I arose from my bed later than my usual time. I felt extremely fatigued since I stayed awake late at night. Was it last night? Was it a week ago? I have no idea. Hell, I could be the one sleeping for weeks at a time. Not Catherine.

  Speaking of the devil, I fixed my dress over my gown tying the small corset strings in the back walking out the door to my room. I met Catherine as she dragged herself down the narrow stairs from where I left her. In the library. She was visibly sick from her furrowed brows and squinted eyes from the lamps. "Mm...? Good morning Bella." I fiddled with the strings having some trouble tying it into a bow. "Good morning my Lady. Did you sleep well in the library?" My hair blinded my vision as I stared at Catherine through my curls. "Oh? So that wasn't a dream? You were upstairs huh? I did not sleep well. I need a hot bath and my medicine." She yawned stretching her arms behind her head. Catherine stayed silent as I pitifully tied my dress up. "Jesus, here. Bella come. I'm surprised you lived this long if you cannot tie a simple bow." She grabbed hold of my shoulders flipping me around, shooing my hands away from my back. She tightened the back tying the strings into a bow with no effort or thought. "There. That was sad to watch."

  "I almost had it before you intervened, but thank you." I huffed cocking my head back to see the exhausted woman smile. "Sure, keep telling yourself that Bell. Go get my bath prepared and my medicine ready. I'll be in my room." Her hand patted my head passing me down the hall to her room. "Yes, my Lady." I nodded pattering down the stairs. "What did I say last night Bell?" She stopped before she opened her bedroom door. "What of?" I halted in the middle of the staircase peering back. "Catherine. Call me Catherine. Enough with the lady bullshit." She groaned in a whisper in caution to lower our voices. "Yes, Catherine." Her eyes shut slowly nodding in agreement. I ran down the entryway to the kitchen. A barrel of her medicine stood behind the door. Until I realized her heart-shaped pitcher still resided upstairs in the empty room of paintings. It was the last time I saw it. I ran back upstairs to the bathroom running the hot water in the tub. My mind raced around my skull as if my brain became detached from the cord just bobbing around. I was running around like a chicken with its head chopped off.

  By the time I ran up to the second set of stairs, retrieved her pitcher to fill it. Catherine's bath was ready. I cut the water off testing the warmth with my hand. It was hot. "Catherine!" I shouted out to her before realizing she was behind me. "No need to yell! What is it?" She held her temples wearing nothing but an open robe. "Oh, I'm sorry. Your bath is ready, you may have to wait. It may be too hot." She pinned her hair up away from her shoulders. "It is fine. I need this. My medicine?" Catherine dropped her robe on the tile, lifting a leg into the shallow tub. I froze peering down at the same tile. Every inch of Catherine's body was pale, her thighs glowed, her ass seemed soft, and her back was unblemished with not a flaw in sight. Her arms on the other hand told a much different story. Above her elbows were thick white scars. Like an illusion. Her skin was pale enough to mask the lines but in the city light, it appeared more apparent. The water sloshed as Catherine sat herself down. She laughed to herself leaning her back against the tub. "Ha! Never been in front of a naked woman Bell? Uncomfortable?"

  "N-no! Just surprised. For someone who is very private, I would have expect you to ask me to leave." I peered up finally with Catherine's enticing body hidden under the water. Her eyes never left my body, her dark pupils pierced into my being. Like Catherine was seeing through me. "I suppose I am a recluse, however, I do think since you are going to be living with me, one should make the effort to open up." Her body sunk further into the tub rolling her ankle over the edge at the end of the bathtub.

  "I would appreciate that Catherine."

  "Good. I'm glad we have a mutual understanding. Do not make me regret my decision. You can go make breakfast now. Or try to attempt." She lifted her glass to her lips drinking slowly. She put it back in its place. "Very humerous." My eyes rolled back into my head, finally escaping the bathroom down the stairs to the kitchen.

  Four loaves of bread were rotted and 3 eggs were safe. I had to force myself to throw out the food in the pantry. It pained me to dispose of so much food but without proper storage, all fresh food will naturally rot. 2 slabs of meat were only left for dinner after I went through the cold cupboard and pantry. Frankly, I do not care if Catherine becomes upset, I refuse to expose myself to ergot or any other illness from spoiled food. The coals were heatened under the stove as I mustered my strength to lift the skillet on top over the heat. My strength was moderate but staying in this castle, doing nothing that included manual labour has made me weak. I cracked each egg, the rapid speed of the watery yolk inside turning white amazed me. I cracked the last egg accidentally dropping a shell in the inner corner of the pan. Rationally, I knew I shouldn't pick it but instantly I reached down dragging my nail into the corner of the pan.

  "Ow! Shit!" I retrieved the shell under my nail, I dumbly thought the skillet was not as hot as it was. It burnt the tip of my index. It did not hurt as bad as I reacted, the reaction was merely the sense of shock. The skin on the tip of my index smoked, a red distorted circle began to form. "Bella? Everything okay?" Catherine appeared behind me from the kitchen door. She wore the same ripped black dress with the same colour heels. "Yeah, it is fine. It appears I do know how to make breakfast, but cracking eggs isn't my specialty." My back turned not knowing Catherine was immediately behind my body. I bumped into her babying my burnt finger. "Oh, so you've burnt yourself? I figured you were not a good cook that is why I came down." Her fingers grasped mine inspecting my injury. "Oh, all it is a minor burn. Nothing fatal. No b-blood...Here." She raised my hand closer to herself, pecking my finger. "There. I do not see an issue any longer. You suppose you can continue with breakfast?" My cheeks heatened peering down at the floor. "Perhaps my La-...Catherine. All of the perishable food has rotted. We need meat." I turned back regaining my confidence back.

  "No way in hell! Vadoma said we would have enough food...oh fuck...out of wine too. Well, I guess someone will have to go into town." Upon further inspection, Catherine opened the cold cupboard and the pantry to find it bare with the rotted food in a bin. "Is there a town on either side of the mountain?" I flipped the eggs dashing some seasons before throwing the bread on the oiled pan. "Haha no, unfortunately. You would have to go to Media?."

  "Me? Why me? The reason I came here is to run from Media? not go back."

  "Do you intend you...I mean us to starve?" Catherine opened another door where the plates and bowls were stored to retrieve two saucer plates. "No, but you can go." Catherine let out a loud laugh echoing throughout the kitchen handing me the plates in her hand. "Are you daft? You remember what I told you? I cannot go out in the day. The shops will be closed at nightfall. Shallow your pride and go to Media?. After breakfast, you will be on your way. Damn it to hell, no butter either?"

  "Sorry, used the last bit to fry the eggs. Fine. Will I be accompanied? To ensure my safety back to the castle?"

  "No, I'll give you something else. A marking to tell that you are mine."

  "Yours! I am no one's property!" My brow raised in Catherine's direction. "Yes, I am well aware. Someone would be foolish to try to condemn you, but, if you wish to come back to the castle then you need something or else the men will round you up back to the boy you are forced the marry." Catherine walked with me shoulder to shoulder into the dining room, carrying a tray of our breakfast and a refill of Valeria's medicine.

  "Very well, when you put it that way then any distinction will suffice."

  "Glad you see it my way."

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  We finished breakfast with our usual pleasant conversation. Speaking of queen and state, what in our opinion men should do for women. The usual. After breakfast was cleaned up, Catherine left for a brief moment to recover the marking. A necklace to be exact. A beautiful pendant. A long gold chain with a white face carved in it. "It is carved on the top of the silhouette." Catherine handed me the necklace. House of Valeria.

  "So, we need poultry, cow, bread and wine. Correct? Anything in particular you would like Catherine?"

  "No, not at the moment. Be back before dark, if you are not back by sunset I will hunt for you." Her voice lowered wanting to intimate me. I shrugged my shoulders feeling the sleeves of my dress fall. "I promise you, I will return." Catherine followed behind me as I took a basket out from the kitchen to the foray. "You'll need these if you wish to come back." She dangled a ring with two keys jingling their tune while they clashed together. "I guess so." I reached out for the keys as her hand drew back. "Uh-uh. First, you need to know some things. I like red wine. Only red. Not port, not vermouth. Just red. The bigger key is for the front door, the smaller one is for the back door. Got it?" She threw the ring of keys towards me as my hands grasp caught them mid-air. "Yes, Catherine. Only red, got it." My feet had a mind of their own, darting off to the front doors. I unlatched the heavy lock on the inside pushing the hefty wood open. "Wait?... Catherine? Where is the snow? It was a heavy downfall last night." I was in disbelief. The snow which was up to my knees was nowhere to be seen. Not even a speckle of white powder strong enough to dampen the ground. Catherine took a longer stride hiding behind the door. "You are an intelligent woman Bella. You know that snow melts correct?"

  "Yes I do, but if it is December, shouldn't the snow be half-melted? The cold would have frozen it all."

  "Bell, this is one thing I cannot explain. Sometimes there is snow here, sometimes it's summer. Now go before you jinx us and have a flash flood. Go!" She playfully pushed my feet out the door. "Fine, fine, I am going! Don't get your undergarments in a bunch!"

  "Watch it! Keep it up and I'll change the locks." I chuckled hearing her voice fade away down the trail. I was wrong, the dirt below my bare feet was fairly moist, sinking each step I took as a placement in the trail. In the daytime, the trail down the mountain was not as frightening as one thought initially when one tracked up a month ago. The forest was calm. A strange silence. Nor a cricket nor a blade of grass made a singular disturbance. I felt as though I was being watched. It wasn't Catherine surely, she could not follow me in the sunlight. Let alone I was protected by the marked necklace.

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  "I-I am protected-...belong to the House Valeria. Be gone!" My body froze as my shoulders tense. The black mass bolted threw the brush. Rushing towards my being. My bones wanted to leap but fear held me stiff in dirt. My weight was burying me down into the earth.

  "Meow!"

  A ball of black fur with pointed ears appeared at my feet. A pregnant cat purred, rubbing its body against my ankles. "Awe you poor thing. You are a long way from home mama." I bent down petting this beautiful creature's head. "A friendly beast you are." She bent her neck up to allow me to scratch her chin. Her purrs buzzed violently rattling my hand. She was content with my presence. Perhaps, this poor mama has not had a gentle soul in sight. "How could such a beautiful animal bring bad luck hm? You are absolutely adorable! A soft softie." I picked this sweet fluff ball into my grasp. She did not complain letting out a quiet mew. My hand caressed this mama's full underbelly with the feeling of the little lives growing within. Our eyes met, the mama cat's eyes were as bright as the grass beneath us. She stared as though I was the only human she had ever encountered. Her eye lit like a candle a brighter shade of green. "Brr-reow!" With that little yelp, her claws came out leaping out of my arms. Her raised fluff tail raced up the trail to the castle. "Oh, bye mama." My senses have since calmed.

  How can I be spooked by a mere cat? Maybe I have been cooped up in the castle for too long.

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  Media? has not changed, after all, it has only been a month. I feel I have changed. For the better? For the worse? I have no clue. I take my life day by day. Not worrying about the future that was laid before me as soon I erupted from the womb. My feet slid off the edge of the mountain landing in a small blanket of snow. Funny isn't it? The snow has since melted around the perimeter of the castle though, the village still had snow. The slate on the villager's roofs was packed on the wood. My toes crunched up to remind myself I forgot my shoes yet again. I will bet Catherine will surely scold me once again.

  It was a small village so navigating around homes to the main street. Stares followed me as I trotted down the snow-covered cobblestone. The same group of elderly women I once met when I first arrived here passed me withholding their thick coats together. Their eyes dug into me letting out a few gasps and scoffs. Gossiping in Romanian is likely.

  "Good morrow, ladies." I waved pretending to be daft not knowing the pretenses of their dirty looks. I took a sharp right to the butcher shop.

  The little bell rang in the small shop, and a small crowd gathered near what appeared to be the butcher himself. My father always said never to trust a skinny butcher. This round man towered over the crowd boasting over the catch of the day. "Alright, you vultures! I will have to speak with the boy to see if there is enough trout for all of yous!" It must be Friday. Most churchgoers refuse to eat beef on specific days. I found that quite peculiar, you go to church on Sundays. You already have a day to waste in a cold brick house anyway, why limit what you eat? Who says what you can or cannot eat?

  The crowd dewindled leaving me and another woman. She may be older or the same age as me. Most women in this village wear neutral or black colours. The strawberry blonde was in a grape-coloured dress and a deep red overcoat. Her hair was pinned up in braids hooking up on the top of her head in a braided bun. "One carp, please. My mother-in-law will be cross if it is not fresh."

  "Rest assured Miss, my boy just caught'em this morn. What 'bout you Miss?" This man was not a jolly sight, he seemed ran down. He slouched over the table in my direction. "I need two slabs of beef and three full chickens if you please." Both parties' eyes widened, the butcher laughed under his breath. "No fish? It is Thursday you know?"

  "I am well aware sir, but my Lady only requested me to come to the village for beef, and poultry. Nothing more." I threw my basket over as I presented the emptiness of the wicker. "Y-your lady? Beautiful as you are how can you be a servant?" The butcher's eyes crept down my feet to my head. He turned his back to me wiping his hands in his apron. "That's the point. My Lady doesn't care if I am a beauty or not. She cares what I think, and I think you should get my order instead of swooning over me. I have no time for pleasantries. I have many shops to go to and no time."

  "Your husband does not mind your witted tongue? To speak to others in such a tone?" The blonde squeaked laying her hand on her chest. "I have no husband. I live for myself. You should reconsider your freedom before you speak. It shows how sheltered you are to others outlooks." The butcher came back around with five paper-wrapped bricks, dropping them into my basket. "A tongue the likes of yours will get you into some trouble. Wait, a stubborn beauty? You are Abe's daughter correct? The runaway? Betsy?" My brows furrowed as my hand swiped my basket off the table. I was more offended that this man thought my name was Betsy over naming me a runaway. Which in actuality, that was the term for someone running away from their home.

  "Bella. Bella Donna. And yes, the Doctor is my father." I pulled out the heavy bag of shillings untying the string to pull out 4 shillings. "Good day to you both." My heels pivoted to the door. "You should be ashamed of yourself. Your father has not stopped searching for you." The blonde spoke up in a more disturbed tone.

  "I would be more ashamed if I stayed here. If I became an empty shell peacock like yourself. Pointing your nose in the air like you are worth something, but you're not." I tore the door open allowing the snowy breeze to take me in the direction it blew.

  My father searched? He searched for me? Perhaps to bring me back to the Thomas mansion. The only thing he cares of is if I was to be married off. Since I was nowhere in sight, he lost his deal. That is all.

  The bakery was beside the butcher. I was quicker in there leaving for the tavern. The only place in the village whereas you can acquire liquor. I know for a fact that I will have to speak to Joe. The barkeep we previously met when we first arrived. He must have been quite friendly with my father after I left. All I wish is that there will not be any anger towards my decision to live my life. The tavern stood across from my father's medical office, I pondered if any sort of villagers would be in during this time. It is not even the evening yet, but I know not. I opened the door as I heard the clash of drinks and a bunch of rambunctious yells from the opposite sex.

  "I dare say, I would rather kiss your cow than your wife! At least the cow holds some beauty! Haha!" A group gathered in the center of the tavern singing shanties and drinking back their ale.

  "Aye! Gents! Keep the ruckus down! I am not in the mood to mop the floor with yous!" Joe spoke up from the back of the bar cleaning mugs with a discoloured rag. "Haha! You seem the kinder sort, Mr. Joe." Joe stopped in his tracks disregarding his rag over his shoulder. "Bella? It is you?"

  "Yes, Joe. Last time I checked. I think you may need to acquire spectacles if see otherwise."

  "Ha! Your father spoke of the same. Where in hell have you been? Your father and I have searched for weeks looking for you."

  "So I have heard. I am only in the village for the day. My Lady requested me to come pick up red wine. It must be red. Not port, not vermouth. She will be very angry if I go back up the mountain with the wrong wine." My voice boomed throughout the tavern to hear myself over the songs of the men. I turned my head as I noticed it became quiet. "I am sorry Bella, I misheard you. Did you say your Lady? Up on the mountain?" The crowd's eyes darted to me, awaiting a response. "Of course. I am a servant for the Lady Catherine Valeria." The men shrieked in horror arising from the chairs.

  "Vampirul!!"

  "Ea este blestemat?!" The men roared pointing fingers in a row towards me. I turned my body back to Joe with no intention to answer. "Joe? What the hell are they talking about? I'm not familiar with Romanian."

  "Catherine Valeria. Your Lady you serve on the hill. She's a vampire. She's lived up on that hill for centuries. My grandfather says her family and the Thomas family were the richest houses in Romania. Had was there when Catherine the Great was born."

  "What in the bloody hell are you going on about? Catherine is maybe 53 or 54 years old. That does not mean she is a vampire. It just means your poor town has a high mortality rate." I joked waiting for Joe just to grab the bottles of wine. He turned around with a wooden case of red wine. "No, no Bella. You don't bring your intelligence into this. This is real. My grandfather told me the story. Catherine Valeria became a vampire the night of the annual Harvest Ball. She killed her husband and devoured her children. If Catherine claims she is 54, then she has been 54 for 125 years. You should be afraid." He dropped the crate on the table. The bottles rattled against each other.

  "You know, it's quite humorous. The only person in Romania that cares for me and not my status is a goddamn vampire. Imagine that!" I laughed with no others joining in. Joe shook his head. "Don't say I did not warn you."

  "Do you see her feed?" The men interrupted us.

  "She will ravage you! Lead you into hell hand in with the devil! Catherine Valeria is an abomination!"

  "They are only stating facts, Bella. In 125 years, over 40 young girls have gone missing. Only 20 girls have survived and told the tale. My grandmother was friends with her. She spoke of nightmares, deeply violent and in the sexual sense. Nightmares of Catherine ripping her flesh and doing unholy sexual acts."

  "Unholy eh?" I smirked with a raised brow.

  "Wipe that smirk off you! You know what I mean Bella Donna. Unholy acts. Homosexual acts between two women."

  "Oh no! I'm so scared! To live in a lavish castle with a lesbian? Oh, what a life! I would rather live in sin than in misery." I poured the rest of the shillings on the bar counter. "Enough of your jokes Joe, you behave. Tell my father I love him and I am safe. Farwell." I lifted the crate off the bar walking out without peering back. It was freeing.

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  The question remains. Is Catherine a vampire? The myths and legends about vampires are sparse. Drinking blood, only out in night, immortality, fangs. Only one was true. Her medical afflictions deem her admissible to venture outside in daylight. That does not condemn her as a vampire. Small minds tell tall tales.

  By the afternoon, I was half up on the trail dragging along my basket in the crate full of wine. Out of breath, I halted to take a moment to stop my eyes to see stars. "Dear lord...if this will not quench her thirst then I need a wagon." I dug my heels in the dirt to drag the crate to the castle.

  "Meow! Mee-ow!" The same black mama cat passed me on the trail. "What? Would you like to help mama?" This ball of fluff dropped onto her back revealing her fairly large belly. "Oh please mama, I can't give you rubs I'm sorry. I have to get going." The mama purred rolling back onto her feet leaping into the crate. "Oh come on! This is already heavy as is. I don't need you and your baby's weight added." I went uphill to the flat surface of the castle gates. Lowering the crate to unlock the chains on the bars. The mama cat purred again in and out of a short nap. I finally mustered enough strength to lift the crate to walk into the back door. I unlocked the door to the kitchen to see Catherine waiting.

  "Oh, Catherine. I thought you would be asleep. Why are you up?" I dropped the crate as the mama cat stretched jumping out of the box. "I could not sleep. What is that doing in here?" Her long white nail pointed at the cat looking at her back to me. "I don't know, she followed me down Media? this morning and followed me again coming back." Catherine's eyes darkened. The same redish brown glowed directly at the mama cat, she let out a growl flashing a bright green colour back to her normal shade retreating out the door. "Little nuisance they are."

  "Cats are cute. Very soft and loveable creatures." I picked up the wicker basket to place the meats in the cold pantry. "Uh huh sure...little devils they are. Mountain lions in tiny form. How was going back to the village?" I stopped what I was doing slowly closing the pantry door. "Oh, it was fine. Very freeing. And quite hilarious actually."

  "How so?" Catherine yawned as she slammed the back door behind her, she passed me going out of the kitchen. "The townspeople know I'm working for you now, and claim you are a vampire! Haha! How stupid are they!"

  "Huh...yeah...haha. Very stupid."

  "Yes! They actually said you were not 54, but your 179-year-old vampire that were present of the birth of Catherine The Great! This is why men and women need to attend more schooling past 10 years old." I giggled following after her. She laughed under her breath.

  "May 2nd, 1729. That was a good summer."

  "Huh?"

  "Haha! Nothing! I was pestering you, go dust. You are allowed to spend the rest of the day in the library when you're done." Catherine's body swayed making her way up the stairs to her room. "And be quiet!"