In the Hands of Monsters - PokeKat (AlchemysHomunculi) - Biohazard (2024)

Chapter 1: Dépaysem*nt

Chapter Text

Chapter One: Dépaysem*nt

French Noun: The feeling of not being at home, in a foreign or different place, whether a good or a bad feeling; change of scenery.

. . .

Spring could not come fast enough for the village frozen in time. The early days of March still started off with freezing cold mornings that hit each person upon leaving their doorstep. Mina, a young woman in her twenties, knew this before she even left her room that Sunday. The desire to pull the covers up above her head upon awaking felt more tempting each day. Yet even though she considered herself to be the least excited to go to church, Mina was up and out before anyone could come for her.

It was still dark when she crossed the threshold of her guardians’ home. The chill of the air hit her as if she was only wearing a lace nightgown. A frown instantly formed on her face as she silently cursed the uselessness of her new, or rather old, dress. The only thing it was good at was making her blend in with the dreary scenery of her home. The apathetic cotton grey matched with the snow that was half melting and mixed in with kicked up debris. That icy mud ground would no doubt be lining the ends of the dress by the end of the day as there was no article of clothing she had that went above the ankle. The same could be said about the bodice which made her feel more like a caricature of a strict, middle-aged teacher in some god-awful kids TV show. The type that had laugh tracks every fifteen seconds.

Mina used to feel some embarrassment walking outside of the house with what felt like a nineteenth century costume. However, it quickly became known to her that there was no woman in the village, regardless of age and beauty, that could truly make these uninspired patterns look fashionable. The same could be said of the men too. Everyday it was some sort of pants, button down shirt, and suspenders set. Somehow, the people of this area seemed to enjoy the unanimousness of their appearance. They were, after all, the same in the eyes of their Mother.

Our Mother which aren’t in heaven.

She grimaced when the thought popped into her head. It was the type of face she’d make had she’d felt like spitting out the word instead of keeping it locked up. She wiped the expression off quickly whilst walking down the path from the home and into the village streets. God knows how many people would be making a point to stare at her. One would think that the reason they were doing this was because of a healing scar that was stretched vertically from the top of her left eyebrow to her hairline. However, that was far from the case. That mark, along with the smaller cuts upon the sides of her face and hands, might as well have not existed to the others. She could look completely average, and they’d still stare.

What can I say, I’m their shiny new toy.

A corner of her thin lips twitched upwards as she recalled the reference. Internally she hoped that she wasn’t quite as annoying as Bella Swann in the grand scheme of things. It was hard not to criticize the people and culture around her and feel some sort of loftiness. But, in her defense, this was not high school. And she was definitely not some immortal vampire’s future mate.

Nope, this is just your average European cult village. Totally what I was expecting when I bought that f*cking plane ticket. And I’m you’re completely normal, not-always-pissed-off, innocent church girl.

An older man rounded a corner and into her eyesight right as she wanted to frown. Instead, she pushed up a light smile followed by a weightless hand wave. He was quick to respond with double the response. His positive reaction, though genuine, felt so out of place to Mina. He would not be happy to see her had he truly known what lied behind that pale, heart shaped face.

He passed by her with a deep good morning and headed down a path that ended at the castle. No doubt he was the type who wanted to get to church early. The older people enjoyed getting up and hanging out by the building before service began. Her guardians had brought her along with them every Sunday since living with them. They were right to not trust her to not fall back asleep if left alone.

It was always barely light out when church started. Kids, despite their unwavering faith, still had issues with keeping up with whomever was speaking that day. Even though she had only attended a handful of services, Mina had more than once seen a mother grab their child by the ear and forcibly take them outside for insolence. The person speaking, not stopping once, would raise their volume as to help drown out any cry that might come from said punished child. Luckily, she was too old for her guardians to punish her if she was caught snoozing off. At most they would pinch the side of her covered thighs or shake her arm. Causing a scene was the last thing any of them wanted.

Mina had meant for this early morning walk to be a way to enjoy something before church began. However, it seemed that the topic could not shake from her mind. Her movements were slowing down as the sight of new people leaving their homes just dampened the already low mood. A part of her wanted to dash out of the way of any oncoming people but she continued walking along, smiling at the villagers and saying good morning. Light was just starting to break above the mountains when a more than familiar villager approached Mina with the intent to do more than wave.

“You know you’re going the wrong way, right?” The woman in front of her chuckled as Mina briefly closed her eyes. Constanta, a woman slightly older than herself, had only spoken to her on a handful of occasions so far. Though like many of the others, she talked to Mina as if she had known her for years.

“Silly me,” usually she would try to hide any sarcasm. Luckily her ‘friend’ was not too bothered by the occasional change in Mina’s supposed innocent behavior. “I was under the impression that the church moved since the last time I saw it.”

“Well, whoever made you think that is obviously taking the piss out of you.” Mina snorted unexpectedly. It seemed that Constanta was also willing to reveal little shreds of the unseemly parts of her personality.

“Well, I did meet him at the tavern.” A smirk twirled onto the village woman’s face. The playfulness of it didn’t upset Mina even if the morning made her testy.

“Oh, I see, you must have either been too drunk to think reasonably or—” She leaned in, her height making it so she overshadowed Mina’s head.

“Or what?” She was smirking now too. Most of the elders around her disapproved of mischievous thoughts and actions on days of worship. Seeing the woman in front of her disregard that pulled a few strings of excitement from within Mina.

“Or you were so smitten with him that you just believed every little word that left his lips.” With a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head, the younger girl allowed Constanta to giggle at her reaction.

“Yeah, I literally can’t think of one guy around here that would make me believe that kind of bullsh*t.” Mina internally winced as an older woman and her young kids passed by them right as she ended with a curse. The bug eye stare and slightly ajar mouth was more than enough proof to know that she had heard her loud and clear.

“f*ck I hope she doesn’t tell Luiza . . .” Constanta quirked an eyebrow at the nervous statement. Her gaze darted from the girl and to the quickly passing mother before speaking.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about Andrea saying something, she has her hands full as it is.” Mina opened her mouth to ask why but was cut off. “Her eldest daughter has been chosen to work at the castle, poor thing isn’t exactly the brightest. Don’t know how well she’ll fare.”

“Is it really true that the maids aren’t allowed to see their families again?” The woman nodded.

“Working for a Lord is more than just a job, it’s a new way of living.” Mina attempted to look unaffected by this, but her eyes told a different story. “Don’t feel too bad. Imagine how amazing it would be to live everyday inside of a castle.”

Or inside a bottle of wine.

A little static ran down the sides of Mina’s spine as she bitterly recalled her plans for the evening. So much for a day of rest and worship. The buzzing of anxiety was already welling up inside of her and no amount of preparation could fully make her fears go away.

“Walk with me,” Mina blinked as her friend grasped her upper arm. As much as she wanted to walk away, there was no excuse for denying the request and delaying church. “You can tell me more about this charming man you’ve met.”

Mina shook her head, quietly chuckling at the statement.

“I already told you that there’s no one in this village that could trick me like that.” A Cheshire grin stretched across Constanta’s lips. It was like she had been waiting for Mina to waltz into that one.

“Ah, so he lives outside of the village then?” Mina’s chest seized up as it felt like the air had been stolen from out of her. A heat flared across her face as if it was covered in gasoline. Constanta saw this fear from the corner of her eye. Instead of stopping their pace and interrogating her for such an odd reaction, her smirk grew and her teeth became even more visible.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about?” She tried to swallow but her throat dried up. “I’ve never met—”

“I knew it!” Mina felt on the verge of collapse as Constanta triumphantly pointed at her.

f*ck, it’s not possible, I mean I suck at this whole villager thing but there’s no reason to believe—

“I’ve seen the way you look at those pictures.” Mina’s mind stopped its anxious barrage of thoughts. What the heck was this woman talking about? “And don’t stress, I won’t let anyone know your secret.”

“What secret?” The dead seriousness of her tone didn’t faze the other woman. All she did was lean in closer as more people walked with them on their path.

“That you are absolutely infatuated with Lord Heisenberg~”

WHAT!

“I am not!” The statement was yelled so loud that everyone around them stopped to immediately turn towards the two. The heat that had been growing on her forehead now made its way into her cheeks. Constanta simply smiled at the onlookers and nudged Mina as to continue forward, letting people get back to their own devices.

“Don’t be so ashamed, many girls develop a crush on him at some point.” Pouting, Mina crossed her arms over her chest. “To be the wife of Mother Miranda’s favorite son, well, that would be quite the honor. He is rather mysterious, and rugged, if that’s the type of thing you like in a man.”

You know what get’s me really going? Men who aren’t ringleaders in a f*cking cult!

“It’s not,” she spoke through gritted teeth. The other woman merely giggled.

“Tell me, what is it that you admire most?” A small growl escaped the back of Mina’s throat. The church was in view now and, for once, it felt like an actual haven. “His imposing nature, the beard, the smile—”

Is he even capable of having a genuine smile!?

“Look, you’ve got this all wrong, I’m not—”

“Or perhaps it’s because his house crest implies that he’s—”

“Constanta, please!” Finally, the woman shut her mouth with a sly grin. People were close by them now and many had turned to see what could have caused such a reaction from Mina. She kept her gaze towards the ground whilst her friend maneuvered her past the small crowd of people forming at the church door. Once through the threshold, Mina immediately spotted her guardians at the first pew.

“I’m going to go sit with Luiza and Ernest, thanks for coming with me.” Sarcasm dripped at the second half of her sentence. Constanta waved her goodbye before looking over the crowd. No doubt wondering if her husband had come before her. Mina watched as the woman realized that he wasn’t there and instead found a random spot in the back. She shrugged her jacket off and placed it next to her lap as to reserve it for him.

Sighing, Mina reluctantly stepped through the still-standing people and took her seat by Luiza’s side. The older woman had been so engrossed in a conversation between another person behind them that she hadn’t noticed Mina’s arrival. Ernest, her husband who sat on her other side, tapped Luiza on the shoulder and pointed towards their ward.

“Oh, there you are dear!” The person she had been talking to sat back in her pew as Luiza placed all her attention on Mina. “Ernest said he saw you taking a walk earlier, I couldn’t help but feel a little anxious that you would be late.”

“I had to stop her from going to look for you,” Mina smiled slightly at the man as he glanced lovingly at his wife. “You’re an adult after all.”

“I know she’s an adult, dearest.” The little snippiness of her tone only caused him to chuckle. It felt much like the conversation Mina had just had. “Doesn’t mean that I can’t be worried for her sometimes, everything is all still new.”

“I woke up earlier than usual and didn’t feel like going back to bed.” It wasn’t the full truth as to why her guardians didn’t need to dispel the covers from her like usual. But there were somethings in this world that not even they, her supposed confidents, should know.

“See, you’re finally getting used to a new sleep schedule.” Luiza’s hand patted Mina’s own as they laid folded in her lap. A few days ago, there would have still been a bandage covering the palm of her left. Now there was simply a reddened mark that did not enjoy being out in the cold.

“Yeah, maybe.” The sound of the door fully closing for the final time had their attention being brought to the front. The person who led service rotated between a group of the elders. Luiza was one of them. However today it was a man named Gabriel who stood up to the front. Almost all eyes were on him as service began.

Mina was the only one whose stare went past the speaker and to the photographs at the altar. With Constanta behind her there was no way she could know that Mina was doing exactly what she was accused of earlier. The noises of the mans speech felt like it was being said by someone on the other side of a busy bar.

The Lords and Mother Miranda were quite the characters when it came to appearances. As of late, Mina had been looking more and more at Heisenberg’s photos in comparison to his ‘siblings’. It was a chore to keep her face neutral when certain emotions bubbled up at his sight.

It doesn’t matter if he’s ‘attractive’ or not . . . Constanta doesn’t even know what’s she’s talking about.

“Or perhaps it’s because his house crest implies that he’s--”

She sucked in a quick inhale at the intrusive memory. Luckily no one picked up on it or that her red cheeks were not going down despite no longer being cold. Seething, she forced herself to look anywhere but his face.

Get a grip, now is not the time to think of stuff like that!

. . .

Donna didn’t have a chance to act when a knock came suddenly at her front door. The surprise had her dropping her embroidery square, needle and all, onto the floor below her feet. Her companion, who had drawing comfortably by her side, was now halfway across the living room.

“I’ll get it!” The sing-song outburst made it seem like Angie knew who would be on the other side of the door. Donna had barely made it to the foyer when her doll successfully slammed open the entrance.

“Ew, it’s Heisenbutt!” The Lord rushed to scoop her up upon seeing the face of the visitor. “What are you doing here.” Donna took a step back as her brothers smoking cigar wafted into the walls of her home. Though his pupils were hidden under his glasses, she could see how his gaze ran across the interior of the manor. By his side was his signature hammer, just sitting there as if it weighed nothing as he slightly leaned on it.

“Something wrong with coming to say hello,” the sneer on his face and disdain leaking from his words was not unusual. Why she was hearing them whilst standing on her doorstep was. “Or are you two too busy working to entertain guests.”

“Oh, we love to entertain~” Angie squirmed in her arms. “Just not with gross jerks like you.” She giggled into her porcelain hands as the man scowled down at her.

“Did Mother Miranda send you,” Donna’s own voice barely cut through sounds of Heisenberg’s boots walking into the foyer. She didn’t deny him entry and simply slipped to the side of the threshold. His hammer was placed unceremoniously against the wall. The weight of it scratched the paint and left an indentation in the wood.

The first thing she noticed was that he was looking all around, even more so than when Angie first opened the door. His face was slightly upturned, almost as if he was smelling something in the air. To her, all that could be detected was his smoke and lavender.

“You ever get company up here, Donna?” Her veiled head co*cked to the side as even Angie looked at her in confusion. “Other than your little toys, of course.” He took a step towards a table against the wall. One of her dolls, a little boy in a sailor suit, sat unmoving when he decided to flick it in the head with a gloved finger.

“Hey! Paws off ug-o!” Angie nearly slipped out of Donna’s grasp as she pointed accusingly at the man. Briefly the woman wondered if her attire was enough to hide any swelling anxiety from her brother. Miranda bestowed them with many talents after all. Perhaps one of them happened to be superior hearing. Enough to tell that her heartbeat was elevated above what was usual for the cadou.

“It’s just us,” she looked away as Angie took the opportunity to flip Heisenberg the bird.

“Why are you even asking anyways? You’re always there when Mother Miranda gives us new friends.” Angie pouted as Heisenberg continued prowling around the room. “Are you growing senile in your old age? Or are all those factory fumes finally messing with your pea-brain?”

“Really, no recent visitors.” Donna could feel her doll grumbling in her arms. She didn’t enjoy it when her taunts failed to make a mark. “Not even any village kids coming up to your doorstep on a dare.”

Donna nearly backed up into the wall as he took long stalking steps towards her. No longer content with loitering about. Further in the house there could be heard sounds of things shifting. Dolls who otherwise liked to sleep seemed to buzz awake with her fear. Even the little sailor boy was standing up from his spot. Body slightly bowed as if ready to run to her.

There would be no point, she thought bitterly. Her little army would be ripped apart by all manor of metal instruments if they acted against the man.

“Hey, back off stinky! We—”

“There was someone, a few days ago . . .” He raised an eyebrow at this. The way he looked at her was something she would see from Alcina whenever she had the opportunity to put one of them down in front of their mother.

“Go on,” he took a deep drag from his fading cigar before blowing the smoke out into Angie’s face.

“Gross!” She made exaggerated coughing sounds, almost as if they didn’t know that she lacked any lungs.

“The Duke sent a village girl to deliver fabric.” A twitch in his lips was not unnoticed by the woman. That, along with his ebbing anger, meant that he was pleased with the confession.

“She ever been here before?”

“Nope~” Angie was grinning again. “And before you answer, yes, she did leave intact.” Donna knew she was referencing a previous remark he had made last month. It was something about how easily they broke their friends. “We’re not monsters after all.”

“Are you looking for her?” He didn’t open his mouth to respond.

“You two remember what she looked like?” He spoke so nonchalantly, it frankly disturbed Donna.

“Oh yeah, totally!” Angie bounced against her, much like an excited toddler. “She had two eyes and a nose and a face and hair and a torso and—”

“Donna, I swear to god!” His shoulders tensed as his hands raised to threaten the doll. It was like he was a second away from grabbing her and shattering her skull within his hands.

“I don’t really remember.” A gasp left her lips as he reached a hand out into the air and called his weapon back into his fingers. Angie was struggling against her now, trying very much to begin a fight.

“What does it matter to you, ug-o? She was just another boring villager.” It became almost painful the way Donna hugged her into her body. “Boring hair, boring dress, boring, boring, boring!”

A silence fell over them as Heisenberg stared them down. Her body felt like it was a branch shaking in the harsh wind. Trying to fight him would be like fighting the forces of nature. He and the rest of her family were mostly immune to the pollen her flowers secreted. She, on the other hand, was in no way safe against his command of metal.

“Maybe you should talk to The Duke . . . if you’re looking for her.” He didn’t respond immediately. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders and turned away from her. The door, which she had shut upon his entry, flung open like a ghost had possessed it.

“If you see her again,” she inhaled sharply. “Let me know.” And with a slight tip of his hat, Heisenberg was gone. Leaving both Donna and Angie with open mouths.

“Wow, how rude!” With her arms more relaxed, the doll popped out from Donna’s grasp as to run towards the nearest window. Her friend did not join her to watch Heisenberg finally disappear out of sight. “Maybe we should tell Mother Miranda, I mean, Heisenbutt can’t just waltz in here whenever he feels like it.”

Donna took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. Slowly she felt her friends relax all around her home. Their cadou switching into their dormant selves for the time being. They, except for Angie, were almost like cats. Having them all up and about at once felt tiring to the Lord. Noticing this, her friend tore herself away from the window and came up to Donna’s side.

“No . . . she has better things to do. It’s best we leave them alone.” The Lord bent down to pick Angie back up into her embrace. For a bit she simply paced around the foyer, holding her doll as if there was some warmth to be provided under her porcelain shell.

“And if we see the girl again?” Donna glanced down at Angie’s face. There was a glint of mischief in her upturned smile.

. . .

Mina waited in her seat as the back rows of the church let out. Luiza remained with her as people left. Ernest only waited for a bit before kissing his wife on the cheek and mentioning something about dinner. Even though she would have rather left a long time ago, Mina usually waited to leave. People might get the wrong idea if she was always the first to go. When most everyone had passed and it was down to just the last few stragglers, she stood up.

“Mina,” a hand was placed on the small of her back as Luiza stopped her from making a fast exit. “A word before you dash off.” The girl furrowed her eyebrows as the older woman came to stand in front of her.

“Yeah?” She had to swallow a lump before speaking. Though having never spoken to her guardians about her ‘plans’, she somehow feared that they had some clue that something was up. Keeping up appearances were never her strong suit.

“Before you got here, Antonia came up to me and asked if we could all come to dinner tonight.” A deep frown formed on Mina’s face without her even realizing it.

“And you said I couldn’t come, right.” Luiza didn’t answer, choosing instead to place a hand on her hip. “Or at least you said you would ask if I was available first, right?” She shook her head as if trying to will the woman to do the same.

“Mina, you are always available—”

“Not tonight, Luiza!” Both of them glanced over towards the door, almost afraid that someone had stayed behind to hear that little outburst.

“Doing what, exactly.” Mina groaned at the sharpness in the woman’s voice. Sometimes she felt so much like her own mom. “Going to the tavern? Taking walks?”

“No, but—”

“Look, I’ve been able to refuse most invitations so far under the guise that you were still healing and that you needed more time.” The girl looked away, arms crossing over her chest like a teenager. “But with you spending most of your time outside and not in my care, I can no longer keep rejecting everyone.”

“Then you and Ernest go and have fun.” Mina put her foot out to walk past her, but Luiza moved to block.

“People want to see you, dear. By avoiding confrontation you’re only giving others a reason to speculate.” As loud as the sigh she expelled was, Mina already knew that there wasn’t a good argument to be made against what Luiza wanted.

“What time?” The wrinkles of the older woman’s face softened immediately.

“Five o’clock.”

“. . . fine”

. . .

The village was deadly quite when Heisenberg found himself walking across the alter sight to The Duke’s usual spot. It would be days before he made his way to his own factory and what was on his mind was not worth waiting for.

Most people would cower if they saw Lord Heisenberg himself walking towards them with his heavy hammer and an agitated expression. The Duke, however, only smiled once spotting the smaller man. He beckoned him over with a wave as his positive demeanor didn’t once falter.

“Good morning, Lord Heisenberg. For what do I owe the pleasure~” He seemed almost giddy, a fact that only soured the other man more.

“It’s about one of your employee’s,” his eyes briefly racked over the little trinkets and products displayed within the cart.

“Oh, did something happen?” Heisenberg shot him a glare under his glasses. The man’s tone was far from concerned. Almost as if he saw whatever possible problem to be childish without even hearing him out.

“What did or do not happen isn’t something you have to concern yourself with,” The Duke raised a quizzical eyebrow. “I just want to know who’s delivering for you.”

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss my employee’s personal information.” A burning pain started in Heisenberg’s palms as he suddenly gripped his weapon with an intensity. Rarely did he hold back his anger towards someone other than Miranda.

“How much do you want.”

“Hm?” Heisenberg growled; parts of the caravan shook as the metal vibrated. The Duke was unfazed.

“For you to cough up some information on the little brat!” The merchant practically giggled. “You always have a f*cking price.”

“Usually you would be correct.” The Duke stopped to glance outwards towards the rest of the village. Church was letting out any minute. “However, I hold the confidentiality of my employees and customers in the highest regard. Making an exception for you because of money would just set a bad precedent. I’m sure you, of all people, can understand.”

“Look, I’m not asking for any goddamn medical records or some sh*t!” He stepped forward, body lunging as if ready to attack. “I just want to know some f*cking basics; a name would be a great f*cking start.”

“Why don’t you just ask them, next time they’re around.” Though he could never prove it, Heisenberg would swear up and down that this man was getting off on being a dick to him.

“Because I don’t know what she looks like, asshole.”

“She?” The Duke placed a finger on his chin, imitating a look of deep thought. “You’re talking about a woman?”

“Of course, I f*cking am, she’s your little village delivery girl or something. Took packages over to Donna’s.” Even though it didn’t seem possible, The Duke’s lips only widened.

“I’m afraid there’s been some sort of miscommunication, you see, I don’t currently employ any young women from the village.” A pause fell between them. After a few moments, Heisenberg let out a strained laugh.

“You know what, one of these f*cking days fatty, I’m going to—”

“If finding this girl is so important to you, Lord Heisenberg.” In the distance, chatter of people began to echo down. “Why not ask Mother Miranda for help.”

“She—”

“This does concern her, after all?” Without missing a beat, The Duke fished out his own cigar to light. “Or is this just for another one of your passion projects?”

Annoyed, not just by the growing approach of the villagers, Heisenberg spat out one last ‘f*ck you’ and turned back towards his own territory.

. . .

With explicit instructions to not go to the tavern and drink till dinner, Mina chose her next best pastime. That being sleep. She was sad to admit that she did seem like a moody teenager. Especially when she slammed the door to Luiza’s home shut and dashed straight to her room. Collapsing on it face first may have also been a little much as well.

When she eventually shifted her head to view the floor of her room, the first thing she spotted was a special area in the corner. One of the boards was loose and underneath it laid something integral to what happened after dinner tonight. She spent a good hour wondering if perhaps she could be done with her task before then. Eventually an itching reminder against her wrist hammered in the fact that there wasn’t another option.

Dinners at five, meet-up is at seven, plenty of time, plenty of time, plenty of time—

Despite remaining motionless in bed, the rest of the day passed whilst her mind was still fully awake. The darkening of the sky came somehow both too slow and too fast for Mina. A knock at the door finally had her flopping off her worn comforter.

“We’re leaving in five minutes, dear, make sure to brush your hair.” Bitterly, Mina let those words echo in her head over again. How many times in her life had her real mom said something along those lines? Maybe if she opened the door, she would be in her parent’s house again. Not stuck somewhere in another country, surrounded by people who wanted to reshape her past into something more pleasant. Something designed to help her survival.

Taking a deep breath, Mina stood in front of the solitary mirror of her room. A vanity sized one placed atop of her dresser drawers. Slowly she watched herself brush through simple bed tangles and wondered once again—

How the f*ck did I get here!

Chapter 2: Sehnsucht

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Sehnsucht

German noun: A word to represent thoughts and feelings about all facets of life that are unfinished or imperfect, paired with a yearning for ideal alternative experiences.

. . .

A Few Weeks Earlier

The night before had been a long one for the villagers. Instead of quiet silence they were reminded of what Mother Miranda protects them from. It came in the form of vicious howling, groups of them harmonizing for the better part of an hour. For what reason was unknown to them.

There had been no moon visible, and the only thing of light was that of Castle Dimitrescu. Candles near windows illuminated a steady yellow glow regardless of the time. Occasionally an onlooker could see the shadow of someone walking across the old glass and briefly obstructing the light. Whether that was a maid, the lady, or her daughters was unknown.

It was still dark out when Luiza and her husband awoke the next morning. From their bedroom window they could see how their neighbors had barricaded themselves within their homes. Religious wards hung prominently along entryways as an added, spiritual layer of protection. With nothing seemingly out of place, the villagers were once again reassured that Mother Miranda had protected them from evil.

After getting dressed, the old woman brewed a cup of tea and got the stove ready for eggs. Ernest had slipped out to look over the fences and perimeter of their home. The foxes had become more daring as of late and more than one of their chickens had been found dead and bloodied by the tree lines. Because of this, the man started each day checking to see if more had died the night prior. The reality of nature was always messy, and it was better that he found any remains rather than a kid. Older children had a habit of spinning tales of what the monsters in the woods were like and what they hunted for. Finding a dead animal, the morning after a rough night was not all that great for their little imaginations.

Luiza was cradling a bowl of scrambled egg yolks when the door to their home slammed open and shut again. The noise, louder than what her husband usually made, had the whisk flying out of her hand and landing against the floor. With a sigh she put the bowl down and went to pick up the lost utensil.

“Dearest did you have to be so loud?” She shook her head as his footsteps could be heard coming up behind her. “You’ll break the hinges that way.”

“Luiza . . .” He breathed the word out in a desperate way she hadn’t heard before. Her first reaction was to freeze in place. He didn’t move to come in front of her, just stood there in the kitchen doorway. Ice was starting to drip off his jacket causing little plops of slush to hit the wood floor. Regaining her senses, Luiza finally stood up and turned towards her husband.

In his arms was the body of an unconscious young woman.

An outsider.

. . .

Hours Earlier

Romania was not a place Mina had planned on visiting. Had it not been for all those movie stereotypes about Transylvania, she would have avoided it. That, coupled with some positive reviews from strangers in Ukrainian bars, had the young American hopping a train. Sadly, the cold of Eastern Europe was becoming too jarring for her and after only two days within the country borders, Mina was more than ready to head towards the Mediterranean.

A series of bad luck, starting with getting on the wrong bus, ended with the girl stuck in some small town an hour away from the next city. The internet there was dodgy at best and the total population was somewhere in the hundreds. The nearest train stop was just as far away as the other city, leaving Mina with little options. So, with much reluctance, the girl hired the only ‘cab’ around.

The driver was someone recommended to her by the owner of the sole pub. He had acted as a translator for Mina and the other man as neither spoke the same language. The whole process was a red flag, especially for a single, young woman travelling alone. However, instead of stepping back and figuring something else out, Mina reluctantly went along with it. Compared to train tickets, it was not cheap, and she hoped that price gouging was the only thing they were trying to scam her out of.

Now, half an hour in and nearly five hundred lei poorer, Mina watched as large puffballs of snow fluttered down onto the old road. The paint on the ground separating sides was barely visible. Luckily it seemed that no cars were coming from either way. Though, now that she thought of it, it wasn’t such a lucky thing. Her driver, a middle-aged man with a severe five o’clock shadow, took advantage of no traffic by going way above the speed limit. Asking him to slow down would have no point as her concerns would just sound like annoying gibberish.

The car itself was rather old as it was installed with a cassette player instead of Bluetooth. At the beginning of the ride, the driver listened to some sort of talk show on the radio. Eventually the reception became patchy, and he ended up putting the player on. She had no clue what band was playing but it seemed to be old cover songs of rock music in Romanian. Not exactly the worst thing to listen to in the snow.

Some of the tunes were familiar to her even if the lyrics made no sense. It was the type of thing her father would have put on in the car whenever they went out as a family. It had been a long time since they had done so. Rarely did she, her parents, and her brother drive in the same car. They both were adults with her brother already being married. When it came to events, everyone came and left at different times and to different places. Gone were the days when she would fall asleep in the back seat listening to Tears for Fears.

Falling asleep wasn’t an option now. Not when she occasionally caught her driver looking at her through the rear-view mirror. The glances didn’t seem sexual, but they were inquisitive. Almost like she was a math problem on an English test.

What am I doing here . . .?

The question hit her with an intensity she didn’t expect. For the past few days, she had been hiding from it. In bars she drank until her mind buzzed with a warmth that brought her back to her hotel room. Movies would flip on and off the TV screen until she passed out. When she awoke her body would ache like it had been spinning upside down in some knock off carnival ride. It would be a few hours before she could take her medication without throwing up and by then most of the day was gone. Hangovers were not easily cured and when she finally did come out of it, it was time to move on. Another town, another country, another bar, another lonesome night.

The driver noticed Mina sniffling before she even had time to register it. In response to the wetness forming in her gaze, the man turned the music up. Closing her eyes, she silently thanked him. The last thing she wanted to do was explain to someone why she was or was not sad via charades.

Eventually a sob broke through her mouth. Without much care, Mina wiped her face against the back of her sweater covered wrist. The tissues she brought currently laid in the trunk along with her two suitcases. The only things carried on her person was her phone and a thing of pepper spray masquerading as lipstick.

Though he didn’t make any comments, Mina could feel the stare of the driver becoming more frequent. With red cheeks she forced herself to look out the window and only the window. Unfortunately, the embarrassment of being seen at such a vulnerable point was too much and Mina shut her eyes. The events of the next three minutes might not have happened if she hadn’t been crying, if he had been paying better attention, if the snow hadn’t fallen.

The tires of the cars were old from what she saw before getting in. More than once they scrapped in a way that made her heart beat a bit faster. The man never acted as if he lost control during those times and so it reassured her that this was just a normal day for him. Now the moments of lost control became longer and not once did he slow down. The car was practically skating down the road when his foot first attempted to touch the break. The action happened too fast and caused a loud bellow to erupt from the car itself. It jerked Mina’s eyes back open just in time to see the man try to steer the car a hard left.

“Ce pusca mea!” Mina yelped at the man’s outburst. The entire body of the vehicle was hurdling them to the right of the road. Closing her eyes again, the young woman braced herself and awaited what she thought would be the hit of a tree or snow.

. . .

Mina’s eyes felt like they were being submerged in the murky waters of the lakes back home. Her brain acted as if it were swirling around in her skull, unsure if it would snap off from her nerves. Was this dying? Would her body ever make it back home?

Her ears started ringing so loud that it was the only thing she could focus on. It wasn’t until something wet slid its way down her face that she opened her eyes to the situation around her. Everything was blurry and dark. The headlights of the car she was in had sunk into the snow. Given the fact that she was currently upside down, Mina concluded that the car had flipped. How many times was not something she could tell as it appeared some time was lost between them skidding off the road and her waking up.

Cold air had seeped in through the broken windows fast. The sheer chill helped her mind with blocking out the pain of the accident. A wavering hand moved only to feel for the belt buckle but in her haze, she accidently clicked it undone. Though the fall to the ground was only a few inches, Mina’s body took the impact hard.

“f*cker,” the word slipped out of her mouth and she barely heard it. Now on her hands and knees, Mina’s priority was to escape the car. A small stroke of luck granted her some respite as the window on her side was completely gone. Since it was the backseat, the snow had not sunken the opening into it. The same could not be said for the driver and passenger sides.

Driver . . .

“Hey, buddy, are you—” Mina reached her left hand forward to jostle the shoulder of the driver who appeared unmoving and still buckled. Up until now his head was facing forward as if ready to keep going on. The motion from her hands had his face turning slightly towards her.

A scream trapped itself in Mina’s lungs when she spotted his blood-soaked mouth and screwed open eyes. She could see the split moment of terror that had brought upon such an expression. It was his last moment before everything in his body died.

The ability to breathe vanished from her as the car suddenly became ten times more cramped than before. The words ‘get out’ repeated in her head like a fire alarm too far away to shut off. In a panic she cut her hands against the shards of the window whilst tumbling onto the forest floor.

Everything was too dark for her mind to understand. Rushing endorphins had her standing up with the same steadiness as a house of cards. Even though the snow was soft, Mina’s feet felt like they were being encased in mud. Simple steps backwards and away from the crash were difficult.

A reasonable person knows to stay put when stranded in a car crash, not run off in a haze. However right now reason was not a word she could recall. Not when the wind was rushing through her skin, straight into her organs. And certainly not when a loud, unfamiliar noise crawled its way up the forest and into her ears.

It sounded awful and yet; it nearly made her laugh upon recognition. Of course, it would be the cry of wolves howling out in the wilderness of Romania.

. . .

The crash had been loud. But the smell of new blood was louder. She was lucky to be out by the time the Lycans came. They huddled together, staring down the wreck, smelling but not seeing the driver inside. One jumped at a sudden hiss from the dying engine. Wordlessly they somehow knew that they had to pull out the body before it could possibly catch on fire. Humans might like their meat cooked. But Lycans, there’s nothing juicier than a body so rare it’s still screaming.

A big one acted fast and crouched to see the figure inside. Its tongue lapped against dry, worn lips as it whined with anticipation. A pair of sharp claws grabbed the top of the car and with a roar, pushed it so hard that the front was no longer buried in the snow.

The group howled in response, each one of them moving restlessly, desperate to pull out the poor soul. The big one ripped off the passenger side door and jumped in, claws first. The scent of blood was intense, still fresh even though its source did not react to the creatures that surrounded it. The Lycan sniffed the dead man still hanging in his seat like he had been a meal prepared just for him.

A little whine escaped the back of his throat noticing that life had already come and gone within his still open eyes. Luckily it was only a tad disappointing. At the end of the day, this pack of mutant werewolves would be feasting on a foreign delicacy.

Without needing anything, the Lycan opened his mouth and snapped its teeth directly into the driver’s limp neck. All of them too wired on greed to notice any uneven footprints slowly disappearing under new snow.

. . .

Kindness in the village was a privilege, not a right. Something that outsiders would never get. Luiza and her husband were different though. So was a handful of other villagers that were a bit more ‘open minded’. Or at least the couple liked to believe they were.

Mina currently laid fast asleep on their couch. She had not awoken once since Ernest found her slumped against their fence. Right now, to them, she was only a nameless outsider. A girl impossibly lucky to even still be breathing.

It was for the best that she take the time to sleep as some of the wounds needed a few stiches and there was little to no access to pain relievers. The cuts for the most part appeared cosmetic, nothing that Luiza thought would require a doctor. There was a bump on her head, yes, but no one in the village even knew what a concussion was. Let alone what to do in the event of head trauma.

Patching her up didn’t take all that long. Luiza had used some of the water to dab at the blood and dirt not covered by clothes. Her wrinkled hands were remarkably gentle and for a few moments it felt as if she was taking care of her own child. But the illusion passed, and her lips seemed to fall remembering that this woman was not even from around here, let alone someone that was a part of her kin.

The older woman continued anyways, dutifully cleaning Mina as she remained fast asleep. After finishing she laid out one of her older dresses against the couch armrest. It felt wrong changing her without her consent.

“Mother Miranda works in mysterious ways.” Her husband, coffee in hand, spoke to her from the table. The eggs she cooked up had gone cold and neither had really touched them.

“Yes, truly.” She swirled her lukewarm tea around in her own mug. “She might not know it yet, but this girl’s survival is a blessing.” Her husband nodded in agreement. Mina’s still beating heart was like a defiance against the laws of nature. It seemed more reasonable that it would just give out before she could even wake up.

“Any other outsider would have—should have—frozen to death.” Even though Mina had barely spoken, the two could tell that she had been running around for hours. She was alone with the monsters and did not show signs of bite marks or scratches. “Or at least been hunted down by who knows what in those woods.”

“Mother Miranda must have some higher purpose for the girl.” Her husband looked back towards the door, a frown appearing on his face. His stomach twisted knowing exactly what direction this conversation was about to take.

“We don’t know that.” He countered. “And the others won’t believe that.” The swig he took out of his mug was gulped down as if it had been spiked with whiskey.

“They can be swayed.” Luiza’s eyes lit up with a determination he had seen before. In the past he would smile at it, encourage it to the end of the world. Now, however, he stood unmoving.

“No darling, I . . . I don’t think they can.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and he couldn’t help but feel warmth at the sight of her. His wife was a willful woman, and she wasn’t one to back down. Especially when it came to helping others.

And this girl is the definition of other.

“Forcing her back out into nature is not an option.” The boldness of her words felt like an invisible push against him.

“She can’t just stay inside and hide.” Her nails started to tap against the wood of the table. “Keeping her locked up would be crueler than pushing her back out into the snow.”

“I know.” Silence filled the room as the only noise came from the crackling of the fire. But that silence did not last long.

“And as much as I support you and your decisions,” his voice started to soften with Luiza’s eyes boring into him. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with her staying with us for an indefinite amount of time.”

“So, we eventually send her back out into the woods so she can freeze to death or be killed by the creatures.” He looked away from her. “Is that what you think should happen?”

“I . . .” the mug he held began to shake. The brown liquid became rippled like rain against a puddle in a thunderstorm.

“Just show her a bit of kindness before letting the world consume her.” She approached him with heels hitting hard against the floor. The knock against them echoed within his ears uncomfortably. “And it would consume her, Ernest. She made it here only by the grace of our mother . . . leaving and rejecting her miracle would only result in the girl’s death.”

“Luiza—”

“Don’t act like I’m not aware of reality. I know our neighbors are against outsiders and I do not blame them.” She spoke with shame running up her tongue. “Mother Miranda allows us to live here so she can protect us from the world. Though a human like us all, the girl will be seen as a poison to our way of life.”

“I used to be just as spiteful.” His hand floated to lay on top of hers. “But then I met you.” Her own hand travelled to cup his dry cheeks.

“You are truly my everything,” she could feel the faint vibrations of a satisfied hum in her husband’s chest. “I ask you to trust me when I say that the girl’s survival, amongst every person who has perished in the forest before they could even make it here, is our mother’s doing.”

“For you,” his hand squeezed her own. Before this act was for her reassurance. Now, however, it was for his. “I . . . I will try.” She smiled with twinkling eyes. “But we need to figure something out.” She breathed out a sigh, letting the word ‘yes’ come out in the slightest of whispers.

Then there was silence. An uncomfortable one with the only sound being the fire.

“Sergiu . . .” The name floated from her tongue.

“The hermit?” She nodded. “Many believe the man to be dead for the past six months.” It was true. The old man only ever came out to buy from The Duke. He usually did so in the morning, away from as many villagers as possible. But he stopped coming and The Duke had mentioned that the man was probably dead.

“Yes, and his poor daughter has been alone since.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“What daughter?” The smallest of smirks appeared upon her face.

“Why the one on our couch of course,” he let out a hardy laugh. “The poor thing had to run from her home after she was attacked by wild animals.”

“And there’s no way we can send her back to be all alone for the rest of her life.” Luiza raised her mug, and he raised his own, clinking them together at their new, little lie.

I only hope Mother Miranda will forgive us.

Chapter 3: Uitwaaien

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: Uitwaaien

Dutch Verb: It means to take a brief break in the countryside to clear one’s head.

. . .

A series of strange dreams befell Mina upon passing out that early morning. It was the type that constantly changed goals and people, never once allowing her to even understand what was happening. The transition between sleep and reality was not a smooth one. Occasionally her eyes would flutter open, taking in parts of the ceiling above her as well as the colors of the sheets. Quickly she would drift back off and forget that sudden spout of consciousness. Eventually her eyes opened and remained that way long enough to realize that she had been dreaming for what felt like days.

The first thing she noticed was that the room was heavily warm. Not enough for her body to be sweating but somewhat higher than what was usual for a traditional hotel. The next thing she realized was that this was not a hotel. Or, if it was, it was the type that wasn’t all that popular on yelp. A sharp inhale took in a fusty odor that reminded her of her grandmother’s old home. You’d think the owners would at least try to use some Febreze.

From the first moment of clarity, Mina felt too afraid to turn her body over to look at most of the area. All that was visible to her was the tawny colored comforter covering her body, a dark wood wall, and the matching ceiling above it. While she knew it was an unfair assessment, Mina easily gave this place a whopping one out of five stars. Gordon Ramsey and the cast of Hotel Hell would not be pleased.

Great, how the f*ck did I land myself here?

The sound of a chair scrapping against the floor had Mina flinching visibly. Someone was in the room with her. Her first instinct was to shut her eyes as a series of footsteps echoed in the other person’s wake. The sound was like a gong being smashed against her ears, getting more frightening as the distance between them disappeared. Eventually Mina felt this other person leaning over her body. Their gaze was unwavering as they searched for a tell-tale sign on the girl’s face.

“Luiza?” a voice from much farther away suddenly popped into existence. More footsteps followed as a third person made their way closer. It appeared that they hadn’t been in the same room along with Mina as their voice was hindered by some walls.

“Are you awake?” The question, asked as softly as possible, made Mina’s heart feel like it was missing beats. At least this stranger was a woman who spoke English. “I understand that you must be scared.”

The crack of a door across from them had Mina’s eye opening once more. Any hopes of playing dumb long enough to wait these other people out vanished. A deep, relieved sigh from above confirmed that she had been caught. An embarrassingly loud gasp passed Mina’s own lips when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. A light tug told the girl that this person was trying to encourage her to shift positions. An action that would finally expose Mina to the rest of the room and the two people currently residing in it.

Somehow, she ended up complying. Her first reaction was to blink up at the woman standing above her. Her suspicions had been correct that the voice had come from someone much older. In her peripheral vision she could see the other person standing patiently within a door frame. His age suggested that the two of them were likely married.

“What lovely eyes you have.” The woman gushed as if speaking to a niece or granddaughter she hadn’t seen for some time.

And what big teeth you have, grandmother.

“Um, thanks.” Her unsteady words wiped the little smile off the woman’s lips as she was brought back to the reality of their situation. “How did I . . .” Mina’s voice trailed off as she looked between the two.

“Get here?” The man spoke this time, his voice matching what she had heard before.

“Truth be told, we’re not exactly sure how you found you way to this village.” The woman took a few steps away from the girl, though it did little to make her feel relaxed.

“You were hanging over our fence when I found you this morning.” A few loud footsteps followed his words as the man moved to stand next to the woman. When he grabbed her hand in his, thumb gently rubbing her knuckles, Mina knew that they were indeed married. “Looked almost like you passed out while trying to climb over.”

“It’s a miracle that you didn’t freeze like that.” The things they were describing didn’t sound real to Mina. She did feel pain but most of it felt muted against the overall fatigue aching through her. It was a similar pain to waking up the day after running a long race. Nothing really stood out that would suggest that she had nearly died of exposure or hypothermia.

“I don’t remember trying to—” Mina stopped herself suddenly as a recent memory flashed into her head. It was of the last few moments before the car sped out of control. Then, suddenly, the sight of the man dead in the wreck.

Oh, f*ck he actually died!

“A guy—my driver—he’s dead in the car after w-we ran off the road—”

“Oh dear, it’s okay.” The concern lining the woman’s voice had Mina realizing that her own face had twisted into something of shock and horror. Her jaw slack as her mouth was opened in a silent scream. “You’re here now, after all.”

“Can I borrow your phone; I need to call the police.” The woman’s eyebrows scrunched together as Mina started to sit up. “Or rather could you call the police, I don’t speak any Romanian so it might be better if you guys did it.”

“Call?” The man drawled the word out as if it was a riddle in need of an answer. “With a phone?”

“I’m going to take a guess and say that neither of you have one then?” Neither tried to say otherwise. “How are you able to get in touch with the police then?”

“We don’t have, er, whatever that is.” Any anxiety that had gone away came back in full force as a wooly feeling crept up Mina’s spine. This wasn’t normal. Not even for Romania.

“Well, I mean, someone needs to come and help with the wreck and getting the . . . the body.”

“There’s not much of a point in going all the way back out there, especially if you can’t remember getting here.” Instinctively Mina clutched the blanket closer towards her neck. “Besides, if this happened during the night then there’s probably not going to be anything left of—”

“Ernest, please!” The wife chastised him in a way one would expect if fowl language had been said around small children. Not when discussing the remains of a dead guy. “She doesn’t need to hear that right now.”

“But he . . . and all my stuff.” A tension rising in the air made Mina shift her gaze to view the room more carefully. There was only one exit, apart from a window that seemed too heavy to even think about opening. Thoughts about how hard it would be to take down two old people swarmed into her mind.

“It’s not worth going back out there, trust me.” This had Mina unexpectedly letting out a strained laugh.

Trust you?! I’d trust you as much as I’d trust a ride from Ted Bundy!

“My phone, wallet and passport are there, I need them to get home.” The last word hurt her throat to say. Thinking about it only made her want to shake it out of her head.

“You can’t just go and wander off into the woods, especially in your state.” Internally she wondered if there was any validity to their argument. It can’t be all that bad out there if she was able to find herself here. Couldn’t she find herself back?

“Is there something bad out there,” her tone verged on being cheeky. By now she had started glaring at them. “Like wolves or something.”

“Wolves would be the least of your worries.” Ernest, letting go of his wife, walked over towards the window adjacent to Mina’s spot on her bed. She couldn’t really see what was outside of it as the glass looked thick and frost bit at the edges. “They’re nothing in comparison to the other monsters stalking—”

“No need to scare her more.” The woman once again moved to come to Mina’s side. This time she kneeled down next to the mattress. Now she was able to look at her and not down. “The fact that you’re still alive and in one piece is, as I said, a miracle. Mother Miranda has never before protected an outsider from—”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Mina scooched her body a little farther away from Luiza. “Who is Mother Miranda? Did she help me or something?”

“Mother Miranda has done more than help you.” The adoring smile that lifted onto the woman’s lips was downright disturbing. It was the type of look a crazy fan would get when talking about their celebrity crush.

“Mother Miranda is our protector—our provider—without her we would not exist.” Mina couldn’t help but nod gently at the man.

Ah, wonderful—a cult! Just what every girl wants to wake up in.

“So, she’s kind of a prophet? Like Jesus or something?” A part of her was cursing herself for even asking these types of questions.

“Prophet, protector, provider, caregiver, dear girl she’s everything!”

“H-Have you met her before.” The lines of her smile flexed just a bit, not enough to morph into a frown though.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to have seen her a few, rare times in our life. Not all the villagers can say the same.” She looked over her shoulder towards her husband, shooting part of that loving gaze towards him.

“Villagers? Is there a, uh, a lot of you?”

“Oh yes, or well, to us there is. To you it might not seem like a lot, but our community is filled with dozens upon dozens of wonderful and devoted people.” This conversation was starting to make her feel nauseous, though maybe the remnants of a hangover had something to do with it.

“This is . . . a lot.” Luiza shook her head and reached out for Mina’s hands. An icky feeling radiated throughout her as she let the old woman hold them. “Do you know when I’d be able to go home?” The ‘H’ word being thrown around seemed to affect more than just her own feelings as the two of them seemed dejected at it’s mention.

They both hesitated to answer. The act in itself told Mina all she needed to know. That nauseas feeling became even more physical as her stomach was flipping in on itself. In the bottom of her throat, she could already sense the beginning of bile churning up.

“Unless Mother Miranda wills it, there will be no one able to take you safely through the forest.” Ernest nodded along with his wife’s words.

“And no one really knows how far and how long it would be to get to the next area.” Luiza’s touch was becoming more uncomfortable. Her hands, being as old as she was, were nothing but bone and veins covered tightly by thin, wrinkled skin. Having them squeeze her own was more akin to being held by an alien instead of a human.

“Is there some way to get Mother Miranda’s attention? Maybe if I talk to her, she could—”

“Oh, she’s far too busy to deal with these things,” Mina accidently groaned outwardly, earning a sharp, yet brief, look from the woman. “Besides, she doesn’t actually live amongst all of us.”

Of course, she’s too f*cking busy! Just like goddamn Santa Claus!

“This doesn’t mean—” She cut herself off. The grip was becoming too tight and though this woman appeared to ooze patience, Mina was unsure how far it actually went. If TV taught her anything, it was that people in cults were literally willing to die and kill for their leaders.

“This must be so hard,” Luiza did her best to create a reassuring smile. Sadly, Mina did not trust anything that laid on these people’s faces. “You know, we’ve been talking so seriously for so long that we completely forgot to introduce ourselves.”

Yes, very hard.

“I’m Ernest,” the old man walked back over to stand next to the kneeling woman. “And this beautiful woman is my wife, Luiza.”

“. . . I’m Mina.” They both looked at each other as if this introduction was some milestone. A chip at the defenses this outsider had put up. “I, um, guess I should thank you for helping me.”

Yes, thank you for this wonderful introduction to your lovely cult. However, I’m going to have to decline your offer of Kool-Aid at the moment.

“Oh, don’t thank us—”

For the love of god don’t say—

“Thank Mother Miranda!” The smile Mina forced onto herself was one she felt deserving of an Oscar.

. . .

Luiza and Ernest ended up leaving the room shortly after. The door to her room was unfortunately the kind that could be locked from the outside. She heard it click loudly just before the two of them walked off. The man hadn’t given a reason for his dismissal, but Luiza had mentioned grabbing some tea for her.

Currently Mina was trying to shrug off the clothes she had crashed in. They were more than uncomfortable as holes and rips lined her jeans. Much of her exposed skin was raw and actively healing wounds that ranged from all sizes and depths. Her jacket was worse off and only the pink shirt underneath was truly spared from whatever she had gone through.

Her head, though she couldn’t see it within a mirror, sustained probably a signficant part of damage as the top of it was wrapped in a bandage that Luiza had chided her for trying to touch. She lightly patted the area now alone and realized that there was probably some stitching done while she was out. She silently chuckled to herself imagining how freaked out she would have been to wake up whilst a needle was being actively shoved through her forehead.

The act of getting everything off was harder than usual. It was like peeling off the shell of an overcooked shrimp. When everything, save for her underwear, was gone Mina finally went to grab at the ‘outfit’ Luiza had left for her at the foot of the bed. Though she hadn’t thought of it much until now, the outfits the two of them had been wearing where something completely out of a different time period. She’d only seen people wearing stiff dresses like Luiza’s at historical events or in shows.

The white, cotton nightgown in her hands was definitely straight out of a ghost movie. With long sleeves and a hem that went right below her ankles, Mina felt more than ready to go wandering around a mansion with nothing but a candle. With a huff, she ended up throwing the thing on. She had to scrunch up the sleeves to her elbows with how hot it quickly became.

Any hopes of surveying the window went away when a knock at the door had Mina diving back under the covers. Luiza didn’t wait for Mina to reply as she immediately opened the door. In one hand she balanced a wood tray with the grace of a veteran server.

“I put some crackers on a plate in case you were hungry.” The sick feeling came back at full force causing Mina to shake her head no. “I’m going to be making some soup for lunch but that won’t be for a few hours. Beef is better when it has time to break down.”

Gross, meat. What’s it really made of though? Immoral women? Dissenters? My driver?

Mina quickly covered her mouth with her hand as she ended up gagging from the thought. Luiza was too busy placing everything on the nightstand next to her to notice. When the girl finally got a clear look at the spread, she realized that the woman had brought more than just food and tea.

“Uh, what are the papers for?” Without warning, Luiza grabbed what appeared to be a stack of photos on top of a journal and placed it onto Mina’s lap. The girl let out a little yelp at the unexpectedness while Luiza turned back to pour the first cup of tea.

“They’re for helping you acclimate to our village.” The first item visible to her was a detailed drawing of what appeared to be a woman in a dark robe and a detailed white tippet. The woman’s features were hard to make out underneath some sort of gold masquerade mask. Her expression, from what she could tell, was far from warm and motherly. In the background was two mountains and a strange circular item that definitely gave off religious vibes.

“Is this Mother Miranda.” The woman nodded.

“Yes, it is,” Mina watched as Luiza stared fawningly at the portrait. “I’ve only seen her so many times, but I can say with certainty that she looks just like that.”

Uncomfortable with the attention being put on her lap, the outsider placed the drawing underneath the notebook. Now Mina was faced with something truly terrifying.

Holy Jesus f*ck what is that!?!

“Is everything all right?” Mina was convinced that Luiza was definitely not seeing what she was seeing right now. The newest item was a black and white photograph of what looked to be an unreal monster. A lovechild of the Creature from the Black Lagoon and the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

“Uhhhh what is—er—who is that?” Luiza co*cked her head to the side before realization hit her. With a laugh she lightly smacked her hand against her forehead.

“I keep forgetting how new you are, usually only little kids ask these questions.” The more Mina stared at the picture, the more she tried to reason with herself how something like that could possibly exist. “This is a photograph of Lord Moreau; he is one of Mother Miranda’s four children.”

God no wonder that woman looked pissed, imagine trying to push something like this out of your vagin*!

“The Lords are Mother Miranda’s biggest helpers; each have their own territory and their own responsibilities in helping keep our village safe.”

Second-in-commands . . . guess I need to worry about more than just one crazy cult leader. Hopefully Mr. Universe over here isn’t hard to outrun.

“What’s he like?”

. . .

The reservoir was encased in fog by the time the sun rolled up past the mountains. Bits of ice occasionally floated through the usually calm water as if they were tiny boats. Life in this territory usually felt nonexistent, especially with so many houses left abandoned. Despite the dullness of it all, Lord Moreau, the sole occupant of this area, happily waddled along the shore.

Though his body was comprised of mostly hindrances, a lack of feeling towards the cold was one thing he could count as a plus. The chill beating off the water did nothing to make this walk any less pleasant. Moments of joy for the Lord usually did not last long. Today was no exception.

Even though visibility was low, Moreau had spotted something caught on the pylons of one of the docks. From a distance it looked like just a tangle of dead weeds and branches. However, with each slow step forward, the Lord began to notice details that were not natural. By the time he had made it to the dock, he realized that what he thought was weeds was a mop of hair.

Dead bodies in the water were not an unusual thing to him. Especially ones that were as mutilated as the one he was currently hoisting up onto the damp wood. The Lycans had been restless the night before. It had been such a long time since a villager attempted to run away. They should know better by now.

“Would never run away from you . . . Mother.” A hacking cough followed his lone statement. Doubled over, he noticed something unusual about the corpse.

Their lower half was completely gone, torn apart below the waist as if done so by a large shark. In reality the Lycans had torn so harshly against his legs that they ripped the flesh carelessly. Most of their major organs had fallen out at some point between being passed around in a frenzy and then somehow ending in the water. If the Lord had to guess, one of them most likely got stingy with the body and tried running off with it.

From what remained of their upper body, Moreau imagined that he was looking at what used to be an older man. The hair was short, charcoal colored, and unkempt. Stubble grown over from shaving a few days ago littered his face haphazardly. Looking at him, the Lord didn’t really feel anything other than some curiosity. That curiosity, however, had less to do with the body and more to do with what he was wearing.

Though torn and ripped, the man had been wearing a leather jacket and a t-shirt. Both of which were completely foreign to the villagers. There was a possibility of The Duke having sold at least the jacket at some point, despite being told that it was not okay otherwise. However, the t-shirts in themselves had no place in the community. Especially a dark red one with such an inappropriate picture on it. It was hard to believe that there was a market for guys wanting to display drawings of big breasted women in anatomically incorrect positions.

Moreau had seen shirts like this in movies. They were the type worn by the skeeze ball character who was always trying to get with the love interest even though the love interest was always too good for them. Many of times he had been elated to watch the protagonist beat the guy up in the woman’s honor. In his mind it was a good thing that another gross jerk of the world was gone. Mother Miranda would be appalled to see a man wearing clothes like this.

It didn’t take the Lord long to notice a few other unusual aspects of the remains. This included multiple tattoos in great detail. The type that couldn’t be done with old-fashioned methods. The most telling of them all was the unmistakable black and white cross just below his neckline.

An outsider!

. . .

Mina was more than done with looking at Moreau’s picture when Luiza finished speaking. She had to admit that if the photo was unedited, which was most likely the case, then someone was apparently really good at practical effects. It would be the perfect new Universal style monster for a movie. If she got out of here, she’d be more than happy to spend the money to see it. Just not right now as it stared creepily back at her.

“Ah, Lady Dimitrescu!” Luiza spoke first after Mina put the photo underneath the pile. The newest one was also a black and white photograph, however, the subject of it was much more pleasing to the eye.

Ooo now this is the type of cult leader I wouldn’t mind bowing down too. I mean, damn, look at those mommy milkers!

“Talk to me about her.” Mina winced internally for how ‘eager’ she suddenly sounded. Luckily Luiza did not seem to mind it.

“She is one of the most elegant women you’ll ever meet,” Mina nodded as her eyes remained glued to the paper. “Her and her three daughters live in the castle above the village.”

. . .

Nothing good ever came out of Daniela being bored. Seeing Casandra walking down the hall leading towards their Mothers chambers was an open invitation for fun. Especially since sneaking up behind the maids had lost its luster. So many of them had become calloused to the more light-hearted aspects of her torment. If death happened, it would be from reacting poorly.

“What’s got your underwear in a twist,” the redheaded giggled. “Sis?”

“Have you seen mother?” Cassandra didn’t openly react to her sister’s mischievous nature. Her mood was already sour, and it showed in the way she folded her arms against her chest. “I just finished perfecting concerto number one in f sharp minor and mother promised that she’d listen to me at seven and—”

“Blah, blah, f sharp, blah—” Daniela had always preferred the violin over piano though her desire to play wasn’t all that much. Their mother insisted that they practice music even if they weren’t as enthusiastic as Cassandra. Having experience in the arts made for a more well-rounded woman after all.

“If you’re in need of an audience then I’ll be willing to listen.” A swarm of flies had zipped down the hall before materializing into their eldest sister. Bela’s demeanor wasn’t all that far off from Cassandra’s. It was less to do with disappointment though and closer to annoyance.

“I’ll listen too, but it will cost you—”

“If I wanted your opinions then I would have asked.” Daniela stuck her tongue out at the brunette in response to the spat-out objection. “Mother is the only one with real talent in this family.” Bela only rolled her eyes at this.

“Just go back to the opera room and wait for her,” Cassandra raised a stern eyebrow at the blonde. “If she’s late then it’s probably for a good reason.”

“I disagree, mother has probably forgotten about your little recital. You’d be waiting forever in that room before she bothers looking for you.” Bela narrowed her eyes at their youngest sister. Cassandra reacted similarly, however a twitch of her lips suggested part of the taunt had gotten to her.

“Just get out of my way, both of you.” Cassandra dematerialized before either sister had time to react. Their mother’s room was only a few doors away and Daniela was happy to run along after her, albeit in her human form.

Bela had every intention of turning around and walking away from her sisters when a sudden yelp sounded from their mothers’ room. It was enough to stop Daniela in her tracks whilst her elder sister joined her by her side outside of the door. They looked at each other puzzled before the voice of their mother rang out.

“Cassandra, what have I told you about knocking!”

“I’m sorry mother!” The sound of buzzing hit their ears for only a second before the flies flew out from the crack under the door. Cassandra did not stop to comment with her sisters and continued their escape down the hall.

Daniela burst out laughing as Bela tried not to imagine what laid behind the door. Whilst running away, Cassandra replayed the memory over and over in her head.

The first thing she had sawn upon materializing was not her mother but rather the bed. As well as the maid sprawled out upon. The brunette had recognized her as being one of the veteran workers. She had stunning, waist length black hair that shined like the coat of a raven. A deep blush had been smeared across her face while her limbs were tied up spread eagle style.

Shocked, Cassandra had turned away before coming face to face with her mother. The redness in her own cheeks did not come from agonizing lust but rather a deep annoyance as well as embarrassment. Her usual dress was long discarded and switched out for a black silk robe. Thank god for the robe.

No one wants to see their mom naked.

. . .

With there being such a stark difference between the two Lords, Mina wasn’t sure what the third picture would be. Perhaps a combination of the two? A person beautiful and horrifying? The thought of something like that was too tempting and, after having her fill of the busty woman, Mina finally placed the current picture under the pile as well.

What the . . . is that a doll?

“This is Lord Beneviento,” the old woman’s pointer finger drifted from the image of a woman in a black veil to the strange toy in her arms. “And her doll, Angie.”

“What, uh, is she like?” Mina paused. “The woman, I mean. Not the doll.”

. . .

“Can we go outside today?” Donna didn’t move her gaze away from her sketch book to look at the doll tugging at the ends of her dress. “Pretty please! With sugar, caramel, and cream on top?”

The Lord shook her head as she imagined what it looked like upstairs. Snow had beaten down heavily the night before however a slight uprise in temperature probably turned a significant amount of the snow on their grounds into mush. Angie would end up complaining of mud on her dress if they went outside so early.

“Let’s stay in.” An exaggerated groan left the dolls solid lips as she collapsed down against her friends’ legs.

“But the Lycans were so loud last night!” Ah, so that was what this was about. “I want to see if they caught someone.” The little giggle would creep out any normal person.

“It’s been so long . . . I don’t think there’s anything left.” It would be exhausting to scour the woods for a dead body that most likely was nothing but bone fragments. Angie might not feel the fatigue of walking, but she’d certainly act like it if they couldn’t find the corpse quickly.

“Ugh, we never get to play anymore.” Angie crossed her arms together like a petulant child. “Why is everything always soooo boring!”

“Mother Miranda will give us a new friend soon, don’t worry.” The little doll didn’t react to Donna’s faint, yet hopeful, words. Though made of porcelain, Angie knew that their wishes would go unanswered for a while. They weren’t the current favorite after all.

. . .

Mina didn’t know what to think of Lord Beneviento. The doll in her arms was the only thing in the photo that had some animation to it. If it had just been the woman, Mina would think only of funerals and ghost stories. In all honesty, she seemed rather boring in comparison to the previous Lords. Luiza had mentioned that the doll spoke mostly for her, and Mina couldn’t help but think of her as a gothic Jeff Dunham. Perhaps meeting them in person would be more entertaining than just the plain photo. So, once again, she placed another picture underneath the pile.

. . . Oh my!

The fourth photo was just as much of a puzzle to Mina as the others. The first thing she noticed was that like Lady Dimitrescu, this new man was seemingly normal. Only part of his face was visible to her as the scruffy hat on top of his head casted a shadow covering his eyes and most of his nose. Frankly, Mina thought that it was a rather good-looking portrait. The type she wouldn’t mind seeing on a dating website.

Now this is the type of guy I wouldn’t mind calling daddy~

“And last, but of course not least, is Lord Heisenberg!” Mina hadn’t realized that her lips were curved into a smile until Luiza spoke back up. For a few moments she had almost forgotten that this older cowboy looking man was a key part of this cult. “He’s regarded as the most powerful of the four Lords.”

Powerful enough to break my back—goddamn it no, we are not thinking like that!

. . .

Everything had been prepped in anticipation last night. Schematics were laid out semi-neatly next to a row of cleaned tools. Sterile wouldn’t quite be the word one would use to describe the layout of the area. For factory standards, it was clean enough. There wasn’t exactly much of a reason to worry about infection anyways. Less than stellar conditions wouldn’t be capable of killing someone all over again.

The lucky individual laid out upon the operating table was only half covered by a sheet that was almost as white as he was. No equipment was currently hooked up to him as any heart monitor would tell you that this guy was as dead as disco. In a few minutes, if all went well, there would be no heart to detect at all. Just the thump of a machine and, of course, the cadou.

A large thud echoed within the room as Lord Heisenberg unceremoniously laid down a recorder next to the operating table. His regular coat currently was laid out on a chair near the entrance of the room. It had been swapped for a dull brown apron that was more appropriate for a butcher than a doctor. The only other change to his outfit was that his sleeves were rolled up. No masks or scrubs or goggles.

In the background there could be heard the typical motions of the factory at work. It had long since become a white noise for him. Others might find it annoying but rarely did anyone living pass through his metal doors. The dead man laying on the table had only been recently procured. It was a lucky thing that it was still cold out and decomposition had not yet fully set in. Thus, he was a perfect specimen.

A couple clicks of a few buttons started up a soft rolling sound. Effortlessly he had started the recording. The scalpel on the table immediately flew into his hands as he steadied himself over the corpse.

“Medical log twe—”

Ring!

“f*cking bitch!” The metal tables around him suddenly separated from his side as if he had parted them himself. In the front of the room laid a rotary phone that had been starting to get dusty. Heisenberg zeroed in on the little thing like it was a fly in need of squashing. He shot out to it in a few heavy strides and grabbed it with a force one would expect for strangulation.

He barely paused to collect himself before seizing the phone and putting it up to his head.

“Hello,” it took a lot of practice over the years to not instinctively spit out greetings when it came to callers.

“Heisenberg.” Ah, wonderful, just what he wanted. A conversation with his lovely mother. “I have just received a call from Moreau—”

Of course, it’s the f*cking fish!

“—The body of an outsider has washed up into the reservoir following a Lycan attack. Go out into the woods and see if he was alone. I need to know if this was an accident or if he had intended to come to the village. Make sure nothing gets left behind.”

Do it your f*cking self you goddamn bitch! Or make one of the other asswipes do it! f*ck knows what the big bitch actually does outside of day drinking!

“Of course,” he sucked in a breath. “Mother.”

. . .

Mina didn’t like the way Luiza looked at her with Lord Heisenberg’s face in her lap. She placed his picture underneath the stack and moved it next to her on the bed. The older woman grabbed the forgotten teacup and put it into Mina’s awaiting hands. The steam had disappeared already, but the mug was still warm. Mina happily drank the contents up while wishing that there was a bit of alcohol in it. All this information was too much and too bizarre for a sober person to handle.

Hopefully this isn’t one of those dry cults.

“I’m going to check up in the kitchen, if you need anything then please feel free to shout.” Luiza smiled down as Mina nodded with her drink in hand. She walked away looking at her in a way that was a bit too lovingly for a stranger. “Afterwards we have much to discuss.”

“Discuss what?” Mina stopped her right as she opened the door.

“Well, there is something important you must know.” Wasn’t this all supposed to be important, thought Mina. “The others cannot know you are an outsider.” Mina subconsciously began to move her body farther away from the other woman. “You will not be as welcome as my husband and I.”

“Not gonna lie, you’re not exactly making a strong argument for your village.” Luiza frowned.

“They only fear the loss of their homes.” She sighed and forced a smile back on. “But I believe your presence will be the opposite.”

“Yeah uh . . .” She stopped before she could further incriminate herself.

“My husband and I have made a plan for you to stay and be considered one of us.” Hearing that aloud made Mina’s stomach lurch. Thank god none of the crackers had been eaten yet. “I feel it will work rather well but we must work on some things before we present you at church.”

“Present me?” Her arms wrapped around herself as if the nightgown had suddenly turned clear.

“Yes, it will be the best way for everyone to know who you are without coming to other conclusions.” Mina didn’t know what those other conclusions would lead to but if it meant fitting in enough to figure her way out then so be it. “My biggest concern is your accent and way of speaking.”

Mina had not stopped to think about that. While it had first confused her why Luiza and her husband spoke perfect English, it now made sense that there was still a big difference between the two of them. There was still that tone and jargon that matched that of other Romanian people on the outside who spoke English. Mina wondered if the two languages were taught from an early age. Or if Romanian was a language they still spoke at all.

“You’ll have to speak very softly and very little.” Not hard to do when you want nothing to do with crazy people. “We can work on some pronunciation before we go but luckily, we can blame some of your inconsistencies on your isolation from society.”

Mina’s eyes went back to the notebook covered in Luiza’s propaganda. This place felt like it was its own world. Connected to nothing but itself.

Chapter 4: Ré Nao (热闹)

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: Ré Nao (热闹)

Chinese Adjective: Usually translated as ‘lively’ or ‘bustling,’ but its true meaning goes beyond these adjectives. It refers to a fun, lively place with an inviting vibe that makes you want to be there.

. . .

Miranda had given him basically zero information as to where to body could have come from. Logically it made sense to look within Moreau’s territory first and move outwards from there. Unfortunately, Lycans were not all that intelligent and giving them complex orders, such as where did you find the outsider last night, was not something they could easily comprehend. Plus, Heisenberg wasn’t sure how many of them had actually found the dead guy. This could easily be the work of only a few of them.

With all that said, the metal Lord also had no intention of interacting with Moreau. This left him in a frustrating game of finding a needle in a haystack. One that he was sure Miranda had given him out of spite. Perhaps punishment for purposely cutting a gash into the big bitch’s hat last meeting?

Whatever the reason, Heisenberg was stuck combing the forest for any sign of the outsiders last whereabouts. A pocket watch had been brought along for the sole purpose of getting significantly more pissed off every time he checked it. He had his own dead bodies to worry about back at the factory and this particular one had already wasted his entire morning.

Stupid f*cking c*nt . . . and stupid f*cking fish freak

How he’d love to live in a world where he could actually scream those words out into the cold, woodland air. Sadly, even though he had yet to see any crows, this little corner of hell was always under the eyes of Miranda. There was no telling what she might hear. Only the factory was safe.

It wasn’t until midday that he noticed something particularly unusual. It started off as a smell, the remnants of exhaust fumes mostly. Then part way through getting closer to the source, Heisenberg caught what was an outstanding amount of iron in the air. Before he realized it, he was already walking through a trail of dried blood. The snow had covered it during the night but occasionally a tree could be seen with a couple droplets drying on its bark.

Finally, after what felt like a decade, the search stopped. In a tiny clearing lied the remains of a car crash. One that was still fresh as its headlights were still glowing yellow in the sunken snow. It was a miracle that it hadn’t caught fire given the state of how it must have ended up so far down here.

The vehicle itself was a small coupe, brown in color with nothing interesting about it. He didn’t recognize the brand but in style and age, it wasn’t that different from the few cars the villagers owned. The mangled license plate, and how close it was from edge of their connected lands, was all the truth needed to know that this wasn’t done by one of Miranda’s devotees.

With a sigh, he plopped the hammer onto the snowy ground behind him and approached the wreck. It was obvious from the way the roof had compacted that it had flipped several times on the way down. Two of the windows had shattered as glass was both in and out of the car. The passenger side door had been ripped from the hinges; the tell-tale marks of claws showed that the crash had not done that.

He sniffed the air and could tell that the blood was still fresh, but the source was completely gone. In the front seat he could see fragments of skin and organs so shredded up that they looked like confetti. A broken seatbelt twisted in the wind from the driver’s side indicating that the poor bastard didn’t even have time to unbuckle before the Lycans descended on him.

Shaking his head, Heisenberg let his powers lift the wreck into the air. A grating noise of broken car parts whined in his ears at the unusual movement. He might as well get something out of this field trip. Extra scrap metal was always welcome in his territory and having something from the outside world had additional benefits. The car followed behind like an obedient puppy, a sight that would have any normal person shrieking in fear.

Once back, he placed it among the scrap yard outside and began the process of stripping it apart. However, the moment he pulled the trunk door off, two blue suitcases came tumbling out onto the ash-colored ground. Each hitting the snow hard with bursting weight.

“What in the f*ck?” He circled the bags once, letting his eyes wonder across their bare surface. They were bulging over in size and the only thing about them that stood out was the rainbow-colored tags that adorned the handles.

Curiosity easily got to him, and he bent down to open the first bag. The contents practically flew out at him, angered that a stranger had gotten their hands on their owners’ property. He blinked several times as he took in the first layer.

There were at least six different folded t-shirts that covered another section of clothes. Heisenberg took his time examining each one. God, how long had it been since he had seen modern outfits. Was it the 90’s or early 00’s?

The art on the front of most of them really stumped him. Two of them had the words ‘University of Delaware’ displayed in neat fonts while the rest looked to be a reference to either music or film.

Below the shirts was a set of formal wear that keyed him in on the fact that this outsider, was a woman. Or, well, most likely a woman. All this time he had assumed that the dead body belonged to a man. Now that he thought of it, he couldn’t recall Miranda using any pronouns to describe the corpse. Kind of made sense that she hadn’t actually seeing as mother valued other people as assets. Names, genders, and cultures were meaningless to her.

Unlike her, Heisenberg had a slight curiosity for this person’s prior existence. At least in how it related to the world beyond Miranda. A place he strived to be. As he searched, he found other things such as bright dresses, way too short and tight for the villagers, and blouses in various blues and purples. Potential favorite colors?

When he dug through the rest of the bag he found jeans, shorts, underwear, and bathing suits. She preferred one pieces and he wondered if that meant she was a little uncomfortable in her body. Though, the necklines were usually revealing.

Something strange appeared after he removed all of the folded outfits. It was a small thing wedged up against one of the corners of the suitcase, about only three inches in length with a chain attached to it that one might use to hold keys together. Holding it in his hands, Heisenberg noticed that it was made of a soft, lilac felt you would use for a children’s toy. It kind of looked a bit like a hairless cat with big feet and short arms with no paws. The tail was long like one but at the end it thickened into an ovoid tip. Its eyes weren’t slitted like a cat though as they were modeled like that of regular, blue human ones. An unnerving aspect of it was that it didn’t seem to have a mouth, just a curved snout.

Though childish and not his style, Heisenberg found himself pocketing the little trinket instead of placing it back. The last contents of that suitcase were a heavy, sparkly bag filled to the brim with makeup that might as well have come from another planet to Heisenberg. Like, what the f*ck was a contour stick? And who needs six different types of foundation? Where does one put highlighter exactly? Despite his disorganized nature, he put them all back neatly. Hell, it was even better than before.

The second bag was a bunch of the same expect there were more dresses and tops. The tops were unlike anything he’d ever seen before in person. Most were really tight with a deep neckline that could basically reach down to a woman’s sternum. Then they were cut off in such a way that would definitely reveal a woman’s belly. Kind of defeated the purpose of wearing clothes at that point. The metal Lord wondered if this outsider was some type of sex worker. Or maybe that was just how things were these days. The clothing of the 80’s shocked him when the Duke had gotten his hands on a few automotive magazines. So, forty years later was a long time to get even weirder.

However, when he removed all the clothes, he began to think that he might be right about the sex worker thing. Because he burst out laughing as he brought up a pair of shoes into the snowy sunlight. They were sparkly white heels that, in his mind, only a stripper could wear. There was an inch of pure platform before the actual opening began. Altogether, it must have been six inches. Poor thing must have broken an ankle a few times if this was what she liked wearing. Sad to think that he would never get to see how she looked in them.

Or rather how she looked in them alive. He doubted that even make-up products and a set of sparkly shoes could make a mangled corpse look hot.

. . .

A Few Days Later

“Again, practice makes perfect.” Mina inhaled a deep, restricted breath through her nose. Luiza’s voice had started to sound like someone had put bricks in a dryer.

“Okay, okay . . . Great ones, hear our voice, together as one in reverence.” The girl paused, allowing the older woman a chance to interrupt. “We call on thee within the endless dark to deliver us into faiths hands—”

“Fate’s hands!”

“Fates hands . . . as the midnight moon rises on black wings, so we make our sacrifice and await the light at the end,” she took another breath in. “In life and in death, we give glory, Mother Miranda.”

“Wonderful,” Luiza decided. “Now say it again but this time don’t act like a petulant child.”

I swear to f*ck! Mother Miranda better be ready to catch these hands if I’m going to have to say another—

“Dearest, maybe you should take a break.” Ernest’s voice broke out from the hallway. Neither one of them had realized that he had come back inside.

Luiza glanced from her spot next to Mina towards the window. A reddened glow was peeking out from the glass as the remnants of the sun steadily fell below the mountains. Time had gotten away from the older woman whilst Mina felt that it had gone too slow.

“Oh, I haven’t even started dinner!” The woman was already up and pushing her chair back against the wall. Mina remained seated in her upright position at the bed, thanking the universe for giving this woman a reasonable husband.

The door to the bedroom slammed and locked shut as Luiza’s footsteps could be heard dashing towards the kitchen. She eventually heard the muffled sound of the two of them speaking, no doubt the man asking how their prisoner was feeling. He had been out for most of the day doing whatever people did normally in this place. Sacrifice some virgins? Burn women at the stake? Perform skits about abstinence for the youth group?

Mina wouldn’t know seeing as she hadn’t even seen more than half of their house. Let alone the rest of the village. Most of these past few days had been spent in a weird routine where she’d sleep for long hours only to wake up for Luiza’s bible study lessons. Her body, while still sore, was healing well. Staying put was making the crazy idea of escaping out the window sound more and more reasonable. All she needed really was something to pry off the nailed in shutter and technically she could try and not break something on the way down. Then, you know, run off into the woods in search of civilization. Preferably also not freeze to death.

For ten minutes Mina wandered the room aimlessly. There wasn’t anything of value to her, just some clothes and other household items. Nothing to use as a weapon and nothing that might help her contact any authorities.

“Mina,” a firm nock at the door had the girl flinching with a squeak. “Dinner is almost ready . . . do you feel well enough to come down?” It was Ernest who was speaking to her, made sense as he didn’t try to open the door like Luiza would.

“Y-Yeah, one sec.” She didn’t hear retreating footsteps and she imagined it was so he could help her if she couldn’t make the distance. Because of this she didn’t stay too long. All she did was fish out a pair of socks as the slippers in the room were ill-fitting.

When she opened the door, the man was standing against the opposite wall. The little smile on his face reminded her of a long-lost memory of her grandfather. He died more than fifteen years ago and all that remained of him to Mina were short pictures in her head of a man elated to see his youngest grandchild. Ernest and Luiza were the age of people who would have grandchildren, yet not one visitor had entered the house so far. Being stuck in one tiny village would mean that their kids wouldn’t have a chance to move far away as many adults did. So where were they? And why didn’t either of the two-mention family beyond themselves?

“Would you like me to . . .” The man looked at her arm, expecting that she might hold it out for him to grasp while they steadily went downstairs. Mina shook her head and took the first foot forward. He frowned at this but didn’t say anything in protest.

Luiza was already there when they reached the dinning room. Three plates had been set out with an anemic looking chicken breast on each one. The pan seared vegetables accompanying it looked devoid of spices as well. Mina had mentioned it more than once that she did not like to eat meat. Apparently, it went in one ear and out the other.

“Well look at you, out and about.” Mina gave her a half-smile as she sat down in the chair farthest from her. The last thing she wanted was to be close to a potentially upset, culty woman and a set of cutleries.

“Yeah, I’m feeling pretty good.” The look that passed on the woman’s face was more than unusual. She was smiling, seemingly pleased with the answer, but the ends of her lips were too wide. It was like she was forcing herself to react so positively. It didn’t help that her eyes were also too open, much like a psycho.

“Wonderful.” Luiza watched as Ernest sat down next to her before extending out her arms and grabbing his hand. Mina looked at the other free arm like it was a slimy, dead fish. She inhaled deeply before reaching out and holding on. “Let’s pray.”

Ugh, f*cking gross!

“My Mother, I am yours. You have created me for relationships with others and I praise you for the relationship I do have.” The Look on Luiza’s face as she recited was one of complete bliss. It sickened Mina almost as much as the chicken.

“Right now, I need your guidance – I need divine grace to know how to move forward.” The outsider furrowed her eyebrows at this. Was she speaking about her?

“Lead me to move forward with wisdom and love. Keep me from overly relying on emotions but to be thinking through how I can best honor you and your children with my life. In all things, may my every act be defined by a desire to be obeying your great command.” Finally, she released their hands causing Mina to quickly place it back into her lap. Luiza was still high on thoughts of Miranda to notice the girl’s displeasure.

Mina watched as the two of them dug into the chicken. Surprise, surprise, it was very much dry in the middle. Luiza was in no way a bad cook when it came to simpler things such as eggs. However, meat that wasn’t in a soup was more than dissatisfying in Mina’s eyes. Luckily, so far, she had been able to use the excuse that she wasn’t feeling well and therefore wasn’t that hungry. If this kept up, she’d lose an unhealthy amount of weight.

“I’m glad you’re well enough to walk, dear.” Luiza was looking straight at Mina now, her hands working on the meal without her need to see it. Mina reluctantly started on her vegetables as to have a reason not to look the woman in the eye. “Perhaps you might be ready to . . .”

“To?” She raised her eyes back towards the woman, an impatience radiated off of her downturned lips.

“To meet some of the others.” Ernest was the one who answered this time.

“Some? How much is some?” She huffed, fork stabbing into a piece of broccoli like it was a guy who had cheated on her.

“Only a couple of our closest friends.” Luiza reassured.

“They’re some of the elders of the town and therefore their opinions hold a great deal of weight.” Mina didn’t bother to hide the growl that threatened to leave the back of her throat. Older people meant crankier and less open-minded individuals. The two of them were practically setting her up for an informal pageant show, one with unrealistic judges.

“What happens if they don’t believe you guys?” The two of them shared a glance. “Are they going to burn me at the stake, sacrifice me to Mother Miranda?” This time she grinded her fork against the beige skin of her chicken. Instead of putting it into her mouth she swirled the points around and eviscerated its insides.

“They’ll believe us, we’ve always been two of the most devout followers of Mother Miranda’s wisdom.” Yet neither one of them were their matriarch or her Lord children. Their opinions could easily be dismissed. “I have never lied to them, even when I was a young girl.”

“What if they think I’m deceiving you,” the couple raised their eyebrows at her words. Did they not think about this possibility? “I mean, seeing as your both so kind, they might see it as me taking advantage of your good nature.” She couldn’t help some of the sarcasm that leaked out of her mouth.

“That’s why we’re going to make sure that you come off as innocent as possible.” Mina stopped mid bite at Luiza’s deflection. “If we make you out to be a simple minded and sheltered young woman than we’ll be able to dispel that you’re even capable of being wicked.”

“Simple minded?” Mina laid the fork back down onto the plate. “As in stupid, right? You want me to pretend that I’m an idiot.”

“We’ll, given that your backstory of living only with your father, most would doubt that he would have given you a proper education.” Ernest reasoned, eyes looking only towards his wife. “Though people know very little of him, he had always come off as a traditional man. You being a girl, he might not have ever prioritized your schooling.”

“Wonderful, you want me to pretend I can’t read too? I mean, what’s the point if even my own dad saw me as nothing more than a baby maker.” Her sharp words had Luiza smacking an annoyed hand against her scrunched up forehead.

“Can you not act so spiteful dear; Ernest and I are trying our best at giving you a fair chance in the eyes of the village.”

“Well maybe I don’t want a fair chance.” Both of Mina’s hands balled uncomfortably into a fist. “Maybe I want them to banish me back into my world.”

“For the last time, there is no going back!” Luiza stood up, face reddened. “You wouldn’t stand a chance leaving the village.”

“You don’t know that—”

“Do you know how many bodies I’ve found out there.” Both Luiza and Mina turned their heads towards Ernest. He was still sitting calmly, eyes downcast in reflection. “Every single person who had ever decided to leave . . . in some way they end up in those woods. Sometimes they’re intact, cut up with delicate precision . . . most other times, though . . . well, you never truly forget the way they look.” Neither woman interjected, not even a combative Mina. “When we say Mother Miranda protects us, we mean it as literal as possible.”

“There’s something in those woods Mina,” Luiza’s voice was neutral now. “And our Mother keeps it at bay. Not just from us, but the outside world too . . . they remain in those woods because not even she can fully get rid of them.”

“Monsters exist, Mina. Your people just have the privilege of pretending they don’t.” Mina felt like she had to restrain her own hands in order to prevent a plate from being shoved across the table. Her forearms were becoming stiff with how she clenched her muscles.

“But don’t you two ever wonder what exists beyond this village?” Not a look of consideration passed between the older two.

“Why would we when we live such blessed lives. One’s free of war, famine, and cruelty.” The outsider chuckled, head shaking back and forth like a swing.

“You know, there’s some really amazing things in the world. It’s sad that neither of you are willing to go out and see it.” Luiza narrowed her eyes at the girl for only a few moments. Clarity quickly spread back across her features.

“Why go looking in far off places when life is already splendid as it is.” The older woman’s eyes lulled, nearly closing in the process. “Tell me, were you truly happy at home?”

Mina flinched; it was almost like Luiza’s fork had struck a nerve in the back of her neck. She couldn’t immediately find the right way to answer. Logically she should pretend that everything was going right in her life. Neither of these cultists deserved the truth. Yet, why was it so hard to lie.

“. . . I have a good home, a good family.” The weakness of the proclamation had Luiza’s lips twitching upwards. A slight reveal of arrogance from making her point. The smirk barely lasted a moment, but it was enough for Mina to notice. An intense pressure funneled its way up into her lungs and outwards into her arms. She was practically shaking with a steam that demanded to be let out in the cruelest of ways.

“Neither of you know anything!” Both of her legs propelled her chair backwards and away from the plate. If she didn’t put space between her and the table than she was literally going to throw something at Luiza. “You’re all just a bunch of f*cking sheep!” In a flash she was up and marching away from the dinner table. Neither of the other two tried to stop her from going back up to her room.

When silence fell following a loud thump of a door closing, Luiza turned towards her husband.

“. . . Sheep?”

. . .

With her body recovering, and the loss of her regular medication from the crash, Mina found that sleep was harder to come by. She had cocooned herself in her comforter following the outburst at dinner. Luckily no one came to bother her for the rest of the night and the outsider was left to her own devices. With things going the way they were, Mina knew that there was no reasoning with the couple. They would never be willing to help her leave the village. That meant that a new, detailed escape plan needed to be created in order to get home.

First things first, I need a good layout of the village itself. If I can get a decent map than I might be able to figure out a safe path.

To her chagrin, Mina realized that she would have to play further along with Luiza and Ernest. The best way to scope out the place would be to do so as a regular villager. One that others wouldn’t assume was trying to break out.

“Mina,” a singular knock followed the sound of her name before the door to her room opened. The outsider had to flop onto her other side to see that Luiza was standing in the frame. Light had already begun to peak out from Mina’s window suggesting that it was morning time. Not once did she sleep in the hours between.

“Yes,” the most painful thing she could do right now would be to apologize. Just the thought of saying it made her throat burn up. Instead of doing this, the outsider put on a reserved tone, implying that she felt guilty.

“Do you . . .” the woman’s gaze fell to the floor. “Do you think you’re ready to meet someone.”

“Like one of your village friends?” Luiza nodded, her chest rising with a deep breath.

“I think perhaps . . . you might feel, er, a bit better if you got to go outside.” Mina had to hold in a snort. Did the old woman read her mind before walking in? “Being cooped up doesn’t seem to be doing you any favors.”

“Well, you’re not wrong.” Mina flashed a half smile.

“Interacting with other people, especially ones your own age, could really help you adjust to this place.” She didn’t say it, but Mina knew what was actually meant. Like seeing other people would magically confirm that this place was the bees’ knees. “But of course, we need to start getting you introduced to everyone in a way that won’t raise any issues.”

“Okay,” relief flooded onto the old woman. “When do you want me to meet the first person?”

“This afternoon.” Wait, what? “I always have my friend Byni come over for tea following lunch. I’ve already explained to her that I have something of great importance that needs to be discussed.”

“I-I only have a few hours to get ready to meet this lady!?” Gone was the façade Mina had started weaving. “But—”

“You’ll be fine, we’ve already practiced your background story more times than I can recount.” Luiza’s hand reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. An action that seemed rather shaky to the outsider.

Mina’s heart was thumping against her ribs. A heat similar to yesterdays was boiling through the girls’ fingertips as she desperately wanted to erupt into a series of curses. Was she actually being this f*cking serious? So much for taking things slow.

“Luiza—”

“How about I get you something to eat first.” She didn’t even stay to await an answer from her ward. The old woman was out of Mina’s sight faster than she could breathe.

f*ck, sh*t, I’m going to die! Is she doing this because she’s pissed off about yesterday!? She’s really going to risk my life because I called her a sheep and didn’t eat her nasty chicken—f*ck!

A series of other disturbing thoughts floated through Mina’s head whilst Luiza prepared a tray for the girl. Like every morning before, the woman brought the food upstairs instead of having the outsider come meet at the table. Maybe she didn’t want a repeat of wasted food.

When Luiza entered the room, Mina was staring at the wall with a glare that wanted to knock the house down. The woman was surprised how caught up the girl was as she hadn’t registered her guardian coming back until the plate was sitting on the bedside table. Usually, it took her longer to make breakfast but today all she brought was toast, jam, and a cup of tea. All probably for the best as her stomach wasn’t feeling up to cooked eggs.

“I’ll come back around noon to go over any final details,” Mina accidently growled. “For now, just eat up and think positively.”

I think I’m positively going to be f*cked by the end of this!

Chapter 5: Tatemae and Honne

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: Tatemae and Honne

Japanese Noun: What you pretend to believe and what you actually believe, respectively.

. . .

The hours went by too fast as Mina somehow fell into a deep sleep following her meal. It was the type of all-consuming slumber that was devoid of dreams and felt perfectly warm. Waking up to Luiza shaking her upper body was worse than having icy water sprung onto her. The older woman smiled lightly even though Mina groaned and attempted to roll over.

“Time to get up my dear, everyone’s waiting.” There was no hint of nervousness in her voice. Somehow that only worried Mina more. It took her a few moments, in which Luiza was using to help prop her up, for the girl to realize something was off.

“Everyone?” Now sitting up, her guardian moved to pick something up from the other end of the bed. She had to bring it up close to Mina’s face to show that it was a matching grey skirt and white blouse set. The girl reluctantly took it from Luiza as the older woman lifted the sheets off.

“Well, I thought that it might be better to invite all of our friends instead of making you repeat the same answers over and over.” If this were told to her before breakfast, Mina would have been fuming so hard that she would rip the buttons off of the blouse. Somehow, she could not really feel anything other than annoyance which came from being awoken.

“Luiza, you . . . can’t just—”

“Shh, everything’s going to be okay.” The woman manipulated her wards body so that her legs were now touching the ground. All she needed was Mina to stand up. “You’re going to do such a good job.”

“I . . .” Without another word, Luiza pulled her to her feet by her upper arms. Before the woman had left when Mina was in the process of changing. However, she made no move to go to the door. Instead, she bent down and firmly grasped the ends of the white nightgown dawned upon the girl. Mina gasped as air hit her legs, stomach, and chest. Her arms, feeling like they barely belonged to herself, were maneuvered so that Luiza could peel the last of the outfit off one arm at a time. With no bra, Mina was half nude with a lying cult woman.

The old woman had to motion towards the new clothes before the girl took the initiative to put them on. Doing so felt like solving algebra. Why was getting dressed so hard. God she was too sleepy to deal with all these people.

A thick brush ran through her hair with a careful precision meant more for squeamish children. Mina let her do whatever she wanted even if it felt dehumanizing. Luiza wanted a pretty bird at the moment, the type that chirped and only talked back what it was told. Not a grown woman in the middle of a crisis. To rub some salt in the wounds, the old woman braided the girl’s hair into two pigtails. Why not hand her a comically sized lollipop while she was at it?

“So pretty,” Luiza marveled. Mina did not respond, not even when her guardian grabbed her by her forearm and begun the process of walking out of the room. At this point things were what they were.

. . .

Mina could feel the warmth of the parlor room before Luiza even opened the door. With eyes briefly closed, she welcomed the soothing radiation. Unfortunately, when she opened them back up, the outsider was met with anything but relaxation.

Her guardians were the closest to the open door. With Luiza motioning for her to enter, smile plastered uncomfortably high, and Ernest leaning back against the wall within the room. There was only one spot open at the living room table as all the others were taken up by strange old people. The youngest being at least fifty-five. The atmosphere felt less like an after lunch get together or more like an intervention. Too bad it was for her and not the couple neck deep in the Kool Aid.

“Everyone, this is Mina.” Luiza declared with a voice too exuberant for the situation. Not one person at the table was smiling as the outsider slowly walked to the empty seat. She felt lightheaded on a scale similar to being high on weed. The fact that she sat down without stumbling or making a fool of herself was shocking.

“Um, hello?” The girl waved at them half-heartedly. The two women in the room nodded their head at her in response before looking back up towards Luiza. The woman herself quickly made her way to stand behind Mina, her hands holding on to the tops of her chair.

“I’ve already recounted your life from before but perhaps you might want to tell us on your own terms, hm?” Mina tried to look back at Luiza, but the sudden motion only made her head spin. She turned her gaze back towards the others who felt increasingly too close.

“I . . .” She took a deep breath; no strained high school presentation had ever made her feel this awkward. “My father and I . . . we lived out in the outskirts. He never took me to the village because he feared.” f*ck what was the excuse again? “He feared me getting too close to everyone. He always told me that the villagers did not worship Mother Miranda the right way . . . the only way.”

One of the men, a guy with a completely bald head and a bulbous nose, looked towards the woman beside him with a raised, thick eyebrow. She looked to be the same age but with wispy grey hair that was braided into a tight bun. If she let it loose, she might look like a witch. The display made Mina’s head hurt even worse.

“He used to tell me stories about the people here, that they would only lead me to damnation. I grew up thinking that if I even touched one of you, I would have to scrub my fingers to the bone.” At least that was somewhat true even if the exaggeration was a little much for the story she was putting together. The thought of putting a hand on their decrypted bodies was nauseating at beast.

“She was such a scared little thing when Ernest found her,” a pat on her back from Luiza had her flinching. A flash of sympathy reserved for children appeared on the other woman’s face. She was a brunette with grey hair appearing towards her brushed back forehead. Though she felt it was more akin to the reaction one would have in regard to an abandoned cat rather than a human.

“I wanted to run away when he came out from behind those trees.” Mina gave them a pathetic half smile. “If my father was still alive, I probably would have . . . but I was so lonely.” Her words were beginning to bounce around her head. It almost felt like her brain was gone and everything she said was hitting her hollow skull.

“And what of your mother?” The bald-headed man spoke this time, his voice sounding much like a seasoned smoker.

“I-I didn’t know of her.” She cursed the fumbling of the sentence. “My father refused to speak of her . . . said she was buried out in the woods.”

“We believe her mother was Iulia,” this was new. Luiza and Ernest had not spoken about a possible mother. Just to say that she had died at childbirth. “You all remember her, the girl who left after being summoned to the castle.”

“A body showed up not too long after she vanished.” The other man, a guy with black hair that was thinning out near the center, interrupted with a gruffness similar to the other man.

“You mean a shredded leg showed up,” Ernest interjected with a confidence Mina thought he was not capable of. “There was not any skin left after the monsters destroyed it, couldn’t even bury it properly since no one could find anything noticeable about it. Could have belonged to any outsider.”

The image of someone’s dismembered leg immediately reminded Mina of her deceased driver. His dead face was the clearest thing she remembered from that night. Everything else was in a haze worse than what she was going through now.

“She always did have a thing for brooding men.” The wispy haired lady blurted out quickly.

“And she was quite devout, much more so than her family.” If her head wasn’t everywhere, Mina might have accidently smiled at the seed being planted within both women’s minds.

“We could always find and dig up her grave, give her a proper burial.” The outsider froze, eyes going wide with a twitching fear. Luiza noticed even though she was standing behind.

“You’re going to rip her up out of the ground, completely ignore Mother Miranda’s wishes.” What the hell was this woman talking about, the outsider thought. “You all know that desecrating a grave is a sin punishable by damnation. The dead shall never be taken from their final resting place, every son and daughter deserve to sleep in peace within their mothers loving embrace.”

The bald-headed man instantly looked ashamed as he scratched his chin. Damn Luiza was good at instilling the wrath of god in those around her. She’d make the perfect TV pastor.

“Please . . .” Mina’s voice trembled like a scared toddler. “Don’t take her . . .” A silence fell between them all. Mina picked at the skin of her hands during the uncomfortable pause. She had started the sentence meaning to say something impactful but halfway through she felt like her mind had been wiped.

“You know, she does have Iulia’s hair color,” a creamy caramel brunette. She thanked her lucky stars that she never went through with dying it. “And her deep cheek bones.”

“Both of them were short, just like her.” The black-haired man spoke this time. The woman beside him nodding.

“It’s hard to believe the old coot ever had kids,” The bald man chuckled as he leaned back. “But I guess every man has needs to be met, a pretty young girl knocking at his door would’ve kept him satisfied for a while.”

Gross, I feel so bad for my not-mom.

“Do you know how old you are?” Mina didn’t respond as she racked her head trying to remember what her guardians had advised her to say on the matter.

“She’s twenty,” Luiza’s voice had the outsiders’ eyes widening a bit. That was four years younger than what she actually was. Back then she was still in college and very much feeling like a kid. Four years might not be a lot for older people like them, but it seemed to be worlds away to Mina.

“Really, would’ve guessed seventeen.” Ah yes, she almost forgot. Permanent baby face that still got ID’d even with heavy amounts of makeup.

“Probably younger than that mentally,” though it was whispered, Mina very much heard the bald headed mans comment to the woman next to him. If she was in the right state of mind, she would have been able to process what he said faster and reacted. However, the conversation was going forward as she was left trailing behind.

“Poor thing hasn’t been getting enough to eat.” Luiza cooed, eyes downcast towards her wards pale face. “With time and patience, Ernest and I believe we can acclimate Mina to the village. She’ll be a dutiful woman in no time.” Though she couldn’t properly mull it over, the outsider felt chilled thinking about what Luiza believed was a ‘dutiful woman’.

“You do understand, regardless of age, taking her in isn’t the same as raising a child—” The black-haired man stopped suddenly, his thin lips curling in some sort of displeasure. “On top of that, no one here can know how the others will react to her addition.”

“I’m not even sure I know how to react myself.” The brunette deadpanned with a low tone.

“I’m well aware that this won’t be easy for any of us.” Mina nearly scoffed. “But her being here now is of the will of our mother and I am not about to disappoint her.”

“We’ve already considered the best way to go about introducing Mina into the village.” Ernest, for what felt like the first time, spoke up. “It is our hope that you all will be able to talk to your own families and friends before her formal appearance at church.”

“If you’re not planning on keeping it a secret, then the both of you should expect a few curious visitors in the next two days.” The black-haired man chimed in; lips pulled into a small smile. He and the two women seemed a little less anxious as their postures had slackened.

“And we’ll happily welcome them.”

. . .

Mina was hurried back upstairs after a few minor questions. No one objected to her departure as she looked the part of a frail scavenger. Years of malnutrition and proper socialization making her awkward and unenergetic. For now, the outsider happily complied with her guardian’s request as she wanted to be buried under blankets. She felt as if she could sleep through the two days she had to collect herself.

Sleep came as easy as breathing and before she knew it, Mina was dipped back into her dreams. This morning she had dreamt of nothing, just little images as meaningless as early exhibitionist cinema. Now, however, she felt as if she was alert in the way only kids felt. When she awoke she’d remember how sad it was that her mind vividly placed her in the same snowy hell she currently was in. Not some nice beach with hot babes and margheritas.

She spent the entire time running around, trying to talk to the people minding their own business. None of them concerned with how cold it was and how far away they were from civilization. They treated her like a ghost, smiling all the while they aimlessly wandered. Eventually Mina grew exhausted talking to holographic people and ended up collapsing on the ground. The warmth she felt right up to the end is what she always imagined the end of hypothermia felt like. The perfect nap that you didn’t have to leave. She had gotten close to that once long ago while in the arms of an ex.

She’d take the heartbreak all over again if it meant she didn’t have to wake up in this place. Mina honestly wasn’t sure if she was lucky when the following days went by with long periods of sleep, only occasionally being lucid enough to talk and eat with Luiza.

“It’s inappropriate to speak in church if you’re not leading sermon, rarely will anyone be called to interact.” She had brought saltine like crackers for lunch, that was as much as Mina remembered outside of her rants.

“Regardless of how you treated your own parents, Mother Miranda should be held in the highest regard. That goes for her children as well. They’ve played a significant part in our wellbeing and should be respected. Never speak negatively of them in the presence of others.”

Bottle up my grievances with them forever, got it. I’m sure it will fit with all the other things I’ve been hiding from my therapist.

“It’s okay to take things slow, there will be some villagers who will also need time warming up to your presence. Don’t take it too personally, we’re not the type of people who react well to large changes.” There had been chicken soup, Mina only drank the broth and let the contents sag to the bottom. Luiza was starting to get peeved about the wasted food.

“Things might be hard now but just you wait, a little over a year from now you could be walking down the road with your own little family. As a much older woman, I can tell you that there’s nothing more important in life than the family you create.”

Maybe my kid will be lucky and get stuck in a different cult. One that at least has Wi-Fi.

“You’ll have to excuse some of Luiza’s behavior. She gets so passionate that sometimes she forgets that not everyone is as enthusiastic about her plans. Right now, all she is thinking about is the end goal. The possible future of you leading a happy life here. She’s not really seeing all of the struggles that come before it. If it helps, just know that I see you. And soon I won’t be the only one.”

. . .

There was no sun out when Luiza opened the door to Mina’s room. The outsider quickly woke up as her guardian’s footsteps were booming against the wooden floor. Even though she had been out of it for so long, a sinking feeling told her that today was the day. Why else was the woman digging out the crispest dress from the closet. A little hum that reminded her of early Disney movies was gleefully escaping her guardians’ lips as she went around.

“Oh, good you’re up, and here I was thinking I’d have to pour some water on you.” Mina narrowed her eyes. Not out of annoyance but rather half-awake confusion.

“Is today . . .”

“Sunday, yes it is.” How was she not nervous? Mina certainly was as her throat felt like it was parched beyond belief. “Breakfast is already ready downstairs; we’ll be leaving right afterwards.”

“So soon.” Mina gulped, face heating up in a panic. The room was suddenly too hot.

“Usually, I get there early but it’s best that you’re not seen until the introduction. Ernest will hide you until everyone is inside.” Mina could only nod. “And try not to look so panicked, not everyone will be so happy to see you, it’s a given. Just ignore it and take everything in graceful strides.”

I’m so going to haunt this bitch if I die.

Chapter 6: Gezellig

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: Gezellig

Dutch Noun: This all-encompassing word is often translated as “cozy,” but it describes an atmosphere which is a whole bunch of warm fuzzy feelings all wrapped up in eight letters – cozy, pleasant, friendly, convivial, quaint, fun, sociable, delightful, togetherness, belonging.

. . .

Mina didn’t see anyone when Ernest and she left the house. Luiza had already walked off a few minutes before hand as she wanted to make sure that everyone was already inside and seated. It was best that no stragglers lingered long enough to question the girl trailing behind Luiza’s husband. Today’s service was supposed to be a way to avoid retelling the same story to each person she came across. God knows Mina would not be able to keep up her innocent charade after being annoyed over and over again.

“It’s rather warm out today,” Ernest declared with eyes looking anywhere but Mina. The girl stifled a grumble as she trotted through the now slushie snowed ground. Her boots were pretty old, and she could already feel dampness invading her socks through a vulnerable seem. “Perhaps a good sign.”

It’ll be harder to burn me at the stake if all the wood is wet so I guess he might be right.

“Luiza will open the door up for you when she’s ready for you to come in.” He announced after some painful silence. By now the church was coming into view as well as the haunting castle behind it. “I’m going to have to leave you outside while she get’s everything started. Think you can take care of yourself?” A half-smile shifted onto his face. It was the only indicator to Mina that he was trying to put some humor in the dull air. His gruff tone otherwise stayed the same.

“Understood.” She sniffled, the chilled air already causing her nose to run.

“It’ll be over before you know it.” Mina choked on a stifled laugh. The uncomfortable trek through Romania should have been long in the past for her. A quick memory forgotten amongst grains of Mediterranean sand.

Nothing else was said as the two stopped in front of the church door. This would be the first building she’d enter since coming into Luiza’s home. The outside of the place wasn’t unlike Luiza’s own. The wood carvings had that creepy folklore aesthetic one would get from Midsummer, or something rooted in the early 20^th century. She did have to note that the whole place looked rather run down. Not exactly somewhere that would look nice on a travel AD.

Come to our village, a place that you’ll literally never leave. We have spooky-ass monsters to make sure of that.

“f*cking inbred c*nts.” Mina spat the words out like they might physically harm the door in front of her. A few days ago, she might feel a little shame for using the harsher side of her vocabulary. “I hope y’all kick me out, I’d probably be happier dying in the f*cking snow than playing around the maypole with a bunch of douchebags.”

Dismayed, the door opened suddenly in her face. Shock luckily hid what had been a deep grimace in time for the big reveal. The first thing she noticed was Luiza standing off to the side of the door as the first pew of strangers leaned forward to look at her.

The church had a small corridor before opening up into the larger sermon room. Because of that she was not able to see the people sitting behind the starting row. The seconds in which she stood there motionless caused some people in the second row to fully reach over the seats as to also get their look.

Too many faces were revealed to her all at once and it was making her want to throw up. She might have started to walk backwards had it not been for Luiza reaching a tender arm out to grasp her left shoulder. The old woman’s touch had her flinching visibly, a move that seemed to arose some compassionate looks from two older women in the front.

“Don’t be shy, my dear, everyone wants to meet you.” Mina had heard that sweet tone before. It was the way Luiza had first sounded on the day she had woken up. The carefulness of each motherly utterance had slowly faded as the older woman grew impatient with the outsider’s attitude.

“I wanna see, mamma.” An unknown child’s voice carried over to them as Mina let Luiza drag her inside. Each step hurt the girl’s knees as the muscles in her body ached with anxiety. So much of her mind was working overtime to maintain steady breathing. As long as she kept it up, she could avoid an all-consuming panic attack.

“Mina, I’d like to introduce you to our wonderful community.” Her free hand ushered to the crowd of people gawking at her like she was the latest and greatest technological innovation.

“Hello . . . everyone.” Mina’s voice was a little too soft as some of the older people in the back wrinkled their faces as they attempted to understand what was said.

“That’s his daughter,” a worn down old man in the middle of the row sneered at the two women. Of all of them, he seemed to show the most outward negative reaction.

“Papa, please.” A young girl next to him whispered, trying to get her father away from the limelight. “She looks so scared.” Mina blinked, picking up on that despite the distance.

“Leonardo, even though she is unfamiliar, she is no different from you and your daughter.” One hand rose to rest against Mina’s cheek, her thumb softly caressing the reddened dimples. “Her skin is just as fair as the snow and her body is built the same as every other girl.” Luiza reached out, taking Mina’s hand in hers, holding it up for others to see. “She is one of our own.”

Guess I’m lucky I opt-ed out of that spray tan.

A few faces in the crowd nodded, looking at each other as if Luiza had made some sort of irrefutable point. Most of them were of women close to Luiza’s own age. People that Mina suspected were mothers who saw something of their children in the freighted doe eyes of the outsider. A girl they assumed to have grown-up without a mother of her own.

On the other hand, the older men like Ernest were unreadable. Some looked rather stern, and she wasn’t sure if that was what they always looked like. Old guys usually looked pretty pissed off to exist anyways. All of the younger people were leaning closer to eager curiosity, regardless of gender.

“Sergiu may have kept her from the world, but he had made sure to raise her with the same love for our mother as every parent does.” The other hand on her shoulder squeezed her. “Isn’t that right Mina?” A deadly silence filled the room.

“Y-yes.” God, nearly every older woman in the room placed their hands against their hearts as pity crossed their features. She hadn’t meant to squeak the word out like a kitten but at this point it was all working in her favor.

“Our mother watched over me when . . . my father could not.” She closed her eyes, unable to take in everything. Her throat hurt as she tried not to imagine her own parents. The people she was denying ever existed as they were very much alive and clueless as to her whereabouts. It was like she was actively disowning them. “I-I owe my life to Mother Miranda, for it is she who had held me in her loving embrace, protecting me in every moment I felt alone.”

“I feel her presence with us,” Luiza asserted. Mina’s eyes accidently widened a bit as everything suddenly started to feel like one of those TV sermons. The ones with the multi-millionaire preachers in big castle like churches. “I’ve felt it the moment I looked upon Mina’s face for the first time.”

The adoration Mina saw as she looked into Luiza’s eyes was overwhelming. No romance or family movie had ever conjured up a look this intense. It left her with wide eyes and a mouth slightly parted in terrifying entrancement. Her guardian was some mix of Ursula, Mother Gothel, and the stereotypical pastor’s wife. This whole thing was ridiculous and unreal, how could she actually be living through this bullsh*t. Where was the camera crew ready to announce that she had been punked?

“Such a blessing,” an unknown woman cooed. Mina could feel a wave of overflowing emotion drift into her shaking body from the crowd. Damn Luiza was good at this.

“I told you, Tassa. Mother Miranda truly does reward and protect her devoted children.” A girl no older than six gaped up at her mother as she looked between her and Mina. Did she just become a model in this kid’s eyes?

“Isn’t she cute, Stefan.” Another woman whispered, or attempted to whisper, to a young man next to her. Mina heard it as they were in the front row, despite the murmurs echoing in the room. The boys’ cheeks instantly lit up.

“A blessed girl is bound to be fertile.” Mina nearly gagged as the older man next to Stefan suddenly declared. “Lots of healthy sons.”

“Please end this,” Mina had craned her head as to speak as quietly as possible into Luiza’s ear.

“Why don’t you take a seat next to Ernest, dear.” Luiza resounded, her voice silencing most of the area. “We do have a sermon to start, after all.” Mina didn’t hesitate and zeroed in on her male guardian sitting next to the wall in the front row. She immediately went to him and had him scooch towards the rest of the villagers as to give her the seat away from all the others.

“With all of this said, I think it would be fitting to focus our attention on family today.” The room was now totally silent as Luiza remained standing in front of the alter. She had told Mina that the elders rotated each week as to who would deliver the sermon. There didn’t seem to be one particular priest to guide them.

“Mother Miranda has declared us all as her children, however, we all are aware that the Lords are the most sacred of her family. They have been blessed in a way that each one of us could only dream of. But, in doing so, they had to prove themselves first to our Mother that they were dependable beyond what any normal human is capable of.” People were nodding all around, mostly other women like Luiza had their eyes closed in some type of deep thought.

“We may all have been born into her family, much as we are own born into our own flesh and blood families, however that does not mean that we are immediately deserving to remain in her good graces.” While everyone was thinking only of Mother Miranda, Mina was brought back into thoughts of her parents. They seemed like saints in comparison to the picture Luiza was creating.

“I feel that we should regard each Lord as representatives of the children we should be to Mother Miranda and our community.” Her withered hand motioned to the pictures behind her as she walked slightly to the side to give a better view. Mina’s eyes scanned each one but quickly found that she was looking mostly between Lord Heisenberg and Moreau.

Moreau because she seemed to always find something new about his ghastly figure in his portraits, and Heisenberg because she swore he looked like a cowboy in one of her dad’s old spaghetti westerns. He was no Clint Eastwood or John Wayne, but he was something like their characters. The mysterious and dispassion of his lips underneath the shadow of his worn hat drew her in like a complicated painting. What type of man was he? Actually, what type of people were the Lords in general.

“Lord Dimitrescu is the height of refinement and grace, a woman truly cultured and poised as any lady should be. Her castle runs on her command, not one of us could possibly handle such a large home.” Did that mean she was stuck up? Mina thought her portraits were rather stern. Like the woman in The Devil Wears Parada. “As wives, we should look up to her as a testament to how we each can run our own homes with grace and patience.”

Eww, rigid gender roles.

“Lord Moreau is the guardian of our very waters, through him alone we maintain such a vibrant reservoir. I believe every husband can look at him and see a man dedicated to keeping Mother Miranda’s lands healthy and abundant. Our village is small in comparison to the scenery around us. Together you can provide for your families despite the burdens that come with labor.” Oh god it was so hard for Mina not to roll her eyes right now.

How the hell does someone take care of a lake anyways? It’s not like there’s any pollution or pesticide run off to taint the place. Kind of an easy job if you ask me.

“Lord Beneviento works in ways that we don’t always see. From her home she grows beautiful plants and creates gorgeous replicas of the human form Mother Miranda has allowed us to be born into. Her talent is unmatched by any seasoned seamstress or gardener.” Mina quirked an eyebrow at her guardian. “Children, understand that all of your contributions can lead up to becoming talented creators and providers. But in order to do so, you must be willing to work through many challenges.”

So, she grows flowers and does crafts . . . that it? Mother Miranda must not trust her with real sh*t then.

“Finally, Lord Heisenberg is the type of man every son should want to become. Hardworking, responsible, and unbreakable. Never once has the factory ceased to operate in perfect clockwork. He has taken note of his siblings’ prior accomplishments and used their example to serve Mother Miranda to his best abilities.” Mina didn’t even look at Luiza as she spoke. Her eyes were trained on the Lord’s portrait as she attempted to find any clue that he was the type of man her guardian was hyping him up to be.

Probably a total mamma’s boy if he works this hard.

“We should respect each Lord as they all have examples we can learn from. We all are working towards the same goal and how we get there is determined on our will alone.” Luiza was starting to get too stern. She’d be perfect at making one sibling feel like sh*t in comparison.

“There is no excuse as to why we cannot perform to our best abilities. Mother Miranda will know when we are not living up to our standards.”

She must be f*cking disappointed in my snarky ass.

. . .

The rest of service went off without any issues. At some point Mina zoned out as Luiza went on and on about metaphors and expectations. It didn’t seem that far off from a regular religious sermon except with the love of some creepy lady named Mother Miranda instead of Jesus or whatever. The Lords were mentioned throughout and only at their names did Mina slightly come out of her thoughts. It was mostly just to inspect the haunting photos again and wonder various aspects of the Lords. What did they sound like? How did they act?

Are they even actually real? This whole thing could be some sort of scooby-doo type sh*t with someone manipulating smoke and mirrors. f*ck, someone around here is pulling some strings. Kind of like that one M. Night movie.

All she knew was that someone knew more than they were letting on. And she highly doubted it was the exact figure in the largest frame on the alter. The photos looked kind of old, she wouldn’t be surprised if these people actually existed at some point. Though they were likely long gone and someone else had taken their place. Why else were they rarely seen? And whenever they did it seemed, from Luiza’s testimony, brief and not all that up close.

Kind of like Disney cast members dressing up like the characters. They get a new one every other year and none of the kids notice.

Finally, Luiza ended her speech and told everyone that they were free to leave. The first thing Mina did was grab the coat sleeve of Ernest. It was much like a child in an unsure area. The man seemed to sense that and immediately stood up before most others could. With a hand against her back, her guardian began maneuvering her towards the door.

“She’s something else, isn’t she?” Ernest interjected right before one of the villagers could open their mouth to say something to Mina. Internally the outsider thanked him graciously.

“Yeah, she did a good job.” Mina didn’t look at Luiza as they left. She was too caught up with all of her friends and neighbors coming up to her to say their praises and harp on Mina’s character. At least most of them had the decency to respect the shyness of the girl barely acclimated to their society. She didn’t mind that Luiza spoke on her behalf, talking of her future in the village and all she could contribute.

“It’s okay if you want to sleep when you get home, I don’t expect you to socialize with everyone at once.” The outsider nodded, her eyes growing heavier as the cold air hit them. Ernest seemed to notice as he sped the two of them up the hill to the house.

. . .

There should have been no light in the village when Mina woke up again. It was a new moon out and the night had fallen a while back. Most families had finished dinner and children were already tucked into bed. Despite this, there was an unusual speck of light that popped up when Mina passed the window to get to the bathroom. It was enough to have her backtracking as to view whatever it was.

It didn’t come from the castle as she was facing away from the main gate. Whatever this light was, it came from within the village. She peered through barely awake eyelids and found very little to be seen. A sensible person would stay away from this as it was of course the most obvious sign of a horror movie. However, a streak of curiosity built in the restless legs of the outsider. The light was small and would likely come from a streetlamp had there been one. It was close to houses and not hidden within the forest.

In one moment, Mina was looking through her frosted glass window. The next she was walking outside in a nightgown, jacket, and hastily tied up boots. She could only remember a few memory frames of her leaving the house and ending up on the village trail.

Wait, what the actual f*ck am I doing?

She shook her head painfully as she finally came to a halt next to the graveyard. Her mind wanted to turn back but her eager body wanted to continue the walk. Maybe she could just circle the houses and not go the way of the light. She really just needed a good stretch after all. Best to stay away from strange things.

Just going to hike my ass back—. . . is that humming?

A soft tune was trotting past the graveyard and Mina herself. The tune was familiar, but she couldn’t place the name. She swore up and down that she had heard it on the car radio once some years back. A popular hit of the early 2010’s. Or at least it could be.

Normal person!?

Without thinking, Mina let herself be carried to the source of the sound. It didn’t take her long to round a corner and come face to face with a sight she definitely would never have guessed of.

“Well, well, I’ve never seen your face before.” With a flinch, Mina attempted to turn around but the surface beneath her was too frosty and she ended up flat on her butt before a caravan housing the largest man she had ever seen. “New in town?” He chuckled.

“Um, yes.” She took her time getting up, rubbing at her back as she approached the man. “I didn’t see you at the church today.” Her voice was only loud enough to rise above the winded air. Though out of range, she feared a villager coming out to join them.

“You’re very right.” He was smiling despite openly admitting to doing something Luiza saw as blasphemous. “I’m afraid I don’t have much time for worship. I’m not exactly a religious person anyways.”

“Who are you?” He lit up at that, a face that creeped her out amongst the blackness of the village.

“Well, I’m but a humble merchant dear girl.” She stifled a snort; he didn’t sound anything like that. “The name’s Duke.”

“Nice to meet you sir.” A silence passed between them as the man raised his eyebrow at her. It took her a few moments to realize what he was waiting for. “My name is Mina.”

“Mina,” the corners of his lips turned even more upwards. “Are your parents fond of horror novels?”

“My dad is,” she trailed off before she let out a silent gasp. “O-or well he used to be.”

“Hm, I see.” She shivered under his gaze. The warmth he had been given turned colder than everything around her as her heart sped up. “Last I checked, your father wasn’t able to read. Let alone a classic.”

“You know—”

“If you’re going to stay here you should attempt to keep your story straight.” He lit up a cigar that seemed to come from nowhere. “The villagers may seem simple but that doesn’t mean they aren’t cautious. One hint of doubt could lead to a storm you can’t dream away.”

“f*ck, please, I—” Her eyes became glassy all at once.

“Dear Mina,” he cooed. “Your life before I met you today is of no importance to me.” Her jaw dropped as the man shifted in his spot. “It’s not as if the other villagers care to talk to me about anything more than business.”

“Oh.” The Duke was just as much of an outsider as she was. Yet, if Luiza was right, then what he provides must be of more importance than their superstitions. “Thank you.”

“How very polite of you,” she co*cked her head to the side. Were ‘please’ and ‘thank you’s’ not plentiful around this place. “It will be nice to have a customer like you for a change.” She didn’t know why that made her sad. He hadn’t once frowned at her or shown emotions other than eagerness and mirth.

“Er, well, I’m not exactly in the right place to start spending money.” Her left hand subconsciously nestled into the back of her hair. “Gots to get a job first, you know.” He didn’t join her in her uncomfortable laughter.

“Indeed, a job is a necessity around here.” His hand motioned to the entirety of the dull landscape hidden by shadows. “However, while I am a purveyor of goods, I am also a buyer of one.”

“So, you’ll, like, buy things from me?” She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of bartering random things like Luiza’s chickens or scraps of wood and metal. Maybe he’d buy some of her long hair for the creepy Lord’s doll making.

“Of course, one cannot have too much of something.” She shook her head, breathing a laugh out of her nose. “Though, if you’re interested in making a good number of Lei, the area has a fair amount of crystals hiding around.”

“Crystals . . . seriously?” Truthfully, she had yet to see one. Strange since she always had friends who were into that sort of stuff.

“Why of course, they have plenty of uses.” Mina swallowed an obnoxious chuckle. Was this man a hippie too? “And for many they’re considered to have spiritual properties.”

“Ugh, tell me about it.” Images of holistic stores near her home flashed in her head. She had gone into a few of them way back when. There were always baskets of different gemstones lying about alongside of descriptions of their ‘medicinal’ use. Amethyst to promote power in oneself, opal for meditation, and Emerald to bring about great love.

“Well, regardless of what power they actually have, I’m willing to pay generously for it.” Mina’s lips rose a bit in what felt like a long time. “I have a few things that I know you would want in return.”

“How do you know what I want?” He didn’t immediately respond. Just let his weird smile brand itself into Mina’s brain.

“What you want, dear girl, is also what I want~”

“. . . You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?” He chuckled, looking at her like she was a small child.

“I am simply a man interested in making your life a little better,” she co*cked her head to the side. “For a price, of course.”

“How noble of you.” Deadpanning, Mina’s eyes briefly browsed some of the visible things The Duke had to offer. Nothing really stuck out as it seemed tailored towards what the villagers would want instead of her.

“Hey, can you tell me anything about the people in charge here?” He took a long drag of his cigar, eyeing the way she placed a hand on her hip.

“I assume you’re referring to Mother Miranda and the four Lords?” She nodded, almost rolling her eyes in the process. “I’m sure you know much about their history already, seeing as you’ve attended mass. They alone are the ones running things around here. Though, they prefer to keep to themselves for the most part.”

“Have you ever met them?” Her voice was lower than before despite no sign of anyone else in the area.

“Yes, I’ve had the pleasure on multiple occasions.” He spoke casually, like he was referring to some guy off the street and not mysterious cult leaders.

“Recently?” There was no way in her mind that it was possible.

“Indeed, I actually happened to see Lord Moreau about, say, four days ago.” Her eyes went wide, jaw slack. Her mind attempted to process what was being said but nothing rational was coming to. Only one answer seemed to make some sense.

“I think I better go.”

“Ah yes, it is rather late.” Her body turned around, but her eyes kept contact with the man and his cart. If she blinked he might disappear. “Goodnight, dear Mina~”

. . .

The walk home happened in a blur. So much so that Mina woke up the next morning questioning if The Duke was just the product of a strange dream. The type that she was increasingly having despite not having taken her Hydroxyzine. A medication that had an unfortunate side effect for creating vivid, long-lasting dreams. But hey, it got her to sleep at night and kept the anxiety down.

The smell of pancakes and sausage was heavy that morning. Enough that she was enticed to seek out the sugary meal despite not being brought up to her. She was, at this point, healthy enough to not be babied.

“There she is,” the old woman smiled as Mina quietly sat herself down at the circular table. A gravy boat of syrup had just been put down in front of her husband who was chewing on links of thick, maple sausages. The outsider looked away from it, meat was already not her favorite and the fact that it had sugar in it made it even more unappetizing.

“Yeah, ha-ha.” She felt awkward as her guardian quickly placed a plate in front of her as well as empty cup. She briefly went into the other room to grab something as Mina helped herself to the pile of pancakes.

“I got something special today,” The outsider stopped chewing as Luiza came up from behind her. She picked up the glass before pouring something into it. When she put it back down in front of Mina, she instantly recognized that it was orange juice. “The Duke had just gotten a fresh shipment.”

“The Duke,” Mina coughed as she wide eyed stared at the drink. The citrus taste of something that reminded her of home was magnetic to the girl so used to homemade things.

“He’s a local merchant, not everyone is comfortable with his presence, but I do have to admit that he has everything I’ve always needed.” Mina only nodded, her hand shaking as it went to grasp the cup.

He just got a shipment. Does this mean he’s also an outsider?! Can he take me out?!

“Oh, cool.” Smiling slightly, the girl gulped the juice down and let her guardians talk of other meaningless things.

. . .

Luiza and Ernest had gone out already when Mina decided that she’d leave the house as well. In the doorway she took deep breaths and readied herself for any unwanted conversations. Best to keep everything short and make people believe that she wasn’t any great thinker.

The ground outside had hardened overnight so mud didn’t cake on her shoes and dress as she left the estate. It was uncomfortably cold, but the feeling was brought to the back of her mind as she tried not to speed walk down the path to The Duke’s previous location. In the main area of the village, people occasionally passed by different houses, but it seemed that there was only a few doing so. She guessed that most of the villagers were busy doing their own little jobs to survive the remaining winter.

She kept her head down, letting the fabric she placed over her head to hide her face. In her drearier, black dress, Mina looked no different than any other woman which made the walk to The Duke much easier. Her heart was hammering faster as she passed by the graveyard. The anxiety she felt came to a climax as she came to the same spot from the night before and found that there was no one there.

f*ck! Goddamn asshole didn’t even bother to let me know he’s got stuff from the outside. I’d literally give him a kidney if it meant getting the f*ck out of here!

She kicked a rock so hard that it skirted along the paved alter site and hit one of the strange fences. Luiza had told her that the Lord’s domain laid beyond them and that they often remained locked for their own privacy. Part of her wanted to climb over them and give one of those f*ckers a piece of her mind. Granted that there was actually someone there to begin with.

She grumbled out whispered curses as she paced around the site. Every time she passed the gate openings, she got even angrier. The idea of scaling them became even more tempting as a week of frustration boiled over. Just as she passed the one supposedly leading to the factory, a very strange resounding sound bellowed out of nowhere.

Church bells?!

She halted in her tracts as her eyes looked over towards the castle. It seemed to be coming from over there. Mina was not surprised that such a huge place had bells big enough to belong to Notre Dame. There was no particular tune to them, just the back and forth of something akin to an alarm. It went on for at least ten seconds before the echo stopped.

. . .

Usually, Miranda had the decency to call first when organizing an impromptu meeting. Why she decided to annoy the f*ck out of him with the stupid castle bells was unknown. Despite being in the factory, the sound was always loud enough to speak over his work. Today it was just schematics, so no unfinished Soldat was left behind.

The walk from the factory to the gate wasn’t all that long in the grand scheme of things. His rage at the situation, however, had him finishing off two cigars in the process. It didn’t occur to him, until he effortlessly opened up the gate, that Miranda had unusually called a meeting during the middle of the day. Usually, she waited till nighttime or dusk. By then they could slip past the villagers without getting gawked at.

It was almost noon now and he, without a doubt, was going to be getting more than a few looks. Lighting up the third cigar, the metal of the gate bent slightly as his magnetism sparked unseen within the air.

f*cking c*nt!

“Oh great, it’s Heisenbutt!” Something behind him snapped with an irritating groan. Nothing nearly as annoying as the little doll coming into view.

He hadn’t noticed that Donna’s gate had been opened up as well. His veiled sister was always quiet when moving. She’d make the perfect spy if it wasn’t for her screeching companion. Luckily the thing was busy jumping around the Lords arms instead of being let down to tug on his coat or something.

“f*ck off, doll.” Donna kept her distance, a few feet between them, as she looked between her brother and the castle. No doubt she was just as unaware as him.

“Do you . . .” She trailed off, her arms hugging Angie tighter as Heisenberg barely picked up on her attempt at conversing.

“No, I don’t.” He didn’t bother trying to come off as anything other than harsh. Truth be told, he might actually tolerate Donna if it weren’t for the little porcelain pyscho. She lost just as much as he did by Miranda’s hands and unlike Moreau and Alcina, she didn’t seem to kiss the ground their mother walked on. She listened, and thanked her dutifully of course, but she didn’t necessarily go the extra mile that their other siblings did. For that, he had somewhat of an ounce of respect for her.

“Wow, looks like it’s someone’s time of the month.” The cigar in his hands nearly broke as Angie cackled. “Don’t get too close to gigantiss.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Ready to get this over with, Heisenberg began his walk past the alter site and inevitably towards the village. There were a few seconds hesitation before he heard the click of his sister following behind. In the background he could hear Angie whispering something nasty to her owner. Only barely letting certain words being loud enough to let him know that she was gossiping about him.

. . .

Mina had left in a huff a few minutes ago from the area. She didn’t feel like going back in, even if the temperature left much to be desired. So, to prevent unwanted encounters, Mina walked circles around Luiza’s yard. Her mind racing with plans she would never write down on paper. Lest her guardians get wind of her unwavering dedication to getting her ass out of here.

The bell had left more questions festering inside her head especially since more people had walked into the village main area. They were talking to each other in small groups as if they were highschoolers gossiping about something juicy. Like a teacher making out with a senior or a kid getting kicked out for bringing a knife to their math class.

“Mina dear, what are you doing out?” Luiza was coming up the hill to their house as the outsider stopped in front of the porch.

“I was getting antsy inside.” She spoke nonchalantly as there was some worry in the wrinkled lines of her guardian’s forehead.

“I see, I had hoped that you would ask me to take you outside . . . let me help you get introduced with the others.” Mina wanted to roll her eyes at the helicopter mom feeling she was getting. Reasonably she knew that it was something that would probably be for the best.

“I didn’t really talk to anyone, mostly just stayed in the yard.” She motioned to the lifeless area. “Maybe tomorrow we can—”

“Luiza!” The outsider flinched as a woman ran up the walk to her and her guardian. She recognized her as being the dark-haired woman from the first meeting of her guardians’ friends. “You need to see this--! It’s amazing and-and—”

“Calm down, Byni. What is happening?” Mina subconsciously gravitated towards Luiza. Her attitude fell away as she was left shaking and even more anxious than before. Without realizing it, the outside began to cling to her guardian’s arm. An act that had the woman steadying a hand against Mina’s back.

“The Lords!” Mina’s stomach sank. “They’re here, they’re walking through the village right now.”

“All of them!?” The outsider accidently yelped.

“No but it’s Lord Beneviento and Heisenberg!” Much like a kid running out of school for summer break, Byni was gone in a flash to no doubt get a better look.

“Oh, this is such a blessing!” Luiza’s eyes immediately landed on Mina. The girl looked towards the ground as she felt the older woman place both hands on her shoulders. The look she was giving could only be described as prideful. As if Mina had anything to do with this. “Let’s—”

“I’m good standing here.” Luiza narrowed her eyes accidently, displeasure quickly gone as soon as it came.

“A-Alright, my dear.” The warmth of the woman’s hands left as she bounded down the hill to stand by her friend. Mina could see others lining the pathway as if a parade was starting. Out of the corner of the outsiders’ eyes, she saw two figures emerge. A sight that had her backing up accidently falling down as her feet hit the back of the porch steps.

Down below, Luiza waited patiently as both of the people finally walked in front of her. Byni had bowed immediately, eyes peering from under her bangs to get as much of a view as possible. Luiza also bowed with a flourish but ended up coming up instead of waiting for them to pass completely.

“My Lords.” She breathed as if she was intoxicated. The one in all black seemed to nod in response while the man with his hammer merely smirked at her display. Now closer to her, Mina truly recognized them as two of the four Lords. Luiza had papers after papers of their pictures that it felt as if she was listening to thirteen-year-old her gush about One Direction.

Without another glance, the woman in black continued, stopping in front of the gates that had been haunting Mina since seeing them that morning. Luiza had said that no one could open them without the two keys, yet, here the gate was, opening without a command. It might as well have been a door to a grocery store.

The man, obviously Lord Heisenberg, hesitated as he stood in front of Luiza. Mina couldn’t quite see his face to understand the expression that passed on it. Luiza seemed to shake the longer he stood in front of her. Finally, he left to follow after the other Lord.

He stopped again, standing still in front of the open door, as if something had happened suddenly. Mina’s heart raced as time slowed down just enough for her to whip back around the door, keeping herself out of site from the Lord who took another glance towards the house. She waited in fear for what felt like hours before she heard the gate close and the onslaught of villagers talking amongst themselves.

. . .

The villagers were whispering amongst each other, as if he couldn’t hear what they were saying. This was definitely going to be the talk of the town for weeks to come. Luckily he wouldn’t have to hear any of it from his factory walls. Whatever rumors they came up with would never meet the ears of any the Lords, most likely not even Miranda. The woman frankly didn’t give a sh*t what they thought. As long as their devotion was unwavering, they were free to lead their meaningless lives.

No one spoke to him or Donna as they passed by their sh*tty houses. God how could they worship someone who let them live in such sh*t conditions. He had on occasion seen what they outside world looked like from old films and magazines. Normal people had it made in comparison. If he got out after pulverizing Miranda, he knew he would never want for anything big.

Women smiled under their hands as crimson hues pooled into their cheeks. They were looking at him, nearly ignoring his sister in comparison as there was nothing to see of her. It didn’t help that the doll was off putting, even to them. Maybe if she didn’t wear the veil, perhaps just get an eye patch to cover the mutated growth, Donna might be the talk of the young men.

No one bothered them until they were almost to their sister’s gate. He almost hadn’t noticed the old bat confident enough to speak until her voice hit their ears. It made him raise an eyebrow whilst Donna flinched like a spooked rabbit. So much for being a fearless Lord with this one. Thank god the doll didn’t start a fight.

“My Lords,” he rolled his eyes under the glasses. He was almost about to walk forward and forget about her when something peculiar happened. She was rather close, making it so that he could smell a significant amount of her withered body. There was sweat there, alongside of remnants of breakfast done that morning. No doubt it was her cooking as sausages and pancakes were easily caught by him. However, it was the smell most hidden down underneath the rest that had him hesitating when Donna didn’t.

He had smelled it before but damn he was barely able to place it. The scent was just barely there, like it had barely touched the old woman. He almost wanted to get closer, something that would freak everyone out. Instead, he put the thought on the back burner and continued on. Maybe he would forget it for awhile had the scent not come back for just a few moments. This time it wasn’t from the old broad.

His head turned sharply towards the source. It had floated in from the light wind like the fluffy seeds of a dandelion. There were some houses and people in that direction. But there wasn’t telling how close the source was. Especially since the wind died down after a few seconds of teasing. The annoyance from before overtook him again, reminding the Lord that he was supposed to be somewhere else and that staying in place would only make things weirder for the mortals.

The gate closed behind with a large clang. Donna was still visible in the distance but he wasn’t all that interested in trying to catch up. Instead he took out yet another cigar, god he hated these meetings, and accidently touched something else in his pocket that he had almost forgotten.

The stick of tobacco hung lazily in his mouth as he kept the pack of matches unused in one hand. The other fished out the object he had accidently touched. Slowly he took it out and brought it up to his face. He had only fished it out a few times since getting it from the wrecked car. Every time he had brought it out, he had intended to set it down somewhere in the factory. Somehow it always ended up back in pocket. It proved to be the correct choice because a deep inhale connected the invisible dots.

Some type of feeling ran up his spine as he realized that the little purple toy matched the scent that should have long died down.

Chapter 7: Schlemiel

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: Schlemiel

Yiddish Noun: Someone who is prone to bad luck.

. . .

Moreau was actively wheezing by the time he made it to the chapel. Getting to the church, without being seen by the villagers, all the while trying too not be late was painfully taxing. It had been such a long time since Mother had summoned a meeting without warning. What had happened the last time? Heisenberg wasn’t even fully grown yet, that was pretty much all he remembered.

The meeting went well even if he spent most of it trying to come down off of the high of his previous anxiety. He had been asked a question only once, basically just a small explanation of the body he had found. The one of the outsiders. It led into the reopening of a previous discussion to train the Lycans to capture intruders instead of killing them. Usually, it ended with Mother being disappointed that neither he nor his brother were capable of ordering all of the pack to do so. Some of them were just not smart and could barely grasp anything other than simple commands. Maybe he should think about opening them back up again. Or perhaps just killing the really hopeless ones.

It took a half an hour to sort out some other pressing matters before Mother disappeared to her devices. Heisenberg was usually the first to high tail it out of the place. Today, however, he stayed back as Alcina, and Donna left in front of them. Moreau didn’t even realize his brother was still in the church until the metal Lord was directly behind him, his shadow engulfing Moreau’s own.

“Hey, fish freak.” He flinched visibly as anxiety welled back up his spine. “I’ve got a question for you.” Moreau gulped as he slowly spun around to face his younger sibling. The cigar he had been smoking was dropped to the floor as his boots put out its remnants. He couldn’t help but remember past threats of stomping on the pustules of his body like bubble wrap.

“Y-yes, how can I—”

“That body you found,” he drawled out. “It belonged to a woman, right?” Moreau hesitated, eyes blinking up at his brother as he scrambled to comprehend why this was being asked.

“N-no, it was male.” Or, well, he thought it was. The remains hadn’t exactly been intact below the waist. “Caucasian, around fifty years old. Slightly overweight and—”

“Did you get rid of it?” Oh, that’s right, he thought. Heisenberg was the person who usually collected the bodies.

“Mother Miranda told me to dispose of him so—”

“So, it’s gone, great.” Moreau nearly whimpered at the harsh bite of his brothers’ words.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you—”

“Forget it.” Within seconds, Heisenberg was no longer standing in front of Moreau and was instead making a b-line to the door. Moreau was still as he watched his brother walk off in a huff, undeformed legs letting him take fast strides that the fish Lord was unable to match. He was, despite the distance, able to make out little insults muttered under Heisenberg’s breath.

Useless f*cking blob!

. . .

“Finally ready, dear?” Mina forced herself to not roll her eyes as she approached Luiza. The older woman had been waiting by the door for her ward to finish dressing. It had been a day since the incident with the Lords and the outsider had been uncomfortable with leaving the house until she was sure they were gone from the area. Luckily Luiza hadn’t really noticed as she conversed and gossiped with all her friends. The fact that the Lords had showed up only a day after her introduction was not seen as coincidental. People that were originally unsure were quickly falling in line with the other even more brainwashed villagers. At this rate, Mina might as well get her own sort of sainthood in Miranda’s cult.

Early this morning, during a sleepy haze, the outsider accidently agreed to the one thing Luiza had been pinning for.

“We’re not going to talk to everyone, right?” Mina flinched as the door opened in front of her. The air was at least ten degrees colder today with the windchill making it feel much worse.

“Of course not.” The old lady sweetness was a little too thick and the outsider knew that the truth was going to hurt more than any sh*tty winter day. “It’s just going to be a quick loop around the village—you’ll have fun.”

Mina didn’t respond, choosing instead to give Luiza a small chance to prove it before she started complaining internally. The grand in person tour started out easy enough as Luiza mentioned that she was only going to show the center area anyways. Very few people actually went beyond to the woods or other places, and it was usually for a good reason, such as work. A thing that Luiza didn’t seem interested talking to Mina about.

“Crina and her family are all clustered in the houses near the Maiden of war, she’s one of the oldest women in the village—” It didn’t take long for Mina to start having trouble listening. There weren’t a lot of people out, thank god, but the ones who were visible were definitely glancing at her.

And by glancing she meant actively staring. Like to the point where she was sure someone was ready to straight up abduct her. Just pick her up like some lost child and hightail it before Luiza could turn around and realize anything.

“—Her youngest just got married in December so we’re all expecting to see a new little bundle in the fall. Viorel on the other hand only has one child out of the house—”

“Is it always going to be like this?” Luiza co*cked her head to the side as her and Mina stopped in front of the graveyard. Whilst her guardian looked around at the people not so subtly keeping a distance, Mina remembered why she had originally been here yesterday. There was a young couple coming away from the area where the alter site was with their hands full of covered bags.

Is The Duke back? f*ck I need to get away from Luiza.

“Things will get easier the more you’re involved.” A groan was pushed down her throat as Mina pretended to keep some attention on her guardian. “The more people know about you the less they’ll have to speculate on.”

“Kind of hard to know a liar,” she spat it out under her breath. It seemed Luiza didn’t hear it otherwise she might give her that annoyed look of displeasure a mother might towards an ungrateful child.

“Eventually you’ll mix right in with other people your age.” Which age, Mina thought. The one she is or the one Luiza told everyone she was. “Make some friends, find a nice gentleman—”

“Gross.” She hadn’t actually meant to say it out loud, much like a lot of other things when it came to speaking with her guardian. Sadly, the woman was the closest person she could vent to in this place and more than once Mina had accidently let herself slip back into ways that were unbefitting a virginal, sheltered village girl.

“Gross, how is that gross?” Had people been closer to them, Mina would feel some nervousness about the caustic hiss of Luiza’s tone. Though it would be more from embarrassment rather than the fear of getting found out. “I swear you act just like a child whenever I even mention the possibility of finding a young man that you could—”

“It’s gross because you keep bringing it up.” Mina’s lips felt the familiar urge to grimace up at the woman. Keeping her face neutral for the onlookers appeared to be a problem even for Luiza. “I’ve only been here for what, two weeks. Can’t you let a girl mourn her previous life before you try and shove a shiny new one right in her face. The last thing on my mind right now is dating some weird farm boy.”

“Weird farm boy? —Mina you’ve never even met these men, you can’t just write them off without even getting to know them.” A little sneer flickered onto the outsiders features as bitter retorts rose in her mind.

You know what’s a huge red flag? Being in a f*cking cult! Not exactly into the idea of doing the devils tango with some dude ready to hand my severed head on a plate to Mother Miranda if need be.

“I’m going to be perfectly honest with you,” Mina’s eyes scanned the nearby vicinity as she leaned in closer to Luiza. “I don’t need to know any of these guys because I am one hundred percent, absolutely not attracted to a single one.”

“That is a completely unfair—”

“Unfair? Lady the only thing unfair here is that you expect me to shack down with one of them and actually like it!” That seemed to do it as Luiza stared directly at Mina with silence telling as to exactly what angry things were going through her mind.

“I . . . I can’t deal with this right now.” The old woman’s tense shoulders seemed ready to break with the pressure her muscles were clenching with. “I’m going back to the house and since you’re so hospitable to all of my ideas, you might as well not come back till dinner time.”
“But it’s not even—” Luiza had already turned and walked away, conviction evident in each harsh step she took. A part of her thought of apologizing as there was no way she could withstand being outside for more than a couple hours. Remembering that she was being forced to live here by people like her guardians is what soured up that idea real quick. Why should she apologize to them for not wanting to indoctrinate herself into this f*ckhole of a cult.

Thoughts of The Duke came back as she began a path to the alter site. What it was an alter for, she really didn’t know. With the amount of goat statues she found, you’d think there’d be a big one in the center of the area. Much like with the Maiden of War nearby. Luckily today, it seemed that there was some sort of salvation in the area as Mina immediately found the familiar merchant doing business to a group of young kids.

A grin spread across her face as she mentally forced herself to walk normally to the man. He hadn’t noticed her until she was right behind the kids, watching as he placed a bag of mixed candy into the smallest one’s hands. No thanks were given as the group immediately ran off towards the village center.

“Rude.” The Duke didn’t appear miffed by any of it. The smile on his face was just as big as she remembered it and, now that he was looking only at her, it appeared bigger.

“Children here tend to learn by example.” Mina raised an eyebrow at him before he gestured towards a couple of people not to far off in the distance. They were staring at him but not like the others had been to her this morning. There was a certain level of unease in their faces as they looked between the slowly disappearing kids and the mysterious man who seemed to have all that they needed.

“Huh, who would have thought cultists would make sh*t parents.” He didn’t react to that as his eyes scanned her appearance. “Speaking of parents, uh, I was wondering if you might be able to help me in regards to mine.”

“Sadly, I do not sell anything that is capable of resurrecting the dead.” She co*cked her head to the side.

“This isn’t about Sergio or whatever.” She could see his face chuckling silently at her. “I’m talking about my real parents, the ones who are quite alive and not crazy religious fanatics. You’re the only one here who apparently can get things imported and I’m going to imagine that means you can also get things exported. Including me.”

“Are you saying you want to leave?” She rolled her eyes, completely unable to help herself.

“Yes! Please, for the love of god just get me the hell out of here.” She had taken a step forward and was nearly ready to crumple onto her knees from the resurgence of stress.

“As much as I’d love to help, there is a few laws I abide by here that I am unable to break.” A vibrating growl built up in Mina’s throat. “One of them being that I am forbidden from bringing and taking individuals across the village lines.”

“That’s so—ugh, can you at least give me a map or something so that I can figure it out myself.”

“I have many maps but not one that can show you the way home.” Her fingernails were digging profusely into her palms, blood would break soon under this pressure.

“Alright, fine, just point in the direction of the nearest civilization.” He shook his head, chuckling as desperate eyes grew narrow.

“There’s no point in that, my dear.” I’m not your dear, she thought. “You’d either perish in the woods or end up back in the village.”

“Can’t you at least let me try?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Is leaving here really worth taking such a high risk, surely it can’t be all that bad.” Her lips were pressed tight into a fine line. She wanted to scream that yes, it was that bad. Thoughts of her parents spending the rest of their lives wondering what happened to their daughter had her hesitate to speak.

“I just . . . I can’t stand the thought of being stuck here forever.” A crisp chill stung her eyes as she felt them start to water. She’d rather they freeze over than let them flow freely in front of a man who seemed all fine and dandy with the way things were in this place. “Look, do you at least know someone who would be able to help me out? Like is there someone in charge who I can talk to, seeing as they’re willing to let you do what you want.”

“Someone in charge, hm? I’m going to assume that you’re referring to Mother Miranda.” A sharp, angry inhale had Mina’s nostrils burning. Her lips instantly twisted as the godlike woman’s name bounced around in her head. “Unfortunately, I am the sole exception to her otherwise rigid policy on people remaining in the village. She’s not one to let members of her family get away so easily.”

“I am not her family.” Mina couldn’t help but turn her gaze to confirm that the two of them were still alone as her tongue felt hot with each spiteful word. “And you don’t honestly expect me to believe that this Mother Miranda lady is actually real, right?”

“Oh, she is very real.” She groaned, earning a chuckle from the merchant. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Because everyone keeps telling me that she’s this all-knowing, ageless god—that’s literally impossible.” The cold was doing nothing to soften the seething rage boiling within her chest. The Duke sitting unaffected and apathetic did nothing to help.

“If that’s what you believe then I won’t argue with you.” Mina swore she saw his grin widen. “Though it’s a shame that you’re alone in this, perhaps you’d have better luck getting home if you were accompanied by others wishing to leave.”

“Maybe, but everyone here thinks this craptown is heaven on earth. I mean, if they knew just a little bit about the rest of the world than they wouldn’t be sitting around here waiting to f*cking die.” There was a softness in The Duke’s eyes that did nothing to comfort her. The more she knew him the less she believed him to be authentic.

“Mother Miranda has always insisted to the village that she alone protects them from the plight of the outside world. In turn, her followers have continued to believe her unquestionably.” Something was starting to slither into her mind, a thought that had been waiting to stroll up to her since The Duke’s denial to help.

“If they knew she was lying . . .”

“Then perhaps they too, would also desire to leave.” Mina briefly turned to look back towards the village. The castle looming forever in the background made the tiny houses seem like random paint strokes in a much grander portrait. This was their life and had been their life for generations beforehand. What evidence could she bring to them that could change minds that had been indoctrinated since conception?

“Easier said than done, right?” She wasn’t even looking at him when she spoke. The words had been pronounced so delicately, as if they didn’t want to be heard by the mysterious man. “Don’t think these people are the type to listen to reason.”

“Very true, word of mouth arguments isn’t going to get you far.” the sound of shuffling had Mina’s attention being brought back to the merchant. He was turned away from her, rummaging about his cart for something. “But perhaps some more concrete proof could help.”

Mina instinctively took a step back as the man turned back around to face her. A quick glance down towards his hands showed that he had found what he was looking for. The outsider easily recognized it.

“A camera?”

“Say cheese!” A snap of light hit her eyes without warning causing her to stumble back even further. She knew from the style and body that it was a polaroid. The newer type created for people who wanted to get that 90’s aesthetic. Unsurprisingly it immediately spat out a small picture. The Duke took it from its mouth and smiled as Mina’s face crawled onto the paper.

This could be a game changer.

“How much is it?” She appealed rapidly.

“Hm, great question.” He tapped his fingers against his chin as Mina swayed on the balls of her heels. Her hands rubbed against her sides, fearing, and loathing the inflation and price gouging he would no doubt do. “Ah!”

“Well?”

“I think I’ll sell it to you for the price of . . . this photograph.” He held it up in the air, allowing her a glimpse of what she must have looked like freezing in the snow.

“Seriously, dude?” She felt ready to push her head into a mound of snow. Or maybe push him, if possible.

“I think it’s a fair price, considering you’ll be giving me the legal rights to it and all.” What exactly he meant by that, Mina didn’t know. Perhaps he had one of those artsy Instagram accounts to post it on. Regardless of the reason, Mina chose to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Ok, um, thank you.” She reached her small hands out to grab the camera. The Duke, however, didn’t make a move to hand it over.

“As much as I’d love to start you on this new journey, I’d suggest that you come back for it later tonight.” Her face screwed up a bit in confusion before he motioned towards the village with a jut of his chin. “Technology is rarely welcomed, especially by those who’s ideals align closer to your ‘fathers’.”

“Oh, yeah, good point.” Her lips sagged a bit as she watched him put the camera away. “Guess I should also figure out what exactly I’m trying to photograph beforehand as well.”

“That’s a great idea.” She caught his eyes glancing towards the separate gates in the perimeters of the alter sites. Whether it was coincidental or a silent suggestion to figure out which Lord she should investigate first, she wouldn’t know. But it did get her mind rolling in the right direction.

“I’ll see you tonight then,” she forced a quick smile before turning away from the cart altogether. “Thanks for, uh, all this.”

“The pleasure is all mine, dear Mina~” Villagers were starting to come into the vicinity, she could hear them approaching The Duke for unknown reasons. She didn’t care that much though, even if some of them were heavily aware of her presence in the area. Right now, all she cared about was the locked gates and the people that supposedly lived behind them.

It shouldn’t be that scary, with everything said. There were four Lords, two of which she had already seen, and a lot of f*cking land. With the exception of Lady Dimitrescu, none of the villagers lived with them. Therefore, there should be plenty of places in which she could hide and not be found. They were, in her mind, people after all. Unable to detect her with any greater accuracy than any other human.

But which one would be the easiest to figure out?

Apparently she subconsciously knew the answer as she found herself staring directly in front of the gate leading towards Potters Field. A place she had only seen on a paper briefly showed to her by Luiza. She had no idea what to think of Moreau and Dimitrescu as she could only go off of old photographs and brief summaries from Luiza. Heisenberg and Beneviento, again, were confirmed to be close to what they were pictured as. If it came down to it, who would she be more likely to outrun or fight?

A musty looking cowboy reject or some mysterious goth chick and her doll . . . think it’s pretty obvious.

Subconsciously she reached out to touch the worn metal of the lock. There was no point in asking for a key but luckily there seemed to be no barbed wire in the fencing. Getting in would be a possibility if done at night.

Ok, here’s the plan—

“I wouldn’t poke my nose around there if I were you.” A deep voice curled its way into her ear right as inspiration hit her. The unexpectedness had her nearly falling over as she turned to face the unknown person.

It was a man with short, choppy blonde hair sporting a pair of grey pants and suspenders to match. His white shirt was only buttoned up to just below his collar bone, giving her a glimpse of his furry, equally blonde chest hair. Why he didn’t have a damn coat was beyond her. Luckily his face was devoid of anger or anything hostile. A sign that she had not been overheard earlier.

“Mina, was it?” He probed, acting as if her name hadn’t been on everyone’s lips for the past forty-eight hours.

“Yes.” Her eyes moved down to her gloved hands that were now clasping each other in front of her waist. Though the shyness was technically an act, Mina couldn’t help but feel the familiar anxiousness that came with meeting strangers.

“I saw you yesterday,” a lump grew within her throat. “You were talking to Luiza right before the Lords showed up.”

“Oh, um, yeah I was.” She could hear the smile in the breath he exhaled. He seemed confident and more than comfortable talking to a person who was essentially a semi-outsider.

“That was quite an interesting turn of events,” she nodded. “I was only twelve years old the last time I saw a Lord.” Mina looked back up towards him, eyes still hesitant to be seen.

“O-Oh?” She hadn’t meant to stammer.

“Yeah it was Lord Moreau, my little brother spotted him immediately.” He took a step back away from her, his body moving to point back towards the village. “I was actually just on my way to meet him and some friends when I spotted you over here.” She could see in his face where this conversation was going before he could even ask. “I’m rather late to see them but perhaps you might like to walk with me there and I could tell you all about it.”

Stranger danger!

“Oh, uh, I don’t know.” She tried to back away but the steel cold of the gate pushed into her spine and reminded her that she could not leave.

“You okay there?” He laughed, pointing his right index finger at her face. “You look a little flustered.” Her teeth bit the inside of her lips.

All she could do was nod her head yes, earning her a throaty laugh.

“No need to be intimidated around me.” Oh god she felt her eyes beginning to twitch. “I know you must not be used to talking to men since your father died.”

“I—”

“Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself.” She expected him to hold a hand out for her to shake. The gesture never came. “I’m Emilian.”

Chapter 8: Samar

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: Samar

Arabic Verb: To enjoy conversations with friends after the sun goes down.

. . .

Had she not been literally facing the prospect of freezing to death, Mina would have said no. Sadly this meant that she was playing right into Luiza’s designs by following this Emilian guy. He was an unmarried man after all. Or at least she thought he was given that there was no wedding ring on his fingers. Ernest always wore his regardless of the occasion. The simple gold band looked as if it had been scuffed up over the years. The little scratches seemed invisible to her guardian though as she caught him once or twice smiling at the sight of it resting beside Luiza’s own whenever their hands touched.

Having a man adore you like he did for decades would definitely warp one’s view of what all marriages are. She can’t fully fault Luiza for thinking that the key to her miserable little ward’s happiness rested with a man. Miranda might as well have welded rose colored glasses to the old woman’s face with the way she thought of things.

“—He was only there for a few minutes, yet the fish smell lasted for weeks.” The man beside Mina chuckled, pulling her fully out of her thoughts. He had a honeyed way of speaking that she found rather dull. The people here had no appeal to her regardless of whether it was to be friends or more. It was much like being faced with a dating profile of someone who proudly toted the complete opposite of your political beliefs. No amount of golden retriever puppies would sway one to swipe right.

“I see.” She couldn’t figure out an appropriate response to his anecdote. The person he described seemed more like a stereotype than a living being. Emilian picked up her distaste rather quickly and, to her surprise, slowed his pace a bit.

“Okay so that was a bit of an exaggeration, my apologies.” He tried to regain his previous momentous smile. “It was, at the end of the day, one of the most astonishing events to happen to me. I do truly feel blessed for having witnessed it.”

I don’t know if blessed is the type of thing I’d be feeling if I were the one to meet a literal puss monster.

“It must have been . . . something.” He had fully slowed down now as the two of them approached a section of homes. Nodding towards one, she reluctantly followed as they approached an otherwise boring wooden door. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought that this Emilian guy was trying to get her to follow him home. Certainly, people as old-fashioned as this weren’t so forward about casual encounters.

“Has Ernest ever taken you here.” She shook her head, eyes scanning the outside of the building. “Ah, then allow me the pleasure to welcome you inside.”

With a flourish, Emilian opened the door before her. The action had her nearly about to walk away from the obvious red flag situation ahead. However, the sound of various voices and even music had her stop before she could even lift a foot.

“What’s this?” She could only guess that this place was a tavern or pub of some sorts.

She had made fun of the run-down townie bars back in college, but this was on another level of the traditional bumpkin aesthetic. At least basem*nt bars at people’s houses followed some sort of furniture scheme, here the tables didn’t match each other at all. There was a circular wooden palette, a few off shaped iron tables, and even a f*cking barrel. The stools at the bar were at least comfortable looking enough and there seemed to be no stale beer smell.

“We call it Nicu’s Tavern after Petru’s grandfather.” Emilian pointed a calloused finger towards the lone guy behind the bar. He had a bit of a rugged style to him that Mina found rather easy on the eyes. A far cry away from the dapper, put-together look that her current companion had. “That man could down a half bottle of whiskey without even making a face.”

I’m going to assume Nicu is dead then.

“It’s . . . nice?” Or at least convenient, she thought.

“Come, over towards the corner.” She flinched when he placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her in the direction of a group of five people crowded around one of the larger, metal tables. It was three men and one woman. The youngest looked to be about thirty-something while the oldest was in his late forties.

“Emilian,” drawled the younger, brown-haired man. His stomach protruded out and there was a bit of baby-like fat in his face. He shared similar facial features to man in question, mostly in the shape of his chin, and she imagined that this was the brother. “Late as always.”

“Quiet Anton, no one ever complains about your lateness.” The woman retorted with a mother-like sounding tone. Very similar to the one she increasingly heard from Luiza.

She was around the same age of the youngest man and most likely was married to him given how close the two of them were sitting. She had long, ash blonde hair in obvious need of a split-end treatment. It was tied it up in a similar style to Luiza. Her face was rather plain with rosy cheeks and thick eyebrows. Despite her words, there was a certain fondness to be found in the way she looked at him.

The remaining men where average and forgettable looking. One being oddly short and the other being over six foot two. They were blondes with the same, clean-cut hairstyles and droll clothing. She already knew that telling all these people apart was going to be hard at first since uniformity was the apparent happy norm.

“Thank you, Constanta.” He pulled up two chairs between the woman and the short man. They had been so focused on their friend that they hadn’t noticed Mina’s meek appearance until Emilian was ushering her to sit beside him. Each one of them had their jaws slightly drop upon noticing her. On the outside she blushed, placing a hand against her mouth. Internally, she wanted to turn on her heels and leave. “I’m sure you all remember our new neighbor, Mina.”

“Uh, yeah.” Stated Anton with a blunt, not so welcoming voice. The woman didn’t seem to share the sentiment and looked at her with the same soft eyes that most of the older women of the village did. At this point she didn’t know which reaction she disliked more.

“Are you joining us?” The short man interjected, an act that had the group snapping back into their previous composure.

“Yes, she is.” Emilian declared with a quickness that didn’t even give Mina a chance to open her mouth. “Just for a little while, Luiza, of course, wants her back for dinner.” The men snickered at the way he spoke her guardians name. One would think he was referring to a mother-in-law rather than a neighbor.

“Poor woman always wanted a child.” Constanta placed a hand under her chin, cupping it as she stared into Mina’s face thoughtfully. A little smile played on her lips as some type of realization transpired. “I’m sure she’s just excited to have someone to look after.”

Mina hadn’t asked her guardians about any children. There were no photos of them or indication that a child had ever grown up in their home. Back in the States, she might have thought that it was simply a choice they made but given the type of society, and the way Luiza dotted on her, it seemed unlikely.

“Weren’t you literally just complaining about her yesterday.” Anton snorted, completely ignoring the distress on his wife as he took another sip of his drink. “Only so many times you can hear a bunch of old biddies chirp about blessings and sh*t before you want to dive headfirst into a f*cking well.”

“The visit from the Lords yesterday certainly didn’t help.” The taller, unnamed man finally spoke. It was a gravelly voice that made Mina think that he smoked since infancy. “My wife’s been yammering on and on to our daughters about their ‘obligations’ to Mother Miranda.” Constanta narrowed her eyes at the man and while Anton didn’t seem to care, this guy feared something of her. “I-I mean it’s great and all and I’m glad they’re getting more involved, but I’ve been hearing about it non-stop.”

“The doll was even creepier than I remembered it.” As pompous as he seemed, Mina was starting to like this Anton guy.

“You all should know better than to talk like this,” advised the short man. There was a lack of seriousness in his expression that left Mina wondering if he was being sarcastic. “Mother Miranda knows when one is wicked.”

Mina’s eyes widened just a bit as the statement was all too familiar. Luiza had said it towards the end of her sermon last Sunday. If it weren’t for the anxiety that had plagued her, Mina would have most likely tuned the old woman out completely. As dismissive as the man was, apparently he listened.

Maybe turning a few minds won’t be as hard as I thought.

Finally, with a little smile, Mina sat down with the rest of them. Instinctively she moved her chair a little closer to Constanta rather than Emilian. He luckily didn’t seem to notice as he chuckled along with the other men.

“Blasphemous, all of you.” Huffed the other woman. “Luiza is right, at the end of the day. Mother Miranda does punish the unjust. I’ve seen it.” Mina accidently narrowed her eyes at her. It was a brief thing, something none of them picked up on.

“And apparently she rewards the faithful.” In the corner of her gaze, Mina could see Emilian stare at her. It took a lot to keep her from wrinkling her nose at such a remark.

“On another note,” announced the shorter man. His puffy palm raised up into the air and signaled for the bartender to come over. “I’d like to buy you your first welcome home drink.” The intrigue of Constanta’s words accidently slipped from Mina’s mind as she immediately beamed at the promise of alcohol. She hadn’t gotten drunk since the day before the crash. “Hope you like Palinka.”

Surprisingly, she did.

. . .

“Can I walk you home?” Mina barely heard the words as they were spoken. Hell, she barely even realized that she had moved from the table until someone was helping her with opening the door.

“Uh—”

“I’ll take her home,” Constanta’s voice was sweet in Mina’s ears. The caring tone no longer bothered her, especially given it was coming from someone other than her guardian. “If one of us is to get in trouble with Luiza, it should probably be me.” The older woman winked at Emilian as Mina let her walk her outside. For once the cold felt nonexistent. She had felt this type of feeling before and it only ever ended with her on the ground of some bathroom floor.

“Good thinking,” he smiled before motioning back towards the other two men of their group. Both of which were talking to someone at the bar. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t break the porch railings.”

“Even if he does, I’m sure as heck not fixing them again.” Emilian’s form was becoming fuzzy as the two of them walked away.

“See you again soon, little sis.” Mina closed her eyes, not expecting to hear anything more. “And you too, dear Mina.”

She should have been embarrassed by the state of the walk between the two of them. A normal person would be annoyed by the accidental steps and the occasional kick of the snow. Constanta found it all too amusing, however, and the little giggles only fueled the happy feelings running through the outsider.

Before she knew it, Mina was standing once again in front of a door. Well, sort of standing. More like leaning against the form of her slightly more sober chaperon. A couple of knocks were rapped against the wood, a sound that was somehow funny to the outsider. Maybe a drink or two earlier she would realize that the incoming footsteps behind the door spelt trouble.

“O-Oh Constanta how are—” Silence fell faster than a drop of rain as Luiza took in the scene in front of her. Mina couldn’t really focus well on her guardians’ expressions. There was definitely shock there but whatever else was lost in the wrinkles of her face.

“I, er, thought I might walk Mina home before it got too dark out.” Luiza reached her hands out towards the two. The outsider only blinked up at her in response. Luckily her companion motioned for her to walk into Luiza’s arms and out of her own. “We lost track of time at Nicu’s, Emilian had introduced us earlier and—”

“Emilian?” Mina groaned at the repetition of the name. Neither of the other two women thought the sound to be odd, though. “He and Mina were. . .”

“Talking, just talking.” There was a smile in her voice, and it made Mina roll her eyes as hid her face in Luiza’s shoulder. “He brought her along to say hello to Anton, Radu, Valeriu, and I. We, uh, got carried away.”

“I see,” Luiza straightened up and began walk backwards slightly, allowing for Mina to come fully across the threshold. “Well, thank you Constanta, I’ve got it from here.”

“A-Alright, have a good night.” And like that, the door was closed, and Mina was once again left alone with her guardian.

Ha, I’m in danger . . .

“Did you have fun, today, Mina?” Her tone was oddly neutral and even an impaired Mina picked up on it.

“Um, yes?” She winced as Luiza pushed her back slightly by the shoulders. Now the older woman was staring right down at her face, scanning each feature for some sort of secret.

“Tell me, how much did you have to drink?” The outsider gulped, gaze going down towards her shoes.

“Like three-ish . . . maybe four?” What the alcohol content of them was, Mina could not tell you. The answer garnered her a sigh.

“Okay . . . why don’t we get you some water, hm?” She nodded in response and allowed Luiza to take her towards the kitchen.

“Thank you—”

“And while we’re down here, why don’t you tell me all about your little conversations with Emilian?” She wasn’t angry, Mina realized. Oh no, it was much worse.

She was delighted.

. . .

“Oh f*ck I forgot the f*cking camera—” An involuntary dry heave wracked her body as Mina clutched the side of the trashcan. She wasn’t about to go outside to throw up, even if some cool air might help her body aches.

The nauseous had started when the stench of bacon lofted upstairs and into her room. Luiza hadn’t come to wake her up in advance, for good reason apparently. She didn’t need vomit on top of her dinning room table. If Mina wasn’t so embarrassed by the memories of yesterday she would have called down and asked that the two of them stop cooking such fatty foods. What had she even said to Luiza to get her off her back after finding out who she had been spending time with?

She should have been angry at the drinking, yet Mina recalled the woman going as far to say that she was proud of her. What was it for again . . . oh because she socialized after all. And with a group of mostly men.

f*ck . . . ugh this lady and her f*cking nosy ass self just make me want to become a full lesbian; I swear . . . Need to get that camera later, god I hope The Duke doesn’t make me pay a late pick-up fee or something.

She didn’t know the man well. But if he valued his business more than her safety than something told her that there was, indeed, a fee to worry about. Or hell, maybe he’ll put a new price on it. What could he ask of her other than just the picture?

Mhm my body—No! Mina that’s gross. f*cking intrusive thoughts, f*ck.

The sudden move into the p*rn aspect of her imagination had her gagging again. Weird and inappropriate thoughts had followed her around more than once in this village. Most of it stemmed from the mysteriousness of the Lords and Miranda’s cult. It didn’t help that she kept thinking back Luiza’s talks of monsters and imagining that there were real werewolves out in the woods. The type that you found in smutty online comics.

“Mina, do you want breakfast!” Luiza’s voice carried from the stairs to Mina’s room. The sudden, booming shrillness did not feel good.

“No, I’m good!” The outsider coughed.

“What!”

“I said no!” Without thinking she leaned back and hit her skull against the night stand. “God damn it!”

“Young lady you better not be giving me an attitude.” Mina repeated the words with a mocking hiss under her breath. “You’re lucky I didn’t chew you out in front of your new friend yesterday. Any other mother in this village would have done that and more if they caught their daughters getting intoxicated with a bunch of men!”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not their f*cking daughter.” Mina spat the words out to herself, fearing a longer fight with Luiza under these conditions. “And I’m not your daughter either.”

Even though there was no way for the older woman to hear any of this, the sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs echoed over to the outsider. Cursing internally, she immediately went to grab some of the unused tissues off of the table and forced them down into the trash can. It was the best she could do to hide the evidence of how badly she was taking things. The door opened the moment she was able to muster enough energy to get up.

“Oh good, you’re out of bed.” A glance towards the unmade mattress, with pillows sunken on the floor, told a different story. “I was afraid I would have to tell your friends that you wouldn’t be up to seeing them today.”

“Huh?” Luiza rolled her eyes at the honest confusion littering Mina’s face.

“Did you seriously forget? Even after being all excited about it?” The outsiders face only screwed up more. Excited? How was she excited to see more cult people? Fuzzy memories did recall that she had enjoyed the night, all things considered. But enough to hang out with them again?

“Unfortunately, yes, I did.” Luiza smirked, head shaking at the girl’s form.

“Well, you have an hour to get yourself together if you want to make it on time.” Even though she was clueless, Mina still found herself going towards the closet. The navy-blue dress in there didn’t look all that stiff. “Do be warned, the meet up point is at Nicu’s again. If you can’t stomach the smell of alcohol than you’re better off resting.”

“I’ll be fine.” Fake it to you make it, she thought. “By the way, is The Duke hanging around today.”

“He is,” The older woman seemed suspicious as she watched Mina search around for her second pair of boots. “I actually bought a couple rolls of sausage from him this morning. I can cook you some before you leave—”

“No!”

. . .

“Ah Mina, I missed you terribly yesterday.” The Duke’s smile wasn’t welcomed by the outsider. Though her lips had dropped upon seeing him, and being away from the others, the merchant was unphased. Her still aching body felt the opposite of whatever happy pills he was obviously snorting.

“Yeah, my bad, kind of got . . . distracted.” He nodded slowly.

“So I heard,” he couldn’t help but giggle at the wide eye stare that graced her features. “You were the highlight of the night, as they say.”

“Oh god.” Mina slapped her palm against her forehead. “f*ck I’m terrible at this.”

“Don’t be so glum, my dear. At the very least, you know there’s a potential way to have fun in the village.” With narrowed eyes, the outsider took a deep breath in.

“No, the only potential I have here is to become an alcoholic.” She swore part of that smile became a snicker. “Look, I just need to know if you’re going to be here by dusk so I can pick the camera up again.”

“You’re in luck.” She exhaled and started to turn around. “But only for so long, you can’t keep me waiting like last night~”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

I’m getting that f*cking camera and I’m getting the f*ck out of here.

Chapter 9: Desenrascanço

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine: Desenrascanço

Portuguese Noun: While you could translate this word as “disentanglement” the way it is used in Portuguese refers to finding an unusual or unexpected solution to a problem.

. . .

There’s no way that’s the sunset . . . right?

The hair of the dog is a myth. Even Mina knew that drinking again wasn’t going to cure herself of her hangover. Usually she would have gotten to the bar, stayed sober and just politely left after an appropriate-ish amount of time. But no—nooo.

“What, not in the mood to drink.” Ugh, it was Anton’s voice who floated back into her memory. Constanta had just sat down next to her when the unpleasant man came up behind her.

“Yeah, it’s a little too early.” Scoffing, the man plopped into the seat next to his wife. Mina had been the first one to make it to Nicu’s. Part of her thought that Luiza had even been f*cking with her about meeting up with them. Luckily the couple did not keep her waiting.

“Not everyone wants to drink every day, darling.” Her tone was lighthearted for the most part, yet Mina couldn’t help but detect an edge to her final word.

“Of course, of course.” A small silence befell the group. “. . . lightweight.”

Really, that was all it took for her to start everything all over again. Back home she might have ignored the comment or at the very least drank a little bit more responsibly. However her trip to Europe had only been the start of a series of bad decisions and everyday Mina felt like she was getting increasingly worse at avoiding them.

“Thinking about anything interesting?” The outsider blinked, her body slightly turning to face the voice. She knew all to well who it belonged to; visual confirmation wasn’t needed.

“Not really . . .” If there was one positive thing she could say about her actions of today and yesterday, Mina at least kept up with her persona. Without being able to bring in any funny references or anecdotes, she realized rather quickly how dull a person can be. Talking from her was minimal even though there was more than once when the group wanted some elaborations on her answers. Had this not been a sheltered village, and she had not been someone’s secret daughter, she might have just been ignored.

“Shame,” Emilian stood up from the chair beside her. He had caught her staring out the window for more than a few moments. “Ready to head out then?”

“Head out?” There was a pleasant buzzing running within her body. A sign that the alcohol was just at the right, feel good level.

“Place is getting kind of crowded.” Mina’s head turned rapidly to fully take in the people around them. He wasn’t lying. “Anton and Constanta have volunteered their home for us to use.”

“How thoughtful.” The outsider didn’t hesitate to stand up as she spotted Constanta. Quickly she came to the other woman’s side as if they had been friends’ way longer than a day.

“So . . . going to your place.” The village woman grinned, head nodding along as if speaking to someone younger.

“O-Oh, yeah.” The older woman placed a hand on Mina’s back and began the process of leaving. “There’s only so many times I can stand to be in there, I mean, I really wish there was some more variety.”

Then perhaps you should join me on a wonderful quest to get the f*ck out of here!

“I get that.” They were walking in the snow now as the door to the tavern remained open. The men had meant to follow but apparently gotten distracted whilst leaving the threshold. A random thought came to mind, and, without much deliberation, Mina blurted it out. “Hey, what did you mean yesterday about seeing what Miranda does to people who upset her?”

Mina didn’t see her face as she contemplated the answer. All she noticed was the deep breath taken in and that the two of them had slowed down. Truth be told, she expected Constanta to take an easy route and just ignore that anything had been said.

“It’s rather . . . hard to explain. There’s a difference in opinion as to what caused things to happen.” Mina was now consciously trying to ground herself now. “For example, your father . . . he was deeply devoted to Mother Miranda, more so after the death of your grandfather. Where as he turned to our Mothers guidance during this time of grief, your grandmother did not.”

“What happened?” That might not have been the best thing to say. Constanta stopped their route suddenly to peer down at her with inquisitive eyes. Did the village hermit not tell his daughter the reason why he left in the first place?

“She stopped going to church and even began to actively denounce that Mother Miranda and the Lords actually had any powers above us.” The village woman looked over her shoulders rapidly. Almost fearing that their matriarch might be lurking about. “It was the final straw for your father and so he left, now after having lost two parents.”

“Is she—my grandmother, still alive.” The pause between them was a good enough answer, however, Constanta was ready to elaborate.

“She’s not . . . she died only three days after he left. It was not . . . great.” She could tell that Constanta wanted her to be okay with dropping the subject without having to go over the gritty details. Sadly Mina was not the sheltered and faint-hearted girl they thought she was. “She got caught in the rain and, well, was struck by lightning.”

“Seriously?!” Mina’s tone accidently bordered on the side of fascination instead of shock. Constanta didn’t look fazed by it, though.

“People started saying that Mother Miranda was hurt by her dismissal, that it wasn’t fair to denounce her because of grief. People have to die at some point, not even our mother can stop that.” Mina forced her lips to curl slightly in a sort of heartbreak one would expect from a distant relative. “At the end of the day, I can’t help but feel bad for her . . . do you think that makes Mother Miranda upset.”

“I . . . I hope not.” She couldn’t fake being certain in this. Or that she was somehow fearful of their god coming to smite her for the smallest of reasons.

“. . . Oh here we are.” Constanta chuckled as she stopped the both of them from walking forward. Mina let her maneuver them into one of the little houses, silently thinking about her fake grandmother and the strange coincidence of her death. She couldn’t help but snort thinking that perhaps this one thing was proof enough that Mother Miranda truly does watch the village with a hawk like precision.

Before she knew it, Mina was sitting back down at another table. This time without a drink, sadly. Constanta and Anton’s home was not as well put together as Luiza’s. The living room seemed disheveled, though, not necessarily dirty. It was dry and warm-ish, all things considered.

“Here, why don’t you have some tea while I go track down the boys.” Mina blinked up at her as a purple teacup was placed in front of her.

“You’re leaving me alone.” Once again another red flag waved in front of her face.

“N—let me see if there’s someone close by that can stay with you. I know for a fact that Anton has probably forgotten to leave by now.” With narrowed eyes, Mina watched as Constanta lifted up one of the windows blinds. A couple seconds went by before she widened her eyes and smiled. Without warning she was heading towards the door and opening up for some unknown person.

“Oh good, you didn’t get lost on the way.” Mina heard two pairs of feet enter the hallway before the image of the new person came into view. She had a hunch that it was Emilian from the moment Constanta went to look out the window. Apparently she was a great guesser.

“Sadly the others got into a small argument before they could even get outside.” A disgruntled sigh bellowed past his sister-in-law’s lips. “And yes, it is once again about the pigs.”

“Marvelous.” The two of them finally stood before Mina’s form at the table. The outsider didn’t want to look into either of their faces and instead chose to focus on their shoulders. “Why don’t you wait with Mina while I force him back home.”

“Can do,” the chair he pulled out made the most grating noise. The sound of wood stretching under his weight as he sat was not a great noise either.

“Try to not have too much fun without me~” Mina’s eyes widened a bit as Constanta gave Emilian a not-so-subtle wink before turning around. The two of them watched as the woman sauntered out of the living room and back into the cold to possibly collect her husband.

A hard emphasis on possibly.

“I have to say,” please don’t say anything, she thought. “I’m pleasantly surprised by the person you’re turning out to be.”

“O-Oh?”

“I expected you to have completely written us all off by now, given that your only interactions have been with Luiza and your father.” A little groan got caught at the bottom of her throat. “I admire your courage in giving your new neighbors a chance.”

“Thank you.” Okay, this was uncomfortable. She needed a quick out.

Emilian so far had not done much to warrant such a gut reaction. His statements towards her had been borderline flirtatious and the confidence was greatly overwhelming to the point of being egotistical. Somehow there was also an awkwardness when it came to any one-on-one interaction between the two of them. It was like a pair of fourteen years old being forced into a game of seven minutes in heaven.

“I know this is rather early, but I’m curious.” She tried to gulp. “What are your plans for the future, or rather what are Luiza’s plans? I imagine you don’t always want to live with them.” Yeah they were Luiza’s plans, she thought.

“I-I’m not certain, I need to . . . work on some of my skills before I’m comfortable enough to leave.” Before she spoke, her understanding of how to word this was that she wanted to convey her inability to adult at the moment. With everything said, her mind couldn’t help but think of ‘skills’ as being karate moves instead of sewing or whatever boring tasks old people glorify.

“Sometimes the best way to learn is by doing.” She co*cked her head to the side, eyes not caring that they were narrowed. “As in it could be okay to go forward with your life even if you’re not completely prepared.”

“I—"

“You know, for someone who survived on their own this long, one would think that you’d be more confident in what you’re doing.” A bead of sweat literally ran down the back of her neck as heat brushed up into her body. “Makes me think that cooking and cleaning aren’t the things that are making you nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.” Oh that was a painful lie. So painful that it practically slapped her.

“It’s okay to admit it.” Reassuring was the word anyone would use when describing Emilian’s expression. It certainly didn’t feel that way to her though. “I was terrified of marriage at your age too.”

“Wha—”

“Partnership and intimacy sound scary out loud but in practice.” He was leaning towards her, completely bypassing all comfort lines. “I think it’s one of the most wonderous things about being human.”

“I don’t,” she scooted her chair back. “I don’t think this is a good thing to discuss.” The distance she created was meaningless as he didn’t let up his quest to be closer.

“I know Luiza might make you think that—” His words felt muffled in her mind as she scanned the area for anything that might help escape where this conversation was inevitably heading towards. It hit her when she saw the break in the window blinds. It was dark out.

Oh f*ck—camera!

“I need to, uh.” She stood up. “Be right back.” Now that was another painful lie.

“Wait, why are you—” She was bounding out of the house before he could even fully question her. Though she was fast in leaving the building, Mina was even quicker to dart down the road towards The Duke’s normal spot. The fact that she didn’t trip on any ice was a miracle.

What wasn’t a miracle, however, was the realization that he was no longer there when she arrived. All that remained was the tracks on the ground where the cart had been. They practically teased her as she walked closer, almost hoping that he might pop out of thin air when a customer was nearby.

“f*cking Nicu’s, f*cking cultists.” She kicked up some dirt before slinking away from the spot and towards the locked gates. No part of her wanted to go back to Luiza or Emilian. Somehow the mysterious Lord’s and their territory sounded less daunting than dealing with real people.

When she was near Beneviento’s, Mina wondered if it was so bad to hop the fence and explore the area. At least get a general idea of where things were before bringing the camera in and flashing it about. That’s what film people do before they start any production, after all.

Maybe there’s something else there that might not need a camera. Like letters or some other written stuff.

Perhaps if she hadn’t drunk that night, the outsider might have made a better decision. The prospect of getting out of here was too strong and her impaired mind saw more pro’s than cons when it came to carrying out her act of trespassing. So now here she was, trying to actually break in.

“f*ck . . .f*ck . . .f*ck!” Mina jumped up several times, trying to get a hold of the top bar. But she was pretty short and not particularly athletic. So that went as well as one would imagine.

After the eleventh attempt, she pressed her overheated forehead against the frosty bars that mocked her failure. She wanted to cry, she should cry, but that hurt only manifested itself physically within her chest. Usually impulsive decisions, often a symptom of hypomania, helped make crying easier. Depressive episodes were the ones that restricted any release of emotion outside of the body. Perhaps she was finally spiraling after the medication withdraw.

“You know, the more I know you the more I think you’re lying.” Any thoughts disappeared when Mina heard a familiar voice speak into her ear. She had been so busy trying to get in that she hadn’t heard someone coming up from behind.

Of course he followed her.

“L-lying.” The stammer was too real for her. The fearful mouse persona was no longer an act.

“They say you were alone for a long time out there.” f*ck, he could tell. He only knew her for a few days, and he could tell. “I don’t think you were surviving by yourself for more than a few days when Ernest found you.”

“I—”

“I get it though, you don’t want to seem so vulnerable.” Wait, what was going on? “Weak people disappoint Mother Miranda.”

“You’ve got this all wrong.” She accidently bit her tongue, explanations tried to come out all at once but not one seemed more plausible than the other.

“But you know what disappoints her more?” Something in his voice changed like the drop of a hat. “It’s rude little ladies who walk out when men are trying to talk to them.” Mina barely was able to gasp before she felt him grab that back of her skull. With dangerous force, he thrusted her head into the gate bars.

She tried to screech but his hand wrapped itself around her mouth in an instant.

“I was trying to tell you that the most important aspects of your future here can’t be fulfilled by learning from Luiza.” Maybe it was because her brain was currently jingling around like the contents of the snow globe, but he was making less and less sense. “Mother Miranda wants an abundant family, Mina. You can’t learn to create from another woman.”

“I don’t understand.” He chuckled so patronizingly.

“Oh dear Mina, I know you don’t.” The hand that was fisted into her head suddenly made itself known when the outsider felt it come to rest on her lower stomach. The sliminess of his touch seemed to burrow through her layers like it was the acid saliva of a xenomorph. “I’ll show you . . . I’ll show you everything.”

He snorted in her scent as his fingers travelled lower. She felt him balling up her skirt as to slip his appendage within. Shock had been all that she had felt thus far. Now, disgust and terror rampaged throughout.

In that moment in which her mind was currently branding into her memories, she thought of her father. How he made her feel safe in public as a budding teenager. No one messed with a beefed-up man and his baby girl. She then thought of her brother who told her that if someone at school ever touched her, he would make sure he wouldn’t come home without at least two fractured ribs. Her mother on the other hand had given her a sense of safety through advice and the tales of a woman growing up in the seventies and eighties. She really didn’t want to think of her family as she was being assaulted but her emotions now dictated her body.

She was no longer in control.

“Little f*cking tease—” Silence. Deep, nothingness. Like the deflation of a blood pressure wrap, Emilians grip loosened completely. It was as if Medusa had come along and turned him into stone before topping him over. Shaking, she heard his body hit the ground before another strange noise made itself known.

“Disgusting . . . Mother would never forgive . . . Not even brother . . . got to take him before.” These were the only words she could make out from the voice.

She felt like she was in a horror movie as her body turned around to face this new person. She tried to brace herself for what she would see but it proved to be ineffective. There, before her, was Emilian laying on the ground, petrified in fear.

His throat bobbed up and down as blood filled his lungs and esophagus. He couldn’t scream just as she hadn’t been able to. Like the flopping of a beached fish, the movements slowly ceased till all that was left was an open-eyed stare.

This was the second dead person she had ever seen.

Mina forced herself to look up at whoever had just maimed her attacker. She needed to see them if it was her who was up next on the chopping block. Despite that it was dark, the moon illuminated the area well enough for her to see features. She didn’t actually need to get up close to make for certain when she saw it.

The disfigured body of Lord Moreau was, after all, distinct. He was the Lord who puzzled her the most as she couldn’t comprehend why he head to look like a mutated monster. Maybe some sort of gimmick to highlight how non-human they were. He must have drawn the short stick as to who had to take the brunt of the ugly stick.

“Hi.” Mina croaked the word out before bringing her hand up in a sort-of still wave.

Lord Moreau was now the next person to freeze up. He didn’t think of the girl seeing him before making his attack. In his mind he expected her to stay still and wait for a few seconds to at least compose herself before facing the dead man lying on the ground. Now his heart was starting to speed up and any words he had became garbled in his mouth. To her shock, he attempted to turn his coat to hide his face. Much like how the original Dracula would attempt to use his cape to block out the beams of sun that set out to kill him.

“O-Okay?” His voice was equally unnerving. “Y-you okay are?”

“Yes . . .” She squeaked out, feeling a little better at his apparent shy nature. “Thank you . . . Lord Moreau.” Mina never thought she would bow for one of the con artists that were holding her prisoner. But he had saved her from a fate worse than imprisonment. Temporarily she owed him a thanks.

“Yes, well, yes.” He moved strangely, as if he was a startled crab, before grabbing Emilian by the collar of his shirt. The dead man was hoisted up along his left shoulder. “N-need to take out the trash.” She laughed without thinking.

“You’re funny.” He initially looked sad, thinking she was going to end it with ‘funny-looking’. But a look of wonder appeared on his face when he realized that this girl had complimented him and not just because he had saved her.

“Thank you, uh . . .” He looked frantic again as he shifted from side to side. “I have other jokes!” He proclaimed, making Mina giggle again. Was this seriously the monster man helping his mommy dearest enslave a village?

“I’d like to hear them.” She wasn’t sarcastic. It was the only time she hadn’t sighed in anguish when someone had told her that they had jokes to tell.

“Heh,” he laughed in glee. “Why did the freshwater fish cry?”

“Why,” she snorted as her lips contorted into a huge smile.

“Because they’re just a stream of emotions!”

Chapter 10: Pena Ajena

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten: Pena Ajena

Spanish Noun: The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation.

. . .

“Can someone please wipe that ugly smile off of fish freaks face!” Angie’s shrill scream filled the ostentatious parlor room of Lady Dimitrescu. The mortification Donna felt as the eyes of her family zeroed in on her doll made her drop her teacup. The water was still hot, and it burned as it stained through her usual black dress. The delicate fine China that her sister liked to boast about tumbled onto the floor and chipped itself on the rim.

The pain of the scalding water was nothing in compared to way her heart was beating. She could practically hear it trashing against her eardrums as a blooming heat spread across her cheeks. No one knew of course.

“Donna.” It was Mother Miranda who spoke. Though she had said it calmly, all of her children could feel the slight hiss that radiated from her words. It was a subtle thing that one might not detect.

The moment her mind caught up with her body, the veiled Lord grabbed Angie by her midsection and tucked her face first into the space below her own chest. She could feel her dolls head trying to twist around against the thick dress. This was not an uncommon occurrence.

“Forgive me, Mother Miranda.” Her own voice trembled as Angie finally began to still in her arms. Their matriarch didn’t say anything in response as she continued to stare at her daughter with sharp eyes. With the veil on, it was harder to see what was happening behind the decorative mask. Sadly, this didn’t mean she was immune to the invisible weight of her displeasure.

Alcina grumbled under her breath as she brought her cigarette holder towards her face. It wasn’t often that Mother Miranda decided to call a family dinner at her castle. Or, well, anywhere really. She hadn’t given a reason for why she wanted to spend the evening with her children. Alcina didn’t question it even if it was literally more suspicious than a smile from Heisenberg.

The entire day was spent ordering around her troop of maids as they cleaned and polished so hard that their hands became blistered. Those in the kitchen cooked up five different courses over and over again until their Lady was satisfied with the results. So much waste created for one night. If they weren’t so afraid than maybe one of the maids could stop and be angry for the state of their lives and this village.

Though it was ‘taxing’ for the Lady to put it together, everything was worth it the moment Miranda arrived at the room and said, Very Lovely, Alcina. It was enough to keep her smug sense of superiority over Heisenberg for the entire night. He, of course, came late and nearly knocked her off schedule.

After a thankless meal, the five of them retired to the adjacent parlor room for tea, wine, and in Heisenberg’s case, a flask of off-brand whiskey because f*ck family bonding. There was always a good chance that Miranda might chose to retire after the meal. There was, after all, no practical reason to stay. Her choosing to prolong the evening only shot Alcina’s ego sky high.

They hadn’t been in the room long before Angie had spoken out.

Donna should be ashamed. Next time that porcelain garbage piece better stay home with the rest of the circus. Perhaps it could accidently take a tumble off the stairs when they leave.

While the women were hung up on the sudden display, Heisenberg, too buzzed to care, looked towards the corner. Angie had pointed her tiny finger in that direction and he realized just what she had been talking about.

Seeing it as well made him share the same sentiment.

Moreau had been designated to sit away from the rest of the family and especially the furniture. Alcina didn’t have to remind him every time he came by that his presence was unwanted. She would make two maids escort him from the servant’s entrance to the dining room. One to lead him and make sure he didn’t wander, the second to push a wooden cleaning cart behind him. They had strict orders to make sure that every step he took was followed by a mop to clean up. The f*cked-up thing was that he didn’t actually track in mud or gunk.

No, in fact Moreau always spent hours before hand getting ready for these types of events. He was the only one other than Alcina to wear nicer clothes than usual. He was the first to arrive and, in tonight’s case, had brought along a little bouquet of roses to match the deep reds her sister and nieces liked. Had it not been for the maid who let him in, the flowers would have been stuffed in the garbage can. Instead they were placed inside a little vase and placed on top of the servants dining table. The veteran maids felt a sort of pity towards him knowing just how cruel his sister was.

The chair he was placed in, again farthest away from Miranda and his sister, had been covered with a roll of black fabric that was to be burned later. Now, in the corner of the parlor room, he sat on a pile of parchment papers and a dull pillow. It wasn’t all that bad, he thought. He actually preferred not sitting in a chair as most ones did not conform well to his unusual shape. The pillow on the ground was much nicer than how he usually sat at home. Which was usually just straight on the floor.

If any of this had bothered him in the past, Heisenberg didn’t know or care. But on this particular night, it was evident that Alcina could spit in his face, and he wouldn’t have minded. Hell, all of them, save for mother, could do so.

“f*ck, I see what you mean.” All three women moved their attention towards him. In response, Heisenberg pointed towards Moreau who only now realized that people were talking about him. A strange thing seeing as he usually hung on every one of mother’s words like she might out of the blue mention something remotely positive about him.

He had been smiling through the night as if something like that occurred. It wasn’t a big, sappy smile but just a little upturn of the lips that showed that there was something on his mind that prevented him from being dragged down into family drama. Though now he looked at the others with wide, nervous eyes. Whereas his sister’s anxiety had dropped off, his had elevated.

“I know right, so gross!!” Angie wormed her head out of Donna’s arms like a mole and was now glaring at Moreau. The Lord was quick in shoving her back down, even more afraid of having the spotlight back on her for just a moment.

“Something on your mind?” Mother Miranda’s inquisitive tone brought back that smile in full force, excited about getting her acknowledgement. But that smile didn’t last long as she waited for an answer. Cold lips hanging impatient and dead under that golden mask.

“N-no Mother,” Heisenberg rolled his eyes and took a swig at Moreau’s stammer. The mutants strange voice was almost as annoying as his big sisters. “I’m Just happy to be here with family.” Alcina scoffed at him, taking a drag, and crossing her legs.

“Liar!” Donna gasped as Angie popped out of her arms and onto the ground like a cork. “Liar, Liar, Liar~!” She bellowed, laughing, and twirling as she sped up towards him.

“Angie, stop, please!” It was one of the few times they had heard Donna speak loud enough to be considered a trembling wail. It still wasn’t quite at the normal volume of a regular person.

“Ah!’ Moreau pushed his hands out in front of him in a not-so-great attempt at shielding Angie away. She easily came up to him, keeping some distance, and pointed at his face.

“You got a secret, huh?!” She started to jump up and down on her tiptoes. “Did you kill someone, invest in a paper bag for your face, find something cool?!” Her mocked interest made the room feel ten times warmer than before. In his peripheral vision he could see his sister rushing to grab her. If only she was faster.

“Please don’t be so mea—”

“Oh, I know!” Before Donna was able to bend down and pick her up, Angie snarled at him and declared. “You’ve got a girl-y friend~”

Moreau’s cheeks lit up visibly red as Heisenberg made a fake gagging sound that mirrored Alcina’s expression. If there was one thing that annoyed her as much as Heisenberg’s presence, it was the mention of heterosexuality.

“Wow, thanks for putting that f*cking disgusting image in my head.” He stood up, glaring at the smug doll. “Now, if you all don’t mind, I’m going to go throw up in one of super size’s vases.” In a flash he had left the room just as Alcina stood up.

“Don’t you f*cking dare you little creatin, I will personally string you up by your disgusting man dick if you so much as try—”

“I think this night is over.” The remaining Lords flinched as Mother Miranda stood up. She didn’t say a word as she strode past them, eyes muddled with seething disappointment and disgust. When she shifted out of sight, Alcina turned towards Donna and Moreau. Both shivered under her gaze. At this moment they feared her more than Mother.

“Out!” The two rushed away as she collapsed onto the sofa. Swarms of the three daughters passed the fleeing Lords in dense cloud of agitated insects. Not one of them bothered to greet their relatives.

The veiled Lord stopped for a few beats and looked at Moreau. Her and the doll would split up from him to go out their own entrance. Donna’s left hand was wrapped around Angie’s mouth in a display of irritation that made him feel somewhat bad. Only a little though knowing that his sister was incapable of truly punishing her own creation.

Her only friend.

. . .

A Day Earlier

Mina was honestly a little surprised to still be alive. When she woke up the morning after Emilians death, she was too preoccupied mentally to really take in how unwell her body was. The headache seemed more like a product of last night’s events rather than from drinking. There was a part of her that was terrified of leaving the room, so she ended up avoiding breakfast. Hiding could only last for so long, as she came to realize.

“Mina,” a light rasp against her door had the girl sitting up suddenly. “Can you come downstairs? Constanta is here and she would like to speak to you.”

f*ck—so much for getting out of this sh*t hole. Maybe they’ll let me pick between burning at the stake and having my head chopped off.

She didn’t want to prolong the inevitable and was surprisingly fast in getting to the living room. Constanta was sitting at the table with a cup of tea when Mina first spotted her. Just as she thought, her lips were sagging like there was something upsetting weighing on her mind. When the two locked eyes she expected to be met with seething rage. At least suspicion. Surprisingly none of these feelings were evident on her face.

“Hey Constanta,” she gave a weak wave whilst standing in the entryway. A slight push on her back made her reluctantly walk into the room.

“Mina,” her voice was brittle. She must have known something about Emilian’s fate. “I’m sorry for disturbing you and Luiza I just thought it was best that I break the news to you.” What, why was she acting sorry? “My brother will not unfortunately be able to take you out on your date.”

Date!?

Her eyes widened as a wetness formed onto Constanta’s eyes. She fished out a small handkerchief and dabbed at spots on her face. A few sniffles accidently came out in the process.

“Anton and I received a letter from Lord Moreau this morning, Emilian has been selected to aid him in his work for Mother Miranda.” Mina’s body shook as she recalled the memories of last night.

“f*ck, people are going to think . . .” She stopped before the Lord could get more wound up in her lies. Emotionally she felt exhausted as bitter tears stung the corner of her eyes. The sunless winter air did not help the sensation. “I’m the last person he was seen with.”

“O-Oh,” Moreau looked more than uncomfortable as the girl before him started to sniffle. He should be used to crying humans by now. It was just strange that the tears flowing from her were not because of the sight of his face or the procedures his mother would have him prepare. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix it.”

The outsider was more than unconvinced. Still, there was a fear within her that didn’t want to underestimate the man in front of her. Him and his family had tricked this village for generations. Outright doubting him and his ‘powers’ might not be the best course of action.

“Thank you,” the gratitude expressed wasn’t an entire lie. It didn’t taste great coming out of her mouth knowing that the person in front of her was the reason why she couldn’t go home. If leaving was to be a possibility, she needed to keep up an act. “I’m very lucky that you were here.” Mina’s tone was more than awkward as it felt more like reciting lines for an extremely boring presentation.

Despite the unconvincing nature of it, a look of wonder passed onto the Lord’s face. For a moment he put a foot outward as to come closer, however he quickly realized what he was doing and took two steps backwards. She hadn’t even reacted to his movements, yet he acted as she had given him the most vicious of scowls.

Why did he seem so . . . pathetic?

“A letter?” Constanta rubbed at her face as she fished out an envelope form her pocket. She didn’t open it up, just held it up in the air long enough for Mina and Luiza to see the outside. There were scribbles on it that seemed kind of shaky for an adult. The only thing to suggest that he was of nobility was the broken wax seal on the front.

“It’s quite an honor to be chosen.” Luiza’s voice had the two younger women snapping their gazes towards her. There was a comforting presence on her face that suggested a level of sympathy towards the two of them. “I had a younger sister a long time ago who was selected to work as a maid in the castle. Our father was so proud—even if we were all a little sad.”

“I tried explaining something like that to Anton but . . .” She seemed to bite the inside of her lip before ultimately shaking her head of the conversation. “Well, we’ll get by.” With a deep inhale, Constanta stood up from her place at the table. Mina’s chest felt as if knives were being poked into her ribs as the woman began to walk closer towards her.

“I-I’m sorry to hear about this.” The outsider immediately dropped her gaze towards her shoes as her friend came to a stop in front of her.

“I know you had only just met but he did think highly of you.” Any guilt that had festered within her since locking eyes with Constanta instantly was burnt away. Dirty fingernails pressed deeply into the palms of her hands as she recalled how fun it was to be left alone with Emilian. In his last moments he made it clear how ‘highly’ he thought of her and her intelligence. No doubt his brother and friends thought just the same.

“You’re always welcome to come visit if you and your husband need anything.” Luiza, for once, provided some relief as she came up beside Constanta and began the process of walking her out. Mina followed behind and allowed for the two women to say some final words together. Her standoffish reaction wasn’t questioned as she knew they deep down saw her as some girl who had just lost a new crush.

Oh I’m so f*cking heartbroken.

“Are you okay—” Luiza had turned back towards her once the door was closed but found that Mina was already heading back to her room.

“Just peachy.”

. . .

Earlier

“Ah, I wasn’t expecting to see you bright and early this morning!” The Duke’s cheery voice had Moreau flinching as he approached the man. Light had just peeked over the horizon, barely illuminating the disfigured Lord to the merchant. “What can I do for you~”

“Letter . . . to be sent.” He fished out a small paper from his coat before reaching them up towards The Duke. The larger man took out a small handkerchief from his pocket before using it to accept the papers. The Lord didn’t remark on it.

“Anton and Constanta Cioaca, a rather lovely couple if I say so.” Moreau shuffled from foot to foot as the merchant scanned the envelopes. “Hopefully all good news, of course.”

He didn’t say anything, just looked away towards his territory. Nervousness awakening with the growing sun. The Duke eventually put the letter away and began totaling the bill.

“Is there anything else I can do for you.” Moreau opened up his mouth and paused, a sudden thought coming to mind.

“C-Could you pass along a message.” The Duke raised an eyebrow. “It’s to a girl, Mina—”

“Mina!” The merchants’ teeth flashed behind his smile. “You’ve met her, have you?” A flush of pink arose atop the corpse like flesh of the Lord. The outburst had him taking a few steps back whilst looking to see if any villager was in the vicinity to hear them.

“Yes, last—” Moreau cut himself off. The Duke was not his siblings or mother, he didn’t need to know anything of his life.

“She’s something else, isn’t she.” The Lord only co*cked his head to the side. “Poor thing is so lonely though.”

“Lonely? But she has friends . . . right.” Of course she did, he thought. She was normal. All normal people had friends.

“I’m afraid not.” The Duke shook his head, speaking as if he was referring to a cat with only three legs. “Though recently I’ve noticed more than a few young men trying to get her attention. Can’t say it’s for the noblest of intentions if you get what I mean.” The wink the larger man gave him had Moreau’s mouth dropping open. A small bit of accidental saliva flowed over his crooked teeth and pooled at the ground.

“I-I’m sure her parents will—”

“Both parents are dead.” There was no hint of sadness in his voice. “It’s all very tragic.” The Lords hands began to rub against each other. He didn’t feel the cold like humans did as the action provided no additional warmth. “What was it that you wanted me to tell her again?”

“I . . . I just wanted to let her . . .” His eyes glanced over towards the village. The tops of the houses weren’t all that visible to him. Most of it was overshadowed by his sister’s castle.

“I hate to interrupt,” Moreau gulped as he looked up at him. “But may I make a suggestion?”

. . .

Two days had gone by, and she avoided the bar like a plague. She avoided most places, actually. Luiza and Ernest had been sympathetic at first, but she could tell that there was only so long she could stay hidden before one of them tried to bring her back out into their society. They thought she was sad about losing her new friend and possible beau. Not that she was secretly disturbed by the Lord who had saved her.

“Mina?” A knock at her door made the outsider sigh against the pillows. This was the second time this morning that Luiza had come to check in. “I have something for you.”

“Huh?” The girl didn’t have time to get off the bed as Luiza immediately opened up the door. The old woman couldn’t help but briefly scowl at the underdressed sight of her ward. Mina didn’t focus too much on her reaction as a strange parcel in the woman’s hands had her baffled. “What is it?”

“It is a package from The Duke.” Her eyes widened as she remembered the man who she had now blown off twice. She had been so caught up in processing the night of Emilians death that she had forgotten about the camera once again. “I didn’t realize you bought something from him.”

“Oh, well, it was on sale.” Luiza’s face immediately lit up with disbelief. How was that the only thing she found suspicious. “Or rather he gave me a good deal since I’m new.”

“I see,” reluctantly she allowed Mina to take the package from her gloved hands. “Just be careful with whatever deals you make with him. Some of the wears he sells are not the type of things Mother Miranda would approve of.”

Guess I’m about to become his biggest customer then.

“I’ll be careful,” a hesitation passed between them as Luiza stood without moving. “Thank you.” The older woman narrowed her eyes for a moment before eventually turning around and leaving.

When the door was closed, Mina tore into the brown wrapping. Underneath was a cardboard box that had no labels or markings belonging to a specific company. It was closed with only one long strip of duct tape that was annoyingly hard to get off. A feeling of anxiety was present in her mind as she wondered if her guardian might decide to come back up whilst she was still getting the camera out of the package.

Luckily the box eventually opened and inside was indeed the camera from before. Part of her thought he might just f*ck around with her and send her a thing of packing peanuts instead. Apparently he was interested in keeping her as a customer even if she was rather unreliable.

For a few minutes she inspected the machine to make sure that everything was in working order. It’s batteries had been included and it did turn on with the press of its plastic buttons. It came with only one extra roll of photos, so she avoided actually snapping a picture. Besides Luiza might end up hearing it make its usual racket.

If she hadn’t turned the empty box upside down, she might have missed the letter stuffed at the bottom. It dropping suddenly onto her lap had the outsider flinching and nearly pushing the camera off the edge of the bed. With it out in the open, Mina noticed that an additional piece of paper had been taped to the opening.

My Dear Mina,

I received this letter a day after you were expected to pick up your order. I had hoped that you might come to see me sooner in person but given who it was from, I imagined that it was best to get it to you swiftly regardless. I’ve included it with your camera in hopes that it might not unnecessarily rouse suspicion from your guardians. I think we both know that you would not hear the end of it from Luiza if she knew who you were in contact with.

I would greatly appreciate seeing you again when it becomes convenient. Even if it isn’t to sell or purchase from my store.

Sincerely Your Friend,

~The Duke

Though the paper was still taped on as she read, Mina knew that she was not going to like what was hidden underneath. There was no point in waiting and she ultimately peeled the note off with a careful precision. Just as she suspected, the opening had been sealed with an old-fashioned brown, wax stamp. A sight eerily similar to the one given to Constanta.

Dear Mina,

I took care of the trash. It’s done now so you don’t have to worry. Do you like the water by the way? I have plenty of it. I also have lots of food so come by whenever you want. I left a key with The Duke so you can get in.

Sincerely,

Lord Salvatore Moreau

Mina read the letter over and over again as if there was some hidden message within the words. Infiltrating the Lord’s territories had been a part of the plan. Getting an invitation to do so was not.

Yeah, just going to waltz on in there and hopefully not get my head smashed in. Or hell, maybe he’ll try to drown me. Probably just die of hypothermia if he pushes me in. This is great, this is absolutely fine!

. . .

“Well if it isn’t dear little Mina.” The Duke’s voice felt three octaves sharper than it actually was to the outsider. The look she gave him was a neutral one as she waited for two of his previous customers to walk past and out of the way.

“I didn’t realize you were a mailman on top of being a merchant?” She crossed her arms.

“I offer a variety of goods and services,” he paused. “For the right price, of course.”

“And none of those services involve escorting me out of this sh*thole?” Her deadpan tone had him in a little fit of giggles.

“I’m afraid not, my dear.” She rolled her eyes, not caring if he charged her extra for the insolence. “Though you’ll be the first to know if that were to ever change.”

“Gee, thanks.” She took a deep breath before taking a quick glance down towards her side. As frustrating as he was, The Duke did manage to get her a camera. It resided hidden within the black knapsack hanging against her hip. Luiza hadn’t seen her when she left so she managed to avoid speaking about it. Her dress was already a dark, dull grey so it didn’t stand out on her.

“I’m going to assume that you’re here to pick this up,” her head snapped up to see that a key had appeared within the merchants’ hands. It was nothing like the one to her condo or car as it frankly troubled her in its creepy design.

“Lucky guess,” she plucked it from him without any resistance.

“If you’re wondering, no I will not be charging you a fee for holding onto it.” She hesitated.

“. . . I’m going to assume it’s because you’ve already charged Lord Moreau for it.”

“See, I knew you were bright~”

. . .

How did she get here? Mina was baffled by the difference between the village and the reservoir. There was at least three times in which the path before her was so strange that she nearly turned around and headed back. It felt kind of like a prank as she had imagined his home to be, well, befitting of a Lord.

It was the opposite really. It was a home made for ghosts or squatters. The reservoir lacked life outside of nature. It reminded her of those post-apocalyptic zombie movies where a few years had gone past, and plants had begun to grow on buildings and cars. There were houses but people were long gone. Did the villagers use to live out here before they were moved off and away from Moreau’s territory? She didn’t have much time to ponder that thought.

“Y-You came!” A yelp lodged into Mina’s throat and suffocated her as she came face to face with her previous savior. They were nowhere near what could be considered a livable space and she hadn’t expected to find him this quick in.

“Of course, I wanted to.” Her heart was hitting her ribs painfully as she watched him waddle up to her. God it was scary how good this costume was. This was a costume right? Or at least partially. People just simply do not look like, well, this.

“I wasn’t sure if . . .” He trailed off before coming to a stop in front of her. It was then that Mina realized that he smelled as good as he looked. To mask her disgust she stopped breathing through her nose.

“You said you had jokes and food.” She twitched a smile upon her face. “What girl could say no to that?”

“Yes!” Without thinking, Mina stretched out her hand to him. For a few seconds, Moreau looked at it like it was some complex puzzle. When his brain lit up and realized that she wanted him to lead the way, he grabbed onto as if he was a kid seeing a candy bar.

If her body wasn’t already on high alert she might have flinched at the touch. His webbed fingers felt like the skin of a slug. Some type of slime oozed onto her own flesh, and she mentally had to convince herself that it was some type of lubricant that one could get from a Halloween store.

Mina said nothing as he turned around and led her deeper into this even sadder part of the world. On the way he pointed out different aspects of the reservoir much like an excited park ranger. He kept a firm grip on her until they eventually made their way to a windmill. This man was more interesting than that guy from the beer commercial if this is where he wanted to set up shop.

“We have to go down b-but I have lots of cheese and even a television!” Mina gasped loudly and Moreau took it as a positive sign.

TV, did he say TV! They have f*cking TV around here! f*ck, I take it back, this man lives like a king!

“What do you like to watch?” He stopped on the stairs leading below the turn part of the mill. They hadn’t reached the elevator she wasn’t expecting yet and was thinking that underground meant a basem*nt.

“I-I like . . . funny, romantic movies.” He looked as if he had flinched when he said the word ‘romantic’. She didn’t see the way he blushed as she thought of movies that came to mind. “What about you?”

“Oh,” it felt suspicious to admit it, but he had said television as if he expected her to know it so might as well give him some honesty. “I like horror movies.”

His face fell a little bit and it made her feel a bit sad.

“But I like romance movies too!” Though it was a common genre, particular tittles were not coming to her quickly. Themes of love in films had been avoided since coming to Europe. When she had time hoping between countries and hotels she had selected to only watch horror or regular comedies. Watching people fall in love and create families usually led her down a path that reminded her why she had left in the first place.

“Really?” He didn’t sound wary, thankfully. “Do you have a favorite?”

f*ck, what type of movies are people in a cult even allowed to watch anyways?! Midsommar? Veggie Tales? Universe help me out here!

“Oof, uh—”

“Moreau, where the f*ck are you!” The two of them jumped at the same time. The unknown voice to Mina sounded like they were in the yard outside. Panic stretched out onto the Lord’s face and without warning, he grabbed Mina’s hand and ran her down the rest of the steps and pushed her in a small corner crevice. The sound of heavy footsteps entering the building made him shake.

“Oh no, please stay quiet.” He put a finger up to his lips before moving away to go up the stairs.

“Wait, who is this guy?” She whispered loudly.

“My brother!”

Wait, brother?!

“And last, but of course not least, is Lord Heisenberg!” Mina hadn’t realized that her lips were curved into a smile until Luiza spoke back up. For a few moments she had almost forgotten that this older cowboy looking man was a key part of this cult. “He’s regarded as the most powerful of the four Lords.”

Mina could only sit and watch with wide eyes as Moreau ascended back up the stairs. This couldn’t really be what she thought it was. Maybe Moreau had another brother who wasn’t a Lord and also Heisenberg. Was this truly to be the first time she personally met the man whose picture made her feel the most distressed? Sure Beneviento was hidden in all-black and Dimitrescu essentially looked like she could literally eat someone’s heart out, but Heisenberg’s image scared her in a way that she couldn’t quite place. The day he had walked through the village, with her at a distance, she felt that meeting him was best saved for last.

“There you are.” Standing on the floor above Mina’s head, Heisenberg watched with narrowed eyes as Moreau pattered up to meet him. “I’m Surprised you got up from your hole so quickly?”

“I just got home.” The smaller Lord rung his hands together, keeping a safe distance away from being struck by the hammer on his brother’s shoulder. “Do you need some—”

“And where exactly where you before that?” Moreau’s eyes darted around the room, desperate to not look at the other man.

“Was walking.” Heisenberg let out a deep laugh.

“Well you could definitely do with some exercise, glad to see you’re at least not lying around like our dear, overgrown sister.” A twinge of joy shot up through Moreau’s spine at the sound of the backhanded compliment. It helped to know that at least Heisenberg didn’t hate him as much as Alcina. Yay, for not being the most disliked sibling.

Mina was able to hear every bit of the conversation despite her position. It made breathing an even harder task knowing how little the sound barrier was. She found his voice fascinating as it was completely different than what she imagined. In her head she believed he would speak like a gruff, old man with a twinge of a southern accent. Of course that would make no sense since they were in Romania.

“But seriously,” the sudden venom from the man made her bite down on her lip in surprise. A gasp just barely slipped through her fingers. “What were you doing?”

She could hear one of the boards squeaking in place from Moreau’s movement. The hesitant silence caused the other man to stomp towards him, doing so just slow enough to mimic that of a predator. One that apparently had no qualms with eating their own family.

“Because I’ve been thinking that Donna’s toy might be right,” Moreau stumbled back and nearly tripped over an unaligned board. “You’ve been hiding something.”

“I’m confused,” Mina nodded in agreement. What the absolute f*ck was wrong with this guy. Or rather, what the f*ck type of toy was he talking about. “I-I’ve just been here, and Angie is always so mea—" Heisenberg’s hammer slammed into the wall next to Moreau causing blood to surge onto Mina’s tongue as her teeth bit too far into the flesh. Fresh tears rolled down her face and collected with the damp ground.

“I’d think really hard about your next words if I were you.” Her heart broke at the faint sounds of slobbery sniffles coming from the other man.

“L-leave,” a pin drop could be heard through the silence that followed. “This is my territory, I’ll tell Mother—”

“Do I look like I care what ‘mommy’ thinks!” Mina was shaking uncontrollably as this violent man seemed to be getting closer and closer. “You’re obviously hiding—”

“I’m not hiding anything!” Moreau took two steps forward. “I would never hide something from Mother.”

“. . . Fine,” he puffed out a sigh.

Moreau choked on his breath as he watched Heisenberg back up and head towards the door. He was slow in doing so and it gave the outsider time to sneak back to the stairs. The desire to confirm the man visually was enough to get her close enough for a peek.

He had his back turned from where she was but the sight itself made the decision worth it.

Moreau also couldn’t see her face looking up at the two of them as he slowly reapproached Heisenberg. The other man turned just a little when he was fully in the doorway, and it gave Mina a side view of his face. One hand held the hammer he was leaning on and the other rummaged through his coat pocket.

“I’m going to be keeping my eye on you, freak.” Finally, he was out and walking away through the yard. Moreau wasn’t quick enough to stop Mina from bounding up the steps as to get another look through the nearest window.

He was almost out of their line of sight as Moreau tried to gently bring her away from possible exposure. Both of them watched as the other Lord stilled at the edge of the yard. The hand in his pocket finally removed itself and, instead of a cigar, brought out a familiar object that left Mina baffled.

There were a lot of things in this world that she might believe belonged to someone else. This, however, was one that had known her better than any human. Its small design was prominent and most people her age could identify that it was a toy meant to resemble a purple Pokémon. There was no tag or label on it as it had been hand made years ago. A present from her mother to a much younger version of herself. Though she managed to lose many things in her life, her Mew was not one of them.

To her horror it was now being brought up to his face and sniffed.

What in the fetish f*cking hell is this!?

After a few seconds Heisenberg turned and sauntered away. She stood petrified with her jaw hanging open until she felt a tug on the back of her dress.

“Moreau, what the f*ck!” Seeing Mina turning around and closing in on him made him shake as he shuffled around. “Why was he . . . well-being everything?!”

“I don’t know, brother has not come here for decades.” She suppressed the anger inside her that wanted to scream about this stupid charade. “He seemed so upset.” A webbed hand came up to wipe at his watery eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she looked away. “I’ve never met him before, what was the deal with the hammer and, uh, the thing he sniffed?”

“That’s his special hammer, he likes to use it on the Lycans when they’re bad.” Mina didn’t feel like delving into what the hell a Lycan was just yet. “I don’t know about the purple thing b-but sometimes he can track things that smell.”

Mina sucked in a breath and couldn’t figure out how to let it out.

“Mother gave us lots of powers.” He smiled a bit at the mention of his mom, but his shoulders sagged, and that happiness was wiped off pretty quickly. “He got more though since she made him after me. The Lycans are like that too.”

Ok, deep breath. There is no way that Moreau is suggesting that his brother has the nose of a bloodhound. That’s impossible, humans don’t work that way and mommy sure as sh*t doesn’t have enough magic powers to do that for him. There’s something else involved, there has to be. A machine? No, that’s stupid. Dogs? Drugs? He mentioned Lycans and that’s got to be related to like wolves and sh*t.

“Do you think it led him here?” Moreau’s eyes wandered up to her own before nodding. She really wanted to slap herself for going along with this. “Is he hunting ‘something’?” She put an emphasis on the last word, making sure to not say ‘someone’ instead.

“Yeah, yeah! That would explain why he was so angry.” Mina raised an eyebrow at him.

“What, how?” He turned away from her, looking bashful.

“Because . . . Because I smell.” He paused. “Bad.” The gears in Mina’s head turned over and over as she processed the implication. Seeing as Heisenberg was able to find her here, it meant that there was some truth to his hunting ability. That would mean that Moreau’s odor was so pungent that it masked her own.

She broke out into a grateful smile. Before he could ask why she was like that, Mina bent down and placed a kiss on the top of his clothed head.

“I like your smell,” he gave her the most awed look ever. “It’s . . . unique.”

. . .

“Ah, Lord Heisenberg, didn’t think I’d see you outside of the factory.” The Duke waved cheerfully towards the clearly pissed off man. The gate to Moreau’s territory shut so hard that the metal rattled.

“f*ck off, I’m not in the mood.” He didn’t bother looking up at the man in his caravan who never seemed to be offended at such crude words.

“Didn’t catch anything?” Heisenberg stopped, body tensing. “What a shame.”

“What would you know, huh?!” Snow was kicked up as he stomped towards The Duke. His hand subconsciously patted against the pocket holding the girl’s torn shirt.

“I know a lot of things,” he shifted around in his seat. “Like how you’re not the type of hunter to give up so easily on prey.” There was a gleam in the larger man’s eye that suggested something was underneath the skin.

“I run a factory not a butcher’s shop.” The Duke couldn’t help but roar with laughter.

“Well, we all have our hobbies and side ‘hustles’, as the American’s call it.” Heisenberg took a deep inhale from his nose as the cold burned him soothingly from the inside. “And I’m the type of person who likes to help others pursue their passions.”

“And what would you possibly have that I would want.” The gleam in The Duke’s eyes seemed to spark.

“Well,” he elongated the word. “Let’s just say it might be more useful than tattered clothing.

f*cking omniscient prick!

“How much.” He grumbled, looking away from the man’s face.

“It’s rather expensive—”

“And I’m f*cking loaded with Miranda’s ‘allowance’ money,” he kicked up a wave of ice and snow. “So again, how f*cking much?!”

“As I was about to say, this little piece would cost more than just lei.” Heisenberg growled deeply.

“You’re gonna make me do your bidding for something you won’t even show me?!” The Duke was unphased.

“If I showed it to you it would no longer be of value.” The Metal Lord mentally caused the gates of his own territory to slam open behind him.

“Whatever, I don’t need your help.” With that, he was gone.

The Duke only shook his head as his right hand went to touch the bottom of the cash register. Pressing it open slowly, he watched as Mina’s face slowly entered into the light. The photo of her untouched and clear.

“Don’t worry dear Mina,” he pressed the register back shut. “He’ll be back.”

Chapter 11: Gigil

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven: Gigil

Tagalog Noun: The irresistible urge to pinch or squeeze someone because they are cute or cherished.

. . .

Trying to recover following Heisenberg’s departure was something that Mina was struggling with. Moreau got over the event rather quickly as the two of them escaped farther down his home. Knowing that he lived underground was, yet another disturbing thing added to her ‘reasons why I need to get the f*ck out’ list.

“Which one do you want to watch?” Moreau was practically bouncing as he pushed a crate of VHS tapes towards her. It was a blast from the past as she briefly tried to remember what age she was when her family had stopped using the VHS all together and went to DVD. Maybe it was eight?

“Um,” her fingers lightly pushed through the pile. The covers felt like they were blank as she desperately tried to hide the knowledge that his brother was hunting her of all people. Eventually she just pulled up something at random.

“Oh!” He took it from her hands, holding it up between both palms. “You’ll like this one, I promise.” He laughed in a way that sounded almost like giggling and it was enough to momentarily snap her back into reality. She watched as the tape player ate the VHS out of Moreau’s hands before he pressed a few buttons, making sure it was rewound to the beginning.

Remember how mom got mad at us because we never rewound the tape after we finished watching. That was . . . wow that was like three presidents ago, I think?

Finally the tv had come to a stop on the tapes cycle. He pressed one more button before shuffling away and sitting next to her on the ground. A few credits rolled in before the title came up and it was revealed to be Runaway Bride. Not something she had seen but then again, she avoided most movies of that type after her mom put her through stuff like Love, Actually and The Notebook.

It was uncomfortable sitting on the ground instead of on a bed or couch. But Moreau, despite how painful his body shape looked, was content to just be there. The film felt like background music as she thought over their interactions. Somehow he had managed to completely disprove most of her prior interpretations of his character.

People at the top of any cult tended to come across as arrogant, charismatic, and all knowing. Moreau, however, fit the stereotype of someone on the very bottom. Like absolute rock bottom. Insecurity oozed from him as naturally as his fish-like musk and nothing he had said suggested that he was in any way deeply intelligent or commanding.

Maybe he’s brainwashed just like the others? Like, yeah, he might know deep down that Miranda is all smoke and mirrors but perhaps he’s been so mistreated that even he believes the lies he’s helping perpetuate. That’s just so f*cking sad.

The decision to appear as a monstrous mutant was obviously no one’s first pick. It would make sense that he was simply going along with the wishes of people above him. People who were manipulating him into believing they were all family.

And I thought me, and my bro didn’t get along . . .

It didn’t take her long to realize that Moreau was spending more of his time watching her facial expressions rather than the movie. He knew exactly when something important would come up and waited to see her smile or laugh. In all honestly she thought the film was boring, but an epiphany struck her suddenly and her whole demeanor changed.

“Aw!” She placed a hand over her heart as the main characters had one of those awkward ‘we both have more chemistry than our current partners but don’t want to admit it’ scene.

He didn’t say anything in response, but his excitement became heightened as if his family was not even a thought at that moment. After that she spent the whole movie in rapid attention as if she were watching Jaws on the big screen for the first time. At the end, when the two characters came together at their private wedding, Mina subtly pinched the delicate skin of her arm as to get a tear flowing down her cheek.

Moreau didn’t need pain to start bawling. That tear she forced, upon seeing him react to something so fake, became multiple. This man was so deprived of any sort of love that flowery declarations meant to sell tickets for date nights had become a temporary filler for what he was missing most. It was like seeing a kicked, starving puppy beg for food on the streets.

No one will believe an outsider without enough proof . . .

But they’ll believe a Lord.

. . .

“You interact with the Lords occasionally, right?” The Duke raised an eyebrow at Mina as she came waltzing up to him from Moreau’s reclosed gate. Most of the villagers had gone inside for dinner at this point, leaving the two of them alone.

“Indeed I do,” she stopped only a few feet away. “Some more than others as you can imagine.”

“I see,” she bit the inside of her cheek. “. . . What do you think of Lord Heisenberg in, uh, particular?”

“Lord Heisenberg, hm?” His teeth were brightly visible against the fading sunlight. The grin on his face as he contemplated made her cheeks feel redder. “Well I find that he’s a rather practical man. The type who unfortunately doesn’t care to linger around for a pleasant chat as the factory does keep him busy, after all.”

Don’t think any of our chats have been all that pleasant either, my guy.

“Luiza has mentioned that the Lords are all really talented,” she hesitated. “Do you think that’s true of Heisenberg?”

“Oh extraordinarily so!” Internally she cursed as her lips drew back in a sort of hiss. “Of all of Mother Miranda’s children and creations, Heisenberg is the most successful. There’s only so much I can divulge about my customers, but I will say this.” For a moment he leaned in towards her. “You’d be wise to avoid crossing him.”

Okay, so scary golden child is scary. Got it. Still don’t know if he’s able to track me but . . .

“Uh, one last thing.” Her gaze went down to their feet. “He, um, doesn’t happen to have any dogs, right?”

“Dogs?” He arched his eyebrows as his grin burst even more into a full own smile. “You’re asking me if Lord Heisenberg owns dogs?” Her lips fell as he laughed to himself.

“Y-yeah, like the bloodhound type? You know the ones that are good at sniffing things.” This is absolutely ridiculous, she thought. “I didn’t see any but . . .” Yeah she didn’t want to acknowledge the sniffing thing out loud.

“My apologies, I didn’t expect you to ask that type of question.” He placed a hand over his chest as he collected himself. “As for the answer, well, let’s just say that he does happen to be in command of a few somewhat skilled dogs, yes.”

“Wonderful.” With a huff, she resigned to head back towards her home. Hopefully he hadn’t come to Luiza, asking about anyone new in the area.

“Because . . . Because I smell.” He paused. “Bad.”

“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to sell perfume, would you?”

“Oh, going on a date my dear?” Mina suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at him as she bounced lightly on the balls of her feet.

“No,” she scoffed. “I just like to smell nice; you know?” Though there was usually a good distance between the two of them, Mina was always able to pick up the light scent of cologne that drifted through the wind. It was rather pleasant, nothing like allspice or axe body spray.

“Is there something in particular you’re looking for?”

“Anything that lasts really long, I don’t want to worry about it coming off when I’m walking.” He gave her a look that was almost knowing of her situation. “So actual, real deal, perfume. Not those cheap mists or whatever Bath and Body Works is selling.”

“Real deal, perfume,” he shook his head in laughter. “I have a few bottles that would match exactly that.” He was surprisingly fast in taking out a small, wooden box that looked to be ornate. The latch popped open and inside was three different shaped bottles lying on deep, purple velvet.

The one on the left was a small cylinder, topped with a golden cap that looked like a king’s crown. The middle was a square with curved edges with a label that Mina recognized as being Chanel. The last was the oddest as it was a clear pyramid with a purple diamond top. There was a gold ball attached to the purple top that was submerged in the perfume itself.

“Fancy, shmancy.” Mina mumbled, reaching towards the box. She flinched when The Duke snapped it. She didn’t bother to hide her annoyance as she glared up at him. “Ok, how much are they?”

“I’m afraid they’re worth a little more than you’re currently able to afford.” He placed the box onto his lap. “I only carry around these three as Lady Dimitrescu is the only woman around here that desires perfume for her and her daughters.” Mina briefly glanced towards the Castle; almost afraid she would see someone looking at her from the windows.

“And she only wants the best?.” He nodded with that Cheshire smile.

“Oh yes, she’d rather pull her own nails out before wearing anything from that ‘Bath and Body Works’ store you mentioned.” Mina couldn’t help but snort at that, imagining The Duke taking one of those bottles and filling it with seventy-five percent off ‘Twilight Woods’ body mist.

“So how much lei would I need to pay for one of them?” She watched him scratch his chin thoughtfully.

“Well, problem is that not only are these bottles already expensive, but they’re only meant to be sold to the Lady herself. If I sold it to you then I’m sure she’d be upset.” Mina highly doubted Lady Dimitrescu would need them now. Perfume is supposed to last for a while, unless she’s dousing herself with it than she could go months without a new set.

“Please just tell me what you need me to do?” She tried her best to conjure up the sad puppy dog eye look but it only succeeded in getting a smirk from him.

“How about this,” he moved the box towards the back and began to sort around for something else. “Instead of typical money, you can pay by running an errand for me.”

“Just an errand?” She wondered if said errand had a low chance of survival. Or a high chance of humiliation.

“Yes, just an errand.” When he turned back around, there was three bolts of fabric in his hands.

The one on the top was a dark blue with a silky sheen and decorative patterns that reminded her of a kimono. The middle was a pale blue with patterns of grey birds sitting on top of various tree limbs. The last, however, was simply a thing of bright, red lace.

“I am unable to personally deliver Lord Beneviento’s orders, so I usually hire one of the locals to do it for me.” Mina’s heart started to race so loud that she could hear the beats in her ears. “However, none have delivered to her home twice making it difficult to keep up with my five-star service guarantee.”

When a job has a high turnover rate that’s usually a bad sign. Something tells me that it will be worse than getting roped into a pyramid scheme though.

“I spent a lot of money getting these pieces and if I don’t deliver on time then I will have to give them to her for a considerable discount.” He looked directly into her eyes. “I will happily give you all three bottles if you can bring back the proper payment.”

“All three!?” The perfume was for practical reasons but after the bottles, Mina felt a girlish desire to have them just for the sake of having something nice. “Heck yeah, give me those puppies.”

“I love your enthusiasm,” gently the bolts were placed into her hands and tucked tightly against her chest. “Just don’t treat them like an actual puppy, my dear.”

As she inspected the fabric closer, The Duke placed an object on top of them that Mina immediately recognized as being a key much similar to Moreau’s.

“You’ll be needing this I suppose.” She snatched up the key and began her walk away towards the gate. “Oh, and Mina.”

“Yes?” She didn’t turn around.

“Try not to step on the grass, Lord Beneviento spends a great deal of time with the upkeep of her home and gardens and I wouldn’t want you to make a bad first impression.”

. . .

Mina was not at all concerned about making a bad first impression. Mostly because Lady Beneviento was already making one. Potter’s field, as she later learned was named, came straight out of a ghost movie. Like why, only here, was there a fog. Oh, and let’s not forget, a literal f*cking wooden bridge. Perhaps the difficulty to getting to the estate was the reason why The Duke was unable to go there himself.

A quick snap let out into the air followed by a burst of light. The camera given to Mina was finally getting some use today as she had already gotten a few of the reservoir prior. The current photo being printed out was of the elevator leading up to the manor. She had taken one of the plaque next to the door leading into the building and of the glowing gravestone back in the field. On the latter photo, Mina wrote out a quick note on the back with a pen she brought.

‘Lights underneath the grave?’

Had it not been a burial site, she would have stuck her hands into the dirt and try to find any sort of wires causing the peculiar flowers and grass to look that way. Maybe next time she would bring a shovel or something. If she got over the whole ‘desecrating someone’s final resting place’ thing.

Maybe I should just see if Luiza has some perfume I could borrow, you never know . . .

With the fabric bolts back in her hand, Mina took one foot and stepped onto the elevator platform. She ground her weight against it a few times to see if it would move and essentially try to kill her if she got on. However it was solidly built, and nothing was there to suggest that the cables were too old or that it was unable to carry much weight.

So with a hesitant sigh, Mina finally closed herself into it and pressed the up button. For a few seconds nothing happened but before she moved again, the whole thing jerked and started its ascent. It earned a good yelp out of her.

When it came to a stop and she opened it up, going through the little cave, Mina was more than shocked to see the huge difference between Moreau’s home and his sisters. Had it not been freezing cold, the water coming off from the waterfall would have looked soothing enough for her to want to be enwrapped in it. It was moments like these that Mina grew to understand how Miranda and the Lords had been fooling generations of villagers. For some of these things looked like they could only come out of dreams. Or nightmares.

It wasn’t a long walk to the front door but, upon reaching it, Mina had stopped completely. One arm pressed the fabrics against her while the other reached out in a frozen state of almost knocking. It was all she had to do, right? Just knock and collect The Duke’s money. Say hello, thank you, and have a great rest of your day.

With some feeling being put back into her arm, Mina rapped her knuckles against the door. Surprisingly fast, it opened before she could even hit it a third time. She blinked when the foyer came into her line of sight but no person standing within it.

“O-ho, look at you!” Mina’s boots nearly slid against the cold wood of the porch as she looked down and locked eyes with a literal f*cking doll. “The Duke sent us a girl this time!”

“What th—” Angie grabbed onto the hem of her dress and brought it up to her glass eyes.

“Ugh, this thing is so ugly.” Internally Mina agreed as the one she was wearing today had no life to it other than a slight ruffled collar. “I feel bad for you.”

“Uhhhh . . .” The doll fiddled with the dress ends as she smirked at the woman before her.

Ok, ok, so the doll is talking. Talking doll, that’s not unheard of. Plenty of dolls talk, I had dolls that talked! I mean, none that talked as if they were conscious beings, but this isn’t necessarily magical or otherworldly. Perhaps there’s someone lurking about who’s pulling her ‘strings’ manually.

That’s possible, right?

“Well at least your face isn’t as hideous so there’s some hope for you.” Ok, now it was becoming a bit difficult to not kick the talking toy. “We have plenty of time to find you some nice things to put on before we pl—”

“Angie.” A quiet voice came from a woman that she had not seen walking up to them until now. It was hard to take it all in as Donna bent down to pick up her friend, only now coming face to covered face with the newest member of their village.

“H-Hello, Lady Beneviento.” It was intimidating not knowing what the women was thinking as she apparently took in the sight of the outsider. “Um, The Duke asked me to deliver these to you.” She jerked her chin as to motion towards the fabric bundled within her arms.

“Yeah, yeah, we can see.” The doll took a couple steps back as to stand next to her friend. “Be a dear and set them down for us.”

She kind of wanted to say no to see what type of shock might befall their faces at being rejected. She’d be the first villager to do so. Of course that also meant facing the wrath of Anabelle over here.

“Of course.” With that, the two of them lead her into the manor. Donna walked ahead of her as Angie seemed interested in being close to Mina. The girl accidently looked at the doll a few times more than she should’ve and caught sight of its varied expressions. She had to give them credit, the little thing was ingenious. Any religious nutjob would easily cower at the sight of their god giving life to an inanimate object.

Going through their house, even though it was nothing like the castle, she felt as if she was walking through a delicate museum. One incorrect step and a trip could mean her downfall. It made more sense that a Lord lived here rather than the literal hole Moreau slept in.

Damn it why can’t this be like amazon. Just leave the package and go, everything already paid for in advance.

The room they took her to would be inviting under normal circ*mstances. It was a bit like a dining room and living room put together. A fireplace was in the back, crackling with fresh wood, while a table laid in the middle. On the left-hand side, Mina noticed a small nook with bookshelves and a couch on the opposite side of them. It would be the perfect place to read or work on some of her writings.

Donna, now standing next to a desk by the fire, gently placed Angie on the ground as if she was a toddler. Now free, the doll climbed up onto the table near Mina and sat down on one of the chairs. Apparently there was a stack of books in Angie’s spot which allowed her to see them over the tablecloth. It was cute if you pretended that she couldn’t speak or move.

Now with her hands empty, Donna approached Mina in a way that made it feel like she was gliding against the floor. Behind her fear was a growing sense of curiosity that made her want to snatch up the woman’s veil once she stood only two feet in front of her. Though it also made her feel gross to think of doing that without the others consent.

Wordlessly, Beneviento extended her arms out in front of her. Mina was confused for a moment, staring intently on the Lords small hands that differed so much from her bulky brothers. There wasn’t any callous or scars to be found and had it not been for the doll, Donna would seem entirely human.

A slight cough snapped her out of it when it finally hit her that she was asking for the fabric in her hands.

“Oh, sorry.” She placed them gently onto her and watched as Donna hugged them to herself and turned away to place them on one of the tables lining the wall.

It was strange for Mina. Everything about this situation felt like something horrible was about to happen or that an army of other dolls would come in and kill her. Yet, the Lady seemed . . . nice, almost? Like her silence came not from being a monster or evil person about to pounce but of someone who doesn’t talk all that much.

All of her friends are dolls, after all . . .

“I, uh, was told that you liked to sew.” Donna stopped, head turning to look at her. “My mom likes-I mean liked to sew.” It wasn’t hard to fake being parentless around here and not just with the villagers. Everyday there was something that reminded her of her family that had her stopping in her tracks and feeling that sting of not being with them. If she didn’t try, then she was as good as dead to her family.

“Yeah, of course, what do you think the fabrics for.” Mina sharply inhaled as Angie spoke for Donna like an overbearing parent.

“Sorry.” She looked away from them both, feeling a slight burn of embarrassment on her cheeks. “I’m sure they’ll make really pretty dresses.”

“Who ever said we were making dresses, hm?” Angie co*cked her head to side as her little fit swung back and forth under her seat.

“Oh, um, I just thought . . .” She couldn’t stop looking at the doll as the need to get out grew. Part of her felt that it might disappear if she looked away before, of course, reappearing directly behind her. Most likely with a knife. “Never mind.”

“If your mom sews then she’s obviously not very good at it.” The doll cackled, head resting cutely against the back of her hands.

“My mom is dead as is the rest of my family.” Her throat ran dry as her words escaped, and all the moisture seemed to go to her eyes. Saying it felt a little too real.

“I’m sorry.” Donna spoke before Angie could make another remark. Judging by the way her friend looked at her, the sentiment she expressed was not something expected from Lord Beneviento.

“Thank you . . . it’s okay now though.” It wasn’t so she locked eyes with a lifeless doll on one of the cabinets. It looked very much like that ghost boy from Insidious. “I should probably try to take up sewing myself, seeing that the clothes I’ve been getting aren’t exactly the most flattering.” She chuckled, earning no response from either of them.

“What type of tea do you like.” Mina jumped as Angie made herself known again. “It would be rude to let you go without having something warm for the journey back.” She very much did not like the way the dolls face contorted into a smile meant for sharks.

“You’re too kind,” Donna walked over to the fire and stroked it with a poker as if she weren’t paying any attention. “But The Duke wants me back soon.” The two of them paused in mid-action, with Angie’s smile quickly wavering.

“Come on, one cup won’t hurt you.” Mina disagreed internally. “We’ll send you back to him later.”

Like in a body bag?

“I-I’ve been really late recently with returning to him on time.” One foot started to reach backwards. “I don’t want to upset him again.” Impatience bloomed onto Angie’s face, mimicking that of a spoiled kid not getting ice cream on the drive home.

“You know,” Angie stood up and walked onto the table. “It’s rather impolite to say no to a Lord, especially in their own home.” Shivers ran through Mina’s legs, and she was almost certain that standing too long would make her buckle.

“So sit.”

The foot that was ready to back her up now was forced forward. The doll began to grin wildly as Mina reluctantly gave in to her demand. Her legs didn’t feel as if they were moving as most of her senses were focused in on how tight her chest was. In the background, Donna took something out of the desk and strode over to the two of them.

A gloved hand on her shoulder caused Mina to cry out, making Angie howl in laughter. She was quick to turn and see Donna there with her other hand holding out a coin bag. Like with the fabric, she also extended it out for Mina to make the transaction.

“Aww,” Mina couldn’t deny the pleasure she felt seeing the doll jump and land on its backside with her porcelain arms folded over each other. “Can’t we just—”

“No.” It was the loudest Mina had heard the woman speak since arriving. Of course, it was still soft for a normal person’s standards.

“Thank you Lady Beneviento, I hope to see you again soon.” She did a small bow, one in which Angie mocked, and turned away from the two to head out.

Once outside, the two of them went to the foyer and watched Mina walk back towards the elevator from a window.

“What gives?!” Angie tugged on the back of Donna’s dress. “We almost got to have a play date.” The Lord didn’t bother to look down at her, choosing to keep watching Mina’s figure disappear.

“We made a promise to The Duke, remember.” Her left hand went to press against the glass as Angie let go and started walking back towards the living room.

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect you to actually keep it!”

. . .

“Here’s your blood money,” Mina non-ceremoniously dropped the bag before The Duke who had been reading some sort of catalogue. “Can I have the perfume now, please.”

“Not a fan of Lady Beneviento?” He giggled as if he didn’t already know the answer. “She’s rather kind for the most part.”

“Define kind.” Her teeth ground together as she looked down at her ‘ugly’ dress.

“Well, kinder than her friend.” He finally brought the box back out and handed it over to her. She felt kind of nervous holding them, more so than the fabric.

“Yeah, friend.” This time she did visibly roll her eyes. “That’s what we’ll call it.”

“She calls it Angie,” Mina choked on a snort. “A gift from her late father.”

“The Lords had a father too? I never heard anything about him.” The Duke shook his head.

“No, I’m talking about Donna’s real father.” He looked at her as if she should have known that. “You do know Miranda isn’t their birth mother, I mean, there’s a reason why they all have different last names and family crests.”

“Well, I mean, no one ever explicitly stated it.” Blood rushed to her cheeks, feeling as stupid as everyone thought she was. “I’m not from around here, remember.”

“Very true, you haven’t had much time to learn about the truths that villagers either don’t know or don’t care to talk about.” They both looked towards the path taking them to where people could be heard moving about.

“Wow, here I was thinking that everyone wanted to spend all day talking about everything and anything relating to Miranda and her family.” Mina spoke a little softer this time, more conscious of the fact that people were still around.

“In Donna’s case, before becoming a Lord, her family were popular dollmakers,” suddenly the toys in Beneviento’s home made more sense. “However everyone, including her sister, died and left her alone with the estate and her porcelain friend.”

“That, uh . . .sucks.” He nodded lightly. “So then Miranda swept in and dubbed her an honorary position as her daughter and one of the village Lords?”

“Something like that,” the box in her hands was becoming a little too heavy. “You’ll find that the Lords all have similar backgrounds that lead them to be Miranda’s children. They weren’t born to be the people they are now.”

Then who were they before?

. . .

“Oh my!” Luiza took a step back and slammed a hand against her nose. “Mina what did you do?” The girl in question was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“I, uh, may or may not have gotten some new perfume.” She placed her hands up in an awkward shrug.

“Did you bathe in it?!” Luiza continued walking away towards the other wall.

“Is it that bad?” She took one of her arms and sniffed at the wrist.

“Sweet girl you smell like chemicals and clary sage!” Mina co*cked her head to the side.

“So nothing like what I usually smell like?” Luiza shook her head violently and paused with horror as a smile came up on Mina’s face.

“Perfect!”

“Wait, you can’t go outside like that!”

Chapter 12: Bricoleur

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve: Bricoleur

French Noun: Is someone who starts building something with no clear plan, adding bits here and there, cobbling together a whole while flying by the seat of their pants.

. . .

“You getting quite popular around here, you know.” Mina’s arms were crossed over each other as she stood before The Duke.

“What exactly makes you say that?” Instead of responding, he took out an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it over to her.

“A rather interesting person came around this morning and wanted me to give this to you.” The paper in her hands began to shake as she spotted a wax seal on the back that was obviously not Moreau’s. At first she thought it was from Lord Heisenberg but, after caressing her thumb against the imprint of the insignia, she realized it was from Lord Beneviento instead.

“Don’t make me go back there.” With a whine, she was barely able to get the thing open without ripping it.

“Now, now Mina.” He watched her eyes dilate with fear. “Don’t be so quick to judge, she did, after all, let you leave.” She was about to comment on how letting her live did not make a person good by any means. However, the contents of the letter were pulled out and she realized that it was nothing like Moreau’s request to see her.

“Fabric patterns?” In her hand was a collection of neatly folded, semi-translucent brown fabric cutouts. Her mom had used similar ones lots of times in the past. Usually one would have to cut certain pieces out from a larger sheet, but these ones were already cut out and, surprisingly, done so that they matched her approximate size. They were also made by hand as there was no printed markings detailing them. It was obviously done in pen and made so that there were less things going on to confuse her.

The only paper there that wasn’t a pattern was a white letter sheet with instructions for the order of sewing them all together. At the bottom was a recommended list of fabric types and colors while on the back, there was a little drawing of what the end product should be. It wasn’t what she had seen around the village before or on Lord Beneviento. It looked much more . . . formal? There were long sleeves that flowed to the wrists while the neckline of the dress was pretty yet not to revealing. A good amount of her skin below the collarbone would be seen but not so that the tops of her boobs would. It seemed that there was lace lining the neckline that came around her shoulders and back.

The most notable part, however, was that the dress had an apron attached. This is where the most notes towards fabric and style suggestions came in. The hem came down to be a half a foot above the ankles and it, like the top, also showed details around it.

“Is this a dress people around here wear.” The Duke took the instruction paper from her hand and gave it a look over.

“Oh yes, but it’s not something a young lady wears every day.” She took a few steps forward, looking again at the drawing. “It looks like Lord Beneviento is encouraging you to make your own dress for Festivalul în Creștere. It is only a few weeks away.”

“I’m sorry, Festivalul-ly what now?” With a smile he handed her the paper back and began rummaging around for something behind him.

“Mother Miranda does not often allow for large celebrations so Festivalul în Creștere is one in only three major holidays in the year.” When he turned back around, he held up a small dress similar to the design on the paper. Most of it was white with the exception of the details around the hem as well as the apron. “Everyone dresses up in traditional attire, especially the young, unmarried women.”

Oh my god it’s f*cking Midsummer I knew it! I will f*cking bolt if I even see one may pole being brought up.

“So it’s just a lot of drinking, eating, and dancing right?” He didn’t look confused by the uncomfortable smile she adorned.

“For the most part yes, centuries ago it had traditions that included matchmaking between young women and men who participated as well as something to do with goats and sheep but that has since been toned down for the modern world.” Mina snorted at the use of ‘modern’.

“Well at least I won’t have to worry about Luiza pushing me onto Radu or some guy for the sake of getting me out of her house.” Laughing nervously, she watched as The Duke placed the dress behind him.

“Oh yes no need to worry,” she exhaled. “There’s no requirement that women must accept any courting invitations they get, Miranda made sure of that. You’re free to break any hearts you want.”

“Does she and the Lords attend?” He raised a teasing eyebrow at her.

“No, they believe themselves to be above mingling with the locals.” She wasn’t surprised. “Miranda wants them to maintain their image of superiority.”

Good, the last thing I want is for Lord Beneviento to notice I’m not attending, let alone wearing her dress.

“Speaking of the Lords,” The Duke turned his body slightly as to reach for something behind him. “Would you be willing to run a somewhat smaller errand this time?” Mina opened her mouth to protest but closed it again when she saw him bring out a familiar item.

“A new VHS?” Despite her original thoughts, Mina took the tape from him. A little smile came to her face as she recognized the cover. “Oh nice, Titanic.”

“On widescreen.” She didn’t look up at him whilst tracing over the cover. The box was actually a set of two with the movie being divided into equal parts.

“I’m going to assume that this is going to Moreau, right?” The Duke openly chuckled at the little glare she gave.

“Indeed it is, so no need to worry.” A quick look towards the Lord’s gate and the village had her making up her mind as to how she should spend the rest of the day. “Usually he picks these up from me myself but with your new found friendship, I thought that I might be able to get this to him quicker.”

Why do I have a feeling that you just don’t want him near you and your stuff?

“Are you going to compensate me for delivering to him as well?” For the first time, Mina saw just a slip of the man’s composure as he briefly pulled back with raised eyebrows. Now she was the one laughing.

“Isn’t getting to watch a cinematic masterpiece with a Lord compensation enough?” He eventually grinned again, a little bit of slyness in his eyes. “Alright, how about I grant you some store credit for when you return.”

“Sounds good to me.”

. . .

Mina had to go underground to find Moreau this time. Had he lived in a normal, above ground home she would have tried to knock and wait outside. Sadly there appeared to be no door bell to inform him of her presence. When he caught sight of her walking down the tunnel towards his room, he threw up.

“Holy sh*t—are you okay!” Mina couldn’t stop herself from gagging when she ran up to him. The vomit he secreted smelt as if his insides were festering and it somehow stunk up the place worse than before.

“M-Mina, ‘m fine.” Both of his hands rubbed together as he watched her lean towards him. Had his face not been so altered, she would have seen him turn completely pink. “What are you—”

“This is not fine!” Both arms extended, gesturing towards the goo. The desire to flee was put on hold as he studied her face and the way she had widened her eyes. In the times he had gotten sick in front of his family, all he saw were disgust. He had seen it for a few moments on her before being replaced with a much more perplexing expression. “If you’re sick you should be in bed, not trudging through a muddy cave.”

“I don’t have a bed.” Her jaw dropped as he backed away.

“Do you just . . . sleep on the floor?!” For a few moments he only stared at her, body slightly shaking.

“. . . Sometimes.” A smack of her hand against her face had him gasping.

He’s literally worshipped by a cult and yet no one can get him a f*cking bed!

“No wonder you’re sick,” his mouth went slack as she placed her hands onto his shoulders. Questions shot around his head like fireworks and yet nothing passed his lips as she began pushing him towards the stairs leading to his room.

“I-I’m not sick.” She shook her head. Of course, Lords can’t get sick because they’re better than regular humans.

“You literally just threw up, I mean—” The outsider cursed under her breath. “Let’s at least take a moment to breathe, alright.”

He didn’t protest as she went around his little home to get some type of comfort. The most she found was a slightly damp pillow and a blanket that probably had mold in it. It was the best she could do to alleviate what her mind thought was a stomach bug.

“You shouldn’t be eating cheese that’s been left out in the open.” She gutted her chin towards the plate as he slowly sat himself down onto the pillow. The blanket was wrapped around him loosely and would likely fall off soon if he didn’t hold onto it given the shape of his body.

“It won’t hurt me . . . small things like that aren’t enough.” If she wasn’t opening up the new VHS, Mina would have seen his lips pull into a big smile. “Mother made me strong like that.”

Oh my god you’re even worse off than the villagers.

“Even the strongest people have limits.” The tape didn’t need to be rewound so the title sequence came up automatically. “The Duke asked me to bring this over to you, by the way. I promise I’m not trying to overstay my welcome.” She chuckled as he remained befuddled, hands once again fidgeting within his lap.

“O-Oh, thank you.” With a small nod, Mina joined him on the ground. Though the wood wasn’t comfortable, she was at least thankful that the movie would be more engaging than the other ones she had seen. The two remained silent up until the ship’s take-off when an idea bubbled into Mina’s mind.

“We should have a movie marathon.” Moreau looked up at her with wide eyes. “There’s this thing happening in a few weeks and Luiza won’t be needing me to come back at a certain time. I think it would be a great chance to have our own little party.”

“I’d like that.” She could tell he was trying to hide how excited he was.

“I can see if The Duke has some other tapes we could get, it would be really cool to see something new for the both of us.” Internally she imagined bringing all sorts of little things to enjoy.

“Yeah!” Moreau looked thoughtful for a moment but, to Mina’s surprise, his smile dropped. “Y-you said it could be our own little party . . . does that mean you want to invite guests?”

“No, of course not.” The villagers couldn’t come for one and it would be a cold day in hell if she asked one of his siblings to watch with them. She had enough crazy going on in her life.

Afraid Lord Heisenberg would—Shut up, damn it! We are not thinking about that gross, gross, old man!

“Just us?” She nodded and his smile came back. “You and me.”

“Yep, you and me buddy.”

. . .

It was sundown by the time she left. The one downside of spending time with Moreau was a sense of dread that followed her around every time she came and left. With the camera knapsack against her hip, Mina speed-walked through the eerily silent part of his territory. Everything would be fine the moment she passed the gate and was within shouting distance to the village.

Since waking up in Luiza’s home, Mina had always been left to wonder what had actually happened the night of the wreck. Her memories of running through the woods were like tapping a phot burst on your phone album. Small, unintelligible moments only lit up in sequence for a few moments before she’d be forced to loop the past over.

Every now and again Luiza would talk about the creatures in the woods that most had yet to see. That coupled with The talk of Lycans from The Duke and the Lords occasionally had the outsider doubting reality. Of course, only briefly.

But werewolves aren’t real. I mean, come on, it’s kind of gimmicky to be afraid of things like that when I’m stuck in Romania. It would be like being afraid of getting attacked by a lake monster if I were in Scotland.

Nothing had howled in the night since then and the fear was just starting to fade with every successful trip back to the house. Tonight would just be another instance that would help get her through her irrational werewolf fear. God knows how many it would take before she would feel truly safe.

“Please!” A hoarse shout hit her from the side causing Mina to hit the ground screeching herself.

In the remaining light of the sun rapidly leaving the sky, a woman not much older than herself came stumbling down. She was covered by a torn, grey dress that was stained with deep, red slashes. Her midsection and left shoulder were dampened with a heavy amount of blood that was barely wrapped with pieces of her clothes. Mina’s face opened up in silent horror as she realized that this woman was using her left hand to hold in her own entrails.

“Please!” She fell onto her knees just a few feet away. “My daughter . . . Marianna, she’s only five . . . Castle Dimitrescu.” The woman kept moaning the castle’s name over and over until Mina was able to crawl over to her.

“What the hell happened to you!?” Even if she had only been here for a little bit, Mina was aware that people were never supposed to go there if they weren’t invited. Lady Dimitrescu was the opposite of Moreau and didn’t tolerate people who she saw as pests.

“Chased after a rabbit onto the grounds . . . went inside . . . please.” Her eyes rolled back as her body began to seize. She went limp before Mina even had a chance to ask another question.

This nameless woman was dead. She died begging Mina to look for her child. A child lost in Castle Dimitrescu. A place she doubted any villager would be willing to look for her in.

Looking up, Mina staired at the very place that had been looming over her all day and night. She needed proof of what was going on with the Lords. But was she really about to knock on the door and ask to be let in? To negotiate with the Lady for the release of a lost child?

No, no, no there is no way I’m doing that!

Mina immediately sprinted back down the path to the reservoir, her lungs inhaling painfully against the cold air. Internally she was still standing over the dead woman, the body who she left behind as she ran back to Moreau’s home. In the flurry of her race to find the Lord, a familiar church bell rang out into the distance just as the sun finally died down. The outsider barely registered it happening as it felt like it was just her imagination.

The ghost town of the reservoir bled together into one nightmare. The experience, in the back of her mind, was much like that of the girl from Spirted Away. Specifically during the scene where she runs through the theme park as the night falls and the spirts awake. Both of them were not dreaming but if she didn’t act fast, this woman’s daughter would disappear.

She spotted him leaving the yard of his windmill, waddling along as fast as he could like he needed to be somewhere.

“Moreau!” The poor man slipped and fell onto his face.

“Mina, what’s wrong?” He picked himself up before she was able to help. He looked terrified at the sight of her trembling and out of breath.

“A woman, she’s dead, by the gate and her daughter—” The church bell rang again, and Mina swore under her breath.

“Mother’s waiting!” He was shuffling uncomfortably before her, like a car getting ready to race. “You’re not hurt right?” She nodded hesitantly. “Then you need to get home, the Lycans won’t hurt you too now that they’ve been summoned.”

“What the fu—” He scrunched up his face, guilty tears welling in the corner of his eyes. Before she knew it, Moreau had run past her.

“I-I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you! Mother needs me!” He was out of sight within seconds, leaving her a confused mess among the fading shadows from the last ounce of sun.

f*ck.

Her teeth grinded against each other as her face twisted up in a nasty look that would have mortified Luiza. How could she had forgotten about Moreau’s status. His position to his precious Mother Miranda.

“I would never hide something from Mother!”

With only one more idea left, Mina ran back to the gates in search of the second-best option. When she got close, she turned her head to look only at the right side of the fence. If she looked in the middle then she would see the dead woman and her blood soaking into the damp earth.

When she pushed the gate open it was with a force so heavy that it hurt her wrists.

“Duke!” Relief flooded her system when she saw the man turn towards her. He was just now about to close shop and go wherever the hell he usually goes.

“Mina, my dear, you looked like you’ve seen a ghost.” He didn’t look concerned in any way, still merry as if they weren’t stuck in a hell state. “Or a dead body.”

“Damn it I don’t need your vague, confusing remarks right now.” She came to a stop before him, knees bending from exhaustion. “This woman just straight up came up out of nowhere and died as I was leaving. She kept saying that her daughter was trapped in the castle.”

“How unfortunate,” The look she gave him made him chuckle. “Are you worried about the child? As I recall, you think the rumors about the Lords are ridiculous.” She looked down at her shoes, noticing the drops of blood staining them. “If there is a girl stuck in the castle than I’m sure she’ll send the little thing back into the village with her remaining family.”

“Yes—I mean it is ridiculous, you have to agree with me there. I mean vampires! In Romania! That’s literally just a cliché.” There was a scratching at the back of her throat that made her ache for a shot of whiskey or a pre-rolled joint. “What is actual reality is that some woman is now very much, gruesomely dead and I highly doubt it was from natural causes.”

“Are you suggesting that it was someone at the castle that killed her?” Her eye lids twiched as the wind stung against forming tears. “For all we know, it could have been a Lycan—”

“I swear to f*ck people need to stop talking about goddamn Lycans!” It felt to Mina that there was nothing she could say in the universe that would ever dampen The Duke’s mood and it was really getting to her. “The people inside that castle, however, are and if they were normal people willing to give a kid back to her mother than I wouldn’t have had to watch someone f*cking die!”

She didn’t know when she started crying but big tears trampled along her face and chilled in the wind. A white piece of fabric extended in front of her face, a silent gift from The Duke to wipe her eyes. Reluctantly she took it from him, all the while her other hand balled into a fist.

“So, with all that said, what it is that you need from me to help?” She dabbed at her cheeks.

“I don’t know, go in there or something. Call whatever law enforcement there is.” He shook his head.

“I’m sorry to say that I’m only permitted to be at the castle on certain days and today is not one of them,” Mina knotted the fabric in her hand. “I can’t afford to lose Lady Dimitrescu’s business and as far as your second suggestion goes, the only person around here who enforces the law is Mother Miranda herself.”

“So no one can go in and demand that the girl be released?” Sniffles began to exit her body as she kicked up a puff of muddy dirt.

“I’m afraid no villager has the authority to even go in without the Ladies permission, let alone have enough to arrest her.” He laughed at her as if she had said the darndest little thing.

“No one’s going to help so she’s just going to be trapped there and people are going to let it happen?” The Duke revealed his teeth as his grin got even bigger.

“Don’t worry dear, she’ll be saved.” Mina let out a large exhale, her cheeks puffing out in release.

“Oh thank god, at least there’s one person around here that’s not entirely brainwashed . . . other than you of course.” She chuckled after he raised an eyebrow at her. “So who do I need to get?”

“No one,” she opened her mouth to reply but nothing came back. “You’re already standing here.”

“What?” She squeaked it out a few tones too high.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She shook her head violently, eyes tightened in frustration. “Why, you’re the one who’s going to get her.”

Her jaw hung open comically. The Duke, not acknowledging this, grabbed something from another part of his caravan. It was a little bag, roughly the size of a book. He dangled it in front of her for a few seconds before she got the hint and took it out of his hands.

Wordlessly she brought out the contents. The first thing she recognized instantly as a Swiss army knife that was slightly larger than the standard. The second was a pocket-sized flashlight with batteries already included while the final one was a piece of paper folded into a square. When she unraveled it, the layout of the different levels of the castle came into view. The man had a legitimate map.

“You know Duke, I don’t think Mother Miranda is the person we she be fearing around here.” He made a sly ‘oh?’ look on his face. “Because frankly you terrify me.” With that, the man gave out the largest laugh she’s ever heard from him thus far.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Mina wasn’t sure if he should. “I’ll put the expense for these items down as a proper exchange for your earlier delivery.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You’re quite welcome, now, go off and be a hero.” With a wave, The Duke motioned to the grand castle above them.

Would going home instead make me a bad person?

. . .

Mina had to admit. The Duke was actually pretty helpful in this quest. A not-so-subtle circle on the map indicated where she needed to go in order to enter. This surely would have saved her an hour or two of scouting around like a video game assassin.

Her entrance was a product of father time wreaking havoc with mother nature as she found a hole cracked within the castle barricade. The Duke also answered her question as to which door she should take to get inside. Another circle indicated that the preferred way to go would be through a small door that opened up into the storage room the servants used when bringing back supplies.

She felt rather bad when she realized it was already unlocked.

Looks like someone might be getting fired tonight.

The flashlight came in handy when the room opened up before her was piled high with boxes that loomed over her without any overhead lighting. Knowing her luck, without the gift, she would have stumbled face first into it all and cause a literal food avalanche. Going through it was hard enough.

Now before the door entering into the castle itself, Mina shut the light off and allowed the candles burning outside to cause an orange glow to leak out through the bottom of the frame. The handle itself was a metal latch that was slightly rusted near the edges. Her hand grasped it tightly and allowed a minute to pass by as to wait for any indication that someone was outside.

Silence remained around her so, with her heart beating into her ear drums, Mina pushed it open and walked into the light of Castle Dimitrescu. A place that might just be the final resting place of the dead woman’s child. And possibly herself.

The outside was a long, thin hallway extending towards the left. Several doors down is where the start of a steep pair of stairs began before ending to a new level with only one door for her to go through. All that was missing was a ghost with long, black hair to stand a top of it and shriek at her. At least that would have been a good excuse to get the f*ck out of there.

So sorry kid, The Grudge demon wouldn’t let me through.

Ah, but no such luck for the woman who swore up and down that there was nothing inhuman about anything in or near the village.

She cringed at the echo her boots made on the ground. It was too loud and, because f*ck it, she took them off along with her socks. Running barefoot while trespassing was not the smartest thing to do, she realized that. But even if the sound of her footsteps didn’t give her away, the fear and anxiety of anyone being nearby would give her an unnecessary heart attack.

At the top of the stairs, directly in front of the door, she realized that behind it was a much brighter amount of light. Again she held her head against the door and waited for any sign, even a rat, of something out there. Nothing was there, yet again. This time she opened the door inch by inch until she could see all angles of her location. It had not taken her long to get to the fancier, non-servant part of the castle.

The rich yellows of the candles and the chandelier, hanging at the left end of the hallway that led up to the grand entrance, blew her mind. She felt as if she had stepped into the original Beauty and the Beast movie and was a part of the audience that watched Belle and the Beast dance in that gorgeous gown and blue suit combo. Problem was that there seemed to be more than one beast here. And she was sure none of them were interested in dancing.

While getting there hadn’t taken as long as she thought, the actual act of searching was tedious. Each room she crossed off with the map was nothing in comparison to what was left. The only bright side of not finding the kid was that no one had been around to find her.

But everyone’s luck must run out at some time.

“Hurry up.” With wide eyes, Mina drove into the nearest door and locked it behind her. Apparently it was a simple broom closet.

“I’m trying but the back of my foot is bleeding!” The two voices belonged to women who seemed even younger than her.

“Get to the nearest bathroom and run it under the water. Make sure all the blood has stopped coming out before wrapping it over several times.” One of them was sniffling and Mina imagined it was the girl whose foot was injured.

“I don’t want to die Alexandra!” Mina flinched as a sharp slap rang out.

“Then stop crying and take care of it before one of the ladies smells it, I’ve been here longer than anyone and trust me when I say that the key to survival is not hesitating to think about what happens if you fail.” The two of them had stopped directly in front of her door.

“O-okay, I can . . . I can do that.” The echo of heeled boots upon marble indicated that the injured girl had ran in another direction, leaving the seasoned veteran alone.

“Poor girls gonna be dead by dawn.” Wow, and she thought The Duke was blasé about others suffering.

“Well, at least she has a better chance than that kid.” Mina’s hand flew to her mouth. Hooray for people who say their thoughts out loud. “This is why some people shouldn’t be mothers. If you can’t teach your kid to obey the simple rules of Mother Miranda then there’s no point in reproducing.” She walked away and, even after she was long gone, Mina stayed put. Her hand was even still clasped against her mouth and her breathing was becoming too heavy.

The outsider wiped her glassy eyes and stood up a little taller. Without taking the time to calculate every movement, Mina pushed the door open and resumed the search. The maid staff knew that there was a child here, meaning that she was likely with her captors right now.

Pulling out the map again, she looked it over until she found three rooms next to each other that were labelled ‘Bela’s room, Daniela’s room, and Cassandras room’. It was a floor above her and in the wing over. It was best to start with the daughters first. Their mother was probably at the meeting with Moreau.

Still barefoot, Mina snuck her way back to the stairs and ascended them to the next level. Before she turned down the next hallway, leading to the wing next to theirs, Mina hugged the wall with her back. The distance between the room and the girls was shorter than she thought. When she pressed her ear against Bela’s room, Mina felt a kind of anxiety that stung every organ in her body.

Silence greeted her from inside. Slowly, she opened the door just a crack to see if the daughter was sleeping at her bed or reading a book in an armchair. But luckily there was nothing. Also unluckily, there was no sign of the girl either.

So onto door number two, Daniela’s. She repeated the process again and found the same nothingness. Interestingly, her room in comparison to Bela’s was a mess. Dresses were thrown about and her vanity was covered in makeup that was obviously dirty from use. There was also pillows everywhere as if she had made a fort recently.

Closing it, and heading to Cassandra’s, made Mina feel hopeless. There was probably more nothingness. Just like every other f*cking room in the castle.

But, suddenly, she heard a giggle.

“Doesn’t she look so cute~”

“I don’t know if a red bow suits her . . . try pink.”

“No pink will make her look too pale, she’s already skin and bones.”

“I think black would suit her well.”

“Good idea, Cassandra.” Ok, that particular voice was Cassandra. She memorized the exact sound in her head.

“I think she’d look delectable in a green dress.” Only two voices giggled this time.

“Don’t even think about it, Daniela.” Ok Daniela it was, that meant the last voice was Bela. “Mother was very clear that—”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t drink the kids’ blood because it’s not ripe enough yet blah blah she needs to have started her cycle by the time we drain her.” A soft whimper let out and Mina started to shake. God this talk was really, really gross.

“Oh don’t cry pretty girl, it won’t hurt at all.” Daniela laughed in a way that proved how untrue that was.

“Until then, we can play dress up as much as we want.” Chirped Cassandra.

“Oh think of all the outfits we can make Aunt Donna sew.” Daniela spoke once again, this time in a dreamy sort of voice.

“Oh Angie will design the cutest, lit—” A large sniff interrupted Cassandra.

“sh*t, mother’s nearby.” Bela sounded frantic and the three of them got up. “I can smell her perfume.”

What’s with everyone and their f*cking sense of smell?! God this family is f*cked.

“She’ll be in the library soon and if things went as well as last time then Mother will be very unhappy.” Daniela whimpered out similar to the way the girl had.

“Let’s go, put the kid to sleep so she doesn’t scratch up the door again.” Nearly gasping, Mina ducked into Daniela’s room right before the door to Cassandra’s slammed open. A strange buzzing sound erupted, and she guessed it covered up the sounds of their footsteps.

She waited for at least two minutes before going out. The hallway was deathly empty, and her instincts told her to run right into the other room and snatch up the girl. The inside of Cassandra’s room was a mix between Bela’s neatness and Daniela’s chaos. Were there clothes on the floor here and there? Yes. But the makeup on her vanity was grouped together and cleaner as more care was put in. When her eyes saw the bed, a huge sense of calm rushed over her. There, sleeping quietly, was the body of a little girl with long blonde hair and a black bow tied around her. The dress she wore was clean and in the shade of a sky blue and white apron to match.

Mina rushed over and surveyed the girl. There was no visible wounds and she seemed to be in healthy shape other than the fact that she looked like she hadn’t eaten well in a while. The process of picking her up didn’t go as smoothly in her head. Turns out that five-year-old’s weight more than a dog.

“f*ck I’m going to die.” The girl dipped in the middle of the bridal style way Mina had put her in. She thought about it for a second before she painfully put her over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry. Not great for her back but at least the kid would be less likely to slip and hit the floor.

Then her mom would wish she didn’t send me.

A rush of adrenaline had her running all the way to the stairs without thinking about the pain. When she started going down, all of the weight on her bounced against her like she was getting hit in the shoulder over and over. She didn’t have time to think about any possibly concussions she might give the kid and, with so much relief, Mina found herself before the door leading to the storage room.

She slammed it shut behind her and took a moment to breathe and fall down into a sitting position. The girl’s hair draped the floor but nothing mattered to Mina in that moment. She had saved her. Done something that she never thought she could do. All was left now was to get up and walk downst—

“Didn’t your mother teach you to not steal things that aren’t yours?” The door behind her opened like a dramatic reveal in a horror movie. Slowly, Mina turned her head and locked eyes with a blonde girl in what looked like a Halloween costume. She matched the woman’s voice to her memories and came to conclusion that it was Bela.

“Didn’t your mother teach you to wipe your face after you eat?”

f*ck, did I just say that out loud?

Chapter 13: Taarradhin

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen: Taarradhin

Arabic Noun: It refers to a happy solution for everyone. A way of reconciling without anyone losing face. Win-Win for all parties involved.

. . .

The silent look exchanged between Mina and Bela lasted for what felt painfully long. Both of them fully taking in the response by the human woman. The girl on her shoulder was still sound asleep, away from whatever reckoning was in store for her savior.

“I’m going to enjoy slicing that pretty little neck open.” The blondes’ hands ground up into fists as her dark nails threatened to break in half. Her devious smirk had twisted upwards so tight that it hurt to even look at it.

“Uh,” Bela leaned forward, bracing herself like a lion about to pounce causing Mina nearly fell onto her back. “Could you, like, not please?”

“Oh are you going to beg now?” She placed a hand on her chest mockingly. “Cry about how you have a family at home who needs you.” She, of course, did have a family waiting at home for an arrival they weren’t sure would ever come. But Mina, while not the greatest actor, still had to perform her role.

“No, but come one, you can’t just kidnap and enslave a kid.” The Blonde rolled her eyes, much like any stereotypical teenager in some family movie. Mina felt an extreme urge to slap her.

“No family, hm? How tragic.” She cooed, obviously enjoying how easy it seemed to push the human’s buttons. “They leave you or something? Too disappointed in their moronic daughter.”

“Dead actually, but that doesn’t matter.” Mina steadied the girl against her shoulder. The little thing shifted a bit in her sleep but was lucky enough to not wake up to the mess before her. “Just let us leave, I don’t want to fight.”

“More like don’t want to die.” The outsider tried to not seem obvious as she scanned her surroundings. If she could just get past the daughter than maybe she could run into the woods. Maybe try and use Moreau’s favor to outrank Bela’s decision to kill her. “Because let’s be honest, a little girl like you wouldn’t last long against me.”

“Oh because being the daughter of a Lord means you’re so much better than me.” Bela cackled as small tears came to her eyes from the force of her amusem*nt.

“How disrespectful, my sisters and I are going to have a ball playing with you~” The blonde seized one of Mina’s wrists before she even had time to process what had happened. “Oh I hope you beg, it makes everything taste so much—” To Mina’s shock, the woman paused. Eyes narrowed in confusion as she brought the outsiders arm to her nose. “Wait, why do you smell like mothers’ perfume?”

“The Duke gave it to me,” Bela raised an eyebrow. “After I bought it with money, of course.”

“Ugh, that man should know better than to sell nice things to the villagers.” She spat out the last word with such disgust that it grated against Mina’s ears.

“It’s his business, he can sell whatever— f*ck!” Just as fast as before, Bela somehow slashed a part of Mina’s arm open without even needing to use a knife. Fresh blood seeped out of the wound in dramatic beads before trailing down Mina’s skin. Bela looked like she might drool at the sight. With little classiness, the girl licked up the quickly escaping blood in one big swipe.

Something seemed to stop inside of her as she appeared to freeze up. Her jaw slackened allowing for Mina to see the remnants of her own vital fluids on the blonde’s tongue. The cut wasn’t all that deep as blood didn’t trickle out as much as it did initially. Before Mina could even protest and attempt to wrestle her arm back, realization hit the daughter.

“You’re an outsider!!” Bela stood up all at once, looking at Mina with eyes that shined with curiosity instead of twisted glee.

“Wait, how are you . . .” She slapped herself internally for just giving it all up.

“It’s in the blood.” Mina co*cked her head to the side as her mouth opened with no words to come out. “The villagers here have been isolated a long time and me and my family have been feeding off of them for just as long.”

If she drinks blood as much as she says she is then she ain’t going to be around for much longer. There’s like a billion different toxins in them.

“So,” she continued. “It’s going to the point where we have become more than familiar with what the local populace is supposed to taste like, there’s not a lot of variety at the end of the day.”

Wait, is she saying the villagers are all related like f*cking cousins?

“That’s really gross.” Her body shivered, suppressing a gag.

“Not necessarily gross, more like just . . . boring.” Mina nodded, pretending that all of this somehow made sense. “Imagine only drinking the same three teas for the majority of your life.”

“So you’re saying that you can tell I’m an outsider because my blood isn’t related at all to any of the villagers.” Bela, shining her bright canines against the crimson of her mouth, grinned down.

“Exactly!” Mina really, really wanted to roll her eyes.

Everyone in this town is f*cking crazy . . . she could probably tell because she hasn’t seen me around before. I’m sure she’s seen all the villagers clamor for her attention since she’s the daughter of one of the, oh so great, Lords.

“Mother’s going to be so excited,” Mina’s head started to move back. “She needs a pick-me-up after tonight and I’m sure she’s going to be ecstatic.” Without warning, Bela ran her tongue along the wound once more. “Even though you’re not a virgin.”

Okay that wasn’t a hard fact to guess to be honest. But f*ck she’s literally about to rat me out. Everyone, especially that asshat and his mom, will know. Ok, think of something to appeal to her, what does an unusually sexy, vampire wannabe want?

“I have a better idea,” Bela choked out a snort.

“Oh please enlighten me~” The blonde propped herself down so that she was sitting with her legs crossed instead of on her knees. Her hands were folded together, holding up her head by her chin.

“Okay, so, uh, the people of the village are kind of boring right?” Bela nodded. “And that’s why you can tell I’m an outsider without even tasting my blood?”

“Yes, yes, go on please.” She let the last word slither out of her mouth both sensually and threateningly.

“Well, I’ve been told that I’m the first outsider to make it in.” Mina paused as she let the other girl think it over in her brain. After a few moments, she confirmed that it was true. “So that means that once I’ve been bled out, and, divided between your mother and two sisters, you won’t have anything like me again.”

A look in Bela’s eyes alerted Mina that she was starting to get a bit of what she was proposing. Which was great since she was also trying to understand the words coming out of her own mouth as well.

“Then, even with your virgins, you’ll still be eating the same old thing over and over again.” Mina tried to hide the counterargument points that were popping up in her head. “Like, my favorite food is French fries but if I was only eating that, then I would kind of grow to be bored of it.”

“It’s not—”

“So in this instance, my fries is your virgin blood.” Ok, Mina really wanted to slap herself. “And my blood is like getting pizza from Italy, you can try to get something like it around town but, at the end of the day, that’s the only place you’re going to get the real deal.”

Great now I sound like a spokesperson for a chain restaurant. Come by Mama Luiza’s for lunch and get half off your first order of outsider blood, ugh.

“Hm,” Bela looked genuinely intrigued and it made Mina’s heartbeat go slower, almost painfully so. “Perhaps mother would like to keep you here for a little while longer,” Mina gulped on air. “To get the best use out of you of course.”

“But if you do that then you’ll barely get a drop out of me.” The blonde’s legs started to stretch and stand up.

“There’s no way you can stop me from—”

“That’s not what I mean!” Bela blinked a few times, sitting back down. “What I’m saying is that by sharing with your sisters and mother, you will barely have anything of me to drink.”

“I’m not afraid of not getting my fair share.” She flipped her hair behind her shoulders, somehow she made it look as beautiful as a commercial.

“Yes, but you see, if the plan is to keep me alive and harvest me for a while then you’re going to do it so that I don’t go into shock and die.” Science facts ran through her mind, jumbling together like paint was being thrown at her. “A human has about nine to ten liters of blood and, if they lose half or more, then they’re going to die. It also takes a person four to six weeks to fully recover the amount of blood lost.”

“Yes but—”

“And I’m rather small and either one or two things will happen once you tell your mom about me.” Bela narrowed her eyes, daring Mina to cross a line. “The first one is that you can only get less than two to three liters of blood out of me once every four to six weeks.” She could tell that Bela and her family would be aiming towards the lower end. “The second, and the one I think is most likely to happen, is that one of you will drain me dry either accidently or on purpose before you can get a wine glass full of me.”

“My mother wouldn’t allow it.” Bela was becoming defensive, and Mina wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

“You say that but can you sure your sisters will listen? I mean, Daniela seemed pretty eager to chow down on this kid at the first chance she got.” Mina nodded towards the girl with her chin.

“Daniela and Cassandra are . . .” Oh she could see the wheels turning in her head. Mina literally had to bite her lip to keep a smirk from appearing. “Well . . . I can’t exactly hide you for myself!”

“You don’t have to,” Mina’s arm whipped up in a show of excitement. “Just let me go.” Bela barked out a throaty laugh that was very unladylike.

“And then you’ll never come back, do you think I’m stupid?”

No, I think I’m stupid. Especially for what I’m about to do to myself.

“I’d have to come back though,” she looked away and silently cursed herself. “Because . . . Because if I didn’t then you would tell your mother, which would let everyone in your family know, that I’m an outsider.”

“Wait, does no one know you’re not from here?” She looked both surprised and impressed. “Not my Aunt or Uncles?” Mina shook her head as Bela eyes widened. “Surely Mother Miranda knows—”

“Only The Duke and two villagers know but everyone else believes in the whole dead, hermit father thing.” It clicked in Bela’s mind and Mina took the opportunity to finally snatch up the win. “So I give you my blood and in return, you don’t sell me out.”

There was still hesitance in her eyes, just one last problem that was keeping them from a deal.

“I can’t just keep it all to myself, mother would be—”

“Then don’t,” Bela looked at her like she was running in circles. “You can have all of me as you want, and you can still get some for your mom.”

“How?” Her voice was a mix of impatience and wonder.

“Well, where I’m from, eating crabs is a big tradition. So we often get a few dozen for dinner, cook them, and then pick them apart to eat.” The irony of Mina calling Bela crazy was not lost on her. “But the thing is, my mom and dad would keep a little bowl off to the side where they would put half of the meat into it so that we could have crab cakes later. So they got to have their crabs while also keeping some to share with the whole family for a different meal.”

The comparison took a good half minute to connect in the blonde’s mind. Luckily, it seemed to click. Drink as much of the blood that Mina delivers, save some for Mom, and then give it to her another time when you have enough for a full bottle.

“. . . You do understand what exactly will happen if you don’t deliver.” The deathly chill that escaped from Bela’s lips seemed to wrap around Mina’s neck.

“I’m very aware,” she clutched the girl closer. “I may have come here tonight but that doesn’t mean that I’m not scared of you or your family.”

“The kid escaping isn’t going to be an easy thing to cover up.” Mina’s heart seemed to beat more steadily. Was she really about to get out of this?

“Why? Last I checked, she was in Cassandra’s room, not yours.” A little smirk played on Bela’s lips.

“. . . You’re lucky that mother blames her the most.”

“Huh, interesting, I thought it would be Daniela.” At first she wanted to slap herself for the remark, but the little giggle Bela gave out reassured her that she wasn’t above teasing her sisters.

“Well outsider, I think I can work with this type of deal.” She cheered over and over in her head. “But, before you go . . .”

“What?” Mina’s stomach felt sick. Bela flashed her teeth again before grabbing the same wrist once more.

“I want another taste,” she rubbed her face against Mina’s palm, mouth so close to the wound.

God these people are f*cked up!

Without even getting the okay, Bela’s tongue pressed into the open wound once more, drawing circles and letters into it. The sucking sounds she made with her lips, coupled with the moans, caused heat to radiate in the bottom of Mina’s stomach. This was the first time someone was trying to eat her out through her arm. A moan built up into her lunges but before she could let it out, the weight of the kid came back into her mind, and she yelped out.

There is a child here and I am not thinking about this! f*ck Bela, do you have no morals?

Mina’s reaction was enough to have Bela leave her arm with a wet pop. What she saw in her face frankly stunned the human.

“Sundays.” Mina’s eyebrows furled at the blonde’s statement.

“Wha?” Bela nearly smashed her face into her own.

“Sundays, that’s when I want you to deliver. Once every three weeks” Of course it had to be Sunday and of course she was cutting it with the recovery time. “Get some bottles and syringes from The Duke and bring at least two pints or else.” She hissed out the last part in impatient pleasure that had Mina’s mind twisting around. “Now go before one of them smells your f*cking obscenely, succulent essence.”

I am both turned on and off by you.

Mina didn’t need to be told twice. She bounded down the steps and into the storage room just as Bela closed the door behind her. The flashlight went on again as she stumbled in, cursing at the boxes she kicked and the food she stomped on.

When the last door opened, and the snowy sky greeted her with a gust of wind, Mina found herself loving the cold for the first time in her life.

. . .

The little girl didn’t stir as Mina set her gently onto the ground. There wasn’t any snow to melt into her clothes and hopefully there wouldn’t be much of a chance for anything to hurt her further. The outsider didn’t know much about the villagers and choosing where best to leave the kid was based off of Luiza’s fondness for the people living at this residence.

She of course had not outright asked the old women where to put the girl in fear that her guardian might also try to take in another child. As cute as Marianna was, Mina did not need a little sister right now. So, with little hesitancy, the outsider knocked loudly onto the door before her and ran off the moment she heard movement from behind it.

Luckily she had dashed just out of sight when the door opened up. Mina could only speculate as to how the residents reacted when catching sight of a sleeping child in the cold. Whether or not they kept her or gave her to other related family members was not something she cared to worry about. The little girl wasn’t an outsider and therefore didn’t need to fear of being shunned like one.

Most of the homes were locked tight when she began the journey home. There wasn’t really much of a nightlife in the village other for when people eventually left the tavern. The outsider therefore had to walk in the loud silence of nature. What she would give to hear cicadas or crickets chirping instead of just the flurry of the wind knocking against barren trees.

Mina tried to blame a twinge of sudden anxiety on the mysteriousness of the winter wilderness. However, it started to become clear that her heart wasn’t racing because she was hearing things. No, for some reason, she began to feel like something was watching her.

Maybe it’s Mother Miranda, here to punish me for trespassing in her daughter’s castle.

She shook her head and forced a chuckle out. Why it was getting harder for her to deny the existence of supernatural entities was a thought she would confront later. The vampire wannabe licking at her wounds like a dog with a peanut butter puppuccino did not help her feel normal.

Some snow hit the ground close to her, most likely from it sliding off a roof or tree branch. It had the outsider flinching so hard that she nearly stumbled onto her knees. She forced herself to quickly relax before speeding up the walk to Luiza’s home. The village wasn’t big, and she felt relieved to eventually pass by her guardians open gate.

When she did, a slight bang against the metal sides had her spooked once again. This time she did fall and painfully so. The wound wasn’t all that wrapped up as she had only taken the little girls bow as a quick bandage. Her arms hitting against the ground caused an aching zap to run up her wrist.

Stupid hot goth chick, stupid f*cking castle, stupid f*cking vampire cliches, and stupid f*cking Mother Miranda!

“Oh no, you poor thing~” Mina stopped breathing. Oh f*ck, she knew that voice. “Here, let me help you.”

A drop of weight hit Mina’s back like a sack of potatoes. She opened her mouth to scream but a cold, porcelain hand smacked against her lips. Another inhuman hand came to wrap itself around her neck like a child hanging on for a piggy-back ride.

“Now, you’re going to listen to me and you’re going to do exactly what I say.” Mina nodded into the hand. “Good, we’re gonna have such a fun time!”

Mina couldn’t f*cking believe it. Here she was, only a few feet from the comfort of Luiza’s home, being threatened by a goddamn doll! The porcelain hand was worse than a real one at that moment as the inhuman chill of its surface felt like poison to Mina’s lips. The stupid thing cackled against her head at her easily won obedience.

“You know,” she drawled out into her ear. “We’ve missed you since your last visit, usually our visitors stay over a bit longer, so it just doesn’t feel right not giving you the same attention as them.” Mina’s eyes danced around the room, searching for Lord Beneviento as the source for the doll’s movements and speech.

“She’s not here if you’re wondering.” Could the doll also read minds? “I may or may not have come on my own free will.” Angie giggled as Mina huffed an angry sigh into her hand. Yeah, she totally believed that.

f*ck this woman’s got issues. There must be some sort of camera in this things eyes. I wonder how she would react if I just snatched them out of their sockets.

“But what Donna doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” She thought about licking its hand but realize that would have no use at all. “Aannnddd, what Lady Dimitrescu doesn’t know won’t hurt her either.”

What!!!

“Aw, so cute, you’re shaking.” Mina felt her hair being twirled into tight knots. “You’re really something else you know.”

Mina mumbled something that was meant to sound like ‘well if it isn’t the doll calling the kettle inanimate’.

“It’s one thing to survive coming into a Lords home but to survive three?!” Mina cursed under her breath. “Seeing as you left the castle in one piece, and apparently with a new little friend, I’m going to take a guess and say that you went undetected?”

So she didn’t go inside? Good, good, at least my identity won’t be shouted out at every chance this thing gets.

Mina nodded and, to her surprise, Angie let go and took a step back. While her instincts told her to scream for Luiza, she knew that she would only be sealing the fate of two instead of one.

“You were following me?” The doll started to bounce up and down onto the ground.

“Uh-huh, stupid Alcina banned me from the meeting.” Angie pouted, her lips twisting into a tight frown. “So when I saw you running from stinky’s gate I thought at first it was just because you had seen his face but when I saw you sneak into the castle I was certain you’d end up in a bottle of wine before the end of the month.”

“Being around you makes me wish I was.” She only giggled more instead of slapping her for the remark.

At least I’d taste great.

“But when I watched you run out an hour later,” she stopped her bouncing and landed on her backside. “I knew we just had to have you. It’s been so long since we had someone fun to play with~”

Maybe there’s a f*cking reason for that?!

“You’re here to kidnap me then?” She did her best at not choking out the words and coming off as scared as she was. The doll can’t know it holds that much power.

“As much as I’d love to have you come over and play all day and night,” her tone was a mix of disappointment and devilish glee that made Mina’s head spin. “Donna won’t let me, something about how The Duke is not happy with how we’ve treated his previous employees or whatever.”

Everything she says sounds like the ramblings of a child on par with Veruca Salt. Nothing would make Mina happier than to drop kick this thing into a field goal.

“Soo, here is the deal.” Mina raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to come over and play with us every week and in return, I won’t tell Dimitrescu that you were running around her castle like a little rat.” Angie laughed manically as Mina felt her heart drop. “Oh, and one more thing~”

“What,” she hissed.

“Don’t tell Donna about this,” she motioned to everything around them. “As far as she knows, you’re coming over because you’re doing your job. And if you tell her otherwise then you can say goodbye to your vital organs.” With nothing to back herself up with, she nodded.

Mina could only stare as Angie whipped around the place, dancing to nothing and just being a total bringer of chaos. It was like watching a small tornado nock everything in her life upside down. It was a miracle that neither or Luiza or Ernest heard her from the inside.

“When exactly do you want me to be there.” She felt her teeth grinding against themselves, straining the nerves underneath.

“Saturdays.” Great, there goes her weekends. “Every morning you’re going to go to The Duke and pick up whatever he has for you and then you’re going to walk merrily along to our little home.”

And like that, Mina watched another part of her life get stripped away. To Bela she has promised her blood and now, to Lord Beneviento, she has promised her soul. She feared what Lord Heisenberg would want if he was to find her.

. . .

The Next Day

“You know, I heard the strangest thing today.” The Duke was holding a newspaper in his hands as Mina counted her collection of shards in her hand.

“Oh?” She bit into her lip.

“Yes,” he moved the newspaper down. “Apparently Nadia and her husband awoke to a loud knock on their door and opened it to find little Marianna laying on their doorstep, wrapped in a warm blanket.” Mina faked a look of minor surprise.

“How nice, I’m glad to hear she’s back in safe arms.” The Duke nodded, a chuckle on his breath.

“Yes indeed,” she held the shards out to him, and he counted them up. “I told you that she was going to be saved.”

“Yeah, yeah, you were right.” She watched as he put them away and, to her dread, he brought out a bag she had been waiting for.

“Sadly, I wish I could have warned you about not letting your guard down.” She snatched the bag up.

“I swear to god it’s like you can read minds or something,” his cheeks inflated with mirth as she rambled on. “Like, get out of my head and stop looking through my memories and-and stop predicting the future! It’s not fair!”

“My apologies dear Mina, next time I’ll let you figure things out on your own.” As planned, she looked away with a pout.

“I mean, it’s not always a . . . bad thing.”

“Well, I’m glad to be of some service to you and your endeavors. I’ll always be happy to help you moving forward.” She exhaled and gave him an honest, appreciative smile. The tiredness of last night’s events was evident on her lips and eyes, but she did what she could to express her feelings all the same. “You’re going to need it after all.”

Chapter 14: Hygge

Chapter Text

Chapter Fourteen: Hygge

Danish Noun: Relaxing with a few friends and loved ones while having a meal or some drinks. The word is all about coziness.

. . .

Mina was exhausted by the time Friday rolled around. Not because she had done anything manual. Rather because her mental state was consistently declining with each moment getting closer to Saturday. Neither Luiza nor Ernest had noticed any changes from the ward throughout the week. Any negative emotions they caught her displaying was quickly written off at the disappointment of not getting to spend time with her friends.

Constanta and the group had not asked about her since the morning after Emilians death. Mina therefore saw no reason to go out of her way to talk to them. In her nightmares she saw herself getting found out for her increasing list of crimes. The outrage was always pandemonium and not one villager had stopped to give her a fair trial. Avoiding any situation that might lead to someone knowing was for the best.

Staying home, going out only briefly, had finally left Mina feeling at the end of her rope. Her guardians were not the best for long term conversations as Ernest seemed to have very little to say to her and Luiza had too much. A conversation between her and her guardians was like playing that old minefield computer game. Eventually the topic would turn into something uncomfortable that Mina didn’t even want to lie about as to give the old woman false hope. The brainwashing had therefore continued to be futile.

The decision to leave that morning wasn’t even one she consciously chose. Luiza had luckily not seen her face when she went back into the chilled air otherwise the outsider might have questioned if her destination was the best place to be. Like most adults who feel that their world is collapsing all around them, Mina found herself walking into the only bar in town.

Nicu’s was even busier than the first time she had come. She pushed that memory away the moment it rose up. With some extra lei running around in her knapsack, Mina sat down at the only free stool at the bar. Petru took one look at her and gave the smallest of half-smiles. Mina responded back with an even more pathetic one. She didn’t say anything, but the man ended up turning around to grab at some of the bottles before bringing out an even stronger version of the drink she had been served before. It didn’t exactly burn her throat like whiskey, instead, it seemed to numb it. It felt like she was swallowing cotton swabs soaked in that juice that people get at sex stores in order to give better blow j*bs.

She sipped at it slowly while hunching over the wooden surface. Both elbows held her body up from planting face first. For a while it seemed that luckily no one had noticed or bothered to talk to her. The alcohol didn’t particularly make her want to speak. Besides, Mina was done with unwanted encounters at the moment.

Unfortunately, unwanted encounters were not done with her.

“You,” a hot breath of air hit the back of her head. Caramel strands of hair flew to gently smack against the sides of her face. “Haven’t seen you around lately, huh.” Mina wanted to burn into the floor at the sound of that familiar voice. She had every intention of not turning around but a large hand on her shoulder ripped her away from escaping the reality behind her.

“Anton . . .” She breathed his name out like it was her last breath after being winded. There wasn’t anyone standing with him and with a flash of her eyes, she didn’t see any of his friends around the bar either. Where was Constanta?

“Was wondering when I’d see you again.” He growled lowly and for a moment Mina pretended that she didn’t know why because frankly he shouldn’t know why either.

If he saw something he would have reported it, just breathe, he’s drunk.

“Are you okay?” His face twitched before he let out a laugh that was painfully mocking.

“Well more okay than some people.” This place was going to kill her before she could even hit her next birthday. “But I think you know that.”

“No, I don’t.” Bitter tears were pushing against the restrains Mina was trying to put up. She can’t let him see her cry. No one here can see her cry. Emilian was just a man she had met for a little while. Not her attacker and not Moreau’s victim.

“You know what my brother told me after you left that day.”

I’m going to wait for that girl to try and sneak past Lord Beneviento’s gate so I can rape her in the dead of night because I’m a despicable human being that not even the sh*tty people who run this town tolerate. Was that it?

Mina could see Petru looking at the two from her peripheral vision. He only co*cked his head to the side as he cleaned a glass, occasionally looking away to the rest of the bar. If Anton wasn’t studying her face so closely, she might have attempted to mouth the word ‘help’.

“He . . .” Something in her chest squeezed as he took a deep swig of the bottle in his hand. Anton was doing a much poorer job at keeping himself from crying, she could feel the lack of restraint in the grip of his shaking hands. “He said he was going to find you later so he could see if you wanted to go on a date.” Rage spurted up through Mina’s chest and threatened to burn her and the man in front of her.

“I didn’t see him—”

“Yes, you did!” His screech echoed out across the bar, and everyone became silent. The only sounds to be heard were from the little radio in the corner playing songs she didn’t recognize. “Yes . . . yes you did . . . you did something.”

“I didn’t, I swear . . .” Mina didn’t feel like she was lying to him. Because it was apparent that the man he thought Emilian was, wasn’t actually the person who followed her that night. She knew what happened to the real version. She didn’t know about the one that presented himself inside his brother’s head.

“Anton you need to go home.” It was Petru who spoke up from behind her. She felt the big man’s chest near her head and the proximity to someone nearly double Anton’s size made her feel a little safer. “You know not to bring up the will of the Lords.”

“Their will?” He started coughing on his own laughs like a dying man.

They all know that he’s gone. Do they recognize that he’s dead? That I had something to do with it? Why hadn’t someone said something earlier if—

“Their will brought her to the village.” He spat it out so hard that spittle pasted itself onto her cheek. “One day she’s locked up tight with Luiza and the next she just shows up hanging off of my brothers arm before poof, he’s being sent off to Lord Moreau.”

Hanging off his arm! Hanging off his arm! You asshole, f*ck you!

That was it, tears were running down her face in huge globs that mixed in with the snot that was starting to slide down as well. f*ck everything was too cold. Shaky arms came to wipe up under her nose as her breaths started to come in quick and shallow.

“You’re being irrational.” Someone else a few seats away spoke up. “Emilian’s new place in their world is a good thing, you must accept—”

“Shut the f*ck up and stop pretending that he wanted this.” So they didn’t know that he was dead. Or rather, most of them were in denial of it. Lest they admit that their own family members have perished as well. “Lords or not, I know she’s played a part in this.”

“Please just leave me alone.” She had whispered it to him as he had not backed away from her.

“f*ck. You. c*nt.” She shut her eyes, With every labored huff of breath she smelt the alcohol hanging from his lips and thought of Emilian festering somewhere in the reservoir. “And f*ck Moreau!”

Everyone gasped in horror. In one moment Anton had become infected to them. It was as if they expected Mother Miranda to materialize suddenly and smite him down for such words of heresy. Mina for a second actually wished that their powers were true. Just to see him disappear from the plane of existence.

Everyone had expected him to lash out first as his free hand had been strangling itself into a fist the entire interaction. Without even collecting her emotions, Mina reached out and slapped him across the cheek. She had curled her fingers just so that they would scratch him up in the process. It sadly wasn’t enough to make him bleed.

I’m glad you’re f*cking brothers dead!

A drunk man was not the type to hesitate and with a rush, Mina’s head collided against the ground. The near-empty bottle was then mashed over her shoulders. Backwashed palinka surged into her dress as screams rang in her ears. Unknown hands grabbed at her arms and sides, pulling her back up to stand. In the distance she saw Anton being dragged out by four men, all of them taking him somewhere she hoped he couldn’t come back to her from.

People were trying to talk to her, trying to soothe her. Petru even shooed a good amount of them away as to give her space to breathe. She didn’t respond to any of their concerns. Instead her trembling hands reached into her bag and threw down a handful of lei before pushing herself through the exit. The snow burned against a cut in her face that seemed to be collecting every droplet of water that was continuing to fall from her eyes.

Her body told her to go home and lock herself into her room. Just give up on escaping and wither away in silence. Internally she knew that much needed sleep would not come while awaiting her play date with Lord Beneviento. Still a shaking mess, Mina sought out The Duke as well as the package that he had readied for tomorrow.

At least she had Angie’s surprised face to look forward to. Even if it would only last for a second before being replaced with that of pure masochism.

. . .

When the door opened, Mina was gladly surprised to see it was the Lord herself that had come to greet her. A soft little gasp told her that she was very much unexpected and Mina wondered if she even knew that something was meant to be delivered.

“Lord Beneviento,” she bowed slightly while keeping the paper covered parcel against her chest. “I have a delivery for you.” The sound of feet sliding against the wood floor was like hearing a rat scurrying into the kitchen.

When Donna reached out, Angie had bounded in front of her. Mina put the package in her hands before even acknowledging the dolls presence.

“Ooo, what a surprise.” She didn’t seem mad which worked well for the human girl. In fact, it was like she was even more excited than the prospect of coming tomorrow.

“Yes,” she stared into the cloth covering Donna’s face. “I was supposed to bring this to you tomorrow, but The Duke was able to have it ready today instead.”

She saw Angie from the corner of her eyes frowning a bit. Apparently she was hoping that she would still be coming tomorrow.

Tough luck you knock off Annabelle Barbie bitch!

“Would you like to come in?” Mina was forced to look down now as it was the doll who asked the question that would decide her fate.

“Yes,” she moved her gaze back to Donna. “If you’ll have me.”

She may not have been able to see her face, but it didn’t take a scientist to know that the Lord was outright shocked by Mina’s response. Unfortunately, the woman’s answer was exactly what they both expected.

“Come in.” The two moved their bodies to the side and allowed Mina to slip past. The door behind her closed with a lurch that echoed throughout the house. She flinched when she felt Angie’s hand grab her own. A sentiment that would have been sweet had it been a small child. Not what looked like the biproduct of a successful Ouija séance.

The doll looked up at her with faux innocent eyes. The other porcelain hand came up to slightly hide her mouth as she giggled mockingly. Then immediately she began happily leading her new friend to a party she had previously declined.

. . .

Angie and Mina were having a stare down as Donna put together a tray in the other room. Green tea had been her answer when asked about what she wanted to drink. Neither one of them spoke while they listened to the Lord move around with cups and saucers. The little doll was content with just giving Mina the creepiest of smiles. Though, the outsider had a hard time imagining a not creepy smile on the doll.

“Ah~” The door next to them opened as Donna brought out the cutest little set that matched the aesthetic of their home. The teapot and cups were off-white and sprinkled with little details that reminded her of sketches from Disney’s early films. The one handed to her had a small white rabbit in a flower garden which, of course, made her want to choke.

Had things been different, Mina would have thought the mini sized teacup that Angie held was absolutely adorable. It even came with her own smaller teapot that was detailed with three kittens in different ribbons. She was entranced watching Donna pick up the mini pot and fake pouring tea into the matching cup. Angie held it up and brought the empty thing to her lips, inhaling nothing as if it was the most heavenly thing.

Mina’s jaw legit dropped by how f*cking weird this situation was. She was only snapped out of it when Donna came to her side and took her designated cup. For some reason, the lack of proximity between her and the standing Lord made heat warm up in her cheeks. She could feel the black cotton of her dress against her shoulder as well as the slightly curvy hip underneath. Her mind wandered for a bit, thinking of how soft her skin might feel underneath. What she would do if Angie left and Mina, consensually by the way, let her hand wander up the skirt of her dress. Caressing all the way up until she hit the swell of her waist.

Maybe she was just as f*cked up as everyone else in this village.

When Donna was finished, she placed the delicate China into Mina’s awaiting hands instead of just placing onto the table. The Lords own hands were not covered by a glove and only then, when she felt the tips of fingers ghost over hers, did Mina realize this.

She didn’t hesitate to bring the inviting liquid up to her lips. She took a slow, sensual sip in some attempt at looking content. Eventually Donna filled her own cup and sat down with the two of them.

A beautiful silence filled the room as they all basked in the moment. Mina had been dreading this visit, yet it was the best thing to happen since she had seen Moreau before the dead woman. Hell, it was nice in its own way since she wasn’t crouching down in some underground room while trying to watch movies that she didn’t particularly care for but accepted them anyways because it was better than watching fish swim around.

With every drop of tea, Mina began to see the Lord and her doll as companions instead of enemies. If she kept the memories of Angie’s threats out of her mind, maybe she could pretend that there was nothing wrong with the world outside this room.

A sharp knock at the door came after only a few minutes causing Angie to jump out of her chair with glee. Mina placed the cup down with unsteady hands and looked between the both of them.

“Wait, who’s that?” Angie giggled as she moved from the table.

“Oh, we invited another friend to join us,” She stood in the middle of the doorway for a second. “Hope you don’t mind.”

She didn’t if it meant getting to enjoy being warm in the presence of Donna and not Anton or her guardians. The two had a good minute alone as they waited. The Lord seemed fidgety though. She gripped her knees with a tight pressure while staring at the now closed door. Was something wrong?

Only one explanation came to mind, and it had Mina nearly spitting out onto the lace table mat.

There’s no way that’s Heisenberg, right? S-She wouldn’t have let me in if she was expecting him.

Mina didn’t have much of a chance to ponder this when the door opened again to reveal the doll. She held it open for whoever was walking towards them. Something was up when the footsteps sounded . . . wet? Like they had been stepping in mud all day and the residue was sticking to the wood of their floor. Angie was looking between their unknown guest and Mina herself and the terror of thinking it was the Lord of the factory ate directly into chest.

A puddle of some type of dark liquid splashed down the doorway before she spotted a pair of waterlogged shoes enter her line of site. Slowly, like in a movie, her eyes went up the figure. Her heart felt like it was attacking itself. The pants were just as soaked and were full of holes that revealed puffy and pruned purple skin.

There was some sort of seagrass wrapped around a no longer white shirt that was in a similar state to the pants. The most horrific thing was when her eyes finally locked onto the shoulder and face of the newcomer. Mina almost didn’t recognize him seeing as barnacles lined his face like acne and his hair had been torn in places, revealing parts of his scalped skull.

The eyes were the worst part. They were grey with white pupils. She had seen the same-colored eyes on dead fish that would bloat up from the water as to be carried off by the lazy waves of the bay. A pair of lips that were quite nearly ready to fall off smiled at her like she was a lost treasure.

“Ah Mina, I’ve missed you.” His words were horse and deep like that of an eighty-year-old chain smoker that had a hole in the middle of their trachea.

“E-Emilian?!” Mina’s cup smashed onto the ground as he squished his way towards the empty seat that sat between Angie and herself. He pulled it out, letting the ends scrap harshly against the wood.

She could smell him now and god, she wished Moreau were here because he was like a Seabreeze candle from Bath and Body works. Death on Emilian smelled like rotting milk being mixed into the carcass of a dead opossum. All sorts of maggots and ants wiggled about into it, and she could even smell that opossums last meal. One consisting of mice whose skeletons had only been partially stripped of fur and guts.

She should be throwing up, but the smell was so bad that it refused to be expelled from her body. It demanded that it stay with her as long as possible as to taint her nose for the rest of her life. It wanted every meal placed in front of her to be ruined by its memory.

“I hope the trip wasn’t too bad, I know it can be quite the distance from fish freaks place.” Angie had hopped back up onto her chair and was once again holding her cup and conversing as if the man was still alive.

Emilian didn’t once look at Angie or Donna. He was staring directly at her with those lifeless pupils. His entire body was turned towards her as if he were ready to stand up and pounce onto her.

“Not bad at all,” his god-awful voice seemed to even bother Donna as she locked her eyes with the liquid in her cup. “I relished getting to stretch my legs ever since he decided my body wasn’t a good specimen and threw me into the water. Turns out the fish in the reservoir take their time eating up the dead.”

Stop looking at me, stop looking at me, stop looking at me!

This horror, no, this traumatic event that was ruining her sanity, was trying its best to find leftover tears in her body. She had cried so much today.

“Are you and Mina acquainted, it looks like she knows you.” Angie knew that, f*ck she knew that. How did she know that?!

Mina’s eyes flashed all around, trying to rationalize why this was happening. She refused to believe any of Miranda’s made-up world. The villagers were stuck in the nightmare she had put them in. Forcing them to praise her for what little drops of joy she allowed.

The tea! f*ck it’s the tea! Why the f*ck did I drink it, why do I always get turned on for women I barely know. Especially the f*cking dangerous ones!

“Oh yes,” he said it with such passion. “She’s the little whor* that got away.” In the corner of her eye, Donna jumped a little in her seat.

“Mina, Mina,” Angie tsked at her. “I had no idea that you were such a little tease. How could you deny such a handsome man?” This doll was evil. No, this woman was evil, and she wondered what they were actually doing in their sober world. Could they hear her, see the way she acted? Did they know the person she was looking at?

“I-I just want to go home,” she sniffled loudly, and Angie cackled. “All I want is to go home but I can’t, and no one here understands that. I-I just—”

“Shhh, my dear little Mina.” His shriveled hand that had skin falling off of the palm came to rest on her thigh. “We’re your home now.” The hand kept moving up her body, stopping shortly at her breasts before moving up to her lips. “Now suck.”

He thrusted three fingers into her mouth and the taste of him in the middle of her tongue caused bile to build up so hard that it felt like it was seeping from her stomach and into the rest of her body. Her organs were being flooded and her heart was stopping in the middle of it all. In that moment of pure putrid terror, the sounds of the man and the doll laughing felt like jagged nails splicing into her proverbial coffin. She was being sent to the world of the dead to join him in his hell.

“Enough!” Donna shoved her pot and cups onto the ground. Light green liquid washed over the table like a wave breaking against the beach. When the liquid splashed onto Emilian, his body puffed up into a balloon and right as he burst like the dead fish he resembled, nothing came out. He simply popped and stopped existing.

A fog that Mina hadn’t known was there before lifted from her body and she saw the living room in a light that felt like it was new rather than old. In front of her was Donna, standing up as her body twitched as much as her own. She heard hard breaths coming from behind the veil that was visibly moving in out and out. Angie, in Mina’s peripheral vision, attempted to move backwards without being spotted. Before she could slip from the chair, Donna faced her.

“You know I don’t like playing these types of games.” She shouted like an angry kitten, volume not coming close to the yell of a human. But the intensity of her words felt so loud. “But you do them anyway.” She heard a sniffle coming from her.

“I’m not playing them on you!” Angie slammed a fist onto the table. “Come on, you love our games, it doesn’t matter what the stupid human fears. It makes her scared and that’s what’s fun for me! Fun for you!”

“Go to time out,” was Mina really hearing this right. “Now.”

Angie made a little noise that felt like it could go blossom into a tantrum. It didn’t and the doll was out of sight while she sat petrified.

Donna looked back her and silence enveloped them again.

“You can go.” There was no sorry that escaped her lips, but Mina didn’t want to wait and demand for one.

She fled their house of horrors, leaving Donna standing alone in the world Miranda had built for her.

Chapter 15: Hüzün

Chapter Text

Chapter Fifteen: Hüzün

Turkish Noun: A spiritual anguish from the distance felt between oneself and god. It's a sense of longing, perhaps for something we are not exactly sure of. This collective yearning can mostly be felt during the winter, when the skies turn dark over Istanbul, the color vanishes from people's clothes and faces, and everything sort of moans onward.

. . .

The tears on Mina’s face felt like they might ice over if she didn’t get out of the cold soon. If there was one good thing about where Lord Beneviento lived, it was that there was no one around to see how badly the visit had affected her. Whatever drugs the doll had given her did not mesh well with her already lackluster ability to handle emotions. Impulsivity combined with agony made the once terrifying waterfall appear inviting. That perhaps she’d simply float calmly into its mists, forever ridding herself of this village, instead of plummeting into the dark depths of the reservoir. The vision of Emilian would have gotten his wish if she did.

It was surprisingly dark when Mina left the Lord’s territory. The interaction between her and the two didn’t seem all that long yet time had past as if hours turned to seconds. It only made leaving and not giving in to the destructive part of herself even harder now that she had to mind each step. Luckily she did not fall during the journey and therefore did not add to the list of reasons why today in particular sucked.

She had rubbed her face raw by the time she made it past the gates and into the alter site. None of the houses of the village glowed meaning that everyone had gone to bed. The Duke was gone as well, where he went, Mina had no clue. Perhaps he just teleported in and out of existence seeing as she had never seen him moving from one place to another.

Kind of wish he was here . . . can’t talk to Luiza about this sh*t. Maybe Moreau?

She shook her head, thinking about all the disastrous consequences that might come from complaining about one Lord to another. Besides, it seemed that the man wasn’t particularly well liked by his family. They’d likely brush him off in favor of the less disappointing siblings.

Mina didn’t have much time to ponder what might happen if she involved him. An unusual sound within the graveyard had her stopping completely. Squinting her eyes, the outsider could only see so much in detail as it appeared someone was digging within the plot of land. This might not have been unusual had it been day time.

Whoever was digging she could not see as they were pretty deep within the hole. Dirt being heaved out and onto the surrounding graves is what clued her in fairly quickly. The distance between her and this person was a good number of yards and luckily they didn’t hear her walking. The unusualness of the situation was enough to have Mina deciding that getting further away was the best course of action.

Luiza’s home was in view when she heard the person grunt deeply. The dirt piles had stopped, and, to her horror, whatever shovel they were using hit something wooden. With wide eyes, Mina sped up the hill as quick and soundless as she could.

Great, let’s add graverobbing to the list of reasons why this place is so f*cked up!

When she got to Luiza’s fence, Mina ended up looking back towards the church. She was just in time to watch the mystery person climb out of the hole. To her surprise, there was a second form laying on the ground beside the grave. No movement came from it and the realization that this was likely the body had her slapping a hand against her mouth. She was far enough away to not be heard but yet she feared the digger even catching wind of someone out of bed.

In the deep moonlight, Mina put as much focus on the person as possible. Whatever they had in store for the body was anything but wholesome and the last thing the outsider wanted was to hang around someone like that in the village. The outline of them was familiar and unusual in comparison to the average man. The sight of the hat and coat only furthered her suspicions.

However, it wasn’t until the man tipped his head back did Mina notice the slight gleam of necklaces amongst the otherwise dark colored clothes. A roughness against the outline of his chin showed a beard and she swore he was wearing glasses. Now there was no doubt as to who this man was.

Mina slowly backed further away and towards the house. When he was fully out of sight she ran up the porch steps and swung open the door. Though she knew that the other movement in the house was likely her guardians, Mina ran up the stairs as if the only solace was in her room.

She burrowed into the covers of her bed and made no attempt to turn on the light. Lest the glowing orange hue guide Lord Heisenberg straight to the outsider’s abode.

. . .

Luiza was standing in her room when Mina woke up. The sight spooked her a bit and she nearly toppled off of the covers. The older woman waited as Mina collected herself and sat up with the pillows.

“We need to talk.” Luiza approached, grabbing the solitary desk chair, and placed it only a few feet from the girl.

“What’s wrong?” Memories of the night before came back steadily as each one hitting her mind made the outsider internally wince. There were a lot of things that would make the old woman feel concerned.

“Well, a few things . . . starting with the incident from last night.” Mina’s eyelids fluttered slightly, widening for only a few moments. How could the old lady know? “It’s important you know that Anton was acting irrationally. No one actually believes that you’re at fault for Emilian’s employment to the Lords."

“Oh,” instinctively Mina rubbed the back of her head and felt a soreness there from their brief fight. “Well, that’s good . . . I know he’s just upset.”

“It’s hard for some of us to say goodbye. In Anton and Constanta’s case, they’ve had to do so with both sets of parents.” The only thing Mina felt hearing that was a guilt that she didn’t feel anything at all. Not even towards Constanta or the countless other villagers whose family had been lost to the Lords.

They take everything from you and yet everyone continues to stay . . . how sad.

“The real issue, Mina, is that you completely wandered off into the night.” This didn’t seem like much of an issue given that Luiza hadn’t barged in on her when she escaped to her room the night before. “I had no clue where you went when Constanta came knocking on the door asking for you.”

“. . . I wanted to be alone.” Luiza only reacted by crossing her arms over her chest.

“It’s dangerous to stay out so late.” The urge to roll her eyes was massive as Mina knew what ‘dangers’ Luiza feared. How insulting to be told that unseen monsters are the problem and not the very people living amongst them. “If it wasn’t for The Duke, I would have—”

“Wait, what did The Duke do?” Mina begun adjusting her legs so that she could be sitting with her feet against the floor instead of laying against the covers.

“Some of the others had commented on how often they’d seen you talking to him, naturally I asked if he had seen you after searching unsuccessfully around the village.” An unsureness in the pit of her stomach had Mina frowning. “You do understand that you don’t have to work for him in exchange for his wears. Ernest and I have plenty of money to assist you.”

Does she know about Beneviento and the deliveries?

“It’s . . . It’s not about the money, I just enjoy having something to do.” Luiza wasn’t making a move to leave, eyes continuously staring at her with a harsh concern. “He’s a nice guy, I don’t mind helping him out now and again.”

“As . . . kind as that is, I think you should be focusing your time somewhere else for now.” Mina’s fingernails had started picking into the fabric of her nightgown. Even with the heavy layer of cotton, she began to feel the pressure become uncomfortable. “I’ve mentioned before that not everyone embraces his presence. I don’t want their distrust to include you as well.”

“. . . I’ll keep that in mind.” Luiza opened her mouth to retort in some way. Whatever she had planned on saying died before Mina could even hear the start of it.

“Get dressed, Constanta is coming over after breakfast to speak to you.” Mina’s eyebrows shot up. Luiza didn’t elaborate further and left the room before the outsider could stand up.

She stalled a bit while getting some clothes together. Breakfast wasn’t on her mind as she frankly didn’t feel like eating with Luiza today. Or rather doing anything with Luiza. The thought of talking to Constanta after getting in a bar fight with her husband was like being faced with a dentist appointment. She knew it would be uncomfortable but given that they were stuck in the same small village, the interaction had to happen.

The lack of haste in getting downstairs turned out to be a wise decision as Luiza had already finished her own meal and was out back attending to some of their chickens. Ernest was gone as well, likely also doing some sort of manual labor. Mina wondered when her guardian’s patience would run thin enough for them to start demanding that she pay them back in some form.

Once again a too large helping of eggs and bacon went cold as Mina barely picked at the off-yellow scramble. There was no tea laid out, so she ended up making a cup of her own. Doing so was a little more tedious than in the real world where stoves turned on automatically with a click.

A knock at the front door sounded only just when she shut off the fire to the pot. Her little mug was left dejected as Mina decided to answer the door alone without troubling her caretakers. The walk to the entrance was done quickly whilst she chewed against the inside of her mouth, hands slightly rubbing against the sides of her dress.

“Oh, Mina.” Constanta’s voice had her flinching a bit, even though the appearance wasn’t a surprise. “S-Sorry, I’m so used to Luiza being the one to greet me.” She chuckled feebly as Mina moved to the side and gestured for her to come in. “Thank you.”

“I just made some tea . . . if you want a cup.” Constanta hesitated for a moment, eyes glancing back towards the door as Mina shut it. Eventually she nodded.

“That would be nice, thank you.” Wordlessly the two of them entered into the living room. Mina left Constanta to finish the process from before. Back home she would have just thrown a tea bag into a mug and handed it off to whatever guest asked for it. Here she had to steep the whole pot and bring it out with its own sides of sugar and cream.

When she came back, Constanta was sitting down at the table. Both hands held each other in her lap as Mina set everything down for them. She let her guest pour her own cup before taking the pot for herself. The outsider didn’t add any sugar to her own and simply watched as Constanta added two spoons of sugar and a liberal helping of milk into hers.

Mina’s nose wrinkled at the sight. Dairy products in hot tea never tasted right to her and it was hard to imagine that others might enjoy it. Constanta noticed the way her face changed and nearly spilt her cup as she brought it in for the first sip.

“I . . . I want to apologize for what happened to you last night.” Mina’s gaze went back and forth between Constanta’s face and the liquid pooled within her own cup. The mention of ‘last night’ reminded her first not of Anton but of everything that had transpired afterwards. “Anton’s behavior was . . . unacceptable and I’m mortified by the way he acted.”

“It’s—” The word okay died the moment she realized she was about to say it. Constanta’s bottom lip visibly quivered before she brought her cup back up to alleviate the twitchy feeling.

“Emilian was so close to him, to us.” Mina’s chest heaved up with a breath she was forgetting to exhale. “He was pretty much the only family Anton had left, I—”

“Ah, Constanta, you’re here already.” Luiza’s entrance had been sudden, somehow neither girl had heard her come in from the back. The old woman moved to stand between their seats, face lit up with a large grin. “Mina, you should’ve come and got me. I hate to see that you troubled yourself with the tea.”

“Forgive me, I wasn’t thinking.” The outsider took a large swig of her tea as Luiza pulled out her own seat.

“I-I really just wanted to stop by and apologize for everything my husband had put her through.” The old woman placed a hand on Constanta’s knee, bony fingers patting against the tough fabric.

“That’s very kind of you,” Mina accidently narrowed her eyes towards the two. “Thankfully Mina is unharmed.” The outsider’s lips twitched when Luiza glanced back towards her with that mother-like smile. “Hopefully no one will give her any grief from it.”

“Why would—”

“I mean, it’s been such an arduous process for her—Acclimating to the village and all.” Constanta shifted uncomfortably under Luiza’s gaze. “My biggest fear is that some of the others might adopt your husbands’ concerns.”

“I’m sure . . . uh . . . I don’t think.” One of Constanta’s hands tried to reach for her cup but stumbled as she couldn’t look away from the old woman’s increasingly close presence.

“She’s such a devoted girl, it’s sad that so many hardships have befallen her.” Mina sighed, lids closing just as she saw Constanta’s eyes become glossy in the light.

“It’s okay.” She opened them again. “I’m not worried about the others . . . Mother Miranda will protect me just as she always has.”

“See, so—”

“Why don’t I walk you out,” Mina’s chair scrapped against the floors with a pressure she hadn’t usually exerted before. The resulting sound had Luiza wincing. “I’m sure you have a lot on your plate today.”

“Oh, yes, I do.” Constanta’s chair made no sound as she too stood to join Mina’s side. Luiza blinked up at the two as neither waited for the woman to join them in their descent down the hall. The outsider was softer about opening up the door for her in comparison to the arrival. Neither a smile or frown graced her face as her friend walked past her and back out into the cold.

“Don’t beat yourself up over this.” Constanta co*cked her head to the side as the wind braided itself through the strands of her hair. “Anton’s actions are of his own choices, not yours.”

“I, uh, try to tell myself that.” In the background of the yard, Mina could see some of the villagers walking in different directions. Each one oblivious to freshly rooted soil in the grave site. “I just—”

“It’s okay, really.” Forcing a smile on her cracked lips was somehow more painful than the bottle that had been smashed onto her the night prior. “I’m just glad to . . . have a friend who cares about my wellbeing.”

Mina flinched, gasping silently as Constanta pulled her into an embrace.

. . .

Sunday Evening

Saturday for Mina following Constanta’s departure might not have actually happened. Luiza had not bothered her afterwards and decided to let her sleep in that day. Mina’s only exercise consisted of going from one room to the next. She must have slept at least for thirteen hours. Unfortunately today was not going to go over as smooth as the ones prior. Especially given the newest addition to her schedule. All thanks to Luiza, of course.

“Before you got here, Antonia came up to me and asked if we could all come to dinner tonight.” A deep frown formed on Mina’s face without her even realizing it.

“And you said I couldn’t come, right.” Luiza didn’t answer, choosing instead to place a hand on her hip. “Or at least you said you would ask if I was available first, right?” She shook her head as if trying to will the woman to do the same.

“Mina, you are always available—”

“Not tonight, Luiza!” Both of them glanced over towards the door, almost afraid that someone had stayed behind to hear that little outburst.

“Doing what, exactly.” Mina groaned at the sharpness in the woman’s voice. Sometimes she felt so much like her own mom. “Going to the tavern? Taking walks?”

“No, but—”

“Look, I’ve been able to refuse most invitations so far under the guise that you were still healing and that you needed more time.” The girl looked away, arms crossing over her chest like a teenager. “But with you spending most of your time outside and not in my care, I can no longer keep rejecting everyone.”

“Then you and Ernest go and have fun.” Mina put her foot out to walk past her, but Luiza moved to block.

“People want to see you, dear. By avoiding confrontation you’re only giving others a reason to speculate.” As loud as the sigh she expelled was, Mina already knew that there wasn’t a good argument to be made against what Luiza wanted.

“What time?” The wrinkles of the older woman’s face softened immediately.

“Five o’clock.”

“. . . fine”

Mina disappeared from her sight the moment they were allowed out. It was important to her that she be the one to get home first. For as much as she wanted to sleep in and forget the life around her, there were sacrifices that had to be made and blood to be offered.

The hardest part about getting blood collected into a bottle was that she had no idea just what two pints would look like. There was a vague shape in the back of her mind but it was warped and came out looking like a faraway drawing. With a needle stubbed into her arm and a tourniquet held above it, she did the one thing that her mother told her to never do when having blood drawn. That of course was to look at it.

The bottle that had been supplied by The Duke was dark on the inside, making it hard to judge where the exact line of her blood was. Afraid of going into shock, Mina pulled the needle out and wrapped gauze around it when the bottle, made for holding wine because of course, was a little over halfway full. As much as she didn’t want to, the fear of getting caught by ruining the deal with Bela was enough to have her packing the now clean syringe set with her in the bag she left on top of her bed.

In the hours before their departure, Mina refused to go downstairs. Luiza came up only a few times to ask some questions about lunch and to remind her that she needed to get ready. She was quick in getting everything done. With a time crunch she wanted to be out of there as soon as possible. Luckily her guardians were already by the door when she descended from her room.

“Ready,” Ernest greeted. Mina nodded before he opened the door up for the two women. Luiza scanned Mina’s figure as she stood within the threshold. The wrinkles in her forehead hardened as she reached for her ward’s hair.

“Couldn’t have braided it?” Mina deadpanned, eyelids closing as she sucked in a sharp inhale of the cold outside.

“Can we just go.” Luiza arched an eyebrow at her, the lines in her face getting even worse. Ernest reacted only by placing a hand on his’s wife shoulder, slightly pushing her out of the frame to allow Mina to exit.

The girl took the opportunity without hesitation. Behind her she could hear Luiza grumble something under her breath. Mina didn’t care what it was as the three of them silently walked to Antonia’s home. The outsider didn’t know who that was in particular as so many names had come and gone through her head. Luckily she figured it out pretty quickly when they were ushered inside by the witchy haired woman from her initial meet and greet.

“Oh I’m so happy you could come, Mina.” The outsiders arm twitched as Antonia gripped her shoulders, leading her steadily through the home and into the dining room. To her dismay, the room seemed packed with various people. One woman, nearest to the kitchen door, held a small infant on her lap. It chewed on some rubber toy whilst their mom chatted away to the man next to her. This was the only child as the second youngest appeared to be high school aged.

Everyone had put at least a few moments pause on their conversations to greet the newcomers but thankfully they didn’t hound on her as she feared. Luiza and Ernest were easily brought into their varying discussions whilst Mina did her best to remain neutral. Internally she felt like a fish baking on an ocean-less beach. There were no clocks or watches to be seen and at any point she could have accidently reached the six forty-five mark. Fifteen minutes was cutting it when it came to sneaking into the castle like last time.

Dinner officially started when Antonia came back out of the unknown hallways with a fully cooked chicken. She made back and forth trips with various sides and plates for each guest to take a helping from. Mina only found the mash potatoes and green beans worth eating and piled a scoop of each on her plate.

“Don’t forget the chicken.” Antonia’s husband pointed with his index finger towards the bird carcass.

“Oh yes, you wouldn’t want to miss out on something so delicious.” Without warning, Luiza picked up Mina’s plate and plopped a good size part of the breast on top of it. The outsiders jaw hung open as the old woman put the saucer neatly back in its place.

This bitch.

“I swear to Mother Miranda if you don’t eat this.” Luiza hissed into her ear. The girls free hand clenched in her lap whilst the other used the fork to pick out the sides. Occasionally she would hack off strings of the breast and force it down into a lump of potatoes.

“You seem to be doing better every day.” All eyes went on Mina as she realized the statement had been directed towards her.

“I am.” People went back and forth to looking at her and Luiza. She didn’t want to see at the old woman’s expression, but she could feel the way her face was smiling so proudly.

“I’ve been very impressed with her progress, thus far.” Mina didn’t know what was harder, swallowing this lady’s unseasoned dinner or having to smile while Luiza gushed about her. “Of course there’s still so much to be learned.”

“I can imagine, only so much a man can teach his daughter.” Everyone seemed to nod in some form of agreement, each one of them too busy eating to make an audible response. “Is there anything in particular that you’ve enjoyed since joining our little community?”

“Um,” the word nothing came to mind. Drinking did also not seem like an appropriate answer. “Meeting new friends?

“She’s done an excellent job in improving her reading skills.” Mina glanced at Luiza from her peripheral vision. Something about her tone in this moment was especially grating. It was like she had been woken up by the woman in the middle of a good dream.

“Really?” It was now that the outsider became more aware of the young man next to his wife and child. A little sneer played on his lips as he looked between Mina and Antonia’s husband.

“Oh yes,” once again Luiza had beaten Mina before the girl could even open her mouth. “Her sewing skills could use a bit of work, though.”

I swear to god I’m going to sew your mouth shut if you don’t stop talking about me!

“I’m sure she’ll figure it out.” Antonia giggled at the way Mina’s cheeks were reddening. Luckily she didn’t notice the way her hand had begun to squeeze the fork. “Simona is excellent at quilting, perhaps the two could spend some time together?”

Mina could tell that Simona was the woman with the baby as her eyes immediately went wide for a few moments. Briefly she glanced at Mina and gave a large, and incredibly fake, smile. Whether Antonia or Luiza sensed the displeasure radiating from the girl, she didn’t know. Both continued on a tangent of topics that were exceedingly boring. Despite how quickly the others were consuming their food, there appeared to be no end in site for the interaction.

Something had to be done.

“Mina, come help with the dishes.” The outsider hadn’t even noticed Antonia picking up empty plates until Luiza spoke. The old woman had a few in her own hands and judging by the look she was getting, she expected her ward to pick up the rest.

“Oh you two don’t need to help.” Mina begrudgingly followed the two women into the next area while the remaining guests remained seated with their drinks. Simona had left the room a few minutes before them as the baby had become fussy. Her husband didn’t follow her.

“Nonsense, it’s the least we could do.” The kitchen was remarkably smaller than Luiza’s despite the family seeming much larger. There was only so much empty counter space for the women to place the dirty dishes as the sink was already filled. “Besides, Mina could use some extra practice in cleaning.”

I’m literally putting you in a retirement home after all this, for f*cks sake.

Antonia chuckled and motioned for Mina to come to her side. When she complied, the woman began the process of filling the sink with running water. The pipes in this home seemed even more temperamental than Luiza’s and the liquid that came out was not something the outsider would consider safe to drink. Unlabeled soap was run under the stream and bubbles filled the edges of the tub.

Mina nearly gasped when she placed her hands into the water. She should have figured that it would be freezing cold given that there seemed to be no switch for warm water. Aching pain radiated through her fingertips as she started rubbing the dishes down. Of course Antonia and Luiza were there to ‘guide’ her in getting everything right.

“Slow down dear, you’re missing spots.” Luiza pushed one of the plates back down into the water right as Mina was bringing it up to give to Antonia for drying. There seemed to be a trend in porcelain things pissing her off as of lately. “I swear, young people these days never take their time.”

“You should see how Simona folds my sons’ clothes.” Gray hair whipped around her face as Antonia shook her head. “So many wrinkled shirts, it just frazzles me to see it.”

“Having a baby probably hasn’t been easy.” Mina could feel their gazes snap onto her face.

“Oh at first,” Luiza’s hands went to hover over her wards, ready to force them back down if she tried to surface the unfinished plates. “But a mother learns.”

“How would you know?”

A deafening silence hit Mina’s ears. The realization that she had said this particular thought out loud dawned on her as each second went by motionless. With just four words, the previous atmosphere of the kitchen had been sucked out like an open window in space. She felt as if she were choking.

“. . . Oh . . . well, you’ll know . . . eventually.” Luiza’s body left Mina’s side. “With your own babies someday.” She reappeared behind her. Body pressing uncomfortably against the girls back. “Just a pity that they won’t be Emilians.”

Crack!

A splash of water smacked against the edge of the sink. Excess bubbles washed onto Mina’s feet as Antonia gasped. The sound of chairs scrapping against floors was the only warning the women got before their tight kitchen became unbearably crowded. Everyone except for Simona and her baby had flooded in to see what had occurred.

Mina had glanced to see them all dart in. Faces morphed as they took in the sight of the sink. It seemed that the outsider was the last to look down at her previous work. Otherwise she might had brought her hands up sooner.

The once bubbly sink was turning a flushed shade of reddening pink as Mina continued to keep her bleeding hands underwater. Pieces of a cracked dinner plate drifted to the bottom of the tub like the remnants of a ship as she slowly let go. Now in the light, she could see how deep the cut had gone into her pruning skin.

“I-I need to go home and get this bandaged.” With the same force that had broken the dish, Mina pushed through the crowd.

. . .

The outside air snapped at her face like the lick of a belt. She could already feel the nerves in her ears freeze into a headache as she escaped through the village, hand tightly wrapped by bandages and covered with a pair of mittens. It was a miracle she could grab all of her things and close the wound before Luiza, and Ernest could get a chance to run into her.

If she hadn’t felt dumb before, she felt really dumb now. Sneaking back into Castle Dimitrescu was the equivalent of a fish jumping back into the beak of a hawk. But at least the fish could blame its unintelligence for its actions. She, on the other hand, was falling into Darwin’s category of things expected to be offed by natural selection.

“Bela?” The door opened with a harsh squeak that made her want to close her hands around her ears. The storage room was a little brighter with it being in the middle of the day, but she still ended up using a flashlight in it.

I swear to god if this girl is hanging from the rafters or something then I will not hesitate to throw a f*cking rock at her.

It was apparent that no one was in the room, not even a ghost to provide a good jump scare. When she approached the next door, however, a soft melody seemed to be whirling within the air. It was that of a piano but based on the way it came out, it was most likely being played on some sort of device.

Fifty lei says it’s a record player . . .

The sound got louder when she came into the hall and realized that the piano playing was coming from the door across from the storage room. The song itself was unknown but the feeling it gave her made it as if she were marching into her own funeral. Despite all this, and the severity of the situation, Mina ended up knocking on the door before thinking.

The music didn’t stop but it did lower in volume. She heard no footsteps coming to the door but was not surprised when it opened, and nobody was there.

Next time I should bring a bingo card to mark off every horror movie cliché that this little psycho puts on. Another fifty lei says the door slams shut when I walk in.

With both feet over the fresh hold, Mina was not disappointed. It did indeed close and following that, an echoing giggle wrapped around the room. There were three candles keeping a warm glow as her eyes racked around the furniture. There was a loveseat, a small couch, and an armchair that all looked dusty from lack of use. The smell inside was musty and it unfortunately reminded her of the events of last night.

“Well, well, glad to see you’re back.” Bela’s voice spoke softly against her ear as a lock of her hair was taken into the other woman’s hands. Mina flinched only a bit when she realized that the vampire wannabe was now behind her. Though she couldn’t see her face, she felt the disappointment in the blonde’s expression.

“And I’m glad to see that your just as dramatic as when I first met you.” She heard her snort, something she imagined her mother yelling at her for, before making a ‘tsk’ sound.

“If you think I’m dramatic you should see Daniela.” She came into view then, sashaying in front of her before backing up and laying onto the love seat.

“I’d rather not stick around to find out.” She pulled out the bottle, bringing it up to Bela’s face. The site of the dark liquid moving about inside against the low lights around them made the woman lick her lips with a slow swish. Mina pushed the dirty thought coming into her mind away. She had enough bisexual panic to last a lifetime.

Eager hands pulled the bottle closer. The human woman jerked at the others movements but managed not to fall onto the floor.

“Hm, not as much as I was hoping.” A corner of her lips turned downward into a pout. “I should get more seeing as how hard it was to cover up the kid.”

Why don’t you lick it from my newest f*ck-up.

“Oh yeah, how’d that go.” Mina’s legs felt antsy, like they were ready to run away without the rest of her.

“I ended up telling mother that she went into the cellar.” A little sparkle reflected in her pupils. “But Cassandra was adamant that she was still running around the castle.”

“What did your mom think?” She giggled again.

“After some convincing, she thought that Cassandra needed to start taking responsibility for her actions.” Mina wondered if Bela was good at manipulation or if her sister truly was the scapegoat of the three of them. “And now she’s grounded.”

“Really, you guys let her still ground you at this age?” Bela looked perplexed at her, like she had just spoken gibberish.

“Well she is our mother, age doesn’t matter.” Mina had a really solid argument for why it did. “Besides, even Mother Miranda sometimes punishes my uncles.” The human woman couldn’t stop herself from bursting out in laughter.

“You mean, like, Lord Heisenberg?!” Bela started to look at her with a renewed sense of curiosity. She was the first mortal to ever laugh outright at one of the Lords. “What does she do? Make him sit in the corner? Write I will not be an asshole a hundred times on a chalkboard?” Mina was doubling over at the thought. Maybe it was the lack of blood that made it all funnier or that it made her less nervous around the other woman.

Luckily for her, Bela was more than happy to join in the amusem*nt.

“One time he got mad during a meeting and accidently caused a metal spike to almost hit Miranda in the head.” Mina was basking in this newfound gossip. “She made him spend the rest of the night fixing holes in the wall, and without his powers too.”

“God, I wish your mom had taken a picture of how upset he must have been.” Bela laid back a little and let one of her hands support her from behind.

“Perhaps I’ll ask her to commission a portrait, I’m sure it would look wonderful hanging over the fireplace in the library.” Mina could totally picture something like that in a grand room with her sitting at a couch and enjoying a good book.

“If you do then ask for the artist to make a few smaller copies, it would be rude to not donate at least one to the church in town.” She wondered if the villagers would still respect him if they were to have something like that and know what Bela and their family knew.

“You know, if it wasn’t for the fact that you’re a mortal, I think my mother would actually like you.” In all honesty, she doubted that. Especially if they were serving alcohol.

“Well if she ever changes her mind regarding the whole human thing then I’ll be happy to join you all for a meal.” Bela stood once again, approaching Mina like a lioness.

“How fun, but I’d rather you be the meal.” The human woman felt like she was sweating suddenly under her black turtleneck dress. But even though she felt like running, her lightheadedness had her saying something she would otherwise think as being super stupid.

“I wouldn’t mind being eaten out by a pretty vampire lady.” Sharp canines rolled over the top of Bela’s lips.

“Well aren’t you bold.” Mina shrugged her shoulders with a coy look in her eyes. “Maybe it’s that liveliness that makes your blood so sweet.”

Liveliness? Please, I have three different therapists that would beg to differ.

“I wouldn’t know, it all tastes like copper to me.” She wondered if Bela and her family had mentally convinced themselves that blood tasted like something different. Maybe they added something sweet to it? Whatever the reason, Mina decided that this was one hot girl she would not be kissing anytime soon. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

“In a hurry to leave already?” She faked a little pout. “I didn’t realize you were a busy person.”

“Aren’t you? I thought being the daughter of a Lord meant you have, like, responsibilities and stuff.” Bela shook her head, continuously eyeing the bottle in her hand.

“It’s not as glamours as everyone thinks, Mother Miranda doesn’t expect anything from us.” Mina wondered if this was why she and her sisters were not represented at the church alongside the portraits of the Lords. Were they just expected to be pretty things? “And mother rarely asks us to do anything, I mean, that’s what the maid staff is for.”

“Sounds boring,” Bela didn’t respond. She just sat there remaining thoughtful. “Do you ever go outside?” A strange look crossed her eyes that Mina couldn’t place.

“No, not in the winter at least.” She couldn’t think of this frozen village of ever being warm. They were all stuck in the same year apparently with Miranda around so it felt like seasons just didn’t exist.

“Not a fan of the cold?” Bela was looking at the ground now as she seemed to bite the inside of her cheek.

“Can’t stand it.” Mina had no idea why this had suddenly turned into a serious conversation.

“Yeah, I’m not a big fan either.” She didn’t notice the way Bela’s head tilted just enough for her eyes to peer at her. “I miss the beach so much, so many people hate the sand and the humidity but I just feel at peace there, you know?” It was obvious that she didn’t. “Though part of that might have to do with the margaritas I tend to bring.”

“Hm, I’ve never been.” That didn’t surprise Mina, it kind of clicked in that moment that her and her sisters behavior came from a place of having little to no control over their lives. They appeared to be grown women who still let their mother treat them like children, keep them in this castle, and give them little of substance to do.

“Yeah, kind of far from the ocean around here and the reservoir isn’t all that great for swimming purposes.” She thought of the smell down there and how lonely everything felt. “You should go see the ocean if your mom ever gives you the chance.” A silence followed her words and Mina wasn’t sure what had happened.

“ . . . I think I’m quite content where I am.” There was a snap in her words that did not go unnoticed. “It’s just water, after all.”

“You’re not wrong.” But she was to Mina. The ocean was more than just water. She had been around all types of water for her entire life and each was vastly different. From the smell to the way the air felt on your skin. The thing she looked for most was that feeling of fast waves crashing against the beach and causing water to reach out and wrap her ankles into the sand. It was like it wanted her to be planted there.

“I’ll be back in a few weeks.” To her surprise, Bela nodded her head. She stood up and walked back over to Mina, maintaining eye contact with the girl.

“Alright then,” she took this as a sign to turn and not stop until she was far beyond the castle reaches. But before she walked out the door, Bela spoke back up again.

“And Mina,” the girls hand gripped the handle tightly as she felt the other come a little closer. “If you ever want to see the beach again, I’d suggest you stop sticking your neck out for others. I can’t guarantee that I’d have the restraint to not cut it if you were to do something like that again.” Mina looked back at her from over her shoulder.

“Noted.”

Chapter 16: Pena Ajena

Chapter Text

Chapter Sixteen: Pena Ajena

Mexican-Spanish Noun: The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation

. . .

“Ah, Mina!” The outsider sheepishly waved at the man in front of her. “How did your meeting with Miss Bela go?”

It was late Monday morning when Mina came down from her room. No one had knocked on her door as a reminder for breakfast. Afraid to face another dangerous woman in her life, she found herself dashing out the door in search of something outside the house to eat. Luckily The Duke was in his usual spot.

“Well, I’m here and not in a bottle.” She motioned to the state of her body. “So, you know, really well.”

“I see you’ve bandaged up one of your hands.” He pointed a finger towards her right arm, the appendage hanging loosely by her side. She had forgone gloves that morning as the ones from last night had been damaged on her way out of the castle. “Did you not give her the desired amount?”

“It wasn’t her.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I kind of f*cked up and broke a plate, it’s not a big deal.”

“Oh how unfortunate, at least that was the only thing you broke.”

“I mean, I might also have broken Luiza’s heart.” The memory of that silence materialized into her mind with a wince. Of course any shame she felt melted over when she replayed the even worse response her loving guardian whispered. “But in my defense, she’s been driving me absolutely crazy.”

“I’m not surprised, living in the village is hard enough for an outsider, adding in an overbearing mother figure is bound to create stress.” her eyes couldn’t help but glance over towards the closed gates. “And you come off to me as someone who doesn’t deal with stress well.”

“Why do I feel like you’re about to try and peddle essential oils or some other wellness crap.” With crossed arms, Mina took a step back as The Duke chuckled.

“It’s just an observation, my dear.” So far he had been getting a lot of observations correct. This was no different. “Perhaps putting some distance between yourself and Luiza could help mend the relationship going forward.”

“Kind of hard to do when you live in the same sh*thole.” She grumbled. “If you have any ideas that don’t involve me escaping to the bar every day and getting my ass kicked, please, feel free to enlighten me.”

“Ah, I’d love to.” He turned for a moment, hands grabbing from his mysterious never-ending supplies hidden within the cart. “You complained earlier that you were unable to find more crystals, correct.”

“Yeah, because the damn things literally don’t grow on trees.” The ones she did find within dead branches begged to differ. “I’m not about to break into people’s properties to find them either.”

“Breaking and entering didn’t seem to phase you before.” She opened her mouth to protest but the merchant turned back around before a whine could erupt from her throat. She hadn’t expected him to hold out an empty wicker basket. “Crystals are not the only valuable items in the area. Despite the winter air, a number of herbs grow in the forest that have been found to have various medicinal properties.”

Mina’s brows crinkled as she took the basket from him. To her surprise, it wasn’t as empty as she thought as in the bottom was a small slip of paper. The only thing that was on it was a detailed design of a plant that held some familiarity. Why he happened to have a drawing ready to go for her was not something she would question.

“So you want me to go into the woods and forage for plants?” Despite the huff of her tone, Mina pocketed the paper regardless. Almost afraid that a light wind might carry it out of the basket. The merchant would likely charge her for it.

“Just these herbs, no other plants. They come in a variety of red and greens but you’re more likely to find the green ones this time of year.” The drawing had no color so Mina couldn’t imagine if one variant looked different in more than just color. “It’s fascinating how many uses one can get from these little things.”

“Truth be told, this isn’t the type of green herb that interests me.” She sighed. “But if searching for them means getting away from these cultists for a few hours now and again, so be it.”

“Wonderful, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun~”

. . .

She wasn’t not having fun.

Mina had been walking across the outskirts of the forest for a good hour and only had a few of the weed like things to show for it. The dark brown skirt she wore had gotten damp at the knees from all the times she had sunk to ground to get a better look at the little life left in this place. At the very least it was more productive than scouring the earth for random ass crystals. Why there were fragments in the most unusual of places, Mina didn’t know.

A lot of f*cking things I don’t know. Wouldn’t god damn care to know if I wasn’t stuck here.

There wasn’t much snow to bog her down with as the temperature had been high enough to allow the ice to melt into piles of slush. It made everything dirtier though, from the hem of her dress to the boots that were a size to big on her. The bandage on her hand was going to need to be changed soon given the residue it was leaving. If this had been another day, Mina would have at least gone in to the bar for a break. An unrestrained part of her desperately wanted to enjoy a drink. At least one.

Crack.

Mina had been bent over a log when the sound of twig snapping had her freezing. The village wasn’t in visible sight at the moment as she had gone in a good couple yards deep and was only able to see the surrounding trees. It was pretty dense in this area as shadows of branches played tricks on her mind.

The process of standing back up was a complicated one as she could not locate the source for the noise. A villager would have called out by now. An animal would have moved. Her spine straightened inch by inch with each passing silent second. In the midst of her funk, she hadn’t even noticed how quite things had gotten. That getting lost could be easy if she had forgotten the direction in which she came.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this.

“H-Hello?” Her voice echoed past the clutter of the woods. Nothing responded.

I swear to f*ck if I start hear someone growling—

“Ah—” Mina’s body hit the ground as if someone had pulled a rug from her. In reality a step in the wrong direction had her tumbling comically onto her backside. “f*cker!”

“M-Mina?” The girl flinched as the garbled voice hit the back of her head. A twist of her neck brought her sights to a patch of trees that had somehow concealed an unusual onlooker. He had decided to shuffle out of hiding, allowing the outsider to see that he had only been a couple yards away.

“Wait, Moreau?” She didn’t stand up as the anxiety from before levelled out within her mind. “What are you . . .?” Mina motioned to herself and the area around her, eyebrows furrowed as the man before her shifted back and forth on his heels. It seemed that underneath his hood, he stared only at the ground.

“I, um, had to do something for mother.” She co*cked her head to the side. “Why are you not in the village.”

I’m not running away, if that’s what you’re going to police me about.

“I’m just gathering some herbs.” Standing back up, Mina collected the basket from off of the ground. It had luckily not tumbled over as the plants inside remained in good condition. “I’ve been told they’re good for, like, medicine and stuff.”

Finally the Lord decided to waddle closer to her. Her good arm held the basket out in an angle that allowed for his eyes to peer into. Mina could see the wheels in his head turning over as he didn’t seem nervous with his thoughts distracted by her collection. Eventually he looked up into her own eyes. A brief action that had him backing up once again.

“Yes, um, medicine.” It seemed that he finally noticed her bandages as he flinched at the sight. “Are you not well?”

Honestly, I never am.

“It’s just a little flesh wound, I’m not gathering these things for myself.” The answer didn’t seem to do much in regard to making him feel relieved. Both hands rubbed against each other absentmindedly. “I’m a bit clumsy, as you can see.”

Clumsily walked right into your niece’s blood fetish.

“Oh . . . do you need more?” She shrugged.

“Yeah, at least a couple to make this not look so empty.” The basket’s contents jiggled as she twirled it lightly within her fingers. “Do you know where I might find some?”

“Yes!” His bulbous lips curled into a simple smile. Mina couldn’t help but feel some level of disturbance. “By the pylons, they like the water.”

“Makes sense,” she took a step forward, one hand dusting off some of the debris that had collected onto her dress. “I’ll let you lead the way.”

. . .

Mina thought about stopping at Luiza’ s to change outfits as her dress was beginning to feel uncomfortable. However Moreau’s slightly more cheerful mood had him leading her to his territory without getting the option of stopping. Questions of Mother Miranda popped into her head now and again as he chatted on about things that were strikingly devoid of important details. Asking about his work would likely sour his mood as she was, after all, just another villager.

Because Mina knew nothing of the herbs, she wasn’t sure as to how truthful her friend was being about their location. When the two finally made it to the waters edge, he allowed her the ability to look around without much prodding. He seemed more interested in watching her process than actually aiding in the search.

“What do you usually do during the day?” The question had been sudden as Mina was currently rooting around at the greenery growing underneath the beginning of a little pier. A glance up showed that the Lord had decided to sit on the edge of the dock, feet hanging off only a few inches from the frosted water.

I wonder what would happen if I pushed him off. Maybe he’d smudge some of that makeup.

“Um, to be honest, not all that much.” His lips parted a bit, jaw slightly hanging open like a sea bass. “I’ve been taking things a little easy recently so I’m just now starting to get back into, uh, contributing and stuff.”

“So you don’t always work for The Duke?” She chewed at the inside of her mouth.

“No, I really only help him out now and again.” There was an unsureness in his gaze that left Mina wondering more about The Duke and his place in all of this. The villagers were apprehensive of him at best and it seemed that the sentiment might also apply to the Lords. “It gives me something to do.”

“Oh,” he didn’t continue the thought. She cast another brief glance to see how he had bent his head to look down at the dark reflection in the waveless water. She couldn’t see his expression fully as his jacket and crown hid most of his profile at this angle.

There was an herb hiding deep between some lake grass, so he hadn’t outright lied to her. Sometimes she couldn’t help but feel that the Lord might secretly want to consume her with how big his mouth was. It didn’t make any sense but then again, nothing here did. Bela wanted to drink her blood, Angie wanted to make her go crazy, was it really farfetched to assume that he might want to take some part of her either mentally or physically.

Dirt had crusted underneath her fingernails like Cheeto dust at this point. Still, the desire for more of these plants had her going to the other side of the pier. Moreau was still lost in his thoughts and only looked towards her to make sure she wasn’t going anywhere too far off. Oh the secrets she wishes she could uncover if he would only leave her alone.

Little hands pulled out chunks of foliage as she continued the quest. She couldn’t completely see what they looked like as the shadow of the wood kept most of it hidden. Damn things were more like weeds given their resilience as she was able to pull out a small one. When she placed one of her hands back out of sight, a sharp pain clamped onto her finger.

“Ow—f*ck!” The instinctive response for the outsider was to jerk her arm back. She did it so fast that she ended up pulling something else out along with her.

“Mina!?” A thump hit the ground behind her as she turned her head to see what had hooked itself onto her finger. For only a second she saw a blur of it whirling through the air and the mess of colors from the thing was like a blob.

“What in the—” Laying in the grass was what looked like a small doll. Only a third of Angie’s size with brunette curls done up like a flapper from the 20’s. Her short black dress was covered heavily in mud as the fall had caused droplets of it to splatter against her pale face. Standing up, Mina peered down at the thing and wondered how it had hung onto her long enough to be forced from under the pier.

“Did something—” Moreau’s body had waddled to stand beside her. His question died when he saw the doll laying motionless on the ground.

“I-I think I must have poked my finger on a pin or something?” She didn’t see anything shiny on its body, but it was possible that it had shaken off when detaching itself from Mina. “Kind of weird that a doll got stuck under there.”

“S-She can’t just—” Moreau stopped again but only to launch himself forward as to grasp the doll. Mina’s jaw hung open as his hands wrung itself against the thing’s porcelain torso. “Mother forbade this!”

Mina gasped as the dolls free arm shot out as if in pain. Its stubby legs kicked against the air like a barbie as it didn’t seem to have any joints in the knee. Moreau only continued to strangle it with eyes that had grown a glassy sheen.

More f*cking moving dolls!?

Bringing her hand to her face, Mina realized that the redness on her finger had not bleed over as if a prick had occurred. Instead it had the indent of small teeth marks right below the nail. It was as if a hamster had bit her.

“What the hell is going on?” Moreau shuffled back and forth in a tight pacing motion. He didn’t look at the outsider as all attention had been locked onto the fear ridden object.

“She’s not allowed.” The Lord started to walk off in the direction of his home. Nothing had been said about Mina heading back so the outsider followed him. She kept a good distance between them in fear that the thing could twist out of his grasp and go for the human’s jugular.

When they made it inside, Moreau darted to the stairs. He stopped at the top of them before looking over his shoulder towards Mina. She had also halted in her tracks as his face twisted a bit while looking her over.

“C-Could you wait here.” With some hesitation, she nodded. He tried giving her a little smile but only ended up creeping her out more.

When he was out of her sight, Mina took the opportunity to briskly scan the room. Nothing stood out as the entire place felt like a forgotten shed. Dust had layered onto wooden crates and broken windows. If she had heard the crank of the elevator she would have gone deeper. Sadly it seemed that any investigating had to remain topside.

It was a good ten minutes when the Lord emerged. His movements were no longer frantic as his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. Mina noticed that he was still holding onto the doll in his left hand. The grip was slack though as limbs shook with each step. When Moreau stood at the top of the stairs, body turning to face her head on, Mina noticed that his other hand was holding a strange brown satchel.

“Is everything okay?” He nodded, lips curling up lazily.

“Just needed to make some alterations.” He strolled over to her as she remained frozen to the spot in confusion. “It’s a good dolly now.”

Mina arched her eyebrow as he held both items out to her. With arms held against her chest, she looked at him as if the doll was waiting for her to hold it once more. Perhaps they had made a bargain when she was away, and he was now going to allow it to nibble her fingers off.

“Do you want me too . . .?” She trailed off.

“Sell it,” he pushed the two out again. “The Duke has always wanted Donna to sell him her dolls. She never does, Mother gives us enough money anyways.”

When she finally did take the items, Mina realized that there was a gaping hole in the back of the toy. It reached from the bottom of its neck to the middle of her spine. It looked rather hallow inside and the fact that he hadn’t shattered the whole thing to pieces was remarkable. The bag had a bit of a jingle to it when traded from him to her and she imagined that the shards of its body were stashed within.

“Thank you,” she affirmed.

“I really want you to stay,” his smile fell into a pout. “But I need to talk to mother.”

. . .

The walk back to the alter sight was a distracted one as Mina studied the inside of the doll. It didn’t move unusually at all when she held it and it appeared that its sentient self had evaporated upon being broken into. For once, Mina felt some level of hope ignite within her body.

His actions alluded that the doll had carried something inside it that made it move. A machine of some sorts that had filled its body as to carry out its masters wishes. Whether that was Donna or Mother Miranda herself was unclear. Moreau did, however, seem to think that it was his sister orchestrating the whole thing. The outsider decided to stash the doll into the bag he had given her when she passed his gates. Normal people don’t walk around with dolls.

“Back again my dear?” The Duke bounced a bit as he spotted her coming to his cart. “Did you have fun on your little quest?”

“Lots,” she deadpanned. “I have a question for you, actually. It’s about Lord Beneviento and her dolls.”

“Oh yes, her porcelain treasures.” He held his arm out to take the basket away from her. She easily complied. “You’ll find no better craftsmanship seeing as she’s had decades of experience with hands that have never felt the wear and tear of age.”

“Her dolls must be expensive then.” He didn’t seem to notice the way her hand slithered down to hold the bag closer to her hip.

“They would be if she was willing to sell any of them.” His usually jovial smile sunk a bit. “Alas, she has not sold any of her creations since the death of her family.”

“I guess she also has no need to sell them anyways, given that being a Lord is a well-paid job.” He nodded.

“There’s something admirable about a person who creates things for the simple pleasure of it coming to fruition.” Small fingers traced the outline of the doll. “Is there a particular reason why you want to know about her work?”

. . .

Heisenberg had no idea why Miranda had called a meeting so suddenly. It felt like this was starting to happen more often. Perhaps all of this was some sort of punishment being enacted towards him. Or maybe his mother was becoming more desperate with each passing year.

“Late again, little brother.” He sneered at her as he passed by his brother, taking a seat in his usual spot. The big bitch made a comment like this almost every meeting. Sometimes he would remind her that he was much farther away from the church than her. Her overgrown legs were also plenty helpful in getting from place to place.

“f*cking bitch,” he grumbled. The place became silent as each one of them looked up towards their mother.

“As you’re all aware, our monthly meeting is not for some weeks.” He wanted to roll his eyes under the dark rimmed glasses. Deep in his heart he held some fear that she would somehow be able to tell under all of it. “I have called you all here in regard to a development that has upset me greatly.”

The four of them looked at each other as Miranda held out her right hand. A blur of darkness formed above her palm for a few moments before its tendrils were replaced with that of a glass jar. The contents of it were well known by them all as the twisted form within was obviously a small cadou.

“The cadou in my hands was provided to me by Moreau.” Heisenberg glanced towards his freak of a brother. A course he looked awe struck as his jaw unhinged itself in wonder. Miranda was never one to give him the attention his mutated body craved. “Before it was sealed up, it was a host for a small doll.”

Donna flinched as her mother and siblings directed all their attention to her. Angie, who had been sitting impatiently on her lap, glared at the fish Lord. Both of her fake hands wrapped themselves around her master’s chest.

“I have no issues with how you choose to experiment with the cadou’s powers.” Miranda took a couple steps towards the Lord in question. Each click of her heels echoed within the decrypt chamber. “However, I do not tolerate it being used to break my or your siblings trust.”

Heisenberg had no idea what was going on and it seemed that Alcina didn’t either. She arched her eyebrow at her sister with a disdain that said she did, but the metal Lord could tell she was waiting on baited breath for an explanation. He didn’t care to look at Moreau for his reaction.

“Spying on one another is forbidden.” Donna wrapped her arms even tighter against Angie, face shaking as she was forced to look only at Miranda. “We are a family and I expect all of you to behave as such.”

“We’re sorry Mother—” Angie was hushed with a stop motion of her Mother’s hand.

“Any concern you might have had towards your brother should have been conveyed to me.” It felt like Miranda was getting closer to his sister even without moving her legs. “Seeing as we’re all here, perhaps you can enlighten us as to the cause of your most recent decisions.”

“Well, you see—”

“Donna,” Miranda snapped. Within a second the woman was standing only inches from their sister. Each one of them watched as she snatched Angie right from Donna’s arms. It was completely limp in her grasp as if all life had been taken away. “I asked you a question.” The dollmakers nails grounded themselves into the fabric of her dress.

Chapter 17: Duende

Chapter Text

Chapter Seventeen: Duende

Spanish Noun: The mysterious power of a work of art to deeply move a person

. . .

Mina had not heard Luiza greet her when she returned home. The reason only becoming clear when she opened her room door to see the old woman sitting at the edge of the bed. Her hands were crossed over her chest, the black dress befitting an executioner when the outsider saw what laid beside her guardian.

“Back already?” Luiza’s face was mostly blank, her tone matching the sentiment.

“I . . . Is something wrong?” She felt rather stupid asking that. Especially as the old woman uncrossed her arms as to point accusingly at the pile of items on the covers.

“Is there a reason why you’re hiding all of these things from me?” The things in questions being a collection of photographs, two unsealed letters, and the three perfume bottles.

“Um . . .” She didn’t have any intention of answering the question. Mina could only stand and watch as Luiza picked up the photos. The most telling of the evidence collected.

“Lights underneath the grave, question mark.” The old woman was staring down at the picture of the glowing cemetery plot right before Lord Beneviento’s home. “Care to elaborate on this caption?”

“I, well, it was just something interesting that I found and wanted to learn more about.” Mina doubted that Luiza had ever gone past the gates into the Lord’s territory. If she did than Mina was sure she would have mentioned it.

“All these pictures are from beyond the village.” Mina bit the inside of her lip as the older woman shuffled through each picture in fast succession. “Is this what you’ve been doing outside of the house?”

“I mean, sometimes.” She shrugged, body itching to storm across the room and reclaim her items. “Look, I haven’t done anything ‘illegal’. There’s no rule saying I can’t take a few pictures here and there.”

“Trespassing, on the Lord’s land is forbidden.” Mina shut her eyes, chest expanding with a deep breath.

“I’m not . . . trespassing.” Weakly, she pointed at the bulging letter. “I was invited to go, mostly on behalf of The Duke.”

Luiza didn’t respond at first, almost hesitant to replace the stack of photographs with the letter from Lord Beneviento. Mina awkwardly bounced on the balls of her feet as her guardian fished out each individual pattern. She had to squint to read the instructions as the Lord wrote in small and cramped letters.

“You’ve spoken to her?” Mina nodded. “And she sent you this letter?”

“Yeah, it was really nice of her.” She ended up smiling for a moment, thinking only of her first ‘somewhat’ pleasant encounter.

“Have you started gathering fabric?” Mina blinked, taking in what was just said.

“Uh . . .” Luiza groaned, smacking her head with her hand at the clueless girl. A little bit of relief came as the old woman stood up from the bed. The other items seem to fade away from her mind.

“The dress, have you started it yet?” She made a motion for Mina to follow her as they walked downstairs and towards a room that was unfamiliar to the foreign girl. When it was opened up, she realized that it was simply a walk-in closet piled high with fabric bolts and other sewing supplies. Headless mannequins in the back made her flinch, feeling very much like she was in a pocket of Donna’s own design.

“I, uh, haven’t mostly because . . .” Luiza’s hands were folded against each other, her face demanding what could possibly prevent her from using her gift. “Because I won’t have a use for it.”

“Use for it? Dear, there’s going to plenty of use for it at the festival” The outsider winced, watching helplessly as excitement replaced the prior anger on Luiza’s face. “Oh Mina how could you keep this from me.”

“I didn’t think—she’s not going to be there to see it.” Luiza was going through each template again as if Mina had stopped speaking ages ago. “So there’s not really a point to making it.”

“It doesn’t matter if she sees it or not, the last thing you want is for anyone to think that you’re disrespecting her by not taking up her gracious gift.”

“I mean it’s just a dress pattern.” Plenty of patterns had been bought by her mother before. Most coming from Joanne fabric sales that priced them as low as a dollar.

“Well you might as well use it regardless, there’s nothing else a young lady of your age could wear during that night.” Luiza switched to thumbing through the textiles, glancing at Mina as if mentally imagining what color suited her best.

“Well, the thing is, I’m not actually planning on going.” The outsider jumped as a dull thud met her ears in response. The sound was unusual, after looking down she realized that it had been the product of Luiza kicking her shoe into the side of the wall.

“Look, it has been a struggle to get so many people to accept you as quick as they have and, unfortunately, not all of them are convinced yet.” A dusty cotton white was ripped out of it’s place by the woman’s tight grip. She turned slightly and brought it up to Mina’s neck. “By being the only person not attending you would be alienating yourself all over again.”

“I just . . .” Mina’s hand began to play with the back of her hair as she looked away. “I just really don’t like dancing and big parties!”

“Is that all?” Mina kept her mouth pressed into a thin line, confirming all Luiza needed to know. “Oh sweetheart, you have nothing to worry about on that end. No one here is an expert by any means and trust me when I say that you’ll be practically invisible to some of the other villagers when the party starts going.” She was laughing as if reflecting on some of the highlights of the festivals in her previous decades of life. Mina didn’t join in, thinking about how many parties she had been to in which she had ended up being those very same people.

“But—”

“No, buts.” All Mina could do was stand there and give slight opinions on the fabrics Luiza was bringing out. She didn’t really care about the color at the end of the day, just anything that wouldn’t make her stick out too much.

At the end of this one-sided negotiation, Luiza had come out of it with bolts of white and black as well as large spools of red and blue thread. Most of the dress would be white with black details on the hem and red embroidery on the blouse. The apron itself would be mostly black with some of the blue and red embroidery acting as little details to make her outfit pop. Luckily, Donna had made the instructions so that there were minimalist details in comparison to dresses Luiza had worked on before.

“You’re going to look so pretty.” Luiza cooed, taking another pin from Mina’s awaiting hand. The templates were being placed against the fabric in order to cut it out and all the younger woman wanted to do was run off to the bar. “I can’t wait to make your ribbon.”

“What ribbon?” Mina eyed the instructions on the corner of the table, seeing no diagram for a ribbon.

“It’s the ribbon you’re going to have in your braids, dearest.” She mentally cursed at the idea of having to do braids.

“Does every girl wear them?” Luiza giggled and shook her head no.

“Only the unmarried ones, it’s based on a little tradition that dates back before Mother Miranda.” As weird as this sounded, Mina was keenly interested in the village before the cult took it over. “The festival was originally for matchmaking a young man and woman together for courting. Women would wear beautiful red ribbons in their hair and, if a man came up to them and was able to untangle her braids and get the ribbon, then the two would begin courtship. Well, as long as the woman’s father approved.”

“Are you f*cking with me?” Luiza flinched and gritted her teeth.

“Please don’t use that sort of language in my house.” Mina mumbled an apology in response. “And yes, that was the tradition back then. However, nowadays the ribbon is more of a suggestion. A way for a young man to impress a lady he likes. Trust me when I say there is absolutely nothing binding you to someone if they are able to get yours.”

“Good.” Mina huffed and let Luiza continue the project with her in silence. The other items were not mentioned again, hopefully because her guardian was satisfied that Mina was helping the Lords in some way. Even if it meant that she was also helping The Duke as well.

. . .

Though there was plenty of time to get things done, the dress was already near completion after a few days. During this, Mina had gone out sparingly, afraid that Luiza would go through her things once again and find the other unusual addition to her collection. It was a miracle that she hadn’t commented on the new black bag during the first confrontation. Mina really didn’t want to explain why one of Lord Beneviento’s partially smashed dolls was in her possession.

All of this meant that Mina had a significant amount of time to study the porcelain corpse. Perhaps if Moreau had left something inside she would have had something to go off of. Instead all she could do was take photos of it’s hallow joints and rub at it’s shell like she might find a notch or mark to indicate that something had been inside of it.

The decision to glue it back together was done mostly out of boredom. She had exhausted any leads with it so there was no reason why it had to stay broken. Reassembling it was kind of like playing with a jigsaw puzzle, sadly the end result wasn’t as satisfying. Though it was now whole, Mina still didn’t feel comfortable leaving it alone with Luiza in the house. As a solution, she now allowed it to travel with her in a smaller knapsack.

“Ah, there you are! Just the girl I was hoping to see today.” Mina raised an eyebrow at The Duke as she approached. She waited as two people passed by her, newly collected items in hand.

“I’m going to assume you’re saying that because you want me to do something for you?” His smile was painfully unapologetic.

“Lord Beneviento has put in a rush order and given how successful you’ve been in the past, I was hoping that you would deliver it.” Instinctively Mina pressed her hand against the bag, confirming that the little thing was still motionless.

“I’m going to be honest with you, no part of me wants to go back.” This didn’t upset him. If anything his lips curled tight like that of an animated cat.

“Did something upset you about your last visit?” She raised an eyebrow. “Well, regardless, I would be most grateful if you considered going back. This is a particularly special order.”

“What did she get?” He shook his head and went to grab at a neatly packaged parcel behind himself. It was wrapped in brown paper, no writing or address on the exterior.

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say. It must be important to Miranda if it’s so secret.” Knowing what he knew of her intentions, the merchant still held the box out to her. “Perhaps you might catch a glimpse of her opening it up, given that you deliver it properly.”

“So no accidental tumble down the hill conveniently breaking the tape seal?” She snorted, hands finally reaching out to take the parcel.

“Absolutely not,” he tutted. “Doing so would hurt my image as a business man. I truly hope that you would be extra careful with it given the circ*mstances.”

“Of course.” With a sigh, Mina went to grab at the key to Donna’s gate in her bag. Moreau’s own was in there as well. God knows what Luiza would do if she found them.

“I’m putting my trust in you for this task, my dear. Please refrain from breaking it” His words were quieter than before. “I’d also advise that you leave before sundown.” Mina snorted.

“Why, because the werewolves will get me?” For a village terrified of being attacked by Lycans, Mina had seen or heard very little to back up the claim that they were real.

“Yes, exactly that my dear.” Her lips dropped into the most impatient of frowns. “You do know what tonight is, right?”

“Is it ‘kick the talking doll down the waterfall’ night?” He shook his head at her like she was a toddler who just said the cutest of things.

“No I’m afraid that’s not for another four months,” his quip made her mood lighten for a moment until she realized that he didn’t mean it. “Tonight is a full moon.”

“Ugh, seriously?” He nodded as she nearly hit the fabric bolt against her head. “Guess that explains Luiza’s strict curfew.”

“Well at least you have an excuse to not stay long.” She rolled her eyes as she imagined the house again.

“Tell that to the doll.”

. . .

Carrying the box to the Lord’s house wasn’t hard. Whatever was in it, however, cried out to the impulsive part of her. Demanding that her little fingers tear apart the sides and see what exactly was so important to Donna and her mom. If it wasn’t for The Duke and his little warning, she would have ripped it open the second she was past the first line of trees.

I’m pretty sure he wanted me to not open this. Unless he was being cryptic and doing some sort of reverse psychology thing.

Eventually she did make it the manor, box intact. The waterfall crashing down in the corner of her vision left her feeling especially unnerved. It didn’t help that she remembered how nice it had sounded to walk off into a few nights ago. Things hadn’t exactly gotten better since then.

She felt rather hallow knocking against the door. It should be okay, right? Just don’t drink any tea this time, easy enough.

“Ooo, look who’s back.” When the door opened, Mina was greeted with an empty space and an annoying voice. A glance down confirmed that Angie had gotten to her first. “I’m so happy The Duke sent you again.”

“It’s nice to see you too.” Mina smiled, teeth flashing uncomfortably. A passing thought joked that she should bend down at bite the little to assert dominance. “I have a special delivery.”

“Yay! Yay! Yay!” The handle almost slammed into the wall with the force Angie used to slam it completely open. Mina jumped at this, further exciting the little creature. “Donna! Come on—”

Mina gasped as the Lord suddenly ran to the threshold. Angie was scooped up into her arms without prompting, completely ruining her prior mood. Something was different about the Lord. The most obvious was that she was wearing dark gloves, the type one might use gardening instead of out in the snow.

“G-Good afternoon Lord Beneviento.” She bowed her head a bit. The two of them looked at each other for a good couple of silent moments. It was strange that Angie’s shrill voice didn’t break the look between them.

“Donna, pst!” Mina attempted to not scrunch her face up as the woman bent her head down slightly so that Angie could whisper in her ear. The conversation didn’t last long between them. Mostly because the Lord didn’t respond audibly to the doll.

“Ugh fine!” Angie’s head twisted to look back at Mina. Since she was a doll the whole piece moved without her body needing to twist with it. To say that it bothered her would be an understatement. “As much as we’d love to have you stay over, we’re unfortunately busy.”

“O-Oh.” Without thinking, she extended the box out to the two of them. Angie gripped Donna’s neck as to allow the woman to pick up the box without her toy falling onto the ground.

f*ck, I really want to know what’s in the box.

“Bye-Bye,” the door started to shut.

“Wait!”

The house had almost been completely closed off when Mina’s voice rang out. The shock of it had Donna flinching while Angie seemed pleasantly amused. A burning sensation crawled across her cheeks as the outsider tried to piece her thoughts together as to explain why she just spoke.

“I, um, have something else for you.” Her hands pressed against the bag. Neither one of them looked down to notice how she fiddled with the opening.

“What is it, what is it!?” Angie jumped from Donna’s body as to stand right below Mina. Her little arms reached out to her, a child begging for any sort of gift.

Please don’t be mad for this, please don’t be mad for this.

“I, um, found this a few days ago.” She peeled the cover off and finally dug down to the empty doll. The soft curls of its hair brushed against her fingertips as she got a good hold on it’s upper body. She brought it out slowly, afraid that it might shatter in front of the Lord for no apparent reason. “I was told it might have belonged to you.”

Mina ignored Angie on the ground and opted to present the doll to Donna. She extended it out, porcelain face only a couple feet from the Lords own. Enough space to allow for the woman to scan it up and down and see that no harm had come to it. At least on the important side.

“Francise?” Angie looked up at the motionless toy. She didn’t really see the face, more of the underside of the dress, but didn’t comment on it like some perverted things might. “Oh we thought you were dead!”

“Would you like her back?” Angie was jumping up and down below them as Mina waited desperately fort he woman to speak in some way.

“Y-Yes . . . please.” Smiling, the outsider pushed the doll out towards her but stopped when she saw how full Donna’s arms were. There was a hesitant moment before the Lord ultimately moved aside and motioned for Mina to come in.

. . .

Donna didn’t say anything to her when leading the outsider back to the living room. The box in her hands was sadly placed within the inside of a cabinet. Mina had to force herself to continue smiling as the Lord came back to her for the doll.

In the background, Angie skipped over to a desk and opened up a wood drawer. She haphazardly dug through the papers, even letting some drop onto the ground, as she searched for whatever it was that she wanted. With a little noise of success, Angie jumped away without pushing it back in and came skipping up to Mina.

“For you~” Everything in her told her to not pick whatever it was up. It felt like there was a good chance that Angie would sink her fake, little teeth into her hand if close enough.

Hesitantly, she grabbed the paper from the end farthest away from the doll and brought it up to read.

It was a literal drawing made of crayon . . . f*cking crayon! There were three figures standing in the middle that looked like they were supposed to represent them. Angie was clearly in the middle while Donna was on the left and Mina was on the right. Angie seemed to have a big grin, drawn with a red crayon because that’s not sinister at all, while Mina’s lips were just a straight line. Above them was one word written out in purple.

‘Sowry’

It clicked then that this was supposed to be an apology note.

Is she f*cking serious!? I don’t know what pisses me off more, the handholding or the obviously misspelled word.

“Do you like it?” The doll grabbed onto the back of one of the table chairs and lifted herself up so that she was hanging off the edge. Her little feet dangled back in forth merrily.

“Yes, very much.” It was hard to remain neutral when all she wanted was to rip it up in half.

“Good, I spent a loonngg time on it.” Mina thought that she might not be lying since her hands were small and that she came off as being the type to work on one thing and take large breaks between it because of her attention span. “How was your week, by the way? I hope you didn’t miss us too much.”

“It was just normal, not much tends to happen around the village.” That wasn’t true at all. But if she was being made to play with this thing then she wasn’t going to humor its antics. “What about yours?” She made a point to move her gaze towards Donna who had sat down at the little couch nook that sat opposite to their bookshelves.

Mina hadn’t noticed it when she came in but there was a big, puffy dress spread out on the coffee table in front of her. It was very much the opposite to what Donna wore as it was a deep blue with grey embroidery around the hem. Without thinking, she slowly approached her as the Lord pulled out a part of the dress that was currently in a wood frame. It was apparently still in the process of being detailed as was the hem on the left side of it.

“Well it was super great, we got to make all these—”

“That’s really beautiful.” Donna flinched as she heard Mina’s soft voice through the delicate fabric of her veil. Her head tilted to look up at her as the needle in her hand remained motionless; stuck in the air with the grey thread dangling from it. “What are you making it for?”

“Tch, none of your business.” She felt Angie’s hands push against her leg, not to make her stumble, but just to startle her a bit. At the voice of her friend, Donna looked back down to her work. Mina thought that she had wanted to say something.

“Sorry, I was just curious.” It became apparent that Angie didn’t like that Mina’s attention had gone completely to Donna and the dress. With an unheard growl, she jumped up next to the Lord as to be back in her line of sight. “You’re very talented, Lord Beneviento.”

“Duh, of course we are.” Angie put her hands around her waist and frankly she was doing a great job at trying the human girls patience. Mina eyed the window and thought of opening it up and shoving her outside. Even if she got back in, there at least would be a nice few moments in which she could actually be alone with Donna.

She had opened her mouth to reply but the dress had started to fall off one end of the coffee table. It was rather weighty and Mina could see the difficulty with keeping it in one place. Donna didn’t notice Mina moving until she was pulling the garment back to its original spot. Once again she stopped the threading and watched the other girl place her hands under the skirt and keeping it just tight enough to make the process easier. Angie was practically dumbfounded at this new turn of events.

f*ck I hope they don’t kill me for touching this thing. I might have done a bunch of sh*tty things in my life but I feel like I at least deserve to not be killed by a f*cking doll.

“Thank you,” she breathed it out before Angie could recover enough to speak for her. Mina realized then that of the three instances in which Donna spoke, two of them had been to express some form of gratitude. Was Angie acting on the part of her who wanted to say rude things but was always afraid to do it herself?

A psychologist would have a field day working on this woman.

The Lord recovered from her surprise and resumed her task. There was only a foot and a half more of the hem that had yet to be detailed and even though she hated Angie, Mina stayed put and held the dress. The human girl prepared for another round of mischievous comments when the doll opened her mouth up once more.

But without even looking up, Donna took her hand and gently patted Angie’s head. For some reason that made her close her porcelain lips once more. She wasn’t happy about whatever was communicated, as she spent the rest of her visit sitting with her arms crossed and her head turned away from the two as to give the silent treatment. Mina loved it.

. . .

The dress was done and displayed onto a large mannequin in the adjacent room. Mina helped Donna fluff out the skirt as to give it the best impression. Up until now Angie had been behind them but as the human girl was busy admiring the finished product, the tool underneath began to shake.

“Boo~” Mina gasped loudly as the doll emerged from behind the fabric similarly to that ‘Here’s Jack’ scene in The Shinning. Her fingers fumbled and clenched a different section of the hem. A quick dart of pain shot out from the middle finger on her left hand.

“f*ck,” she spat out the curse as she brought her finger towards her. A little bead of blood emerged onto her pail skin. Donna, noticing this, kneeled down to where Mina had gripped and inspected the section. The cause of the pain apparently came from a pin that had been forgotten to be taken out.

“Uh-oh, Mina said a bad word.” Angie giggled, jumping out from her position, and grabbing onto her hand. She eyed the blood like it was some gem sitting a top her finger. A predatory grin spread across her false face. Mina quickly took her hand away and tried to move back. Before she could stand she hit the back of Donna’s legs.

The Lord kneeled down beside her with a white napkin in her hand. Mina wordlessly watched as she took her own hand and dabbed onto the wound, the blood seeping in like watercolors.

“Um, thank you.” Mina swallowed heavily, Angie far away from her mind. “I, uh, was happy to be of some help tonight.” Donna didn’t respond but she didn’t stand up either. For a second she just held Mina’s covered hand as if she were lost in thought.

“Oh no.” The two of them whipped their heads around to see Angie looking out the window, holding the white drapes away to get a good look at the sky. “Looks like it’s dark out . . . and it’s a full moon.” She started laughing like a maniac.

“Oh, well, I have a flashlight so I think I’ll be okay going home.” Pressure emerged from the grip Donna still had on her.

“It’s not the dark you should be afraid of,” Don’t f*cking say Lycans. “It’s the Lycan’s you should be worried about.”

Goddamn it I’m going to jump off this waterfall if people keep bringing them up.

“I’ll be okay, I swear.” She stood up then, leaving Donna and Angie as she made her way towards the hallway entrance. She felt the Lord follow her rather quickly but she didn’t hear Angie’s footsteps until she was already near the stairwell.

“It was wonderful getting to spend time with you,” Mina bowed slightly but before she could straighten up, the doll came flying towards her with some long piece of fabric trailing behind.

“Wait, it’s really cold out, you should take this.” At first she was confused by Angie’s sudden generosity but, as she brought the cloth up to her body, she realized why the little thing started to snort.

She had given her a red cloak, complete with a red hood to match.

Hilarious.

She resisted the urge to throw it back at her and began the process of throwing it over her body. However, a soft hand grabbed at it before it could hit her back. Over her shoulder, Mina watched as Donna took the cloak into the adjacent room and walked back with another one in her hands.

This one was black but in the same style. The only thing that stood out was that there was a little bit of red embroidery on the bottom, similar to the ones they had done on the dress. She actually preferred there being some red on it as it made her feel special when Donna tied it around her. She tried not to think of how the Lords hands were so close to her collar bone and instead chose to stare at Angie who was only a little sad that she wasn’t getting her way.

“Thank you for being so kind to me.” Donna stepped back and allowed Mina to open the door. She spoke only one more thing before she watched her go back into the dark cold.

“Be careful, Mina.” Heat pooled into the humans’ cheeks and, unable to respond, she simply nodded at her and left.

She said my name . . .

. . .

Going down the elevator had been no big deal; she wasn’t even scared when she past the weird glowing grave. Hell, it kind of made for a cool aesthetic in the chilled air. It was when she was midway through Potter’s field, and the all too familiar fog rolled in that Mina felt her imagination take form.

I swear to f*ck one of these days I’m going to bring a shovel and smash whatever machines they’re using to keep up with the haunted graveyard vibe—

A long howl echoed within the mist, burrowing straight into Mina’s ears. Soon, it was joined by others in a tone-death chorus.

Of, f*cking, course.

She probably shouldn’t be surprised by now. She had been warned multiple times about the Lycans, it only made sense that some of these assholes try to keep up with appearances. But stubborn pride had prevented Mina from running to the gate and into the blankets of her bed. She refused to let them turn her into one of their god-fearing followers.

A snap of a branch too close for comfort caused her to jump and her heart to beat rapidly. She was cursing under her breath because this was ridiculous and there was no such thing as werewolves, or vampires, or—

Red eyes! There were red eyes staring at her not even twenty yards away. It had to be a machine, an animatronic, it couldn’t be real.

“f*ck this,” she sprinted now and said goodbye to her pride and dignity. Those were lost years ago anyways. Before she could make it to the big tree with the two gravestones at its base, a blurred figure jumped onto one of the branches and caused snow to fly about. It swung about and Mina’s flight instincts had her running off the path and into the woods. If she could just get away from whatever it was than she could circle back to the gate and she would be fine.

She didn’t stop to turn around and face whatever was banging up against the trees and kicking up all sorts of earth in it’s wake. Mina was no runner and knew that stopping for even a second would be a death sentence. The absolute anxiety coursing through her veins didn’t even allow her a second to reflect on how f*cked up her life was. How nothing wanted to give her a break and that this village seemed intent on making her believe in scary stories again.

Mina had no clue when exactly her assailant had fallen behind. Her lungs were burning with every desperate breath and her ears were so cold that her head was forming an intense headache. When she finally fell to her knees, it was directly in front of another large tree. Ahead of her was a spot in the woods were the trees were sparser. She wouldn’t call it a clearing as dead limbs canopied above head. It might have been a nice place to bring a blanket and read a book in the summer but not when you’re being chased in the dead of winter.

The howling from earlier started up once more and, sadly, much closer. Mina threw the hood of her cloak over herself and held onto the tree for some semblance of camouflage. The rumbling and animalistic sounds of something else was coming closer and assembling in that spot ahead. At one she felt these things running past her from her direction. One came so close that it kicked up snow that hit her hidden back.

A slow hand brought the hood open just a little bit so that she could wiggle her way to see what was going on. Had her hands been free, Mina would have used them to wipe at her eyelids because some sort of snow must have melted there. That would be the only explanation for why she was seeing a gang of shirtless men with scraggily hair, looking very much like a wolf-human hybrid (she was refusing to say the word werewolf), standing around waiting for something.

That something nearly made her scream when it jumped up from out of nowhere and in front of the group. They seemed eager, howling, and moving like impatient puppies. The person, no thing, that had joined them was similar but not. It was larger than them, definitely by a few feet, and seemed even harrier. It was also shirtless but there was something around it’s neck that glimmered in the moonlight. The pants it wore were less worn out but seemed to have ripped in several places near the seams.

There is a completely understandable, logical, explanation for—wait what the f*ck is it holding?!

A few of the bolder ones approached their leader as he rummaged around for something in his pockets(?). Sharp claws drug out two small clothes held between the thumb and index finger. He dropped it on the ground before them. They were quick to snatch them up and, once held to the light, Mina’s jaw dropped.

Is that my underwear!?!

The first set she noticed was red with black lace around the waistband. She kept trying to convince herself that there was no way that could be hers. Unfortunately the second set was much easier to recognize. It was pink with white stripes and a logo that was but a black smudge from her distance. Up close she knew that it was simply the word ‘Pink’ from the Victoria Secrets store. She had gotten it from a coupon in the mail and chosen the color because it reminded her of cute, French pastries.

Yep, that is one hundred percent my underwear. Jesus f*cking Christ, at least I washed them before I left the hotel, right?

. . . f*ck I didn’t.

Something had to be completely wrong because she was not watching a bunch of hairy wolf-guys passing her underwear around like it was a perfume sample. It didn’t make sense for non-sexual purposes until she watched them jolt around, sniffing for something in the wind. Slowly, each and everyone of them had turned towards her general direction. They were picking up on her scent.

No, no, no, no—

She ran the moment the leader took a step towards her. Mina didn’t know exactly how far the gate was or how much energy she had left. At this point she only felt pain as the tree’s around her blurred within her cold tears. The wind was coming directly at her and even if she were in control of her emotions, the gust alone would still have water impeding her vision.

Crack!

That was all she heard before her body was pushed into the snow. A large tree limb had fallen off and hit her in the head. It was like it had put her brain in restart mode. Her thoughts only came too when the excited sounds of the wolf-people were practically screaming in her ears. In her peripheral vision she could see the glowing red eyes surround her in a circle.

This was it. She had been caught and now, it appeared, she would be killed.

But things never work out the way she thinks.

Mina heard loud stomps coming near her body, she tried looking over her shoes but found that she was too weak to sit up. It was only when it was just a few feet away did Mina realize she was looking at their leader. Now close, she realized the glimmering things around its neck were familiar objects she had seen in photos, and in a few rare seconds, in person.

“Lord Heisenberg?!” It grinned at her, rows of sharp teeth being her only answer. She tried to open her mouth, thinking of all the things she could ask in a panic but nothing came to mind. He kneeled down before her feet and crawled up her body like the creature he resembled. His necklaces racked up the corset of her dress and teased the flesh underneath.

Mina closed her eyes the moment she felt his hot breath on her collarbone. Her teeth were biting down harshly into the inside of her mouth and blood was washing over her tongue. In that moment she wished she could taste it the way Bela apparently did because the dirty penny twang it left only heightened her fear.

“Shhh,” Was he actually trying to shush her. Up until now she was under the impression that he, like the others, were only capable of grunts and growls.

“W-What do you want.” His hot breaths were coming closer to the nape of her neck. Something was pulling at the tie Donna had put around her and, when she finally opened her eyes again, she saw Heisenberg’s claws swipe open the cloak before moving to the front of her dress. The fabric was thick but his claws were apparently so sharp that they cut through it like scissors and wrapping paper.

He kept going and going until he had hit the hem. In one fluid motion, Mina’s body was stripped of the fabric that now splayed around her limbs. She had no bra on as the bodice was thick enough for her to not need one. The underwear she had on had been nicked during the process and was cut severally down the middle. If she stood up it would fall off.

Sitting up on his knees, Heisenberg surveyed her body as if she were a piece of meat at the market. Technically, in this instance, she was. But the Lord looked like he was in no way about to pay for it.

Mina’s arms, heavy with fatigue, attempted to come up and slap themselves against her breasts in order to retain some modesty. But the moment they rose in the air he took them both in one hand and slammed them into the ground.

“f*ck!” Intense throbbing was ringing about her wrists and she was near sure that something had to be broken. The sudden pain distracted her from the fact that his maw was coming down to her chest. “Ah!” A long tongue came out to lick her left nipple, warming it up briefly only for it to go even colder than before.

He was lapping at both of her breasts, changing them up as a claw would come up to circle around the one not being attended to. She wanted to hate this but the problem was that Mina had, on multiple occasions, fantasized about something like this.

I am not a monster f*cker, I am not a monster f*cker, I am not a monster f*ck-uuu—cccc--kkkk!

His snout suddenly dipped down to take a long lick from her naval to her inner left thigh. Noticing that her underwear still covered much of her, Heisenberg ripped it open with its teeth and spat the useless cloth away from them and into the crowd of his adoring pack. Now she could see all of her.

And with eyes no longer closed and her body letting her sit up just a bit, Mina was able to see a little bit of him. Or rather . . . a lot of him. Apparently with each movement his already strained pants were riding down his hips further and further. It was at the point where she could see the base of his hard-on nearly about to pop out.

He quickly noticed her staring and, like the gentle wolf he was, took his hands and wrapped the claws of his thumb under the waist band. Her breath was coming out labored and each painful second had him teasingly move the fabric lower and lower until finally—

“Mina!” All at once her body was jerked upwards into a sitting position. The darkness of the night was nearing its end and there was no sign of anything that had just transpired. In fact, it seemed, that she had not even left Potter’s field. A quick look down showed that her dress was still intact and there was no scratch marks anywhere. “Are you alright.”

“Moreau?!” He looked just as much as a startled mess as she was. “What are you doing?”

“You didn’t come home before dark last night.” She narrowed her eyes towards him.

“How did you know?” The Lord looked away, seemingly embarrassed.

“I was . . . I was waiting for you because I-I wanted to talk.” Moreau was shaking a bit even though he never seemed to get cold in the way she did. “Why did you go to Donna’s?”

“I . . .” When she reached her hand to scratch her head, a trinkling pain moved through her. She brought that hand to her face and saw something that made her gasp. The wound that she had gotten from the needle had turned into a black color that seemed to tint the muscles within in the same color. It looked like tattooed lines that ran in different directions before fading off into the knuckles. It was then that exactly one word came to mind.

Angie!!!

Chapter 18: Lagom

Chapter Text

Chapter Eighteen: Lagom

Swedish Noun: Lagom is all about moderation. It means not too much and not too little, but just the right amount. Typically referring to the etiquette of taking your share.

. . .

“That stupid, f*cking doll!” Mina winced as a chem fluid doused handkerchief was wrapped around her injured middle finger. “I’m not going to need to have this cut off right?” Moreau shook his head, keeping a distance between the two. Once again they were back at his windmill in the reservoir.

“N-no, it’ll pass, promise.” She let out a sigh of relief.

“Good, because I’m going to need both of these babies when I see Lord Beneviento again.” Both of her hands moved to flip off the doll even though she wasn’t anywhere near them.

“You can’t go back!” He wailed, stumbling over himself as he got closer. “S-she’ll—”

“She’ll kill me, torture me?!” Snorting, Mina stood up and turned to look out the door. “I’m very well aware.”

“Why where you there if you knew this?” His face looked somewhere between betrayed and in physical pain. A buzz of anger welted inside her, thinking about how exactly she had gotten into this mess.

“I was . . . making deliveries for The Duke and no one else was willing to go up there.” She didn’t look him in the eyes. “It was actually my third time.” Moreau gasped loudly, looking at her like she had just told him she had survived falling off a cliff.

“The other two visits—”

“Nothing bad happened.” It was sort of true for the initial visit. That had been off-putting, yes, but the second time was even worse than the third. Last night’s hallucination, while heart-pounding and somewhat arousing, was nothing like watching a dead man try to violate you from beyond the grave.

In his mind he tried to wrap his head around Donna and Angie’s decision to not kill or keep her there. He wondered if they knew that she was his friend or if they had met and chosen to view her as different than the others just as he did. Did Mina not tell him because she didn’t want to upset him? Make him jealous because she wanted to spend more time with Donna than him?

“I-I’ll talk to The Duke, I’m sure he’d let me take her delivery’s since—”

“No!” Her voice caused his heart to jump. “I . . . I’ll be fine on my own even with that f*cking doll.” A challenge was forming between Mina and Lord Beneviento. That being the toppling of what seemed to be Donna’s ‘devil on the shoulder’. Perhaps encouraging this behavior and treating Angie like a separate person has made her give in to the cruel techniques of her mother. It seemed that without her friend, Donna was a kind woman. Anxious and standoffish yes, but not someone who looked like they wanted to be a serial murderer.

“But—”

“I’m not changing my mind so don’t bother.” She hated the guilt that was boiling through her. He was only trying to help and probably knew of all the awful things that hid behind Beneviento’s polite demeanor.

“Okay . . .” Silence passed as he stood there with his hands held together, staring down at the wooden floor.

“Soooo,” Mina drew out. “What did you want to talk to me about last night?” Moreau blinked at her, his original reason for searching for her being left out of his mind.

“Oh, um, it was about our movie marathon.” She forced a smile onto her lips. Anything to make this conversation disappear.

“Yeah? Did you find any new movies for it?” His sullen expression hadn’t changed once.

“No . . .” he sighed, backing away from her as if he were afraid. “I, uh, needed to tell you that we can’t do it that night anymore.”

“What?!” She yelled a little too loud as her hands came to clasp into her hair.

“Mother wants to celebrate Festivalul în Creștere this year, so we’re going to Donna’s for dinner.” Mina bit her lips as she watched Moreau’s first smile come about only by talking about Miranda.

Well at least the circus will be all in one place, and very far from the village. f*ck I don’t want to go!

“I see.” There was no emotion in her tone, just dejection. “I hope you have fun then.” Without another word, Mina got up and began to walk out of the building.

“Wait, I—”

She didn’t wait.

The Duke was back in his usual spot when Mina left Moreau’s territory. No one was around his cart, so he spotted her before she even crossed the area to him. There wasn’t any look of concern or surprise even though she strode up to him with a vicious sneer.

“Ah, Mina—”

“Would it be too much to ask that you require all your clients hence forth to not drug your employees.” He raised an eyebrow at her whilst visibly taking in the site of her dirtied dress and tangled hair.

“So Lord Beneviento has been including you into her games.” A silent chuckle left his lips as he shook his head fondly. “To be fair, I did require recently that she not ‘take’ any of my deliverers. The fact that you’ve been leaving the estate each time is a miracle on its own.”

“I did not sign up for literal mental torture.” She stomped at the ground, an unsatisfying substitute for taking a bat to the doll.

“I did give you those perfume bottles in exchange for the initial delivery.” Though she couldn’t see it, Mina knew that a nerve was twitching in the corner of her face. “I assumed that you, being a woman, would recognize how expensive the brands were and therefore deduce that the task in exchange would come with some ‘unusual’ demands.”

“Unusual demands?!—A doll injected narcotics into my body!” She thrusted the injured finger up to his face. “I cannot take anymore weird hallucinations.”

“I guess this is your way of saying that you aren’t going to deliver to them anymore?” As serious as he tried to look, the little smirk that liked to play on his lips was clear to see. He was not great at hiding amusem*nt.

“No,” she huffed. “I refuse to be intimidated by a f*cking toy.”

And also I’m being blackmailed.

“So far it seems that all evidence is to the contrary but whatever helps you keep going, my dear.” Her hands balled into fists, the injured finger stinging as it dug into the meat of her palm. “Oh and before you go, I was asked to give this to you.”

What little color was left in her cheeks from sleeping outside all night disappeared with the sight of a letter. The seal was not of Moreau’s and Beneviento’s as the scarlet crest pointed to only one possible sender. Or, well, four.

“A little maid brought it to me this morning.”

Dearest Mina,

A matter of the upmost importance has come up and I require your presence. Meet me in the usual spot before noon. I’ll be waiting. Impatiently.

Yours,

Bela

. . .

I can’t get a f*cking break around here!

Mina had narrowly avoided Luiza when getting home. A good thing since she only planned on changing clothes and pulling up her hair. There were several hours before noon, yet Mina’s heart made her feel like it was only minutes.

There was nothing that particularly looked good on her. All colors were in some shade of brown to grey with the exception of a few white blouses. She highly doubted Luiza would let her outside of her room with something in a deep red or as tight as what Bela enjoyed. At the very least she had refrained from making fun of her outfits thus far. The black frock she chose would be perfect if this visit was to end in her last.

The damage she had done to the storage room when she last left had been cleared up. Surprisingly the boxes had been adjusted to allow a better path from the outside to the door. Whether the staff decided to do so or were ordered to was unclear. Mina highly doubted that someone like Bela would do it herself.

God forbid she chips a nail.

There wasn’t any music playing on the record player this time as the hallway was devoid of noise. Mina ended up opening the letter back up before leaving the storage room threshold. Just taking an extra moment to make sure that she was going the right way.

Now in front of the door to their ‘usual’ spot, Mina pressed her ear against the wood of the door. No signs of life could be detected. Internally she made a bet with herself. Bela was likely hiding, purposely keeping things quiet as to scare the sh*t out of her. Hopefully she’d at least refrain from drugging her.

As expected, the room was completely empty save for the old furniture. The view of the loveseat brought back memories of the blonde draping herself over it. Part of Mina laughed at the thought of her asking Bela for a picture. The two could have their own 90’s style boudoir photoshoot.

You know, she might actually agree to it . . .

Stuck in her thoughts, Mina hadn’t realized that she had crossed the room to sit on the chair. It was an awkward feeling as the cushion wasn’t all that comfortable. Dust jumped up into the air with the weight of a body hitting it. Scrunching up her nose, the outsider fanned the debris away from her face. Faced with a moment of complete solitariness, Mina closed her eyes and breathed in.

To help her relax, a pair of hands crept onto her shoulders and dug circles into the tissue.

“f*ck—!” If it wasn’t for the grip on her upper body, Mina would have fell forward onto the floor. A seductive giggle echoed around the room following her outburst.

Goddamn it I hate this family!

“You came,” Bela cooed. Mina could feel the heat of the blonde’s breath on the back of her neck. Her bloody lips were only inches away from the shell of her ear. “I’ve been dying to see you~”

“Nice to see you again too, Bela.” Her hands didn’t drop from Mina’s shoulder. Instead gloved thumbs slowly rose to stroke along the swell of her neck. “Sooo . . . what’s, uh, going on?”

“Hm?” The warm air was drifting now, lips going from behind her ear to the side of her collarbone.

“Your letter sounded urgent, I assumed that something was wrong.” There was a shuffling of fabric before Bela’s face finally came into view. Whereas Mina had sat facing the door, the blonde had turned to face the opposite. Leaning back, Mina could see the whole front of her body and dress.

“Oh yes, very urgent.” The outsiders’ hands had gripped the sides of the cushion. Bela, glancing down, spotted the injured finger’s black design. “What happened here?”

“It’s, uh, complicated.” An icy feeling befell Mina as Bela narrowed her eyes. “Look, I really need to know what’s happening. Did someone find—”

In one motion, the blonde grabbed at her hand and pulled it away from her side. The force of the grip was too hard for Mina to break as Bela thrusted the blackened finger between her lips. It looked almost like the girl wanted to eat the entire digit, but all the outsiders felt was a pinch. Hard lines appeared around Bela’s nose, her face grimacing at the taste of Mina’s blood. Eventually she pushed her hand away with a pop.

“So my aunt poisoned you,” an ache was forming in Mina’s head. What the f*ck was up with these people. “Kind of wish you would have told me before coming.”

“How the hell was I supposed to—” She shook her head, fingers going to pinch the bridge of her nose. “I’m going to take a guess and say that there wasn’t actually an emergency.”

“Suffering the pains of thirst is no laughing matter, Mina.” The mortal wanted to roll her eyes. However, the sight of Bela’s chest bouncing a bit as she crossed her arms under her breasts halted her line of thinking. “It’ll take at least two days for your blood to cleanse itself.”

“You can’t just take my blood whenever you want, our agreement was—”

“Our agreement is whatever I want it to be.” She growled in a sort of velvety way that gave Mina mixed feelings. “I’m the one with all the power here, don’t you forget that.”

“I know,” she glanced at the door and wondered how far she could make it. “But I am physically unable to fulfil your wishes whenever you want.”

“Ugh, if you can’t satisfy me with your blood every week than perhaps I shall amend our agreement to include other duties.” Mina sighed, hands coming to rub at her temple. “I’ll be in touch once you taste better.”

“Wonderful, I enjoy being eaten up by anxiety.”

“As well as other things I imagine.” The quip momentarily managed to make Mina snort despite the situation.

This family is going to kill me.

. . .

Bela had decided to laze around the room once Mina had left. The record player was tumbling out some version of ‘Clair de Lune’ from the forties. The bottle, still untouched, was placed securely on the table beside the loveseat. It must have been a good half an hour when the tracks stopped, and Bela decided to wander away.

The servant’s hallway that Mina had originally broken in from had been unused for so long. The storage room was the only thing that kept people coming down these areas. This made for an idle place to store her bottles and begin plans for converting them into wine for her and her mother. Her sisters barely even came downstairs, let alone go snooping around a corner of the castle that was deemed too dingy for their standards.

While they played around upstairs, Bela was slowly building her own secret vineyard of blood that reached beyond the limits of the village. Mother would love the presents she would give her.

Usually she would have turned into a swarm of flies to get back to her room but today she felt like going it slow. Taking the time to stretch out her legs and enjoy her surroundings. There wasn’t really a point for going fast when there was never anything that required urgency. It was this choice that led Bela to seeing something peculiar stalking its way towards a room near the front entrance.

Uncle Heisenberg?

Bela moved her body away from the glimmer of the chandelier, straining to keep within the shadows. She had just noticed the burley Lord after lightly closing the door to the servants storage section. Now she felt way too exposed if her uncle decided to cast a glance behind his shoulder. Lucky for her, he didn’t seem to care who saw him or not. He disappeared into a room that Bela recognized as belonging to The Duke when he was here to sell to the castle. What did he need him so urgently for that would cause him to trespass? And to trespass without bothering to annoy his sister.

Her carnivorous teeth bore into a grin as she let her body evaporate and take her to the very door he had just closed behind himself. She pressed her head against the wood, hearing some commotion but not enough to sedate her curiosity. Looking down, she noticed the inch or so space between the floor and the end of the door. Silently, she allowed herself to deteriorate just enough for bugs to slide in from underneath and give her a front row seat. Most of her body, or well bug body, was still outside. It was hard for her to quell her excitement and the buzzing that came from acts of mischief.

“Well, Lord Heisenberg, what brings you over to Castle Dimitrescu.” The Duke sounded excited, a little more so than his usual self.

“Errands.” The Lord gritted the word out painfully.

“In that case, is there anything I can do to be of service?” The hard part about being in bug form was the Bela saw things through the eyes of the fly. It was much like a kaleidoscope and she couldn’t quite understand details that would have been obvious in human form. One of the details she could see, however, was the growing irritation that was consuming Heisenberg.

“You still have it, right?” The skinny insect legs of her body started to rub against each other. Each moment was harder to conceal given the excitement she felt.

“It?” The Duke let out a great laugh. “Dear boy, I have quite a few its so you’re going to have to be a bit more specific.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, asshole!” Some of the metal nails in the wall vibrated and threatened to knock down a painting on top of her bugs. “It’s the thing you wouldn’t f*cking let me see.”

“Oh, so that’s what you’re here for.” He didn’t seem at all fazed by Heisenberg’s rudeness. He never really seemed effected by anything, the more Bela thought about it. “The good news is that it has yet to be sold so you very well may have the opportunity to buy it.”

“Wonderful.” The Lord brought out a new cigar and lit it, letting some anger ebb away. “Now look, before I go out of my way to do whatever the hell you’re hoping I’ll do, then you’re going to at least tell me something about whatever it is.”

“You want to know what it is?” Heisenberg growled his response. The Duke looked thoughtful for a moment before deciding. “Well alright, consider it a discount seeing as it’s been on my shelves for a little while.” He chuckled to himself, the man always seeming to be in his own world. “To answer your question, it is a photograph.”

“A photograph?” Heisenberg seemed very unamused as his hammer started to shake. “Why the f*ck do you think I would want a photograph?!”

“You’ve always been quick to judge.” The Duke shifted in his seat, enjoying the way the Lord was getting worked up. “Not all pictures exist simply for aesthetic pleasures.”

“I f*cking hate your cryptid bullsh*t.” He took a long drag this time, letting the cloud of smoke in his lungs to fully exit before continuing. “Can you at least tell me what’s in it.”

“Well to my knowledge, polaroid’s tend to be made of a light sensitive negative, a transparent cover sheet, and a—”

“God f*ck! You knew exactly what I meant, now tell me what the photograph is of or else I’m going to shove my hammer so fa—”

“No need to be so vulgar, Lord Heisenberg.” Bela was truly astonished by the man’s inability to give a f*ck. “It’s just a little picture of her standing out in the snow.”

“What do you mean, her?” Great, the metal in the walls was vibrating again and Bela knew that it if it continued then mother would be down there in an instant.

“I’m talking about the outsider of course.” The shock nearly made Bela’s bugs freeze in mid-air. It seemed to be enough for even Heisenberg to go silent. “I had assumed that you already worked out that you were looking for a woman.”

“You had a photo of her all this time!?” It looked almost to her that the hammer in his hands was going just a bit bent.

“Yes, I did tell you that showing it to you would make it worthless.” A long, deep groan erupted into the room as her uncle stomped closer to the man and his caravan.

“Look, momentarily I’m going to push how f*cking angry I am at you down for another day.” Bela didn’t think he was capable of that. “So tell me, what exactly do you want from me.”

The glow of the candles reflected something in The Duke’s eyes that Bela had never seen before. It strangely made her shiver despite that it seemed as if nothing else had changed. Quickly she watched him take out some sort of letter and hand it over to her uncle.

“Complete this and I’ll happily hand you my current most prized possession.” With a sneer, Heisenberg began to turn around, causing Bela to scatter herself so that he wouldn’t notice her bug bodies amongst the dark rugs and furniture. However, before he could start walking out, a small whisper lofted into a few of Bela’s ears from outside the door.

“Did you hear that dear sister; the outsider is here after all!” Bela silently gasped as she listened to Daniela’s body bound off before she even had a chance to reply.

. . .

“Mother,” Bela materialized the moment the door to the library flew open to reveal the Lady and her two other daughters. The woman herself was sitting in an armchair that was comically larger just to fit her own body while the girls were sitting on the arm rests, dangling their feet as they giggled with their mother.

“There you are, Daniela just finished telling me about your little discovery.” The smile that etched onto her crimson lips would usually make her feel proud. She only felt panic at that moment though.

“What are you planning to do?” She joined them by kneeling next to Alcina’s legs. “About the outsider, that is.”

“I’m glad you asked, my darling.” She motioned for Cassandra to hand her a half-drunk wine glass that had gone unnoticed on the little book table. “The Duke is, and has always been, a man concerned only for his own gain. Whatever he wants from my little brother, he can get from me.” She sat up, taking a larger gulp of her glass than usual. A signal that she was about ready to make her way downstairs.

“But what happens after that.” The three of them stared at Bela. “You know, once we find the outsider.”

“Oh, well I’ll first of course take her to Mother Miranda and after that, since I was the one who brought her, I’m sure she’ll be gifted to us.” The hunger evident in Alcina’s eyes were no different than the eyes Bela always showed to Mina.

“I bet she’ll taste so divine~” Daniela groaned out, making Bela shake her head in disdain. An irony that was not lost on her.

She taste’s more than just divine . . .

Bela nearly drooled, remembering the last time she dared take a sip from her stores. Even chilled and unrefined, Mina’s blood was a taste so unique in comparison to the people who had been living here for generations. Internally she was still trying to understand why it was good enough for her to keep secrets away from her family. Initially, she imagined that part of it was just having something interesting to entertain herself with. Now, she wasn’t sure.

“Mm, can I be the one who slices her throat?” Cassandra was bouncing on the edge of her seat. “Please mother?”

“As if, I’m the one who told mother first!” Daniela, ever the brat, jumped up onto her feet with her hands on her hips.

“Ah-Ah,” Dimitrescu’s voice kept her two youngest from starting a round of bickering. “That may be true Daniela, but as I recall, you only stopped to watch when you saw Bela already there.” Her mothers eyes went down to gaze at her. There was so much warmth in them and all she wanted to do was feel that gaze on her always. However, it soon hit her what her mother was suggesting.

“Well, I mean, as much as I’d love to see how much of a mess she’ll make.” She unconsciously scratched at the back of her shroud. “Maybe we should think of trying to . . . preserve her for just a bit longer.” A dead silence followed. Dimitrescu looked thoughtful as one of her hands went to her chin, however, Bela’s sisters were not so open-minded.

“Preserve her?!” Daniela doubled over in laughter as she imagined them putting the outsider into a jelly jar for breakfast.

“Logically, we’d get more blood from her that way,” Cassandra rolled her eyes and Bela damn near slapped her. “If we just drain her like the rest of the maids than we’ll be stuck with the same old same old all over again. I think we should have more for variety’s sake.”

“So what, you think we should just take like a pint or two a day for a bit?” Daniela smirked as her eldest sister stood up and away.

“No, that’s way too much. She’d need a couple weeks after each harvest—”

“Weeks, no way!” Bela’s hands curled into themselves as the two of them grouped in front of her.

“So you just want to eat her up in one go? Like a pair of fat hogs!” Daniela lifted her hand up into the air, ready to swipe when Dimitrescu spoke up.

“That is enough!” All three of them flinched as she stood up in front of them. “You are all ladies and I expect you to act like it.”

“Yes mother.” They all said it in a quiet, inharmonic unison.

“Good,” she cast her gaze back towards Bela. “Now, as smart as that idea is, I’m afraid that I won’t allow it.”

“What!” Cassandra snickered behind her hand.

“Your sisters make a good point; I can’t just tie her up indefinitely. There’s only so much blood we could get and, more importantly, having her in such a position would cause unnecessary temptation.” She glanced back towards the other two. “And then we wouldn’t all get our fair share.”

“I would never go against your wishes if you were to tell me not to eat her,” her mother nodded. “And neither should they.” She heard the two of them hiss. “Your word should be enough to stray away from temptation.”

“And you’re very right.” If her sisters were just a little more blessed, than the heat of their gazes would have set Bela’s shroud on fire. “But I can’t fault them if they were to do so. You can’t expect a cat to not eat a mouse if you dangle it right in front of it’s nose.”

“But we are not cats, mother.” She growled unintentionally. “We are ladies, as you just said, and ladies should be able to control themselves.”

“And ladies should also know when to do as they’re told.” If Bela hadn’t felt so unnerved, the sight of her mother right now would have made her shake.

“Well you can’t just expect me to act like a lady when you’re treating my little sisters like stupid, f*cking kittens!” Daniela’s body crumpled to the floor as she choked on her giggles.

“That’s it!” The way the floor shook beneath Alcina caused Bela’s dead heart to jumpstart. “Go to your room, you’re grounded!”

Daniela and Cassandra had gone quiet. They couldn’t remember the last time Bela had been grounded. Had she actually been grounded before? The two of them were already awestruck and even more so when Bela did not immediately swarm off to her room.

“I said—”

“I heard what you said.” Her body was pulsing with hot, labored breaths. “But I want you to know t-that it doesn’t matter what you say.” Her sisters gasped as if they were a sound effect track for a tv show.

“What.”

“Oh don’t worry, I’ll go up to my room.” With her back straight, Bela marched towards the door and opened it. “But just know that I don’t f*cking care if you say you ground me or not because, news flash, my entire life has been nothing but one, big, grounding.” She didn’t take the time to watch their reactions. She needed to swarm away fast.

. . .

“I need the photograph!” The Duke didn’t even flinch as he watched Bela materialize before him. “And quick.”

“Which—”

“Damn it, I’m talking about the one of Mina.” Shocked, Bela couldn’t believe that he still didn’t react to her basically stating that she’s one of the few who could make that picture worthless in seconds.

“I see,” she tapped the ground with her foot anxiously. “And why would you like something that has little value to you?”

“Because—”

“And please be honest my dear, more so than your mother.” Any other day she would have scowled at him for saying so. But it seemed as if he knew this wasn’t a usual day.

“Fine,” she grumbled. “I want it so my family can’t take away my new food source, happy?”

“Very,” she co*cked her head to the side as he reached into something by his side and produced a similar envelope to the one he gave Heisenberg. “If you can manage this then it’s all yours.”

. . .

Bela knew that The Duke had given her and her family different tasks when it came to winning the photograph. How she knew this? Well, because if it were the same as her task, than Mina would already have been served up to Mother Miranda by now. It was frankly insulting when she opened up the envelope and was greeted with a one sentence description and rough drawing of what The Duke wanted.

One Bouquet of Cyclamen

That was it. Just some f*cking flowers that just so happened to be growing in the courtyard. Cyclamen were one of the few plants in Romania that grew during the winter. They usually came in colors of pinks and purples, but the ones she were looking at were nearly white with the faintest touch of blush. It was now as she started at them that Bela concluded that the payment wasn’t necessarily for flowers. No, the payment was to see if she could even pull it off. Because the only bundle of Cyclamen that were left existed only in the deep snow of the outside world.

This might have been okay had she not been grounded by her mother.

“Hey, you two.” A pair of maids slid to halt in the middle of the hallway. She had been waiting for some to come this way and finally, after an hour, they did. “Come over here.”

They were more than hesitant, something that her mother would not allow usually. But they were also new from the village. Neither one of them were over the age of seventeen and only one of them was taller than five foot one.

“Yes, miss?” Bela kept her arms crossed as they slowly waddled down to her.

“I need you to go downstairs and get—”

“We can’t.” The smallest one, a girl with thin copper hair, staired down at her own shoes upon speaking.

“Uh, excuse me little girl, do you know who you’re f*cking talking to!” Bela’s dark fingernails dragged themselves across the wood of the doorway, kicking up splinters in its haste.

“I’m sorry but she’s right, Lady Dimitrescu has forbidden us from granting any of your requests.” The maids took those moments of confusion as a way to get more space between them. “Otherwise we’d be happy to help.”

“You must understand—”

“Just get the hell out of here you little runts!” The pair were gone so fast that they might as well have also been made of flies.

Closing the door once more, Bela returned to the window of her room. There were nails bolting them down and the glass itself was double paneled. When she pressed her palm against it, the sensation that entered her hand was if she had dunked it straight into dry ice. With a hiss, she tore herself away and gazed down onto herself. She wasn’t even outside and had only touched the cold for a few seconds and already her hand was reddened with burn.

The Duke was only going to be here for so much longer and due to her limitations, she could only work with him when he was at the castle. A rule no one else but her and her sisters had to abide by. In her mind it seemed easy enough when it came to just unlocking the window, jumping outside, getting the flowers, and coming back in. But this wasn’t like taking out your trash in your shorts during a snowstorm. An elongated amount of time with the cold could easily lead to permeant damage and disfigurement.

It seemed kind of f*cked up to think that bullets and knives were something she could easily heal when getting a bit chilly was not.

So when she started to empty out her closet onto her bed and take the nails out from the windowsill, it had become less about Mina and more about not backing down from The Duke’s challenge.

Contrary to popular belief, Bela and her family had more than just one style of clothing as evident from the different fabrics that laid before her. The simple, yet elegant, black dresses she chose were more of a comfort thing. Much like when someone wears pajamas in the house on their day off. With very little ever happening, the gowns and skirts she had accumulated over the years mostly went unused. Many of them were commissioned from their Aunt based upon a whim. Now she was staking them on top of herself.

When the gowns became too tight, she forced her robes onto herself and didn’t stop until the heat had become unbearable. Next she tied all sorts of scarves around her face and neck, leaving just smallest room for her too see out of. After all was said and done, and every inch of her body had become protected, Bela finally went up to the window. She knew she looked like a gigantic mess and if her sisters were to see her, she would never live it down.

Her gloved hands now rested on top of the window opening. All she needed to do was open it up and step outside. She didn’t feel any semblance of cold through her fingers and, if anything, she’d welcome some sort of relief from the cocoon she had wrapped around herself. Internally, her mind envisioned her mother and her uncle. Anger was seeping out of her at the thought of one of them, especially Heisenberg, presenting little Mina to Mother Miranda. Than Bela would have no say in what would happen to her. And what if the mortal decided to tell them that she had not only known that the outsider was alive, but that she had even let her escape from the castle.

A growl built in the bottom of her throat as confined nails began to drag up the old window. She wasn’t quite sure how much power she had been exerting but it did not take long for the wind to hit her covered face, managing to sting her eyes. Without even realizing it, Bela had now come face to face with the winter air for the first time in her life.

She better be grateful after this!

She closed her eyes for just a second before she flung her body out into the open world. Within moments, her feet met the soft ground of the courtyard garden. Bela hated to admit it but, deep down, she was terrified by the prospect of opening her eyes again. Because when she did just that, the reality of her actions came crashing down onto her.

Or rather, the snow melting and seeping into her layers did. While she didn’t feel the cold, luckily, the difference of temperature between herself and everything outside was causing water to worm its way to her. The moment she felt that first prick of damp drops coming up into her shoes, Bela panicked.

Her mind was fighting the instinct to turn into her bugs for it would only cause herself to freeze and die without the clothes. Suddenly those flowers she had her eyes trained on disappeared and all she could see was the white death that littered everything in her surroundings. Her breathing was turning into hyperventilating and had her throat not been buys with that, she would have screamed.

The name of the flower was becoming repeated in her head like a mantra that wasn’t working. Bela was running as fast as she could in the clothes she was in. Every part of her was working to find that slight pink hue in the ground. It was right next to the bench right? Or was it the gazebo? The water was coming onto her arms now and the burning was absolutely piercing. Nothing mother had ever done to her punishment wise had felt like this.

When the faint outline of those flowers came into view, Bela felt onto her knees to grab at them. It was an action she regretted almost as soon as they were fisted into her hand. Cold hit legs upon the impact and she let out a scream that was quickly silenced by a harsh bite against the inside of her mouth. With enough in her hands, Bela shot back up and ignored the taste of dead blood in her mouth as she ran towards the nearest door. Originally she had planned on climbing back into her room but that had went out the window with her.

She practically barreled into the entrance and nearly broke the hinges of the door from the force. The rush caused her to fall onto floor but the moment the warm came back in, the pain was nonexistent. With a cry of relief, Bela let go of the flowers just long enough to crawl herself out of the clothes she had protected herself with. She scooped them up once off and took a hold of her prize once more. With a smile she took the first step to The Duke’s room and—

“Bela?!”

With a gasp, she whipped her head around and saw her very fears before her. Just a few yards off was the figure of her mother. When she imagined getting caught before, the reaction she expected was that of pure rage. But it was that lack of rage, filled by utter shock and fear, that unnerved her more.

When the scene sunk in, Bela dropped the clothes and thrusted the flowers into her pockets. She was a swarm of flies before her mother even had the chance to speak. The blonde had not remembered the last time she had flown this fast. The sound of Dimitrescu’s scream of her name echoed far behind. Despite the lead and the gaining speed, she could still here her chasing after her. She knew her sisters would join her mother soon now and then that lead would be eaten up.

When she saw the door to the room come up, Bela realized just how exhausted her bugs were. But it didn’t stop her from shoving them under the crack of the door and spitting out in front of The Duke.

“Ah, how nice to see you back so soon.” Bela’s chest was constricting as the man just smiled down at her.

“Take them!” He only blinked when she thrusted the flowers into his face.

“Certainly,” His fingers wrapped around the stems gently with little hurry. “And what would you like for them.”

“Are you serious!” If she had her mother’s nails then Bela would had swiped at him. “The picture of course.”

“Ah, yes.” She put her hand out to him expectantly. But, to her horror, all he did was hand her the flowers back.

“Unfortunately, I’m sad to say that someone has already bought it.” He did in no way seem sad. Not anything near to what Bela looked like as she dropped back onto her burnt knees.

Chapter 19: Sisu

Chapter Text

Chapter Nineteen: Sisu

Finnish Adjective: A concept that describes a stoic, resilience, determination, and hardiness considered to be necessary to face the difficulties of life in general and of life in harsh conditions in particular.

. . .

“Luiza, I’m back.” Another six days had gone by with Mina successfully avoiding the Lords and the crazy people around them. She found herself going back to Nicu’s after learning that Anton had been banned for a few months. It was a good time waster alongside buying things she didn’t need from The Duke and putting plans together when alone.

Once she was inside the house, Mina heard the sounds of small talk coming from the kitchen. Thinking it was simply Luiza and her husband, she went to join them.

“What the!” Mina nearly fell back when she set her sights on what was happening before her. It was indeed Luiza who had been speaking, however, the person she was addressing was very much not her husband.

“Oh Mina, there you are!” Luiza strolled over and hugged the girl. “Lord Moreau has been waiting to see you.” Said man was sitting at the table with his hands held together in his lap.

“I, uh, didn’t realize you were coming over.” He coughed slightly.

“S-Sorry for not writing.” She could tell that Luiza was struggling to keep a cheery face on around a man who, to her, was a monstrous, yet holy, creature. To Mina, despite everything, he was just a man playing a part. “But I um, need some help.”

“Help with what?” Her heart was starting to race thinking that she was once again going to be thrust into another situation that would leave her drained in the same way that Donna and Bela did.

“I,” she visibly gulped against a dry throat. “I need you to help me bake some pies.” Silence enveloped the room as Mina’s mind repeated what was just said.

“What?” Luiza, almost forgotten, bumped her elbow against Mina’s ribs.

“Of course she can help you, I can even assist if you’d like.” A big smile grew onto the Lord’s face that had Luiza matching it immediately.

“Is this for the dinner?” Moreau nodded and took a bite out of a cookie that Luiza had laid out onto a saucer.

“Yes, Donna hasn’t hosted in a while, and I offered to help with dessert and she said yes!” He was practically jumping up and down in his chair. “I want to bake one for each of them!”

“Five pies? Why not just one or two?” Luiza bumped her again.

“Heisenberg and Alcina refuse to eat from the same dessert and Mother always gets her own. It’s easier for everyone to have a separate one.” Mina couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the pettiness that was the man trying to hunt her.

“Alright, so what flavors then?” Luiza moved away from her then and went to a drawer to grab out some paper and pencils.

“Peach pie for Donna, cherry for Alcina, chocolate cream for Heisenberg, and blackberry for Mother.” He spoke to them all so clearly and certain that Mina wondered how much he had studied of his siblings and if they even bothered to remember anything that he liked.

“What about you?” He looked up at her with wide eyes. “What pie do you want for dessert.” Luiza looked between the two and nodded.

“Yes, we certainly can’t let you go there with nothing for yourself.” Moreau looked down bashfully. Had no one really cared to ask what he wanted before?

“I . . . I like peanut butter and chocolate pie.” Just the sound of the familiar name made Mina’s tastebuds recall the last time she had a handful of Reese’s Pieces.

“Sounds like a plan.” Luiza, now finished scribbling, handed the paper off to her ward. “Go to The Duke and pick these up and make it quick.” The older woman had donned on an apron within a flash as she pushed Mina back out the door.

“Wha?” Cold air smacked into her as the door was slammed shut behind her.

. . .

“Excited for tomorrow?” The Duke was wrapping up Luiza’s last minute supplies as Mina impatiently waited before him. Since all the food on list was for the fillings, she imagined that Moreau and the older woman had already started on getting the crust together. Totally fine with her, she didn’t like baking anyways.

“No, but I am excited to get Lord Moreau out of my house and away from my brainwashed guardian.” He shook his head at that, looking at the girl fondly.

“Well, at the very least I’m sure you’re grateful that it’s not one of the other Lords who is visiting you at the moment.” Mina grunted at the thought. What would she had done if it were Angie and Lord Beneviento?

Probably stuff the f*cking thing into the fire and share some tea with Donna in perfect silence.

“True.” Mina stood on her tiptoes to grab that bag as he finished up with it. His face made a little ‘oh’ look before he put up a finger. She co*cked her head to the left until he produced an envelope in his hands.

“To think I almost forgot about this.” With the item in her hands, sudden memories from the previous letters popped up in her head.

“They’re for me?” The Duke nodded and pointed towards the labelled one.

“This was delivered to me by a friend of yours.” The way he said it made Mina narrow her eyes at him. When she opened it up, she was justified in being suspicious.

Dearest Mina,

Lord Beneviento and I regret to inform you that we will have to push back our play date for next week. We have plans with Mother Miranda and the rest of our family and do not have time for you. So sorry, just know that we will miss you just as much as you will miss us.

She rolled her eyes and made a grunt of disgust at the crayon written letter. However, upon reaching the last line, Mina just nearly screamed.

And don’t worry, I will attempt to restrain myself from divulging all your dirty little fantasies to Lord Heisenberg, I’m getting nauseous just thinking about what he would do if he knew about them.

“That little—” She kicked up some snow as she crumbled the thing up in her hands.“I swear I’m going to drop kick this bitch someday.”

“Good Luck with that,” The Duke simply smiled at her as he watched her begin to turn around. “Until such a day occurs, try to cheer up a bit, I have a feeling you’re going to have more fun than you think you are.” She chose not to reply back. Just rolled her eyes and pushed the comment to the back of her mind.

Remember, he’s just a regular person. He can’t possibly mean anything by it.

. . .

Mina wasn’t exactly sure what she was expecting to see when she got back. Though, Lord Moreau covered head to toe in flour was not one of them.

“Uh?” She was standing in the threshold of the kitchen and maintaining a stare between her and the Lord. He looked a little uncomfortable, cheeks red under the white powder.

“Here you go, my Lord.” Luisa rushed past her so fast that Mina nearly stumbled over in surprise. In the older woman’s hands were a few towels which she quickly used to fan away the excess flour. The other she dampened and gave for Moreau to use on his face.

“So it’s going well I see.” As soon as she said it, her eyes came across five circular tins with the raw dough lining the insides. Despite how it looked, it seemed that the two of them had successfully completed the crust.

“Very,” Luiza now satisfied with the cleaning, turned to point towards their work in progress. “You seemed to have taken your time getting back.” She placed a hand on her hip as Mina set the bag down onto the table.

“The Duke had a letter for me so I got caught up with them.” This had the two looking at her in completely different ways. Luiza’s mouth twisted upwards as wonder glinted in her pupils. Moreau’s disfigured mouth only drooped downwards with wide eyes.

“Letter?” Luisa straightened up her back and cast her gaze towards Mina’s dress pockets.

“Yeah,” she coughed uncomfortably. “Nothing from Lord Beneviento this time.” In the bottom of her eyes she saw the Lord take in a deep breath as his shoulders relaxed. It wasn’t technically a lie given that the doll was the one who wrote it.

“Then who else is writing to you?” That smile on her guardian’s face didn’t lift and Mina felt her cheeks redden. “A secret admirer perhaps?”

“No!” The heightened volume of her voice didn’t upset the woman, for once. Instead the slyest of smiles peeked out from her chapped lips. If Moreau wasn’t standing here, Mina would have rolled her eyes and groaned.

“I see . . . now, back to our little project.” The rest of their time together was spent with Mina and Moreau mostly observing Luiza and carrying out the small tasks she asked of them. The Lord luckily had the foresight to bring cooking gloves with him so that none of his bodily things(?) seeped into the ingredients. Luiza mostly had him washing the fruits and cutting them as Mina mixed up the batter for the chocolate-based ones. She also worked on the coverings of the pies. The blackberry and cherry had lattice’s while the Peach had a simple full crust going on. The chocolate-based ones didn’t require a cover, so they were left alone.

Luiza mainly did the actual cooking and simmering, making sure all the fruits were reduced into a syrup like sauce. It was surprising how much time had passed between the three of them despite the circ*mstances that surrounded them. For Luiza tomorrow was another year of celebration. However, for Mina and Moreau, it was a new experience that depended on them acting accordingly. Both were on the outskirts of their societies and tomorrow seemed like the type of day to make or break them.

“I hope your family likes them.” Mina and Moreau were standing by the doorway now as Luiza finished up cleaning in the kitchen. The five finished pies were packed into a bag and stacked so that they wouldn’t become harmed during the journey back to the reservoir. Despite how the day had started, the Lord seemed hopeful and content with their work.

“Donna promised not to tell them that I made them until after dessert.” Mina nodded as he smiled up at her.

Smart move, I highly doubt Lord Highass would willingly consume anything his brother made. I’d love to see his face when he finds outs.

She actually felt offended imagining him denying his pie because Moreau had a hand in its creation. She and Luiza had worked on it too and neither one of them would have presented the other Lords with something not up to snuff, despite her disgust of them.

“I think Donna will at least appreciate it.” Moreau looked thoughtful at the comment before agreeing. “And do me a favor if Heisenberg doesn’t then please smash his face with it. I wouldn’t want our hard work to go untouched.” He couldn’t prevent a chuckle from escaping his lips, even if it made him feel a bit guilty at making fun of his sibling. Mina was more than happy to express the opinions he had been pushing into the back of his mind for decades.

. . .

Dinner was served early that night and all three of the members of the household ended up going to bed early. Mina, however, slept in despite this and didn’t get up till noon. When she looked outside it was if the streets had changed drastically before her eyes. Had no one told her of the festival, she wouldn’t have known it was going on until just now. Apparently they let set up go until the last second. That or Mother Miranda wanted them to keep their holiday to one day and one day only with little anything happening beforehand.

Luckily, it was not snowing and the wind itself was mild in comparison to what it had been in the past. Otherwise the floral décor would have been waterlogged and the sense of incoming spring would feel too far off to celebrate.

But this festival isn’t about the spring or flowers . . .

No, it was about young women, new life, and also sheep for some reason. Mina really wished it were just sheep. She’d much rather dress up like a sheep than be presented center-stage with the other women who were unmarried. She had a sneaking suspicion that she would be among one of the oldest among them. If this place was trapped in time than she imagined the average age of marriage had jumped down by a decade or so.

She took that as a good thing in this instance though. Why would any of the village guys bother with an older woman when there were younger girls are there instead. Especially girls who weren’t as ‘simple’ as her. So today, she decided, would be the one day she would embrace the demeaning lies that had been wrapped around herself since day one.

This confidence kept up until things started to get darker and the beginning of the fun was just starting up outside. It was then that Luiza had proudly presented her with Lord Beneviento’s finished gift.

The dress didn’t belong on Mina. It wasn’t to say that she looked bad in it, in fact, she looked rather well compared to what she had been wearing in the past weeks. It just was so strange on her body. An uncomfortableness that came not from the physical feel but from something deeper inside. Luiza’s reaction to it was much like a mother would towards their daughter’s prom night and it made Mina’s gut clench. Even her husband smiled at her like she was something to be proud of.

“Oh, look at you!” When she was at the bottom of the stairs, Luiza made a motion with her fingers and had the younger woman doing a little twirl. “So pretty!”

“Thanks . . . you did a good job with this.” It wasn’t a total lie. It fit her shape and didn’t seem too clunky or showy despite the nature of the dress and the festival itself. Things could be much worse.

“I’m so glad, now, come here.” Luiza practically dragged Mina over to sit in the parlor room as her husband left to join the other early birds outside. Lanterns were glowing up through the windows and the spectacle of them all kept Mina distracted as her guardian grabbed something from a little box on the table.

“Wha?” A long, crimson colored ribbon dangled in front of her. It was different from the type of stuff one would get from a fabric or craft store. It wasn’t made of that cheap, shiny material that popped up a lot on mass-sold costumes. It was a matte color with some embroidery near the edges. The most notable thing was the big ‘M’ that had been detailed into the middle. Along both sides were little vines that framed it into something elegant. She didn’t know how Luiza found the time to make this on top of the dress.

“You know, I’ve never braided someone else’s hair before.” Mina glanced up at her guardian as she started to play around with her hair, the ribbon clasped into her right hand. “The last time I played this game was when I was eighteen. It was only my second year of being a part of the celebration and honestly, I had actually thought that I would have found a man on the first go.”

“What happened during the first year?” Luiza giggled a little bit, suddenly seeming younger than ever before.

“Ernest was sick my first year, so he wasn’t there to sweep me off my feet like I had hoped.” Mina snorted at the thought. “Instead, a man named Eugen decided that he wanted to ‘try it on’ with me. He was quite a little brute and very unattractive. I swear to Miranda, I remember him having a pig-like nose.” Mina outright giggled at this. “One moment I’m having a drink with a few of my girlfriends, the next I feel him putting his grubby hands in my hair.”

“Gross, what did you do?” A little bit of red came to her cheeks.

“Er, well, I had meant to push him back . . .” Her hands stopped completely in the middle of her hair. “But with the angle and other . . . factors, I ended up dislocating his elbow.” Luiza was attempting to maintain some look of remorse but despite the years, she couldn’t help but purse her lips into a tight smirk.

“Wow, no wonder men say chivalry is dead.” Luiza shook her head at the young girl as she burst out into a fit of giggles. How long had it been since both could truly laugh in the others presence. Suddenly tonight didn’t seem like it would be such a bad time.

. . .

When Luiza was finished with her the sky had turned into sundown and the orange hue set up a comfortable aesthetic. Mina’s hair, to her delight, was done into a crown braid. Someone wanting to mess with her hair would have to not only undue them but to do so in a way were she wouldn’t notice her bun unfurling into her shoulders. Maybe Luiza was taking pity on her. Though, when she saw her face after it had been painted over with make-up, Mina rethought that motive.

Was messing with her going to be a challenge? Yes. But the way she looked now within the mirror, well, it was if her guardian had made the reward that much sweeter.

“There you are my dear,” her husband was within a group of other older men. She hadn’t meant to stumble upon them but with so many people around, it was hard to figure out who was where. The once introverted man seemed more like her father after some alcohol.

“Hey Ernest,” Mina waved at him and the others with a week hand gesture. The men around him started to turn towards each other and whisper things that made her uncomfortable. “This is, uh, . . . fun.” She was purposely laying on the stupid girl act now that a drink was in her hand.

“Your wife did a beautiful job on the dress,” a man with black hair spoke up before the other got to speak. Mina knew none of their names. “She looks a lot different then what I remember.” Mina blinked, unsure of what that was supposed to mean.

“Oh, I’ll have to tell her that.” Ernest swallowed uncomfortably. A sign to her that he was not totally with his friends. “Mina helped a lot though, she’s just as hard of a worker as she is beautiful.” The comment made a little smile slip into her.

“Marku, come!” An older, blonde headed man behind Ernest barked some orders towards a younger boy just a few yards off. He glared for a second before coming over to the group of them. “The young lady here is almost done with whatever drink Ernie concocted. Get her something nice.” The boy, who she guessed was this guy’s son, stared at her for a moment before looking back at his dad and grinning.

Wonderful . . .

Within two blinks, a large glass was frisked into her hand and shoved towards her mouth. A more sober Mina would have not touched it but given the circ*mstances, she emptied the drink into her awaiting mouth. The taste was more bitter than what she had drank at Nicu’s. A silent word echoed in her mind before she realized that what she was drinking was called Țuică.

“Thank you,” she smiled at the son, and he gave her a devilish grin in return. Surprisingly, he walked towards his father and spoke a few quiet words with him, before walking away back into the crowd. Mina narrowed her eyes towards the strange man. “Nice kid.”

She was quick to move away and allow the alcohol to help the men around her to forget about her unique existence. With little to do, Mina wandered around with her drink. The energy of the village was unlike anything before, and she hoped that The Duke had taken the opportunity to join in the festivities. However, someone else came up to her before she could seek him out.

“Mina?” She heard her name being called before seeing a familiar woman come right into her face. It took the girl a few seconds to realize that the woman with long hair now in front of her was Constanta.

“H-Hey,” Mina’s nose twitched.

“How are you, I haven’t seen you for so long.” Mina was confused before she took a deep sniff and smelt the alcohol on her breath. Someone got to the pregame a bit early.

“Yeah, sorry, I’ve been . . .” The smile on the older woman’s face did not falter.

“I get it, don’t worry.” Constanta was swaying on the balls of her feet. The music Mina had been ignoring was breaking past her defenses and she was unable to keep out the excitement of the day. “Things haven’t been . . . ideal.” She looked ashamed in a way and Mina couldn’t help but feel some guilt. Or rather sympathy?

“I wish I could have seen you more.” Given her track record with the Lords, Mina doubted it.

“Maybe we can now . . .” Mina’s jaw opened in confusion as Constanta’s hands came to hold each other.

“I, um, don’t have many friends so please feel free—” Two suffocating arms pulled her into a tight squeeze. She did not notice the tears going down the older woman’s face.

“I could use a friend, at the moment.” She let go of Mina and allowed the girl to take another look at her. The embarrassment in her eyes was definitely from shame and based upon the people around them, who either ignored them for other people or stared at them with some sort of smirk, it seemed that Constanta had become a part of the pariah of the village. It didn’t make sense to the outsider. Anton’s own faults were not a reflection of hers.

“Cool, cool . . .” Mina smiled at her, barely managing to lighten the mood.

“Could we—”

“Oh my!” The two women jumped as an uproar suddenly peaked amongst the village. Constanta grabbed at her hand when the crowd around them started to dart to the north of them. Their bodies were pushed amongst the line so much that they traveled far away from Nicu’s and Luiza’s home. The shoving only stopped when the church and the gates to the castle came into view.

Mina knew that something was being passed around amongst the villagers. From their position, the whispers being said amongst them was pretty much like hearing the ends of a game of telephone. So reluctantly, Mina dropped Constanta’s hand and pushed her way to the front. The excitement only grew as she continued. However, in her pursuit north, the people at the front were surprisingly moving back.

Wait, why are they moving away?

A sharp push against a buff man answered that question. Mina was propelled against the front line in an instant, causing her to realize why the people around her were trying to retreat.

“Mother Miranda.” A woman to her left whispered loudly amongst the people around her. This was the last thing Mina heard for a while as her body came to terms with the people she was seeing in front of her.

In front of the gate of Castle Dimitrescu was four people, looking very much out of place amongst the rest. Two, she recognized with disgust. The other two however, left her heart feeling out of control. It didn’t take a genius to understand that the two unknown ladies, whose presence made a village quiver, belonged to that of Lady Dimitrescu—

f*ck was this lady like a carny before? She should call the Guinness book of world records?

And the woman, whom she had been trying not to identify subconsciously, was Mother Miranda herself. It was the gold mask that keyed Mina into what was going on. Otherwise it would have taken her a minute or two to understand that she was really, truly actually, only a few yards away from the villager oppressor. The cult leader that had brainwashed generations of backwoods Romanian hicks into freezing their life into the wilderness and forgoing the change that the future brought.

Through the confusion, each villager fell to their knees. Mina, embarrassingly, was one of the last to clue into this and almost stood out too much amongst the devotees. The ground was still a little damp and she felt her boots dig into the dirt uncomfortably. Her eyes chose to look downwards until the silence finally ended.

“My children,” that voice . . . it made Mina choke. “How wonderful it is that I am to celebrate this year with you.” A squelch in the ground alerted Mina that the woman was moving closer towards them all. It made her want to borrow underground like an ostrich.

“Tonight is going to be something truly special.” Something was happening above her that caused a series of sounds to go off before the band once again started up. Did Miranda motion for them to carry on or was one of the other Lords keeping things the way they were supposed to.

All these questions disappeared when Mina learned something truly horrifying.

Lord Moreau!?

The hunched man was nowhere to be seen. From the way he had talked about the dinner, the entire affair should have started around this time. There was no way that they had finished everything and decided to watch the festivities of their simple village people.

While she tried to figure out what was going on, Mother Miranda allowed for a large group of the older villagers to accommodate a space for the Lords and herself to be separate. A place for everyone to look upon with rapture. How fortunate they were to get such a look at their god and her disciples.

In the mix of it all, no one really noticed the little girl coming a bit to close to the workers. Mina didn’t until several people near her cried out, the loudest being the high pitch of a child. Though only a couple yards away from the pression of people bringing tables and chairs, Mina could only barely see what had happened as she stood on the tips of her toes. One of the table parts was sunk into the ground whilst an older villager pulled a small child from under its weight. She guessed that the kid was too close to someone legs and accidently caused said person to trip with the wood falling directly on top of her little body. Though her face was reddened with tears, Mina knew exactly who the girl was by the sight of her long blonde hair.

Damn this kid has some bad luck.

The outsider winced as she spotted the girls arm being inspected by the person holding her up. Something, likely a piece of metal or loose screw, had cut her deep upon the fall. A four-inch jagged incision caused bright blood to flow down her appendage and into the ground.

It didn’t occur to Mina that people were spreading out from the scene until someone backed up directly into her face. She stumbled back, barely being caught by Constanta. Recovering from this, Mina stood up only to see the side of the dark-robbed matriarch. Her stomach twisted at the sight of the woman’s ornate hand reaching out for Marianna’s injured one.

Please don’t hurt—

Hurt was the opposite of what occurred before the outsider. Just a slight touch of the woman’s fingertips against the cut had the blood washing away without a trace. It was as if it had all been pushed into a void as Mina didn’t see any of it join the rest on the ground. Scarring tissue tied itself back together as if the accident occurred in reverse.

Within seconds the little girl was whole once more. Albeit her face had gone from red to white upon watching the miracle occur to her very being. Rational thinking was trying to reboot itself into Mina’s brain as if it were a wet match dying to light. Said match and any deniability was tossed away into the sea as she witnessed the sudden disappearance and reappearance of Miranda all within one moment. Once again she was by the side of her children, now with a completely finished seating area.

Villagers were lost between gawking at Miranda and the little girls freshly healed wounds. Mina, for once, was no different. Though there was absence of awe and admiration. Just simple fear and disbelief. Their world view had just been reinforced. Hers was now crashing down.

“Someone in charge, hm? I’m going to assume that you’re referring to Mother Miranda.” A sharp, angry inhale had Mina’s nostrils burning. Her lips instantly twisted as the godlike woman’s name bounced around in her head. “Unfortunately, I am the sole exception to her otherwise rigid policy on people remaining in the village. She’s not one to let members of her family get away so easily.”

“I am not her family.” Mina couldn’t help but turn her gaze to confirm that the two of them were still alone as her tongue felt hot with each spiteful word. “And you don’t honestly expect me to believe that this Mother Miranda lady is actually real, right?”

“Oh, she is very real.” She groaned, earning a chuckle from the merchant. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Because everyone keeps telling me that she’s this all-knowing, ageless god—that’s literally impossible.” The cold was doing nothing to soften the seething rage boiling within her chest. The Duke sitting unaffected and apathetic did nothing to help.

“If that’s what you believe then I won’t argue with you.” Mina swore she saw his grin widen.

. . .

“Where do you think you’re going?” Mina stopped dead in her tracks when Luiza stepped out in front of her. She was still stuck in the village, attempting to get around the sea of people so that she could find The Duke and ask for any semblance of help. Because at this point, she was willing to sell some organs if it meant getting out of this hell.

“Somethings come up; I need to—”

“You need to stay.” The older woman came up to her close so that she could speak directly into the girl’s ear. “Do you know how bad it will look if you leave right as Mother Miranda has arrived, and with the Lords as well.”

Not all the Lords . . .

Luiza ignored the way Mina’s body tensed and spun her back around.

“I am very well aware that you don’t want to be here—”

“That’s an understatement.” Mina grumbled but allowed Luiza to push her back towards the height of the festival.

“But you must understand that this is now about more than just a party.” Mina nodded her head with a glare. The act of supposed submission made the older woman soften up a bit. “Please, just go and have a drink, talk to some of the young men, dance, do something fun.”

“Fine.” She pushed back her frown and brought a neutral expression to her face. Only enough effort was put in to make it seem like she was having at least an okay time so far. She would have to go around now in order to get to the alter site. That meant being in view of Miranda and the Lords once more.

Or maybe we can just run off into the woods and hide? Give running away a chance even if actual f*cking werewolves are now a possible thing.

In a quick amount of time Mina was noticing that the villagers were becoming more heavy-handed with their drinks. Something she could tell by the way the others laughter was becoming louder and unreserved. Women she had passed merely ten minutes ago had already lost the ribbons in their hair. Long tresses were waving about as they danced with their respective partners. She noticed that the lucky men were wearing the ribbons around their wrists like bracelets. A symbol of honor she guessed. The unfortunate part for her was that while she could identify the unmarried women, Mina could not do the same for the men around her. She felt eyes watching her with every move and more than once she would whip her head around to survey her surroundings.

Her racing thoughts kept her occupied until she finally came to a stop near the castle itself. Miranda and the Lords were still there, It made her think of the fact that they should be at Donna’s house right now, sitting with Moreau and pretending to be a family in private. But no, at the head of the table was Miranda looking towards the crowd with satisfaction appearing behind her golden mask. Donna and Angie were to her right and Alcina was to her left. Heisenberg, on the other hand, was at the other end and looking quite bored. His arm held up his head as he kept his gaze onto the table itself. In the other hand he was swirling around a bottle of what looked like beer. Mina imagined it was something stronger though.

While she took this in, her hesitancy to move gave Angie enough time to spot her in the crowd. Mina jumped when she saw the demonic thing lock eyes with her. All at once the dolls smile turned into a predatory grin. She swore her teeth looked sharper than before. Quickly she tore her eyes away from Mina only enough to turn over to Donna and whisper something in her ears. The veiled woman’s head moved to stare at Mina as well but unlike Angie, her body moved instantly to look somewhere else. Did the Lord know what happened during the hallucination? Were the moans she made, after declaring out loud that the man doing so was her brother, disgust her as much as it did Mina? For some reason that made the human girl feel a weight pooling to her stomach. A familiar feeling that she usually associated with rejection.

Mina’s shoulders dropped in defeat as she mentally cursed Angie. Only one positive thing passed within her racing thoughts and that was the fact that Donna was likely a separate entity from the doll. Why need someone to manually power Angie’s movements when apparently literal f*cking magic was a thing here.

A gust of wind broke her train of thought. It was just a light breeze that wafted from behind her and towards the castle. Within seconds something extremely peculiar happened. The eyes she had on Donna snapped away and towards the Lord farthest away from her.

When the wind reached them, the bottle in Heisenberg’s hand broke into several pieces that had his sisters flinching in surprise. Glass fell onto the edge of the table and ground before the man stood up suddenly. Lady Dimitrescu was saying something with a snarl on her face but not once did her brother look at her. His eyes were scanning the crowd and it left Mina scratching her head. Suddenly she saw him take large sniffs into the air and the implication hit her.

I’m not wearing perfume!

Not only had she neglected the bottle as a part of her routine today, believing the Lord to be far away, but the fact that Luiza had just made the dress meant that she hadn’t washed it down with the spray as well. Her heart was pounding, and it felt as if her legs had gone numb. When his gaze began to zero in on her particular spot, a voice in Mina’s head screamed at her to run. And she did.

Lord Heisenberg had caught her scent again. The hunt was back on. God knows what things he was truly capable of.

Chapter 20: Cafuné

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty: Cafuné

Portuguese Verb: To tenderly run one’s fingers through someone’s hair.

. . .

Lord Heisenberg had caught her scent again. The hunt was back on.

She didn’t care if some of the villagers were staring at her as she rushed past them from where she had come from originally. Her mind was convincing her to get back to Luiza’s and practically bathe in one of her bottles. The Chanel made the most sense to her at that moment.

In her haste she accidently walked into a large opening that had become an impromptu dance floor. Her senses became surrounded by dancing couples twirling around and making her tipsy head spin. In that vortex, a random man with blonde hair slicked back like Draco Malfoy, took her hands into his and thrusted Mina into his chest. She hadn’t realized she had started dancing along with them all until her gaze caught his own. Emerald, green eyes pierced into her face and she became entranced by the sinisterness of him and her situation.

“Mina I presume?” He spoke with an air that was lighter than that of the other men of the village. She nodded slightly as he chuckled at her reaction. “I’m Dracul.”

“ . . . I love that name.” She actually meant it in that moment. Attitude aside, she found it amusing that someone named that was dancing with someone named her.

“My last name is Ardelean,” she co*cked her head to the side. “I think it would sound nice on you.” He winked at her and she laughed without thinking. Mina Ardelean? She didn’t think that it made sense on her.

“Cute.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say in that moment. Her one-word reaction only strengthened his smirk and his intentions became revealed to her all at once.

To the villagers, despite Mina being in her twenties, her ‘simple’ mind was something a man here would value as a positive trait. A smart woman is defiant and knows herself. A stupid one is submissive, easy to manipulate, and is only good for one thing.

The perfect little wife.

Her lips drew into a frown. He seemed to not notice or care as she felt one of his hands teetering up her back. She shivered at the feeling of his bare skin on her neck. Panic erupted within her as a finger lodged itself into her hair. That frown became a snarl and without thinking, Mina was able to raise her knee into his groin. The shock and pain had Dracul doubling over and nearly taking Mina down with him. She snapped back quickly and went to the edge of the circle. A triumphant smirk washed over her face as she saw him wither on the ground for a few seconds. The villagers around her stopped and looked around, trying to understand what had just happened.

She watched as the man raised his eyes towards her with a look of such rage that it nearly struck into Mina’s core. But before it could wedge itself into her, his eyes widened and the strained expression on his face became a look of pure fear. The other villagers, looking in his direction, mimicked him as Mina assumed they were looking at her.

For a few glorious moments, the outsider felt like a queen. But a gust of wind from behind caused a strange sensation to hit her neck and the exposed part of her collar. In her peripheral vision she saw strands of her caramel hair whisp by her. It caressed her face in a dreadful way as her body slowly took in the fact that her hair was now completely down. Another one of her senses had her turning around slowly. With her back now to the villagers, she realized that she had not been the one they were looking at.

Lord Heisenberg!

She shook as she took in the way his dark glasses looked down at her. A smirk unlike any she had seen was gleaming back at her. She was looking at the man she had feared the most.

And he was holding a red ribbon.

Despite the cold, Mina’s body felt unbearably hot. It was the type of intense sweltering that made her feel like she might pass out into the muddy ground. A vision of her crumbled form lying at his feet, an offering so delicious. All of these sensations came to a head when he finally moved.

A simple, amused tilt of his head and Mina was gone. The forest, dense and dark, was the only viable refuge. Luckily the villagers surrounding them had congregated in a half-sphere crowd. Plenty of space for her to push through and past the houses. She didn’t hear his voice amongst the gasps and chatter of the villagers watching her fleeting form. Thankfully none of them rushed after her.

The woods were not kind to her shins as she felt twigs and foliage snap against her like the whack of a stern parent. Branches slid across her face and hair grasping for a taste of warm flesh. Though she heard no howling, the sense of being hunted latched against the back of her neck and sucked reason from her body. It wasn’t until the cold finally penetrated her skin did Mina let up. Her legs came to a halt just before she collapsed onto her knees.

Each labored breath she took caused her chest to heave immensely. Little tears seeped out from her closed eyes, each running a cold trail down her face. This morning she had woken up in a cult, a sh*tty thing on it’s own. Now she was stuck in some f*cked up Wonderland. A place where strange women could heal and teleport with little effort. The blind worship suddenly made more sense. The villagers seemed a little less ridiculous to her now.

So much for exposing the circus, feeling pretty f*cking stupid now . . . is getting home even an option?

Week knees pushed her body up from the ground. The prospect of continuing to walk forward made as little sense as going back. Perhaps she might as well freeze and get everything over with. The warmth of hypothermia might be rather nice, all things considered.

A twig snap, followed by a growl, erased any chance of a quiet death. Mouthing the word ‘f*ck’, Mina forced herself to turn towards the source of the noise. In the light of the moon, the girl could make out a figure amongst the space between two trees. It seemed like a shadow, with shaggy hair that covered noticeable features. It was built like a human, but a part of Mina knew that this was anything but.

The thing hunched over slightly, sharp teeth barred and visible amongst the hair. Mina tried to swallow a lump in her throat but her saliva ended up getting blocked, leaving her feeling like she needed to cough harshly. Something one shouldn’t do when confronted with a temperamental predator.

Welp, I’m f*cked.

Without warning, it howled and launched itself at her. All she could do was instinctively raise her hands to soften whatever blow it’s jagged nails and teeth could inflict. Right as she felt it’s body begin to descend onto her, a whirling sound zoomed past. With closed eyes, her heart fluttered expecting some sort of pain. It didn’t come.

The decision to open her eyes was not one Mina wanted to make. Immediately she became aware of what had happened to her attacker when she moved her gaze to the ground only five feet away from her. A desperate scream got stuck in her chest as she took in the sight of a man like thing slouched against a tree, it’s head nothing more than a splat against the bark. Blood was still streaming out from the severed neck.

Next to the body, she realized, was a sadly familiar weapon. A hammer she had briefly caught sight of back in the reservoir. The image of what Moreau would look like had his brother gone through with the threat only further nauseated her.

To the outsiders horror, the hammer twitched without being moved. Instinctively she backed several feet away from it. A smart move when the entire thing suddenly flew through the air and past her shaking form. The sounds of footsteps crunching carelessly towards her brought back the desire to run aimlessly.

“Going somewhere?” The cool drawl she had heard so long ago caused her face to burn up once again. Mina closed her eyes for a quick second, a sad attempt at collecting herself, before turning her body towards the new presence.

“I wish,” she muttered. The sight of Heisenberg’s face made her heart beat fast enough that it practically echoed through her ears. The shadows of the night masking part of his body did more than just scare her, unfortunately.

Goddamn it, not now Mina!

“Well you’re not going to get far going that way.” His free hand went to fish something out of his pocket, a cigar she realized. When he placed it in his mouth a metal lighter floated up and flicked itself on. For a few moments she got a better look at his scarred face and unkempt beard, as well as the smirk still playing on the edge of his lips.

“And what way would you recommend?” The little bit of venom that escaped her voice felt like a burn on her tongue when she realized how it sounded. An attitude wasn’t something a girl like her should be giving to a scary magic man.

“If you’re looking to leave than the only place you can go is down, specifically six feet under.” She groaned at this, eyes subconsciously narrowing at his tone.

f*cking asshat.

“I’m going to take a guess and say that you’re the one who’s planning to put me there.” Her hands balled the sides of her dress into tight fists. He seemed to enjoy punishing her with a delayed response.

“Now why would I go and do that.” Mina co*cked her head to the side, lips repeating the silent sound of her new pet name. “Especially since I went through all the trouble of saving you from that Lycan.”

“Maybe it’s cause you wanted to take me out yourself.” He seemed to enjoy hunting her thus far. “Maybe make me an example for any other villagers stupid enough to try running away.” He laughed at this, head shaking at the supposed hilarity she wasn’t getting.

“I think we both know that your little friends don’t need more reminders as to what happens to dissenters.” The smell of smoke was getting stronger as he took a few steps closer to her. Shamelessly he took a particularly long drag before blowing directly into her face. Grimacing, Mina turned away.

“f*ck—enough beating around the bush.” He raised an eyebrow at this, amusem*nt not leaving his face. “You’ve been hunting me.”

“Hunting’s a strong word.” He took another drag as the word ‘asshole’ repeated over in Mina’s head. “It’s more like pursuing.”

“Well, either way, you’ve found me.” Her arms dejectedly motioned to herself. “Now what do you want?”

“Oh I want a lot of things, buttercup.” His hand reached out to turn her chin back towards his face, an action that had her flinching. Blood from his hammer had somehow gotten on the leather of his gloves and now stained a small part of her face. “But how about we start with something easy.”

Like a hand job---damn it!

“Your name?” The question took a second for her to process. It didn’t help that intrusive thoughts were plaguing her.

“. . . It’s Mina.” He took another inhale of the quickly shortening cigar. He seemed to mull over her answer alongside of the taste of the burning tobacco.

“Well, Mina, why don’t you tell me where you’re from.” The deepness of his voice felt like a purr to her body. “And do me a favor and not lie, I’m not a patient man.”

“I’m . . . not from here.”

“Obviously.” She forced herself to suck in a deep breath.

“My real home is in The States, the east coast specifically.” His free hand made a motion to go on. “I came to Europe on a trip alone. To say I regret not going to the Caribbean would be an understatement . . . basically after a series of unfortunate events, I stumbled out of a car crash and into this f*cking place.”

“Stumbled,” he chuckled. “You say that like it’s an easy thing. In my experience, even the most adept outsiders perish before reaching the village.” With the cigar now dead, Heisenberg dropped it unceremoniously onto the ground. “Miranda makes sure of that.”

“I guess even gods make mistakes now and then.” Before he could open his mouth, she continued. “I’m guessing that you’re going to tell her about me then.”

“Hmm, I could.” He took another step closer, his natural scent was near enough for her to detect. Despite his outward appearance, it wasn’t unpleasant. “If I did she’d likely kill you outright or give you away to my oversized bitch of a sister.”

“And that would end with me being corked into a bottle of crappy wine.” This seemed to surprise him a bit, the first genuine reaction amongst his arrogant and collected demeanor.

“I’m impressed. Not even here for a month and already you’ve figured out that bitch’s fun little pastime.”

“Let’s just say I’m not eager to go back to the castle any time soon.” The fact that she was indebted to his niece was something she’d leave out for another day. “Or play with that psychotic doll.”

“What about a nice swim with fish freak?” Her face softened for a moment as she remembered his forgotten brother likely waiting for a dinner that wasn’t going to happen. “You know I’m kind of offended to be the last Lord you’ve met.”

“Truth be told, I haven’t actually met Dimitrescu, just raided her castle for some things.”

And also got a little freaky with her daughter but that’s not something I’m going to think about now.

“That’s pretty reckless for a human, especially one as unlucky as you.” Mina groaned, hating the truth in his words.

“Look, I’m just a regular person trying to get the hell out of here.” Looking directly into his face was a little easier given that his glasses were still on, despite the night. “We both know I don’t belong here so if there’s something I can do to get the f*ck out than let me know because I am getting real f*cking sick of this cult bullsh*t.”

Her heart nearly stopped as the smirk faded from his lips.

“You think you’re sick of this.” he snarled. “Try a couple decades and see how it feels.”

“I think I’d rather off myself than grow old in this sh*thole.” Her chest was really hurting now as anxiety fought against the part of her that wanted to scream at the Lord. “The only reason I haven’t so far is because I’ve got a family who doesn’t deserve to spend the rest of their lives wondering what happened to me.”

“Too bad you didn’t bring them along with you, then you could all be a nice treat for the Lycans." His face was practically begging for her to punch him. If she suspected him of being human than she would have gladly done so.

“There has to be some way out for me, one that doesn’t involve my death.” Her chest expanded and deflated with labored breaths. It was taking a lot not to cry. “Please.”

Heisenberg didn’t say anything at first. His face was neutral as his gaze roamed her figure, sizing up what made her different than the others born into the village. Finally the smirk pulled at his lips again, leaving Mina even more confused as to how to feel in that moment.

“Why don’t we head back to the village,” Mina nearly groaned. “The party just started after all.” To her horror, Heisenberg pulled out a ribbon from his pocket and let it blow towards her in the light breeze.

Chapter 21: Yuputka

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-One: Yuputka

Ulwa Verb: A word made for walking in the woods at night.

. . .

Earlier That Night

“Go do it . . . come on . . . don’t wimp out again.” Donna was the closest one to Heisenberg. Though he imagined that he would have heard Angie regardless of the distance. God she was always loud. Part of him imagined that she wanted him to hear whatever she was saying to his sister. It did seem like she was occasionally throwing a dirty look over shoulder to him. Whatever though, let the stupid doll try to stir up trouble.

So far he had been training his eyes on anywhere but Miranda. He didn’t want to see that look on her face. Despite her unfeelingness, she did seem to find some enjoyment out of drinking up the praise of her followers. The parlor trick with the injured girl was child’s play in comparison to what his mother could actually do and the villagers ate it up like starving little mice.

At one point he had taken another glance at his other sister and realized that her sour mood had not changed despite being in the presence of Miranda. Something must have happened, and he would be a liar if he said that he wasn’t even a little curious. But oh well, he had better things to do then look into it.

“Aren’t they so adorable?” Heisenberg snapped his head up to look at Angie who was now speaking to them all in general. “I want my hair to be braided.” Donna put a hand on top of the dolls head. “But I don’t want any of those ugly ribbons, they wouldn’t match my dress.”

“Who the f*ck cares,” he grunted. “Not like anyone would want to take one from you anyways.” Angie’s hands tightened against Donna’s dress.

“You’re one to talk,” his sister moved her hand to attempt to shush her companion. “No girl would be caught dead within ten feet of you and your ugly mug.” A silent beat happened before the sharp teeth on Angie were shown within a big smile.

“I bet you’re still a virgin.” Alcina’s face scrunched up at the thought of her brother like that.

“Shut—”

“Stop it now, the both of you.” Miranda’s eyes were not put back on her adoptive children. With an internal grumble, Heisenberg looked away again. f*cking bitch wouldn’t even let him have the last word.

To his family he looked like a petulant child. Lips twisted downwards, bottle of hard liquor in one hand, and the occasional grunt of displeasure emerging from his throat. It was pretty obvious that none of them cared. Heisenberg, though a showman, was not a particularly sociable person. Especially with his mother’s devotee’s. Kind of hard to hold a conversation with someone who looked like they were about to pass out.

They were only there for ten minutes when the wind picked up again. That was the sh*tty part of living here. The weather was godawful most of the year. He was just about to turn his chair so that the wind hit his back instead of his side when he smelt it. His heightened senses came in handy a lot and it was this particular moment in which he was truly thankful for them.
Without even realizing it, the excitement he felt had the bottle in his hand smashing into various pieces. His sisters flinched while Mother Miranda remained unaffected. In the back of his mind he could hear Alcina screaming at him for the glass shards that had hit her and now left the faint smell of alcohol. Donna was silent while Angie laughed hysterically.

“You stupid man-thing, where do you think you’re going.” Heisenberg refused to look at her and break concentration.

“Walk.” Was the only reply he gave them before disappearing into the crowd, going fast enough for the drunk villagers to barely see a blur of him.

The outsiders smell was a combination of plain bar soap, something sweet, the remnants of perfume that had worn off, and strong alcohol. The village had yet to assimilate her smell among them and to him, she was a far cry away from the rest of them.

He had yet to get a good look at her. By the time he was able to figure out the direction she was in, the girl was already gone. Her scent was getting farther away and fast. Did she know? That would be impossible. But if she was using that familiar perfume then perhaps she knew at least something.

Finally he was able to gain speed on her and he could tell she was close enough to see. Unfortunately what laid in front of him was a group of dancing kids, all at least buzzed or worse. The alcohol smell was bothering him. Many of them had spilled at least a little bit onto each other. Had he been human he might have loved something stupid like this.

Before he could truly get frustrated, another gust of wind picked up and smacked him right in the face. Heisenberg had positioned himself so that his body was somewhat hidden from prying eyes. A long shadow engulfed him as he stood right next to the edge of house. His hat had been positioned in an angle that covered half of his face. But despite the way he had placed himself, the wind was powerful enough to carry over the intoxicating scent that stood out among the others.

And after a few moments, he finally found her: the outsider. It took a bit for him to come to terms that he had found her by sheer dumb luck.

Her body size made sense in regard to clothing he found. She was only a few inches over five feet and her arms and legs were smaller than the others, a lack of muscles was obvious. She definitely had not spent most of her life working for her meals. She had a heart shaped face with a mole on the jugular of her neck. Small freckles lined haphazardly on her cheeks and the edge of jaw.

Her eyes appeared green, maybe blue, from his distance and her hair was a thin, medium brown. She was a little cute overall but not the type of girl who would end up on a p*rno mag. When he saw her clothes he thought that was the type of person she was. It was hard to comprehend that a normal girl would want to wear stripper heels and blouses that were nearly see-through. Oh well, to each their own.

The second thing he noticed was that she very much looked like a fish out of water. Her thin lips were pressed tightly as if she was overwhelmed. He guessed she was given the way she was being held and twirled around. A man was leading her through a dance that she obviously didn’t understand. No one commented though and everyone was busy with their own partners to even take a few moments to inspect the way she looked with hers.

The confusion was making it so that she was unable to fully process what was going on around her. Deciding this was a good time to get closer, Heisenberg moved so that he was closer to the edge of the circle. Couples passed him over and over with little awareness of how close the Lord actually was. All he had to do was wait for her to do the same.

Then, not so surprisingly, he saw the blonde man take the hand that had been on the small of her back and move it upwards. It snaked against her dress and the Lord rolled his eyes at this pathetic attempt at being sly. All of a sudden, as his hand finally reached her braids, the woman did something so surprising that it made him laugh. The girl had lifted her knee and slammed it without care into the man’s crotch. He let go of her and she did a few twirls away from him. To Heisenberg’s pleasure, she stopped directly in front of him. The people around them were looking in different directions and trying to figure out what happened.

He suppressed any sound that wanted to flow from his mouth and had a small piece of metal debris come up to the tied part of her braids. It easily sliced the flimsy rubber. The little metal kept most of her hair from hitting her exposed neck just long enough to unfurl the ribbon within. When it was out and in his hand, she turned around. The proud smile dropped and absolute fear overtook her face. He couldn’t stop the predatory grin overtaking his features.

Little Cinderella had been caught.

. . .

Present

The loud crunch of the ground beneath their feet made Mina question how she hadn’t heard Heisenberg following her before. At first he didn’t continue their conversation, seemingly taking in the ‘atmosphere’ of the forest. Somehow silence irritated the outsider as much as his speaking.

“I’m curious,” he drawled. “How’d you go about convincing the wonderful locals that you belonged here.”

“I, uh, worked with a couple of people who are . . . slightly more reasonable-ish. And they came up with this story that I’m actually the daughter of the former village hermit.” She stopped for a moment, feet planted in the mud. “Honestly, I have no idea why everyone bought it.”

“Idiots like them will believe a lot of sh*t, especially if it’s coming from Miranda.” Mina squinted up at him. Not because of the darkness, though. His venomous words about the villages matriarch didn’t make sense. Shouldn’t he be as devoted as his siblings?

“You don’t seem to care that much for them,” Mina flinched as a particularly large branch shattered underneath the Lords boots. “The villagers, I mean.”

“Why would I?” The blunt apathy of his tone felt more befitting an insolent teenager.

“Well, they care a lot about you.” A lot too much, she thought bitterly. “And your family, so much so that not one of them has ever even thought of leaving this f*cking place.”

“Oh, some of them have done more than think.” She could practically hear the twisted way his lips curled. Part of her feared looking at his face and catching sight of sharpened teeth.

“And now they’re dead.” A short chuckle was her reply. “Just like I’m supposed to be.”

“Keep sneaking around Lady big bitches castle and you will.” Mina knew that she was going to be screaming into her pillow by the end of the night. “Now as much as I’d love to see how pissed off you could make her, I have better uses for an outsider like you.”

Oh please go on, daddy—sh*t, f*ck!

The urge to sink down onto her knees somehow radiated into her legs, making her next few steps as unsteady as a doe’s. He didn’t seem to notice anything strange, thank god. If it turned out that he could read minds than she might as well jump off that waterfall.

“And by, um, uses . . . that would mean working for you and . . . whatever it is that you do.” When Mina had asked Luiza about the factory before, the woman hadn’t given much information as to it’s current uses. The outsider made it a habit to limit the amount of times she asked about the metal Lord in comparison to the others. Lest the old woman get the same idea as Constanta.

“Something like that,” a small growl escaped her lips.

“You know, most people tend to give their employees a job description before bringing them on.” As well as a salary and a list of work hours but something told her that Heisenberg had no plans of abiding by any labor laws.

“In due time, buttercup.” The lights of the village had begun to penetrate the darkened trees. “In due time.” With a sigh, Mina stopped her movements. Heisenberg had only taken a couple steps in front of her before noticing that she wasn’t following still.

“I really, really don’t want to go back there.” Her gaze went to her feet as the Lord turned to approach. The edge of his boots came into her vision, making her painfully aware of how close he was.

“Why not?” She was praying that his glasses were unable to see the way her cheeks set themselves aflame at the feeling of his warm breath hitting the top of her head. “You seemed to be enjoying yourself earlier.”

“I . . . I’m tired.” She gritted out. “Can I have my ribbon back?” The palm of her right hand opened up feebly, a movement like that of an exhausted beggar.

“Your ribbon?” Her sight raised a bit as she saw his arm move.

“Yes, my ribbon.” If this kept up, Mina could see herself attempting to strangle him with it. “Give it back.”

“You seem to be a bit confused,” his dominant hand lifted itself so that the ends of his coat sleeves fell far enough to give Mina a view of his gloved wrist. “Last time I checked, the rules where that whoever takes it, keeps it.” Small bits of metal manipulated the ribbon out of his palm in order to fashion it into a simple wristlet. It honestly looked as if the band had moved on its own. When it was secured, he let his hand drop back. Her guardians gift now hidden within shadows of his attire.

At least no one will see it.

“Whatever,” she took a step back. “Just . . . go back to your family and let me be.”

“You want me to leave, huh?” Obviously, she thought. “Don’t even want to join me for a drink?”

“Not unless it cyanide.” Another step back and another step forward taken by the Lord.

“How about a dance?”

Grind on him, let everyone see what a slu*t you are—ugh. Got to get this f*cker away from me!

“I’m a terrible dancer,” her arms went to cross over her midsection. “I’d definitely step all over you.”

“Didn’t see you stepping on that boy you were with.” If time had allowed it, she would have. “You shouldn’t sell yourself short.”

“Can’t you take a hint.” The hiss in her words seemed even more foolish of an idea as walking straight into Dimitrescu’s private bedchambers. “Leave me alone.”

Silence befell them.

“Rude.” A weight was place on the top of her head. It didn’t take her long to realize that it was that of his hand. “You might want to get that attitude of yours checked if you want to see spring.”

“Why? You gonna do something about it.” The words left her lips without her even taking the time to think about the meaning. It was as if she had let the ends of a balloon slip just slightly from between her fingers. Only a second and it was headed straight to its doom.

“You know kid,” a trace of blood slithered onto her tongue as she bit down too hard. “I think you and me are going to have a lot of fun~”

Please god forgive me for all of the horny thoughts I’m about to have.

. . .

Luckily Heisenberg had gotten enough of his fill of the outsider for the night and allowed Mina to enter the village without him at her side. Despite this, some of the party goers seemed to notice her presence passing by them as if she were a lit up Christmas tree. In the haze of her fast paced journey back to Luiza’s, Mina could see mouths a gape and lips whispering into other ears.

Word travels fast in a place so little as the village.

“I don’t think so young lady,” Mina had barely crossed past the open gate when her guardians shrill voice hit her upside the head. “I thought I made it clear—”

“I feel sick!” Turning on her heel, the girl faced Luiza with exhausted eyes and worn cheeks. “Please, I just want to lie down.”

“Drink too much, hm?” Despite the change in appearance, the old woman looked unaffected as she placed both hands on her hips. The image of a fed-up mother. “Eat too many sweets?”

“You don’t understand—”

“Luiza, Luiza!” Both women flinched as a figure rushed towards them from the larger crowd. “Guess what I just heard from Antonia!” At first Mina was invisible to this woman as she clamored to her guardian’s side.

“What’s happened?” The outsiders stomach turned, knowing full well what was about to slip from the other woman’s mouth.

“It’s about your—oh Mina!” Finally she noticed, the grin faded a bit with the realization.

“I really need to go inside.” With a sharp turn, she left the two behind. Luiza didn’t call out to her as the other woman filled her absence with a tale now burning across the village.

The house was empty when she burst through the door. Ernest no doubt was still with his buddies and if she was lucky, he and Luiza would have enough going on outside to not think about entering the house while she was still awake. The process of getting off all the make-up and dress parts wasn’t seamless like it would be back home. Instead it was a fight to discard enough crap from her body in order to fall into her sheets and finally sleep. Sadly she would spend most of the night wondering if someone other than her guardians would be pushing into her only safe space.

. . .

When Mina woke up again the next morning it was because of a knock against the door.

“Please come down,” it was Luiza who spoke. “We need to talk.” Mina, though drowsy, remembered all the times in which people had said that very phrase to her. The pounding in her head, a combination of alcohol and poor sleep, was one thing but it was trivial to the dread that was seeping out of her.

The house was eerily quiet for a Sunday morning and the smell of breakfast was not wafting around the downstairs. She could practically hear the murmurs of her heart when she stepped into the living room and saw Luiza and Ernest sitting there with two mugs in front of them. Their faces were serious with lips that remained frozen in a straight line.

f*ck they’re going to kick me out!

Gulping down the last of her spit within her dry throat, Mina took a seat across from them.

“Good morning . . .” Luiza and Ernest just looked at each other when the younger girl spoke.

“Uh, yes, good morning.” Ernest seemed as nervous as Mina as worn hands fumbled with the handle of his cup. “You do anything particularly . . . exciting last night?”

Well, I almost got murdered by a werewolf.

“Just, uh, walked around and . . . stuff.” Luiza audibly groaned at the response.

“Meet any—”

“Did Lord Heisenberg approach you?” That was it. The question she had been waiting for. A bolt of electricity shot down her spine and caused water to prick over her eyes.

“. . . Mhm.”

“And did he . . .” Ernest, recovering from his wife’s interjection, slowly used his right index finger to point towards the top of Mina’s head.

“Did he take your ribbon?” Luiza’s stare made her want to disappear in her seat, much like a fading ghost. Perhaps she could go home and spend the rest of eternity with her family in some shape or form.

“Yes.” Her throat vibrated with the confirmation. The hesitant silence between the couple was much like waiting for a doctor to stick you with a needle. Except this needle was much bigger and was meant to be shoved through your eye.

Luiza took a large inhale and seemed to have trouble letting it back out. Her face was going a bit red, and Mina swore it was because of anger. f*ck it should be anger. Because of her, the woman now practically had a death sentence put out against her. But that was not the case at all.

A smile so wide graced her face as old eyes twinkled with wonder. It made Mina even more scared than before. If the windows weren’t so thick, the outsider might have attempted to jump out of one. Glass shards be damned.

“I knew Mother Miranda put you here for a reason!” Ernest joined her in excitement as he pulled his arms against his wife’s frame, letting the woman bask in the sunshine their ward was not at all feeling. “You truly are special Mina.”

“Uhhhh?” Her voice was like a broken record, spinning over the same two notes in an endless cycle.

“I will admit, I could have never imagined this.” A warm pink spread across the older woman’s cheeks. “I mean you and Lord Heisenberg, I can’t imagine a greater honor.”

“What the fuc—heck are you talking about?” The giggle that came out of Luiza’s mouth had the outsider narrowing her eyes. Ernest took the opportunity to get up and grab a cup for the girl.

“Don’t you get it,” Mina shook her head as her guardian laughed louder. “My dear, I told you that the festival is supposed to be symbolic, especially for young women.”

“And sheep apparently.” A sly look appeared in Luiza’s eyes. Mina had a feeling as to what was being alluded too, but she didn’t want to say it aloud and make it real. “Really wish I had gotten the chance to enjoy hanging with sheep. Sheep are cool.”

“A Lord is much more interesting than common livestock.” The outsider rolled her eyes. “Especially the most powerful of Lords, the prodigal son of Miranda herself.” The girl grunted at the ego boost the Lord subliminally had to be receiving.

“And he fancies you.” Ernest reappeared with a cup nearly brimming over with black coffee. All Mina did was stare at it as the man put it in front of her.

“He barely knows me though!” She waved her arms around her head. If Luiza had been her own mother, then the sight of a man easily twice her age would have caused her to throw a fit. Someone other than Mina herself needed to be outraged at this moment.

“He might have heard about you.” Luiza’s eyes moved to the window, stuck in a thoughtful trance. “Word travels fast around here and I can imagine he would be curious about the new girl.”

“Kind of hard to hear about someone when you only talk to, like, four other people.”

“And you looked absolutely beautiful last night,” Mina hadn’t spent a lot of time looking at herself in the mirror since the application of makeup, so she really wasn’t sure. “I don’t think there was another girl as stunning as you.”

Now she was convinced that was a lie. Or at least proof of a bias. There were at least a dozen girls there that she thought were gorgeous. Ones with perfectly smooth skin that had no pigmentation from old acne.

“Still . . .” Luiza shook her head, not letting her mood be spoiled by the girl.

“I think that’s enough of a reason to want to pursue someone and he most likely doesn’t have enough time to go out and do so the normal way.” With a huff, Mina crossed her arms and got ready to end this conversation.

“Whatever, it’s not like I’m taking him up on this.” Luiza had raised her mug halfway to her lips before dropping it and splashing liquid onto the table.

“Yes you are.” The younger girl co*cked her head to the side with narrowed eyelids.

“I’m sorry, I thought the whole forced marriage festival thing had gone out of style a century ago.” Ernest, uncomfortable, slowly stepped back and out of sight. “Imagine if that guy Eugen had managed to get your ribbon, then you’d be forced to marry slash date the guy.” The happy red in her cheeks began to darken into a color that basically hissed at Mina.

“This is different,” the girl snorted. “Turning him down would be the biggest insult you could give and, if the others found out, then you’d become a pariah to the village. They’d fear becoming your friend as it might lead to their deaths.”

“Would you do that too?” A flinch of shock came from Luiza. “Would you refuse to speak to me, kick me out, if the rest of them did so?” A hesitant beat was all Mina needed to know. Even if she had said no, the very fact that it did not come naturally was an awful feeling.

“I’m just trying to look out for you. You’re still so new and the culture of our village is much different from yours.” Mina took in a deep breath and looked down to her coffee. “I don’t want to see you die in the cold or on the stake if you were to anger the Lords, or worse, Mother Miranda.”

“So you’re telling me that I have to say yes.” Mina brought the cup to her lips and lamented that it wasn’t all that hot.

“Correct.” It was now that she noticed the way Mina’s lips sagged downwards. “But don’t look at this like a bad thing, I mean, this is wonderful. If things go well than you’ll never have to worry about the other villagers attempting to hurt you.”

“And all I’d need to do is sell my body and soul, great, what a wonderful trade.” Mina was pressing her heels into the wood of the floor, almost as if she wanted to break it. “Listen Luiza, I’ve been with a lot of people.” The older woman visibly cringed at this.

“And some of those people were, for a lack of better words, terrible.” Mina wanted to desperately ignore the memories this topic was bringing up but sadly they were bombarding her so much that it almost made her nauseous. “But of all those people, I would totally hook up with them again and again if it meantnotbeing within visual distance of Lord f*cking Heisenberg!”

“What did I say about language,” Mina only gritted her teeth this time. “And as you just said, he ‘doesn’t even know you’ and that also means that you don’t know him.”

“I know enough!” She wondered if Luiza would feel the same if she saw the way he treated his brother, a deformed man downtrodden by his family, and the way he displayed his ego.

“Please try to look at this as a positive thing.” Mina practically froze up upon hearing this. The anger she had been displaying caused her lips to twitch upwards.

“A positive thing,” she cackled. “Yesterday you told me that it was just a little tradition, something to not be taken seriously, and now it’s some type of f*cking contract. Like I’m stuck in some historical romance novel, bound to marry whoever my parents chose because politics and other stupid sh*t.”

“You’re being rather dramatic, no one’s forcing you to get married—”

“But I am being forced to talk to him an-and spend time with him like I actually,” her face twisted up. “Like I actuallylikehim!”

“I’m sure you’ll have a good time—”

“A good time would be me literally anywhere but here.”

“I’m sorry you feel this way just,” the older woman’s fingers went out to grab onto Mina’s shoulders. “Give it a chance.”

“Telling me to give something a chance implies that I have a choice.” Mina stepped back as to get out of Luiza’s reach. In the doorway she could see her husband peeking at the two of them. “But I’m not doing anything, and I mean anything, disgusting with him because believe it or not, I do have standards.”

Chapter 22: Besa

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Two: Besa

Albanian Verb: A pledge of honor that means to keep a promise by honoring your word.

. . .

Mina had expected the aftermath of the festival to be a soul-crushing ordeal. She had spent most of the day after her talk with Luiza expecting the worst. The worst being Lord Heisenberg showing up to reap the reward of her capture. He had been so vague during their chat that she was unable to fully pinpoint whatever possible game he was playing. Did he expect free hard labor? Knowledge of the outside world? A date?

Now, three days later, Mina had still yet to find out. There had been no knock at the door, sealed letter, or even the crack of a rock against her windowsill. She’d say it was total radio silence had things gone completely back to the way they were.

“—Has she seen him since the festival?” Mina stopped, her foot hovering just above the first step down Luiza’s stairs. It was too damn early for visitors, the sun had just risen enough to stab Mina awake with its glare less than ten minutes ago.

“Er, not yet.” There was a fake cheerfulness present in her guardians’ reply. “Lord Heisenberg is a very busy man, I mean, he is Miranda’s most beloved son for a reason.”

Hard not to be the favorite when your only brother is the ugly puss-ling of the family.

“Poor Mina must be so antsy.” Luiza hummed in response.

“She’s optimistic that he’ll come for her soon,” the desire to vomit onto the stairs was way too tempting in the moment. “I just keep reminding her that good things come to those who wait.”

Liar, liar, plants for hire~

“Very true,” the echo of two pairs of feet coming closer was enough of a warning for Mina to flee the scene. The door to the house opened and shut painfully slow, leaving the outsider stuck upstairs mulling around with her bitter thoughts.

“I don’t think we’ll have to worry about breakfast for the next few days.” Ernest’s voice, nearly void of the aspartame sweetness of his wife’s own, came clearly to Mina’s ears. “Seeing as many of your friends just so happened to bake more than their families could handle.”

“It was very kind of them to think about us,” The playful smile on the older woman’s face materialized easily within the outsiders mind. She wore it too much around Mina, so much so that the younger woman had begun to miss the way ire sparked within Luiza’s eyes at anything perceived as insolence. The desire to upset one of the few people trying to keep her alive wasn’t something she was proud of. Trying to rationalize that Luiza was only doing this because of the perceived opinions of her god did nothing to make the self-disgust go away.

Knowing that her already short fuse was a whisper away from crackling, Mina finally managed her way downstairs and out of the house before her guardians had a chance to stop her. Lest they bring up the dreaded topic.

. . .

“Good Morning, My Dear~” Today, the Duke's face was a welcomed sight. Him and his cart acted as an invisible repellent to the other villagers interested in having a ‘chat’ with Mina. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to fully dissuade them from coming close enough to gawk. She could feel them meandering around the area, eyes flickering between her and anything but her. She’d have to take a stern stride away once the conversation ended, a light walk in the sunlight was out of the question.

“Morning,” she muttered. A silence passed between them as the outsider scanned the man’s current display of goods. He simply smiled, making her feel stupid for having to outright say what she had come here for. “You, uh, wouldn’t happen to have something for me, would you?”

“Something for you,” he repeated with a hand scratching lightly at his chin. “Like a gift, perhaps?”

“Or, well, a letter?” Her lips scrunched up, hating the way he chuckled at her.

“Hm, let me see.” He turned slightly away from her, digging into whatever lay behind him in the cart. As she watched him sift about, Mina realized that he had never needed to go through whatever was in the back. For some reason all of her needs had always been close enough that he didn’t need to get up from his seat. “Ah!”

The sight of a white envelope made her heart pump faster, plucking it out of his hands felt like approaching a class podium. When she flipped it over to reveal the opening, and the wax insignia, those endorphins came to a stutter.

Dimitrescu’s crest?

Her thumb traced over the familiar seal. The wax was a little messier than prior letters from Bela, but it was still very clear that it belonged to her house and not Heisenberg’s. For a second it perplexed her, that was until she remembered her last visit with the woman.

“I’ll be in touch once you taste better.”

“Fuucck--”

“Is something the matter?” When she looked back up at him, The Duke didn’t show any signs of concern that a normal person would have. Instead of slightly widened eyes or a downturn of the lips, the little smile remained. One brow was arched quizzically, the only sign that he might not already know what this was about.

“Did Bela give this to you?” She kept her eyes on him whilst her fingers broke the seal and stripped the note from its place.

“Why don’t you read it, my dear.” She groaned, nose scrunching up at his behavior.

Mina,

I’m postponing our meetings indefinitely. I’ll inform you when my schedule free’s up.

Yours,

Bela

“Schedule?” She squinted as she turned the page over and back a few times. There wasn’t anything else written, no little flirtatious innuendos to be found. “The bitch is a literal vampire nepo baby, what could possibly be keeping her that busy?!”

“I’m sure Miss Bela will miss your presence just as much as you miss hers.” Mina snapped her gaze back up at him.

“I’d be dead if that was the case.” The image of her body slowly rotting away at the bottom of the servants’ stairs materialized within her mind. A slash mark against her jugular seeping drops of dried blood would be hidden face down onto the brick.

With a sigh, Mina moved to turn away from The Duke.

“Ah, I almost forgot.” She stopped and watched the man pat down his clothes. The feeling of something within the right side of his waistcoat ended the search before he produced another envelope.

“Seriously!” She smacked the side of her face, wishing very much that it was his flesh instead of hers that felt the sting. There was little ceremony as Mina snatched it from his hands. “I don’t understand why you’re trying to elongate my suffering—”

The first sight of the new letters seal stopped her. Once again there was no room for doubt that this was also not sent from Heisenberg. Donna, or rather Angie, apparently hadn’t forgotten about her since the festival.

Dearest Mina,

I have unfortunately run out of excuses for why we need to order more stuff from The Duke. Since I can’t think of a good reason for you to grace us with your presence, we will have to wait until Donna decides that she needs something else. I might start chucking some supplies out if I get too bored. I’ll miss you sooo much!

Love, Love, Love

Angie

“Looks like my weekends just opened up.” She stashed the remains of the letters into her skirt. If there was one good thing about these fashion nightmares it was the sizeable pockets.

“Wonderful, now you can invest more of your time with Lord Heisenberg.” Her gaze briefly darted towards the factory gates. Smoke continued to funnel out of the stacks before gradually disappearing into the air. The emissions weren’t large enough to catch the attention of the outside world. All it did for Mina was remind her that the building was still functioning as was its owner.

“Have you seen him lately?” He nodded.

“Last night, believe it or not.” Mina’s jaw unhinged itself, lips dropping open.

“And he had nothing to give me?” The man chuckled; teeth visible within his grin.

“A little early on in the relationship to expect gifts, don’t you think?” Mina’s left foot kicked up a dusting of dirt against the bricks beneath them. The motion hurt more than it did relieve her.

“Look, it’s been like three days since he found me.” She held up a trio of fingers for demonstration. “And not once have I even seen, or heard, him coming near the village.”

“Well, he is a busy man.” The Duke began to fish out a cigar from his other coat pocket. “You can’t expect him to drop everything for you, my dear.”

“Busy doing what?” She scoffed.

“Hm?” He stopped before he could strike a match.

“Like what does he actually do in that factory,” her hands flailed as it gestured towards the metal Lord’s abode. “Pretty much everything these people use is made by themselves, or at least bought off from you. What purpose does he serve?”

“He serves Mother Miranda, of course.” A little flame popped into being with just a flick of the match against the wall of his cart. Steadily he lit up the hanging cigar. “We all do.”

“I’m about to serve her a lawsuit if I don’t get the f*ck out of this place.” She crossed her arms against the dense fabric of her top.

“Language~” He chortled.

“Oh, language my f*cking ass, don’t bitch at me like—”

“Mina!” The gasp of her name made the outsider’s body feel like it was being dragged down into the earth. Her legs turning to stone as she couldn’t bear to turn around.

“Ah, so nice of you to stop by.” A shiver crept down Mina’s spine as she felt a person step too close to her back. Their front nearly caressing her spine. A sinewy hand plopping onto her shoulder was enough to identify the culprit as Luiza.

At least it’s not Heisenberg.

“I’ve been looking for you.” The grip on her shoulder tightened. “We need to have a talk.”

“Well, if you can’t tell, I’m a little busy—” Mina yelped as Luiza pulled her a couple feet away from the cart. How the old woman was able to manhandle her that easily was a mystery.

“You need to take action.” She scolded. “Everyday more people come asking about your new courtship—”

“It’s not a courtship!” Mina’s right foot stomped against the ground.

“Don’t raise your voice at me.” Some of the people lingering about were beginning to step closer to the two. All she could do was grumble under her breath as elongating this conversation was unwise. “All I want you to do is make the first move, so to speak.”

“Seems more like something a man should do.” For once it was Luiza who rolled her eyes. “Besides, he’s ‘such’ a busy guy. Don’t you think it would be rude of me to just waltz right into the factory and demand his attention?”

“That’s not—ugh,” Luiza took a breath, lips grimacing as she bit back something Mina would love to hear. “Look, why don’t you send him a letter, dear?”

“No.”

“And why not?” She snapped.

“Because I can’t read.” The old woman’s face fell. “Or write.”

“Write the damn letter, Mina.” Luiza turned on her heel. “Or sleep outside, your choice.” With that, she stomped away and through the traffic of villagers. It was the first time the outsider had seen her guardian not care about what the other people around them thought.

“I’m more than happy to send him a message, if that’s what you desire.” The Duke’s voice snapped Mina’s attention away from the fleeting form of Luiza. Despite the man not moving closer, he apparently had heard them perfectly.

“I guess I have to,” she strolled back up to the cart. “Unless you’re willing to lie on my behalf.”

“I’m not in the business of lying, dear Mina.” He tutted. “Perhaps you’d like some time to think over what you want to say. I’ll be here till sundown, though, I will have to stop by Lady Dimitrescu’s castle before I can pay Lord Heisenberg a visit.”

Bela’s form found its way back into Mina’s mind. It wasn’t an unwelcome thought, or at least it hadn’t been before she realized that the blonde might be a vampire. The concept of going back into a castle with not one but four of them wasn’t something she particularly wanted to do anymore.

“Duke,” he raised an eyebrow. “Why isn’t Bela able to see me?”

“Did she not explain it in the letter?” She shook her head. “Then I’m afraid I can’t speak of it to you.”

“What!?”

“I take the confidentiality of my clients rather seriously.” His toothy smile gleamed against the sunlight. “You can always ask her yourself.”

“Great, more waiting around for letters.” With a sigh, Mina hunched her shoulders in defeat.

“Why not visit her in person?” Her brows furrowed as she took a step back. “Much easier, in my opinion.”

“More like much easier to be slaughtered.”

“Are you really going to allow fear to keep you away from the castle?” She nodded hard enough for her neck to crack. “What if I told you there was a less risky way to find Miss Bela?”

“Why do you care so much about me going to the castle?” Perhaps he wanted her slaughtered for all the back talk.

“To be honest, I’m only dropping by tonight to deliver a singular item.” One hand reached behind his back, seamlessly pulling out a small box wrapped in butcher’s paper. The parcel was rectangular and nearly flat. The width couldn’t be more than an inch and a half. Mina’s first thought was that it was likely some type of jewelry or other expensive nick-nack.

“So, you want me to deliver it to them?” She sneered. “One sniff and they’ll eat me up, great idea.”

“Handing this over to the ladies themselves is not required,” he assured. “Just leave it in my storeroom for the staff to find and that will be that.” She didn’t smile back at him nor did her hand get any closer to accepting the package.

“What’s in it for me?” He let out a deep laugh that caused the box to jingle in his grip. The faint sound of something rustling against the confines did nothing to clue her into the contents.

“While I cannot lie to your guardian,” he declared. “I can, perhaps, take a letter from you and delay it’s delivery.”

“Like for a century or two?” The edges of her lips curled upwards.

“A couple days, a week at most, I’m afraid.” With an inhale she closed her eyes, mind dancing back and forth between her options.

“It just seems like a big risk, chasing after one person in a big castle.” A glint in his eye was not the most comforting thing to see.

“I can guarantee that you will find Miss Bela in her room, if you go.” He pushed the box closer to her. “And I have just the thing to help you get there undetected~”

. . .

Mina didn’t know what was worse. The over washed, dull cotton outfits that Luiza supplied to her, or the stiff wool of the Maid’s uniform. She didn’t have much time to dwell on the terrible dress’, not when daylight seeped through the castle windows and onto her twitchy form. The only good thing about this place was how echoey the larger rooms were. There had already been two different instances of Maids walking closer to her and both times she had been alerted just early enough to hide in the rooms.

The disguise, in Mina’s mind, was a last resort in the event someone did see her walking around. She didn’t want to test how familiar the staff, or the ladies, were with everyone’s faces. The perfume she had lobbed on was another reason for staying as far as possible. It was a better alternative to being found out as an outsider but still could raise too much suspicion for anyone with an intact sense of smell.

The things I do for hot chicks . . .

The Duke’s storeroom was the easiest to get to once out of the old servant’s halls. As promised, it was empty. Apparently, the lady only went in there when she needed something and even then, it was a quick affair.

“She might’ve been more inclined to converse with me if I were an actual Duke,” Mina let out a singular, dry chuckle. “Lady Dimitrescu holds her title in the highest regard, I can’t say the same for Lord Heisenberg.”

Mina didn’t particularly want to linger in there either. She was scaling up the stairs within minutes, heart thwacking against her ribcage with each step. At least marble stairs did not creak the way Luiza’s wooden ones did. The halls upstairs were not as large and open as the first floor, a lucky thing for her. But that also meant that turning too sharply down the corner could mean facing someone that was not a blonde freak with bloody lips.

With care she was able to get to Bela’s door with only a minor panic attack. So what if Mina’s throat felt like it was swelling shut? She had a knife under her dress, the perfect thing to perform an emergency tracheotomy with.

I swear to God if that motherf*cker was wrong—

The barrier between Mina and the closed room disappeared before her eyes. One moment she was staring at the carved wood; the next she was face to face, or rather face to chest, with her vampiric friend.

“Mina?” Darkened eyes scanned her body over and over, waiting for the outsider’s face to morph back into the dreary paleness of an abused Maids.

“Hi, uh, mind if I . . .” Mina didn’t wait for an approval to push past the other woman. Standing still in the hallway was like being naked in front of an open window.

“Did you not get my letter?” The door behind Bela shut with a firm push. Enough to make a statement but not enough to arouse the suspicions of sisters in possibly close locations.

“I did,” Mina slowly twirled to take in the décor.

“And?” She tapped her foot against the sleek floor.

“And I can’t read.” This time the outsider couldn’t help cracking a half-smile, especially at the way Bela rolled her eyes.

“Obviously,” she grumbled. “Why are you here, Mina?” Silence filled the air as the outsider realized that she hadn’t fully thought over why she had come in the first place.

“Your letter was, er, suspicious.” Bela raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow at this. “I was afraid something bad had happened.”

The two women just looked at each other for a few moments. The expression on Bela’s face was unreadable, with eyes remaining mysterious and plump lips slack against her skin. A voice in Mina’s head tried to urge her towards one of the windows. A fast escape might be necessary.

“You were . . . worried about me?” A cat-like smirk graced her face, a slow, sultry twist of her expression. “Aren’t you just the sweetest little treat?” Cooing, Bela practically floated towards Mina.

“I mean, if something happened to you then my life could be at a risk.” Heat sprung from the depths of her body as she helplessly let the blonde caress the side of her face. “I-I don’t want you ratting me out.”

“Never,” she purred. “I would never let someone else harm you.”

A pretty lie, Mina thought. The flaky, dark red mess drying against Bela’s mouth was a testament to her most base desire. Whether a stereotype of Stoker, Le Fanu, Shumacher, or Myers, the need for blood was irrefutable. If getting more of it meant selling the outsider out, she’d do so unquestionably.

“Well, since you’re not in imminent danger of being tortured, I’ll take my leave.” The hand on her face shot to grip the side of Mina’s neck. An embarrassing squeak left her lips as Bela pulled her painfully close, noses a hairs width away from each other.

“Leaving so soon would be the real torture,” she mocked. The playfulness in her demeanor fell, leaving a type of seriousness Mina had never seen in Bela before. “Besides, it’s for the best you came to see me.”

“Why’s that,” she choked. An unseen hand made circles against the fabric against her sternum.

“You’re in danger.” Mina flinched as Bela’s breath blitzed her skin.

“And you didn’t tell me that in the letter?” She tried looking away but the vampiric woman snapped her gaze back with a growl.

“I had the impression that you could keep yourself out of trouble and therefore out of the limelight.” Bela narrowed her eyes. “How stupid of me.”

“I can keep myself out of trouble,” she squeaked.

“You impersonated a maid, trespassed into my mother’s castle,” The two began to back up, one stalking step at a time, as Bela sucked up any little space Mina was attempting to make. “All because you wanted to see me.”

“I told you, I was just—”

“Looking out for yourself?” Mina’s back thumped against the wall. “If that were truly the case, you would have never gone looking for that adorable little orphan.” Bela tilted her face, teeth flashing. “How is she by the way? Not chasing after bunnies again, I hope.”

“Look I’m just trying my best out here.” With a whimper, she closed her eyes but found that Bela’s piercing gaze haunted even the dark.

“And I’m trying to help you out.” The blonde shoved Mina’s midsection as she stepped away from the shaking girl. Unsure eyes peaked out from behind thin lashes. “I think my dear Uncle Heisenberg has found out you’re the outsider.”

“ . . . What makes you say that.” Mina’s mind tried replaying the memory of the festival. Could Bela have been hiding amongst the shadows? A stranger lurking between the merriment of drunkards and overzealous dancers?

“The Duke sold him a photograph.” She spat. “Said it was a picture of the outsider.”

“That’s it, I’m setting his stupid cart on fire.” Mina’s nails squashed indents into the meat of her palm.

“There will be time for revenge when it’s less dangerous for you.” That didn’t stop the brunette from raging between thoughts of arson. “Though a selfish husk of a man, he did lead you here to me.” Her arms gestured at the confines of her room. “Now I can keep you safe.”

“Safe how?” Mina couldn’t help but glance back towards the window.

“Heisenberg detests my mother,” she snarled. “And the feelings mutual. He only comes here when Mother Miranda demands it.”

“You’re not insinuating that I stay here, right?” Bela’s nose scrunched up as irritation fixed itself into her eyes.

“You say that as if I’m demanding you hole up in some decaying dungeon.” She forced a smile, as if sharp teeth could ever be assuring to Mina. “We can have so much fun here, you and I~”

Turning on her heel, she motioned for Mina to follow her to a door situated on the right side of the room. Given the range of moods Bela was swiping through, the outsider didn’t dare hesitate. When the two finally stood side by side, the door opened. Light swarmed in to reveal the contents of a walk-in closet rivaling that of a Kardashian.

All manor of dresses lined the perimeter of the room. Most were ballgowns that glimmered in all sorts of silks and jewels. Black, purple, and red were the most common colors save for the occasional twinkle of sky blue. The only pink to be found was the little spots on Bela’s lips where the black paint had dried out and chipped away. Despite the overwhelming nature of the closet, Mina allowed Bela to guide her in.

“So, this is . . . a lot.” She ambled through the lines, fingertips ghosting over the dresses as she passed. Now that she was close, Mina could see little cubbies built into the base of the walls. Shoes sat neatly in formation under the various skirts. She couldn’t find a flat amongst them as each one had some sort of heel. Not like Bela needed to be taller to stare down at Mina.

“They’re custom made,” she boasted. “My Aunt sews the dresses and The Duke delivers the shoes.”

“That’s kind of her.” The quick reference to Donna might have contributed to Mina catching sight of a porcelain finger sticking out between two dresses. Without taking the time to remember her prior experiences with dolls, Mina pulled the mysterious toy from its place.

Examining it in the light revealed that it was clothed in a dark red swing dress. Shiny, black Mary-Jane’s conformed to its tiny feet whilst off-white pearls decorated it’s neck. Platinum hair rolled in a tight, bouffant style framed a face painted with matching red lips, rosy cheeks, and black eyeliner.

“One of Aunt Donna’s earlier birthday gifts,” Mina jumped at Bela’s voice as the woman pushed the dresses that had been hiding the doll farther apart on the rack. The parting revealed that the fifties style doll was not the only toy of it’s kind. Two rows of shelving housed a litany of similar porcelain dolls all smooshed together haphazardly. Some were in better shape than others as Mina caught site of cracks similar to the one Angie had. Many of them had hair undone from prior styling as well as signs of yellowing on their aging outfits. There must have been thirty altogether, each with costumes that ranged from elegant dresses to Halloween attire. Mina guessed that Bela had to be at least three decades old if they were all birthday presents.

“They’re cute.”

And currently not trying to bite me, which is more than I can say about you my darling little sad*st.

“For a child,” she snorted. “Which I’ve never been.”

Did you just pop into existence as a grown ass adult?

“You know she’s got the mind of one,” Mina tilted her head at this. “Aunt Donna, that is. The fact that Angie does all the talking is already an embarrassment, but I guess it must be a step up from what she’s like by herself.”

“Maybe she’s just socially anxious.” Mina clutched the doll in her hands closer to her chest. “Not everyone is made to be an extrovert.”

“She was made to be superior to mortals.” Bela scowled. “What a waste of Mother Miranda’s talents.”

“Kind of rude to say about the woman who handmade all these things for you.” With a roll of her eyes, the blonde stepped away.

“I guess I can appreciate that she finally switched to gifting things I actually want to use.” Without taking too much time to consider the options, Bela plucked a random dress from the group. It was a deep wine color that bordered on the black with off the shoulder sleeves and an elongated train. “Try this on for me~” Pursed lips invited Mina to forget the doll and play dress up. A game that apparently adults did.

“This is cool and all, but I really should go.” Bela dropped the dress in a flash and cornered Mina.

“I’ve been so very generous thus far,” she seethed. “My Uncle, on the other hand, is devoid of any compassion. You don’t want him on your doorstep.”

“I—”

“Just stay here and keep me company, Mina.” Her fingers crawled up her torso, pressure teasing enough to be felt amongst the layers. “We can do more intimate things if you’re willing.”

Had it beat a tad harder; Mina’s heart would have burst through her chest. Bela was so close now, her scent overwhelming and lips pouting for a kiss. Mina’s started to rise on tip toes, ready for a kiss that seemed most welcome. However, looking into Bela’s eyes brought back a group of tossed memories that supported only one observation.

Bela was toying with her.

Mina recalled a time when she was little, and a group of boys approached her with expressions much like Bela’s. With a lack of wisdom, the younger her didn’t clock that their behavior was suspicious. A boy whose face she had forgotten slithered out a question she so desperately wanted to be asked. Would you like to be my girlfriend? In her fantasies Mina pretended that she had spat back out a rejection but the truth of the past could not be replaced. She had said yes and the group burst into laughter.

Their game of humiliation gave them a fleeting source of entertainment forgotten from their minds within weeks. For Mina, it lingered only a half-step behind whenever looking into a mirror. Insecurity thrived even when her body aged out of its more awkward stages especially when she gazed at someone as beautiful as Bela Dimitrescu.

“I was only joking~”

In Mina’s mind, going for a kiss would only end in disaster. With tightened lips she lowered herself back down onto her heels. The awe in her eyes disappeared amongst the pristine dresses and neglected toys, leaving only disdain. Bela would not be allowed to make her feel so small.

“I’m leaving,” she did not back down as the other woman leaned in with jaws ready to snap. “Look, I’ll make you a deal. If Heisenberg ever comes within my eyesight, or the sight of my guardians, I’ll come back and stay with you.” Silence fell.

“Promise?” Mina nodded.

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” An uncomfortable chuckle followed her words.

“Dying is too nice for people who lie to me.”

Chapter 23: Layogenic

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Three: Layogenic

Tagalog Noun: This means that something looks good from far away but when you get closer, it looks like a real mess.

. . .

Mina’s stride echoed a firm pain into her knees with each step. The Duke, the target of her ire, was unfazed as he caught sight of her hustling towards him. She had entered his peripheral vision as one of his customers finished a short transaction. Only when they left did he fully face her, smile never wavering.

“Ah Mina, how was Miss Bela?”

“You sold me out!” Her right pointer finger shot out to accuse him. “Did you seriously let Heisenberg buy a picture of me?!”

“Of course not, my dear.” Her shoulders were rising up and down with each breath. “Lord Heisenberg was unable to purchase the photo in time.”

“In time for what?” She sneered. “The f*ck Mina over, fifty percent off sale?”

“I would never discount such a priceless item.” He tutted. “I only had the one picture, and it was sold before he had a chance to pay.” Panic set in as Mina’s throat began to constrict as if reacting to an allergy.

“Who bought it?!” She croaked. The maid’s outfit had been a touch tight for her body and now it was working against her. Fingers tugged at the seams to relieve any amount of pressure.

“I’ve told you before,” water amassed in the corners of her eyes. “The business of my clients is to remain private.”

“I hate you,” she had meant for her words to hold venom. Unfortunately, between tears icing steadily in the wind and snotty sniffles, it was no more than a whimper. “You make me do all this-this delivery sh*t and forging and—”

“I’ve made you do nothing that you weren’t already willing to do.” Despite the brightness of his cheery eyes, sympathy was nowhere to be found. “You can’t blame me for all your misfortunes.”

Mina couldn’t keep looking at his face. Not when her arms ached with unrelenting aggression. She turned away from him and realized that there was no truly safe place to hide. Luiza had made it clear that a letter needed to be sent before being allowed back home. A quick chat with The Duke on the old ladies part would reveal any lie. The castle was out of the question, as was Beneviento’s. Moreau would not be helpful, and Heisenberg would just make things worse.

“I’m truly sorry that you’re having such a rough time here in our little village.” His soothing voice only made her face damper and jaw tighter. “Perhaps I can cheer you up? I have something you might like.”

“Always the businessman,” she spat. “I have been overpaying for your sh*t for too long, hard pass.”

“Ah, but what I have to give has already been paid for.” Her right hand swiped across her face as she poorly attempted to clean herself up. “And not by you, I might add.”

“Then who?” She finally turned back around. “The doll? The vampire?”

“Close,” a letter was brought to her face in one swift, fluid motion. It felt as if he had simply magicked it into existence. “I suppose you will no longer need for me to delay any letters.”

“Is that from . . .” She sniffled as her reddened eyes glanced back and forth over the paper. There wasn’t any seal like with the other Lords nor was there any writing on the outside that indicated that it was specifically from Heisenberg. For all she knew, The Duke was holding out just a random, empty letter for the sake of f*cking with her even more.

“Only one way of knowing.” There wasn’t any resistance when Mina snatched the envelope out of his hand. The edges became mangled within her impatient hands. When the contents had been stripped away, a singular note was left.

Come to the factory at seven, tell no one. I don’t trust the fat f*ck with a gate key so I’ll leave it unlocked. Don’t be late.

Heisenberg

“Short and to the point.” Mina stuffed the note and it’s outer remains within the pocket of her uniform. The Duke was looking at her the way a friend might when waiting for the ‘tea’ to be spilt. Had this come earlier, she might have been inclined to let him in on it. “You owe me now.” For once he seemed genuinely surprised

“Owe you?” He chuckled.

“I delivered your package to the castle so that you’d delay sending a letter to Heisenberg.” Her lips quivered as she smirked, face muscles sore from the prior anger and despair. “Since I don’t need you to do that anymore, it’ll be you who owes me something.”

“It appears that you’re right.” He scratched his chin and Mina imagined that his brain was raking through any possible loopholes to their prior deal.

“I am right,” she turned away again.

“To think all this heartache could have been avoided if you had simply done what Luiza had asked of you,” she didn’t stay to argue with him, unfortunately his last words hit her ears before she could deny them. “Or at the very least waited a few more hours.”

. . .

There weren’t as many people around as earlier that morning. The weather wasn’t good enough yet for people to take their lunch outside. Back home she would’ve eaten it sitting at her desk, fork in one hand as the other pointlessly clicked through emails. The painfully yellow lights in her office were not something she missed even when overcast clouds drooped above. She laughed dryly, realizing that there was at least one aspect of the village that she liked better.

“Something got you in a good mood, hm?” Mina didn’t have time to take in any of those words when an unseen arm yanked her away from the path. She opened her mouth to scream but was silenced when a second hand slapped itself against her lips. The only option available for her was to kick her heels against the ground and attempt to pry whoever it was off. Sadly, none of these things worked as the unknown assailant dragged her backwards into a junk-riddled corner of East Old Town.

Images of Heisenberg, Bela, and Angie popped into her mind during the struggle. There was too much going on for her to properly rule out the three suspects. She was shoved face first into a pile of broken wooden boards and scrap metal. Her right forearm barely cushioned her from the full force impact. Pain settled onto her body as she laid sprawled out in shock.

“What the f*ck?” She groaned, not noticing as the assailant moved to stand beside her.

“I’ve been watching you lately.” The growl of his voice for the second time revealed to Mina exactly who she was dealing with.

“Anton?” The knowledge that it was him had her stumbling back onto her feet. Her center of balance was completely off as she glared at him. If he wanted, knocking her back down would’ve been easy.

“Did you think I’d just get over it?” He took a step towards her and instinctively she tried retreating. A bad move as she fell onto her backside, the one part of her body that hadn’t been radiating with pain. “That I’d pretend it never happened, just like everyone else?”

“I am very confused right now.” Though the most damage she sustained to her head was scratches against her face, Mina felt like someone reeling from a concussion.

“I’m talking about my brother, you bitch!” Had he not been standing over her with a clenched fist, she would’ve rolled her eyes.

Again, with f*cking Emilian?!

“Just leave me alone, I had nothing to do with Lord Moreau’s decision.”

“I don’t believe you,” he sneered. “You’ve barely been here two months and already you’ve wormed your way into Heisenberg’s favor. I know you’re hiding something from the rest of us.”

“His favor?” Dirt and debris dug into her palms as she clawed her fingertips into the earth. “I didn’t ask for him to take my ribbon just like I didn’t ask for anyone to take your brother away.”

“Oh, so it’s all just a coincidence?” His left hand reached towards his back pockets. Mina flinched, thinking that he was bringing out some sort of gun or knife. To her relief, and annoyance, Anton had only grabbed a small, corked bottle. The top was flicked off with his thumb before he took a swig.

“Yes, look I understand you’re upset but hurting me isn’t going to break whatever contract he has with Lord Moreau.” She kept his gaze whilst wobbling back up to a standing position.

And it isn’t gonna de-barnacle his corpse either.

“You could, though.” His lack of sobriety was becoming apparent at the way he pointed accusingly at her. It was overly dramatic and the show of it made it seem that he might also become acquainted with the ground soon enough. “You’re the one who asked them to take him, after all.”

“And why would I have done that?” Mina hadn’t really put much thought into what Anton knew of his brother’s behavior. Some people were good at keeping parts of themselves hidden. She had been too when it came to her life before the village. Or at least she thought she did. Whether her friends and family were surprised by her sudden departure was not something she knew. The decision had been impulsive. A fact she realized a little more each day.

Anton’s lack of an answer, mouth puffing out the beginning of sentences he didn’t know how to start, clued her in that the truth of his brother was something he was unaware of. Or at the very least something he dug deep down into himself. An inkling he wasn’t ready to explore even if it meant connecting the pieces of his conspiracy.

Not a conspiracy if it’s true though.

Commotion in the form of people having an audible conversation nearby was enough of an incentive for Mina to make an escape. His confusion allowed her the time to dash out of their hideaway and into the sites of the other villagers. She heard him following behind for a few moments but ultimately stopped before the two of them could be out at the same time. An elderly couple taking a stroll along the dilapidated structures was what had been her savior. Now in their sights, Mina turned to look back at Anton. Silently she challenged him to go after her in public. To rave about her supposed ties to the Lords and her wickedness in getting his brother taken away. Surely, they would agree that she deserved to be beaten.

Apparently, he wasn’t drunk enough to believe that would be the case. So, Mina left. The pain in her face still remained and the fear that something semi-permanent had been done had her racing back to a place other than Luiza’s.

. . .

“Back again so soon?” The Duke didn’t seem surprised to see Mina as she approached. Not even when her injuries became visible.

“Mind if I borrow a mirror.” She didn’t think it was worth asking if he even had one to begin with. The man’s inventory was a cross between Diagon Alley and Walmart as he pulled out a hand mirror for her request.

Luckily, he didn’t ask for any compensation when she stepped up to gaze at her reflection. He kept it steady as she frowned and whined at the redness of her face. The issue wasn’t the scratches as she could easily blame them on clumsiness. When Anton had silenced her, the slap against her had been harder than she realized. The adrenaline of being attacked shielded the brunt of the pain even when his crusted fingernails dug welts into her cheeks. It was as if he had been trying to find a good grip to pry the entire skin of her face off. Maybe underneath the stripped flesh would be the truth he sought a la Scooby Doo. All he was able to accomplish, in reality, was an angry handprint bruised against her features.

“Did something happen to you, my dear?” Mina stepped away, both palms coming to shield the lower parts of her face.

“What do you think,” she sneered.

“I have some medicinal supplies to help with the swelling, if you’d like?” And just like that, her little one up against him was ready to disappear. “Maybe some make-up for the bruises?”

The word Make-up flashed like a neon sign in her head. She had seen some earlier in the day at Bela’s but thought little of it. Wearing it would have meant sticking around to play dress up and if she knew Anton was planning to jump her, she might have snagged some concealer when leaving the Castle.

“Luiza already has some medical stuff,” and there was still ice laying around for the swelling. “Though, when you say make-up what do you mean?”

“I mean all sorts of things~” The Duke popped open one of the little cubbies within his cart door and dug out a small box before replacing it with the mirror. Mina had expected the contents to be something from the drugstore or maybe Mary-Kay if The Duke dabbled in the Pyramid Scheme world. However, that was far from the case.

“Dior, Valentino, Chanel, Armani, Jesus.” There weren’t more than twenty items on display and yet Mina could tell that the total went well above a thousand dollars.

“Jesus isn’t a brand I carry, unfortunately.” He giggled at her unamused glare. Mina forced a deep breath, both to calm herself and to take a moment to weigh the options.

I don’t need more people getting involved in the Anton-Emilian bullsh*t. Which means I can’t let them think something bad happened to me, even though there is always something bad happening to me.

“I’ll need a concealer,” her pointer finger roamed above the collection before zeroing in on a tube of Dior. “A color corrector . . .” She hesitated whilst looking for a circular palette such as with Elf. Realizing there wasn’t one, Mina settled for a different cylinder of green primer. “And setting powder.” That was the easiest to pick out as only two compacts existed within the case.

“Wonderful selections,” he pulled the box back from her. “After applying your store credit, the total should be about four-hundred and fifty lei.”

“Four-hundred and fifty lei!?” The hands on her face shot out to grip the roots of her hair. A sad substitute for yanking the man by the neck to emphasize what f*ckery this felt like. “Don’t you at least have anything cheaper? Elf and NYX are pretty bomb in my opinion.”

“Unfortunately, I do not currently carry anything that could be considered ‘tacky’ by Lady Dimitrescu.” To Mina’s dismay, he shut the case completely and sat it behind himself. “The few villagers who buy make-up only go for the simpler items such as mascara and blush. Neither of which are good for hiding flaws.”

“f*ck,” she huffed. “I guess I’m better off lying to everyone, anyways.”

“You are rather adept at that.” Mina didn’t know why she continued to shoot glares at The Duke. None of her displeasured looks had ever softened him. “But I do fear that not everyone will be so easily fooled.”

“I mean, Luiza will probably pry but the other villagers are pretty stupid.” She did a quick glance behind herself, double checking that no one was nearby. Even stupid people can hear, after all.

“The villagers, yes.” The line between a smile and a smirk was always a hair’s breadth away with The Duke. It was most apparent now when she could almost see the sharp bottoms of his teeth. “Lord Heisenberg, on the other hand.” The fingernail wounds in her cheeks stung as her mouth dropped open. How could she have forgotten about the man so easily.

“Er, well, maybe he won’t care.” An attempt at fixing her expression, trying to put on some form of confidence with a casual smile, only spurred more glee within the man.

“About your looks, maybe not.” Her hands unconsciously went back to hiding the bottom parts of her face. “But your anonymity is something I know he values. The villagers catching wind of your true self would be a catastrophe in his eyes. Keeping up appearances might be in your best interest.”

“God where were you when I was trying to sell Girl Scout Cookies.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Look, you know I don’t have four-hundred and fifty lei.”

“I try not to make assumptions about my customers pocket sizes, so to speak.” So much for not lying to his clients, she thought. “But if you’re inquiring as to what services you may be able to provide that would be equal to the price of these items, then I do have something in mind.”

“I’m afraid to ask.” She deadpanned.

“Oh, but it’s rather simple.” This time she let out a singular, emotionless ‘ha’. “You see, I’ve been particularly busy today and have not found the time to procure my lunch.”

“. . . You want me to cook for you?” How a meal could be worth that amount of money was not something she was planning to bring up. Though it certainly stuck itself in the back of her mind, lest she underestimate his requests.

“I want you to gather some fish, actually.” Her eyes scanned the products displayed on the cart doors. Sausage links hung like necklaces against the frames as well as some dangling garlic cloves. “No need to cook for me.”

“What type of fish?” It probably has teeth, she thought.

“Carp, perch, pike, it matters not to me.” He chortled. “Though, there is a type of rare, gold-skinned fish that swims up here now and again. It’s quite a delicious treat. If you manage to get it, I’ll throw in a tube of lipstick for your trouble.”

Somehow this is going to get me f*cked up, I know it.

. . .

The Duke had been kind enough to point out areas where she might find some fish. The Reservoir had been the most obvious answer at first. Unfortunately, she knew that meant running the risk of getting seen by Moreau or some of the other villagers along the way. A closer and more discrete option was a river run-off close to the ‘ceremony site’.

She had been hesitant to go as it meant coming even closer to Heisenberg’s factory. Once again, The Duke reassured her that there was still a considerable amount of distance between the two areas, and it was unlikely that Heisenberg would be out of the factory again until it was time for their ‘meet-up’. So, with her concerns somewhat addressed and equipment provided, Mina decided to try her luck at fishing.

Mina hadn’t been to the ceremony site that much, even during her detective days. Learning that Heisenberg had been looking for her was the main reason for not exploring it. The fact that it was more than off-putting had also helped to keep away. The place marked on her map was the bridge between the main area and The Duke’s usual spot.

‘The Lone Road’, that totally isn’t foreboding at all. Nope!

It felt strange to name it that as all roads here were pretty much lone. There were no other villages to connect with, no notable places worth leading to. Miranda and her followers didn’t seem to be interested in adding to the infrastructure. It was like they believed perfection had been achieved a century ago and there was no reason to improve upon what they had. Or even maintain it for that matter.

The dock she chose to fish off was newer in comparison to the bridge as it was made of wood instead of crumbling brick. Hopefully Romania didn’t get too many earthquakes as she couldn’t see it surviving anything above a magnitude five. Knowing her luck, she’d be on it when it happened. The other good part about the dock was that it lay lower to the ground and to the side of the Lone Road. If a familiar angry metal man came stomping by, Mina would be out of the way of his path.

It had been some time since she had gone fishing and so the most difficult process was remembering what to press when casting the line. A couple times ended with the pole nearly tumbling from her grip as the lure weights would fight against her. Each failed attempt felt more like The Duke’s doing than her own. It was as if he had cameras hidden to watch her get progressively more annoyed. That would at least explain his uncanny knowledge of her situation.

Mina was a grumbling cold mess by the time the hook hit the water. Dealing with worms had ruined her appetite for at least a few hours so at least hunger wasn’t an issue. Sadly, the fish seemed to be in the same boat as boredom crept up quickly.

The tide was low enough for her to sit at the edge of the dock, feet dangling over the water. Now and again she’d tug the hook, trying to mimic a motion that would entice some type of predator. With no alcohol or music, entertainment ranged from looking at the scenery and gazing at the reflection of herself. The river was too murky to see anything beyond a few inches beneath the surface. A far cry from the pristine blue of the French Mediterranean. The place that would have been the last stop on her impromptu trip.

The village was apparently the new last stop in her plans. Especially now as a sudden pull against the line had her body rushing forward and into the depths.

Well f*ck.

A reasonable person would have let go of the pole the moment gravity began working against them. But reasonable people also didn’t make agreements to pay double the value of fishing equipment in the event of loss or damage. After everything that had happened so far, drowning in real water seemed like a better option than drowning in more debt.

The base of the river was entirely mud and she felt every slimy part of it when her stomach and chest rammed against it. Her free hand attempted to ground herself but all she could grasp were soggy branches and decaying leaves. The tips of her shoes had to dig four inches into the silt before the fish had a resistance hard enough to change it’s escape route. Her panicked lungs were on the edge of taking a water-filled breath when Mina’s body finally started to float back up to the surface.

The tension in the line disappeared as oxygen rushed back into her system. The instant relief distracted her briefly from the unpleasant, cold wetness of her ruined dress. Her eyes had been closed whilst submerged and remained so as one hand tried to rub the excess liquid from her lids. Opening them was done slowly, fearing that the muddled water would sting her pupils.

Looking upwards was hazy as all she could process was the light. The day had been cloudy for the most part yet for some reason it seemed darker out. She hadn’t been underwater for more than fifteen to twenty seconds, right?

“Need a hand there, buttercup?” Mina’s grip on the fishing pole slackened and slipped through her fingers as Heisenberg laughed above her.