Her Maiden

Chapter Eighteen: Home

***Author's note: PEOPLE ARE STILL READING THIS WHAT.

As always, I am so so so grateful for the support this story gets. It absolutely makes my day scrolling through the comments.

Thanks all, you're legit the coolest bloodbags :)***

You wake up in a cold sweat. Your dreams had been filled with dark memories once again, leaving you feeling just as exhausted if not even more so.

You glance around, blinking back sleep from your tired eyes. You feel a pit in your stomach when you realise you are still in the strange and unfamiliar room.

At least the pain in your abdomen has subsided somewhat, you realise, though it was definitely still there all the same. An ever lingering, itching, dull ache that reminded you of the viciousness of the attack. You shut your eyes for a moment, trying to banish thoughts of that event from your mind.

Hesitantly, you attempt to sit up once more, only this time you know to try and do this slowly, carefully. You take a deep breath and with a few grunts of effort, manage to prop yourself up.

You wince in fresh pain, but it isn't completely unbearable.

After a few moments of adjusting to your new position, the aching subsides. It allows you to pull the bedcovers up a little, revealing your bare feet at the other end of the bed.

You feel your heart drop a little when you see you are indeed, still chained up by one of your ankles.

If the sight wasn't so jarring you could have laughed. You can't really imagine yourself running off anywhere in the state you're in right now. Still, it was disconcerting knowing that someone had essentially imprisoned you here, with no explanation. You wonder if it was Alcina. You wonder if perhaps she was mad at you for putting yourself in danger. Or, as she probably interpreted it - putting her property in danger.

As if in answer to your question, you hear approaching footsteps from the other side of the door.

You tense - they aren't Alcina. You were familiar with hers now and knew these steps were too quick and close together.

You find yourself holding your breath. You have a horrible feeling about this but you aren't ready to fully entertain the idea. There's still a chance it might not be...

The iron door screeches open, revealing a strange figure adorned in black feathers.

Mother Miranda.

Suddenly you wish you were still unconscious.

She carries with her a small tray of fresh dressings and salves, which she places on the nearby table, before drawing a chair to your bedside.

She was no longer wearing the strange golden mask, instead, this time, you were able to look upon her face. Dark, heavy eyeshadow framed yellow eyes, just like Alcina's, though unlike Alcina's, they were sharply cold without an ounce of warmth to be found within them.

She barely looks at you as she readies her tools.

"I'm glad to see you're finally awake," she begins, still not bothering to look at you, "it has been a challenge keeping you alive, but it's far from the worst that I've dealt with."

You swallow, unsure of whether or not you are expected to reply.

She turns to you, reaching for you without warning and you instinctively flinch away, which sends a sharp wave of pain over your body. You grimace, a small whine escaping your throat.

A look of annoyance flickers across her face for a moment. She retreats, muttering something under her breath as she begins rummaging through her supplies.