ALMIRA THORN- Knowledge of Another Kind. [Editing]

Chapter 10- Arising into a new vision.

Oh Allie, what have you done…I snapped awake and shot up, gasping and panting for air. My vision turning into an array or colors before going black again, but not from unconsciousness, it was night. The room only seeping in a glow from the window, moonlight shining in so I could make out the basic features. The room was the same size as mine, the ceilings lower, making it seem more confined. A mirror was hung  on the opposite wall next to the door with draws to the far right of the room, the wood looking old and worn with age. I stared down my body and could see a tangle of sheets bunched towards the edge of the bed, as if someone had kicked them away like snakes creeping over skin. My dress was gone, the underskirts and corset still lay framed against my body but loosened slightly, as if I’d been breathing heavy. Oh god, the party! Would Tom have come looking for me? How long have I been unconscious for? Who were those people? Has anyone found the body?

Body. That was what was left of the man who had tried to kill me, nothing but a corpse for the maggots to eat away. All because of me. A killer, nothing better then the men who took Papa.

The sound of the door handle turning brought me back to the new problem. Shoving the other ones in a draw to deal with later, I jumped from the bed and lifted my arms in a stance, ready for what was coming through that door.

As the door creaked open with a painfully loud groan, woman in a maid’s uniform appeared. She looked young, younger then I was. Her height didn’t look like it would even reach my shoulders, her long brown hair clipped back, looking strangely like Hope’s hair, except the youth of this woman meant that she didn’t have the warm wrinkles of Hope. Instead, her features were strong and masculine, a long pointed nose dominated her face and huge golden eyes stared back, taking up her face. The eyes held age though, an intelligence that the rest of her hid. She kept her gaze on me as she walked into the room carrying a basket of clothing. Every item black and lifeless, along with the dress she wore that was also black, framing her tiny waist and making her skin look thin and pale.

“Don’t be afraid, my name is Lucinda but you can call me Lucy. I know this is all a bit strange but I promise you, none of us mean you any harm. What is your name?” Her eyes showed attention and interest as she kept her gaze on my face.

“Almira, my name is Almira.” My voice sounded croaked and rough, as if I’d been screaming but I can’t remember anything other then two other figures, both of which were not this women staring at me now. She smiled and took a step closer, setting the basket on the edge of the bed and bring her hands down in front of her skirt.

“Well then, Almira, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you properly, you weren’t in the talking state when we first met. I know you are going to want answers and we are going to give you them, but first I bet you would like a hot bath and fresh clothing, then I’ll introduce you to the rest of the household and we will answer anything you need to know.”

At that moment, a bath sounded like heaven, I simply nodded in agreement and she showed me a door to the right of the room, leading into a bathroom that was as basic as the servants quarters, the bath tub occupying most of the room but the water steaming up from it was all I could look at, so inviting. As I got up and started walking to the other room I could feel the slight ache all over my body, as if I’d jumped in front of a carriage and had fast forward a week, leaving the ache to remember the incident. But I knew that it wasn’t any carriage crash, but the burn I’d felt before I’d fallen into a sleep state. My legs protested as I made my way into the bathroom and went behind the screen to change, the clothing sliding off and showing me nothing but a scar across my stomach from the attack, the length of my middle finger. How long have I been here for it to heal to nothing but this? I turned to ask Lucy but I was left staring at nothing but an open doorway, a dress hung from the top. It was a dark blue that was the exact color of Tom’s dress clothes from the party, the color of a lake at night. The memory of the dance and being in Tom’s arms made my heart clench and tighten, a lump appearing in my throat, he would be so worried. I bit back the tears and pushed the thought aside, a problem to fix when I got the answers I needed. But first, a bath. I gently slid into the water and felt the water run over me, loosening my muscles and soothing the ache as I lay down enough for my chin to be floating above the waterline. All I could do was lie there as the water fixed my muscles and made me feel like me again. I slowly lifted my arms up and felt my hair; it’s ties and clips a mass of knots. Gently, I started undoing them, feeling my familiar long hair fall around my shoulders and into the water. Holding my nose I dunked under and let the last of the dirt and memories disappear as the water enveloped my entire body before coming up for air. The air cold and refreshing as my body felt healed and recovered at last.

I don’t know how long I’d been lying in the water but the water began to change from a warm comfort, to a cold wake up call. I slowly rose and stepped out of the bath, grabbing a towel from the side by the screen and drying off my body as my hair felt heavy and cold around me, dripping onto the floor as I finally wrapped it around my head and slowly started putting on the dress Lucy had given me. It fit perfectly, as if made especially for my body. Did they measure me when I was unconscious? The thought should have had me feeling very self-conscious but instead, I didn’t care. My body felt itself and my mind was clear of issues, only the need for answers filled my mind with a determination that made me dress faster, made me pull the towel away from my hair and let my damp curls fall around me without inspecting it in the mirror. I needed those answers. Now.

As I moved out of the room I caught a flash of something in the draws, a flash of silver that my brain registered and knew too well. Metal. I ran to the draw and fished through before silently thanking whoever was listening as I found a short- sword with a holster and strap next to it. I hesitated, this is too easy. Nobody would leave a weapon lying around. I slid the blade into the strap and attached it to my back, it running up my spine showing the handle enough for me to grab, fast. Without turning back I went for the door.

A corridor lit with candles either side ran down and to stairs at the far end. I started running and sprinted through the corridor, down the stairs and coming to another set of corridors. I looked in either direction and found one corridor leading down more stairs. Down meaning closer to the front door and out of this god forsaken place. I continued my pursuit and finally reached a large hallway, a room with a door slightly ajar on the left, voices coming through loudly, as if the room was big enough to echo across the area. The answers are through that door. Can I trust them? Should I just leave and run? Will I get a chance at this again? All the hesitations stopped as I heard my name in amongst the mumbles. I felt myself moving towards the door before I could even register what I was doing, my hand pressing against the wooden frame and pushing, walking into the room that was behind it.

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To be continued....