(I haven't finished this one yet - working on it - but I wanted to hear the thoughts. It's imagined as a relatively short story, but I put it under Novel/Chapter category here, as my understanding of "short" tends to be a little off (first book of my series is over 500 pages long). This is actually sort of an intro to my series, so don't be too surprised if some things stay unsaid even when it ends. The Whisperer is, in a way, a very important character in the series. A rather unusual one, too.. As always, please note that English is not my 1st language, and remember I value every comment and every critique. Also, it would be very sweet lf you to read the part one, two and three as well :3 And you will understand it better then, haha..Frankly, I am not happy with how this is turning out, and it is painfully short, so, yeah. Thank you.)
*
She came again one dark winter night, while Hugo was asleep and no sound could be heard a mile around.
I opened the door for her as she touched them, silently so I don't wake him up. The cold wind seemed to be on my side that night, or maybe it just knew something of destiny that I did not, and pushed her inside.
I closed the door, and that was when she realized her friend wasn't the one who let her in.
It was dark inside, I left all the candles off and the fireplace cold, and I could feel her fear rising.
Fear was interesting - all the emotions were, to me, but fear particularly. It could make people do good, it could make people do bad, it could make them die and kill and love and cry and laugh. I liked fear, and I know so did both of my masters so far. It was always the substance that made the magic most powerful - saying that it's love was just another comfortation that people imagined.
"Hello?" Rubina seemed genuinely scared now, and if I could, I'd smile a wide grin. She turned to leave, finding the door locked. I locked each one of them - except for the old atelier of my master's, which I always kept locked for Hugo. I didn't want him to change anything, even to see anything. But this girl who was breaking his heart and thought she can just appear now and then and ask for something from him, she deserved to be scared.
*
Figures of white marble observed from the shadows, reflected in mirrors partly covered in cloths. Only light came from the holes in the curtains, making the darkness deeper and the statues alive. Rubina walked among them, another pale spirit in the garden of stones, followed by the dead eyes of those around her. My old master was talented in so many ways: his statues seemed alive, reaching their fingers to touch her, pulling her hair and dress as she passed by, slowly yet stubborn, no more alive than illusions, though at the same time as real as the stone that gave birth to them.
"No..."
She couldn't tell where the door were anymore. She was surrounded by marble ghosts, following her every move, seemingly breathing their cold breaths, getting closer with every heartbeat. The mirrors awaited in the shadows, her reflection half hidden by the spider webs, as she got closer to have a look: she was already as pale as a porcelain doll, and I could hear the music surrounding her getting quieter, in higher notes, more trembling. I could feel her heartbeats. I watched her as she watched herself, staring at her own widened eyes, as she reached to touch the mirror, as in entranced. The expression in the mirror changed, and the hand of glass reached out, grabbing my prisoner's wrist-
She screamed, the door opened, and everything stopped. Closing her eyes, she sunk to her knees, holding her arms up as if shielding herself, her entire body shaking. My master stood in the doorway, a candle in his hand, with green eyes burning beng the glasses on his nose. He glanced at my walls, leaving the candle down on a cupboard, as the flames flickered in the fireplace, and approached our frightened guest.
"Rubi-"
"What is this?" She cut his words, looking up to meet his eyes, not stopping to shake. "What is this room, this place, this house?"
"Rubina, please-"
"Tell me, Hugo deMarkis! I come to see if you're well, and find a.. A prison. I hear whispers and see faces, and the mirror.. And your wound.. Is.. Healed..." She froze and I saw tears falling down her cheeks. If I could smile, I would have, but my master didn't seem pleased. Oh, no, I could tell by the music getting darker and deeper, piercing through the soft notes of his young beloved. He was not pleased.
But he was also confused, young himself and caught in an unexplainable situation... I didn't understand. Why was he mad at
me? Couldn't he understand that I am but a protector? That all I care about is him and keeping his secrets safe?
She's not an enemy.
He spoke to me - it was the first time ever. His thoughts were now clearer than ever before, and speaking to me as clear as words. I let the blue flames come out, watching as his glare flies over my walls.
Apologies, Sir.
"Hugo," Rubina whispered, letting him pull her to her feet but not letting go of his hand. "Please. Tell me."
He sighed.
"It is a long story, Rubi, my dear," he said. It was the first time he called her so. "You ask me, but you will fear the answer. You wish to know me, but you have no idea what there is to know. My past is shrouded in mist and in tears, and holds secrets I swore I will never tell - and dangers just waiting to be called back."
*
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