Awakening and fear
It is completely disconcerted that Aria wakes up in a room that was not definitely not hers, the room is sumptuous and very richly decorated. Moldings decorated the ceiling and walls, tapestries adorned the walls, the black and red four-poster bed on which she was lying was gigantic and an unlit fireplace. On said fireplace sat a white clock whose hands unfortunately did not move, preventing it from being able to locate itself in time. What alarmed him the most were the windows. They were very large but entirely enclosed by wooden planks, allowing no light to enter the room. Aria looked over at the dresser to her left and saw a sumptuous solid gold candlestick. Several chandeliers were present in the room providing the only source of light allowing him to see anything. Aria, whose head was raised by the huge pillows on the bed, looked down at her clothes which had obviously been changed. She was dressed in a white nightgown with thin straps and ruffles. Barefoot, she could feel that it was her only clothing.
What day is it? What time is it? Where the hell is she? Her head heavy and foggy, Aria tried with great difficulty to stand up, leaning on her wrists in vain and her head fell back onto the pillow. She cried out in pain at the sudden pain that took her breath away because it was so sharp. She turned her head with difficulty towards her wrist and noticed with horror a bandage around her right wrist. Gradually the bandage, which was white, turned red without her understanding what was happening.
My God...is my blood flowing like that? What is happening to me? Who is it
What did I do to myself?
With a painful moan, Aria tried to hoist herself to the edge of the bed but
failed. Her head ached and the pain in her wrist persisted. She gathered the little strength that kept her awake and rolled over to the edge of the bed. She rolled once then stopped to catch her breath and stay awake. She tried to start again but felt dizzy. Courage Aria, now is not the time, you have to hold on. In an effort that seemed superhuman to her she managed to roll to the edge of the bed. She tried once again to stand up with her left wrist this time to avoid making the same mistake but the lack of energy made her stagger and her hand slipped causing her to fall entirely on the ground. Her head hit the carpet and she succumbed.
Alerted by the noise caused by the fall of the now unconscious woman, the group of people who were having tea quietly in the small living room raised their heads, their attention piqued by the noise. The small living room, although smaller than the main living room of the house, was spacious. It was decorated in green and black tones, rugs covered the floor and paintings decorated the green and white walls with gold moldings. The furniture was in the nineteenth century style from chairs to chests of drawers to sideboards and tables. On the coffee table was a tea set dating from the Ming dynasty. Six gaiwans on which birds with white bodies and black wings were painted and a teapot on which bamboo branches were painted.
Three men, a redhead, one with blond hair and a man with ash blond hair were playing cards, a woman with red hair was doing embroidery. Two women, a blonde and a brunette with dark black hair were playing croquet on the carpet and a couple were absorbed by their baby. The woman had a caramel complexion and her much darker skinned husband had a complexion similar to a chestnut. All were very richly dressed. The woman was holding the baby in her arms and her husband, who was waving a toy in front of her eyes, stopped abruptly. Annoyed by the sudden lack of entertainment, the baby began to cry, waking the adults from their torpor. A little dark-haired girl wearing two braids whose ends ended in white lace ribbons that made paint put down her brushes. She came to caress the baby’s cheeks who gradually calmed down with tears beading in the corners of his beautiful dark brown eyes. The little girl kissed his forehead and the baby grabbed the finger she held out to him, holding it tightly and refusing to let go.
- Well, it seems that she is awake, said the embroiderer without stopping or looking up from the piece of fabric which monopolized all her attention. I’m warning you all, I’m not going there, don’t count on me to check if she’s dead,” she finished, her tone devoid of any emotion.
- Jeremiah you should go, began the father of the baby who had started shaking the toy again for his baby with his gaze fixed on his son who was cooing in wonder. After all, it was you who put us in this unfortunate situation with your immaturity and irresponsibility.
— There is no way I am doing it ! said Jeremiah, sinking into his seat. I refuse to go up there. If she is dead we just have to ask the servants to bury her and that’s it!
“You know very well that it doesn’t work like that,” said the embroiderer. It is necessary to note her death before burying her. It’s no longer the forties.
—But what difference does it make whether she’s alive or not? Whether she’s dead or not doesn’t matter. If she is dead great, and if she is not I just have to finish her off, he shouted annoyed.
— Anyways, you have to check if she is dead first, we can’t just bury her and relive a crisis like the one in Warsaw. So get your ass up and go see the damage from your stupidity, will you? Said the blonde, her croquet mallet closed in her hand.
- No ! Théodora, you just have to go, he said frustrated, feeling attacked from all sides. You’re used to dealing with that.
Théodora, who was holding her baby in her arms, widened her eyes in shock and her husband turned a glare towards Jeremiah who sat back properly in his uncomfortable chair. He rubbed his hands on his thighs and cleared his throat.
— I agree with Vlada. You can’t just sit there and expect us to clean up after you like we always do Jeremiah. It’s been a long time since you were a child and I think I speak for everyone when I say we are tired. Tired of always having to move because of crises YOU caused. Tired of having to hide in the shadows like rats because after so many years you still have no self-control over your animal impulses. Tired of having to deal with the consequences of your actions for you because you are immature and refuse to do it yourself like an adult. Tired of always having to lecture you when you never learn anything and never listen. Tired of always having to give up part of us and our lives because we have to protect Jeremiah from himself and the outside world. I would go even further and say that we are exhausted. Theodora and Isaac have finally had their much-desired baby, our little Martha is enjoying her painting lessons and we have all finally found some semblance of peace not so long ago. I really like London and I don’t want to have to leave everything again. Just when we’re establishing a routine you find a way to ruin everything once again with your selfishness and I’ve had enough. Think about others for once Jeremiah and fend for yourself! No one is going to clean up after you this time. So get up and fend for yourself for the first time in your miserable savage life, spat the furious black-haired brunette!
— I won’t let you talk to me like that, Rosalie! I refuse to do it so I won’t do it. I won’t go! Do you hear that, little upstart? I refuse to lift a finger and nothing you say will change my mind, he said, suddenly getting up from his chair!
Jeremiah, who was about to storm out of the living room, suddenly stopped in front of the man who had just entered, blocking his way. He, who had set foot in the corridor, backed away as the man who was two heads taller than him advanced, forcing him to return to the room. As soon as he entered, the atmosphere became heavier and little Martha took back her finger and quickly headed towards her mother. Rosalie dropped her cricket mallet and wrapped her arms around her daughter who clung to the sides of her dress.
—What do I hear there ? Jeremiah has acted up again, hasn’t he? asked the tall brunette who had just entered.
Black hair swept back, a honey-colored complexion, brown eyes as dark as night, a fine nose with a noble appearance and a luscious, pink mouth. He was tall and slender dressed all in black like a twentieth century nobleman. Long black pants, a black shirt and a suit jacket and black leather shoes. His piercing gaze was fixed on Jeremiah, a cold and annoyed expression inhabited his tired face waiting for answers.
— I can explain everything Silas. Don’t trust the few words you may have heard. I swear to you that-
Without waiting for more explanations Silas grabbed Jeremiah’s face and pinned him
violently against a wall, drawing groans of surprise and terror from his peers present in the room. He felt tired and didn’t want to face her false explanations. He who returned exhausted from the clan council wanted only one thing, to return and be able to rest. To his great despair when he entered the mansion and heard the snatches of conversation of his peers he deduced that Jeremiah had started acting up again. Hundreds of times he had let him try to exonerate himself with dubious explanations but today he had more than enough. Jeremiah’s face had collided so violently with the wall that blood flowed from his temple. Silas let go of him and Jeremiah fell pathetically to the ground.
—There is nothing to explain, my dear. I’ve been listening long enough to understand that you’ve been acting wild again in my absence! he shouted furiously. What ? You didn’t expect me to be back so quickly did you? You told yourself that you would have time to hide another of your stupid behaviors from me, he continued, delivering a violent kick to Jeremiah who was still on the ground? You’re tiring me Jeremiah. What has kept me from sending you to Galilee for so many years?
Jeremiah just held his stomach silent, his forehead lowered. An angry Silas was a Silas who should not be upset. Silas sighed and took off his leather gloves in frustration. The tension in the room was so heavy that it almost made it impossible for them to breathe.
— Roxelana ?
“Yes,” replied the redhead, her voice hesitant, suddenly anxious?
“What exactly happened,” Silas asked imperiously?
“Well,” she began uncertainly, “Jeremiah has been complaining a lot lately. He was no longer satisfied with what we had and one night he went out. We didn’t think further than that. We figured it was just a simple walk, like the ones he was used to taking to calm down. Except that night he came home with an unconscious human on his shoulder. I- uh, we didn’t really knew what was going on and it was almost dawn. He went upstairs and we all went to bed. When we woke up three hours ago, Jeremiah looked much more energetic and rested than us. So we quickly made our conclusions. We heard a noise upstairs and called Jeremiah to go look but he refused. I think you heard the rest...
Silas gave an annoyed grin and Jeremiah closed his eyes, mentally preparing to receive another blow, and closed his eyes tightly. The blow did not come and he looked up at Silas who looked at him full height with contempt and disgust.
“There is absolutely no difference between you and a wild animal Jeremiah,” he said harshly. Where is she, Silas asked Rosalie with a sigh?
Unable to utter a single word, Rosalie just hugged her daughter with one arm and pointed upstairs with one finger. Silas noticed the fear he inspired in her and just sighed. He went upstairs while the others looked at Jeremiah for causing disaster again. Silas followed the stranger’s scent and it took him very little time to find her. He opened the door of the room she was in and saw nothing at first. He frowned and entered the room. There he saw lying on the ground a young woman with black skin. She was lying on her stomach with one arm at her side and the other outstretched. Silas sighed and picked her up from the ground, although she was obviously devoid of all energy he was immediately struck by her beauty. Her long curly hair was free, giving her a carefree look. Her upturned nose, her full mouth whose lips were two different colors, one pink and one brown. Her cheeks were hollow and she was thin. Her neck was exposed, his gaze went down to his arms, noticing a hand-made bandage goes quickly on her wrist and blood on the floor. Her breathing was shallow, almost inaudible but he could still hear it. Still alive then. He raised the stranger’s neck and inspected it and found what he feared. There on the back of her neck was a mark, a lotus flower. Annoyed, he placed the woman delicately on the bed and called servants to tend to her. Perhaps after all Jeremiah would indeed have to make an indefinite stay in Galilee.
