"I want a house and a big horse, father, and a small tot to play with," An energetic voice filled the room. Her enthusiasm was top-notch as nothing could bring her mood down. And this made it difficult for her parents to say no to her requests. Her big brown eyes could turn the toughest man delicate with a blink of an eye.
But there was no way any of her requests right now was possible, except the baby part.
"You can't own a house at such age, Lexi, and you're too untrained and little to ride a big horse. Forget the size, you're too young to do anything," Her father, Mr. Bernard said to which she grimaced. Her mother nudges his rib with her elbow indicating he agrees with her desires. He sighs and nods his head at her. "If that's what you want sweetie, anything for you," he complied.
"I also want a playmate and a sword, I learned it's a self-defense tool. And a-" The knock on the door made her halt her requests.
Their butler, Mr. Jones, a middle-aged man stepped inside. He bows at her parents and turned to look at her.
"It's time for you to sleep, Young Miss," Mr. Jones announced.
Alexandra whine out defiantly. Her parents just got back from their very long pilgrimage and she wanted to spend time with them.
"Can't I stay here uncle Jones?" Blinking her cute eyes for her demand to be positively replied to.
"I'm sorry Young Miss but you need to sleep. It's already an hour past your shuteye," She grunts in annoyance this time. Her cute eyes work on everyone in the manor except this cold butler.
Her parents wouldn't help right now since they are stricter than the butler about bedtime. She stood up in a huff and walked past the butler and headed in the direction of her room, dragging her big pony doll with her.
She entered the room and shut the door loudly, or so she thought since she used all her little energy.
"Don't worry baby pony, everything will be fine after I get back at that old man," She soothed her pony as she wiped the nonexistent tears off its eyes.
Her window was still open since she lived on the third floor, a floor higher than her parents. The ground floor was for the servants and guards.
She walks towards the window and places her head on the wooden texture. The Moon was high up and full making it difficult for the beautiful stars to be seen. She gazes above the houses and studies their roofs with the help of the bright Moonlight.
Her gaze lands on a figure outside the gate of the manor. She can't say who it was nor the gender but was sure it was a person. The person was just standing with his face in the direction of the manor. The person had worn a cloak that covers the head and as If sensing her gaze he looked in her direction. She quickly bent down to avoid being seen. Bolting the window gently, she strides towards her small size bed. Her heart throbbed like she ran as an unknown fear gripped her.
She knows this feeling. It was the same feeling she got when her twin sister was about to die. Nobody realized she knew her sister was dead since they told her her sister was staying with an uncle she'd never heard of. She was six at that time, a year ago.
She lay on her bed and close her eyes tight. Forcing herself to sleep and thankfully it worked. But a nightmare came later, it was about a cloak-dressed man with fangs. He seemed like he was being haunted as hundreds of people with fangs like him were chasing him and their eyes had fierce and deadly gleams. The cloak Man kept running until he ran into their Manor.
The next thing she saw was blood. Blood crawled down from the ceiling, running down the stairs. Screams from different angles, terrifying screams.....
"Wake up, Wake up," She felt a pair of hands on her body, shaking her as a voice was heard.
"Nooo...No.....No!"
She jumps up in fright. Sweat dripped down her head and her clothes were moist. She looked at the person in front of her and recognized the butler. She locked the door from the inside with a bolt, so how did he enter without breaking it open or her hearing a sound? The window wasn't an option since it was too high up, and she had also locked it from the inside.
It seemed suspicious but that's how it has always been for a few years now and not once has she reported it to anyone, not even her parents. Mr. Jones is the only person that knows about her scary nightmares, which started at age three.
"It's alright. Here, have some water." The butler passed her a glass of water.
"Thanks."
"Same one?" he inquired.
"No, it's a different one," She looked at the clock on the wall and it was 3:27 am.
"What's it about?"
"A man. A cloak-dressed man being chased by a bunch of angry people with long pointed teeth- fangs. The cloak Man also had fangs. It was really scary and blood was.... were-were everywhere," Her lips quivered at the last words along with her little body. The butler hugs her to calm her down. Since she was trembling she failed to see the look that passed the butler's face.
"It's over now, it's okay. No one is coming to hurt you or anybody, everyone is safe," She squeezed deeper into his embrace.
Hearing the calming voice of her butler and the comfort in his embrace, her eyes closed slowly and she fell asleep.
••••••••••
Birds chirping and the sound of objects moving loudly was heard, disturbing her pretty sleep. She was still sleepy so she closed her ears with her pillow and buried her face in the soft bed.
A knock came on her door and it opened after two following knocks. She didn't care to look since she knows it was her butler.
"It's time for your bath, Miss, and the maid would be here in a few minutes for that. A party will be hosted here tonight so better prepare yourself. And stop pretending I know you can hear me," Alexandra whines internally. She hasn't met a Man cold as her butler nor warm as him if he was trying to comfort her. She was sure he had two personalities since he changes easily and frequently.
"And uncle Sam's son would be here in a few minutes," The butler said to which Alexandra jumped up.
Uncle Sam isn't her direct Uncle, he is more like a godfather. And his son was three years older than her. Since girls are betrothed at an early age she had been pinning for her uncle's son, Michael. Nobody knew this except her butler, which he usually uses as a silver card. She knows Butler Jones dislikes Michael for an unknown reason but still he keeps cool.
"Why didn't you say that early? In a few minutes? oh, I haven't even bathed!" She fretted and ran rapidly into her small size bathroom. A young girl entered the room and went into the bathroom.
"We need to hurry Mary, I have something important to do," She lied since only the butler knew her little secret.
"Yes, Young Miss," The maid, Mary replied.
HOURS LATER
"You look lovely Lady Alexandra, I must say," The pleasant voice came from a young boy about the age of ten.
Alexandra blushed. "You too, Michael,"
"So, what's the party about?" Michael asked.
"It's a ceremony to reward my parents for a good job done,"
"They are really lovely parents," Michael commented.
"Yes-" Her eyes caught sight of a tall man in a black cloak. It looked exactly like the cloak she saw last night, although it wasn't that clear yesterday.
"What is it, Lady Alexandra?" Michael asked, seeing her inattentive and alarmed.
She looks back at Michael, "Oh nothing," She turns her gaze to the spot she saw the man just now, and he was gone.
"I'm sorry but I need to use the bathroom," She fibbed. Without loitering for a response from Michael she stepped out of his sight.
She wasn't usually a curious person but the nightmare she had last night was too scary and-and real.
From the corner of her eyes, she was a figure moving into an angle. She ambles quietly towards the alcove and peeks at it but it is empty. She was sure she saw someone walking into the corner and the corner was a dead end, so how come?
"And who I'm I blessed to be in her presence? Such a curious little pussycat," The voice came from behind her, startling her. Her eyes widened and her feet stayed frozen on the ground. The voice was too cold. The weather was warm but with him behind her she felt cold like it was harmattan.
She was in serious trouble...