Oh my goodness!! I have a totally legitimate reason for not updating, I promise!!! Put the pitchforks down, please! No, stop! Don't come near me with those knives! Look behind you! It's a new chapter! ⊃゜Д゜）⊃ 

"Anything?"

"Nope. Same as when you checked ten minutes ago." Asterid, the ever eccentric woman she is, points one of her intricate fake nails toward the many monitors making up the left wall of the guard's station.

"We've been watching the forest on all sides and haven't seen high or low of our mystery boy," Goro gargles through a mouth full of burger.

I just shake my head at them and continue walking back inside. I had asked if I could spend breakfast out in the garden again today. Ryuu was not happy about me wanting to go outside but after a few seconds of my begging he gave in. He hasn't let his guard down since the night I ran down to his room frightened, always looking over his shoulder and double checking the locks on the windows and door. Not that a lock would do much as I've found out. The night of the storm my window shattered as easily as if it were made of wasp paper. Ryuu brought in someone to replace all windows on that floor with thicker glass 'For your safety' he said, I just rolled my eyes at his nervousness. I'm sure if anything did happen he would be upstairs faster then I could open my mouth to scream.

Familiar arms wrap around my waist from behind, lifting me off the ground. I gasp when the arm tights and they turn me to face whoever it is.

"You've been checking up with the guards a lot lately. Have they seen anyone lately?" Ryuu gives me a tight smile, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"No," I say almost too quickly to which Ryuu raises an eyebrow. "I mean, I've told them to alert you immediately if anyone were to show up." Smiling innocently up at him I have to crane my neck so my eyes meet his.

"Then why were you there?" My grin freezes as I try to think of an excuse.

"Uhh...just making sure that they're doing their job. You know how they're always goofing off! Wouldn't want Katsu to slip pass them, would we?" He flinches when I say Katsu's name and I almost feel bad. Almost.

I can understand why Ryuu doesn't like him but the jealousy that appears, whenever I bring him up, is unnatural. I would feel the same if someone suddenly came into our lives and kissed Ryuu. Together we are all we have in this empty house. That is, until now.

"Well, why don't you head up to your rooms and change out of your garden morning clothes. I'll bring lunch up soon." He kisses my forehead and saunters off before I could protest. I watch his retreating back, a cold sweat forming in my palms. I walk up to my room as calmly as possible, meanwhile, I'm internally screaming.When I'm out of direct view of the main hall I start to run.

Pushing my door open I immediately scan the room.

Where is he? Where is he!

I check under the bed. Nothing.

Behind the curtains? Nope.

"Hello, darling." A husky voice whispers in my ear. I jump, my heart already beating erratically.

"Whoa, calm down. Are you ok? I didn't mean to scare you." Ryuu, the loyal servant he is stands behind me with my luncheon tray.

"What are you looking for? Why are you still dress in your morning clothes?" I sit down on the couch facing my fireplace and put on my most convincing confused face.

"I'm not looking-- Oh!," I let out a small laugh like I just realized what he meant. "I lost the book I was reading." Grabbing a Gyoza (a dumpling with vegetables inside) I avoid Ryuu gaze, completely forgetting to anwser his second question.

"You lost a book?" I can tell by his tone that he doesn't believe me.

"Yeah. It's uh...called..um...The Wild Geese by Ogai Mori...?" I've probably read more than a thousand books so I don't know why I said that one. It was my mother's favorite when she was young so I decided to read it. It wasn't very good.

"The Wild Geese? Didn't you hate that book?" I wince.

"You seem a little nervous. Did you see Katsu?" Ryuu's voice escalates slowly as he finishes his last sentence.

"What is this? An interrogation? I don't have to tell you anything! Get out!" He doesn't move for a second and I think that I will have to yell at him again but he leaves, slamming the door behind him. I let out a relieved breath.

"Finally." I hop up and head for the labyrinth of bookcases.

He has to be somewhere in there.

I've reached my fiction section when I hear the distinct sound a door opening and Ryuu's footsteps. Ducking into a convenient open space in the bookshelf big enough for me to fit. If he's here I could never find him. Maybe if Ryuu thinks I've left he'll go looking for me. Holding my breath, I wait. I can hear Ryuu walk up and down the aisle until he begins down mine. When he passes me I feel my shoulders slump and some of my tension leaves me when I see him go around the corner. It was just for a split second but the flash of a chain was evident in Ryuu's clenched hands. I crawl out and speed-walk in the opposite direction.

I'm half through the science-fiction section when hands pull my arms back and push me against the bookcase.

"(Y/n), I'm sorry but you're a terrible liar. I know about the little pet you've been keeping in your room." A shiver runs down my back as the thin but sturdy chain is laced around my wrists.

"Ryuu? W-what are you doing! Stop!"

"I truly am sorry, mistress (Y/n). I don't work for you. I work under your parents and while they are away it is my duty to protect you from danger." He clicks the lock in place and walks me out of my room.

"Stop! Who do you think you are? Let me go!" I struggle to get his hands off my shoulders, the only thing stopping me from running full speed out of the house.

Ryuu says nothing as he takes me down one of the house's narrow servant hallways built into the walls. They were originally built when we had twenty+ servants and maids and the regular halls got crowded. I used to use them all the time with Ryuu when we were kids and we pretended to be spies but now that my parents are always gone we fire all of our workers, leaving just one for each daily task. No one uses this hall now and so dust coats the course carpet under our feet like a blanket of thick snow.

"Help! Help!" I yell, hoping Asterid or Goro will hear me.

"I don't think the guards will help you. After I told you to go up to your room asked them about your sudden interest in security and from there I connected the dots." His jaw tightens as he speaks tell me just how angry he really is.

"Where are we going?" Ryuu ignores me, continuing to take me down the hall.

Finally, we stop when the corridor takes a sharp left turn. A small door sits perfectly in between the abrupt cement embedded walls. The cement seems to only be around the door so I can only guess what's behind it, I don't remember ever seeing this door before though.

Ryuu takes out a set of keys from his back pocket. While he's distracted I rip away from his grasp and run down the left turn.

I'm only a few step from him when Ryuu grabs the collar of my shirt and all but throws inside the tiny cement room. A small bare bulb swings from the ceiling drawing dramatic lines across Ryuu mournful but determined face.

"This is for your own good, I promise. I couldn't stand it if you ever got hurt"

The echo of my screams is cut off swiftly as the sound of a heavy metal door locks. I rush over to try the handle but it hardly moves in my hands.

"Ok. Ok. Calm down. You're ok." I grip my head, the sound of the blood pulsing inside it suddenly too loud. The walls seem to crowd me, forever getting closer to my crouched form.

Stacks of grains and wheat reside in the far corners making me think this is some sort of supply closet for the kitchen. So I can't be too far from the cook, maybe he's just on the other side of the wall!

"Help! Someone! Please!" I yell for about thirty minutes before giving my voice some rest.

Well, someone clearly using this place it's only a matter of time before they come in here, anyway.

I glance at the wheat again to find it years past expiration.

Fuck.