"Come on, faster Lady Norwood!" the older soldier grunts dodging her thrust. "Usually you have more bite to your attacks."
"Sorry, c-can't find t-the e-en-ener-ener-energy," Hannah gasps.
"Well then let's take a break for today. It's past noon, and I know you have important business work to take care of."
"Fine," she says.
Hannah Norwood puts away her practice gear, cleaning the plain rapier so that it is fresh for the next training session. She then heads up to the bathroom to wash off. Her light blonde hair is full of sweat as she walks to it. The rest of her body is drenched as well, it was unusually hot today.
Hannah reaches the bathroom; her servants already filled the tub with hot water.
"Your shampoo was low, and soap bar was the size of a peanut. So I replaced them both," a young looking female servant says, she was hired only a few days ago.
"Thanks. Now go, I wish to be by myself as I bathe."
The servant bows, then leaves. Alone in the grey plain tub, Hannah washes her grimy body. As she cleans her mind tries to figure out why she has been so sloppy during her sword practices recently. She knows that ever since she drank the blood of that witch, she has been even more wild at night than even her curse forces her to be. She killed so many unlucky travelers in the Norwood Woods in a short time period, feasting on their bodies. Yet, their blood does not satisfy her; she thinks the blood of that witch was too tasty; it makes her body crave richer blood, her cursed body unsatisfied with that of commoners. The un-satisfaction has led to her body think it is not getting proper nutrients, and forcing her movements to be sloppy.
Hannah's body shudders, hating that might be true. In her new wild cursed state, she can't even remember the faces of those lives she cut down; usually she remembers the victims her curse forces her to kill. She hates that now she is becoming an efficient killing machine; before she was a sloppy awkward moving terror.
"This will pass, and I will go back to being a strange horror," Hannah says to herself, finishing her cleaning.
After she is done washing, she puts on fresh undergarments and a clean decorated dress that goes down to her ankles; the gold lines flow nicely around the red background with rose pink flowers. She puts on her comfy brown boots, perfect to wearing for the possible call of a skirmish. She walks through the halls of Castle Nor, until she reaches her study room. She enters the low-lit room, the bookshelves with diverse literature greet the noblewoman as she heads to her large dark brown desk. She sits in her gold coated chair made for her great grandfather, and stares at the paper work. Before she can read the first letter, Hannah's main servant Alexia enters with more paperwork in her arms.
"What could this all possibly be. What more do these people want," Hannah groans as her brown-haired servant brings the paperwork as places it in front of her.
"Looks like the townsfolk who live near the Norwood Woods aren't too happy that the "Banshee of Norwood Woods" is haunting the forest with an extreme presence. They are frightened more than usual," Alexia says walking and closing the door to the study room, then walking back to where Hannah is sitting.
"Sorry. I can't help that I have been on a huge killing spree. That witch's blood did something to me."
"If you say so my lady. However, the townsfolk are terrified more than usual. They are calling for you to slay this banshee and bring an end to the hauntings of the woods. I am sure these papers are more complaints calling for this."
"I can't do that Alexia," Hannah says. "What am I suppose to do. Stab myself."
"No, but if you would let me chain you in the basement, it might keep you from going on these higher than usual killing sprees, and let the effects of that witch's blood go away."
"You already have tried that, and I broke fee," Hannah says, while slightly reading the complaining letters.
"No those were rope binds, now I want to try metal chains," Alexia says.
"You can try that it. Maybe that will be the permanent solution for my curse," Hannah says. "Better than me faking to people I am suppose to protect that I am going to slay a specter who is in fact me."
"Maybe, well then, you have a lot of notes to read before I chain you up tonight."
Hannah gives out a little chuckle. Alexia walks off to do more of her servant duties. Hannah reads through each note from townsfolk who live near Norwood Woods saying that they are terrified to leave their house. Hannah grumbles as she reads each letter. These townsfolk knew the danger of living in a dangerous area, knowing a wild specter could possibly kill them, even if it mainly killed travelers who were not familiar with the area. Though when their families settled around Norwood Woods, the "Banshee of Norwood Woods" was not even born. The only danger of the woods was traveling bandits and wild animals; now with a specter who has every now and then killed those they knew; the townsfolk call in writing for Hannah to do something. They even threaten to leave if something is not done, say they'd rather deal with the harsh life of newly industrialized cities, then deal with a murderous specter that has gone crazier than usual.
Hannah Norwood lets Alexia chain her up in the basement at night. It does nothing. She breaks free of the chains, strips naked, grabs her grey cape, as well as the family rapier, and sneaks out through the hole in the basement. A man on the run from the law enters the Norwood Woods, he heard of the mysterious killer specter, but he would rather deal with it, than go to prison. Sadly he would have been safer in the chains of the law. "The Banshee of Norwood Woods" finds him and kills him, mutilating his body as she feasts on his flesh.
Unhappy with the result, Hannah dreads tonight. Throughout the day her movements and mind are slow and disordered. She wants her curse to not make her an efficient killer, she wants to be an awkward moving horror. However, she remembers feeling unsatisfied when eating that outlaw's flesh, though she can't remember anything else about him; she wishes for the taste and pleasurable sounds of that witch, the craving running deep in her mind. She keeps telling her mind to forget that night, but it doesn't work. Hannah hates how she will have to choose between her life or the townsfolk who she is suppose to protect. If she slays herself, then they will be saved, yet in doing this the Norwood line ends. She fears the new changes of the kingdom will bring terrible fates to these simple townsfolk. No longer will an aristocrat of noble blood govern them, instead those who descend from the merchant class will be in charge, led by their love for wealth created by the industrializing world.
She hates that possibility. These mercantile men have no care for the old ways, seeing the progress made by the machine as the ideal; Hannah believes these affluent glorified shopkeepers would sell the souls of every townsfolk that live around the Norwood Woods if it meant they could increase a sliver to their wealth. Certainly the townsfolks' simple minds must comprehend that is worse that being around a ravenous specter.
Hannah decides she won't slay herself and try to fight the curse.
"If I could have my mind control myself long enough to get stuck in a tree or cave tonight, that might help," she says to herself as she walks to the basement.
Night is coming, the servants have been told to go home or stay in their quarters. Hannah reaches the basement, her long blue and white dress flowing as her legs stride across the stone floors. Her stomach is calling for blood, her curse the main director.
When she enters the basement, she expects to see the room empty with only her family rapier lying on the wall. Instead she sees Alexia standing there in a light white gown; her flowing brown hair drapes submissively. The light white gown hugs her voluptuous body, her biggish bosom pushing the gown as her chest inhales and exhales.
"Alexia what are you doing here?" Hannah asks surprised.
"I have come to help you," her loyal servant says, arms placed behind her back, one leg crossed in front of the other, her head tilted in an obedient position.
"Help me. Are you foolish," Hannah says. "The best thing you can do is get out of here and keep the other servants calm tonight."
"I will not Lady Norwood," Alexia says, gracefully walking past the cursed noblewoman, heading to the basement door and locking the door from the inside.
Alexia then walks back to where Hannah is standing. Hannah is dumbstruck, her mind terrified of the decision her trusty servant made.
"Alexia! Get out of here now!"
"I will not Lady Norwood."
"Are you dumb. Don't you know the danger you are in," Hannah pleads.
"I do. But as I said, I am here to help you Lady Norwood," Alexia says calmly.
"What! How could you possibly help me? No one can, only myself can, and I am doing a terrible job."
Alexia gives a giggle then paces around Lady Norwood before stopping and standing close before her.
"Do you like what I am wearing?" she says slightly swaying her brown hair.
"What do you mean?" Hannah says confused.
"Is it appealing?"
"Alexia what has gotten into you. Are you crazy or dumb?"
"Lady Norwood, I will not let you leave tonight."
"Really Alexia. You are going to stop me," Hannah scoffs. "Alexia the minute that curse takes over me, I am going to slash open your throat with the family rapier. Then when I am done feasting on your corpse, I am going to crawl through hole to find more blood, because no blood right now is satisfying my curse right now."
"I will satisfy it," Alexia says confidently.
Hannah gives out a laugh at her servant's foolish statement.
"Lady Norwood you have told me how the blood of that witch has effected the tastes of your curse, that nothing compares to it. How you wish to recreate those moments when you slowly drank from her. The curse that torments you, forcing you to be efficient in order to chase that desire."
"Uh, that is true," Hannah says, her face red with embarrassment. "How is that relevant to you stopping me."
"See what I wear. See how vulnerable I am. Feast on me like you did to that witch. I'll give your curse something it will crave more than her."
Hannah's eyes stare at Alexia baffled.
"Alexia what is the meaning of this. Do you have any idea how crazy your plan is? Who is to say that my curse will cause me to slowly feast on you and/or be quelled enough to let you live," Hannah says. "Please get out of here while you still have time."
"I won't Lady Norwood. I have been your devoted servant since you were little. Though you are slightly older than me, I have always wanted to be the one you can count on. I will not stand by and let the effects of some alluring woman cause you to be a greater danger than you already are, driving you to possibly slay yourself in order to save face."
Alexia then lets loose the top of her gown, exposing the upper parts of her bosom.
"Come Lady Norwood. Feast on these. I am yours and I will keep control the monstrous curse that torments you."
Hannah Norwood is speechless, her mouth struggling to find the right words. She doesn't understand why Alexia would risk her life like this.
"Alexia, please this is all so foolish."
"Lady Norwood," she says coming close to Hannah, their eyes locking together. "I am jealous that some stranger has captivated you terrible cursed body. I feel like you value them more than me. Let me convince you back. Let my body aid you in your struggle."
"Alexia I-I," Hannah stammers.
"No! This is ridiculous. What has gotten into you. The way you dress, the words you are speaking. Alexia, seriously, what has gotten into you! Get out now! We will discuss your actions after tonight!"
"I won't Lady Norwood."
"Alexia, as the Lady of the house I order you to leave immediately!"
"No."
"Alexia if you don't leave right now, I will force you out. Then I will dismiss you for your in-subordinance."
"I won't Lady Norwood. And I know you don't want me to leave."
Hannah give out an angry sigh, yet she can't find the strength to grab her loyal servant and force her out of the basement.
"It is your funeral," Hannah says, walking toward her family rapier.
Hannah gives out a groan of pain, her mind hallucinating, the voices screaming for blood.
"I will miss you Alexia. You are always there for me. You kept me happy during those early years of my life, when others saw me a strange, you were always giving me comfort. You are like the sister I should have had (Hannah's older and younger died of disease)."
"Aw. I wish I could be more than that," Alexia mutters softly.
"Now I am going to lose you. I fear this will be the event that will truly start my demise," Hannah rambles.
Alexia wishes to speak, but she hears Hannah give out a bone chilling shriek. Hannah's cursed mind screams for blood; in her mind she sees the begging and pleading witch she feasted on. She wants that, craving it more than ever.
Hannah uses her family rapier to tear off her blue and white dress. Alexia winces at the loss of a fancy dress, but says nothing. The crazed Lady Norwood frantically searches around the dim basement for the grey cape, but Alexia made sure to not have it placed down here tonight.
"M-my ca-cape. Need it," Hannah wails. "N-no matter, need that f-flesh m-more than it."
Alexia remains quiet, her exposed vulnerable body presented before the crazed noblewoman; she can see Hannah's skin become paler as the curse takes over her. Hannah's light blue irises turn red, crazed for blood. The cursed pale woman the looks at the alluring servant.
"Is this what you want," Alexia says to Hannah in a soothing voice. One that would make knights of old topple entire kingdoms if only to have her hand.
"Argh. Guruwah," is the only response the cursed noblewoman can come up with.
The cursed Hannah, then rushes over toward Alexia. She drops her rapier, using both of her hands to grasp the alluring brown-haired servant. Alexia sees the red eyes of her superior eyeing her body—mainly her exposed upper bosom—drool covering her pale face.
"That is right, better than that silly witch," Alexia says.
"T-this I, n-n-ne-need. Crave. C-cou-could it be," Hannah groans.
"Then take me, I am yours."
Hannah tears the gown, leaving Alexia's body bare as the cursed noblewoman; Hannah then pins the loyal servant to the basement floor, falling on top of her, the bulged red eyes looking where to start. Alexia smiles, she knows she has Hannah entranced. No magic needed, just her loyal body.
"Mine. Y-you mine," Hannah growls.
"Yes," Alexia says ecstatically. "Yes I am. I will always be yours."
Hannah then bites down hard into Alexia's collar bone, close to her neck. As blood is slightly drawn, the cursed pale woman begins to drink.
"Oh, Lady Norwood. Oh, L-lady Nor-Norwood," Alexia moans. "P-please take more."
Hannah ignores her, continuing her feast. As she drinks more, Alexia gives out ecstatic and erogenous moans. Hannah's feasting causes her to ignore Alexia wrapping her legs around the cursed noblewoman's lower body. Hannah's curse body loves what this servant is giving, finally able to satisfy craving it struggled to find. The cursed noblewoman then finds other body parts on the submissive servant to slowly drink blood from: first the bosom, then midriff, and finally the cheeks of the face. Alexia gives out gleeful moans, wails, and whimpers as this happens. Her mind becomes faint, even if the loss of blood is slow, too much is being taken right now. She doesn't care, she is Lady Norwood's, she will always serve her, and let her use her as she pleases.
Hannah feasts on Alexia so much, that she forgets to leave the basement. The trusty servant of Lady Norwood survives. During Alexia's recovery, no one question how she arrived to that state. Hannah still can't find out why her servant acted the way she did. However, her actions saved the Noblewoman. She no longer feels the need to chase the desires of the night she feasted on the witch. She even begins to move around the night in the way she did before she met that witch.
Alexia found a solution to keep Hannah's cursed body from leaving at night. For a week she tested her theory. She would let the cursed noblewoman slowly feast on her, recover, then let it happen again. This reduced the amount of times Hannah's cursed body leaves Castle Nor. Hannah can never understand why Alexia is doing this, nor finds the courage to ask her servant for her true reasoning. Yet this has led to positive results. The fears of the townsfolk go down as the possibility of encountering the "Banshee of Norwood Woods" is now low. They no longer write complaints to Lady Norwood calling for her to slay the haunted specter.