Dimitrescu's Daughter (Completed)

Chapter Five: A Bird in the Hand

I don't remember getting to bed most nights. The days begin to blur together but at least it's nothing like being around mother Miranda. Instead I'm living with mother Dimitrescu.

Every morning the maids have a contest to see what unlucky soul has to wake me. After the one incident where they saw the wound in my chest she fainted on top of me, I woke up screaming, and I haven't seen her since. Hearing what I did of my new mother's snarling I doubt the poor maid is alive now.

After I'm woken up and given breakfast mother Dimitrescu comes in, chooses an outfit for the day, and dresses me in it. Like any person with a good sense of self preservation I don't argue. It seems to give her so much joy despite how ridiculous it is. Ruining it might feel cruel.

Lessons follow breakfast. Sometimes it's etiquette or reading, other times it's learning how to speak Romanian or arts. I really don't mind the painting or the time to draw since I already know a little on both subjects but the etiquette lessons have me falling asleep in my chair.

Lunch is in the afternoon. Then I have the evening off to amuse myself. I'm not allowed in the basement or beyond the castle.

Finally comes dinner which we eat mostly in silence aside from my shattered nerves and occasionally dropping my utensils.

"I think today you should pick an instrument to learn," Mother Dimitrescu says, "I've had the maids dust off the old piano and move it into the lounge. Some things can be delivered from the village but they're somewhat limited. And you'll be learning nothing made of brass."

"Woodwinds then?"

"Or strings."

I nod, "I was in the band in junior high. Didn't care for it. Got a bamboo splinter in my tongue from my clarinet reed."

Always perceptive mother Dimitrescu takes my hands. She looks at them, "I noticed your hands are quite calloused. You must have worked quite a bit before you came here."

"Paleontology for a summer. It was fun."

"Dead humans?"

"Dinosaurs. Old bones. Relics. All sorts of old things."

"You're not getting out of an instrument. Your calluses will be fine for violin," Mother Dimitrescu pats my hand lovingly, "After seeing your gift for the other arts I look forward to seeing how you handle music."

A lot she knows. If there was a god residing over music I'd have been struck down and banned from trying to play an instrument ever again. But, I'll let her learn that for herself.

Then at some point in the evening I black out, wake up, and start the morning all over again with a different terrified maid.

For the first time I wake in the middle of the night. I don't know what it is but my body is tingling with adrenaline. Unlike usual everything is pitch black. Grey light filters in the open window but it doesn't get far.

Looking around I try to steady my heart so I might be able to hear anything else. There's nothing but eerie, stalking silence.

I sit up and grab my robe. It gets colder at night so I also slip on some slippers. Originally they were mother Dimitrescu's. While I was perfectly content to skate around on the polished floors it was absolutely unlady like, peculiar and my new mother wouldn't stand for it. Now I have three different pairs. What the other two are for I haven't a clue.

Out in the hall I find a candle and light it by one of the lanterns on the wall. Candle light flickers and casts dreadful dancing shadows on the walls. Having a light instinctually makes me feel better, but common sense reasons that the shadows aren't helping the anxiety swimming around in my stomach.