Sweet Songbird (G/T)

Chapter Eighteen

"Oh, Thompson it's beautiful!" Seraphina exclaimed, looking at the lake before her. The sun was sparkling on the water, the trees around them swaying softly in the gentle breeze that also blew her long hair around her face. 

"I'm glad you like it," Thompson replied with a very small smirk, his eyes scanning the area to see if he could catch a glimpse of Karen, Matthew, and Kenneth. But unable to see them, he turned back towards Sera to keep her suspicions down. She's naive, thankfully, making this whole ordeal a piece of cake. 

Sera inhaled deeply, taking in the wonderful fresh air and enjoying the sounds of birds singing all around her. This is just what she needed after what happened in the library. All her attention was on the lake, the sounds of the earth. "It's all so- ah!" She was interrupted when rough callused hands gripped her own arms tight. 

Thompson had managed to silently sneak up behind the woman and grabbed her arms in an iron grip. She struggled profusely against him, but he did not let go. Instead, he held her tight while the other three servants emerged from the trees with ropes and cement blocks. "Hurry! Before her screams alert anyone else!"

The black haired girl screamed and fought against Thompson, frightened tears already running down her cheeks. "Thompson, let go!" She begged, unable to do anything as her hands and feet were bound by rough rope. The grip behind her had remained strong, and she could recognize only a few of the voices behind her. Just Karen and Thompson's. 

"Finally, I've been dying to do this!" Karen laughed and she hurriedly tied a cement block around the other end of the rope, almost getting hit in the face by Sera trying to kick her legs around. "Let's see if the giant fool can get to her in time."

Sera continued to kick and squirm when suddenly she was engulfed in freezing water. It almost immediately filled her lungs, and the blocks the traitors tied around her drug her straight down. Even if she could breathe, she wouldn't be able to get to the surface. Her throat already burned, her eyes stinging with salty tears and fresh, cool water. The light seemed so distant now. And things were beginning to become blurry as she choked and gagged on water. Was this really how she was going to die? Drowned by a man who claimed to care for her?

Her own voice screamed at her to breathe, but she can't. Her dress made it difficult to even move now, the soaked fabric weighing her down almost as much as the cement. Black spots began to cloud her vision. This really was it, wasn't it?

Unknown to Karen, Thompson, Matthew, and Kenneth, a timid maid had caught onto their plans before they even left. Maddie had heard them talking in the hall, and didn't want Seraphina to get hurt. Sera cares about them! She's literally the only one who treated Maddie like a person, not a scared animal. But now she had to tell the giant.

She's been trying o hard to avoid Lord Kaufman. And now she was deliberately heading to his study, running as fast as her weak legs could carry her. "M-Master Kaufman?! Lord Kaufman?!" She cried out, adrenaline pumping through her veins. However, the slight courage she had managed to work up faded when a dark shadow fell over her.

"Maddie." The deep voice said with a slight growl in its tone. "What business do you have calling me?"

Maddie's silver eyes locked on the hazel ones far above her. His large black shoes were on either side of her, adding to the intimidation. "I-It's Seraphina." She stuttered out, letting out a squeak of fear when his gaze only darkened.

"And?" Eric glowered down at the human at his feet. Was she mocking him? And the fear that was clear on her face was only adding to the powerful feeling he received. 

"Th-Thompson, Karen, Matthew, and Kenneth." She whimpered out, backing away from the giant man until her back met the wall of the hallway. "Th-They're going to injure, or even k-kill her! I-I heard them!" Terror continued to course through her body, but Seraphina was her friend. Fear or not, she had to do this.

Eric's heart jumped in his chest. Humans, once again taking things that belong to him. "Do you know where they are?" He mumbled to the trembling maid, making sure his tone was softer than before to get a proper answer.

"The lake!" 

That was all he needed. In an instant, he was running through the halls, shaking the floor and knocking over any humans he passed. He didn't care though. He had to get to her. If she were to die, and the last things he spoke to her were still those cruel things, he would never forgive himself. 

It was there, so close to him and he approached it in a matter of seconds. The murky water. The other servants were nowhere to be seen, but all that mattered was Seraphina. Not even bothering to roll up his sleeve, his hand plunged into the cool water, his fingers combing through the water with a hope for them to brush against wet fabric, hair, anything. "Sparrow, where are you?" He whispered to himself.

He then felt a spongy item, and quickly he wrapped his hand around whatever this thing was and yanked it from the water. In a closed fist, he could see the sopping wet black hair now sprawled over his hand; fabric of a gown draped between his fingers. "I need to get you back." He whispered as softly as he could, cupping the human against his chest. 

Eric began to run again. Something he really hadn't done for a while, but this was urgent. "Just hang on." He murmured under his breath as the mansion rapidly approached. He was barely paying attention to his actions, he didn't notice when he began to rub circles into the small woman's back with a thumb. "You'll be okay."