The knock came just as the sun was slipping behind the hills,
"Sera,! can you get the door am taking a shower"
"Okay"
I heard her footsteps fade, then the creak of the door opening.
A man in black stood outside, his posture stiff, his eyes sharp as glass, A silver emblem of Dolkan glimmered on his chest.
"The young lord requests your presence," he said. "Both of you."
Silence
"Our master waits in his carriage. You will come now."
Sera's lips parted in surprise, then slowly curved into a smile. "Give me a moment,"
The door shut,
Footsteps rushed upstairs.
"Soren! Soren! it's the young lord, he wants to see us. hurry!"
"wait what? is that true"
"Hurry up and finish!" Sera quickly browsed through her clothes.
As Sera explained, Soren leaned out the window,The carriage was already there.
Brown. Polished and marked with the Dolkan crest.
"Kyaaa!" she shrieked, grabbing her towel, "What did he say?"
"He said we should get ready and meet him."
"what are you waiting for? its the young lord this is our chance, lets go," Soren rushed to grub her clothes.
They changed into their finest clothes silk and lace meant for nights, not for nobility. Their hands shaking as they stepped outside,
The carriage waited.
Soren swallowed and hesitated before knocking.
"my lord we have come"
The door opened,
Soft golden light revealed velvet cushions, burning incense.
And the young lord sat relaxed, watching them like a man choosing wine.
"Come in,"he said softly.
They obeyed,
His gaze traced every line of their bodies, slow and deliberate, Sera felt her skin crawl beneath, her fingers tightened around her dress.
"So," he murmured, "these are the girls who belong to Kayon."
Soren stiffened, Sera lowered her eyes.
"Do you know how valuable you are?" he continued. "How easily ones life can change when the right door opens?"
The carriage began to move.
"Where are we going?" Sera asked,
He smiled.
"Somewhere you will never forget."
The door shut.
The trap closed.
I went about my day planning for the wedding and went home to my surprise, the house was too quiet they weren't home,
I sat at the table, the candle nearly burned down to its base. The door had not opened all night.
Soren staying out late wasn't new. But Sera… never. I stood and paced the room, glancing at the door every few seconds, until exhaustion finally dragged in.
Sleep came in pieces short, restless, and heavy.
Then,
The door creaked. I jolted awake. Moonlight spilled across the floor as two shadows slipped inside.
"Sera?" I whispered.
They froze,
Slowly, they stepped into the room my breath caught, Their clothes wrinkled and revealing, nothing like what they usually wore.
Their eyes avoided mine.
Soren's lips trembled as if she wanted to speak but didn't know how. Sera kept her head low, gripping her sleeves like she was afraid they would disappear.
I stepped closer.
"You're home I was worried."
Neither answered, but turned away as they passed by me, something hit my senses first.
A scent.
Not perfume.
Not sweat, but Something metallic, sharp, wrong, I lost balance ever so slightly,
Then I noticed the marks, faint blue shadows on their necks, red lines along their wrists, Bruises hidden beneath fabric that suddenly felt too thin.
I reached for Sera.
She slapped my hand away.
"Sera?"his voice broke, "What happened to you?"
She flinched, hiding her hands as she stepped back,
Soren moved between us, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"We're just tired, That's all."
They walked away.
No goodnight,
No laughter,
No warmth,
The door to their room closed with a soft click, I stood there frozen, the smell still hung in the air,
My heart understood before I was ready too.
I couldn't move.
What did I do wrong?
Was it me?
No… no, that couldn't be.
They were just tired.they had to be.
If I gave them space… if I just waited…
Everything would go back to the way it was.
Little did I know, I would come to regret that night.
They changed gradually, silently. With each step they took up those stairs, it was as if the people I loved were dying before me. Only later would I understand the weight of that feeling.
They often came home late.
They stopped talking to me.
Avoided my eyes.
Flinched when I touched them.
And whenever the young lord was mentioned…
something in them changed.
They would have jewelry i dont remember buying, Sera stopped reading novels and would be seen smiling outside reading a paper, she would hide it when she noticed me,
Time passed the day before our wedding, I decided to ask them about how to decorate the venue,
"ladies tomorrow is the big day! so I want you guys to give suggestions on the decorations" like a puppy seeing it's master.
I stood there waiting for them to respond,
"Not yet we are not yet ready Kayon" Sera whispered with her eyes shaking moving away from me.
" lets just move the wedding to a later date besides why do you want to rush us" soren spoke in a cold yet condescending tone.
She slowly came down the stairs,
Sera mummers in a low voice"so annoying"
"No no, I wouldn't dare," I said quickly.
I forced a smile. The paper in my hands crumpled under my grip.
"I was just… excited about the wedding," my voice faltering. "I just wanted to know what you wanted."
"oh is that so we are quite busy with something that's why we can't get married right now" Soren responds,
"I understand... but what is it you are doing?"
"kayon why do you want to know?," Soren snapped, "alright we are finding a way to get money and help out with the house!" Her raised.
'That didn't make sense.
They'd never cared about money before… and she was already taking it from me every day.
Is someone using her…?'
The thought hit hard. For a second, I almost asked, but I swallowed it.
If I pushed, they might pull away more.
So I said nothing.
They left before I could respond, walking off to their room, their laughter echoing down the hall like I wasn't even there.
This continued till a day they came home bruised and hard strangle marks on their necks.
I rushed to them asking them,
"Are you okay, are you hurt what happened" Sera rushed to her room with a pale face and body shaking, her eyes swollen,
'had she been crying' I thought.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?"
Sera didn't answer.
She rushed past me, pale, shaking, her eyes swollen
'Had she been crying?'
The door to her room shut.
Silence.
"Kayon…"
I turned.
Soren stood there, her right arm gripping her left elbow, She wouldn't look at me.
"You love us, right?"
'The question hit wrong.
Why would she ask me that?'
"More than you know," I said, stepping closer. My hands wouldn't stop shaking.
She swallowed.
"Then… give us the company."
I froze.
"…What?"
My fingers dragged through my hair.
'No. Something's wrong.'
"You want me to just… give it to you?"
"Yes," she said, her voice breaking. "If you really love us."
'It didn't make sense. None of it did.
Why would they need that? Did I miss something? Haven't I given them enough?'
"Why?" I asked, my voice tightening. "Are you short on money?"
Her expression changed.
"So that's a no?"
She turned slightly, like she was already leaving.
Panic surged through me.
I stepped forward, reaching for her my hand hanging in the air.
"It's not that," I said quickly. "I just… I can't give it away like that. Not all at once. Just tell me what happened."
"Ah forget it!" she snapped,
She turned away.
'No No, no… They're going to leave.'
My chest tightened.
Breath catching.
'I can't lose them too'
The shadows in the room flickered, hands surged out.
"Stop!"
Silence.
I glanced around, Nothing was there, I looked at her.
"Wait," my body trembling, "We can work together. I'll bring you in. Give you a position an easy one. I'll pay you well, whatever you need, just..."
I stopped.
She wasn't even looking at me anymore.
The sight of her walking away drained what little strength I had left.
My legs gave out.
I sank to the floor, my hands covering my face. I crushed my voice and swallowed it, but in broke into a whisper.
"It's fine…" deep breath. "They won't leave me."
I held onto that thought like it was the only thing keeping me together.
"I was wrong… that's all. It's the company… that's what they want."
My chest tightened.
"I'll fix it… I have to fix it…"
I stayed there long after everything had gone silent.
Long after there was nothing left to hear.
Morning came.
Cold. Quiet.
I stood outside their doors, my hand resting against the wood.
"Sera… Soren…"
I knocked.
Nothing.
I waited.
Still nothing.
"…You're still upset," I whispered.
I forced a small breath in.
"It's okay."
'If I just made things right…
If I gave them what they wanted, Sera's books, Soren's dresses.
Something to make them smile again.
That should be enough.
It had to be.'
I didn't realize I was already too late.
I left for work and got all there favorite things on my way home, when I got home the house was quite and the candles weren't light, dread filled the air I suddenly felt cold and the air felt heavy.
'what is this feeling something feels off'
I opend the door called out to them no response only the echoes of my voice, the floor squeaked as I went from room to room lighting the candles, I was certain they weren't in the house it was as if they disappeared i sat and thought to my self.
'This isn't the first time am sure they are just busy I should wait a little but... this is getting out of hand i should really get angry this time yes I will scold them, yes I should,'
I tried to stay up waiting for them but my eyes couldn't keep up, morning came and they where nowhere to be seen, I got ready and went for work, as I sat in my office I couldn't concentrate so I decided to go home and wait for them,
Time passed and they where still nowhere to be seen this worried me as this has never happened before so I tried looking, went to the knights, asked around the town, I looked everywhere it was as if they disappeared into thin air.
'It's been three days since I started the search and I have not found anything, I have been walking through the town since yesterday'
"Kayon!" a voice called out to me but I couldn't hear it, and went on looking.
Till a sharp pain in my lower back sent me flying,
"ouch who kicked me," I saw the heard footsteps walk closer, I looked up, " Oh it's just you Carai"
"I have been calling your name and you ignored me"
"Sorry i didn't mean to, I haven't been my self lately"
"No shit, you don't have to tell me" She tags at my cloths, "just look at you, bags under you eyes dirty hair and muddy cloths" she sniffs me and immediately steps back,
"and what's that smell? when's the last time you took a shower."
I looked at my self, "I have been busy looking for them"
"I know and thats why I have been looking for you too, I want to tell you to stop"
"why" I asks
"the girls you are looking for have been going around telling people you abuse them and blackmail them, if they decide to leave"
"those two wouldn't, thats a lie!"
"open your eyes kayon! look around you" As we stood there I looked around and hadn't noticed it but everyone was looking at me with eyes of hatred and disgust, some whispered,
I can't believe we trusted this animal.
Yes his worse than the forlorn.
A demon.
Should we let him live i mean, those poor girls.
My heart sank.
"you see that" Carai pointed at them saying that's just the surface,
"I should get going" I turned around and started walking,
"Kayon!" she called as I left,
"Kayon! Why… why won't you look at me? I've done everything just to have you notice me!" She grabbed a crest, tears streaming. "I became a one-star warrior just so you'd see me!"
I couldn't move for a brief moment then continued walking.
Carai wiped her tears and clenched her fists,
"the girls you are looking for! have been fucking the prince every single day, and you are here saying you want them to get ready first!"
As she spoke, I spun around and swung at her but she was faster. Before I even realized it, I was on the ground, blood streaming from my nose.
"what a joke, you will die a virgin" she turned and disappeared into the crowd.
I stood up cleaned my self and went home but couldn't rest because Carai's words kept echoing in my head. I sat in total silence, the darkness wrapping around me like a heavy blanket.
Suddenly,
The silence shattered, a sharp crash at the door, and a sliver of light slipped through the cracks. The smell of blood flooded the room as someone rushed inside, their presence barely visible in the dim glow,
It stood their quite and only the heavy sound of their breathing was heard,
"Kayon... where are you!"a voice called, strained with desperation.
I stood, and stumbled toward her.
"Soren, is that you?" my voice cracking. She collapsed just as I reached her, and the words tumbled out of her trembling lips.
"Kayon, we need your help Sera is in trouble, get something to use as a weapon and follow me hurry"
With what little strength I had left i ran to the kitchen grabbed a knife and followed her, my legs unsteady, she was by the door and as i approached, she crumpled to the floor, her screams piercing the night.
"help! someone help me please, young lord his trying to kill me"
I froze for minute looked at her then I reached out my hand, and tried to ask what's happening,
"huh? Soren what are you doing get up" Just as I was reaching out my hand I felt a sharp stubbing pain to my head,
Slowly I raised my head, and hadn't noticed the crowd of people surrounding us with weapons in hand,
Something warm ran down my face,
I tried to clean it 'blood why is it blood am i bleeding',
As I gazed at my hands now covered with blood I then noticed my cloths drenched in blood,
A knife in my left hand.
The sound of Soren's footsteps pounding toward the young lord yanked me back to my senses.
I saw Sera then huddled behind him, trembling, tears streaking her face, eyes wide with fear, staring at me as if I were a stranger.
I called her name, my voice breaking, but the more I reached out, the deeper she sank into her hiding, shrinking away from me.
Step by step, I edged closer
And then darkness swallowed everything.