it was quite the opposite.
"And what happens if I refuse?"
She asked and the Old man shrugged.
"It would be a great shame. And I would have no other choice but to kill you."
Death?
She thought as her heart started racing faster.
There was a long pause before she finally opened her mouth to speak.
"If your granddaughter is of noble blood, does that mean you are too? I don't think I recall what house you belong to."
She knew that there were thirteen main noble houses, some of their names she had them committed to memory because they were friends and acquaintances of the General.
"Lord Earn of House Whitby."
A chill ran down her spine.
Of course, she should have known. The old house, the old man, the staff he carried, the weird way he talked and looked at her.
He was popularly known as Silver Falcon. Summer didn't know if it was because of his thinning silver hair or sharp beady eyes but the name alone commanded respect and dread amongst people.
She never met him, she only ever heard stories of him. A lot of people had thought him dead. Some genuinely didn't care, because no one had heard of House Whitby in years. No one had cared to ask about it either.
Lord Whitby was a fetish and a fanatic. If he wasn't scaring the King with his visions of doomsday he was always found performing dark magic that broke the law.
Last she heard about him was that he had created a cult. A group of fanatic followers who hung on his every word and took them in hook, line and sinker.
That was how bad it was.
"Don't be afraid girl. There really isn't much about me to be worried about."
She was sceptical. But she didn't say a word.
She gulped nervously.
If she had any hopes of getting out alive, she had to play by his rules.
"So, are you going to do as I ask of you? In exchange you will get your freedom. You will also get enough money to ensure you are comfortable for life."
She nodded.
"Yes. I will do it. Just as long as you keep your end of the bargain."
"Excellent."
"I will leave you to your supper. We will speak again after your meal."
He said and walked out of the dining hall slowly.
In the hallway, Rodrigo, his second in command ran after his Master, Silver Falcon. He had been standing next to the wall and listening in on their conversation.
"You didn't tell her everything..."
He started and Silver Falcon smirked.
"Her naivete would be a great advantage to us."
"But what if she finds out?"
He asked nervously.
The girl had powers. Not just any kind. The strongest kind. There was no telling when and how her powers would manifest and he didn't want Silver Falcon to risk losing her trust before he even earned it.
"We will cross that bridge once we get there Rodrigo."
"For now, prepare everything that will be needed for the trip."
"We have a lot of things to do."
- Writer
