Chapter Two.

Sorah’s POV.

-

“Hey, Upma”

As my greeting flies from my lips, everything goes still suddenly, filling the air with tension for whatever danger is forthcoming.

But it’s only a norm for me as I remain in wait for it to show itself. Swiftly, the branch rattles rigorously, raining leaves, droplets of rainwater, and tiny shrapnels which lasts only for a second before a huge black blur zips out of the cover of the leaves and smaller branches.

My eyes follow the blur as it lands on the ground, and I smile widely when I meet deep black orbs staring back at me. I begin to roll up the sleeves of my blouse as I push away from the door and step down the old concrete porch steps.

“I think it’s time we set the pups out, don’t you think?” I suggest, stepping away from the last step and onto the damp mowed lawn.

“They’re stable now, and I’ve stuffed them real good”.

Upma is a large wild cat- A black Panther to be precise. Grandmother tamed and raised him since he was a cub, and ever since, he’s been with me.

No, he doesn’t live within the estate else he would’ve been hunted and killed. He lives out there, beyond the fence keeping me imprisoned in here.

The large cat is my companion on days I snuck out of the crevice in the fence. We seek herbs together and aid injured animals. It was my dream to be a physician, but I’ve begun to swerve from that path and dive into herbalism instead.

While Upma makes himself comfortable on the lawn, I shake my head and step aside to a small wooden unit where I keep the healing wolf pups. You’ll think the wolves that thrive here are like those who even own territories and live among the humans as equals in continents like Wisterne and Maevrion.

Contrary, here in Zephyriah, they’re just normal wild animals that rule the forests in Packs.

As I draw closer to the unit, I can already hear their nipping noises as they work their tiny teeth on the metal bars of the door. I crouch to bring the door open and they pounce on me. It’s risky to bring them in and hide them there, but I’m lucky no one ever looks for me except Mei and my best friend who’s away on a trip.

I bring down the woven cotton sling bag I wear over my shoulder and try to usher in the pups as quietly as I can. Upma never interferes and just watches me chase one of the pups on my hands and knees until I finally pick her up by the scruff of her little neck.

“You feisty little thing” I giggle as I sit on my heels, poking my dirty fingers around her head while she nips about the air to grab my teasing index.

I have to hide them in the bag for protection, and while Upma leads the way to where I had picked them from, I’ll drop them there and we’ll go in search of the blueberries I need to make blueberry pies and some herbs.

All set, I smile down at the pups poking their grey furry heads out the rim of the bag as I start off to the fence. Upma sees me and instantly rises to follow suit.

Just by the fence, there’s a fallen tree branch that broke off months ago. It lays slanted against the fence and conceals my secret passage out of the estate and into the woods.

No one knows this secret outside the tight circle of myself, Upma, Mei, and my best friend, Mortiz. I miss my best friend a lot, can’t wait for her to return from whatever trip she’s gone on since the week before.

Unlike we humans who live here in the Hunters’ Village, Mortiz is of the Demon race who dominate half of the island nation of Zephyriah.

We humans and the Demon race share a friendly relationship and a common revolt against our nefarious neighbors; the Vampires. Those vile beings in the guise of human forms prey on us ‘weaker beings’.

But thanks to our friendly neighbors, the Demon race, we’ve been able to put up strong aggression against them for over many years.

If only those beings hadn’t been banished from Maevrion several centuries ago...we’d be living our lives in peace, absolved from the fear of being attacked even in the daytime and getting sucked dry.

The very thought jitters me and I clear it all away.

Ironically, I’ve never seen a Vampire before.

I lift a part of the branch ridden with dried and broken branches I had set up to further conceal the crack, and I shrink my form to make through to the other side.

When the branch had dropped, it rattled the fence and a part of it collapsed into smaller chunks of debris on the inside, and larger chunks out to the woods. It meant the end of using a wooden ladder placed against a wall to climb onto the overhead tree branch.

I lift the hem of my pleated skirt to see my threading feet properly as I easily slide out through the narrow crack. Upma would thrust his paws into the uneven jagged edges of the fence and leap onto the branch. He loves to trail me in the shadows while I walk on the forest dirt floor.

The weather’s cold and I clutch the bag closer to my body and peer around first for any signs of danger. I take risks to be out here on my own with no means to defend myself. The woods is twice as large as the entirety of the Hunters’ Village.

And it’s the only demarcation between us and those scary bloodsuckers.

No matter the number of years I’ve been out here, I can never drop my guard for a notch. Wild animals live here, and Vampires sometimes spent leisure here. I’m open to every form of danger that’s willing to come to me.

The nipping noises of the pups bring me out of my thoughts and I gently cajole their furry heads back in while listening to the constant rustle of leaves and snaps of twigs above my head which tells of Upma’s presence as he follows us.

It’s still early in the day, so the sunlight rains into the woods in many thin pillars of light. The air is moist, the leaves glitter from the wet coats over them, and the earth is damp. All from the rain a day before.

I get to the spot I picked up the injured pups three days ago, and I crouch behind some shrubbery to bring the rambunctious pair out. The moment I settle the bag down, I watch as rowdy movement ensues and they both roll out, nipping at each other.

“Hey! Don’t start that now!” I scold in a hushed tone, gesturing with my finger pressing against my lips.

The pups pay me no heed and continue their scuffle until they accidentally roll out of hiding and out to where I intend to place them.

I sigh with a smack of the back of my palm against my forehead. The pups belong to a wolf pack that lives around here. I’ve known the pack for a few years now, and I often come across them during the times I search for my herbs.

I almost get a fright when something grazes my thigh, and I snap my head to see Upma take a crouching position and stare keenly through the shrubberies to see the event unfolding. I join him, scooting closer to see as well.

The pups have stopped their scuffle at the arrival of an adult grey wolf. I marvel at the sight of the older wolf sniffing around them as recognition builds between them. Of course, she’s their mother after all. The pups excitedly turn their attacks on her instead, and I smile with contentment.

Once again, I’ve united families. Even while mine exempts me.

I leave the spot after the wolves move away, and together with Upma, I go find the blueberries and herbs I need before we creep back through the crack in the fence. Mei hastens to me the moment I enter through the back door.

“My lady, where have you been? I need to get you ready”

She doesn’t even wait to hear my response as she grabs my hand and begins to pull me up the stairs. I dart my head back to check for Upma and find him going further into the living space.

“Mei, what’s with the hurry?” I inquire once we get into my bedroom and she leaves me to go attend to the splayed dresses over my bed.

Picking a red dinner dress and examining it with furrowing brows, she replies, “Lady Stella’s fiancé and his family will be arriving for dinner this evening and you’ve been permitted to attend”.

Ordered, she means.

I’m only welcome to that mansion for breakfasts only and nothing else.

My shoulders slump upon the dreary news and I plop down on my occupied bed. Mei frowns at me and quickly pushes me off. “Don’t ruin the dresses, My lady. Come here, come try them on”. I pose like a mannequin while Mei tests all the dresses on me. The last thing I want is to attend that dinner. No doubt, I’d be singled out and left alone. It’ll only be torture and with new faces arriving...it’s going to be a mess.

I don’t communicate well with people, except for those I’ve been close with for years. I suck at it and often make fun of myself with my stuttering. I get anxious and fretful, my gaze loses focus, and I itch badly to run away.

It isn’t in my skill set it seems.

“Do I really have to go?” I grumble as Mei grabs a claw clip and pulls my hair out of the way so she can zip the armless wine dress she’s fitted me in.

Done zipping, I hear her say, “My lady, we can’t afford to get into the Mistress’s hair today. I know you’ve been doing your best to please her, and she’s been involving you a lot lately”

Mei steps out from behind me and comes before my dresser to conclude with a convincing smile, “You only have to hold up until after lady Stella’s wedding. She won’t bother you anymore”.

I don’t say anything else after that, and just get ready with Mei’s assistance. I spent such a long time loitering around the woods and nearly snatching all the berries into my bag. I stare out the window and glimpse at the evening sky. I haven’t done much and it’s already sunset.

“My lady, will Upma be staying indoors tonight?” I hear Mei’s call and step away from the window and begin for the door while I holler back, “The weather forecast said it was going to rain tonight, so yes, he’s staying in!”

I join Mei downstairs and we head out together. She comes up to whisper into my ear, “You might get lady Stella jealous”.

I chuckle at her comment and smile, “I’ll just have to blend in with the curtains then”.

The mansion is more glamorous than usual, and the servants are about the place when we enter. I quickly find my parents decked up in wonderful attires and chatting with their to-be in-laws in the grand hall. To the corner are Stella and her fiancé, doting excessively on each other.

Eliot is a tall and charming man. Women flock around him like Moths did lights. He’s the third out of the three sons the Serhins have, and he’s a chronic Casanova.

As I indeed begin to blend in with the curtains after swiping a glass of red wine from a waiter, I watch them over the rim of my half-full glass.

Stella’s gushing in her emotions, and he’s stroking her dusty brown hair fondly. I trace his enamoring gaze and find them fix on her neck. The dress she wears has no arms and hugs her slim figure tightly. Her dusty brown short hair is ironed back and hovers above her shoulders.

His fingers finally brush her neck and incite a flush on her face before he leans to whisper things into her ear. When he straightens, Stella’s even redder and nods her consent to whatever he must’ve told her.

As they start for the glass doors that lead to the courtyard, something flashes in my mind and I panic.

I forgot to soak the herbs!

“Mei, wait for me, I’ll be right back” I quickly push my unfinished glass into her hands and bolt for the cottage.

“But, My lady!”

I ignore her call and race on my heels to the cottage. I kick the torturous heels off once I get in and I scamper to the kitchen where Mei has laid them on the counter.

The place is dark and I push many things and make loud noises in my bid to find the bowls and fill them with water. As I’m filling up my second bowl, I begin to hear heavy trudging footsteps and I freeze.

“W-who’s there?”