Him

"Who 's there?” Mia asked, feeling a shiver run down her spine. She heard footsteps, but nothing aside from it. She wanted to ask if Olivia or Emma were there, but what if it was the Headmistress? She would know the girls used to help. “Please…”

“You owe me!” A deep, strong voice, but unhuman, echoed through the dark walls. 

“No… Please… Let me out!” she pledged, feeling her heart beating so fast it was becoming the only sound she could discern. 

She felt something on her feet—they were so cold. She looked down, and vermings were everywhere. Mia couldn’t stop herself from screaming, until hands held her shoulders and she finally looked up. 

“Mia, Mia!” Big brown eyes were looking at Mia, worried. 

“Lily?” Mia asked the young woman, feeling her throat really dry. “I-I’m sorry. I just… I had a bad dream.”

“Another bad dream. It was like someone was killing you.” Lily sat by the bed and put her hand over Mia’s. 

“Yes. Another bad dream.” Mia sighed deeply. “I’m sorry I woke you up and startled you.”

“I worry about you, Mia”. Lily said and it was visible how much she was worried about her sister. “Those dreams are getting worse.”

“I’ll call the physician by morning.” Mia gave her sister a weak smile. “Go back to sleep, yes? I’ll read a bit and I’ll be just fine.” 

“Mia…”

“Please, Lily.” Mia’s tone was clear—she needed to be alone and there was no arguing about it. Lily nodded, gave Mia a kiss on her cheek and left the room, holding her lamp. 

Once she was alone, Mia sighed and closed her eyes. She wanted to forget about the past, pretend it had never happened, but she could feel it was approaching. It was coming to collect what was promised to it and Mia would have to comply. 

She ran her hand on her forehead and it was wet with sweat. Mia got up and dipped her hand into the basin and then splashed water on her face. She looked in the mirror and in that flickering lux, she looked like a ghost. The amber eyes stared back at her as if they didn't even belong to her. She dried her face and got back in bed.

When the morning finally arrived, Mia got up, cleaned herself, changed her dress and went downstairs for breakfast. She knew the dark circles under her eyes were not beautiful, but she couldn’t help it. Those last recent nights had been taking the best of her. 

“Good morning, sis!” Lily greeted her with a big smile. That was how Lily was—lively, always trying to make things better. 

“Good morning, my darling,” Mia answered and sat at the table. 

“Guess what?” Lily asked, biting into her croissant. “I was invited to the ball by Lady Campbell!” 

Mia smiled because she knew how much Lily had been looking forward to going to balls and those social events Mia avoided so much. 

“That is great news!” 

“I know!” Lily said and she started to babler about what she would wear, what she expected the ball would be like, and Mia tried to pay attention—she did—but her mind was elsewhere. 

All that her mind could think of was that she would have to pay a price which she was afraid of, since she didn't know how much it would cost her. Mia looked at Lily, who was so happy, and she knew that, no matter what, it was worth it. 

The rest of the morning was passing by, and Mia couldn’t focus on anything. Her heart was heavy and she knew it was closer, closer, closer. 

“Are you even listening?” Lily asked, offended. 

“Oh, sure. I’m sorry. I wasn’t, actually.” Mia’s hand went to her forehead. “I’m sorry, Lily. May we talk about it later? I have some things to do.” 

“Sure,” Lily said and gave her sister the best smile she could, even though she was dissatisfied. But then, Mia was always busy with everybody else’s life. It was only natural for her to have her mind elsewhere. 

Mia couldn’t stand to be home, so she asked for the carriage and decided to visit the orphanage. When she arrived there, Olivia received her with a big smile. 

“I wasn’t expecting you today,” the woman said, and Mia nodded. 

“I was just… restless. And thought that looking at those kids and how they are doing would make my heart feel lighter.” 

Olivia knew that Mia carried something pretty dark inside herself, but she never had the courage to ask about it. Their childhoods were not easy and she knew how much Mia struggled to take care of her sister and remain alive under Ms Violet Thomson’s care.

She took Mia to take a look around, and soon they were both smiling. 

“They are playing very nicely!” Mia said and Olivia nodded. 

“Yes. And it is all thanks to you and your great heart”

“Oh, come on…” Mia hated when she was praised, as if she was doing a favor. 

“I mean it, Mia. All those children are better now because of you. I am better because of you, and I’ll never get tired of saying it.” Mia did a dismissive movement with her hand and Olivia offered a shy smile. 

Both women kept walking, until Mia saw the door that would lead to those cells. Now they were not the same—they were just storage; but, to Mia, that place would always hold a terrible moment of her life. 

She left, and, when she got home, her butler looked nervous. 

“What is it, Mr. Gordon?” she asked the old man while giving him her hat. 

“There is… someone waiting to see you, Miss Chapman.”

“Who is it?” she asked, and he just looked at the hallway. “You’re scaring me” She walked to the living room, and there was a male figure with his back towards her. He was tall, dark-haired and had broad shoulders. By his clothes, she could tell that he was a noble. 

“Your Grace,” The butler said in a very formal and polite manner. The man turned around, and the light from the window made him seem like someone/something from another world. His features were what one could call perfect, and there was a detail that caught Mia’s attention more than anything—his eyes. One was icy blue; the other, very green. “The Grand Duke of Volia, Your Serene Grace Radna Teivel.”

The man took a few steps in Mia’s direction. Her heart was beating faster than ever. He made a reverence before speaking. 

“Miss Chapman, it is my greatest pleasure to meet you.” 

Mia’s eyes widened, because she knew that voice. It was a bit different, but it was his voice. HIS VOICE! She could not mistake the voice that kept haunting her almost every night and most of her days.