a thousand instincts (#1)

Shadows Of The Night (13)

Aeress

     She walked around aimlessly. She wanted to go to the library, but knew damn well who would be there. 

     Aeress never thought she would ever complain about being alone, but this solitude was beginning to drive her crazy.  

     The castle was gorgeous, something out of a fantasy novel. It was at least one thing to keep her mood from plummeting. 

     The staff certainly listened to Warrick well. She felt absolutely alone, even as she knew the spotless furniture was not taken care of on its own. In some ways, she felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Any day now and she would begin to talk to the broomsticks. 

     Aeress was dressed in sweatpants and a tight t-shirt. This was the attire she had missed so desperately before. 

      So she wandered downstairs, hoping that it meant she would avoid him. And not even was Mikya around, but he must have been actually working instead of tending to her like some personal butler. 

     She trailed her hand against the wall, trying to soak in every detail, to map out the house, but it was difficult for her, because she was sure that whomever originally crafted this castle had every intention for it to resemble a maze. 

     After about thirty minutes passed, she gave up and made it back to the front entrance with the intention to go back to her room and sleep away her problems. 

    There was a heavy knock on the front door, scaring the life out of Aeress. So startled that she had to take a seat on the ledge of the fountain up front. 

     A woman dressed in all dark clothes came out of nowhere and approached the door. It must have been one of the mysterious staff. 

     Aeress felt her stomach twist with apprehension as the woman opened the door. The shadows of the night blew in with a fierce wind. Snow whipped in, and she could feel the ice pricking at her skin. 

     There stood a towering woman. She was built and one of the most ferocious characters she had ever come upon. 

     The much smaller woman gasped in recognition and bowed until her chin nearly brushed the floor. "To what do I owe this honor?" 

     The woman said not a thing, wrapped in red and black. Her eyes were hard and judging, narrowed to a slashing slit. Just her wintry gaze alone caused those around to tremble for the fear of death. In many ways, it reminded Aeress of Warrick. The warrior woman thrust her hand out and in it was a scroll, crisp and untouched by the storm, rather like it feared her wrath if it dared wilt the edges of the paper. 

     The woman bowed and took the scroll with an unsteady hand. Before she could say anything else, the terrifying woman vanished, becoming one with the darkened outdoors. 

     The woman shut the door, cutting off the sound of the howling wind, so human-like it was that Aeress was sure there was someone wailing. She was visibly trembling as she examined the scroll, yet refused to open it. Her brown skin was flushed with awareness. 

     "Is everything okay?" Aeress asked, confused by the whole situation. 

     The woman jumped out of her skin. She clutched her chest in fright. Aeress immediately felt bad and went to the woman, helping her up after a few frozen seconds. "I didn't mean to scare you. I hate when people do that to me." 

     She swallowed, examining Aeress from head to toe. Recognition hit. "Godhead!" she gasped, bowing even lower than before. "Forgive me. I did not mean to ignore your presence."