Death is a Beginning Page two

"You both, shall address me as "Lady Countess" not queen. Remember that." Words as harsh as the tone they were said in, and in that moment is when that deafening silence started to resonate off the walls. The soldiers that were standing next to the new women in the castle exchanged glances between the other then return their gaze back to the Countess.

"Yes, forgive our misaddress. Lady Countess." Runa instantly says, keeping her head as well as her daughter’s head low to show reverence and respect to the order. Elizabeth turns her head away and towards another servant in the room.

"You there, show them to what will be their home from here on out." She barks the order, and quickly the woman moves from standing as still as a statue to being in front of the mother and daughter taking their hands and replying with a sharp "Yes, Lady Countess."  The woman ushers the girls through a large pair of doors and down long winding hallways, avoiding anyone of noble status. Weaving through hidden hallways and to the lower sections of the castle.

The further they went down the more dark it was and musty, there was a distinct smell in the air, metallic and in other areas rotten. The stench of rotten corpses could be detected lingering in the halls of these lower levels, flies buzzing around and under foot as stained cobblestone could be made out on dark walls.

Kiya and Runa were lead to an empty room with straw and cots in one corner, and a stove for heat. The woman in front of them turns and pulls off a soot stained hat enough for her face to be seen.

"I am Vera, and I’ll be brief in explaining." Red hair and blue eyes on a pale-white face. Dull eyes and for a brief instance back in the upper room was a flash of fear to them. "If you wish to stay alive, you do as you’re told, do not fight among everyone, do not question the Young mistress, and most of all, refrain from insulting her. Never question the screams you will hear. I am sorry you are brought into such a horrible place." She pauses to look to the younger girl. "At dawn you’ll help with cooking and other things that are needed such as chamber cleaning, and keeping things clean." Her attention to Runa, "And you shall be with us on the upper level with polishing and tending to the Countess herself."

The conversation was never kept long, as soon as the instructions were placed Vera leaves, turning on her heels and leaving to go back upstairs leaving them to themselves. Settling into that small room was easier, and for that first night spent, Runa holds onto her daughter tighter than she ever had since her birth.