Anathema's Veil
written by axisixas
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Chapter 6: Unnerving
Maden was grabbed by Shadow Guards immediately after being seen by the old steward. Maden lashed out.
"You're not taking me away. I wanna be with her!"
The old steward paid him no mind.
"We simply wanted to start the day by serving her, Young Lord. Fear not we will bathe and feed her."
Maden was gathered by the Shadow Guards easily and they vanished like smoke.
Manon was flustered as if she was caught doing something by the way they stoically looked at her.
Strange, they were all moving like they were entranced, like they are mechanically soulless beings. The eerily stillness they embody and the glazed faraway look was unnerving. The precise movement of each and every servant had this distinct cadence. As if practiced and deliberately measured, even their gaits had the same pace.
The Shadow servants looked like they did not know how to make facial expressions. The Shadow servants were not humans. They were all Shadow Faes.
Manon knew because standing under the bright light; they do not have shadows casted before their physical bodies. Manon realized because they were the shadows themselves.
"Might I ask if you had remembered what I told you last night, human?"
"I remember, yes. But—"
"I won't fault you this time. But heed my words, human. A Shadow's heart is a fragile thing and oftentimes it is dismal and deep. You do not want a crippling obsession burdened unto you."
"Yes. I'm sorry."
After that she was guided to the bathroom by the servants. They dare not look into her eyes. They were all moving monotonously.
Manon did not anticipate how wide the bathroom was. Manon thought of herself as a prisoner. She was supposed to be locked up in a dungeon. For her it felt wrong that she was being treated like a guest. She was being treated like she was royal when she just got out of manacles from the cold dungeons of the Nuwas, the snake-like half humans who kidnapped her from her world.
Being treated carefully like this didn't seem right.
Everything was black when you entered the Dark Hold Manor but this part of the manor was different but it blended well with its hue of silvers and gray. Though the bathtub was in the middle of the room it was made out of something similar to porcelain. Encrusted with silver thorns resembling veins. The water crystal clear, though she hated the smell of lavender with a hint of myrrh.
Candles were burned brightly, illuminating the room. Each scone resembles the spires across the hall of the Dark Hold manor.
She didn't feel like she was in a fae realm. She felt like she was inside a horror-gothic mansion.
"Hello? Do you think you can help me escape this world?"
One thing about Manon was she would try her best to do something to her situation no matter how absurd it was.
Unblinking with focused gazes, the servants continued serving her as if they did not hear her words. Manon remembered what the old steward told her. None of these faes would help her. None of them seem to be in control of their minds. So she gave up.
She went inside the tub and the water was cool and soothing she almost moaned at how good the water feels against her broken skin. She laid her head against the corner of the tub and let the servants do their work.
They bathed her. They scrubbed the parts of her body that weren't bruised and broken. She was being treated with utmost respect like she was a delicate doll.
Then seeing the bright sun reflecting the room coming from the ceiling high and gigantic window, she could see the vastness of where the Dark Hold stood.
The Dark Hold felt like a whole different realm as if it did not exist inside Feyren.
Although the sun burned most of the fields. The clouds were darker and madder. There was darkness within it. The overgrown forest was larger and she could feel like nightmare and terror resides beyond it. Staring at it makes her feel like there would be whispers of voices, haunting and distorted. Hidden stone paths, unsettling broken cobbled stone arches, the Dark Hold was otherworldly blanketed with mystery and grim.
Then she was fed and then her day began.
The old steward came back and Manon learned his name was Simoun.
"I came to inform you that tonight's banquet will be held at the Seelie Court. This is the banquet held before the Annual Hunt. A formal ball in human terms."
"Okay. What is this Annual Hunt?"
Manon had a clue when she heard them yesterday but she wanted clearer answers as to why she was brought in the Dark Hold. She wanted to hear the reason. And their purpose of buying her from the Nuwa Slave Traders.
Mr. Simoun held this fixed gaze as he answered:
"The Annual Hunt is a game where the High Lords of the High Courts bring human males into the arena. The humans will engage in fights or in slaughter to amuse the High Lords of Feyren Kingdom. Your goal is to survive and impress the High Court. The spectators will bid their favorites."
What the hell?
"Wait. I am a human female."
"I can see that. But the High Lord has chosen you to represent the Dark Hold."
Manon failed to speak with the absurdity she just heard so Mr. Simoun continued speaking:
"The High Lords and their Human Champions will be gathered at the Annual Banquet as well as the spectators of the game. You as the Dark Hold's Human Champion was chosen to compete in this Annual Hunt. You shall dress accordingly and accompany the High Lord of the Dark Hold and his son, the heir, tonight."
The old steward's perfectly measured gait started walking towards the door when Manon tried to stop him.
"Wait. I won't die tonight, right? I just have to show up?"
"I am not sure about that, human. But yes, you have to show up, But in a ball gown."
"What?!"