1. House of Spades

"Starting this day, you are no longer part of this family!" 

I trembled in fear as I watched the burning wrath in my father's eyes. My mother was beside him, eyes filled with the same rage, while carrying their little adopted son in her arms.

All my life I did all my best to please them. I did all I could to meet their expectations. I studied very hard at nights just to ace my classes. I did the chores all by myself without a single complaint. I swallowed all the hurtful words they had given me without a word. I accepted all of that for one single reason: because they are my family and I loved them.

"F-Father, please..."

"Get out of my house now, you useless thing!"

From the very beginning, I knew I dissapointed my parents the moment I was born. They were expecting a son who will continue the family's legacy rather than a daughter who was for them—a child that was up for no good. As I grew up, I noticed how different they treated me. Regardless, never did I showed a bad thing to them. For me, it was enough that we were living in the same roof and I could somehow feel their presence as my parents.

But tonight, just with a simple mistake, they chased me out of the house and asked me to never see them again. What did I do? I only gave their little boy his milk with a wrong temperature. It was just too hot, they said. But how would I know if I was doing the right thing or wrong? It was my first time getting a baby's milk ready and I was not given any proper instructions on how to do it.

I looked at my mother with pleading eyes, hoping that she could somehow see the plea and pain on it, and will be reminded that I was their only daughter, their real child that came from their own flesh and blood. But she was ruthless. Her eyed held no mercy as though all she could see in me was a worthless, pathetic trash that was needed to be eradicated.

"Get the hell out of here and never come back, Elena! Once you do, I will kill you myself!"

The last words of my father shook my system entirely. Even though I still hoped to make things right, the fear I was feeling was too overwhelming that I failed to maintain my rationality and just acted upon my instincts.

I ran out of the house, not minding the heavy rain nor the muddy ground. My father's words kept on echoing in my head. I whistled and not so long, a black horse went to me. I was trembling in both fear and coldness as I mounted the horse and reigned it towards the only path I could take, in the deep, dark forest.

A part of my mind was telling me to go back and try to reconcile with my family. But the other part was telling me that if I would go back, my father would end up doing what he said. He would kill me. 

The cold rain water mixed with my warm tears. Even I was frightened, I went deep to the dark forest. But not so long after I entered, I noticed something were following me. I turned my head for a glimpse at my back and saw a pack of hungry wolf dogs, chasing me, long teeth out, and eyes blood red.

My heart pounded so loud in panic. My father was a fighter but I was not. He never considered me as his child, so he never bothered to teach me. 

My horse was running fastly, but the wolf dogs were fast as well. They were too aggressive and I could sense that they would outrun me anytime soon. By that time, I could no longer run for my life. I could only accept my death.

Sure it was a good way to die. Near my home. Near my family. It was noble, even. What I was fighting for anyway? For survival? But even if I would survive this night, was there even a place I could go? My family that I loved so much disowned me. I no longer have home. I have nothing. So why not just die?

A shriek from the horse and I fell to the ground. Then everything went black.

* * *

Small, unfamiliar voices woke me. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the unfamiliar room. Second, the three person at the foot of the bed where I was lying.

"Where am I?" I asked, terrified. I could remember everything that happened clearly. How I was chased out by my family and how I was chased by a pack of hungry wolf dogs down the forest. But as far as I could remember, I fell from the horse. But right after that, there was black. I remember nothing. Was I supposed to be those wolf dogs' dinner?

"And... who are you?" I looked at each one of the three persons. A middle aged man, a younger man, and a middle aged woman. The woman was wearing a long black dress and hair was tied in a simple bun.

"She is fine, Mistress. My job is already done here, so I will now take my leave."

The woman flicked her two fingers in the air as a sign of approval. The man then bowed his head and left.

"What is your name?" the younger man asked. Probably just a few years older than me. Unlike the woman who was all serious, there was a bit of friendly smile on his lips.

"How did I end up being here? I... I was in the forest... I was..." my voice faded midway.

"Chased by a pack of wolf dogs, am I correct?"

My forehead creased at the man. The woman remained still, eyes were boldly scrutinizing me as if she was to see if there was anything harmful with me.

"How did you know that?"

He smirked. "Because I was the one who saved and brought you here."

I could not speak.

"Why were you in the forest at that time anyway—"

"Send her home, Henry. Her family must be searching for her now," the woman said and turned away. She was almost at the door when I spoke.

"I have no family..."

That made her stop.

"No family? What do you mean by that?" Henry asked.

The woman turned to see me. She has that same cold expression, but the moment she stopped to look at me again, I knew she was expecting an answer.

"I..." I swallowed the painful lump in my throat. Thinking about what my own parents did was too painful. "I was chased out by my family. My parents disowned me."

Henry's expression turned to grim. "They did that? For what?"

My tears fell. I looked down because I was ashamed of being so pathetic. I was ashamed of myself.

"I was a disappointment to them since I was born... They wanted a son but they had a daughter and my mother could not give birth anymore after me..."

There was a moment of silence.

"What is your name?" 

I lifted my head at once when I heard the woman's cold voice.

"Elena," I answered. "Please, I have nowhere else to go. Please help me, Madame..."

"I'm willing to let you live here," she said that gave hope to my dead soul. "But the question is, are you brave enough to face the consequences of living here in my house? Let me be frank to you, young lady. This is a dangerous place."

How she uttered the last words sent shivers down my spine. But my decision was final. I wanted to live. I wanted to survive to prove to my parents that I was not as worthless as they thought. 

"I am willing," I said bravely even my voice was slightly shaking.

"Mistress, she might not—"

"How can I refuse a poor girl who was thrown out by her own family? I gave her an option, Henry. It was her choice."

Then the woman looked at me again. There was no doubt she was beautiful. But her eyes, black as empty darkness, was the incarnation of horror and death.

"Welcome to the House of Spades, Elena. This is the house of assassins, and I am the mistress."