As dawn broke the next morning, Lydia was surprised to find that she was even more nervous than she anticipated. Not desperate, or even excited, just simple anxiety she couldn't seem to dismiss from her thoughts.

She continued to sit impatiently in her cell until the clock struck three-o'clock, where she was taken out with generous hospitality (thanks to Ciel), and ushered to a carriage. It wasn't anyone who worked at the manor, as she soon found out, just someone who often transported people to and from the police station.

It was now four-thirty in the evening, and the same carriage had left the city and was in the countryside; the outskirts of Oxford. Out here, there was nothing to see but many rolling hills with random splotches of woodland to break things up. The path the black carriage was pulled along was rough and dusty, undoubtedly rarely travelled upon.

Inside this cart, Lydia was laying on one seat, curled into a ball as she thought of everything that was happening. She looked truly mad, now, paranoid and trying to hide from the world by retreating to her own wonderland.

Will I ever go back?

It was true that she already missed what was behind her, as it would be a difficult and sudden change from the bustle in the western city to the peaceful, open plains in the east country.

It would be a change that she knew for sure that she would not enjoy whatsoever. Inside, she was so angered, saddened, lonely; so mentally anguished that she didn't care what the actual manor would be like, nor would she care about the people who lived there. In her mind, she reinforced the thought of her distance from these people. She rejected the human desire for stimulation and company, burying the instinct in the depths of her conscious being.

With that came one simple rule.

No friends, here. I only had one, or so I thought, and she's the reason I'm in this mess. She's the reason all this is happening. If she had kept her damn mouth shut, or at least tried to listen or tell the damn truth, then I wouldn't be being sent to this damn manor. I would have my freedom yet.

While she spoke so confident about that, she was also secretly wishing that the people wouldn't be terrible, even if that meant them being easier to hate. This logic was simple, though; if she had to live with what sounded like at least eight other people, things would go smoother if they were tolerable. No one that would call her 'bug,' or try to swat her. This is usually what other people did to her, on account of her 'moth-like' appearance.

No gits, no enthusiasm. I just need them all to be the flattest, boring people in existence with good boundaries. That sounds nice...

Before she could keep thinking, Lydia felt the cart slow and jerk as it came to a stop. Followed by this was the sound of the carriage-driver getting down and coming to let her out. Lydia sat back up, waiting for an explanation.

The carriage-driver opened the door, stepping aside. "We're here, ma'am."

Lydia could not see past the man, which made her more nervous about getting out. However, she couldn't stay here forever.

Once Lydia had moved out, the driver hopped back into the front seat. Two buckskin horses began to drag the carriage back down the dusty path, reinforcing the fact that she was stuck out here, in the middle of nowhere. Lydia sighed, turning back hesitantly.

The dust path turned into stone, with hedges and grass turning it into a branched path; one leading left, one right, and one to the manor.

The manor itself was large and impressive, clearly being about three stories high. There seemed to be a rounded centre with east and west branches, and some front and back rooms on the higher levels. The walls were made from grey stone bricks, which were covered with neatly-kempt ivy. The roof was made from dark shingles, and shaped into one large spire at the centre, with a few along the branches. The entire place was decorated in the usual victorian-architect style.

Well, it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

Lydia couldn't help admiring the build of the fancy manor. After all, she had been expecting worse. Something more like an institution which passed as a home, such as a place with bars on the windows and heavily reinforced exits. Instead, this looked like an average noble's manor. The only thing noticeable was its age, as there were signs of weathering here and there.

Again, Lydia had to force herself to continue.

Just as she took her first step, though, something came rushing around the corner from the east side of the manor. Evidently, this would be the first person she'd meet, here.

Lydia didn't know whether to be frightened or relieved to see the fellow patient. She was a relatively short lady, appearing to be in her early twenties, with a small build. She had emerald eyes, black hair that was long and braided, and though she seemed pale, she also had a slightly oriental look. She was wearing a red dress with white ribbons around the upper-arm and waist, and white drapes along the bottom of the skirt. Dangling from her ears were matching earrings; a rounded ruby with a white bow tied around the chain above it.

She was out of breath, groaning, "Running is hard." She cleared her throat, uprighting herself. "Sorry; I heard the carriage stop just as I was finishing up in the garden, and I panicked, then- er, anyways, I'll assume you're the new patient?"

Lydia seemed uneasy. "Yes?"

"I thought so," the new lady remarked. "Well, welcome to Aetherius Manerij! Just to make things clear, I know this move-in is a little sudden, and you've been through a lot as it is. So feel free to ask any questions, or tell me if you need anything."

Lydia only hummed in response. Though she was grateful for the kindness, she would be lying if her enthusiasm wasn't getting on her nerves.

The lady continued, "Now, I'll bet you're still a bit confused about this place, aren't you? After all, there's only been so much time to explain everything. We don't typically take in patients so suddenly, like this."

Suppose I should have this clarified once more, Lydia thought. "Yes, actually, I am a tad confused. They said this manor belongs to the head of a firearms company, and yet it's also taking in insane people?"

The lady seemed unsure. "Well, physically speaking, I suppose so. The owner of this manor, Lord Victor Aetherius, owns the popular arms company and used the wealth to buy this manor ages ago. He only uses a few rooms of one very large manor, though, so we put the spare rooms to use. The patients themselves vary; there are some who are just rejected orphans and some taken right out of the harshest lunatic asylums."

That's not a settling thought, Lydia bitterly thought.

"There is one thing they all have in common, though," the lady explained. "The simple, obvious fact that they've been to hell and back. In the end, anything could happen; maybe the family rejects them, institutions have no room, or simply nobody wants them. The authorities get confused and their options become limited, so we offer to take who no one else will."

"Compromising, I suppose," Lydia murmured. "So it's not an asylum..."

The lady laughed, "Well, this would be a rather bad asylum. Don't think of it that way; this is...an inn you're staying at for a year. Or a few months? I don't know, more or less."

I hope not, Lydia thought.

The lady suddenly facepalmed. "Wait, I just realized I'm saying this when I haven't even introduced myself! So sorry, I'm horrible about that. My name is Hinata, and if you couldn't tell already, I'm technically the psychologist, or doctor, running things around here. Just don't test me, and we'll be friends!"

Hearing that made Lydia's mind crash, and she had to refrain from laughing in the lady's face.

This? This...naive, zippy girl is the professional I heard about?

"Now for you," Hinata remarked. "If I remember, from what Ciel told me, your name is Linda?"

Lydia became more irritated. "Actually, it's Lydia."

Hinata cringed. "Oh, I almost had it! Well, anyways, Ciel told me about you and the basics of your case. I'm terribly sorry about what happened..."

Lydia didn't respond. Just shut up and tell me how I convince you and Ann to let me leave.

"But things can only get better, from here on out!" Hinata chimed. "Don't worry, we'll make sure you're taken care of."

"Thank you," Lydia replied.

Hinata spun back to face the manor's entrance. "Now that you and I are introduced, I'll give you the tour of Aetherius Manerij. While we're at it, I'll tell you the rules and introduce you to some of the staff. And do keep in mind that rules are meant to be followed, not broken. We wouldn't want you getting in trouble."

That depends on what I find, Lydia bitterly thought.

That being said, Lydia followed Hinata to the front entrance, where two large double-doors, made from dark wood, stood closed until Hinata unlocked them and led the way inside.

The entryway was designed with dark lyptus hardwood floors, in a chevron style. The walls were a lighter wood, having the beige appearance of bamboo wood, with two windows on the left and right walls. The walls sloped before turning into the roof, and this sloped area was gold with scroll designs all along it. The roof itself was the same wood as the walls.

Beyond the entryway was the front hall; a large rounded room that was decorated with the same scheme, save for six fancy wooden pillars supporting the roof. Besides the way back to the door, there were three branches that led away, as well as an ascending staircase at the back, which had gold railings to match the trim of the roof, and was curved to match the roundness of the room. The roof had a gold chandelier, decorated with crystals and scrolls that also matched the trim.

"This is the front hall, obviously," Hinata remarked, spinning a bit as she went to the centre of the room. She pointed to the right-hand side of where the entryway was, that appeared to lead to another decent-sized room. Voices were coming from it.

"Over there is the parlour; other patients often commune there. And the way to the right of the stairs, there, is the staff hall. That's just where the staff dwells at night, so it's nothing too interesting."

So far, Lydia couldn't help but admire the place. It was decorated nicely, and well-kept despite having a few minor details that revealed how old it was. It wasn't as large as she was at first expecting, but she saw this as a good thing. There existed many estates that were too big or too easy to get lost in. This one seemed simple enough to navigate, but big enough to be impressive.

Hinata started off again. "This way, now."

She began leading the way to a corridor leading to the west portion. This corridor was wide, and was once more decorated in the same way as the rest of the manor; gold trim, lyptus floors, bamboo walls and roof. Several smaller chandeliers lined the roof, keeping it lit.

"The manor's a little big," Hinata remarked. "However, you'll get used to it easily. There are a few places you'll have to stay out of, but they're clearly labelled, so you won't have a problem with getting lost in there."

Sadly (to her), if there was one thing Lydia always had a problem with, it was curiosity. Now, she was finding her own increasing with each bit of information she was given, provoking her to ask more questions.

"How many people live here?"

"A total of sixteen, including yourself," Hinata answered. "There are eight patients, six staff, myself and my father."

"Lord Aetherius?" Lydia suggested.

Hinata nodded. "You can just call him 'Victor.' Very unorthodox, I know, but there's really no need for the typical 'lord' nonsense and such. Although, I'm afraid you shouldn't expect to see much of him. He's not one for socializing and he tries his best to avoid the patients."

Lydia nodded, her focus drifting back to the place around them.

This corridor was a little lengthy, but at its end was a large opening to another big room. Two doors were on either side of the walls nearby, one each.

"The right door just leads to a closet," Hinata explained. "At the end is the dining room, and the left door leads to the basement. Once again, there's nothing too interesting in the basement. Just the laundry, kitchen, and some storage. If you're looking for the staff during the day, they're usually down there. The dining room is, obviously, where we'll go for meals and afternoon tea, although anything else is left up to the patients, particularly one girl who enjoys cooking."

Lydia only hummed in assent.

"Now, for the upstairs," Hinata chimed, and she started trotting back down the hallway. As she did, Lydia couldn't help but feel a little annoyed when Hinata began talking again. She didn't like conversations; a way of bonding and making friends, which she clearly didn't want.

"The outside is simple, just so you know," Hinata remarked. "The east has the stableyards and livestock, while the west has the gardens. There are a lot of clearly-labelled paths, and our gardener's usually there, so you'd have to be trying if you got lost."

Lydia nodded in response. Just shut up, already. You're too bloody enthusiastic.

Hinata chuckled. "Not a talker, are you? I don't blame you. As I said, this is all very sudden and probably surprising. Really, though, I think you'll like it here. We'll help you adjust and settle until you're comfortable."

"That's nice...Uhm, beg your pardon, but what was your name, again?"

"Hinata. Sorry, it can be hard to remember, but if it makes things any easier, some of the others just call me 'Hina.'"

"Anyways, do you mind if I ask you something?"

Hinata stopped, spinning back to face Lydia. "Not at all!"

"What am I supposed to do, while I'm here? What do I do to prove that I'm ready for freedom?"

Hinata seemed hesitant. "...As much I'd like to give you an easy answer, I'm afraid there's really not one. You see, this place's methods take time, especially because it's so uncommon. Rather than the abrasive treatments and restrictions that asylums offer, we try to help 'damaged' patients through a steady process called 'rehabilitation.' You use simple everyday tasks, as well as your own passions, and you find soon enough that your mind starts to heal itself."

"What does that mean? What 'passion' am I supposed to do?"

"Anything, really," Hinata explained. "So long as it's productive, it can be anything your heart desires. You'll just use that fire as an extra boost in your recovery; forget and repress that horrid trauma. You'll be able to prove that you're ready to get back out there."

Lydia sighed, "I suppose I understand."

Hinata seemed sympathetic. "I'm sorry, I know it's a lot. Just the sound of it can be confusing, but the process itself can seem to be endless; it requires a lot of time, patience, and effort. Trust me, it works, and all you need is time and patience. Just like a real wound- think of it like that."

Lydia did not respond. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought...

Hinata broke the momentary silence. "Why don't we get back to the tour? There's just the upstairs left. Once that's introduced, you can stay in your room and settle."

"Alright," Lydia responded, again very blankly.

Hinata wasted no time in turning around and continuing down the hallway. Lydia paid attention to the setup as they went on, trying to memorize it for future use. Once they were back in the front hall, they began to take the staircase to the second floor.

The second floor was a lot simpler than the first. Branching from the round main room, a reflection of the front hall's structure, there were two wide, long hallways to the left and right. The setup of each looked the same; three doors on the left and right walls, making a total of six, as well as another single door at the back. All of the walls, floors, and roof were designed the same as the rest of the manor, only there was a lot of plants to decorate the place. These plants were tall with big green leaves, and were placed in black urn-like pots. Four were in the main room, and four were on each side of the halls, in the corners and on either side of the middle door.

What came as a slight surprise was the presence of other people, all in the main room. They stood orderly and without any excess remarks, almost like well-trained dogs. There was a pale girl with brown hair, a stockier girl with dirty-blonde hair, and a third girl with dark skin and black hair. All three wore maid-outfits, which consisted of a very basic white dress and apron.

"This is some of our staff," Hinata explained. "Janet, Isabelle, and Margaret are the three maids."

"Indeed."

Lydia flinched, the presence of another person unnerving her. She inspected the area to find the person, who turned out to be an older man with greying brown hair and neat attire. He wore a stern expression and had an imposingly proper position.

"Ah, just in time," Hinata remarked. "This is a very common sight, Lydia, he's been working here since before I was born."

Lydia was somewhat unnerved. "And who are you?"

The man bowed slightly. "My name is Jonathan Promus, milady. I am the personal butler for the Aetheriuses, although I will certainly be more than happy to see to your needs, as well."

The younger pale maid stepped forth. "The same goes for us, of course. Our area i mainly in cleaning, but we're still at your disposal for any lighter tasks."

Hinata nodded. "Also, they're not here now, but we do have two more staff members. The gardener and the chef, but they're probably holed up in their quarters."

Lydia nodded. "Thank you, all."

Inside, however, she thought, The maids seem indifferent, but the butler scares me...Then again, all butlers do. So strict and obedient, willing to obey any given command like a dog of sorts.

She didn't bother listening, but still watched as Hinata dismissed the staff members. The maids gave their respective farewells before scurrying off to continue their own duties. Jonathan was about to do the same, but first, he turned to the new girl.

"Ms Rein, I'll assume?"

"Yes, that's me," Lydia replied. "And you can just call me 'Lydia.'"

"In that case, I welcome you to Aetherius Manerij, Lydia, and I do hope you enjoy your stay."

After that gracious goodbye, the butler obeyed Hinata and left the room through the descending staircase.

"He's very strict about manners and tradition," Hinata explained. "Although, don't let duty and the cold face get to you. He's very sweet."

Lydia nodded, still barely listening to Hinata, who started gesturing here and there as she explained the place further.

"As for the layout, nothing's very official, but our right is the girl's corridor, and left is the boy's. The two middle rooms on either side are restrooms, and the ones at the ends have baths and sinks."

Lydia found herself bored until her gaze drifted to what was across from the top of the second-floor staircase.

It was another staircase that led to the third floor, rising just a short flight before reaching a landing, and the rest branched off to the left. The bottom of the stairs was blocked by an iron gate, appearing to be a fixation that was uneasily welded and nailed in, rather than built into the house. The gate itself was charcoal in colour, made from several vertical rods, with scrolls along the top. It was too tall to climb over, and undoubtedly locked.

Hinata quickly intervened, "I see you staring, Lydia. I'm afraid the third floor is one of the restricted areas, so you may not want to let curiosity get the best of you. Of course, you're not the only curious patient, hence the reason for the gate."

You're talking to the wrong person about not being curious, Lydia thought to herself.

Instead of sounding serious, Hinata chuckled a bit. "Tempting, I know. But really, please ignore the lure. Now, onto more pressing matters, your room will obviously be in the girl's corridor. It's the one over here."

As Hinata said this, she began to walk down the right corridor. Lydia begrudgingly followed, watching as she stopped in front of the door to the far right of the hall. From there, she pulled out a ring of keys, several in number and silver in color, from the pocket of her dress. Hinata flipped through until she found one basic key, with small lettering to tell what it went to. She then slid it into the lock on the door and opened it. Afterwards, she stepped to the side, gesturing toward the room beyond.

"This is your room for however long you stay," she explained. "All yours!"

Lydia furrowed her brows. "Why lock an empty room?"

"It was a matter of precaution," Hinata answered. "I was trying to make sure our two juvenile rascals didn't get in here. Believe me, you wouldn't like the results."

Uninterested in this conversation, Lydia stepped into the room, beginning to look around.

It was reasonably sized, for a bedroom. The walls were white, while the corners had fancy pillar-like details. The roof was also white, while the floor was made with the same chevron wood as the hall. There was a tall wardrobe in the back-left corner, made from polished dark wood. A vanity was in the opposite corner, built to match the wardrobe. The bed, aligned to the centre of the back wall, had neat white covers and a wooden headboard that matched the other wood items in the room. A nightstand was on either side of the head, as well.

"There are fresh clothes in the wardrobe," said Hinata. "Also a few basic things here and there, and your key is on the vanity."

Lydia took a deep breath, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She looked toward the silver clock that was on one of the nightstands. The hands read that the time was surprisingly late, which Hinata must've noticed.

"My, it's already six-thirty?" She remarked. "Time really flies, doesn't it? It'll be time for dinner, soon! If you want, you can get changed and join us."

Lydia sighed, "No thank you, I'm not that hungry."

Hinata gained a reassuring tone. "That's completely understandable. Best not keep this up too long, though. Refuse to eat, and you'll get weak. That won't be good for these rougher seasons."

Just leave me alone.

Hinata chuckled. "I'm probably bothering you. I'll just leave you here to adjust, now. If you get hungry later, just use the bellpull, and you can have Jonathan or the maids bring you something."

"Alright," Lydia replied.

Once Hinata left, closing the door behind her, Lydia fell back onto the bed. She just laid there, staring at the roof. It was a lot nicer than staring at the roof of a cell, that was for sure, but this was just as bad if Lydia were to compare it to what she wanted to see.

The roof of her room, back at the inn. If she were to sit up, there would be her old bedroom. Maybe her mother would be at the door, checking upon on her. After all, her mother would always worry and become clingy when Lydia had been gone for a long enough time. Lydia used to find it annoying, but thinking about it now made her start crying from how much she wanted to see it again.

Not just to see that. To see her.

But never like that. Not like that night...Why would someone do something so horrible? She never hurt anybody!

Yet another question with no answer. Why someone would do this to her mother; a good person, outgoing and happy, and undeserving of such brutal punishment? Lydia had a few ideas in mind, but would the people she thought of really go that far? Maybe alcohol or drugs played a role? Maybe they were really just that twisted? Nothing was for sure, only 'maybe.' It was as unsure as her own fate.

Lydia wiped her tears away and fixed her position so that she was curled in a ball at the centre of the bed, clinging to one of the pillows. She tried to let her mind drift so that she could sleep, but it all reverted back to the same nightmare. The same horror. The same tragedy, forever tainting her mind.

No more home. No more mother. No more freedom. Only blood and tears.