The Legend of Callistana

Chapter V

Callistana noticed how tense her friend Beatriz was all throughout the day. She can't help it anymore but ask her. She saw how Beatriz was eyeing Sir Ali who was walking away from them, probably going to his room to rest.

"Are you okay, Beatriz?" Callistana asked worriedly then squeezed the woman's arm to catch her attention.

Beatriz flinched a bit then blinked profusely. She then forced a smile on her lady. She's in deep thinking.

"Yes, my Lady. I am okay," she answered simply.

Callistana's brows furrowed while still looking at her. "Are you sure? Do you need to rest? You can rest in my room..."

The servant smiled reassuringly then shook her head. "I don't need a rest, my Lady. I am really fine. Thank you for asking. I have to go back to the kitchen," Beatriz said then walked back to the kitchen.

Callistana watched her friend walk away. Her lips pouted a bit. She's worried about Beatriz. She noticed that her friend seemed tense and uncomfortable earlier. Was there a problem?

She stood from her seat then gracefully left the dining table. Sir Ali told her that he needs to rest that is why, there won't be a lesson for today. And that's fine. More free time for Callistana although she doesn't have anything to do in the palace. She can have time to think and dream about beautiful things that she might never have in this life.

Her day would be boring. She would just do her usual routine for herself and just rot on her bed all day. Or she could walk around the whole palace which she already did hundred times since she was a child since it's the only place she could explore. It seems like there's nothing left to do inside the palace.

The day went by fastly. When the night came, Beatriz helped her do her nightly routine. They were talking happily as she prepared for her sleep time and she got on her bed before the clock could even strike 8 pm. Beatriz had to leave before Sir Ali checked on her. But that night, even though the teacher was already in the palace, he didn't visit her room to check on her.

He must be really not feeling well. Sir Ali must be really tired. But why did he come home early? He could have rested with his family instead of staying in the cold palace and do nothing.

Callistana whispered her prayers before she closed her eyes. She's very hopeful that she won't wake up at midnight due to a very realistic nightmare. She wished to have a good night's sleep.

But heaven must not have heard her prayer. Her dream, where she was in a paradise was suddenly interrupted and she woke up in her room. She didn't move but she was alert. She's trying to feel if someone was with her in the room at that moment. With the help of the dim light from the lamp, she tried to look for the figure but she couldn't see anyone or anything.

She sat up and looked around her room, trying harder to see. There's no one in her room but she can feel a weird feeling that someone was outside her door. There's a presence that she can feel.

Callistana silently stood. Her soft sole touched the cold carpet. She picked her lamp and went to her door slowly. Someone's outside her door, she's sure of it. And she needs to know who. After all, what she experience for two night might not be just a nightmare. She'll know it by know.

She held on the doorknob. She quickly twisted it and pulled the door open. As soon as it opened, she lifted the lamp on the doorway. Her eyes widened when she saw who was outside her room.

"Beatriz?" she asked in confusion.

Beatriz eyes widened, too. They both looked at the hallway when they heard the familiar steps of the roaming guard. Callistana immediately pulled Beatriz inside her room then closed the door and lock it. They faced each other.

"What are you doing outside my room?" she asked in a whispering tone. Her face looked so confused.

Beatriz looked at her apologetically. "I apologize, my Lady. Did I wake you up? I was just guarding you, waiting for someone to go in your room..."

Callistana exhaled then smiled. She walked towards the bedside cabinet and put the lamp there before sitting on her bed.

"You don't need to do that, Beatriz. That was just a dream. It was not true." She shook her head with a smile. "For a moment, I thought it was true because I felt that someone was outside my room but it was just you."

The servant forced a smile. "Just to make sure, my Lady. I don't want you to get hurt and be in danger. I want you to stay safe."

Callistana's heart melted because of what she heard. She then stood to hug Beatriz. Her friend hugged her back.

"I appreciate it, Beatriz. Thank you so much. You did this last night, too, right? That's why you seemed tired in the morning. Don't do this again. Take the night as your time to fully rest. You don't have to worry about me. It was just a nightmare of mine..." Callistana said to assure her. "it was not true," she added.

Beatriz sighed. "I hope so..." she whispered.

They just waited for a while to make sure that the roaming guard won't be around the direction that Beatriz would take to go back to her sleeping quarter. Callistana went back to her bed and sleep again after her friend left.

She was smiling as she closed her eyes. It felt so nice to know that someone genuinely cares for her. Callistana chuckled when she remembered Beatriz shocked face when she opened the door. She's just so cute. She was guarding her.

She became even more convinced as nights passed that it was not true and was just a realistic dream when a week passed by and it didn't happen again. Callistana became really comfortable again, thinking she's really safe and there's nothing to worry about.

But Beatriz was different. Of course, she won't just let that go because she encountered that man. It was not a dream. He's true. Someone really had a bad motive to the woman she's taking care of.

And she just let her Lady Callistana believe that it was not real so she won't be scared anymore. Beatriz kept it by herself.

And for a week, she didn't sleep well because she guards Callistana's room every night. She didn't mind that she had little to no sleep. Her lady's safety was her priority.

"You're not guarding my door at night anymore, are you?" Callistana asked her softly when she caught Beatriz yawning consecutively.

Beatriz immediately shook her head as her answer. "No, my Lady. The past days are just really tiring which is why I am always feeling sleepy. But I sleep well at night," she lied.

Callistana looked at her with suspicion but then, her Lady chose to believe her although it was very evident on Beatriz's face that her sleep was severely incomplete.

"It's been a week and it never happened again. Don't worry, Beatriz. Please sleep well at night..." Callistana said to her.

It was just really a nightmare, but was it really?

Because when midnight came that night, Callistana woke up from her beautiful dream. She felt her night dress being pulled down from her body. She opened her eyes and she realized that her room was in complete darkness. Then she felt hands touching and caressing her skin, then it went to her generous chest.

Callistana shrieked that was immediately stopped when a huge palm covered her mouth. It stopped any sound coming out of her lips. Then the culprit was already on top of her. He then kissed her neck hungrily while his hand was still on her mouth.

Callistana tried to struggle but her weak hands can't do anything against the strong and huge man. She can't even shout for help. Tears fell out from her eyes as the man feasted on her neck, kissing and licking her smooth skin. She extended her arm then pushed the lamp from the bedside table to make a sound, as cry for help. And she didn't fail.

The door almost flew open. The culprit was busy savoring her neck and was almost going down on her chest.

Beatriz went inside her lady's room. With a shaky hand, she lit the match and put it on the fire lamp that she was carrying. Then she ran towards Callistana's bed. From her waist, she pulled a knife that was tied on there. She was ready to stab the man who was molesting her lady but when the light from the fire lamp hit the culprit's face, the three of them froze.

Callistana's teary eyes widened in horror when she saw the man on top of her. She can see the face of the man clearly.

"Sir Ali?" she asked as her lips quivered.