Chapter 2: In the Woods
I tried to stand up when I heard a howl inside the woods. The hair in my nape started to raise so as my arm. It becomes creepier when the noise gets louder, a sign that it is near. I hold the trunk to support myself from standing. I breathed a heavy sigh when I tried to take my first step. And for the second time around, I need to get away from the place where I do not belong. But where do I belong?
Before I could even take my second step I was gasping for air. I almost lost my consciousness when someone pressed me in the trunk using his bare hand on my neck. His grip became tighter so I tried to kick him while I'm struggling.
"What is a merely human doing here?"
He asks with a low deep voice. I couldn't see him properly as my vision became blurry. But those eyes...
As I was getting out of breath, someone, perhaps something, jumped to the man who was holding me. He releases his grip and avoids the attack by jumping. His speed. I hold my neck and cough, finding an air to breathe properly. I looked in front of me when I heard a growl, same with the noise I heard inside the woods.
I'm not mistaken, the people fighting in front of me are the people sitting in the highest rank in the capitalist system. They depict power and wealth as they support the people who belong to the caste system. The vampires and the werewolves.
The werewolf growls once again as if protecting me from the vampire who tried to take my life a minute ago.
My eyes widened when I saw that the werewolves were dissolving. It is transforming into a human! I was amazed because this is my first time seeing a wolf morphing. His broad shoulders and tanned skin match perfectly.
I turned my head and looked away when I realized that he was not wearing anything. My eyes landed into cold bloody eyes looking back at me intently with his head slightly sloping. I blink twice and get my eyes off him. Damn, he's gorgeous as hell but still I am intimidated!
"Playing the hero huh?"
The vampire said with a smirk plastered on his face. Unlike the wolf he is white like a snow. His pale colors complement her features. How could a person look like this? He looks perfect on the outside. God's favorite indeed.
"You know why Craven"
Answered by the man in front of me, emphasizing every word he said. Craven? Did he mean the Craven's? What the hell! The Craven's rule the entire Cromoria. Even though the vampires and werewolves rule the caste system as they have the highest population in Cromoria it is different when it comes to Craven's. Craven's own the whole area of Cromoria and they are the ones who made the caste system.
Vampires and werewolves are often presented as a rival races that despise one another. Only one thing that they both agreed on, a once in a lifetime agreement and that is to rule the City of Cromoria.
The werewolves rule the entire forest of Cromoria while the vampires rule the metropolis but for the Craven's? They rule both the forest and the town.
"Huh, she doesn't even recognize you!"
The Craven said before walking into a tree beside him. He leaned on the trunk and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"You know what will happen if you try to hold back, same as confessing. What will you choose, Gideon?"
He added while looking intently to the man he named Gideon. What are they talking about? Dude I'm dying! I'm thinking of leaving the area while they are still busy when the Craven looks at me with a scowl that makes me stop from moving.
I saw the man named Gideon heave a sigh before turning around. I'm shocked by that movement, he should have given me a sign or any notice, man he's still undressed! How can he stand in the middle of nowhere without minding that he's naked? I look at his well built body, his chest, his more than a six pack abs and before I could even see that thing. I raise my head and look into his eyes, stopping myself from looking below. I don’t wanna augment my sin.
But when I met his eyes my heart skipped a beat. It looks like it has forgotten how to function, how to beat. His eyes are drowning me and it's so sad, it's lonely like he was longing for something. I don't know but it looks like I'm feeling his pain and I couldn't bear it. It is too heavy for me, that's why I decided to stop looking at those eyes. It's full of emotion that I cannot even understand.
I take a peek to see what the Craven is doing and he is looking at us while frowning.
"Take her, Craven"
The man once again turned his back on me and I felt weird as I felt sad. Does him turning his back on me saddened the hell out of me? I shake my head forgetting what I had in my mind.
"Are you giving up on her?"
"No, you know that I can not do that. I am giving her a time"
"And what would you do if she didn't accept you?"
The Craven asks, smiling, it seems more like a teasing to me. Who is "she"? Are they talking about me? No, how assuming I could be, they didn't even know me.
" It's not your business anymore"
He answered before turning into a werewolf again. He looks at me and even if he's not in his human form, it is the exact same eyes I saw a while ago. It is still lonely, he howls before jumping into the woods.
"What a coward"
Says the man in front of me. Until now I couldn't believe that I would be given a chance to meet a Craven's. But now that I'm alone with this guy, the tension between us is building up. He can kill me in a snap without having a single sweat.
I moved back when I saw him glare at me.
"What are you thinking?"
He asks as he moves closer to me. He stopped inches away from me and put his left hand on the trunk where I was leaning before. Oh God, am I going to die?
He bent his head in the same level as mine and stared at me with his bloody eyes. It is the color of a blood but it's beautiful. How can he be so gorgeous without doing anything? Even though his clothes are full of mud he looks splendid.
I was taken aback when I saw him smiling in amusement. But it was for a while when he became serious again.
"Sleep"
He commanded as I fell into a deep slumber.
Chapter 3: The Craven's I woke up feeling sore all over my body. As I open my eyes I hurriedly stand up even though I'm not feeling well. I am not in a familiar place and I shouldn't be lying on a bed. To lay in a bed is for a noble only, people like me used to sleep on a cold floor where mice used to live. I got nervous when I heard a knock on the door. I want to hide but it is too late when someone opens the door. It is the Craven I saw in the woods. I quickly kneel to apologize for the things that I have done. I bowed my forehead touching the floor as my hand started to shake. " I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laid on the bed. I don't know why am I here. Sorry, please forgive me. I... I promise not to do that again. Please don't hurt me" I said, trying not to cry. It is not really me, I don't know why I got here. I know I deserve a punishment but it is not really my fault. But who am I to depend? " What are you doing?" The Craven asked but I didn't move. "Stand up" He said,
Chapter 4: Clash I was shocked when Gideon the werewolf stood looking pissed, the chair he was sitting before fell onto the ground. He exasperatedly walked and stopped in front of me and the Cravens. Is he going to hurt me? They both looked at me as if they read my mind. Are they? But based on my basic knowledge, only vampires had an ability to do that. Werewolves usually use their strengths to prey and to protect themselves. Gideon pulled me beside him but the Craven didn't let go of my hand. I became anxious as I was in the middle of the highest rank in the caste system. “ Am I in a movie? Who will she choose?” I looked at the woman who commented and she's smiling looking so amuse. And I am starting to belittle myself as much as I don't want to feel that way. I decided to pull my hands away from the two of them as I moved backward before bending my back. It is a sign of respect that I cannot get rid off because even the slaves needs a respect from the likes of me. The next thi
Chapter 5: PunishmentI blinked for how many times when I heard what he said. What? I looked to my right when I heard a chuckle.“She doesn't need to choose. She belongs here, am I right Gideon?” Aziel said, who was vaslike grappling his hands above the table. I heard Gideon faugh and rolled his eyes in a manly manner. Cute.“ In all odds she still needs to choose, we cannot force her '', the lady commented as she looked at me with a mischievous smile and in return, I smiled a little. She looks kind and approachable but those amaranth red nails are keeping me away. I want to know her name.“ I want to give her space, in the time being I want her to know all the things she needs to learn before the transition happens”, Gideon said while staring into the lady’s lime green eyes. It is the opposite colors of Aziel eyes, the rivalry between red and green colors.The lady coughs diminutively and looks at Aziel who is still looking at me with furrow one's eyebrow. He rolled his eyes and ans
Chapter 6: HistoryWhile I am still waiting for the maiden who will help me in something I don't know, I just roam around to see how beautiful the interior of this room is. Unlike the interior of the mansion, this room is a combination of beige colors and wooden things that complement every corner of the room.I sigh and sit at the end of my bed, I pass my hands through the soft bed and I feel how soft and fluffy it was. I am thinking about what is happening to my life. Not a little while, the day before this day, I was running from the people who gave me nightmares. I felt like dying, I met a vampire and a werewolf that ruled the entire Cromoria and now, here I am.I am contemplating the things I have learn inside that room, the room that filled with higher peoples who place at the top of the caste system, I won't be surprised if there is a board member of the council among those people particularly those five people, six including Aziel Craven, I'll be more afraid if Aziel Craven
Chapter 7: LostI rubbed my eyes after waking up from the alarm clock I had set for my training. I am lazy sitting down on my bed and I am starting to stare into a void. I looked at the alarm clock that keeps on ringing. It is exactly 2:00 am in the morning.This is the first time in my entire life that I will be waking up before the chickens, besides having a nightmare. Usually in the sir mansion, where I serve for almost two years, I am waking at exactly four o'clock in the morning. It is to prepare myself and after an hour I will start my day by cleaning. Actually, except me, all the maids in the mansion have an specific task but for me? I am an all around maid. Slave.I stretch my arms and yawn after I stop the ringing of the alarm clock. I went to the closet where Miss Penelope instructed, she said that she prepared some clothes for me. I was amazed when I looked inside the closet. Different types of dress and shirts were hanged properly by color coding. I don't know and I am hig
Chapter 8: WeaponWhat Aziel said to me keeps lingering on my mind. I want to settle my mind so I walk near to the knights who are training. I watch them move in awe, they are all amazing particularly in swinging those swords. I looked carefully at what they were holding and I found out that the swords they were using were not all the same. I'm not really familiar with swords but I know that some of them are bokkens and gladius? I didn't know that there were still gladius in the 20th century. Based on my basic knowledge, gladius is a dual edge sword with a wooden hilt. It is a weapon common in northern europe as it was an early ancient thrusting shortsword for legionaries in the 3rd century BC. Trivia eh?I heard a swishing sound of an arrow and there I found Levi practicing his skills. He possesses prowess and adroitness. I clapped when I saw that someone was waving the red flag, it was a bullseye! Seems like he was 35 meters away from his target but he still managed to ace it in th
Chapter 9: EscapeTwo weeks have passed since I moved here in the Cravens manor and in those days nothing really happened. There is no anomaly as the days pass smoothly. My training with Master Aeneas continues and I am so glad with the result of it. I am learning but it is not really easy. There are posture and stance that I am having hard on learning, thankfully Master Aeneas is a good instructor. Sometimes he is being a pedagogue but I haven't felt trepidation. It's just inevitable to have some bruises all over my body and I know that it is a part of my training.Everytime I finish training with Master Aeneas I usually talk to Elons as we become closer together. He loves chit-chatting as well as the other knights like Levi. All of us became comfortable with each other and even though they are all guys I haven't felt awkward around them. I think there is no problem befriending a guy when you are a girl and vice versa. Except for the people who give meaning behind those things.As lo
Chapter 10: HeroI jump outside from the wagon when it stops. I am fixing my wardrobe as I go to the coachman.“Thank you,sir!”I said as I handed him the silver coins I got from my room. Miss Penelope gave it to me saying that I can use it in anything I want to buy or barter. And since I am staying inside the manor and I don't have a chance of going out I decided to keep it inside my drawer.The coachman looked at me with his eyes wide open. I laugh because of how he reacts. I forgot to change my voice and I don't think he noticed it since his attention is all over the silver.“No, sir. I cannot accept such precious things. Your thank you is enough '', he smiled at me declining the silver I am giving to him. I know how hard it is to live in the present and I know how much the people needed the money, especially the villagers far from the City.I hold his hand as I put the silver coins in his hand, “This may not be too much sir but this is my way of saying thank you. If you don't min