Chapter Eleven

                                    

                                          
Alandra returned to her room to a terrified Marscha. 
                          
She was pacing. 
                          
" You struck him? Oh this is bad, this is very bad." Her hand was tightly wrapped in her hair pulling it from her hand. 
                          
"What is so bad? The fact that I hit him? I'm not afraid of any consequences."
                          
Marscha turned quickly. " We are afraid! All of us are afraid! Us servants adore you! We don't want you dead or worse, one of us!" She wailed gripping her hair. 
                          
She walked over to Alandra, she grabbed her hand.
                          
" You are kind, you treat us like we are equals. You speak freely, you are out hope." She murmured.
                          
" Hope for what?"
                          
" To change him! Dracula. Change his heart! Make it kind like it used to be!"
                          
Alandra scowled. " The only thing I want to do with his heart is put it on a stick. He has done nothing but cause me pain since I've been here." 
                          
Marscha sat beside her. " He has trouble with his emotions, give him a chance, you will see-" 
                          
" I don't want to see."
                          
___:___:___:___:___
                          
Alandra walked down the hallway, down to the servant chambers. Each one had their own room, each one had their name engraved into the door. 
                          
She found Louis'. 
                          
She gently knocked.  She heard rustling and the door slowly opened. It was only cracked part of the way, he was barely visible. She could only make out half his face behind the door.
                          
" Well if it is the princess." He said. 
                          
"Hello Louis."
                          
He smiled a bit, his teeth however remained hidden.
                          
" What did you need Alandra? You shouldn't be down here."
                          
"I can be wherever the hell I want."
                          
"There's the spitfire... but really you should leave."
                          
She frowned, eyes narrowed. " Why do I need to leave?"
                          
He sighed. 
                          
" Please. Go." He tried to shut the door. She jutted her foot out into the way of the door. 
                          
" What are you hiding from me?"
                          
He closed his eyes. 
                          
" Nothing-"
                          
"Good." She pushed open the door. He stumbled back, she stood in the dimly lit room. A gasp came from her lips, her hand flew to her mouth. 
                          
His shirt was unbuttoned reveling the healing scars and blisters. 

                          
His face was still swollen, his face was cut above the brow, burns trailed the side of his face. His eyes were narrow and glaring at the wall. 
                          
" Have you seen enough?" He growled. 
                          
Alandra felt tears well in her eyes. This was beyond a simple punishment.
                          
" Why, why would he do this to you?" 
                          
He scoffed. " Well, princess. Not all of us have the privilege of being allowed to do as we please. He thought I was getting to close. Crossing the line." 
                          
He let a bitter smile cross his features. "I got what was coming."
                          
She bit her lip, and rubbed her face. 
                          
"I am so sorry Louis-"
                          
"You didn't do it princess." His voice was a lot softer. 
                          
She shook her head. " I thought vampires healed, how did he-"
                          
"Leave marks?"
                          
She nodded.
                          
" Dracula is special. He can hurt others, mortal, immortal it doesn't matter. He can scar them, just as easy as he can heal them. His power, it hurts vampires as if we were still human. He could leave me a bruise even if I don't have blood running in my veins."
                          
" That doesn't make any sense..."
                          
"Magic princess. Simply magic."
                          
__

                          
Marscha was sat in the middle of her bed when Alandra entered. 

                          
Alandra shut the door gently behind her. Her face weary, and eyes looking down. 

                          
" You spoke to me of a man, who could be kind. Who could love. "

                          
Her voice was barely above a whisper but she knew Marscha could hear it just fine. 

                          
" If this was the same man, how could he do something so cruel?" 

                          
Marscha held a look of sympathy.

                          
" How could he, scar and burn a member of his own house?" 

                          
Alandra looked up as she leaned against the door.

                          
Marscha came and hugged her. 
                          
" I don't want to be here anymore."