Sisters of the Fallen

Mirela sat down on the chair in her room and laid her head in her hands as she felt despair threatening to overwhelm her. Bianca wouldn't have just left Mirela and Bela on their own like this. She was gone, and the reason could only be nefarious. Had she found Loredana? Had she seen too much? Mirela wondered how much more she would have to lose before this was done.

Before she allowed herself to break down and shed a single tear, Mirela raised her head and clenched her hands into fists with a determined look on her face. As long as she lived, she resolved never to give up. Mirela knew that somehow she would find her sisters again so there was nothing left to do but start looking. She quickly dressed herself in the long, white dress of the style she favored and left her youngest sister still sleeping. Mirela would just perform a quick search; she didn't want to leave Bela alone for too long. She figured her little sister would be safe on her own for an hour or two anyways. Mirela only feared the nights at Sidexes.

Mirela must have looked a wretch if there were anyone actually here to see her. She hadn't bathed in four days now and her skin felt grimy with accumulated sweat and dirt. Her hair was greasy and unkempt after going days without washing it. Mirela had pulled it back into a messy bun that had hair spilling every which direction from the tie. She could only venture a guess at how her hair looked without a mirror to inspect herself with. Her clothing looked fine at the very least, though in a few days she would be all out of clean wear. Mirela chuckled sardonically thinking that she might find some protection from Şarpe or Porles since it would be difficult to consider her desirable at this point.

Speaking of Porles, Mirela saw the housekeeper using a broom to at least attempt sweeping away the dust and spiderwebs that had accumulated in one of the corridors. Mirela avoided him deliberately and used a different, longer way she had learned while exploring the castle the day before. Mirela didn't care if Porles might know where her sisters were, she didn't trust the man and found something about him disturbing. Instead, she traveled to the main gate hoping to find the guard she met yesterday standing at his post. Jeph, Mirela thought she remembered his name as.

On her way, Mirela stopped inside the chapel to see if there was anyone in there. But the sanctum was empty and immaculately clean, as if it had just been washed spotless recently. Mirela frowned as this seemed significant but with no time to waste she turned and walked to the courtyard entrance.

Mirela hoped to convince Jeph to help her escape with Bela to the nearby cabin he spoke of before. They could hide there for a while and Mirela could at least keep Bela in a safe place until she found help. Then she would hopefully return with a coterie of knights to rescue her other sisters. How to convince Jeph? Mirela cherished her chastity, but she would gladly sleep with the man if that is what it took to escape from this terrible place. Her virginity meant far less to her than the safety of her family. Mirela was so desperate, she would gladly put his cock in her mouth or service him in any way he desired if it meant she could become free of Sidexes. There was little Mirela wouldn't sacrifice for her family.

But when Mirela arrived at the gate, the guard was nowhere to be found. She walked around the outside of the castle but couldn't find him anywhere. Mirela returned to the gate and tried to see if it could be opened but it had been barred shut with a heavy padlock chained to the entry. Even if she found the key, the bar looked heavy to lift even for an able-bodied man. Mirela remembered when she first arrived and it had taken the strength of both Jeph and Porles together to open the gate. Mirela tested the weight of the bar and knew she would be unable to open it by herself. She looked up at the sun and realized it was nearing midday already. Mirela slept in later than planned and she hadn't meant to be out exploring this long. The day was already slipping away.

Mirela hurried back to her quarters hoping Bela had been alright on her own for so long. Mirela's stomach rumbled loudly and she tried to stave off the pangs of hunger. She hadn't eaten a proper meal since the dinner their first night at Sidexes and even then she hardly had any of her food. Mirela longed to find the larder to see if they had any food there but she also wanted to avoid Porles at all costs.

When Mirela opened the door to her room, a powerful stench attacked her nostrils. She choked back a retch and covered her nose as she approached Bela. Mirela's sister was awake now, lying still under the bedcovers and staring up at the ceiling like usual. Mirela threw the blankets back and recognized immediately that Bela had soiled herself. The excrement staining Bela's dress and bedsheets had produced the loathsome smell. I guess this is what I deserve for leaving her alone for so long, Mirela thought with disappointment at her own foolishness. Truth be told, she was happy to have something to do. Aiding her helpless sibling always seemed to calm and center Mirela and she hoped it might take her mind off the horror that surrounded her for a short time.

Mirela lifted the pitcher of water sitting on the table and found it empty. It had not been refilled since being left in their room the day before last. Who knows where the well they drew from even was. Or who was performing the task. Mirela began to suspect that there were no servants in this castle at all despite first appearances. She entered Loredana and Bela's old room and took the mostly full pitcher of water from there. Mirela took a long drink straight from the pitcher and would have spat the stale water from her mouth if she hadn't been so desperately thirsty. She brought the pitcher back to her room and set it on the stand next to the bed before getting to work.

Mirela rolled Bela over onto her stomach and undid the lacing of her dress before pulling the straps off Bela's shoulders. Mirela pulled Bela's dress down off her body rather than over her head to ensure none of the filth smeared Bela's face or hair. Mirela used the bunched up cloth fabric of the dress to try and collect as much of the waste as possible. Once Mirela pulled the formerly pretty nightdress off, she carefully bundled it without touching any of the dirty stains and threw it out the open door into the hallway. She could care less about keeping this terrible place clean.

Mirela grabbed one of the extra dresses from her luggage and began tearing strips of cloth from it. It used to be one of Mirela's most precious and favorite dresses, a fine lace smock embroidered with designs of flowers that had a wide, billowing skirt. She used to wear the dress to church and on feast days at the Pierocent manor. Mirela poured water onto the strips of cloth to dampen them and then used the makeshift rags to wipe clean Bela's dirty bottom. Bela at least laid still and didn't squirm at all as Mirela soaked her backside with the cool water and rubbed it clean. Once she had dirtied through one strip of cloth Mirela threw it onto the bundle outside the room and tore off another piece to use.

Once Bela was entirely clean, Mirela lifted Bela by her armpits and awkwardly carried her limp body over to the chair. Bela hunched slightly forward as Mirela placed her in the chair and she had to reposition Bela's body so that she wouldn't just collapse headfirst to the floor. Mirela tore the bedsheets from the mattress and threw them out the door in a pile with the rest of the accumulated waste. Hopefully the stench would dissipate soon.

Mirela tried dressing Bela in some of Mirela's own clothes but had to contend with Bela's unresponsive limbs to finagle the dress onto Bela's prone form. The dress fit tightly on Bela's wider, squatter form but Mirela chose one of her more loose-fitting dresses so it hopefully wouldn't be too uncomfortable for her sister.

Once she had finished dressing Bela, Mirela sat on the floor and waited in silence with her sister. Mirela attempted some conversation with her sister but received no response. After a while, Mirela decided she would try and feed Bela. There were a few scraps of bread crust left that Mirela mixed with the water in a bowl to form a thick sort of broth. Mirela had to handfeed the food to Bela in the absence of any utensil. Bela had difficulty swallowing on her own and Mirela practically forced the food down her throat with her fingers. Mirela decided she would wait until Bela was finished before cleaning Bela's saliva from her hand. As Bela's mouth hung open, drool trickled down the right side of her lips to her chin.

Bela's condition has worsened since they arrived at Sidexes. Despite her muteness, Bela used to still be able to use the privy, eat, dress herself, and follow simple instructions. Now she was practically comatose. Mirela originally planned to bring Bela with her and see if she could help Mirela open the gate but there was no way Bela could leave in this state. Even if they somehow found the key for the gate and got it open, Mirela would be venturing out into the wilderness at night with an invalid who couldn't even sit up on her own without falling over.

Mirela sighed as she looked out the window and saw the sun already beginning its descent. In a few short hours, it would be dusk. Mirela feared the darkness more than anything about this place. The black of night seemed the time when terrible things happened here. Mirela's only hope was to find wherever the Turenaus were keeping her sisters and try to rescue them so they might help her and Bela escape. Bianca would be there for her, Mirela knew it. She just had to find her. Mirela needed to find Loredana too, but the thought of losing her Bianca was almost too much for Mirela to bear. Now that her beloved was missing, Mirela regretted every second she had spent with Bianca without letting her know how much Mirela loved and cherished her.

Mirela glanced over at Bela sitting slumped in the chair with her head tilted limply to the side. Mirela hated the thought, but she would have to leave Bela on her own so she could search the castle. She needed to find Loredana and Bianca before night arrived and the darkness claimed them all.

Mirela knelt next to the chair Bela sat upon and lifted her sister's chin until they were face to face. Mirela hoped to see some glimmer of recognition on Bela's face but the girl's eyes looked right past Mirela, unable to regard her sister sitting right in front of her. Mirela laid her hands over Bela's cheeks and spoke softly to her.

"Bela, I..." started Mirela before her voice cracked into a sob. "I need to go away for a little while. Hopefully, I won't be long. I'm so sorry for everything that's happened to you, my sweet Bela. I'm sorry I have to leave you but I don't have a choice. We should never have come here, this is all my fault. I just wanted everything to be good for you again... and for Loredana and Bianca too. I've failed you all."

Tears streamed down Mirela's face now, but she couldn't help crying as she continued. "I hope to see you once again, my beautiful little sister. But in case I don't return, I want you to know that I love you very, very much. May God protect you and keep you."

Mirela lifted her sister's body up and carried Bela to the bed before laying her down gently on the mattress. There were no clean sheets remaining but at least one of the blankets remained unstained. Mirela pulled the cover over Bela's body and tucked her in tightly. She leaned down and kissed Bela upon her brow, cheek, and mouth. Bela continued staring upwards uncomprehendingly.

"Goodbye, Bela," said Mirela. "I'll see you again, whether in this life or the next one.

Mirela stifled a sob as she departed from the room and shut the door behind her. Unfortunately, she couldn't lock it from outside. Mirela prayed she would find one of her other sisters quickly. If something went wrong tonight Mirela had no idea what would happen to Bela without someone to take care of her. Mirela had thought Bianca quite silly at the time, but now she wished she had the foresight Bianca possessed to bring a weapon with her. Too late for that now. Mirela peeked outside a window and saw the sun lowering behind the mountain range. Orange sunlight beamed down through the valley cradling the castle, but the day was fading fast. Mirela needed to hurry. Fortunately, she knew exactly where she was going.

Mirela stepped lightly through the halls as she searched for Porles. She finally located him in the wine cellar where he was apparently bottling some of the house wine. He looked tired, as if he had slept little the previous night. Mirela heard chattering little noises and noticed Porles holding something in his hands right above the wine bottle. Mirela creeped down the stairwell to get a better look, wincing as the stairs creaked beneath her feet and released years of gathered dust. But fortunately Porles had neither seen nor heard her intrusion.

Mirela obtained a better angle and peered out between the wooden bars of the stair. She saw that Porles held a large, hairy rat in his hands with its head sticking out above while its long pink tail hung down below the hole made by Porles' fists. The rat bit at Porles' hand repeatedly and wriggled desperately within his grip but the housekeeper held the vermin unflinchingly. Mirela covered her mouth in shock as Porles leaned down and bit the head off the rat. The rat's tail swung wildly as Porles' teeth separated its head from its neck and he chewed on it before swallowing. Porles tipped the rat's body over and squeezed it tightly so its blood and viscera dripped into the bottle of wine. A screen filter above the lip of the bottle prevented any solid organs from slipping through into the wine. When Porles could draw no more blood from the rodent he cast its ruined body aside and used a device to cork the bottle.

Mirela remembered tasting the wine a few nights earlier and wondering what ingredient gave the wine such a uniquely awful taste. Now that Mirela knew for sure she leaned over against the wall and retched. She could only dry heave with her stomach so empty, which caused an inordinate amount of pain in her side. Just when Mirela thought she had fully recovered, she recalled an image of Loredana drinking the wine greedily and smearing it all over her lips. This time, Mirela did vomit the scant remaining contents of her stomach. She wiped the bile from her lip and with steely determination she resolved to finally do something about her predicament.

Mirela hefted a loose cobblestone in her hand that she had picked up on the way through the eastern wing of the castle. She descended the stairs as silently as possible and crept up behind Porles. Merila brought the stone down upon his scalp with as much force as she could bear. The large man crumpled instantly and sank to the floor. Blood poured from the wound at the back of his head but he still breathed at least. Mirela might despise these people but she was no killer.

The first order of business was to find some food. Mirela couldn't be going to war on an empty stomach. She found a secret pantry in the wine cellar that Porles must hoard food in so he wouldn't have to share with the castle's guests. Mirela grabbed a small wheel of hard cheese and a loaf of bread from the pantry and devoured them with the least amount of modesty and delicacy she had ever employed in a meal. Mirela stuffed more bread and cheese into the pocket of her dress in case she needed something to feed Bela later on.

Mirela nearly strained herself as she rolled Porles' large form onto his back and discovered what she had been looking for. The large skull comprising the bow of the crypt key stared back at her with a deathly grim smile. Mirela undid the keyring from Porles' belt and tied the entire set of keys to her waistband. The keys would jingle and jangle as she walked which limited any stealth Mirela could muster, but it was worth it to possess full access to every room in the castle. Mirela also found a small, but very sharp knife holstered on Porles' belt. Mirela took the knife and holster as well, hoping that it would provide at least some form of protection. She briefly considered simply slitting the man's throat as he laid unconscious and defenseless upon the floor. But the notion was dismissed from her mind as soon as Mirela thought of it. She couldn't allow herself to become savage and murderous like the fiends who lived here or she would be no better than they.

Mirela left Porles lying there in the cellar and retraced her steps back to the crypt entrance. The only locked door Mirela had found in this castle had to be hiding something of importance behind it. Mirela pressed the key into the lock and turned it until she heard the click. She tore the lock from the clasp that held the two doors together and slowly swung them open. Mirela ducked as a group of flying, hairy creatures flew out of the opened doors. She heard the chattering of the bats as they flew by her head. After they left to no longer disturb her, Mirela stood up and stared into the pit.

Mirela wrinkled her nose as a sour, decaying stench wafted up from below. Thin stone steps led downward in a steep descent. Barely visible at the very bottom of the stairs was a faint light like the glow of a lit candle. Something was down there. Mirela took a deep breath and gathered her courage. She pulled the stolen knife out of its holster and brandished the blade outward as she stepped down into the darkness.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bela awoke with a shiver in the deepening darkness of early night. The blanket that had been covering her was on the floor and must have been waylaid as Bela tossed and turned in bed. The room was lit faintly by a burning candle on the nightstand but Bela had no idea who lighted it. Bela sat up and looked about the room. This place was unknown to her though it seemed somewhat familiar. Like something out of a dream.

It seemed as if Bela herself had just woken from a long and strange dream. She recalled something of a carriage ride and an arrival at a dark and foreboding castle. Otherwise, only bits and pieces could be recalled. The ending of the dream must have been very pleasant though. The mattress beneath her felt wet and Bela lifted her dress to look between her legs. Whatever had leaked from her cunny that soaked the bed was definitely not urine.

Were her sisters here too? Bela seemed to remember seeing their faces but had no idea where they had disappeared to. Bela climbed out of bed and felt the cool mountain air passing up her dress and between her damp legs. She shivered as she reached for the door handle. The old wooden door creaked loudly as Bela swung it open but there seemed to be no one around to hear. The hallway outside her chamber was silent and empty. Bela stepped lightly with her bare feet touching the cobbled stone of the castle floor. Lit torches hanging on the walls every ten paces or so illuminated her way with their flickering lights. Bela wasn't exactly sure where she was going but she seemed to know the way instinctively.

Bela searched her memory and tried to recall the last event she could clearly remember. Her last clear recollection had definitely been while she still lived at the Pierocent manor. Bela remembered hearing a strange noise in the night and she began wandering the manor to investigate the disturbance quite similarly to how she now explored this strange castle. Bela heard the noise again, and found it was coming from her parent's room. It was a thumping sound she heard along with a strange, low, guttural, bestial noise she couldn't quite describe. Bela knew she shouldn't open the door to her parent's room without announcing herself first. When Bela was eight years old she had been admonished harshly for invading her parent's private chamber.