The Curse of Taloncrest Manor

Chapter 12: A Fortified Prison

Thomas led Melody to the third floor. Once they had reached the door to the balcony, the two of them phased through it and walked outside. The balcony was very large and expansive, boasting a floor and edgings made entirely out of stone. That being said, the balcony itself was relatively barren aside from a few potted plants along its exterior. Of course, Thomas and his master's prisoner was also there; Rose was sitting on a bench near the center, not being able to do much besides just throwing small pebbles around. Once she saw Thomas, though, she immediately got up and began walking towards him. 

"You! How long are you going to keep me trapped here?!" she asked the butler angrily. Thomas rolled his eyes. "Now, now, let's all calm down....you are set to be bound to my master soon....yes, it's only a matter of time....." he mused. "But nevertheless, we do require a little more time to get ready." 

Rose tried to bolt towards the door that Thomas and Melody came in through, but unfortunately, she found it to be locked. She tried the other door at the other end of the balcony, but that one was locked up as well. "We can't have you escaping. That would be a terrible detriment to our plans, indeed." Thomas said. Rose looked at him indignantly. "Look, I'm afraid there's been a case of mistaken identity. I promise you, I am not the person you or your master seem to think I am." "So you claim to not be Master Taloncrest's wife reborn?" Thomas asked, in an attempt to clarify. "But surely that is impossible? I have worked with Master Taloncrest for a long time, as well as his wife, Jane, after they got married. I should think I would be able to distinguish her appearance quite well. And you match her almost perfectly." 

"Is that so? Then may I see a picture of this 'Jane' fellow?" Rose asked him. "Hmm.....I'm afraid that won't be a possibility for a while. I'll allow you to look at some pictures of her later, when I return to pick you up and bring you to my master at the Golden Altar. There, we will complete the binding, and you and my master shall be as one once more. Until then....I have brought someone to keep you company and to make sure you do not try to mount an escape." 

Melody stepped forward and revealed herself to Rose. "Who....who is she?" Rose asked Thomas nervously. "She is but one of the many ghosts who inhabit the mansion. And she seems to be one of the most.....lethal.....if I may say so." Thomas explained, taking a moment to choose his words wisely. "Do not worry, though. We need you alive, so I have made it clear that she is not to kill you. That being said, you would be wise to not underestimate her; after all, you'd be surprised what the living can survive through." As if on cue, Melody unsheathed her blade with one hand and made a cutting gesture across her neck with the other. 

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to finish helping my master with decorating the Golden Altar, and to spread the word among some of the other ghosts. All of them simply must know about this glorious occasion!" Thomas said gleefully before dissipating, leaving Rose and Melody alone on the balcony. 

Melody glared at her. "You won't be leaving; not on my watch," she said matter-of-factly, summoning an orb of blue fire to destroy the bench. Then, she surrounded Rose with a rune circle, which seemingly had no purpose. "You think this will stop me? Just wait until I get over--OW!" Rose yelped in pain as she tried to recover from the shock. Melody laughed. "This magic circle will electrocute you---quite painfully, I might add---if you ever make any attempts to step over its boundaries. I would avoid trying that again, if I were you." 

Rose gave up and sat down, defeated. "Very well....." she said with a sigh. "Who....who are you, anyway?" "I am Melody Pianissima, figurehead of the Songsworn, and one of the most talented and loyal servants of Bartholomew Taloncrest himself. ......Or at least I was."

"Who are the 'Songsworn'? And what do you mean?" Rose asked curiously. 

"I lost a lot in that devastating fire that ravaged my old home and forced me to become a drifter for a long while. Thankfully, that all ended after Master Taloncrest found me and gave me a place to stay, here at this mansion. It even had a music hall for me to practice in---how lucky is that? In gratitude, I agreed to serve under him. For the next few years, I entertained him by playing him pieces on the piano and by singing him songs whenever he wished. Whenever I sang to him, his headaches seemed to go away almost immediately. I suppose I just had the magic voice, I guess."