Chapter Nine: Gravity

“Mia? Mia, wake up, dear.”

Mia woke up from a long night's sleep to find herself facing Wendy. She sat up and asked, “What happened?”

“You've been gone for days, dear. Adrian just brought you in this morning,” Wendy replied.

Mia's eyes opened wider and she asked, “Where is Adrian?”

“He's back in his cage. Edward built a new one that is much stronger, and Adrian willingly went back into it,” Wendy answered.

Mia got up, realizing she was back in her old room. She ran to the door and opened it, walking out to talk to Adrian. What she saw was Adrian standing in a resilient cage, and Edward was a distance from him, with a taunting look on his face. When Edward saw Mia, he ran to her and hugged her close, saying, “I was so worried about you.”

Mia felt that it was strange for him to act so concerned. She said, “I would like to speak to Adrian.”

He pulled away from her and explained, “I'm sorry, Mia. I am speaking with him right now, but you'll have time to do so tonight. For now, go to Marian and let her know you're alright, she was wondering about you.”

Mia didn't understand, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned to see Adrian, and noticed a plate of food already beside him for breakfast. He looked back at her lovingly, but his expression indicated there was something wrong. She started to leave, going up the stairs. When she was gone, Wendy asked, “Why did you have to rush her like that, Edward? She doesn't know what's going on.”

“It's for her own good, Wendy. Besides, she smells different,” Edward said, looking at Adrian.

“Don't look at me as if you know me,” Adrian said angrily, getting close to the bars.

“You were in the woods two days with an innocent girl who loves you. I think I can venture to guess what happened,” Edward smiled wickedly.

“Go upstairs, Edward, you've caused enough trouble for today,” Wendy said.

He paused for a moment, then Edward went upstairs. Adrian shouted at the back of him, “You're lucky I was willing to get back in this cage!”

When Edward was gone, Wendy came close to Adrian. He didn't try to hurt her, nor did he seem to mind. Adrian asked her, “Have you been watching him?”

“I have. He has so many silly plans to do things, but I doubt any of them will come true,” Wendy replied.

“If it weren't for the evil that the creature gave to him on the day I was changed, I would kill him,” Adrian said.

“In due time, my brother. He has no feeling left in him. That makes him more dangerous, but it also makes him long for his feelings to return. This could be a good thing for us,” Wendy replied.

“Remember, while watching him, don't let him see your power,” Adrian said.

“I won't. I can keep it well hidden,” Wendy replied.

Mia went down the hallway, feeling uneasy. The last time she saw Marian, she thought she was going to be killed. She opened the door to Edward's room, and saw Marian lying on the bed. Immediately Marian sat up and put her arms out, saying, “Come here, Mia!”

She walked over to Marian and felt a big hug come from her. It was strange to Mia, totally out of character for Marian. When they broke away, Marian asked her, “What happened to you?”

“Adrian took me out to the forest. I was able to stay in a broken down shack until he returned to take me home. That was all,” Mia said.

Marian smiled at her, surveying her, then she said, “You're glowing.”

Mia looked at herself, then she replied, “Probably from the rain that fell the night before. I'm alright, though.”

Marian continued to stare at her strangely, so Mia asked, “Are you still mad at me?”

“No, dear, of course not. All is forgiven,” Marian smiled, putting her hands together.

Unsure of the plans that Marian was carrying, Mia went to the door and said, “I have to get back to work now. Thank you for your concern.”

Mia waved at her, telling her, “Please come back and visit me sometime tomorrow. I would like to be able to see you again, just to make sure you're alright. You mean something to this family, Mia, whether you think so or not.”

When Marian spoke the word family, Mia became sick to her stomach. She didn't like the sound of that word in Marian's voice. Whatever family she was planning, it was sure to be a disaster.

Mia went down the hallway, wondering if there was something being planned for her. She passed the front door, but instead of seeing William there, she saw a young woman standing at the doorway. Mia had to take a closer look, because the woman had a cloak on that was so large, she looked like an odd figure in the darkness. Mia asked her, “Do you need something?”

The woman stepped into the light, and she was revealed to be of Asian orient, with dark almond eyes and long straight black hair. She was so entrancing, Mia couldn't take her eyes away from the woman. The woman asked, “Are you Mia?”

“Yes, I am,” Mia replied.

“I've been looking for you. I am Su. Come, we should walk together,” she said.

Mia took her hand, and they went outside into the morning light. They walked for a moment, then Su asked, “What has happened in your life?”

Usually, Mia would've made some excuse, saying her life was good and leaving it at that. With this woman, though, she felt as though she could pour her heart out. Mia began telling her, from the moment her parents died up to her encounter with Adrian the night before. She didn't know why she felt compelled to tell Su everything, they had just met, but it was something that made Mia feel better the more she spoke.

When she finished, Su asked, “So you would like to marry Adrian and not Edward?”

“I would love to marry Adrian, but there is no way. A priest would never allow the two of us to be together,” Mia said.

“What if I were to marry you?” Su asked.

Mia thought she was joking and said, “I don't think that would work.”

“I have the power, if you wish to be married,” Su said.

“Yes, I would marry him if I could,” Mia replied.

“Then follow me,” Su said, taking her hand.

When nightfall came, Edward went to his room and found Marian still there, picking at her nails, bored from all the time she had to spend in bed. He asked her, “Did you tell Mia that you were worried about her?”

“Yes, I even hugged her, but I doubt she believed me,” Marian replied.

“It doesn't matter what she believes, as long as she knows that you aren't angry with her anymore,” Edward said.

“I want you to know I had no plans to kill her. I just wanted to scare her,” Marian lied.

“You wanted full well to kill her, Marian. You didn't want me to know you are having an affair with William, and you would stop at nothing to keep it a secret,” Edward said.

“If you knew about it all this time, why not just confront me about it?” Marian asked.

“There are some things that matter more than a simple affair with an old man,” Edward answered.

He lay down next to Marian, and she ran her fingers through his hair. She asked him, “When can I get up and move around again?”

“In time. The oils that I massaged into your leg should be effective soon,” Edward answered.

Mia led Su down the stairs and into the basement, where Adrian was waiting for them. He looked at Mia lovingly, then he looked at Su and became entranced by her as well. Mia slipped through the bars and into Adrian's arms, then she asked him, “Would you marry me if you could, Adrian?”

He looked down at her, taking his eyes away from Su as he said, “I would, but Edward would take it upon himself to break that bond if we did.”

“I don't care about Edward, I want us to be together,” Mia replied.

“Would you like to be together?” Su asked.

Adrian and Mia looked at her, then Mia told her, “I do.”

Adrian seemed to be entranced still as he replied, “I do as well.”

“If you would like to be together, I see no problem. I pronounce you husband and wife,” Su said.

She pulled out two silver rings and handed them to Mia and Adrian. They exchanged rings, then they kissed one another. Mia hugged Adrian close, then she told him, “I'm so happy.”

“I feel so tired,” Adrian said, picking Mia up in his arms and taking her to bed.

All around the castle, the servants, Edward, Marian, Wendy and William were all feeling very tired. They were so tired in fact, they fell asleep one by one. Adrian and Mia lay down together, then they also fell asleep in each other's arms. When the entire castle was quiet, Su stood there smiling at Adrian, knowing that what she had come to do was complete.

She walked back up the stairs and out the front door, saying to herself, “It has begun.”