RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE - The House of Dimitrescu

Chapter 11 - Living with the Enemy

Once their bargain had been struck, Lady Dimitrescu escorted Y/N to her study on the ground floor of the castle, leaving a small number of serving girls and maids with strict instructions to oversee the thawing of her daughters from their frozen state. Y/N followed cautiously behind the large woman as she strode purposefully through the corridors, one hand trailing close beside the chain at his belt, suspicion still simmering softly inside him as he went.

However, any caution or fear that still lingered within Y/N was vastly outweighed by the sheer relief he felt at having been able to strike his Devil's Bargain. At last, he would not need to fear for his life, and whilst he still thought it would be unwise to let his guard down completely, surviving until the spring was suddenly looking much more do-able.

The Countess remained silent as she strode quickly through the castle, the only time she ever deviated from her path was to wipe her trailing mascara from her eyes, removing the traces of her earlier tears. She doesn't want to show weakness, Y/N mused to himself as he followed her into her study, she has an image to uphold.

They soon reached Lady Dimitrescu's chambers, the Countess ducking in through the door before Y/N followed her inside, squinting slightly in the darkened room lit only by the flickering fireplace opposite.

'Sit.' Lady Dimitrescu commanded imperiously, pointing to a white and gold footrest on one side of the fireplace. The footrest itself was easily big enough to be a stool by the standards of regular humans, and Y/N hopped up onto it with a word of thanks.

The Countess moved quickly to the other side of the room, sinking into an enormous white armchair at the foot of an even bigger four-poster bed, upon which the gilded sheets flickered like an ocean of molten gold under the soft firelight that flooded the room. Leaning over to a large wooden desk strewn with papers and books, the countess picked up a long, black cigarette holder, struck a match, then took a long draw from the end of the pipe, sighing deeply as she exhaled a large cloud of white smoke into the air. 

'Once my daughters are recovered,' she began in a reluctant tone, draping the cigarette holder loosely between her gloved fingertips as she turned to face Y/N across the fire, 'I will inform them that you are no longer to be considered prey, and make it understood to them that you are to be our... guest, for a time.' Y/N bowed his head gently.

'Thank you.' He replied.

'How long do you intend to grace us with your company?' The Countess continued, her tone laced with sarcasm.

'Only until the snow melts.' Y/N answered, trying not to fidget in his seat. 'Once the mountain paths open, I will leave.' The Countess remained silent, terribly still and tall in her chair, before she took another long draw from her cigarette holder, the glowing orange tip reflected slightly in her luminous golden eyes as she watched Y/N critically.

'You require accommodation also, I would assume?' She asked smoothly.

'I am content to remain where I am.' Y/N replied hastily, thinking of his secure and safe attic room. 'I am afraid that I would not wish to give you the temptation of my blood by my proximity.'

'And I would not trust my daughters to be safe with you lurking in unseen passageways.' Lady Dimitrescu countered, her tone flat. 'You will not return to the walls.' There was a long, uncomfortable silence, mistrust and discomfort hanging in the air like mist.

'Perhaps there are some openings in your servants' quarters where I might sleep?' Y/N suggested. Lady Dimitrescu considered this for a moment.

'There is a woodsman's cottage on the hill overlooking the estate.' She said at last, taking another pull from her long pipe. 'It would be more suitable in my eyes.' She thought for a moment more.