Ten years later, little Eloise isn't so little anymore. She's now nineteen years and more beautiful. She barely had enough to eat but she was okay. She was more beautiful than anyone else in the mansion. She didn't look like a slave one bit. She had grown to be loved by every other slave in the house. And her best friend Mira always reminded her of his beautiful she was. With her pale white skin, ocean blue eyes, and long ginger hair; each loc wavy and beautiful which was often tied back. She always wore her necklace and always believed that she would leave that mansion one day.
The mansion was especially bustling that day; they were expecting visitors and the house had to look perfect! All the servants were working that day. Eloise despite being a maid, moved gracefully along the halls as she cleaned the floors, dusts the shelves and the statues, mopped the stairs, scrubbed the marble floors and carrying linen in a basket.
"Good morning Mr Marcus, how are you this lovely morning?" She enthusiastically greeted the butler.
"I'm very well thank you, do make sure you scrub the floors properly. Madame wants everything to be perfect" he said as he walked away
"Don't you ever get tired of being so happy?" Mira asked Eloise with a smile on her face
"Tired? A princess never gets tired" Eloise replied sarcastically
"Princess? Well yes, princess of the kitchen, they need you in the kitchen" Mira replied chuckling
"Ughhh! I hate it there. I'd do anything to be away from that grumpy old kitchen chef, she's so mean! Please go instead of me, pleaseeee?" Eloise said with puppy eyes
"Oh Eloise, you'll never change. Okay, I'll go! But promise you'll take my spot tomorrow?"
"I promise my queen" she said while curtsying
The girls burst out laughing as Mira left.
Everything had changed over the years, Eloise became more happy and friendly with everyone and they loved her. She always found a way to make them laugh regardless of the circumstances. And she was always getting into trouble with Madame. Her nightmares continued though and they were always the same. She dreaded going to sleep at night because of the constant nightmares but despite everything, she never gave up her thought of leaving that place and having a better life. She believed that everything would change for her good very soon. And she held on to that belief.
She picked up the basket of linens on the floor as she hurried along the corridors running before madame would see her in this part of the mansion when suddenly, she accidentally bumped into a tall figure.
She stumbled back, the basket and the linens scattered everywhere in the hall. She looked up to see who it was and blood drained from her face as she looked up in horror as she met with the eyes of the lord of the house.
The world seemed to stop for a moment; he was talk, fat, and had no form of sympathy in his eyes. His face was cold and pale.
It seemed as though she couldn't breathe. What had she done? She quickly averted her gaze from his as she bowed in fear and began to pick up the things she dropped.
She tried to hurry away but it was too late, Madame had entered the corridor and witnessed the scene.
"What are you doing here you urchin? How dare you stand before him?"
Her expression cold with fury.
"I'm sorry Madame, I di- didn't know…." Eloise trembled in fear as she spoke.
Madame walked towards Eloise, pulled her by the hair and dragged her on the floor.
"Guards! Take this filthy thing to the dark room. Let her stay there for the next 12 hours and let me see if she won't learn" she said
Eloise cried in fear as the other servants watched the scene unfold before their eyes, they looked in horror as she's being dragged away into the east wing.
The servants believed Eloise would be killed there, Mira cried silently as she watched her best friend being dragged away.
Eloise begs the guards to let her go as she remembers the other girls that were taken there but never returned.
They didn't listen, they threw her in there and she landed on her behind. She felt a sharp pain underneath her palm, it was a nail. Everything was dark, and cold. She couldn't see. She held on to her necklace tight as blood flowed down her palm. Suddenly, her necklace began to glow. And she felt at peace. She always wondered why her necklace glowed whenever she touched it and why nobody else could touch it.
Hours later, the guards unlock the gate, shocked to see that Eloise was alive. Nobody had ever survived in the dark room before, they were expecting to come and dispose of her dead body but she was alive. She had a few scratches but she was still alive.
Nevertheless, they dragged her out and growl at her to return to work. Still disoriented, she goes down the wrong passage…the entrance to the main mansion and not the slave's hall!!!
She runs as fast as she can despite how weak she was and she didn't realize she was going down the wrong hall until it was too late. She speedily as she open the door of the main hall where all the nobles are gathered; thinking it was the door of the slave's hall.
The hall is lavish, the marble floors, squeaky clean, chandeliers brightly lit noble men and women dressed in silk and velvet.
Eloise froze. The scent of spiced wine and perfume fills the air.
The guest glanced at her and it looked like everything stopped.
Before she could run away, Madame Selene storms across the room and gives her a resounding slap on the face. Eloise drops to her knees, pain blooming across her cheek. A second and third slap follow leaving let gasping in the floor. Then Madame raised the glass in the hand and hit her on the head. Eloise screamed in pain as the temples of her head began to bleed.
Other slaves nearby avert their gazes some sneaking pitying glances at Eloise.
The guest only chucked and returned back to their business and some pretended not to see.
"Go outside, you'll suffer for the repercussions after this party"
The guards dragged Eloise outside as she stared into space, tears dropping down her eyes.
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Among the nobles is a tall, vampire noble with striking features and awesome looks that would make any girl fall for him. He had a cold and mysterious aura and no one dared to cross him…..Master Vincent.
He was the soon to be king of the kingdom. Strong and powerful.
He watched the scene quietly as he observed. His wine untouched. Something about Eloise piqued his curiosity; something about how defiant she was, the flicker of light in her eyes even during humiliation. He makes no move but his gaze lingers on the door long after she left and others had forgotten about her.