It took some time for Amanda’s eyes to adjust to the dim lighting inside the palace. She looked around as soon as she was able to see clearly and realized that the whole place is lit up by candle chandeliers from the ceiling and flaming torches on the walls. The interior was vast. It was only the first floor but it seemed like it was the whole building already. The walls are made of stone and Amanda could see that some areas are darker. They seemed to be scorched. The floor that they were stopping on was covered by a thick carpet all over and only a small portion near the walls are exposed.
Despite the interior’s rustic and dinky look, there was no sign of disorder nor of form of dirt or slime. The places looks well cleaned and well maintained. It is quite obvious that someone is living in this place and that the maids are doing their jobs well. Amanda could not help but commend them for that, no matter what kind of god-forsaken creatures they may be. When she looked back at the door that they came in, Amanda noticed what seemed to be the guard. It was by no means human, in fact it was an enormous pig that stood on its hind legs and wore some sort of armor. Based on what she read before, this could be an Orc.
“Orc not know talk human.” The harpy explained as she noticed where Amanda was looking. “Orc mad when human look always.” The harpy added, translating the groans and growls that came from the Orc’s snout.
“Right. Sorry.” Amanda said and turned back towards the large expanse of the room. Amanda started to notice doors along the walls of the palace. On each side were doors opposite each other and by their positioning, could be doors leading to the two from towers. Amanda made sure to note every entrance and door, if she ever wants to have the chance, she needs to find her way into the castle and know every nook and cranny. She needs to find out where the secret rooms are and where they lead to. Castles likes this, after all, should have a couple or so.
At the furthest end is the grand staircase that leads to the second floor. The harpy guided Amanda towards the grand staircase. She paused at the first landing, waiting for Amanda to catch up.
“Not many to see here. Only doors. That door. Basement.” The harpy said as Amanda went up the staircase. She pointed towards a door on the right. “That door. Servant room.” The harpy continued and pointed to another door on the left side.
“OK. I got it. Where are we going then?” Amanda asked impatiently. She wants to get this over with and meet with the Lord of this place.
“You go bath. You wear ugly cloth. Lord not happy,” the harpy said as she went on towards the top of the stairs, followed by Amanda. “Lamia give you clothes. Lamia make you pretty.”
“Lamia? Like the snake person?” Amanda asked, she is hardly surprised now.
“Yes. Snake person. They are pretty. They make you pretty.” The harpy explained. As soon as they reached the second floor, Amanda noticed a narrow hall lined with portraits and knight armor sets. The portraits seem to be sneering and leering at her and she swore she just saw a glint on one of the knight armor’s visor.
“Do these things move?” Amanda said, looking at the armor sets.
“Yes. They move when intruder come. They fight in war.” The harpy explained.
‘Quite convenient. A moving display that can defend your home,’ Amanda thought. She marveled at the size of the portraits. ‘I bet these portraits are larger than the people that they were based on. Except for this one,’ she thought as she stopped in front of a portrait of a big man carrying a club. She noticed that every portrait displays different types of races. Most of them looked human but mostly as just shaped like a human but actually looked more like beasts.
“Are these relatives of the Lord?” Amanda asked, referring to the portraits.
“Some are family. Some are friends.” The harpy answered. She seems to be so happy to be able to explain these things to Amanda.
“Do you have a name?” Amanda asked suddenly. The harpy was surprised.
“Harpy no name.” the harpy answered then went on.
“Oh. I’ll just call you Harpy, then,” Amanda replied, “How long have you been here?”
“Harpy here since small,” the harpy answered while the walked along the halls. There were rooms as many as the eyes can see. “Lamia here. Inside.”
“Oh. Ok,” Amanda hesitated, waiting for harpy to lead the way but she only knocked the door and made the squeak and screeches again.
“Won’t you be doming in?” Amanda said as she noticed that harpy stepped aside to let her in.
“Lamia not friend. Lamia scary. Eat Harpy.” Harpy timidly answered, her legs shivering by just looking at the open door.
“Right. Ok. That is quite reassuring,” Amanda said sarcastically. The harpy only goggled. She pointed towards the room and Amanda did as she was told.
As Amanda entered, she saw a group of beautiful women. They had hairs of varying colors – black, brown, blond, red – but all were flowing like a smooth stream down a hill. They had skin so fair and so clear that it seemed like porcelain. There were no blemished except for the freckles on some of them. Their faces were oddly symmetrical, to the point of being inhuman. What Amanda noticed that was not human at all were their lower bodies. In place of legs were large and long snake-like bodies that slither and curl along the floor.
“Welcome, human,” The tallest and most beautiful of them greeted. She may be the leader. Her voice sounded raspy, like a low whisper but loud.
“Hello(?) so what am I supposed to do now?” Amanda asked. She wants to meet the lord as soon as possible. She wants answers.
“We, my sisters and I, will prepare you for the Lord,” the leader explained. 2 of the lamias – the blond and the redhead, possibly the youngest of them all – slithered towards Amanda, each stood one either side. Without saying anything, they took off the cloth that Amanda had on and pulled her hand, guiding her toward a door at the end of the room.
“Where are they taking me?” Amanda said, now fully naked.
“The bath. They will wash you for the Lord,” the leader answered. Amanda noticed that the remaining lamias were preparing something, clothes for her to wear and cosmetics.
“How many times do I have to be washed tonight?” Amanda mumbled as she remembered the ceremony before she was brought here. The lamia that was guiding her opened the door and steam came flowing from the room. It seemed more like a sauna than a bath. Amanda could almost feel the heat by just standing on the doorway.
“Is the water scalding hot? I am human, you know,” Amanda said to her guides.
“Worry not. A human helped preparing the water,” the red-haired lamia said. Now that she is closer, Amanda could actually see the razor sharp teeth and two fangs inside the lamia’s mouth. ‘Maybe this is what they use to eat the harpies,’ Amanda thought and shivered at the thought. No matter what they are, these are still humanoids, they still look more human, only monsters would such creatures. ‘Well, they ARE monster after all,’ she said to herself as she went further in the bath house.
As soon as she was in she finally saw the enormous size of the bath house. It could easily fit all the villagers and then some. There were different types of baths all filled with steaming water. There were statues of creatures on each corner and there were pillars across the room. Water flowed from the wall mounted statues towards each bath. She has never taken a bath in a place as luxurious as this one. Even the bath houses in the capital is nothing compared to this.
“Come, human. Take the one in the middle,” the red-haired lamia said. They waited for her to move and followed her.
“You said a human prepared the bath for me, right?” Amanda paused and asked the lamias, “is that person here now?”
“We cannot see her. But I can smell her scent. She is by the bath.” The red-haired lamia answered. These girls seems to talk through seniority. Only the older one always answers and talks. “Come now, the Lord is waiting.” The lamia whispered and beckoned Amanda towards the bath.
Amanda dipped the tip of her toes into the water to test it. Not too hot, at least. She slowly dipped her feet and then her legs. She lowered her body until she is almost fully submerged. Only her shoulders and above is visible. The human who prepared the bath for her came closer and Amanda can feel movement behind her. The lamia stayed outside of the water so she immediately knew that it was the other person.
“Excuse me, let me help you wash,” the voice said from behind her.
“Oh, ok. Thanks,” Amanda said as she turned around. Amanda felt the urge to look at the person because her voice felt oddly familiar. She does not want to think that the voice actually belonged to the person so she wanted to have a look. As soon she did, Amanda felt her stomach tumble, she could only do so much to keep herself from vomiting. She felt dread, horror, sorrow, and longing after realizing that the person behind her was the friend that left just the other year.
“Jessica?!” Amanda exclaimed as she recognized her friend’s face. At least this person looks like Jessica, the shape of her face, the color of her eyes, even the voice. But this person is more beautiful, utterly so. Her beauty is just like the lamias’. She was Jessica made eerily beautiful. Even her pimple marks were gone.“You know my name? Do I know you?” the girl who looked like Jessica answered.“It’s me, Amanda!” Amanda replied. She felt lonely that her friend did not recognize her, but a year is not really a long time. Something must have happened to her friend.“Oh! Amanda! The village chief’s daughter!” Jessica exclaimed in recognition, “you have grown so much. How did you do that! We just saw each other yesterday, playing by the riverbank and now you are like a lady!” Jessica sounded happy, but her eyes were blank and glassy. Amanda knew that something was up, she knew h
Dimitri was in awe. The woman in front of him is the most beautiful yet. Her skin was so fair that it looked like the petals of a flower that Dimitri only say in the forest when he was young. Her outfit matched her perfectly that she seemed to radiate as the lights fall on her face. Even though she was dressed and made up the same way the previous sacrifices were, and even if she just stood there at the entrance and stared at him, he can’t help but feel his beast blood boil.Something about this woman is calling out to him at the primal level. It bellows within him. It is something that he has never felt before and something that he could never feel again. He tried to shake it off but he gets entranced every time he looks at the woman now standing before him. Dimitri knew then that something was going to happen, he is not sure yet, but it is bound to be something.There was something off about the woman, though. All through the years, the women who were pre
The sound of the slammed door echoed within the room and through the hallway. There was a long silence that follows and it lasted for what seemed like hours. Dimitri stood there in disbelief – he has never been this insulted before. He was never challenge in all his life and the first time he did, it was by a human girl no less. She was nothing but a sacrifice, abandoned and betrayed by her people, and yet she still had the guts to actually show that sort of attitude to Dimitri. He was fuming, he was frozen with rage.“Are you sure about that?” was a question that followed after the steward, Alex, cleared his throat to break the eternal silence.“Sure about what?” Dimitri asked, his mind still seems to be off somewhere; he is clearly yet to recover from that.“Are you sure about not doing the ritual tonight?” Alex continued, “I mean, I get that you are furious after what that woman did, but shouldn’t we conti
The new clan chief looked at his family longingly as his wife and newborn son are slumbering. It is still quite early but they went on a trip earlier and both of them were exhausted from the hiking and the running around. His smile was suddenly replaced by a frown after he realized that his family could be living in a better place. The human’s attack on their settlements when he was young still seems fresh in his memories.After knowing about the secret in the forest, the werebeasts were attacked and displaced by humans so that they can claim the source of power. The women and children were evacuated and the new clan leader, who was still a child back then, had no choice but to leave his father and the village that he grew up in. it was true for the other children as well. That night, every child in the village lost a parent to the humans.It was unfortunate, but at least their race lives on with them, the new generation. And so a new but smaller village was erec
Alex still could find comfort in Dmitri’s decision. After all, he has known the Demon King since they were children. He was practically Dimitri’s caretaker growing up. Especially after his mother succumbed to a curse that took almost half of their people – the exact same curse that they are trying to prevent by performing the blessing ritual every year. And Dimitri has decided to call the ritual off for a mere sacrifice. But if Alex is being honest, he does understand why Dimitri would feel that way; Dimitri is, after all, still a male and the new sacrifice is definitely attractive.Fearing for the future of their people, Alex went to the only place where he could find comfort and solace; the one chamber in the castle that is hardly visited by anyone, even the current Demon King – the Chamber of Dedication. It is a chamber far detached from the main keep, towards the back of the castle. At one look it could be mistaken for a shabby shed, but no one wou
Amanda is still quite a bit dazed as she followed the Lamia Maid who prepared last night through the winding halls of the keep. Just last night, she was order to stay inside her room and never to go out. Even her breakfast was brought to her earlier. It seems like the Lord of the place was too angry with her that he does not want to see her face any time soon.Then just shortly after lunch, she was startled when the door to her room suddenly swung open and it revealed the full figure of the Lamia maid.“Prepare yourself,” The Maid announced without even bothering to excuse herself. “You will be taken somewhere else.”Amanda silently complied. There wasn’t much to prepare anyway, so they went on their way as soon as she was mentally ready; except that she actually is not. She thought that her time was finally up, that the Lord of the castle has finally decided what to do with her, and by the looks of the halls that they are passing t
“What the hell are you doing here?” Dimitri’s face had a mix of shock and anger as he saw Amanda by the door. It was 3 in the morning and he is about to get some sleep after a long night, and suddenly his door opens to reveal this feisty woman, wearing nothing but her night gown.“Who the hell told you to come here?!” Dimitri asked without moving from where he was standing on.“I- I was-” Amanda looked for the right words to say. She started to feel the warmth on her face and her ears from the embarrassment, “The Maid told me that you asked for me! She even took me here!”“What maid? I don’t see anyone besides you,” Dimitri replied, looking behind Amanda and seeing nothing but an empty hall.“She left as soon as we arrived!” Amanda replies, realizing how she sounds and finally understanding why the Maid just left without announcing their arrival, she know something was of,
“Look, mom.” A seven-year-old Amanda held a flower up towards her mother. They were on their usual trip to the lakeside and her father has just begun to set up for fishing. Her mother sat on the blanket and looked at her. “What pretty flowers. Do you know what they’re called?” Amanda’s mother asked and then smiled. She would tell Amanda the names of the flowers that they find wherever they go. “Wait! I know this!” Amanda almost shrieked. She remembers her mother telling her the name of the flower, she just could not recall the exact word. She waves the bunch of small white flowers in front of her as if casting a spell with her magic wand. The white pappi of the flower flew into the air and spread, as if indicating that the spell was successfully cast, “Oh! Oh, I remember!” “Really?” Amanda’s mother asked, she felt kind of dizzy but she tries to hide it from Amanda. “What is that flower called, then?” “It’s a Dandy Lion!” Amanda