Chapter Nine; Close Encounter

Mia always tried to use the utmost caution when she ventured out to town. She also locked and barred the windows and door when she was at home. She did have to go out and tend to the fields everyday so she did that early in the morning before anyone else would be awake.

Once Mia reached her house, she got off her horse and put him back in the stable. She quickly undid her goods she had purchased at the market, took a glance back down the road and hurried inside where she slammed the door and locked it.

"Whew. That was a close one." Mia said to no one in particular once she thought she was safe. She had a habit of talking to herself, the plants and animals on the farm. There was no one else to talk to, and she gathered that it kept her sanity somewhat to talk aloud to anything that was in front of her.

Back at the market, Sebastian watched the frightened 'mouse' speed off down the trail zig zagging along the way. Sebastian's eyesight was better than a humans, allowing him to see a greater distance.

"Stupid, clever little mouse." Sebastian thought aloud as he closed his book abruptly.

Sebastian strolled around the marketplace a little while longer before making his way back to the carriage he had come here by. Climbing aboard he ordered the coachmen who was already sitting atop waiting on the young master.

"Take me back to the estate." Without a word of acknowledgement the coachmen pulled on the reins to signal the horses to go, and made the way back to the estate.

Once back home, the coachmen hopped down and opened the door for Sebastian, his eyes cast downward out of respect for the difference in status. Sebastian stepped down and looked upwards at the estate. It was more like a castle, or at least that's how Sebastian had seen it when he was a young boy. His family's banner, a deep red background with a gold crowned sun decorated each side of the main entrance.

The butler opened the door for Sebastian greeting him. "Welcome back, young master" bowing as he did so.

"Mm" came the curt reply from Sebastian. "I'll be in my study Alexander. I do not wish to be disturbed."

"As you wish, sir." the butler replied back. Once Sebastian had turned to go to his study, the butler resumed his position and headed off down the hall to take care of the rest of his duties.

Sebastian walked up the stairs down the hall and to the right to his study. It was a rather grand room, lined with bookshelves, and a beautiful desk sitting in the middle. Sebastian walked over to a bookshelf, grabbed a rather worn out book and sat in the chair by the desk.

Opening up the book to a random page, he took the letter out of it and closed the book. Sebastian reread the letter given to him on his 5th birthday, the one his mother had written him. Studying the letter he thought about the line "look after the girl.." Though he didn't understand it at the time he received it, Sebastian now thought about the little 'mouse' he had encountered.

He couldn't be sure that it was indeed the little girl his mother had written to him about, her being dead and all but Sebastian had a feeling she was the same girl. How his mother knew about her, and why she thought that Sebastian should look after her, was still a mystery to him.

Sebastian thought about their encounter at the marketplace today, and wondered if the 'mouse' recognized him from back then at her house. He wondered if they were to meet again and how she would react to him. Would she be mad at him for letting her parents be murdered, but then again Sebastian was only a boy of eight years old when it happened. He couldn't have stopped his father if he tried. Would she be grateful that Sebastian had kept quiet about the 'mouse' in the closet, thus allowing her to live?

He placed the letter back inside the book and closed it. Rubbing his hand over the cover tenderly. "Oh mother..I wish you were here.." Sebastian sighed as he got up and placed the book on the shelf.

Walking out his study Sebastian closed the door with a silent click. Turning around he saw a maid standing outside with her head bowed.

Noticing that the young master had come out of the room, the maid spoke "Forgive me young master, Alexander told me you wished to not be disturbed. I have come to tell you supper is ready and waiting in the main dining hall."

"Will my father be there?" Sebastian inquired.

"N-no sir. He said he wouldn't be in till later. Some business matters came up." the maid answered softly.

"Of course they did." came the short reply from Sebastian, not having anything else further to ask he walked down the hall making his way down to the first floor of the estate to the main dining area.

Not having to wonder what business matters his father was attending to. Most likely the same as when he accompanied that time a few years back. While his father made Sebastian go with him on a few more business trips as he liked to call them, Sebastian didn't care to go and kept himself scarce so his father did not have the opportunity to request him to go with him.

Sebastian sat at the dining table, big enough for 24 people comfortably, all alone. The maids and butlers had a separate dining area in the servers quarters.

He stared down at his plate, picking at his food with his fork. Tonight's dinner was steak, medium rare, and potatoes. Sebastian had never drank blood from a human before, he wasn't sure if he craved blood at all really, but he did like his steak bloodier than before. Perhaps his vampire side was mostly dormant seeing as he was only half.

Sebastian ate half of his steak, and played with the potatoes left on his plate, pushing them from one side to the other. He wanted to meet the little 'mouse' more, but she rarely came to town to visit the market and he would have to keep it a secret from everyone at the estate, his father especially. He was a bit reluctant to go back to the house far away from the village and visit her personally as didn't want to spook her and chase her off. After much thought Sebastian thought it couldn't be helped and decided how he would go about engaging in their next meeting.