Blood Promise (Completed)

Part 4-At the Hotel

 "Miss Anika? We are almost there..."

Anika woke to the sound of the chauffeur's voice. The car had entered the long winding path rising upwards toward the huge gates of the fort. The gates were made of solid wood with brass inlay work which glowed in the light of the fire burning in torches placed all along the path. With the lights gleaming in the fortress, it looked like someplace out of a magical world.

As they came nearer, the mist descended over the fortress, all of a sudden, screening it from view. Anika gasped, as it seemed that they were traveling into nothingness.

"What happened?" she asked the man.

"That happens here sometimes, Miss. We're at a great height here," he replied, looking at her in the rearview mirror. The look in his eyes made Anika uneasy. She could not put her finger on it, but it seemed kind of shifty.

Shortly, the car came to a stop in front of the huge gates. The guards rushed to open them, and the gates moved back with a creaking sound. The car progressed towards the glass doors of the hotel. Obviously, some changes had been made in the fort when it was converted into a hotel. Here too, the guards held the doors open, as she got out of the car, craning her neck to take in the tall portals and the gigantic building. The mist had disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.

"Come, Miss," the chauffeur led her toward the door. "Your luggage will be brought in by the bellboy."

Anika followed him, curious to see what the interior looked like. Not much had been changed about the walls of the great hall, though it had been turned into a foyer with a reception desk at a corner. Coat of arms hung on the walls, as did the mounted heads of lions and tigers, their beady eyes gleaming with an unearthly glow, in the muted lighting.

The receptionist, a tall young man, dressed formally in a dark suit, greeted her with a smile, extending the register for her to put her signature on it. A boy in livery, brought in her luggage, and she was ushered down a passageway to a winding staircase, going all the way up to the topmost floor.

The Princess Suite stood to one side of the hotel, in a separate wing from the other rooms. As Anika entered the suite, she was amazed at the old-world feel of it, despite it being decadently luxurious. The sitting room, with its plush carpet, velvet-covered couches, spindly-legged chairs, and the low table in the middle, led to a bedroom with a round bed, draped with sheer lace curtains. A dresser stood against one of the walls, as did an armoire behind a carved wooden screen. Her luggage was placed in the adjoining dressing room, which led to a bathroom with a sunken bath.

"Will you prefer a tray in your room, Miss, or do you wish to come down for dinner?" the room-service maid asked.

Anika thought for a moment. "I'll come down." It would be interesting to see more of the hotel.

An hour later, washed and dressed in a long skirt with a full-sleeved top, since the nights were cool at this height, she came out of her suite. Now, which way should she go, Anika mused, confused by the maze of passageways, and stairs.

Trying to recall the way she had come, Anika let her steps take her down a long corridor, taking a couple of turns, till she realized that she was well and truly lost. This part of the fort was in partial darkness, not being lit by the wall sconces which lined the other passages.

"Hello, is anyone there?" she called out, then was scared out of her senses, with a guard seeming to walk out of the darkened wall.

"Are you a guest at the hotel, Miss?" he asked, his manner not quite polite.

She nodded. "I think I'm lost. I was looking for the dining hall."

"You'll find that this way, to the right and then, down the stairs, on the ground floor," he said, pointing to the way she had come. "This part is out of bounds, Miss," he cautioned, his tone implying that she shouldn't come that way again.

Anika thanked him, then walked back, taking the turn he had said, and walked down the steps. It was a relief to be in the bright lights and the busy lobby of the hotel once again. It was as if she had come back from some time travel.

One of the staff led her to the dining room, and she chose a table near the tall glass windows looking down at the town lying below the hill on which the fort was situated. The tiny glowing lights of the town gave an impression of the stars having come down to the earth.

Having ordered a local delicacy, Anika looked around the room. A few couples were seated at the nearby tables, as was a large family, occupying a huge round table in the center of the room. Her gaze was drawn to a man sitting alone at the next table. He appeared slightly familiar, till she realized that she had seen him on the flight.

He looked up as he felt her eyes on himself, and she colored in embarrassment at having been caught staring, but the next moment felt better when he smiled at her, raising his wine glass in a salute. He too, had obviously recognized her. Anika smiled back, then went back to the delicious lentil stew she had ordered.

Dinner being over, she walked out of the dining hall, to find that her co-passenger had followed after her.

"Hi, I'm George. We were on the same flight," he called out.

"Anika," she said, shaking the extended hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you here, Anika. Now, I no longer feel all alone in a strange land. I hope we'll see a lot of each other during our stay."

"I'm sure, we'll do," she agreed offhandedly, trying not to give him any wrong ideas. She was certainly not interested in any strange men.

"Would you like to take a stroll around the grounds?" he invited.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid. I'm quite tired from the journey." With that, she went up the way she had come, thankfully reaching her suite of rooms. Having changed into a nightdress, she stood for some time at the window, gazing out at the night. Soon, the mist descended once again, and Anika turned away from the window, to make her way to the bed.

Sleep claimed her, as soon as her head touched the pillow.

"Ratnavali, my darling....."

The soft whispering sound woke her up. Confused, she looked around the room.

"Who's there?" she called out in a panic. Had someone entered the room by mistake?