villainess'ss Secret Service

c122

Golden cage

Darkness had become Rosalie's constant companion, always present in her current life.

When she opened her eyes, her thick black lashes revealed a world cloaked in endless darkness. Oddly enough, in this void, she could now see her own body. She wore a flowing, velvety burgundy dress, off-shoulder with loose sleeves, and a delicate velvet belt of the same color, tied with a graceful bow at her waist.

Seated on the cold, black ground, she wanted to move. But an unseen force seemed to stop her, like invisible bindings holding her wrists and ankles.

Unable to move, Rosalie tried to turn her head. A strong, crushing headache hit her, feeling like her brain was being minced and her skull was splitting.

'Ugh... Even blinking hurts so much... What happened to me?'

For the first time in this strange dream, Rosalie realized she was dreaming. Oddly, it didn't feel as surreal as before. She had grown used to these weird dreamscapes. But this awareness made her uncomfortable because she had always believed knowing she was dreaming would wake her up. Yet, amidst this discomfort, she felt a bit of relief, realizing she might have some control now.

"Rosalie? Can you hear me? Can you see me?"

Suddenly, a low, masculine voice called her name from the darkness. Rosalie turned her head again, ignoring the pain, and saw a tall, strong figure emerging from the dark. This man had long, black hair, a pale complexion, and eyes glowing with a fiery red color. His heavy steps echoed in the darkness, and his face showed deep concern, maybe even fear.

At that moment, Rosalie realized, or perhaps just felt, that she had seen this man before.

"It is definitely him, the man from my previous dream, the one who tried to protect me from the stranger with the white blindfold. But could he also be the one I danced with at the Harvest Festival?"

Rosalie wanted to confirm her suspicions and speak, but she couldn't. She struggled to open her mouth, but it felt like her voice was gone and her lips were sealed shut.

The man seemed to understand her trouble. He knelt in front of her, looking at her with his deep red eyes. He spoke gently, trying to reassure her.

"Rosalie, don't be afraid. I am here to help you."

The duchess looked at the man's face, her large gray eyes filled with silent confusion. He continued, his voice calm and firm.

"You are in great danger, especially with your husband gone. Right now, only I can help you. Please trust me. I mean you no harm. But to help you, I need your trust."

Rosalie hesitated. She looked at her frozen body and tried to move or speak again, but nothing worked. She looked back at the man, struggling with her inner confusion.

On one hand, the situation was strange and she might just be dreaming. But on the other hand, something about this man made her feel a deep sense of trust.

Seeing her growing worry, the man gently took her hands in his. He smiled kindly and spoke in a soothing tone.

"Please trust me, Rosalie. I promise to help you. Just let me help you. I need your permission first."

'Permission? Permission to help me? What does that mean?'

His words confused her even more. But despite her mixed emotions, something urged her to trust this stranger. And if it was just a dream, accepting his help wouldn't hurt.

Rosalie took a deep breath and looked into the man's eyes. Slowly, she nodded, giving him permission to help her.

A grateful glimmer appeared in his dark red eyes, and suddenly, everything went black again.

***

Rosalie struggled to open her heavy eyelids. It took a while for her blurry vision to clear. When it did, she couldn't believe what she saw.

"A golden cage..."

She was trapped in a large golden cage, like one used for exotic birds. She was still wearing the burgundy velvet dress from her dream. Her pale wrists and ankles were bound with secure shackles, their metal chains extending from the red wall behind the cage. Her mouth was covered with a soft, white fabric.

"So that wretched scoundrel had the audacity to imprison her in this manner? That damned lunatic."

She tried to move, making the chains clink. Slowly, she crawled closer to the bars of the cage. Her pale hands grabbed the metal bars, helping her steady herself as she looked around.

The room was dark. Dim, amber lights in odd sconces barely lit the space, casting long shadows on the tall red walls.

The room had almost no furniture. The deep red walls had large golden frames without any paintings. Thick black velvet drapes covered the tall windows, blocking any view outside. A plush, crimson carpet on the floor looked like an animal pelt soaked in dark red blood.

In the middle of this strange room was Rosalie’s cage. It stood alone, except for a single black velvet-covered chair nearby, as if placed there for someone to sit and watch her.

'It seems he has planned this for a long time... Has he always been this obsessed with Rosalie? To kidnap her and lock her up while Duke Dio is away. The nerve of this fool.'

Just then, there was a sound from the tall black door at the room’s far end. Moments later, Theodore Xarden walked in.

When Rosalie saw him, a calm thought came to her mind,

'I must act naturally. He must believe I am Rosalie. If he suspects anything, her body could be in danger.'

With a sly grin, Theo walked slowly toward the cage, his narrow eyes fixed on her. As Lady Ashter shifted uneasily, her fear showed, which seemed to amuse him.

Theo stopped in front of the cage. He crouched down to her level and looked at her nervous face. Then he smiled, almost joyfully. He gently touched her cheek with the back of his hand and began to speak,

"Awake already, Lady Rosalie? It seems my timing was off. I hoped to enjoy the sight of you sleeping a bit longer. Your peaceful smile was so beautiful."

Rosalie pulled back, her face showing clear dislike for Theo's touch. She let out a muffled groan, unable to fully express her anger.

Theo scoffed. He grabbed the bars near her pale hands. Shaking his head, he continued in a colder, more menacing tone,

"Being hostile won’t help you, Lady Rosalie. Welcome to my collection."