~Artemis9

" Shadow Manor... at least it looks the part," Darien Redgrave murmured.
Alexa looked at her older brother and then at the large edifice that stood before her, looming over her like a dark giant. She frowned.
" Are you certain this is the place ?" she asked quietly, feeling that if she raised her voice any louder than a whisper some ominous figure may come to strike her.
Darien's dark red eye brows scrunched in scrutiny and thought.
" This must be the place. I am sure..."
A much smaller figure, a child barely seven hid behind his elder brother's cloak and whimpered as he stared at the large ebony mansion with trepidation.
" I don't like this place..." the child murmured.
Alexa looked at her little brother and her frown deepened.
" Come now Daniel. This is to be our home for a time. You'll grow accustomed to whatever dreary suprises it may hold," she coaxed as gently as she could.
She looked at her older brother for support in convincing their frightened brother. Darien simply grunted as if he himself was not convinced. With a sigh Alexa stepped forward to the gate and tried to push it open, finding that the gate to the large gothic estate was locked. She let out a sound of protest as she struggled with the door.
" Darien... Lucius Shadow did know we were coming today, right?"
Darien nodded grimly and ran a hand through his deep red hair as he always did when he was nervous.
" Then maybe this is the wrong place," Daniel remarked as his green eyes were lighted with hope.
It was Darien's turn to glare at the youngest member of the group.
" This is the place. I'm certain of it!" he finally replied in irritation. Alexa sighed and sat on the dusty road path against the iron black gate. She was exhausted and didn't care much of her navy blue gown got a bit of dirt on it.
" How inconsiderate of him. We've come a long way. We've taken three trains and walked all night and day and up a hill to get to this place. You would think they would have the decency to unlock the gates," she huffed.
Darien relaxed a little, no longer feeling threatened that his siblings doubted his knowledge of direction.
Only Daniel seemed troubled still moreso by the house than the inability to get inside the house. He moved slowly from behind his brother and came to touch the cold bars of the iron gate. He pressed his little face against the dark bars and peered at the house that seemed to stare right back at him. It was a large house, a mansion painted as black as the iron gate. Ivy and moss of emerald coloring decorated its gothic perimeter as the windows were empty like eyes of the dead, windows to a vessel that was empty and void of anything good. It was a place that seemed more dreary and frightening than a graveyard. It emitted a cold chill like winter overtaking the late spring. It was a house that seemed alive, breathing, alert, but dead all at the same tme. How could anyone live in a place like that?
" Darien? Alexa? Can't we go back to the orphanage?" he asked.
His older siblings both glared at him but Alexa's face softened as though she were trying to be patient.
" Darien and I cannot stay at the orphanage anymore. You wouldn't want to be there alone would you?" ALexa inquired softly, " Besides, I thought you hated that place."
Daniel sighed and came to sit beside his sister. She ruffled his hair and he leaned into her for a hug of consolement. It was difficult being an orphan, and especially dificult to be orphaned siblings. So many people had tried to tear their family apart. When Darien was 18 the head mistress of the orphanage had tried to kick him out. In the end they allowed him one last year with the Alexa and Daniel. But the next year when ALexa turned 18 and Daniel 19, the headmistress had wanted to do away with both of them. Tired of the scarce and bad food, the cold nights with no warming blankets, the yelling, the screaming, the name calling and the suffering Daniel decided that if his brother and sister left, so would he. And so they had searched for a place that would take them in, a place where they could make a living. They had searched everywhere: the local blacksmith, bakeries, shop keepers, taverns , everywhere. It was at the local shop keeper's store begging for a job that Alexa was aproached by a wealthy and mysterious figure named Lucius Shadow. Seeing her predicament he offered her a position as a governess, wishing her to take care of his sick wife. She had almost too readily agreed when she thought of her brothers. She couldn't very well leave them in the cold while she alone worked for a living. So she inquired about a position for her brothers. Though Lucius Shadow seemd suprised and then reluctant he agreed to give Darien a position in the stable with the horses and any other odd job while Daniel could be a play mate to his youngest daughter. In return they would be given a small allowance, shelter and clothing. Though Darien had his suspicion of the wealthy man he agreed with Alexa's efforts and daniel was very excited until they reached their destination.
This place looked more like a prison than the gray and cruel orphanage did.
" I don't want to stay here," Daniel repeated.
Darien frowned.
" You musn't judge on outside appearances," Darien stated slowly even though he too was leary of the Shadow Manor as well as the man that lived there.
" Let's leave while we can," Daniel suggested pulling at his brother's cloak, "No one has to know we even showed up..."
Darien and Alexa looked at each other and then at their little brother. They had never seen him so frightened. He was usually a fearless trooper but now his face was pale and his green eyes wide with torment.
" Perhaps we should not ahve answered to Mr. Shadow's offer so hastily..." Darien began, but as he too was having second thoughts there came a sound of horse's hooves pounding at the ground and then a voice.
" WHo might you be?" came a masculine voice as deep as Darien's. Alexa lookd up from her distressed position to the rider that was fastly approaching. She immediatly stood straightening and dusting her dark gown of the powdered dirt and put on her most attractive smile. The man on horseback was followed by a second man. Both were pale, possessing the pallor of a well to do men who did not leave the luxury of their home often. Both possessed dark ebony hair. The first man had wild , touseled silk ebony tendrils while the second had his dark nidnight hair pulled back at the nape and out of his face. One wore a hat sheilding his eyes but the other looked boldly at her in the face with keen storm gray eyes. Looking at the first and more dashing figure with the loose hair and the daring eyes, little was left to the imagination concerning the second man. Though they were different in style and presence, their faces were identically beautiful for men. They were yound with strong jaws and bone structure. Their faces and masculine bodies looked as if they were formed by the hands of a master sculptor. Alexa could not speak. Cupid must have struck her with loves arrow because she was deeply mesmorized by the princely figures on horseback.
" A Master Shadows hired my sister and I to work at this estate. My sister Alexa to care for the mistress of this house, and I to work in the stables. And this is Daniel, our youngest brother to be the companion to the daughter of Master Shadows, " Darien spoke.
The first man, the one with loose hair ( who had captivated Alexa) spoke first.
" We are the sons of Lucius Shadow. I am Master Julius and this is my brother Julian."
Darien bowed and Alexa curtsied in respect while Daniel simply stared in curiousity.
Julian stepped forward to inspect them further. Unlike the first more dashing man his eyes were less spirited, seemingly more analytical and impersonable.
" Where is you luggage, your possessions?" he demanded in a more curt voice, hardly as agreeable as his brother Julius' voice. He seemed to lack the charm and the politeness.
" We have none sir," Darien answered clearly trying to maintain the confidence of his personhood though he was of a lowlier position.
Julian frowned and glanced back at his brother who spoke in a more akward yet still friendly tone.
" Well... ah... isn't this an exciting day... Are the gates locked?" he asked.
Darien nodded solemnly.
Julius didn't seem worried. He simply shrugged .
" I suppose we will have to take the route to the back of the house then," he stated.
Julian frowned and glanced at Darien and Daniel, not even bothering to look at Alexa.
" It is not proper to-"
" Nonsense!" Julius beamed before Julian could even finish his sentence. The charming twin extended a hand to Alexa.
" Milady, your journey mus have been rough. It would be rude if I asked you to walk a step further."
alexa blushed and took his cool slender hand. Julius helped her mount the horse to sit in front of him and he put his hands to the reign, encircling her in his arms. " The ride is a bit bumpy, so hold on tightly," Julius warned as his brother helped Daniel up. Darien shook his head.
" I will walk."
Julius frowned.
" It's a longer walk than it is a ride."
" I'll manage ..." Darien said.
" Suite yourself," Julian muttered coldly and then sped off behind the gate and into a field of green lumpy hills , descending downward on a deep slope. Alexa let out a squeal holding on tightly to the horse's hair as Julius followed catching up quickly.
Julius laughed aloud.
" welcome to Shadow Manor!" he shouted so loud his voice echoed.
And what a welcome it was