Chapter 7 ~ The Silver Tree

The Castle in the Mountain

The room had a darkness unlike any other. It was not only dark, but it felt like all the light in the world was gone never to return. The room also had a strange absence of any sound. The air was stale and musty. There was no wind or movement of any kind. The room was so unreal it seemed more like a part of an awful nightmare than a real place.

Unseen in the dark sat a large canopied bed in the middle of the room. Charity slept unaware of where she was or what she was doing there. A door creaked open from somewhere in the room. Allowing a very small amount of light to filter into the dark space. A small man made his way across the floor and stopped at the foot of her bed. He left a platter of food on the table, and walked out the same way he had come in.

She woke to the smell of the food tickling her nostrils. Her eyes tried to focus in the darkness, but all she saw was blackness. She jumped back when she realized she was no longer trapped on the side of the mountain, but was now in some strange room. She began to breathe quickly as her heart beat wildly in her chest. She slid backwards on the soft silk sheets until her back was against the headboard. As she moved a pillow sild off the bed, and fell to the ground with a poofing sound.

At least I know there is some sort of floor Charity thought as she tried to calm her nerves. She reached her hand up, and slid it along the top of the headboard. The wood was smooth with something carved along the edge. She continued to move until she reached the very edge of the bed almost falling onto the floor. A large post attached to the headboard kept her from going over the side. Silky curtains hung from above surrounding the entire bed. She moved along the side until she found the place they met in the middle. She pulled the curtains back quickly hoping to get a look at the room around her. She still only saw darkness.

She was unsure if there was anything beyond the spot the bed. She carefully placed her feet on the floor as close to the bed as possible. The cold floor against her feet made her shiver. She knelt down on the tile feeling the floor with her hands. She moved forward slowly letting her hands lead the way in the darkness. As she crawled further and further from the bed Charity grew more frightened. Nothing seemed to surround her it was a large empty space. She began to worry that the bed had also disappeared, and she was not going to be able to find it again. Suddenly her hand brushed up against something hard. It was long and sturdy like the leg of a table. She reached up to feel the top as she knocked the tray of food. A metallic sound echoed throughout the room. The simple find made her smile as she continued to move forward. Soon she found herself against a brick wall.

She walked along sliding her fingers against the smooth bricks hoping to find a way out. Eventually her hand fell on something besides bricks. Part of the wall was made of wood. Upon further inspection Charity realized she had finally found the door.

She grabbed onto the door handle and pulled as hard as she could. The door did not budge. She was trapped. Again.

The smell of the food still lingered in the air causing her stomach to growl. She walked back in the direction of the table, or so she thought, and ran straight into the wall stubbing her toe.

"I could really use some light," she yelled into the dark room as she grabbed her sore foot.

Just then all candles around the room sparked to life. Charity finally saw her surroundings and wished it was dark again. The middle of the room held a giant bed covered in black blankets with a black canopy. Both were made of a soft silk giving it the appearance of water at night as the light danced across them. Even the wood frame of the bed was a dark ebony. Charity pulled the curtains back to get a better look at the carving she had felt earlier. It was a silver design which almost looked like words. It was the brightest item in the entire room as it sparkled eerily in the candlelight.

The walls were made of a black stone which felt smooth against her fingertips. There were no windows and an odd absence of decoration. Gargoyles were perched in the corners of the room. They were made from gray stone which looked dull against the shiny black walls. Their wings stretched from their backs hitting the ceiling a few feet above their heads. Each one had a look of pure agony on their stony faces. The dark black eyes almost seemed to be crying. Though she could see they were made of stone Charity felt like they would suddenly leap from their pedestals and fly at her.

A large brick fireplace almost covered one wall of the room. It was so large she would be able to stand inside and still not hit her head. Smaller gargoyles were sitting on both corners of the mantle staring vacantly into the middle of the room.

The only other piece of furniture was a black wooden table and matching chair that were against the wall under a rather disturbing painting of a mismatched creature. A large silver candelabra and a silver tray sat waiting for her.

Charity sat down in the chair, and stared at the tray. The lid was slightly off center from when she had knocked into it earlier. She removed the lid and drew back holding the lid in front of her face, just in case something flew out at her. On the white plate inside there was a slice of roast beef and some potatoes. A glass of water in a crystal goblet sat next to the plate. Steam rose from the plate spreading the wonderful aroma around the room. The food looked and smelled normal. She was unsure if she should try to eat anything given to her by her unknown capture. Her stomach disagreed with her head, and gave a loud grumble that echoed throughout the room. It had been an entire day since she had eaten anything she was too weak to argue with her hunger.

She picked up the heavy silver fork and knife, and cut a small piece of meat. After she gobbled down the food as if she had not eaten in months. It was the most wonderful meal she had eaten in a long time. Everything was cooked perfectly. The water was as clean as the stream water she had tasted the other day. When she emptied the plate, it would fill itself up again until she had enough to eat and then it disappeared.

The crackling fire created a nice warmth throughout the room. The warmth combined with the full stomach made her feel relaxed and content. The gargoyles watched her every move with their stony eyes as she sat back down on the soft bed. Though the room was dark and creepy she felt only slightly unsettled by the dark unmoving creatures that surrounded her. As she sat on the bed, she looked down at her feet. Her sandals had been destroyed on the hike leaving frayed straps and worn out soles. Her feet and knees looked beyond repair. Her clothing was torn in many places from the tree branches. Part of the bark still remained in her pockets.

When she looked up again a closet magically appeared in the corner of the room. It almost matched the color of the wall so she wondered if she had just not noticed it when she first examined the room. It only contained one article of clothing inside a simple black dress, and a pair of black shoes similar to ballet slippers. The dress fit perfectly and the shoes felt soft on her sore feet. The fabric of the dress fell to the floor rubbing against her legs as she walked. The soft silky material felt soothing on all her cuts and bruises. She twirled around the room playing with the skirts of the dress when the door opened and a man walked silently into the room.

He was slightly shorter than Charity, with short legs and oddly long arms. He was wearing a nice suit that looked like it was covered in dust. Cobwebs hung from his thin hair and fell onto his shoulders. His face was very pale and almost ghostly with eyes that sunk back into dark sockets. The glow from his lantern bounced off him and gave the illusion you could see right through him. He didn't say anything just beckoned with his bony finger follow him through the door and down the dark hall. She walked behind him as he moved expertly through the halls.

"Where am I?" She asked. "Why am I locked in that room?"

The man said nothing. He just continued to walk down the hallway as if her could not hear her.

"Why aren't you answering me?" She yelled at him angrily. The man stopped and turned his hideous face toward her. He held the lantern high so the light would glow across his face. He smiled with his rotting yellow teeth and slowly opened his mouth to reveal where his tongue had once been. Charity jumped back horrified and turned her head away so she would not have to look any longer. The man turned back around and the continued to walk as if nothing had happened.

She watched the man as he walked his gait slightly awkward. The entire experience was more like a dream than reality. She pinched her arm to wake herself, but she still continued down the dark hall. She began to feel lightheaded. She shook her head violently to clear her mind, but the odd fogginess still remained.

The only light was the lantern bobbing up and down as the man walked. The hall was made of black brick and every few feet a steel arch stretched over their heads. There were no windows she could see. Just a long dark hall which seemed to have no end. She walked as close as she could to the strange man so she could stay in the limited light of the lantern. They stopped in front of a set of double doors, and her escort held his hand out indicating for her to stay there as he went through bringing the lantern with him. Charity glanced inside quickly before he closed her out in the hall. The last thing she saw was the warm glow of the fire and the evil toothless grin staring at her.

Once the doors were shut, all the light was removed from inside the hall. Not even a sliver shone through the cracks of the doors. She stood with her back against the cold hard wall. She tapped her fingers against the stone hoping that her hand hitting a solid object would be able to calm her nerves. Somewhere in the distance she heard the sound of water dripping slowly off the stone.

The sound echoed throughout the dark, empty halls vibrating in the walls. Charity closed her eyes, and listened to the splash as it fell every couple of seconds. The sound seemed to get louder as she focused solely upon it. Soon her mind relaxed and she felt at peace in the darkness.

The doors opened with a loud creaking sound which aroused her from her dreamlike state so suddenly her head flew back and hit hard against the wall behind it.

Charity walked slowly through the doors rubbing her palm against the back of her head trying to stop the pain. The room was large and sparsely furnished. The room was painted black, and it seemed to absorb the little light in the room. The only light came from the large fire in the center of the far wall. The two large chairs which sat in front of the fireplace were the only objects in the room beside the small table residing between them. No paintings or objects adorned the walls leaving a barren, cold feeling in the room despite the large roaring fire.

"Please come in," a low, dark, echoing voice said from somewhere in the room. "Have a seat," the voice added as the chairs spun slightly towards each other.

She looked around the room, but there was no one there.

Charity made her way cautiously to the chair closest to her and sat down. She sank into the soft leather cushion as it folded around her almost consuming her. The enormity of the black throne-like chair made her feel tiny as she tried to touch the ground. The fire which from a distance seemed so inviting started to make her dizzy from the heat.

A man appeared from somewhere in the darkness, and he sat down in the opposite chair. He was not as frightening or as dark as his voice implied. He had a nice face with a charming white smile and hair so black it looked like it had no color at all. His skin was very pale almost pure white as if it had been many years since he had been out in the sun. His eyes were completely black in the center surrounded by bright white. His appearance was more ghost-like than that of a living person.

He wore an elegant black suit with long tails on the jacket. The black shirt and tie matched so perfectly it was hard to tell where one fabric ended and the other began. He wore white gloves that Charity would have mistaken for his hands if it was not for the black buttons sewn on the top.

Two large water goblets appeared suddenly between them. They were made from sparkling crystal with a gold dragon with deep red eyes crawling up the stem. The strange man poured some water into them, and handed a cup to Charity keeping the other for himself. She could not stop staring as she took the cup from his long fingered hands.

"I hope that your room is to your liking," he said with a grin. "I am sorry I had to lock you in. I didn't want to run off and get lost. There are many paths inside this castle and none are very safe unless you know the right way to turn."

She continued to look at him without staying a word. His eyes seemed to stare through her and straight into her mind.

"I am Malvado, and this is my home," he said gesturing to the area around them. "While you are my guest, I would like you to think of it as your home as well. If there is anything that you need please do not hesitate to ask."

"I am fine, thank you," Charity said politely. "Also, thank you for rescuing me from that weird mountain."

"It was my pleasure," Malvado said with a sly grin.

"I do have some questions I would like to ask. If that is okay?"

"Yes, go right ahead."

"First of all, do you mind telling me how I got here?"

"That is a very easy question to answer. My castle was built mostly inside the mountain. I can sense anything going on outside. When I was in my study reading I noticed that the trees were moving in an abnormal way. The jungle on this island does like to change every once and a while, but usually the mountain remains untouched. I thought something must be wrong for the pattern to be disrupted so I sent my servant, Halan, to go and see," Malvado pointed to the man standing half hidden in a dark corner. "He returned shortly after carrying you."

"And where exactly am I?"

"Now, that answer would take more time than we have today. There will plenty of time later for more questions. I must leave you now for I have some business I need to attend to," Malvado said. Charity sensed an immediate change in his behavior. "If you need anything, anything at all, please ring this bell and Halan will come right away."

He handed her a small glass bell with a gold handle. She shook it, but there was no sound. He must have understood the confused look on her face because she smiled brightly at her.

"Trust me, he will be able to hear it," Malvado said facing the man standing in the corner. "Halan is going to show you part of the castle before you go back to your room. It was very nice to meet you, Charity," Malvado got up from his chair, gave a deep bow, and walked quickly through the door on the far side of the room.

The moment he said her name a cold chill ran down her spine. She could not recall introducing herself. She was unsure what kind of man Malvado was, but she had a feeling he was no as trustworthy as he seemed.

Halan took Charity to a few rooms in the castle, most were as dark and unfurnished as the others. When they reached the library, everything changed. Light poured in from the windows shining on the shelves which stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Each shelve was packed full with books. It was by far the brightest room she had been in so far with the sunlight combined with candles on every corner. The parts of the wall she could see were painted a light sky blue which reflected beautifully in the sheer silver curtains.

She wished she could spend some more time there, but Halan ushered her quickly out of the room. He brought her to the great hall that contained a large wooden table. A small meal had been placed at the end and Halan left her alone to enjoy her dinner.

The castle was so quiet as she sat alone in the room. The fire was the only sound as it crackled loudly. Charity ate her dinner quickly so she could escape from the large empty room. When she was finished, she looked all around for Halan to show her the way back to her room. She looked at all the corners hoping to catch a glimpse of his silhouette. He was no where to be seen. She knew that see would not be able to find the way herself so she sat patiently waiting for him to return. After ten minutes, she began to wonder if he was coming back at all.

"Halan, are you there?" She called into the room.

The only response she received was her own echo.

Then she remembered the bell Malvado had given her. She shook it a couple of times and waited to see if anything would happen. Suddenly Halan was standing next to her. She had not even heard him enter the room.

"Can you show me back to my room now?" She asked. Halan nodded and led her down the hall.

She stood in the silent room wishing for something to occupy her time. She knew that she was unable to explore the castle because without a lantern she wouldn't be able to see anything, and she was pretty sure that her door was locked again anyway.

She sat on the bed looking around the room. Her mind wandered back to the conversation with Malvado.

"Why was he so hesitant to answer the question? I would have hoped he could have told me something. Am I on an island? Does anyone else live here? Where exactly is here?" Charity asked the strange painting on the wall above the table.

The animal had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail was a snake's. It was the weirdest thing she had ever seen. As if in response to her questions' head of the creature moved toward her. The dark eyes of the creature looked vaguely familiar. She jumped back and shut the curtain at the end of the bed.

I must be tired she thought, but of course things haven't normal lately so maybe a painting could be looking at me.

She looked at the painting again through a slit in the curtain, and it was back to the way it was. It must be my imagination she thought as she laid back against the silky comforter.

The next morning Charity woke in the same dark room. She peeked out of the curtains and looked at the painting to make sure that it wasn't moving again. Breakfast had already been placed in her room along with a new set of clothes.

After eating, she rang her little bell and Halan appeared in the middle of the room. After the shock of a man suddenly appearing beside her, she was able to remember why he was there in the first place.

"I was wondering if I could hang out in the library today?" Halan grunted and led her where she wanted to go.

Many hours passed as she looked among the thousands of books. Most were titles and authors she had never heard of. She found a few titles that interested her and sat in the large plush chair near the window.

She pulled the curtains back revealing the beautiful sight below her. The trees formed a carpet of green which extended for miles all around. The long stretch of white beach blended seamlessly into the blue ocean Charity had become so fond of. Off in the distance amongst the trees she thought she saw a house perched on the top of a large hill, but when she looked again nothing was there.

"This is a very strange place," she said to herself as she sat in the comfortable chair and began to read.

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