Y/N POV

The doors behind us abruptly slammed shut, causing us to both turn around in shock. Strangely enough, we saw nothing there that could have caused the doors to slam like that, so as I sighed in relief, both me and Ethan turned back to inspect the large opening room of House Beneviento.

The room was certainly sizable and relatively luxurious. However, I found it impossible to shake the uncomfortable feeling. The hallucinations we'd encountered in the mist still played on my mind. Both Mia and Zoe. I didn't really know what to think.

Ethan snapped me out of my thought process when he spoke up "Come on, we need to find that second flask and get out of here as soon as possible." All I could do in response was give a slow nod and say "Okay."

I don't know why the hallucinations before had bothered me so much. They were after all just that, hallucinations. Yet I felt on edge by it. Even after all I'd experienced at the Baker house, at Eveline's hands and even Dimitrescu's castle.

At first, the two of us stuck together during our search for the flask. It was safe to assume it would be kept hidden safely away. We headed through the door at the far end of the room and came across a disturbing sight. 

Dolls! Dolls everywhere! Now I completely understood why the Duke had referred to Donna as the 'Dollmaker'. As we walked through the room, it felt almost as if the eyes of the dolls were following us.

Soon though, we reached the other side of the room where we opened another door, stepping out onto a corridor. We followed that along and at the end, we found a lift. We both pulled the bars apart, Ethan stepped inside. I was about to follow when I heard something that caused me to freeze on the spot completely.

"Y/N... Help me..."

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned to look back down the corridor. Ethan looked at me puzzled, saying "Y/N?" I didn't move and asked "Did you hear that?" Ethan seemed to become even more confused as he responded "Hear what? Come on, it was probably nothing."

I didn't move, I couldn't. Suddenly, in a swift motion, I turned around, grabbed the bars of the lift and pulled them shut. Inside, Ethan exclaimed "Y/N! What are you doing?!" I simply replied "Go on without me, I'll have a look around up here. We'll meet up in the main hall."

Ethan was about to protest, however I'd already turned and was now walking back down the corridor. I heard Ethan let out an eventual sigh before pushing the button as the lift went down to the level below. I remained focused though on my new objective.

It was highly likely that the voice I'd heard WAS just another illusion. But I just couldn't take that chance. I recognized the voice as soon as I'd heard it. I mean, how could I forget the voice of my own SISTER?! 

I raced back into the room with all the dolls when I came to a stop. My own confusion raced through my mind. How could Mia be here? I saw her die, she was DEAD! All thanks to Chris! My fist balled in anger as I remembered the night that lead to me and Ethan being brought to this cursed village in the first place.

A scowl spread across my face as I muttered "What the hell am I even doing with myself." My speed slowed down to that of a slow walk as I opened the door back into the entrance hall. stood in the centre of the room, I took a moment to just look around.

For a moment, my attention was drawn to a portrait about mid-way up the stairs. It resembled one of those old fashioned, formal portraits and showed a woman, perhaps in her thirties at most, sat down, staring blankly ahead. In her arms was a rather disturbing looking doll.

Interestingly enough, I recognized the doll. It was the same one that was present at that meeting with Mother Miranda, Lady Dimitrescu and Heisenberg. I remember the doll running right into the arms of the veiled Donna Beneviento. The woman in the portrait had to be her.

Image of the portrait:

I didn't realize I was doing it, but I slowly began to ascend the stairs until I stood right in front of the portrait. My eyes fixed on Donna's dead stare. I will admit this, she was actually somewhat attractive. Then again, you could argue so were Dimitrescu and her daughters, but they were rotten to the core. Nothing more. I doubt Donna was any different.

I rolled my eyes, sighing before banging my hand on the wall. I spat under my breath. "What the hell am I even doing? I'm wasting my time." I was about to walk down the stairs, intent on getting back to the lift to catch up with Ethan when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.

It looked like a person walking into one of the upstairs rooms. I turned around to look in that direction however I saw nothing. I remained still for a moment, squinting my eyes and tilted my head to the side in confusion when I heard it again.

"Y/N... Please... Help me..."

This time though, the voice was no longer Mia, but rather ZOE! Listening closely, it appeared to be coming from the very room it appeared whatever that figure was went into before. A corridor upstairs.

It seemed strange I was just following these voices, even though I was almost certain it was all in my head, a part of me compelled me to proceed. Perhaps, I felt guilt that I'd not been able to save Mia and Zoe in Louisiana before Ethan showed up. Maybe I was just trying to atone for my failure as a brother, or in Zoe's case, a friend. 

Ascending the remainder of the staircase, I headed through the corridor. I heard another call. "Y/N... Why did you leave me?" I noticed that the voice was coming from the other side of a door up ahead.

I sped up, approaching the door and quickly opening it. I stepped inside, just as I should have expected, the room was just a small bedroom. No sign of anyone present. I growled and snapped "Of course! Damn it! I was an idiot!"

As if me being gullible enough to walk into this obvious trick wasn't foolish enough. The door suddenly closed behind me and I heard a click from the other side. I spun around, rushed to the door and began trying to open it.

Sure enough, it was locked. With no sign of opening it from this end. I heard footsteps walking away from the door as I banged on it in anger. I knew exactly who had locked it. The question is why? 

Was it linked to what Dimitrescu had said? Mother Miranda wanted to speak with me. If I found a way out of here, I knew exactly who I'd need to ask...

??? POV

As I walked away from the door, I heard Y/N L/N banging on it, clearly angered. A faint sigh escaped me as I returned back to the main hall. I already had the one called Ethan Winters trapped in the basement, he would be dealt with.

But Y/N was different. When he showed up alongside Ethan Winters', we were all surprised, even more so that Mother Miranda had plans for him. He was clearly capable, I knew that Alcina had already fallen to them, a part of me feared I'd be next.

Mother Miranda had contacted ahead of their arrival though and filled me in on a way I could perhaps get into Y/N's mind. Everyone had their own fears, and Y/N's were different from Ethan's. I had something planned for him should he find a way to escape that room. 

And yet, I wondered. I knew the guilt he felt. Ethan Winters had been allowed to start a family, he had a wife, a daughter. Y/N on the other hand was forced to be isolated. He had his sister, brother in law and niece, but he was unable to go out, have a life of his own outside of his work. I couldn't help but relate, in a sense.

I wondered, what was gained by subjecting him to this? No! I couldn't doubt mother's instructions. Not now...

Author's Note: And that's it for this chapter, the first proper one of House Beneviento. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm taking a few creative liberties in this part of the story. Namely, the basement baby will never actually appear. Y/N will instead face something representing his own fears. I hope you liked the chapter and as always, thank you for reading.