From Disappearance to Return: The Doll and the Dinner

Depthless blue eyes searched the well crafted oval of polished glass with a faint frown.. Dark hair set with horrible little sky blue ribbons spilled over one bare shoulder as she spat at her image. The dress was awkward, she imagined there to be enough skirting and material draped over her slim frame to clothe THREE families, and it held the same color as the bows that wove through her raven locks. The smudges of dirt and grime had been washed away from her cheeks, and she felt unnatural without it..

Even the bruises from her capture had long faded away, in the tiring journey that had brought her here.. Still, the angry red welts at her wrists spoke of the confinement clearly enough..

A doll,.. for the long time she had spent out of her chains, she had been primmed and prodded, shrouded in layer’s of courtly garb that were, to her; every bit as heavy as the shackles that bound her in the cellar. They had even gone through the most painful task of working every knot out of her unruly sheaves of silken hair.. “I feel more like a toy to be placed upon a shelf,.. and all the more a prisoner..”

The words did little, as she paced a slow circle in the empty room.. Guards shifted outside, beyond the mahogany door that led out and, despite the lavish decor, the chamber did not even hold a single window..

Richly woven tapestries hung silently upon the walls, the faces within seeming to star at her with contempt.. At one point Shadoweave thought she had recognized one of them.. but it was a silly notion. Perhaps she did see it once,.. back when she was breaking into the old merchant’s square buildings.. A wealthy land owner’s home perhaps.

It appeared to be a sitting room, a few elegantly crafted cherry wood chairs were placed strategically along the walls, small tables separating them within arm’s reach..

Her fluid motion became a mockery within the gown’s confines, every step, whilst graceful; lacked a certain amount of decorum, something only experience could bring.. She felt as if she were squeezed into this thing, trapped, every move curtailed.. Shadow remembered being on the streets, and often wondered why the high birthed ladies made such small motions,.. why they stood so strait.. Well... Now she knew... The contraption she wore, made it nearly impossible to slouch comfortably, at least without stealing her breath..

A light rapping, broke the still yet again.. Another disturbance in a long line of them since this whole misadventure began.. “Perhaps I will find peace when I am dead..”, The words held no humor, dry and cold as she moved to the door.

“Master Galentine has called for you.. step back from the door and make no motion until told..” The muffled voice beyond the door did not belong to the boy that had brought her up to this room, but she remembered it from that dark cellar, It was the man that spoke to Galentine, drifting down from above.

“Wonderful..”, she replied stepping back, her words holding an edge of contempt for the whole idea..

Two men in burgundy tabards and chain mail, came through the door one at a time, each stepping to one side as they took up silent positions at either hand of the entrance. Shortly following was a thin willowy figure, thick red curls clinging to his scalp, pasty features pinched and almost elongated.. One eye was milky white, and seemed to move of it’s own accord, but the other was fairly sharp, and held the tones of a dark brown..

Behind him waited more guardsmen,.. she could not see how many, but judging from the sounds from the upper landing Shadoweave wagered about two more.. maybe three.. “I am called Michawn, and have been charged with your care,” He said, tugging at a bit of lace that flowed from his sleeves.. “If you make my task a hard one,.. you will live a hard, and painful life.” She knew the words were a threat,.. and for the most part didn’t care..

Fear had left her a long time past along the way to this spot.. She knew the worst that could happen, expected it.. and that knowledge fed the flames of anger welling within her.. Timing was everything though,.. and now.. simply wasn’t the time.

“Do you un-der-stand?..” He peered at her, leaning forward, Michawn playing out the words as if talking to a child. “I know that gutter trash such as yourself have problems comprehending things..”

“yes.. I believe I understand..” Her eyes held his a quiet moment, the roiling emotions held tightly beneath the surface of her face, leaving Fallashay’s features expressionless..

“Good,.. now,.. come with me..”, Michawn turned taking a step from the room, The guards turning a quarter step before awaiting Shadoweave’s passage between them.. A sidelong glance spoke of the soldiers she passed, each seemed unremarkably similar; armor, colors, and weaponry were all the same.. A single broadsword graced both men’s left hip.. marking them as a dominant right hand, They wore no gloves, rough calluses having formed over their time in training or battle.. She only mildly regarded the worn grip of their weapons, what caught her interest was the stag emblazoned daggers that seemed to be common issue..

If she was quick, Shadoweave might have relieved one of them of their weapon, without so much as a blink, but the move would be too much to risk so early. One mistake now could possibly place her into a worst situation. Patience would have to win out in the end..

Michawn led her out and into the curving stairwell that ended at the windowless chamber. They were met by twin guards, just beyond the first arch.. and she took the time to regard them as discretely as possible. Shadoweave examined the long hallways, and shut doors in which they passed.

Galentine must have been a little more than paranoid when he had this place built. For every elegantly crafted archway, every tapestry or drawn wide satin curtain, Shadoweave had not once yet seen a window.. It was almost stifling, the air smelled of perfumes likely long past, and the oils of polish held an odd tang in the air..

It wasn’t long though, until those faint scents were swallowed by the rich aroma of cooked food.. Meats, with berry glazes, roasted vegetables.. and much more. The mixture came up like a wall, stirring her stomach into complaint and causing her mouth to water. She swallowed lightly tilting her gaze toward on of the flanking guards as if to see if he had noticed the change in her expression..

Oh how long it had been since she had eaten a meal made from more than oat mush and grease drippings.. On ship she couldn’t stomach the food.. The slaves and prisoners were given left over portions from the officers, and crew men. Sometimes the entrails of fish, a head here or there.. Shadow dared and could manage the raw leavings from food preparation, but would never touch the befouled leavings of a sailor bent on amusement at the expense of something lower than himself..

No matter how serene she kept her face, her stomachs rumbling began to grow into a more audible tone; as if demanding to be fed at that very moment..

“Hungry are we?..” Michawn’s words were the understatement of the year, and probably about the most idiotic thing she had ever heard at the same time.. Anger pulsed forward, a woman nearly at the end of her rope, and he knew it.. It took some time to calm herself after the snide comment. He had turned his one good eye on her with a bemused smirk.. “I suppose when the meal is finished,.. you might have a few scraps,.. but only if you are good..”

Fallashay paused there suddenly,.. motion coming to a halt as she eyed the thin little man.. “You, honestly can not expect me to believe,.. that after all this trouble... The great efforts this.. Master Galentine, has had you all go through to make me into some kind of- of- Thing,..” She growled motioning one pale hand over the most hated bunching of skirts and fabric.. “That I will not be sitting at that table when the food comes through?.. Hmm?”

Michawn’s face turned oddly toward her, and an almost triumphant smile crossed his lips.. “Of course you will be at the table... That doesn’t mean that you will get to dine with the master..” She glared at him, a sinking feeling settling into her gut, but Shadoweave wasn’t certain if it was due to what was said, or if it was the pangs of hunger..

“Though,” He continued, turning on his heel as he made for a set of double doors, “If you continue to stand there, you might not get anything at all to eat tonight..”

His words meant little, for even as she began to take her first step, on of the guards shoved her forward with a firm grip on the flesh of her shoulder.. “Move along..”

The dining hall was surprisingly unremarkable considering the rest of what she had seen of this building. A plain oak table rest in the center of the unfurnished room, nearly six miss-matching chairs settled around it.. A cursory glance marked two other exits beyond the one she had come through. Both were large, and set with heavy doors, and all of them had massive sliding bars to seal off the chamber.. One she assumed was the kitchen,.. but the other?

Walls of slate met a floor of the same color,.. the ceiling vaulting some two stories in height. but her interest fell on the soul other occupant in the room as the group of guards brought her through the door.

Galentine’s face broadened with a flash of white teeth, and he smiled, standing to one side of a chair that seemed drawn away from the table.. “We meet again.. Fallashay.. Or is it Shadoweave you are going by these days?..” His words held no malice, for a man that had gone through so much coin to find her, in fact he seemed to be playing at it,.. like some sort of marvelous game.. “Please.. Sit.. we have much to discuss”

She watched one toned hand come to rest on the back of the chair he stood next to,.. the other gesturing before him to the seat.. He wore a burgundy velvet doublet, broad shoulders graced by a white drape with golden embroidery that was neatly pinned in place with a sapphire broach.

Hesitantly she broke away from the guards, nervously aware of some hidden purpose. Her first instinct was to be as disagreeable as possible.. make the anger rise in this bas*ard’s blood, but she felt she needed to know what that purpose was.. and more importantly why she had been stolen from a good home.. One she had sought to find all her life as she scraped out a living in the cold surreal world of the harsh streets and alleyways..

“Master Galentine,.. Shall we take up places within the room?..” The weasely little Michawn was already vying for his lord’s attention, and bent low into a bow that would probably make most fellows cry for the strain to their backs as he held it..

“Thank you Michawn, but no.. Have a guard check her for weapon’s, then leave us alone..” Galentine brushed a straw colored strand from his eyes.. once more motioning to the chair he had offered her and stepped away, fluid strides bringing him to the far side of the table..

“She is clean Master,” One of the guards spoke gruffly, as he cast a glance toward her.. She heard a deep laugh bounce up from nowhere, surprised to find it coming from Galentine himself..

“Lucendan?..” He queried with a mirthful grin and a slight tilt of his head..

“Yes sir?..”

“She is to be checked for weapons, when you retrieve her, and when she finally arrives in my company.. are we understood?...”

“Y-Yes of course master Galentine..” Lucendan stammered marching toward Shadoweave with a steady gaze..

“I do not want a re-occurrence of my last meeting with one of her ilk..” His smile faltered slightly, an absent gesture drawing his right hand to the wrist of his left with a slight brush of his finger tips..

It was humiliating to say the least, but the man was quick,.. not daring to linger at any one place.. In a way it was comforting to know he was doing his job rather than thinking of other things, but on the same side of that coin, it left little room for her to get a shot at killing Galentine.. When he had finished the guards cleared from the room, even Michawn reluctantly made his parting with his Master, the silence replacing their exodus almost a solid thing. Cautiously she crossed to the chair, sitting down awkwardly upon a bunched up mass of her gown..

Galentine did not comment on her awkwardness, nor did he mention the troubles she had seating herself properly.. His emerald eyes did not leave her, as the door furthest to the right parted, servants parading in with steaming dishes, and a flask of wine..

He waited, as plates with wealthy helpings of wondrous foods were set on the table.. The main dishes, still steeping in their own juices mingled with herbs and squeezed fruit. And he watched her even after they had all faded away.. Her heart was in the meal, soul begging for at least a single bite as she seemed to forget he was there..

“The second time I ever saw you,.. you were fourteen summers into life, quite the little scoundrel you looked, Inn keeper’s family did a fair job at cleaning you up though...” He spoke absently as if dwelling on that memory, before a slow sigh escaped his lips and he eased into the chair across from her.. “And now..”

“Now you have grown up..” She didn’t break in to his speech, unable to keep here eyes from the fragrant morsels of the evening meal..

“You can eat it you know,..” He said after a moment,.. and those words brought her gaze upward meeting his.. “It isn’t there for show...” As if in after thought he leaned forward pushing the plate closer.. “and do not worry about the dress.. it,... can be replaced..”

Released from whatever invisible force that held her back, Shadoweave dove into the sole act of consumption,.. savoring every tiny bit as she fed ravenously upon the healthy servings that were offered.. He made no motions, spoke nothing while she ate,.. and she was too caught up in the meal to care that he didn’t touch any of his own food.

Over time her ‘feeding frenzy’ slowed.. and she eased back into the chair, stomach warm and full,.. only the fact that she remained a prisoner spoiled her contentment.. “What do you want with me?..” She asked, sapphire gaze flickering upward to find that he hadn’t moved..

He reached a point in her question, where a thoughtful frown tugged at his lips.. and he lifted his gaze toward the ceiling with the quirk of a honey colored brow.. “I want to give you the life you.. ‘should’.. have had.. at a price..”

“There was a time back in the tavern, when you crossed into that booth, that I thought I could win you to my will.. I was young,.. and more than once my... mind was on ‘other’ things.. You fled the city, after I had spread the word.. vanished into the very air that I was breathing.. But do not flatter yourself.. I do have a very real goal in mind,.. in which only ‘you’ can help me with.. The after thought was merely a bonus..”

She frowned darkly yet held her tongue, she could have said the same to him.. She was not flattered by his pursuit of her, more so stricken with fear.. Much had seemed to change in this place, but he still had a long reach in that shadowed world she had come to know as home. Perhaps an even longer reach these days.. “You have not answered my question..”

“it’s very simple really-”, Galentine broke off in his explanation, taking up the wineskin in one hand, the other grasping a goblet.. before tilting some of the ruby liquid into it.. “-wine?..”

“Not right yet,.. though I would like a serving of... answer.. if at all possible..” She closed her eyes, bowing her head slightly with the soft whisper of raven locks.. wishing all the more that He would simply say what he was about..

“As you wish..”, Despite her refusal he slid the goblet toward her before clearing his throat.. “You will be groomed for a part,.. and you ‘will’ play that part.. until I release you...”

“what part might that be?..”

“Time will present the rest of your answers shortly..” He chuckled leaning forward to rest both elbows onto the table’s top, fingers laced together before him...

“And If I refuse?..” Her heart skipped a beat.. blinking slowly as she swayed in the chair, and her vision began to blur..

“I will force you into my plan,.. but do not think your self indispensable,.. I have made arrangements in the case that you should die..” She heard his words as if from a distance, fighting for focus as she peered through a vale of haze.. “You really, should have taken the wine..”

Those were the last things she heard as Shadoweave’s body slumped forward, an infuriatingly familiar darkness revisiting her...