Pet Human

PART 3: New home

Bastion helps me out of the carriage.

He gets in position to let me lean on him again.

"Oh, no, thank you, mr. Bastion, I can walk again..."

"Good, now lets get you inside."

He gestures me to follow him.

As we step through a magnificent stone gate into a courtyard, it really does look like a very old castle.

I shiver, its very cold with these rags on.

Bastion stops in front of a big iron door, leading into the castle.

"Alright, Micheal, this is it. Here is where your new home will be. Are you ready?"

I give him a weak nod.

I'm freezing. I feel so cold. Lets hope Bastion has some proper clothes for me inside...

He did say he would provide me with all my needs, including clothing.

The door opens and I walk inside along Bastion.

The heat of a few torches on the walls inside hits me.

I'm in a very grand hall, old, but still very much in its royal state.

Bastion walks me to a door, leading a very small side room.

He hands me a suit, one of those for a formal generic royal.

"Here, put this on instead of those rags, you will have to look the part to be properly part of the household. I'll wait by the door, once you are done, we'll go and introduce you to my family and then get you to your room."

I grab the suit and disappear into the room.

I take of the rags and put on the suit. Its better than nothing...

Donning the black bow tie on the black as night suit, I step out of the room.

"There, much better, is it not?"

I nod at Bastion. He really seems like the only person I can trust here, despite him being a vampire.

Ugh, what am I talking about? EVERYONE here is probably a vampire.

He pats me on the shoulder, that makes me only slightly better.

I have a whole new life to get used to, and this  is just the begining...

I don't want this, but what choice do I have? 

Bastion might be kind, but letting me leave is the last thing he will allow.

And his family effectively wants a pet human, so I can't get someone from the inside of the family circle!

Can I even escape from here?

"Hey, why are you so speechless?"

Bastion starts to question me.

"Oh, i'm fine... owner?"

"Nah, don't be so formal! Simply refer to me as Bastion, others have to adres me with your excellency, but you are a special, you are now... Family."

Family.

I get it that pets are also somewhat considered family, even for humans, but this is feeling like its processing too fast!

Then, a door opens and two people storm in. They are short, they are... Kids.

"Papa! Papa!"

They yell as they run towards Bastion.

"Did you get us a pet human?"

"Where is it? Where is it?"

They are very active, hyper, and joyfully toned.

Bastion gestures to me.

"Here it is, my boys, its name is Micheal, and this is our new pet human."

The two boys seem very exited.

The one with brown hair walks up to me while the one with cream hair stays behind waiting. 

He grabs my arm, i'm still very drowsy, so he shakes with it with ease.

Afterwards he looks at Bastion with a disappointed face.

"Papa! This one is broken!"

What? I thought Bastion said I would love his kids!

This is just sad. Do I really have to be so dependent on Bastion to the point I can only feel safe near him?

Well, its just the kids... perhaps his wife or friend turned family is better.

The kid just fiddled with me like i'm some sort of machine, like i'm not even alive.

"Dadadoo, its important to first let the pet settle in, ok? Then it will be able to play with you and your brother, now, uncle Quesanta probably still has something for you two to do, so maybe go and do that, alright?"

So the brown haired one is called Dadadoo...

"But papa! How long does the pet need? I want to feed of it!"

"Now hold it there, son, you are my heir, and being considerate and patient with feeding is a quality you clearly still lack. We have to let the pet slowly settle in, ok? Give it a week, by that time, it should be ok to be fed of, hm?"

"Ok papa! Stinger, come on, lets go and help uncle Quesanta!"

They both run of. Bastion sighs.

"Well, Micheal, those where my kids. Dadadoo and Stinger."

"I clearly saw, and-"

"I know, Micheal, they treat you like an actual pet. But that is just what they want. I'm sure my wife and Quesanta will be kinder."

Bastion walks me to a grand library.

Seeing the size of this place is very surreal.

At a table there is a female vampire reading a book.

She is wearing a very luxurious red dress, and has a lot of jewels on her, a ring, a necklace, and... huh... she smells like perfume...

"Honey! Look at what I got us!"

I guess that is Charlotte. Bastion's wife.

She looks up from her book and smiles the moment she sees me.

She gets up and comes to me, petting on my head.

"There, there, good pet."

She is teasing me.

"Its name is Michael, honey. I'm sure you now that we have to be gentle with it, let the pet settle in."

"Yes, Bastion, the maids have reported to me that the room is as good as ready, so our little pet has a nice, comfy sleeping place."

You can just tell by her tone that she is very teasing.

But hey, its at least not like Dadadoo and Stinger.

Charlotte continues petting me, until she finally lets go.

She gives me a teasing wink as me and Bastion leave.

"Toodeloo, little pet!"

Ugh, do I really have to live like this?

Well, I don't have a choice.

I already see that there is no running from this situation, even if I escaped somehow, I would be in a strange world with no place to go. It could even be worse out there than here.

I'm locked in a game I can't stop.

Me and Bastion leave the grand library, and he leads me up some stairs, adorned with red carpet.

As we go up the stairs, I look out the window and feel just how far I am away from home.

I see absolutely nothing out there, just dark plains as far as I can see, covered in fog and darkness, perfect for vampires, horrifying for me. 

My focus regains as Bastion opens a door after having lead me through a hallway.

"Here you go, Micheal, this is your new room."