6/14/20

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Dear diary,
What AM I doing? Trying to live what shred of a normal life I have left? Theres hardly any chores around my home besides what is about to be cleaned, eaten, repaired, or thrown out. I sit in my study reading the same books every day, squeezing as much information as I can out of them to find some form of work for myself. Are we all going mad in this prison? Our food supply is finally grinding down to a minimum, The ruffians outside no longer throw us rations, And Alice's growing fruits wont be ripe for two months, If they survive the cooling temperatures. But with Alice's life-giving touch, they may yet survive. But what will happen when we must flee, and never return? what then? Ive nowhere to run, no other home, My entire life to this point may as well be an elaborate ruse. Isa was right, this place is our home, but it is slowly becoming our tomb. And what about Ive? Ive never told her she was adopted, She sees me as her biological father, but who as her mother? Zenia? Lydia? Her life is more so a lie than mine. I can only hope that she assumes her mother perished long ago. I need to think, and make peace with my servants, these girls, Before our time here abruptly comes to a halt.

-Nicholas

Nick leaned back in his desk chair, And covered his face with both hands. He needed to think, Very hard, on what they should do. Stay, and let Nick's enemies chip away at their patience and sanity? Or attempt to escape, and risk it all? The ex-samurai felt a sudden, heavy urge to drown a bottle of sake. A knock on his study door broke his silence, but he decided to ignore it. The knocking came again, and Nicholas sighed, "Enter." He granted begrudgingly.  The door opened, But his hands still covered his eyes. Nick heard a sliding noise, Claw-tapping steps, and shoes on his wooden floor, They went silent for a moment, moving across the rug, then the footsteps continued again, until A glass bottle set itself on his desk with a clank, And someone with soft feathers rested their head on his armrest. "Can I help you ladies?" Nick asked. letting go of his face, he dangled his left arm behind his chair, his right arm rested on the chair.
     Sora had nearly fallen asleep on his armrest, Lydia was standing upright by Melana, who was sitting on Nick's desk, a bottle of sake and four small glasses laid next to it, "You seem like you could use a drink." Melana suggested, Her facade as unscathed as ever. Lydia backhanded Melana's leg, making the vampire change her sentence after a short yelp. "I mean, I have something on my mind id like to discuss with you, Nick--" Melana felt the slap on her leg again, "--Sir Nicholas." the vampire sighed, her blank, serious expression was unbroken, but a tone of pink had spread across her cheeks and nose.
      "What troubles you, Melana?" Nicholas asked, Gently rocking Sora awake. The vampire pulled the cork out of the top of the sake bottle, And poured it into the four glasses. Lydia took hers and downed the shot in an instant, Sora walked around the desk and lifted her glass.
    "She meant 'We.'" Sora specified, And drank the sake, then looked between Melana and Lydia, "Shall I go first?" The kikimora asked. The Sand Worm and vampire nodded in agreement. Sora Clasped her hands in front of her, and bowed her head, "Ive told you before, the kikimora harpy is a servant race, we live to grant the requests of our masters, no matter the burden, because that burden, that work is what gives us joy, to serve is an honor, master Nicholas, And as your servant, my will, And even my body belong to you, For it is my lineage's long-carried duty to obey, to serve, and to please our masters." Sora Looked into Nick's eyes, awaiting a response.
     Nicholas Nodded his head, "By this request," He took his glass, "I will keep you as my humble servant. I can see it stirs your heart, Sora."
     The harpy bowed her head again, "Your Order will be my duty, master." Sora smiled, Her eyes glittered in the noon sunlight.
     "My turn, is it?" Melana exhaled, Bracing herself. She promptly drank her sake, then poured another shot, paused, and drank that as well, "Ive been your secretary for nearly 20 years," She started, Obviously nervous, "In that time youve grown quite a bit on me, at first, You were just my boss. now, I...." melana trailed off, "Lydia, if you would take your turn, please." Melana asked the sand worm.
     Lydia shook her head, "Its too late now, finish." She countered, urging melana to continue.
     Melana rolled her eyes, and poured another shot with a trembling hand. after downing that third glass, she coughed as the alcohol burned her throat for a moment. "Its not like ive fallen for you, or anything," Melana stated, clearly lying, "But, In my five hundred years since I was born in romania, and bitten by The first vampire, Vlad the Impaler," She pulled down her cloak's collar to reveal two puncture scars on the side of her neck, "My thirst for blood was overwhelmed by another thirst, The one for love. Thats what I mean when I say youve grown on me, Youre graceful, honorable, not like any lecherous swine ive met before. Do you feel the same for me?" She finished, risking her dignity on an even riskier question.
     Nicholas thought for a moment, "You are a member of this household, Melana, I love you as a family member."
     Melana froze, Embarassed, shocked, and displeased by Nick's response. "Its that or you enjoy the company of other men." Melana jabbed at Nick, took the last of the sake, and exited the study to pout and celebrate at the same time. Sora was covering her mouth, trying not to burst out laughing.
    Lydia Contained herself, And exhaled a deep breath to relax herself, "Where were we? ah, my time to speak." She Thought about what to say, And how to say it. "It was my idea we did this, Nick," She stated, "Melana, Sora, and myself had feelings For you for some time, but didnt get the same opportunity As Zenia or Chandra. Mine are a bit more, how do you say, straightforward." Lydia Crossed her arms, "As embarrassing as it is to say, I enjoyed you catching me without my garments that one night," Lydia Covered her mouth as if to cough, "Would it be too much to ask if I wanted to show you again? or to ask the same from you?"
     Nicholas tugged at his shirt's collar, "My It's getting hot in here," He Shook himself and rubbed his glasses with a sleeve, "Ill promise you that, so long as we all leave here alive, and live in hawaii." He suggested.
     Lydia shrugged And reached down to scratch her tail, "I Suppose thats fair, considering your emotions for us." Lydia bowed her head, "Thank you, Nicholas, this lets us sleep easier at night."
     Nick dramk his shot of sake and set the glass upside-down on his desk, "It was a pleasure, Lydia, and thank you for organizing that."
      Lydia paused as she snaked onto the rug, "Oh, one last question," she turned to face nick, who raised his eyebrow in curiosity. "When will you tell Isa the truth about herself?"
     Nicholas shook his head, "I dont know, but it must be soon." He answered, "I just dont want to see her cry or be angry with me."
     "She will." Lydia confirmed the hard truth Nick didnt want to think about.

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