Eliana sighed. She ruffled her hair and placed a hand on her hip, glancing over the tidy room. She quickly looked herself in the mirror, outlined with a golden metal. After quickly rushing out of the room, she quickly spotted the king down in the entrance. She walked in a swift pace towards Louisa’s chambers, which she hailed from, and finally found her way there. Without knocking, Eliana entered and closed the door behind her. The room was empty. The lights had been blown out, leaving the room in a dark picture. Eliana took a few baby steps forward, looking around and studying the room. It was the same as earlier, she stupidly concluded, whilst glancing at the fine ornaments. For a moment reality hit her again. She looked out through the window.  The horizon of small houses filled her mind. She grimaced, wiping her eye with the sleeve of the dress, covering her entire hand. A cold shiver rolled down her spine, causing a slight whimper. For a moment, she had thought she was alone.

“Eliana?” a soft voice whispered from behind. Eliana almost jumped up, turning around and looking in around the room.  She blinked. Nothing was there. She shook her head violently, messaging her temples. As she muttered something to herself, the door went up. Louisa stepped in, stopping abruptly by the sight of Eliana. She raised an eyebrow, closing the door behind her.

“Well he arrived and the room was ready. Well done. And also-“ she paused, walking to her desk and finding out a key with a number engraved. She extended her hand for Eliana, smiling. “You’ll need a room. Go grab your things at the house when you need them, and settle there for the moment.” She nodded, and Eliana simply attempted a curtsey and thus quickly rushed out the door, a little red from embarrassment of trespassing, if that could be called that. Eliana walked down the hallway, and down the stairs. She finally made her way to a door, matching the number on the key. She walked inside, being greeted by a fairly neat room. Much better and bigger than the one at the tavern, though it was still fairly small. The room was outfitted with what she needed. A desk, a couple of windows, a closet, a mirror and of course a bed. Though it had a few other things, it was really the bed that called most for her. 

Eliana’s eyes slowly went up. She yawned, looking around. It was still night, and she was fully dressed. Apparently she had fallen to the temptation of the bed. After a couple of moments of grunting, she got up. The window was open, and the trees were dancing in the distance. Though there was no breeze coming in. She narrowed her eyebrows at the darkened town. Something caused her to look away though, back into the room. She wrapped her arms around herself, walking with light steps. The wooden floor did not make a sound beneath her bare feet, and the door barely moved as she lightly opened it. Her head peaked outside. The lights in the hallways had gone out. It was empty. Something drew her out. Eliana looked around herself constantly. But the emptiness continued. The mansion seemed empty, though it laid in darkness. Had they all left? In the middle of the night? Eliana shook her head – they were here somewhere, she was sure. 

The plants by the big stairwell had withered. The former colourful beings had turned into dead and dull excuses for life. No light, no sound. There was an awful silence. Eliana carefully moved up the stairs, trying to find Louisa’s room. Through the dim halls she walked. Though she felt like she knew the walls, something wasn’t familiar. The paintings weren’t as joyful either. They were empty. No life was drawn on them, just plain withered fields.  Bones lay in piles, tools stabbed into the ground. Eliana felt an ache in her stomach, and quickly moved on.

Louisa’s door looked like it used to. But as Eliana leaned closer, a few cuts in the wood came to light. Something had been drawn across it, either with … claws? Or knives? 

Eliana carefully put her hand on the doorhandle, feeling a cold sensation rush through her. She opened up the door, and was greeted with yet another darkened room. Just as it had looked like earlier.  The desk stood under the window. It was opened, just as the window in Eliana’s room. She walked towards it, looking down at it. A single item lay on it, torn to pieces. She examined it, and it became clearer and clearer as she put together the pieces. It was a necklace, a necklace with a torn sigil hanging from it, and as she looked closer at it. She dropped it as she saw it, shattering it again. With rushed movements, she reached under her dress, finding out her own necklace. She cursed out as she grabbed it, her hands being met by sharp edges of the torn sigil.

“Eliana?” a soft voice whispered from behind. She froze, slowly turning around in fright of what would stand before her, if anything.

A figure stood in front of her. Donned in dark clothes, and not too tall. The head hang loosely on the body, looking into the ground. She couldn’t see. Couldn’t see who it was – what it was. The head slowly rose up, revealing the black pupils and the neck. Oh the neck, the neck with the flesh torn out from the middle leaving strings of flesh and blood dripping down. The thing walked towards her, reaching out his hand for her, and revealing his broken teeth.

Eliana fell unto the floor, slamming her head into the wood. She panicked, sitting up and looking around. She sensed a few bits of blue essence drifting into the nothingness. As her breath calmed, she looked around in the room. She was back, and the window was closed. It all seemed far more familiar now. The woman pushed her self to her feet, wiping sweat off her forehead. On her desk stood a mug of water, a mug she did not hesitate to take a large sip from. Afterwards, she leaned her head in her hands, and rested her elbows on the desk. With a shaking voice she muttered to herself.

“Just a bad dream… Just a bad dream.”