Chapter 1 Night Cut Short

Wine, red as the moon that night, was filled to the brim in tall glasses. This was a night to celebrate after all. The ruby moon had surfaced the dark curtain above. And a sacrifice would be made tonight. Whether it was a young child or adult didn't matter to Tauren, he was just one of the many rulers of the Capulets. As long as they were pure and succeeded, there was no problem.

Tauren sneered at his many guests that crowded the ballroom. His one and only niece was chosen to be sacrificed this decade. But being the uncle he was, it didn’t prick him as much as it would for the girl’s parents. His only problem is that his servant was taking too long to get back to him, and he didn’t like all the Nightlans invading his space. His own scent was enough for him to be surrounded by.

“Sir.” a weak voice said quietly, causing Tauren to swiftly turn himself in the direction of the voice. An old, small lady stood in front of him in light rags for clothes. “She’s in the bath.” she murmured to him and he growled.

“I told you not to wear that tonight. Didn’t you get the dress I gave the other servant to give you?” Tauren glared down at her as he moved to block her view from others.

“N-No sir, I’m sorry- I’ll get changed!” she replied before she fled the room to do just that.

While Tauren made a mental note to have some words with the servant that failed his orders, his niece soaked in the bath under the glass ceiling.

Her dark, large eyes stared up at it blankly. Where she bathed her hair seemed to shimmer a golden color, and her eyes bored a blue hue over the gray. Startled by the bathroom door suddenly opening, she sat up quickly. Her hair was no longer gold, but just a slight lighter than the color of her eyes, that were now brown, almost looking black. And the top half of her that wasn't submerged underwater was a warm almond shade.

"Sorry Gosling…" The servant that was glared by Tauren earlier, said bowing in an olive-green silk dress.

"It's fine," Gosling spoke out softly but sternly. "I think I'm done with my bath," she said pushing herself up, only to be shoved back down in the tub.

"Ah-ah! Master Tauren said you must soak until your eyes are light as the sky. And your hair like the sun my dear." The servant replied with a weak smile.

Gosling looked up at her with just those features now, her eyes downcasted. "I see, so I must soak until it's permanent."

The servant nodded with a smile. "Precisely."

"But I doubt this bath can do the trick, and it's cold." Gosling shivered as she tried sitting up, but the servant stopped her with an arm.

"Don't cause trouble for me dear, you don't want to be punished..now do you?"

Gosling didn't say a word, she sat back and sunk herself a little bit more into the water. The servant smiled before walking out of the bathroom, causing Gosling to let out a sigh while sitting up once again.

Everything Tauren- her kind here tonight wanted out of her almost seemed unachievable. The pale skin, golden light hair, and the typical sky eyes. Lastly, she had to succeed, and deep within she did not believe she could.

Nonetheless, she laid back in the tub. Once she gazed up at the ceiling, she noticed a shift of movement. There was a murky like figure, they stood there still. Gosling held her breath, believing whoever up there that couldn't be up to good, noticed her. Who wouldn't? The ceiling was like a huge window open to the world to see her naked, light illuminated the room perfectly, how could she go unnoticed?

The figure didn't even look down, just kept moving, pressing themself to anything that could further hide them. Gosling may have gone unseen but they did not, she had caught them red-handed, but there was nothing that she could do from where she soaked. Her eyes narrowed, following the figure until she just could not make out their shape any longer, presumably, he was gone.

She rose up from the water, it slid down her skin that was no longer a milky color until her ankles and below, which still soaked.

She glanced at the door, keeping quiet and using all her will to listen closely to any sound that was made.

She searched for the sound of footsteps, but only heard the breeze here and there, along with some chatter at a great distance. She stood there for a while longer, waiting for any sounds to hint at the figure from before had crashed this whole event, causing all types of trouble. But there was nothing, surprisingly the feeling she held was relief but it quickly vanished when everything seemed to be going according to plan. Her knees beneath her began to buck and she felt herself slipping.

The sound of glass shattering echoed through the manor, soon after she heard some distant gasps and some barking of orders she couldn’t quite catch, the voice she instantly recognized belonged to her uncle, sounds of crashing and glass breaking continued. Before she could act the door was flung open, another servant rushed in, almost trampling on her heather-colored dress. The two clashed when the servant ran into Gosling who still stood in her bath.

“You must leave!” the servant seethed, causing a red mark to form on Gosling’s arm by her grip. She yanked them both up and out of the bath, her dress drenched and sticking onto her skin, that once was pale like Gosling’s when they were in the bath.

Gosling was not able to make any comments before being pulled out of the bathing room, the servant pulled her into a walk-in-closet of Tauren’s then into so many hallways it felt like they were going in circles. Eventually, Gosling felt the chilly wind prick her exposed body, letting her know they made it outdoors. She could barely make out any shapes around her besides the tall trees that blocked any light above. Her hands gripped onto her body immediately and tightened her arms around herself, scooting closely to the servant.

“Ah! I’m sorry milady.” the servant mumbled sheepishly, before tugging off the cape attached she wore over her shoulders and threw it over Gosling’s shoulders. “It may not help much since it’s still wet from the bathwater.”

Gosling nodded gently and wrapped the cape around her body as much as she could. “Thank y-” the servant interrupted her by running and pulling her along. The breeze was hitting them hard now, she couldn’t stop shivering and gripped onto the servant’s hand tightly. “Where are we going?” she called out into the dark as she stumbled a bit while sprinting through the woods.

She felt a swift movement and a slight twist at her wrist. “You’re going anywhere but here.” the servant breathed out, and for a moment there was only the sound of the wind before they started moving again.

Gosling’s feet burned even through the cold, from all this walking barefoot on the forest floor, crunching on some twigs or branches here and there, sometimes rocks. Eventually, the moon was in sight, glowing down on them and everything else it could reach. She was able to see things much clearer now. The servant’s dress seemed to be drier now, the same with the cape Gosling wore.

She inhaled deeply and started to take a few steps forward, but stopped when she heard and felt some of the ground under her crumble. Her eyes shot down before she saw what to be a never-ending fall until the sight of the gentle waves from the wide, green sea below. Her throat felt tight but she managed to swallow, the smell and taste of salt faintly coated her airways. She turned her head in the direction of the servant, whose face was twisted.

“Milady, this is the best I can do right now.”

No words left Gosling’s mouth, only shrieking as she dropped. She quickly submerged into the sea causing her breath to escape her lips all at once before her body fought to swim, to reach the surface.