CHAPTER EIGHT

Some things are just meant to be. Selene had come to believe this in her life. Some circumstances, some people, some tears. They were just meant to be. No amount of caution could prevent then but one thing she knew was that it may happen by fate but she would be the judge of whether she would remain in them or not.
The halls of the O'alistair manor hummed with activities, many servants hurrying around to set up the usually plain manor. The dull beige drapes were changed to a brighter purple and Selene watched as the already clean floor was scribbled to sparkle. She stood at the far end of the balcony, staring at the maids that worked robotically, no doubt preparing for the arrival of the Harmony Council. The guard beside her was even closer to her tail, no doubt an instruction from the Lord to keep her within arms reach. The cunny man no doubt knew today would be a perfect day for her to slip away. She inwardly smiled at the irony of the situation, she didn't intend leaving in the busy crowd it was too expected.
Selene watched the governess closely as she inspected the work in the hallway, strolling gracefully with her entourage as she gave the servants commands. Selene had avoided the woman as best as she could after their last encounter, her evil aura was to her very polluting, it was well written all over her. Her beauty was like a way nature could veil her darkness, the sheer power of her look and voice was enough to send every one cowering. Yet she was as alluring also. Had she been a man, Selene would compare her to the Lord. Even as a woman their authority was comparable. Selene flashed on the night with the Lord. She could still remember their kiss and she berated herself for having been so wanton as to let the vile man kiss her. A man that imprisoned her and her sister and hurt her severally, she frowned at her traitorous feelings towards the Lord. He had openly offered her freedom if she became his mistress. His toy. Sold his body to him. Just like her own mother once did. A king's play thing. A sex toy. Selene hissed angrily at the mere thought of it. What would become of Mia, the helpless girl no doubt would be a mistress to the lords men too, for their twisted pleasure. She balled her hands into fists and wished she could show the Lord just what he wished him _ death in a thousand painful ways.
Selene stared at the governess as she walked to her. Refusing to flee cowardly despite her intimidating gaze.
"I see you have made yourself comfortable." Alexandra said with a dashing smile.
"I see you are ordering the servants" Selene replied
"Oh worry not about them. Your fate is much more worse. Worse than your sister's" She responded
"What is it Riverland hold that makes you so greedy" Selene asked curiously
"That is the problem. It holds nothing. It never should exist" Alexandra replied. "I do hope you love the dress. I know Helsing will" She concluded and swayed away to the Lords chamber.
Selene stood staring at the woman. What ever was the governess' aim, Selene wasted certain it was beyond Riverland. Her kingdom was a mere plus to her deed and it infuriated her the more.
***
"I see you slept well, hardly before a soul enters your territory without your knowledge" Alexandra pointed out with a mocking smile
"You have not given me reason to see you as threat Alexandra. Yet" Edgar said and rose from his soft four poster bed.
"The halls are to my taste. It will be fitting for the occasion. I have also sent out my best men in carriages to receive the council" she said, ignoring his reply.
"Very well. It all ends tomorrow then" Edgar said
"Yes it does. I keep to my words. The slaves I promised I will give to you" Alexandra said
"Certainly" Edgar replied.
The quietness that followed was tense as Edgar rose to get his robe by his dresser. Alexnadra walked closer to him as he took his position by the window. bearing no traces of sleep at all, he never failed to amuse her. He was too alert.
"The Kiro. I have words they have been trespassing on our land" Alexnadra said.
"I have heard this" Edgar replied casually
"What do we do of it" she proded
"We wait. The land will be secure" Edgar stated
"Do you propose me wait till they strike. Will it seems at odds if we decide to go into war with them" Alexandra said
"And what do you know of the Empire? The council is not too foolish to allow such war based on assumptions" Edgar said
"Very well" Alexandra said with a slight frown she couldn't quite conceal and exited the room without another word.
Edgar stretched and went to his dresser, pushing his garments to on raise and retrieving his half bottle of liquor.
He recalled the cold night with the princess and shivered. Never had another woman affected him as much. Not before his beloved and certainly not after. Had the young princess not pushed him away he was uncertain of what would happen next. Guilt slightly washed over him as he thought of Monique. How could he allow himself be so affected by another after her. He took a deep breathe and cocked his drink before hiding it back in place. He had slept with troubling dreams of naked bodies and raw passion. Even as he stood, his southern region seems to strain his breeches just by the thought of it. He slipped into his wash room where he washed himself and put on his regal garments. He needed to over see the preparations and he needed to speak with his men. Soon.
***
The moonlit yard was like a earth while it seemed she was on heaven herself. Selene took deep breathes to calm her nerves as she looked down her window. The sounds from the halls was no more. Every servant had gone to sleep and the guard behind her door had been changed.
She had gone to 'put Mia to sleep' but not after whispering "Stay awake, we are leaving to met father tonight" Selene had seen her confusion, skepticism as well as eagerness. She would explain it all later. When they were safely in some town far away.
Selene watched the lovely black dress she had ripped to barely cover her knee. She didn't need the weight or length of the ball gown slowing her down or making her trip. Selene wrapped the black shawl she held over her massive hair and pushed the window wide open. The guard closest was by the edge of the garden and no doubt asleep on the flowers by his unmoving nature. Carefully lifting her bare legs, she placed them on the edge of the window and held on the sides of it. Careful to grip the edges with her toes as she moved sideways. Selene held onto the stones as she moved to the walls she knew led to the tunnel after the garden. The branch crunched as she leapt down, falling on a bush. Selene watched in alert at the sudden loud sound but continued as she observed no movement. Fluidly passing the sleeping man, Selene ran as quietly as she could into the damp tunnel. Taking wide silent steps through the water, she held her fingers very closely to the knife by her hip. The dagger had been in her trunk for as long as she could remember. One of her uncaring step mother's had gifted the opal hilt dagger to her for reasons she never knew of. The woman had been a warrior before her charming father wooed her to bed.
With more quicken paces, Selene turned to the path she now knew was an extension of the manor. Taking lighter steps, she crossed the path and leaned closer to the wall, away from the lit torches as she came to a drier path. She winced lowly as sharp pieces tore into her feet and she stopped on steep things. The faint light that began to emerge was an encouragement she had came the right path. A few more steps took her to the source of the light. The rays of the moon shone on the metal bars that lined the walls of the tunnel. Her heart sank as she thought of what she'd do it if it was locked. Her hands instinctively went to her breasts where Mia's chamber key was tucked carefully. She looked hopefully at the gate and cautiously pushed it open with a low creak. Her heart soared at her luck and she carefully crossed to what she was certain was the governess' territory. The gravelled ground bruised her feet as she went further in. She needed to be certain before going for Mia. She needed to be sure. The smaller part of the manor stood a bit far away. Rocks and broken bricks littered the path she stood, like a room in the manor had been crushed to divide the both. Selene listened to the faint voices that came from the governess' manor. The window on the upper floor was still glowing with a lamp or candle. The land before her was a free wood. The closer bush tamed to a fine garden. The walls of the manor was like that of the Lord. Short bricks that came to her shoulder. One she could easily climb. The guard by the side of the closed entrance was seated by a stump, his sight more on the manor than on the gates. Selene could feel her nerves kicking in. She had of course expected to see more of men guarding the tunnel. With the relief of not being caught came the wariness. It was all to easy. Selene tip toed closer to the edges of the walls and could clearly see a thick forset that stood in between two wide roads which were gravelled. Turning to her left for further inspection, she noticed no more men lurked around unlike the lords manor that was never asleep. Someone was always on guard. She doubted she would have still been in Sol this long if the Governess had taken her hostage instead. With more fervour, Selene walked back to the gate and went into the tunnel. She had to collect Mia. She had barely taken four steps into the tunnel when the gate creaked loudly. She cursed the wind and leaned more into the wall. She led her breathe and listened as the gate closed back in place. The wind has stopped, so suddenly that Selene gulped, fear slowly coming to her. She took another long stride into the tunnel and crunched more objects she couldn't pin out. The ground was getting wet, she was going closer to the lords manor again. An unmistakable growl came to her ear. Low as it was, Selene knew a growl, it had scared the live out of her once, she could never mistaken it.
Selene pulled out her dagger and held in firmly in her hands. The hilt now glistening in the dark tunnel. Another growl came and Selene stood readily, hand held out with the deadly weapon. Her short quick breathes was not the only sound she could hear as the growl was now very evident, seeming tot move with her. A louder growl came and she was thrown to the far wall, her head slightly banging in it. Selene stabbed at her front just accurately to catch the figure, it then shrieked and struggled, she pushed it with all she had and stabbed it again, this time catching it in the neck and in an attempt to pull it out again, severing the nrck almost off the shoulder. The creature groaned and fell to a heap on the ground. Selene turned backwards and noticed the gate had been opened again and this time, she knew it was no wind.
Selene picked up her pace and walked onto the wet tunnel. Her dagger in hand and heart drumming wildly.
A scream left her mouth when something leapt at her, knocking the dagger out of her hand and making her crash into the wall. The creature clawed at her cheek and she felt a stinging pain there. She struggled as it seemed to fight to reach her neck. It's skin smelled of old meat and vomit. Selene forced the urge to retch away and instead pried the thing off her neck. It's strong grip on her arms made her unable to go far as it kept dragging her closer to its stinking mouth. Selene pushed her knee into it's abdomen forcefully and let go of her, turning to deliver a hard hit to her head which left her stumbling.
With what little strength she had, Selene bolted for the tunnel, the steps of the creature was slow but loud behind her. She felt her hair wrenched as she fell on the ground, her back receiving the impact. The creature turned to her before dragging her leg up, frowning and making throaty noises as she was dragged back to the gate. Selene screamed out of pain and fear, her shoulders bruising on the steep floor. She struggled against the creature who only tightened it's grip around her ankle. She shoved at it's leg with her free leg and it fell with a thud. Selene sat up on her wounded arms and reached for her dagger. She was unable to get to it before the creature shrieked and leapt on her.
It barely got to before it collapsed again, this time unmoving. Selene quickly caught her knife and rose only to be shoved down. She turned to stab but was held on a firm grip. The figure didn't smell of old blood or decay. It didn't have rotting skin or a balding head. It wore a sapphire overcoat she could clearly see in the dim room.
The lord forced the dagger from her hands and turns her around, pulling her back to his chest forcefully. He drew out his sword and walked to the creature, swiftly separating it's head from the neck. Selene swallowed in disgust and wriggled her aching hand.
"Be still" He said sternly.
The next growl made Selene whimper, she screamed as another walker came from the tunnel and ran to her, she was right there, unarmed before the flesh eater. She was quickly thrown behind as the lord thrust the sword into its head, quickly retracting it to take off it's head as well. Selene watched fearfully as the blood splattered on the wall and on the lord. She cringed as he walked to her, his face impassive. Selene gulped and he held her up gently as opposed to his strides and led her to the manor. She bit her lips as her sprained ankle throbbed, the lord still walking towards his manor quickly.
"Don't put me in there... Please" Selene said as she saw his sharp turn to the dungeon.
"Don't!! Let go of me!" she yelled as the Lord roughly threw her into the cell and ordered it be locked.
She yelled, her fists pounding on the bars as he left.
She had lost. And she couldn't even be with Mia for the trial the coming dawn.