Bound by Desire

2010

Sixteen years old eve exhaled.

I sat in my room, my eyes glued to the window, watching the children play outside. They laughed and ran freely, their joyous sounds reaching me even through the thick glass. I wondered why I was never allowed to even go out. Ever since I could remember, my parents had always told me I was special, that I had to stay inside. The whispers around the castle said I was to be treated like a queen, ever since my birth, when my parents were given enough money to move to this grand castle. But what did it mean to be a queen when all I wanted was to experience life.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. The maid entered, her face a mask of formality. "Miss Eve, it is time for you to appear at the ball."

I sighed, standing up and smoothing my dress. Another ball, another event where I would be paraded around like a precious artifact. I followed the maid, feeling the familiar weight of everyone's gazes as I entered the grand hall. Their eyes followed me, filled with curiosity and something else I couldn't quite place. It always freaked me out, this intense interest in me.

The ball went on, people trying to talk to me, to touch me. The guards always stepped in, ensuring no one got too close. I stood there, watching them all. They greeted me so kindly, treating me like some treasure. It confused me. Why was I so special? What made me different from any other child?

Finally, the ball came to an end. I slipped away, unnoticed, sneaking out of the castle. My feet carried me to the playground. But it was empty now, the children gone. The swings hung still, the sandbox undisturbed. I sat down on a bench, the cool night air wrapping around me.

I didn't understand any of it. I didn't want to be special.

As I sat there, I thought back to the earliest days I could remember, trying to piece together the mystery of my life. I had always been told that I was different, that I had to be protected. But protected from what? I never saw any danger lurking around the corners of the castle, only the constant presence of the guards and the strict routines that kept me inside.

I remembered my tenth birthday, a grand affair with elaborate decorations and countless guests, all of whom I didn't recognize. My parents had dressed me in a beautiful gown, and I had been presented to the crowd as if I were royalty. I had tried to play with the other children who had come, but they had been whisked away by their parents, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the grand hall.

"She's too precious to mingle with commoners," I overheard someone say that day. "She must be preserved at all costs."

But what made me so precious? Why was I different? I wasn't allowed to go to school like other children. Tutors came to the castle to teach me, and while they were kind, it wasn't the same as being with other kids. I longed for friends, for companionship, for the simple joy of playing tag or hide and seek.

I looked up at the stars, twinkling in the clear night sky, and made a silent wish. I wished for answers, for someone to explain why my life was the way it was. I wished to know why I couldn't be like the children I watched from my window every day.

The only information I have ever gotten was never to cut my hair.

The sound of footsteps brought me back to the present. I turned to see one of the guards approaching me. "Miss Eve, you shouldn't be out here alone. It's not safe."

I sighed and stood up, knowing that arguing was pointless. I followed him back to the castle, back to my room. As I lay in bed that night, I thought about the children, about their laughter and freedom. I dreamed of a life where I could be one of them, where I wasn't confined to the walls of the castle.

The next morning, I woke up determined to find out why they won't let me mingle with other children, even my younger siblings.

I found my mother in the drawing room, reviewing some documents. "Mother" I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

She looked up and smiled. "My child, What is it?" She look at me gently " are you hungry?"

I took a deep breath. "I want to know why I'm different. Why can't I mingle with other people ? Why do I have to stay inside all the time?" I mumble " why can't I go out alone?"

Her smile faded, and a look of concern crossed her face. "Eve, you are special. You have a responsibility that others don't."

"But what responsibility?" I pressed. "I'm just a teenager. Why can't I have a normal life?"

She sighed and set the documents aside. "Eve, there's so much you don't understand. Your birth was... significant. There are people who would seek to have you if they knew about you. We keep you safe because we love you."

I felt a lump forming in my throat. "But I don't want to be different. I want to do things other people do. I want to have friends."

My mother reached out and took my hand. "I know it's hard, Eve. But you have to trust us. One day, you'll understand."

Her words offered little comfort, but I knew that pressing further would be futile. I spent the rest of the day thinking about what she had said. There were people who wanted to have me? Why? What was so special about my birth?

In the following days, I tried to gather more information. I spoke to the maids, the tutors, even the guards, but no one would give me a straight answer. They all seemed to know something I didn't, and it frustrated me to no end.

One evening, as I was reading in the library, I came across an old book that seemed out of place. It was dusty and worn, the title barely legible. "The vampires territory " it read. My heart raced as I opened it, hoping to find some answers.

The book spoke of how humans are being maltreated by vampires, how vampires are the higher beings, the one to be worship.

I read on, my hands trembling. The more I read, the more I realized that the book is about this world, brings that suck blood of humans, humans are treated like animals. And then humans with white long hair, the goddesses.

I closed the book and leaned back in my chair, feeling overwhelmed.

The days that followed were filled with a new sense of purpose. I started paying more attention to my lessons, realizing that the knowledge my tutors were imparting was not just for my education, but for my future role. I began to understand the importance of the skills they were teaching me-diplomacy, strategy, history. Everything on how to keep myself pure

But despite this newfound understanding, the longing for a normal life never left me. I still watched the normal ladies from my window, still dreamed of chatting with them. I wondered if there would ever be a way to bridge the gap between my responsibilities and my desires.

Months pass by.

I sat in the library, bathed in the soft light filtering through the stained-glass windows. This was my usual noon schedule-reading. I had a particular fondness for the ancient texts and histories that lined the shelves. Today, I was deeply engrossed in a book about the ancient kingdoms, the rise and fall of empires long forgotten. The scent of old paper and leather bindings was comforting, a constant in my otherwise unpredictable life.

Suddenly, a strange voice startled me. "Little Eve."

I looked up from my book and noticed a tall man standing in the doorway. He looked far older than me, with dark hair and piercing red eyes that seemed to see right through me. His presence was unnerving, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

He moved closer, his footsteps echoing in the quiet room. "Little Eve," he repeated, bending to his knees so that we were at eye level. "Whose toy are you?"

"Toy?" I responded, confused. The word felt foreign and wrong in this context.

"Yes, you are human," he said, reaching out to touch my hair. "Who do you belong to? I wish to buy you."

His words made my eyes widen in fear. I pulled away from his touch, my heart racing. "I don't belong to anyone. I am not for sale."

The man's expression remained calm, almost curious. "Interesting. I was told there was a special child here, one who is not like the others. Is that you?"

I stood up, putting the book down and stepping back. "I think you should leave," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

The man straightened up and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Very well, little Eve. But remember, everyone belongs to someone."

That picked my interest" what do you mean?"

He smile, once again not reaching his eyes " it means every human have a master " he move closer, I try stepping back but I couldn't, fear grip my legs, his hands touch my hair and I meet his gaze " no matter how precious people think you are, someone will own you " he lean close whispering " it should be me"

" who are you?"

" your only admirer " his hands move to my lips " I will lmwatch you grow, grow into my mind of woman, then I promise to be back " with that, he turn away and left, leaving me with trembling body.

He didn't hit me but something about him frightens me and I do believe he meant what he said, that scares me.