#zommbro

It was dark, the road only lit by the torch Daniel carried in his hand. It barely did anything though, as the fog was far too heavy to see much farther than a few feet before him. Usually he didn’t like going out in such ill fated weather, preferring to be inside enjoying the company of his fellow knights and good conversation. However, something was driving him this evening. He had been sought out by a local merchant, whom seemed almost panicked as he tried to explain his concern.

 It seemed that several travelers had seen a being lurking in the old castle to the south. The place had been abandoned after a terrible accident long ago and was left to rot away into the ground beneath it. The merchant didn’t seemed to know much on what had gone on long ago, but he knew that many lives had been lost in the once grand hall. The locals feared that someone was attempting to raise the long dead. They weren’t sure why, but none of them liked the idea of an army of the undead marching into their small village which was only a day’s walk away. At the merchant’s request, Daniel agreed to go and examine the castle himself and see what was really going on. He doubted it was as bad as the locals feared. More than likely a homeless soul was merely seeking refuge in the one place no one would make them leave.

 So he trekked on his way, walking through the fog on a rather simple and quite mission. Though most knights find such tasks to be pointless, he would do anything to settle the hearts and minds of the people he swore to protect. He had been traveling for two days, only now arriving at the old castle that evening. It seemed the fog had no intention of lightening up, circling around the grounds as if it was trying to side something. He took cautious steps towards the worn stone building, glancing around as he kept an eye out for the mysterious figure the merchant had spoken of.

 It seemed that the castle grounds had fallen into quite a mess, though were once lovely and rich with life.  The dirt crunched beneath his feet as he looked out for the supposed individual lurking about the rubble. His other hand lingered on the hilt of his sword, just in case it wasn’t just some poor squatter. He approached the large wooden doors, pushing one open with his arm as to not be caught off guard. It was pitch black inside, but the light of the torch illuminated the empty hall. There were tables flipped and scattered about in a mess, along with other such things worn from time. Tattered tapestries hung on the dusty walls, swaying in the wind that slipped through the door after him.

 Daniel stepped inside, leaving the door behind him as to not drag too much attention to his arrival. If this person was hostile, which he deeply doubted, he didn’t want them to know he was there just yet. Better to catch the figure by surprise and make the battle quick, then allow him time to possible raise battle ready undead to their aid. It was that thought that brought a small laugh from him, as he realized he was probably thinking a bit too much into it. The castle, as much as the lore of it was unknown and bleak, had been left alone since the very day of its tragedy. If someone wanted to build an army, they certainly wouldn’t find much in this place. They could find better targets on an old battle field, or even a graveyard. So, the only realistic option was a poor soul, either lost or too poor to afford proper shelter. He’d tell them who he was, offer his assistance to take them back to the village and put to rest what could only be a very silly rumor.

 As he stepped in deeper into the halls, he was starting to notice that whatever had happened there had happened on a grand scale. Long lasting stains of what he could only assume to have been blood spattered the walls, almost as if was burned into it. There were no bones though, hinting that someone had either taken the bodies to bury them, or so he could only hope. He suddenly felt a bit of a chill run up his spine; the thought finally settling in that he was walking in what was probably a horrific murder of dozens, maybe more. That pushed him on to wonder why anyone would stay in such a place. The idea alone almost made his stomach flip. Thankfully, his service as a knight had hardened his resolve. Back when he was younger though, he could imagine himself getting quite sick. Shaking his head to remove the thoughts from it, he hurried on his way out of the great hall and off into the living quarters, or so he hoped. Each door was slowly opened, and then closed, the rooms checked for any sign of life before he continued on. There was nothing though, no sign that anyone had taken up place in the dingy and dark halls.

 It was at this point, he was honestly thinking of leaving, telling the merchant that he had seen nothing at all. He doubted that would be what he would want to hear, but if there was no one to even find there wasn’t much he could do. Just as he was about to turn away, a rather strange sound started to drift to his ears. He couldn’t make it out a first, it sounded low and weak. He started to follow it though, the closer he got the sound growing louder and harmonic. The sound, which he determined to be an organ, led him deeper into the castle, down stairs into a place were not even the moonlight could reach. Only his torch lit his way now, guiding him closer and closer to the music.

 Though his heart was racing he found himself swooned by the music, it was dramatic and powerful, like the kind that rang about the large cathedrals. It almost made him stop, just so he could listen to the song with all his focus. Sadly, he did not have the luxury to pause, now knowing that he was not as alone as he once believed. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he had arrived in a small room, a door opposite the stairs cracked open. Light poured from it, hinting that he had finally found who he was looking for. Pushing himself against the wall, he didn’t dare just run in. He learned the hard way that rushing was not always the best choice. Glancing around the edge of the door frame, what he looked upon was both surprising and upsetting.

 The room was illuminated carefully, several touches all placed in holders. Of all the rooms, this one seemed to have been up kept. Swept and clean, there wasn’t any sigh of wear like the floors above. At the far end of the room there was an organ, in sparkling condition. There wasn’t a single sign of age, almost as if it was new. The part that upset him was that he wasn’t looking at some intimidating villain, but instead a child. It was a little girl, for he could see the veil that hung from her head. She was tiny as well, hinting that she wasn’t very old at all, from what he could see of her, he would have to guess that she might be 11 at the youngest. His heart clenched at the thought that a mere child was lingering in such a place. Still, there had to be reason and so he dared to step in, careful to remain as silent as possible.

 The music worked to his advantage, draining out the noise of his armor or his weapons. It was so loud now that it almost hurt his ears. It was lovely all the same and he had to pause at once point just to watch. It amazed him that such a young girl could play so magically, it was a talent that he could respect. From where he was standing he could see her face. She was pale, white as a sheet in face. Her clothing looked to be very nice, far nicer than he had ever had for himself. She even seemed to have a rather well made necklace, it bright shining silver and shaped like a heart. Maybe she had been of a good family once? It was hard to say. The young girl was consumed in the noise though, allowing him to approach even closer. However, it seemed that his good favor was running short. In his careful sneaking he had unknowingly let his sword sway into a candelabra, causing it to clang onto the floor and putting out the light of the candles.

 The sound jolted the girl from her stupor. She turned; a look of panic across her face. Daniel was startled, as black eyes with blue irises stared at him. The mere look caused him to pause, which seemed to allow the young woman to burst from the organ bench and dart for the door in a rush. Realizing he was letting the little girl run away.

 “Wait!” He called after her, regaining himself and dashing after her. He couldn’t allow a mere child to linger any longer in the filth of this castle. He’d be a monster if he did. He could hear the pattering of bare feet, meaning she was running around with nothing to protect her from the muck. As much as it struck a heartstring, he used it to his advantage, following the noise. She was fast, but small…She wouldn’t get very far.

 He was rather impressed she could navigate the halls in the dark, he still desperately needed the torch to see anywhere in front of him. Skipping steps, he rushed back up to follow her, doing what he could to catch up. He rushed, no longer caring as he pushed open doors, checking to see where she had gone. She kept rushing about, not lingering long in one place which made it difficult to figure out where she had been and where she was going. He was able to keep up though, as he soon followed her right back into the great hall. As he reentered the dim space, he looked around. There was not a single noise.

 Panting, he had leaned on his knees a moment to regain his breath. Running after her had not been a light exercise. While doing this, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He tensed, prepared to dash after the girl again if need be. Even if she fought him, he would not be letting her stay any longer. Standing up, he quietly stuck his torch into the ground, making sure to put it into a spot that would not show off his shadow and reveal his movement. He walked over to where he had seen the rustling, taking his time to be extra quiet. He could see the frayed edges of her dress peeking out from behind a turned over table, setting him on a direct course for her.

 As he got close though, he could hear soft sobbing. He must have scared her witless at his arrival. A wave of guilt hit him. In his rush to help her, he had not thought that maybe she was hiding in this dark and dank place for a reason. Pausing a few feet from where she was hidden, he knelt on one knee gently. “I know you’re there.” He spoke, his tone soft and even.

 The sobbing stopped with a gasp, instantly silenced. She made no move to run this time though; it seemed that he had cornered her well. He didn’t say anything right away, allowing her a moment before speaking again. “It’s okay…I’m not going to hurt you.” Daniel did his best to try and speak softly, but he could tell that he had startled her more than she had startled him. She was a smart girl as well, as she didn’t dare trust him by his mere words. It seemed that he was going to make more of a show. As he had this thought his hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his sword once more, giving him an idea. Undoing his sword and scabbard from his waist, he took the weapon and tossed it towards her, making sure she could see it without it being too close.

 “That’s my sword, and my only weapon. You can take it if you feel you must. I swear on my honor I am not here to hurt you, child.”  

 There was silence; it seemed that the child was either ignoring him or had snuck away without him noticing. On the verge of standing up to go collect his sword, he stopped as the sound of rustling caught his attention. The girl and slipped out from behind the table slowly, hesitant as she walked over towards his weapon and picked it up, as if holding to her chest. She stood there for the longest time in silence, watching him from a distance as if debating if she should stay or run off with his one weapon. Daniel took this opportunity to speak.

 “You startled me when I arrived here. The villagers told me they saw someone, but they did not tell me it would be a child. Are you alright? Why are you hiding here?” He began to question her, trying to figure out what possessed the child to linger in a den of death. She did not speak, still watching her with those strangely colored eyes. It was almost as if she was a ghost herself, but she was too solid, too real to be among the dead. Just as he was about to move on to another topic, she spoke weakly, voice sounding dry and cracked.

 “I…Don’t have anywhere else to go.”

 Daniel dared to slip a bit closer, staying knelt on his knee. She seemed to clutch the sword tighter as he did this but she did not run, for some reason. Maybe she had gotten tired as well, she seemed rather weak from the sound of her voice. When had she last eater? Last drank? The concern started to bubble in his chest as he fought the urges to pull her along. Rushing her would not be wise, as she had already proven to be a difficult catch. No, he had to go about this as if he was feeding a frightened doe; he needed to gain her trust.

 “Are you hungry? When have you last eaten?” He asked, trying to think of what he could give her.

 “Don’t remember…” She murmured again.  

 “Here…” He shuffled around in the pack he had on his person, pulling out a small loaf of bread, He tore off a small piece and held it out to her. “Take this.”

 A spark of interest seemed to fill her face as she looked at the bread. It didn’t look like hunger though, more so awe at his offer. She dared a few steps of her own, keeping at arm’s length from him. She snatched up the piece and started to nibble slowly on it, her grip on the sword loosening significantly. The tension in her started to slip away, showing that the food was helping somehow. Daniel took the chance to move even closer, slipping up enough so he could reach out to her if need be.

 “Better?”

 She only stared at him, nodding her head slightly, her grip on the sword growing weaker each moment. It seemed she had been running on the barest of energy, alone and afraid for her life. Daniel felt his heart aching for the child, and he gently began to reach for the weapon that was starting to slip from her fingers.

 “Have you slept recently? Are you well?”

 More silence, only another nod.

 “Would you…like to come with me?” He asked, his hand grabbing softly onto the hilt. He didn’t pull the weapon from her yet, letting her think on his offer. “I came here because people worried something bad was happening. I’m glad that I can tell them nothing is wrong, but they might not believe me if I tell them it was only a little girl. Why don’t you come with me? If you’re there, then they’ll feel much better.”

 She seemed to ponder his offer for awhile, finishing off the small bit of bread he had shared while doing so. Patient, Daniel waited for her to reply. He was in no rush now other than to get her somewhere safe and warm and with a proper meal. Slowly, she let of the sword, allowing him to take full grip on it once more while slowly nodding her head. “I-I’ll go…”

 Daniel smiled widely, happy that he had been able to convince her to leave this place. It was no healthy for a girl like her to remain in this old castle on her own. He returned his scabbard back to his waist before slowly standing back up. Offering a hand to the young girl, Daniel watched while she took it slowly. Her hand was frail and small in his larger gloved one, his grip careful and soft. There was still hesitation on her part, but she did not resist as he began to walk along slowly towards his torch.

 “What’s your name, little one?” He asked, picking up his torch from the ground as they began to leave.

 There seemed to be a look of thoughtfulness on her face, but she did not pause too long before answering him.

 “Annabelle.”

 “Well Annabelle, why don’t you and I get somewhere nice and warm?”