I had a headache.
A sharp, stabbing pain in the center of my forehead.
I felt drunk. I felt waves of nausea.
I got up, leaned over the bed I was in and threw up.
I opened my eyes and saw the puddle of vomit on white porcelain floor. It splattered everywhere, causing me to retch some more.
This isn't…my floor.
I looked up and wiped my mouth. I shuddered at the thought of throwing up again.
I saw a door open to a bathroom to the right of me. I edged myself to the end of the bed so I didn't have to step into the mess I made. I stepped off lightly, afraid making any noise will alert anyone. My feet hit the cold floors and I shivered.
Am I alone? I don't even care, I thought murkily. I just wanted to wash out the metallic taste that was left from vomiting.
I glanced to the window on the opposite side of the room. The heavy black curtains were pinned to the sides of the window, opening to a bright blue sky.
I walked lightly to the bathroom.
I turned the water on just enough for a small stream, still trying to avoid making any noise. I cupped my hands under the stream and rinsed out my mouth. I spit it out slowly and sighed softly, closing my eyes. I cupped my hands again under the cool water and splashed my face. It felt cold, but so good to wash my face off.
I looked up at the ornate gold mirror. My hair was a mess, completely unkempt and looking like a rats nest. My mascara was completely clumped and smudged. I look like a damn raccoon, I laughed in my head.
I held on to the sides of the white sink, leaning over the sink, as a wave of nausea came through me. I kept my mind blank to avoid it from whatever was left in my stomach to come up.
As it subsided, I let my mind wander to the last time I was awake.
Okay, let's backtrack. What happened? I thought furiously. Someone was after Frank… and then I got caught… and then someone vouched for me…
I froze. Christopher. Where is he? I didn't get to see him. He just be scared.
My eyes welled up and I let out a sob. I quickly dropped to the floor and covered my mouth.
Someone must've heard that.
I waited to hear footsteps.
But they never came.
I waited and waited until the light from the windows created different shadows on the floor on the cold white porcelain floors.
I stared out the window. I didn't see any trees. Just blue skies.
I was aching from being on the floor and was able to move positions from crouching when I heard the door open in the bedroom.
I froze.
"Hm, where is the girl?" someone softly murmured.
Another girl? I perked up. Maybe she will understand that I don't belong her and let me go?
Still, I stayed in my spot in the white bathroom, crouching by the sink.
I heard the girl rustle the sheets on the bed and move the curtains.
Her footsteps came louder as she started to walk towards the bathroom.
I shut my eyes. Please be nice, I desperately thought.
"There you are!" she exclaimed.
I opened my eyes and fell back.
She was crouching right in front of me, her green eyes flecked with gold looking at me. "Hi there," she said, a bit too cheerfully. She extended her hand. "Let's get up, shall we? We need to get ready for dinner."
I looked at her hand and then back her. Dinner?
I stayed silent. I rather starve, I thought haughtily.
She took her hand back and cocked her head to the side, her gold curls falling over her shoulders. "You're not hungry?" She asked quizzically.
I gulped. I was, but I really just want to go home. I stayed still, looking back down.
The girl sighed and smiled warmly. "I know it's scary. I've been through all the transitions here. No one has ever done the first nights dinner. It's okay."
She dusted off her white apron and got up.
"I'll bring you something. Do you need help washing up?" she asked, tidying her black sleeves.
I looked up at her. "Can…I have new clothes? maybe some shoes?" I whispered, more to myself than her. I tugged at my torn dress unmindfully.
"Oh! Of course. I'll bring you a couple things. I'll be back to clean up and with your dinner," she said as she turned around to leave.
"Wait!" I almost yelled, and crawled to her.
She paused. "Yes?"
"What's your name?" I asked meekly, stopping right in front of her.
"Sabrina," she said pouting.
"Sabrina…where am I?" I asked her pleadingly. "Can I go home? I don't belong here."
I started to reach for her dress, wanting answers, when she stepped back lightly.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry. This is your home now. The Master of the house has bought you," she said simply.
I looked at her eyes, hoping to find that maybe she was just joking around.
Her green eyes didn't lie. They were sad.
I dropped on my knees and sobbed uncontrollably. My cries echoed off the bathroom walls.
I heard Sabrina walk away and close the door the door to the bedroom.
—
Sabrina had cleaned up my mess next to my bed and changed my sheets.
She left the soup on the nightstand next to the bed.
I was still in the bathroom, lying on the floor in a ball, whimpering.
I know I didn't have any family that would look for me. I didn't have anyone in the world except Christopher and Frank.
I fell asleep on the floor after awhile.
The porcelain floor was so cold it burned but I didn't care.
—
I woke up to hear rustling in the bedroom.
I got up gingerly. I was cold, aching, and hungry.
I was still wearing my tattered clothes. My feet were cold. I rubbed my legs to heat them up.
I heard steps come to the bathroom door. I didn't look up and kept my eyes to my feet.
"I brought breakfast… please eat, okay?" I heard Sabrina said softly.
I didn't want to respond. I want to go home, I cried in my head. My shoulders shook from keeping a sob in.
Sabrina sighed sadly. I heard her turn around and leave the main room.
I hugged my knees and swayed in my spot.
—
I didn't get lunch or dinner that day.
I guess Sabrina knew I wouldn't eat it, I thought to myself.
I looked wistfully at the soaker tub next to me. I really wanted to take a bath but I didn't want whoever the Master was to know that I was OK with being here.
I don't belong here, I repeated again for the millionth time in my head.
I looked up at the window.
Wait…
I got up slowly and walked over to the window in the bedroom.
The sheets were a black satin and looked so inviting, but I shook my head. No, I need to get out of here, I thought angrily to myself for even thinking about using the bed.
I found the latches to open the window to the dark night and unclasped them. I looked down and gasped.
I was on the fourth story and my window overlooked a lush garden, a forest ahead that covered the horizon.
Am I even…in the City? I thought dizzily. Where am I?
I staggered back. I can't climb down, I thought feverishly.
My eyes darted to the bed. The sheets…
I got to work.
—
I got the last sheet knotted tight. I wiped the sweat off my brow and sighed happily. I can do this, I thought to myself.
I tied the end of my escape rope to the bed post, tugging on it as hard as I could. It didn't budge.
I looked down once more. I didn't see any windows looking down so I knew I'd be able to go straight down without alerting anyone.
I gulped in the fresh night air. This is it.
I threw the heavy satin rope over.
And that's when I heard the lock click. I quickly climbed over the window sill.
The satin sheets were a little more silky than I thought. I almost slipped off. My heart was pounding when I heard the door open.
"NO!" I heard Sabrina scream.
I started frantically but careful not to lose my grip too fast climbing down.
"Guards!" I heard her yelling from the window above me.
Guards?
My hand slipped but I caught myself in time so I only slid a foot or two. My body slammed into the stone wall. I already felt the bruise forming on my hip.
"Don't cut it! She's on it!" I heard Sabrina scream. I heard a lot of commotion coming from the room above me.
I shimmied down the rope. I was halfway down. I was feeling more determined. They wouldn't cut me down, so now I knew they wouldn't hurt me.
I saw windows light up around me but I was not worried. Yes, let them see that I'm hostage. Someone will help, right?
My bare feet touched the grass lightly. I let go of the rope and fell with a thud but I didn't care. I was finally out of the room.
I got up and brushed myself off. Preparing myself to run to the forest ahead of me, i searched around for anyone in my vicinity.
No one here… let's go.
I started to run to the forest when I heard heavy doors behind me open up.
"There is she!" I heard a man yell. The footsteps were deafening.
My legs were not fast enough. I started to see black the more I ran.
No, not right now. Don't give up on me, I urged my body. We need to get out of here.
The grass was lush under my feet. There was a cold breeze in my hair. My eyes were finally adjusting to the night when I realized there was a tall iron fence right before the forest.
"No!" I screamed. I reached the fence. I grabbed the thin black iron bars, shaking it. "Why? NO!" I fell to my knees and started pulling the grass up in defiance, screaming.
The heavy footsteps reached up behind me and staggered to a stop.
"Did you think you could leave that easily?" a voice sarcastically said from the crowd.
I stopped and turned around to the crowd of men in iron armor. My eyes felt on fire from all the crying. "Who are you?" I screamed at him, my hands grabbing a fistful of grass.
The men broke up in the crowd and let a tall man in all black through.
His brown tousled hair graced his face gently, his lips in a smirk. But his hazel eyes were cold, staring straight at me.
Those eyes… I thought, my eyes widening.
"You're…that man," I hoarsely said, letting go of the grass in my hands. I started shaking, in fear, in anger.
He stopped a few feet in front of me. His footsteps were soft on the grass. He crouched down to see me at eye level.
"Let's go inside, okay?" he said smiling sweetly but it didn't reach his eyes. He extended his hand to me. I looked at it apprehensively. Who the fuck is this? I thought disgusted. Who would kidnap someone and be okay with it?
I closed my eyes tightly, holding back tears.
I opened them, and looked up to his hazel eyes.
They were warm this time. Not ice cold like the first time I met him. But it didn't matter to me. I wanted to go home or die trying.
I spit at him. "No."
It hit his cheek. He looked surprised and held up his hand to his face, touching it.
I heard the guards behind him unsheathe swords. I shrank back. Okay, that was a bad idea, I thought to myself. My heart was beating quickly.
He chucked as he wiped it off.
He got up and walked over to me. He was leaned over me, and grabbed my hair and pulled me up to his face, our noses only inches apart.
I held back a scream and tried to reach for my hair. He swatted my hands away with his other hand.
"I vouched for you. You are now mine. Nothing, not even death, will break you away from me," he said coldly. His breath was hot on my face.
I felt another wave of sorrow flash through me as my eyes again filled up with tears. I'm tired of crying, I thought bitterly, I rather die.
"Oh, those don't work here," he said mockingly.
He twisted my hair in his hands causing a searing pain I could not ignore. I screamed in pain. "Please, stop!"
"I'll stop when you decide to behave," he said deviously, the corner of his lips turning up into a slight smile.
I looked at him, my face contorted from pain, pleading with my eyes. "I don't belong here. I want to go home. Please!"
He laughed evilly. "Where do you think we are?"
I struggled against his grip on my hair. "I don't know!" I panted. My head was on fire from the pain he was causing.
He suddenly let go of my hair and I fell hard.
Crumpled up on the grass, I looked up to him.
"We're not even on the same continent," he said nonchalantly, and with a wave of his hand, the men behind him put their swords away at once.
He put his hands in the pockets of his tailored black pants and crouched back down to face me.
"You are home. This is home. Forever," he said icily, taking a hand out and forcing me to look at him.
His hand gripped my chin hard as I tried to looked away from him.
He smirked and called out the guards behind him, "I'm going to take her in. Let's start locking up the windows and doors. No one leaves with her except me."
I looked into his eyes desperately hoping he would show some mercy to let me go.
"Please… I want to go home. I don't know…" I cried to him. His grip was still hard on my chin.
"You are home, Vylet," he said quietly. "You're finally home."
He let go of my chin, and suddenly held me tight against him.
Although his eyes and words were cold, he felt warm. I sobbed into his chest. "I just want go home." I felt my body finally collapse from all the pain and sadness inside of me. He caught me in his arms and felt like I could finally let this go.
I felt him move his arm. I then heard the guards retreat behind him, their steps moving away from us, leaving me and him alone.
"Who are you? Why am I here?" I sobbed, burying my head into him.
"Riften," he said breathlessly, as he smoothed my hair.
"Riften?" I murmured, quieting down for a bit.
I felt him pull away from me and saw him fix his black turtle neck.
I used my tattered sleeve to clean my nose. I was a mess.
"Riften?" I repeated. "Is that your name?"
"Yes," he said simply. He laid his hands in his lap.
"Why am I here?" I cried, putting my head in my hands. The tears came back and they weren't stopping.
"I'll tell you if we go inside," he urged me. I felt his hand caress my head.
I looked up tearfully. "All of the truth?"
He nodded, his hand moving down to cup my face. His eyes seemed sad for once.
It's so warm, I thought as I let myself to be soothed by this man. I closed my eyes to finally feel some sort of comfort.
"Okay," I said softly.
I felt him move and then pick me up like I weighed nothing. I wrapped my arms around his neck and dropped my head against him.
I sobbed quietly in his arms as he walked back to the mansion. The last thing I heard was his boots softly hit the stone steps leading up the front doors.
I didn't hear the doors open.
I had fallen asleep.
—
Frank was sitting back the office. Except it was empty. All his files were gone. All the accounting he had done, was missing.
The only thing left was his desk with a single piece paper on it.
He picked it up slowly.
It was his contract with a note on it.
"Contract has been completed" he read out loud.
He dropped into his chair and slumped over.
He was free. He didn't have to work anymore for them.
He heard the door open. He looked up.
"Mr. Moon."
Mr. Moon was at the door, his head almost touching the top of the doorway. His gray hair was slick to the side and his gray mustache was trimmed perfectly. His gray suit was perfectly tailored and had no creases.
Behind him, Frank heard a shuffle.
"Daddy!"
Christopher came bounding from behind Mr. Moon and straight into Frank.
Frank's chair moved back from Christopher. "Chris!" he cried, holding his son tight. Frank looked over Christopher to Mr. Moon.
"Where is she?"
Mr. Moon blinked. "She's with Riften."
Frank sighed. He pulled Christopher to sit on his lap. "I know. But where?" Frank said impatiently. "I didn't choose for her to be used as collateral."
Mr. Moon adjusted his pale red tie. "I cannot disclose the location of Riften."
Frank held Christopher close. "Are you okay?" He asked his son, looking all over for any signs of distress.
Christopher smiled a toothy smile. "No! Mr. Moon let me color. He said he was bringing me to your work."
Frank glanced to Mr. Moon but Mr. Moon showed no emotion.
"Thank you," said Frank quietly to Mr. Moon.
Mr. Moon nodded curtly and turned to leave.
"So that's it?" Frank asked. "You take someone important to me to close out a contract? Without it being discussed? I didn't agree to these terms."
Mr. Moon's grey eyes bored into Frank's brown eyes. "Riften made the decision and it was up to the counsel. We all approved it. You will receive one payment tomorrow from us and we are done."
Frank froze. Payment?
"Payment? What do you mean?" Frank asked harshly. He didn't trust any of these people; they were already being sneaky by making a decision without his input.
"Payment for her. Not only was your contract voided, you will also receive a payment. She was worth a lot," Mr. Moon sighed.
Frank didn't respond. He couldn't think.
He looked down at Christopher. He was asleep in his arms.
When he finally looked up, Mr. Moon was already gone.
With his free arm, he took his phone out and looked through his phone.
Rift's contact information shone brightly on the screen. Frank stared at his phone.