Betrayal of the Heart

Chapter 3 The Manor

Amelia walked back into the small little apartment they lived in and collapsed on one of the beds after a long night of work. She turned her head to look at her brother's on the other mattress but was greeted with an empty bed. 'They must be at their friends house, glad they took Henry' she thought as her heavy eyelids closed and she fell asleep.
In the morning Amelia woke up and followed the same routine she did every morning. Get dressed, deliver bottles, get food, go home. When she got home she noticed the boys still had not come back. 'That's weird' she thought looking around, nothing had been touched or moved since she was here this morning. Sitting down she ate a bit of break and had a few sips of milk before walking to the window and looking out of it. Usually she would see them running around when she delivered milk but she didn't today. No note, no nothing. Her anxiety grew but she kept reminding herself that Isaac was practically an adult and would look after the boys. Nathanial on the other hand... well she just hoped that they were all together and not getting into to much trouble.

Amelia paced around the apartment late at night, they had never been away from home for this long. Why had none of them come to tell her anything? Where were they? What is going on. She hatched a plan, in the morning when she was delivering milk she would ask anyone and everyone if they had seen them. At least with a plan she could get some semblance of sleep.

The next morning everyone she asked, no one had seen them for a few days. Each person she asked she grew more and more anxious.
"It's fine, I am sure they are just out camping in the woods with their friends" The farmer tried to reassure her as he handed her some coins. Amelia smiled weakly up at him, "I'm sure your right". As Amelia was walking back home she saw one of her brothers friends playing dice in an alley.
"Hey!" Amelia called out to him, when he saw her he started to take off running but Amelia caught him and pushed him roughly against a wall.
"Where are they?" Amelia asked angrily.
"Ugh... I don't know who you are talking about" he says trying to wriggle out of her grasp to no avail.
"Don't lie to me Jefferson, i've known your mother since before you were born. I'm sure she would love to hear how you've been gambling on dice again" Amelia threatened.
"Wait! Fine.... They went to the manor..." Jefferson mumbled.
"What? Why?" Amelia asked letting go of him.
"They were going to rob the place so you guys could move to some big fancy house. I don't know all the details, I only ran into them as they were going up there" Jefferson said brushing his clothes of with his hands.
"Those Idiots!" Amelia said and stormed off.
"You're not going to tell me ma right?" Jefferson called out after her but got no response.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Her knocks echoed throughout the house, Amelia waited for a response. After some time the door cracked open and a very pale sickly woman stuck her face through the crack in the door.
"How can I help you miss?" She asked in a quite voice.
"I was hoping to talk to the master of the house" Amelia said, smiling politely to the woman. The door slammed shut and Amelia was left there confused. 'Am I supposed to wait or...' she thought as she pressed her ear to the door. Nothing could be heard through the thick wood door so she sat on the step and thought. The sound of the door creaking open made her jump in surprise as the same woman from earlier welcomed her in. Amelia walked inside and looked around the inside of the manor, her imagination always went for a spin when she thought about what the inside of this place looked like. Under her feet were marble floors, covered in a thick layer of dirt and dust, chandeliers hung along the ceiling covered in grim and looking like they haven't been touched in years. A chill ran up her spine as she followed the woman, looking at every nook and cranny.
"He is in here" the woman said opening a door and standing outside of it, she looked too scared to go inside.

The room was huge, at the end of the room was a giant throne where the man of the house sat. His face was long, had a crooked nose and evil eyes. Sitting on his lap was the most beautiful woman Amelia had ever seen. She had her nestled in the crook of his shoulder as she whispered things into his ear and trailed her finger up and down his chest. The sides of the room were lined with cages, three of them held her brothers. Amelia ran to one of the cages, "Henry! Are you okay?" She asked, sticking her hands through the bar to try and reach him. Henry's skin was pale and covered in cuts and bruises, he lay on the ground with his back facing her.
"Amelia?" Nathanials weak voice came from the cage beside them.
"Nathanial!" Amelia got up and ran to his cage, hugging him through the bars. She stroked his hair as she tried to hold him, he was just as badly bruised.
"You shouldn't have come here" Isaac said not able to look at her. She was about to go to Isaac when the man in the chair spoke to her.
"What have you come here for?" He asked bored. Amelia stood up and walked to stand in front of him.
"I have come to apologize for my brothers and beg for your forgiveness, they are just boys.."
"They knew what they were doing! They broke into my house and tried to steal my things!" The man spat angrily.
"I'm sorry" Amelia said getting on her knees and bowing her head to him.
"Whatever they broke I will pay for but please release them" Amelia begged, it broke her heart to see her brother's being treated this way.
"And why should I? You all came to MY house, I could kill you all if I so choose" he yelled angrily. Amelia sat on the ground, too scared to say anything.
"I like her" the woman on his lap purred into his ear, "can we keep her?" She asked looking up at him with puppy dog eyes, Amelia's head snapped up when she said that.
"Marcella dear, she has not done anything so we can't just keep her" the man sighed.
"If you release my brother's I will stay" Amelia said standing up, she saw he opportunity and was going to take it. Her brother's yelled "No!" When she said that but she didn't care, she needed to protect them.
"Hmmm...." the man said, tapping his long fingernail on the armrest of his chair.
"Oh please darling, can we please keep her" Marcella said excitedly, wrapping her arms around him and making him look her in the eyes. The man sighed and brought his hand up to lovingly stroke his wife's cheek.
"Anything to make you happy my love" he said before kissing her lips tenderly. The man waved his hand and the cage doors opened up. Amelia's brothers scramble out and tackled her with hugs.
"Please don't, you need to get as far away from here as you can" Isaac tried to reason with her.
"I love each and every one of you so much" Amelia said, holding her brother close. In her mind this would be the last time she would ever see her brothers.
"No..." Nathanial cried.
"Take them out of here" the man's voice echoed through the room as guards walked in and ripped her brothers from her arms. They screamed and cried, struggling in the guards grasps to get out but they were dragged out of the room, leaving Amelia standing there as tears fall from her eyes. The door slammed shut as she stared at where the boys had been taken through.
"Hello pet" Marcella's soft, smooth voice whispered from behind Amelia.