Believer

Tic-toc

The hours passed as she laid in her bed looking at the ceiling of her 'childhood' room. She ran the numbers and did the math, she was sold when she was around four years old. Now she wondered when her birth date really was, was it really the date she was told it was? Kari gave a loud sigh, the orange cat she has known for four years curled up at her side. It was not good that she was not sleeping, she needed the sleep, if she were to go to work. Tomorrow was Friday, it had nearly been a week since she got the Draft. In that moment something drifted to her mind, "Sir Cenric." it was the name for which the Gelding she was training would now be called. Where the name had came from she was not sure, but he now had one and it was to be made official, she would have to call Jon in the morning and let him know she came up with one. Peering at her clock, she let her head fall back and huffed a sigh that was nearly followed by tears. She closed her eyes tightly, remaining that way until she managed to fall asleep in the ringing of her new sorrows. Her sleep grew deep and almost coma like.

"Sma hander..." a faint voice came, "Shh..." came another, " Vem ar hon?", "Jag vet inte...", "Inte pappa saga?" The voicesseemed to be mutters, she didn't budge at first, but gave a groan, the voices stopped. She felt like she was being looked at, as well as if she were about to get sick. She shook her head slowly, lulling, groaning in discomfort. Her eyes flutter slightly, Kari glimpsed tall black figures, but closed her eyes. Letting out a breath, the voices fell silent, the sensation of eyes cast down on her burned into her ribs. The sound of a door opening and the feeling of the eyes went away. Her eyes flew open and she jumped, no one ever came into her room! She shot up, and panted, looking around wildly. The figures came into focus, they were average sized, though a few slightly shorter than the two closest to her head. They wore masks that resembled statues, "Bloody hell!" Kari shrieked, pressing herself to the oak head board. This wasn't her room, it was nothing like it. The walls were a crimson red, matte gold trim that looked like hand carved leaves and vines, a black throw rug on part of the amber hard wood floor.

"Where's my horse?" She sputtered, only truly concerned for him and not herself all too much. The men glanced at one another, as if they didn't know what she spoke of. "Your Gelding" A voice cut the air, a familiar voice, "Is just fine." the voice finished, she shot up upon seeing Emeritus, trying desperately to lunge at him. The men at each side of her grabbed her and held her back, looking down at her, and for some reason she felt as though they had concern. "Calm down now young one..."Emeritus raised a hand, the men let go of her arms, she lay propped up on her elbows, still in her bed clothing that she put on. She noted that Emeritus now wore face paint that resembled a very sleek skull. "Why in all of hell..." Kari began, Emeritus looked at her and she shut up, he made a tisk tisk sound at her as if she shouldn't have spoke as she had.

"Who are you people?" She asked, her voice low, the men stood with their hands clasped in front of themselves, staring into oblivion. "We... are Ghost." Emeritus spoke, gesturing with both hands to the men at each side of her. From the corner of her eye she saw a nun, of whom moved quietly and appeared to carry some kind of folded cloth. Kari watched her, raising a brow before returning her gaze to Emeritus of whom was at the end of the bed. "Sure... yep." Kari sighed, recalling how her mother had allegedly bought her off of this man. "So... how much did she pay for me then?" Was all she asked, almost numb, but shefelt the pain rising inside of her chest with every breath. His eyes shot to her's, "I beg your pardon?" he asked, "You heard me... how much did she buy me from you for? $200? $50? How much." A slight expression of shock came to his eyes, as if she weren't to know this, let alone question it. He didn't respond, with that Kari nodded, "Alright then... I see how it is..." A thick energy wafted from her right side, she could feel that someone among them, wasn't happy. If anything this question hurt them, or perhaps disturbed.

Giving a sigh as Emeritus surely watched her, she laughed at herself softly, sitting up, but not really looking at any one. Feeling very desolate, empty, like there was nothing but questions and void. "Come... gentlemen... " He spoke, they turned and began to walk out of the door. Tears threatened her eyes, and it was so unlike her to cry, Kari grew angered with herself. "Fuck!" She cried out, as a tear fell from her eye and sank down her cheek. The nun that she had saw earlier was now at her side, feeling the light touch of a hand on her bicep, she looked over through teary eyes. "Don't cry..." The nun spoke, having laid out some black folded clothing, "I know it's hard..." she said, as if she knew the half of it. "My horses... I can't.... where am I?" Kari asked as she cried. "Your horses are fine... don't you worry." The nun cooed, "You are in Balendic Castle..." Kari had never even heard of the place, did it even exist or was this some kind of hoax?

She could not believe anything that went on, was she dreaming of was this real? "What's your name?" Kari asked the nun, "Samantha." She responded, "and you are Kari..." Samantha commented. Kari held her breath, "Yes. ... How did you know?" The nun didn't respond at first, "Papa Emeritus, he told all of the Sisters that you would be coming. Though the Ghouls didn't know." Samantha stated, "Come... you must bathe, there is much you must be shown today." Samantha uncovered Kari's legs and urged her to sit up. Kari did with much reluctance, shuffling after the nun to the bathroom, she still felt dazed and estranged. She had not got up early, nor had she done her ritualistic behaviors of stall mucking and horse feeding. Without having done that, she felt shook up, and unsure of anything. What time was it any way? Kari decided to ask.

"Roughly 9 am dear..." Samantha replied looking up at her from the laundry she had begun to fold. Kari looked at the clothing that had been set out for her, it was all black, what was this? Was she to be a nun too? She laughed herself slightly, "I'll goshower..." Said Kari almost dismissively before sliding out of bed and heading towards what she assumed to be the Bathroom. Samantha gave a glance over her shoulder, likely surprised that Kari knew where the bathroom was to begin with. Once in the bathroom, of which was relevantly larger than the one in her house she once shared with her family. Leaning on the sink, that was marble with silver taps, she let her head bow, shoulders tense. Kari's almost unnaturally copper colored hair fell into her face, her bed shirt loosely hung to her body, closing her eyes she let the emptiness fill her. Angered, stricken, grieving, longing, hurting, hating, crying, she stood there.

Walking out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel she lazily crossed the floor, her hair wet and stranding. By now Samantha had gone away, to where, Kari didn't know let alone half care. Kari felt sad, but at the same time very aggressive. The clothing she was to wear laid on the bed, set out neatly. Kari disliked having been told what to do let alone what to wear. Drying off her body, she then towel dried her hair, standing naked as she did so. For a moment she prayed to God no one was by any chance watching her. The thought hit her, she didn't have a bra with her. She felt her cheeks turn read, then noticed a bra set out with the clothing as well as panties. She furrowed her brow, picking up the black bra, she checked the size. 32D. How in the hell, did anyone possibly know what size her bust was. With much opposition she put on the bra and panties, before picking up the clothing. There was a black button up, accompanied by a black vest. Black semi-dress slacks, along with a belt that was leather and studded. On the front of the vest was two rows of buttons, three on each side, trailing down to just above the waist. She cringed a moment, giving a sneer of impatience before getting dressed.

Tucking in her shirt, she fastened her pants and buckled the belt. Thus far the clothing fit her well, as if it were tailored for her body and her's alone. She huffed picking up the vest, just then a set of nuns stepped in through the red wood door of her'room'. She turned her head, the nuns walked up to her with their heads down, "Are you ready, my lady?" One asked, Kari shot a apprehensive look as the nun had not looked at her. "Just about..." Kari responded, one nun stepped away and walked off, returning with shoes, a moment later. Saying nothing, Kari put on the vest, a nun stepped up, Kari resisted as the nun began to button the vest. Locking her jaw, she tried not to growl as her eyes peered defensively. "Easy now... We won't be having that kind of attitude in this Castle." the nun with Kari's shoes chimed in a voice all too nice for her taste. Kari said nothing, rolling over the thoughts of screaming at them, crying, and giving this "Papa" a piece of her mind.

Once her dress shoes were on, one nun took a brush to Kari's bum long, half dry, copper hair. Allowing the nun's to brush her hair, she stewed in her own thoughts, giving a small sickly smile. "Why do they need me here?" Kari asked, opening her eyes, neither of the nun's answered at first, but simply looked to one another for a moment. They didn't answer, Kari grinned slightly, by now her hair was dry and wavy. She felt hands begin to braid her hair from the nape of her neck, working down her back. Tying of her hair with a black ribbon the nun from behind her drifted to her side. "Sister...." Said the nun, almost as if she wasn't to be speaking at all. With that the nun's walked Kari to the door of her room, before opening it, and walking down the long, high ceilinged hallway. In which hung chandeliers every hundred feet. On the walls were portraits of a man that seemingly looked like Emeritus, they were framed in gold frames, the walls behind them were crimson. The flooring was marble, only the sound of footsteps were heard until the trio neared a large door at the end of the hallway that remained slightly ajar. From behind the door came voices, hushed, speaking in some foreign tongue.

"Det är bara en tidsfråga ..."