petals of blood

Chapter 5

Eloise

  It gnaws at me...

   Weeks later.
 

    "Eloise."
  

      I raised my gaze and beheld my father, clad in the same attire he wore when he met his demise, besmirched in dirt with a weary grin etched upon his visage.

      'Was this but a dream?'As I extended my hand to touch his countenance, I beheld the diminutive form of my arms. Peering downwards, I beheld my seven-year-old frame.

      Papa gathered me in his arms, enfolding me tightly, pressing a tender kiss upon my brow, his whispers trailing into my ears.

        "Whatever befalls, remain concealed..." With gentle care, he ushered me into a shadowed alcove, depositing me within a cramped closet, scarcely large enough to accommodate my diminutive, emaciated form.

     As he sought to depart, I clung to his vestments, tears cascading from my wide eyes.

Was he to forsake me?

      "Papa, do not leave!" I wailed, clinging to his legs with fervent desperation. The ever-present wearied grin upon his face faltered. Shaking his head, he knelt before me, meeting my gaze with eyes dulled by soil.

       "Fret not, my child. I shall endure, but you mustn't venture forth. Promise me." Meekly, I nodded. His smile returned, embracing me before securely sealing the closet. With naught but a glance backward, he departed.

      Peeking through a chink in the closet, I glimpsed Papa, only to halt midway at the sound of a malevolent voice resonating from the temple's entrance.

    "I scent fresh blood..." A baleful aura permeated the air, inciting panic amongst the temple's denizens. Within moments, crimson splattered the hallowed halls as the marauders met their demise, one by one.

    Then... I bore witness to Papa's plight, ensnared by a shadowy figure. Its scarlet gaze fixated upon its prey with sadistic glee.

    Papa, resigned to his fate, offered me a comforting glance, yet... it happened. My father was no more.My eyes, once clouded with tears, now mirrored the abyss, bereft of moisture for eternity.

      My mind reeled with visions of gore, of the desolate temple, of Papa...

"AAAAH!"

I jolted awake, the echo of my own screams reverberating through the chamber.

     Yet, I was not confined within the clutches of the Blue Eye Overseer. No... this chamber was unfamiliar.

      For weeks, I had dwelled within the bastion of the Grand Duke, sheltered from prying eyes. The chamber, shrouded in loftiness, cocooned me in silence, my nightly outcries unheard.

     Rising from my resting place, I shed my vestments to inspect my wounds. To my astonishment, they exhibited signs of swift healing. Scabs had begun to form, eliciting an incessant itch.

      I yearned to assuage the discomfort, yet the door creaked open, interrupting my reverie.

    "Mercy!"

    "Oh, no..."

    The maids recoiled at the sight of me sprawled upon the floor, swiftly restraining my hands to prevent further harm.

    "What folly has possessed you?!" A hushed voice reprimanded.

"Hush now, tend to her wounds. Lady Eloise awaits."