6th Day

A faraway groan came to her ears but she did not shrink back as on the first day. Andrea knew that she was in her father's keep, she also knew that this place was no longer home. She had seen strange men with foreign banners arranged in the courtyard, she heard murmured discussions in languages not her own, and she had seen the Lady dine. Andrea shivered at that remembrance.

It was yesterday, Andrea had been taken to a small antechamber and placed in a chair. The woman had entered. The two spoke, though mostly it was the woman while Andrea listened. She heard words of roses and pruning sheers, of payments owed and prices set, of blood-money and of blood itself. A servant entered carrying a plate with a lid, it was placed before the Lady. She smacked her lips and Andrea thought the woman's tongue was cleft down the middle. Before this awful image could sink in, however, Andrea's attention was grabbed by the plate - the lid had moved... of its own volition. The Lady lifted the lid, on the plate was a mouse, alive but with legs quite broken. The lady had smiled at Andrea, then she lifted the rodent by its tail, dangling it over her red- lipped mouth. She opened her mouth, but her jaw did not stop where a normal person's should - it most unnaturally unhinged and her mouth became an abyss, and that mouse went down into that gaping hole, very much alive. The Lady closed her mouth, swallowed the still wriggling animal, and smiled a most contented smile.

Andrea involuntarily shuddered, then vomitted out what little was in her own stomach. The woman grinned as if this pleased her. This woman was the first person Andrea had seen after the terrible night in the farmer's house - and the woman had introduced herself as the Lady Drake. Andrea now had learned how appropriate this was.. but she was to learn much, much more.

Today, the sixth day since her capture in the farmhouse, she was informed she would dine with her parents. Andrea cried out with joy at this news; it didn't matter that strange noises continued to come from the west wing, or that sobbing at all hours still came from the southern apartments. Andrea's mind and soul and heart were consumed with the expectancy of seeing her parents. She was allowed to wash properly this day, with warm water and some soap. She was given a brightly-colored gown to wear.

She was escorted by a steward to the dining hall and when the doors were opened she saw her parents sitting at table. With complete abandon she ran to her father and embraced him. To her dismay and confusion she was not hugged in return, in fact her father did not move at all. Her mind took in the details, confusion was slowly being replaced by a horrible truth: her father's body was cold, rigid, unmoving - her father was a corpse!

Andrea screamed and backed away from the dead body. She stared at her mother - her breasts heaved, she was alive, but she did not speak and there was a strange smile playing upon her lips.

The Lady Drake entered and Andrea flung herslef against the evil woman. "Murderess! Murderess!" cried out Andrea.

As Andrea was pulled off by a steward, Lady Drake spoke: "Your father feels no pain any longer, your mother knows no suffering; is this not what you wished?" Then the Lady walked to behind the Lady Croix, turned her chair exposing the back of her head. The hair had been cut, a portion of the skull ahd been chiseled out, and a pink and gray hole stood exposed. The Lady grabbed a fork and picked out a small piece of the noblewoman's brain and ate it. "I have needs," said the Lady Drake. "I ate your father's heart hoping for courage; I eat your mother's mind hoping for knowledge."

Andrea, anguish filling her very soul, fainted.

1. the horror continues...

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