The Story Weaver

The Chase and Reward

About a month after I moved to the Larkbone Manor (which turned out to be the name of the giant house) Valeron gathered all of the occupants of the house in a very dramatic fashion. all of the servants, family members, and even the gardeners were all squished into the main private sitting room of the house.

"Staff, family members, as you all know, I have dear friends over in Greece who have frequented our home over the many, many years that we have lived here. And, being the kind and gracious host that I am, I simply could not turn a cold shoulder to them when they came to me in need of a place to stay while they were attending to business here in Tallia. Therefore, I would like to announce that we will be having these various guests here with us for an indefinite amount of time as they attend to their own business here." He finally finished his long-winded speech with a nearly unnoticeable huff.

I was a little bit shocked that Valeron even allowed other people to stay at his house. He seemed like a bit too much of a control freak for that sort of grand gesture. 

I eyed him suspiciously. 

"Who exactly are these 'honored guests'?" I asked him with my arms crossed in a confrontational manner.

He gave me a glare of pure annoyance and then broke out into his cocky smile again. 

"I already told you, you silly girl. They are a family friend. I am sure they will be thrilled to meet you anyways." 

The way that he said that last statement made my skin crawl. He looked, in that moment, as if he was keeping something more from me that was probably meant trouble. It made me very uneasy.

I had to force myself to shake off that last comment of his as the crowd of people dispersed and the meeting came to a close.

I was about to leave the room when I felt my upper arm become encased in the most aggressive and vice-like hold while a very tall, shadow-like person dragged me out of the room and into an adjoining, dark hallway of the house. Between the darkness that had so quickly enveloped my senses and the feeling of being dragged around by an unknown foe, I nearly let out a blood-curdling scream. The only thing that kept me from full-on attacking that person was the death grip that they surrounded me in and the firm hand that was secured over my mouth. 

"Don't make a sound." I heard a deep, baritone voice whisper in my ear, which only made me even more uneasy. I couldn't do anything, I coudn't even move to defend myself or make any sort of noise, so I simply stilled all of my attempted movements in an effort to get them to let me go. 

"Good girl" He said as he slowly loosened his hold on me. Taking the opportunity I was given, I jerked my entire body downwards and barely slipped out of his strong grip. Just as he was about to get ahold of me again I sprinted down the dark hallway without looking back. 

I continued to run until I saw a smaller staircase that led up and out of the hallway, so without thinking I ran up the stairs, through a set of old looking, plain wooden doors that were just at the top. Inside was a study of sorts that was filled with dust-covered bookshelves and an old gray desk.

I couldn't calm my frantic breathing as the weight of the situation sunk in, making all of my veins run cold. There was an intruder in the house, and he seemed to be very dangerous. I was all alone in a part of the house that was pretty separated from the living quarters which meant that it was highly unlikely that anyone besides him would hear me scream, and I most certainly didn't want that. I was screwed unless I could get the attention of someone that could help me. It set all of my nerves a-buzz with adrenaline as I looked around me for another door for me to run through 

As I was searching, I could hear the intruder run their hands along the old wallpaper as they walked up the stairs. I heard him chuckle softly as he walked along the old floorboards, each step he took made my stomach lurch in fear and anticipation. Did he think that this was... funny? I was horrified by his behavior, I was horrified by this situation. I didn't know what to do in the face of one of my worst nightmares.