Heavensfromabove

Sorry guys... for posting this late. I have exams too. Hope you enjoy the chapter...>*

‘I will be married off in a few weeks…’

Or so what she stated. I stood there, those words ringed in my mind. What? I thought, and stopped halfway of what I wanted to say. She looked at me with a helpless expression that I couldn’t help but comprehend, thinking it was bothering. But still…

‘Oh, I see. Well then, if you’ll excuse me,’ I turned away, not saying anything, just desperately trying to make out what did her face looked like at that moment. I tried to put a forced smile, wanting to show my regards. But… I couldn’t. What was I supposed to feel there? When I heard about her marriage, I was thrown aback.

‘Connor? What’s the matter?’ she asked.

‘It’s nothing milady. Please do not worry,’ I bluffed, putting up a tight smile, wishing the awkward moment would pass by swiftly. But the more I waited for it to pass, the longer it seemed.

I continued down the hallway in hope that this feeling would pass away and I would return to be a normal servant under Mistress. I shook my head a little, disbelieving it all. I had to work. I dragged my feet to the garden stone path. I think I needed fresh air to start things over.

Seeing the flowers blooming, I was reminded back at our home… when I was a little kid, fooling around my parents. The little dahlias and the smell of sunflowers. It sure took me back. When the wind parted them into the direction, as if wilfully turning onto their motive. I glanced around as the wind fluffed off tiny petals from their head

…Death…

…Sacrifice…

…Blood pact…

Air choked in my neck and I gasped out of my sleep, breathing for air. I glanced around and found myself sitting on a low-backed easy chair, out in the open space behind the mansion. Sweat drop developed on my forehead, curling down my cheeks.

‘…a dream?’ I spoke to myself. It was still night, then why did I dream about a sunny day? Michelle... I mean Mistress’ marriage, the young lady, the flowers, the sunny day… were all just an illusion of the mind? It took quite a lot of time to believe all that. Quite a long dream if I may ask myself. It seemed that I had forgotten that the underworld never had daylight grace its lands. Coming back to my senses from my reverie, I dashed back into the mansion, leaving the chair rocking, looking for her. Thudding steps of my boots echoed in the empty hall as I hurried towards the stairs, witnessing a dark silhouette stepping down the stairs. From the sound of heels tapping, I was sure it was Mistress Michelle. The moonlight showed me the way, coming in from the massive window that was sensibly shut against its shucks.

‘Ah, might it be you Connor? What is the ruckus for?’ saying that, she stepped into the hall forward, lit by the moon, giving me a clear visual of her bodice. She wore a velvet blue long dress, with a striking blue lapis lazuli necklace around her neck. Her freckled, cascading hair flowed down her shoulder-blades, each side showing its specific colours—golden black and white. Her left eye gleamed in the darkness as soon as the moonlight fell on her face. It shined so much as if it would reflect back my image. Her dress flowed down in curls with a broad blue band wrapped around her thin waist. She wore a diamond hairclip on either sides.

‘Gosh, stop staring! You make me feel nervous!’ she sulked. I was dumbfounded. I let out a small tat of laugh as I sighed a breath of relief. ‘You’re not helping,’ she complained, looking the other way.

‘Okay… fine, I wouldn’t laugh. It’s just that I was deeply taken in by how you looked, even in this darkness.’ I stated. She stared at me for a few moments.

‘Well, whatever. Just draw out the cart and ready the horses. You do remember that we ought to attend a ball tonight, right?’ She leaned forwards, hands on her waist. She looked like a child complaining about trivial things.

‘Yes, in a moment,’ I bowed and left through the entrance.

I pushed open the enormous entrance door, exiting into the large round garden, shinned by burning lamps surround. I strode up to the stable that happened to be footsteps away to the left side of the mansion, stepped inside and found the ward inside. He snored under his hat, hands around his chest, not moving. I patted his shoulder. He looked through hazy eyes at me, gesturing him to stretch up and get the carriage ready. He moodily stepped out of the stable, footsteps gradually fainting into the distance.

Two of the finest horse breeds neighed as I walked up to the wall beside me, and plucked off the brush off the wall. Both the white horses whined in appreciation as I combed their long coarse hair. Taking their reins next, I guided them outside into the darkness. I could hear faint noises of insects squeaking in the bushes. Turning towards the paved path just outside the mansion door, I could see the carriage ready, the ward sitting on the driver’s seat. I pulled the horses unto the cart’s front end and tied them with ease. Just then, Michelle stepped out.

‘I see that our ride is ready…’ she stroked her chin with her index finger. Then lifted her dress, pinching it with her fingers, tip-toeing down the few steps, and then landing softly on the pavement, holding my hand. I helped her onto the carriage and closed the door. Her figure through the curtains left me with a feeling of rue in my chest.

‘Well, perhaps I should get ready too,’ I said to myself. I hurried inside the mansion, ran upstairs into my room and put on my coat and a gold pendant on my right shoulder, then wore a black tie, almost unnoticeable in the dark coat I wore. Then, after all the get up, I ran downstairs, to the stable. On entering the other half of the ruck, through the other plank door, I found a black horse, perfect for me, I thought.

Riding out the mansion gates, servants biding me goodbye, I waved them a friendly hand. The bumpy path seemed difficult for my horse. The sound of his hooves crunching the sand beneath was the only thing that got me during my ride. My horse made an uncomfortable sound as we rode through the forest trail, tall redwoods covering every inch alongside the path. I could barely see what was lurking a few steps ahead of me. Could be a beast, could be a person. Anyone.

Slowly, going through the narrow coarse path, almost squeezing between the massive redwood trees, fences began appearing. I felt some relief in my chest. The crunching sound of leaves now exchanged with the mood. Finally the town hall appeared in my sights as I watched the guests walk in through the shining entrance.

‘Looks like we’re here…’ I said to my horse as I patted him on the back, causing him to whine. I dismounted him and walked towards the hall, tightening my tie. I brushed my coat, tidying myself up. Tapping on the stairs, I stepped up the hallway, walking in.

Inside, I could hear people talking in a courteous manner to each other, politely greeting. They hugged with the familiar ones, lightly giggling. The ladies wore full folded dresses. Some had their hair pulled into a bun, some had curly, and others had frilled ones.

‘Gosh, you’re late!’ I turned around to find the voice’s owner, and happened to stumble upon Michelle, holding her hands around her chest, holding a slim glass of red wine on one hand.

‘My deepest apologies to you, mistress,’ I bowed to her, my right hand on my chest.

‘Well?’ I raised my head to her voice and found her, gesturing towards me to take her hand.

‘But, will that be okay?’ I asked.

‘Aw, you’re no fun! It will be fine!’ she fetched my hand, and dragged me into the crowd. I stumbled a few times. She stopped in the middle, of the crowd dancing. Turning towards me, she giggled lightly, covering her mouth with her fingers. Her one hand was still holding me tightly. With a jerk of her hand, she pulled me closer, my front touching hers. I stuttered a little.

‘Still, you’re my mistress. Our statuses do not match no matter how you look at it…’ I trailed off, seeing it was pointless to speak anything anymore. Looking at her face, she had no trace of that terrifying demon I met a while ago. It was a completely innocent face, with a bright smile… almost as if she was a human.

‘Nothing to worry about, we’re all demons after all!’ she curved her lips into a smile, raising an eyebrow, seemingly wanting to test my calm. I closed my eyes to give her an expression of acceptance.

‘Hmm, good,’ she tapped my nose with her finger. ‘Now you finally listened.’

I glanced around to see the men in black coats, each wearing a mask of what looked like a dragon’s ideal. They were scattered, some around groups that made circles, others around the buffet table, murmuring something that I couldn’t hear from the distance.

‘Those are higher level monarchy demons. But, they are lower in position than me,’ Michelle spoke almost as if whispering. We both glided over the dance floor, me holding her in my arms as we swung around, fluttering her dress up. The sights of other people fell on our pair.

‘How does it feel like?’ she asked me all of a sudden.

‘Well, I’m not used to this kind of environment… with many people. I’m sorry if I’m being a nuisance,’ true… I was a kind of shut-in when I used to live alone in my apartment. I wasn’t good with people, or even talking to them. But that was right till I met this demonic beauty who brought me to this world. I was not sure how I’d be able to repay her…

‘Well then, shall we continue?’ she let go of my hand and pulled her body closer to mine, leaning onto me. She then stood on her tip toes, bringing her face closer to mine. I was bewildered by her cold breaths on my cheek. She began to whisper.

‘You know, you don’t need to be so formal all the time,’ she stated while whispering. I suddenly felt a chill on my cheek as I saw her grazing my cheek with her small lips. Then she withdrew away from me, tapping her heels out of the crowd. My lips parted as I lifted up my hand to try to speak to her more, but she was already gone. I let down of my hand, defeated. Well, maybe another time…

****

I walked out of the stuffy hall, all warmed up in my suit, seeking for air. Stepping down, I noticed the carriage round up around the round garden before the hall, halting paces away from me. But I couldn’t see Michelle around. Where was she? Could that be she was still inside? Or maybe some creature of the night dragged her to the forest? I began throwing panicking glances around, searching between the people arriving and the crowd inside.

‘Did you just arrive here? Where have you been?’ I snapped at the carriage ward.

‘Sorry for the trouble, sir. I just went to buy some drinks at the tavern in town. That’s all,’ he mentioned.

‘You fool! Don’t go wandering around leaving mistress in a bind, apologise to her when she comes back.’ I ordered him and he nodded in acceptance. Still, for her, a demon queen next to the throne, to disappear suddenly—

‘Hey, you both, stop fussing around!’ I swiftly turned around, seeing it was Michelle. I sighed a huge breath of relief when I saw her face.

‘Milady, where have you been?!’ I asked panicking, looking over her shoulders, at the back and around.

‘Gosh, what are you doing?’ she laughed while raising her hands, giving me space to search. She began turning on her heels, lifting her dress up a little. ‘Do I look bad?’ she checked herself, looking up and down, stroking her side-hairs, lining her edge-cut jawline.

‘No, I didn’t mean that,’ I reassured her.

‘Then, you are a worrywart, hmm?’ she leaned towards me, hands on her waist, she raised an eyebrow. Her dreamy eyes gleamed in the dark, even it was not even enough support by the street lamps. I shifted uneasily, causing her to laugh at me like some ten-year old child.

Seriously… I couldn’t even tell that it was the same Michelle who witnessed my accident in my previous life. She seemed an entirely different creature from before! Was she the same person anymore, I wondered. Before… when I was in that dark deserted place with my desk with me tied up, she came to me, her aura different from a human’s, her form like an animal’s residing in a human body, ready to suck out the life force out of anyone. And when I saw her now… she was now another person in whole. Sweet, innocent, caring, and that sweet smile. I wonder how much had changed…

‘Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s head home,’ she suggested. I nodded and gave her a hand up into her couch. Tilting my head, I saw my horse had disappeared from the view.

‘Now that’s a problem…’ I scratched cheek with my finger, hands around my chest.

‘What is it?’ Michelle popped her head out of the window.

‘My horse is gone,’ I let out.

‘Well why don’t you come with me?’

I hesitated for a bit, then stepped into the carriage, shutting the door behind me. There was a sound of ropes slashing as our carriage began to move with a jerk, the sound of the hooves of the horses trotting on the pavement. And bid the hall farewell.