Prologue

“Uh, Yoochun, where are we?” asked Junsu looking out the front window of their van. 

“On the road…I think. It’s been snowing like this since Buffalo, but just recently the visibility  has gone down to nothing.”

“Have we passed any towns?”

“Not recently.”

“Any houses?”

“No…Then again, Junsu, I can’t see past the front of the hood of this car,” said Yoochun with a roll of his eyes before leaning forward against the steering wheel to see if he could see farther into the thick snow.

“Well, if we do find a house, let us hope it’s not La Chateau,” said Junsu climbing over the seats to sit the front passengers side of the van. They were in an eight passenger van traveling up to Toronto Canada to do a rare concert for the Canadian fans of their group JYJ. Since they were tired of crazy airports and even crazier fans that showed up, they decided on a road trip. A foolish decision as it was the middle of December when they decided to take up the trip.

“La Chateau?” asked Jaejoong, skepticism from his voice coming from his comfortable position in the rear of the vehicle. 

“Yeah. It’s said to be a house on the bank of Lake Ontario, halfway between Buffalo and Toronto. It’s said to be haunted by a witch who eats people for breakfast and casts spells,” said Junsu, the most superstitious person out of the entire group. Jaejoong scoffed as Yoochun piqued up a rather sarcastic reply of:

“Really?”

“Yeah. Though that the most outrageous claim I heard. There’s more realistic ones out there. We have just got to avoid it.”

“Have got to?” teased Jaejoong sitting up and joining the look out the windows.

“Shut up. There!” said Junsu pointing out his window. Through a small break in the snow, a small light winked back at them.

“Sorry if we go into a ditch,” said Yoochun yanking the wheel of the van towards the light. As they drew closer to it, the snow lifted just a little so they could see farther ahead of them. The trees parted to reveal the front of a house. He pulled to a stop in front of a low cascading staircase of four steps that led up to a heavy looking wooden double doors. “Let’s hope there are people at home,” he said pulling to a stop and turned off the car as they all looked up at the door. 

They climbed out and looked up at the house that seemed to disappear into the fog and snow above them. They shook off the weird feeling that came over the three of them and ran to the front door. Junsu lifted the heavy brass knocker that graced the middle of each door and let it fall. From outside they could hear the sound that it made echo throughout the house.

“I don’t like this,” whispered Yoochun. 

“Let’s try the handle. I’m freezing my off out here,” said Jaejoong trying the matching handle and pushed one the wooden doors open. For looking massive and heavy, it opened with ease and on silent hinges. “Okay…That was just slightly creepy. Come on.”

“Jaejoong,” said Yoochun following him inside, but had to turn back and slightly petrified looking Junsu  inside. 

“Wow,” said Jaejoong looking around. The room that they had entered was circular with a grand multi split staircase on the opposite side of the doors. The room was three stories tall with a large circular window that graced the wall about midway between the door and the ceiling.

“I don’t like this,” muttered Junsu, even though curiosity got the better of him. Suddenly the door slammed shut behind them, making them all jump. Even though the place was huge, it was warm. 

 

Ella Novia saw them coming from her perch in the circular window. Stragglers; pour souls, she thought as she saw the van limp to her front door. They most likely would stop here for the night, then move on when the storm passed- just like all the others before them. The previous people never told people that a lone woman who was more than quite normal lived here; they merely added to the stories of the mystery that seemed to be around her. Some would stop in if they were going by just to sat hi and maybe for a quick meal. The front door was always unlocked as there had been no worries about break ins and such, due to all the stories.  Ella didn’t move when the knock thundered through her house, but merely waited. They would come in soon enough. 

One of them was smart and did open the front door. They were all frozen and bundled up so she couldn’t see what they looked like. They couldn’t see her as she was lying on the bottom of the windowsill of the circular window as she wore black, blending in well with the shadows. 

She smiled when she heard their words and comments of broken, but understandable English as they came further inside. One seemed to know all the horror stories, but didn’t know he just walked into the house where the stories, amongst laughter, originated. Ella stood up and walked one of the many wired that crisscrossed the upper portion of the room. She had put the wires up so that the intricate ceiling could be cleaned easier and she could cross the room without having to climb up ropes and ladders. The door slammed shut on it‘s own, making them jump and her merely blink, due to one of the many drafts that blasted through the house. 

Good timing, she thought with a wry smile as she made her way towards the middle of the room and balancing herself on the wires. She waited a few moments there so that they were a little farther inside before making her presence known.

“Welcome to La Chateau. Please come,” said Ella. They all looked up at her in shock- and one in fear. “In. The house and I are at your disposal. I bid you welcome, gentlemen.”

With that ending flourished, she crossed the room and slipped through a door that looked exactly like the wall. She hurried down a staircase to the first level to come up behind them, still staying to the shadows of the house.

 

Jaejoong walked forward, curious even more now. The woman’s voice above them gave them all quite a start and confirmed Junsu’s worst fear about the house. They were about to leave, but a white wall of snow outside the door made them quickly brave the house than the cold. Jaejoong walked under the stairs and through the open double doors that led into a large hallway that just stopped several hundred yards ahead. Openings that led down more hallways and doors that led to rooms of all shapes and sizes dotted all the way down the large hall. Jaejoong was completely fascinated and itched to explore 

“Jaejoong,” hissed Junsu.

“What?”

“This place is weird.”

“I find it fascinating.”

“Of course; you would,” said Yoochun opening another door that was yet another oddly shaped room. Jaejoong looked back to see Yoochun and Junsu sticking quite close to each other- almost to the point of being very indecent. He grinned at them.

“There are a few rules that need to be followed if you stay here,” said the woman’s voice, this time much closer and behind them. Jaejoong looked for the source, but saw only shadows, which were plenty as the hallway was lit by dim wall scones placed evenly down the hall. “Dinner is served promptly at eight-thirty. If you find yourself hungry at any point of your stay here, the kitchen is at the bottom of the octagonal tower. It’s relatively easy to find. On this floor, take the first hallway on your left to the first hallway on your right. Follow that hallway straight to the door at the end. There is no reason or logic to this house, so it is easy to forget where you are. If the door is locked, you are meant not to be inside unless I open it for you. You may wander around if you wish, but do not, under no circumstances, are you to go into the greenhouse on the West side or up the stairs of the circular tower. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Madame,” said Yoochun,  as all three where now standing still and looking in the general direction of the voice. 

“My name is Ella and you may call me that. If you need anything, just say my name and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Especially if you get lost. As I have stated before, it is easy to get lost in here. The only way to get to the floors above you are by the visible staircases, though there are ways to get up there through the passageways and servant staircases, but it’s better to use the more visible ones. Passageways and secret doors, panels and a myriad of other secret things tend to be everywhere in this house so please take care of what you are doing and where you are stepping. And now I have completely bored you with my talking and you are all probably quite starving. Follow the way I told you to the kitchen, but don’t go through the door at the end, but the door on the left next to it.”

Ella left them there and slipped down the first hallway and straight to the kitchen. Jaejoong saw something like a shadow dart down the hallway they were to take and disappear from view.

“Well, Ella, seems to be fairly normal. Junsu, anything on her,” teased Yoochun. Junsu just shook his head no and pushed him away. 

“I’m hungry and Ella doesn’t seem to be the ‘witchy’ type,” said Jaejoong heading down the first hallway after the shadow. 

“Wait for me,” said Junsu running after him. Yoochun grinned at Junsu’s antics and followed his two best friends farther into the house. The house seemed to be like a child drew the plans with twists and turns that made no sense at all. Wall scones lit the way to the kitchen and dining room. Jaejoong realized that the place was spotless and that no lone woman could do that. He, upon entering the massive dining room, noticed four things almost immediately. One, there was a huge fire in the fireplace warming everything nicely including them; two, the room was quite large and very formal in appearance; three, there were three visible place settings at one end of the table with food on the plates already; and four, the other end of the table was in partial shadows. 

“Sit; eat. There is no poison in the food.  I do not partake in poisoning my guests,” said Ella from the partial shadows of the table. They sat down, a little uncomfortable as there was no basis of trust and their only information was the rumors and legends Junsu kept randomly spouting. “Relax. I do not eat people for breakfast or cast any spells. Those are just rumors.” They laughed a bit, relaxing enough to pick up their forks and eat a bit or two. “It seems a shame that you know my name, but I do not know your names.”

“My name is Kim Junsu,” he said shedding his layers, revealing himself.

“Nice to meet you, Kim Junsu.”

“I am Park Yoochun,” said Yoochun, taking Junsu’s lead and shedding his coat and wrappings. 

“And I am Kim Jaejoong.”

“Nice to meet you, Kim Junsu, Park Yoochun and Kim Jaejoong,” she said leaning forward. Jaejoong didn’t know what to expect, but not this. Ella was fair skinned with light grey blue eyes with hair the color of polished mahogany. He could see the right side of her face, her hands and yet nothing else could he see of her. She wore a high collared back shirt and no adornment of her wrists or fingers. He especially wasn’t prepared fro the strange reaction of his body when she said his name. “I am the only one here and I am the owner. Tell me, Junsu, what have you heard about me?”

“Well, the normal,” said Junsu, shifting uncomfortably. Jaejoong heard Ella chuckle softly and smiled to himself.

“The people who’ve come through before do like to spin tall tales. Trust me when I say many are not true. The place is a secret of sorts. If you wish, then the snow stops, you can stay longer. I wouldn’t mind the company. The storm, according to weather reports, is supposed to blow over tonight. Bedrooms are on the far wings on the second level, all the third and fourth levels of the second ‘box’. Take your pick from the forty three rooms and fifty five bathrooms. If you want the little details then I suggest we talk at another time as it would take me hours to list all the rooms within this massive house.”

“When’s breakfast and lunch- that is if we stay,” asked Yoochun. 

“Whenever you want to eat. Only dinner is at a set time,” was her reply. Jaejoong could hear the smile in her voice. 

“You seem well spoken,” he said, pushing his plate away. He never fully ate his food, but yet the plate in front of him was empty. 

“I read. I have plenty of time to,” said Ella finishing her plate of food. Yoochun and Junsu helped themselves to the extras placed on the table in front of them. They all jumped when a large, beautiful cat jumped up onto the table, seemingly curious of the newcomers. Ella merely smiled. “, Morticia. Leave them to their food. I must warn you know that I have several animals. This is Morticia. The smaller, younger version of Morticia is Wednesday. The fat, long haired cat is Pugsley and the bluish grey cat is Gomez.”

“Fun names,” commented Yoochun.

“From an favorite old tv show of mine- the Addam’s family,” said Ella. “The wolf looking dog, that’s lounging in front of the fire is Demon. He’s a hybrid with more of a husky temperament than a wolf. The raven in the library is Poe and the hawk in the second library is Wordsworth. Poets of fine quality.”

The men laughed, her chuckle joining them. 

“And who…” said Jaejoong picking up a small furry creature that hung off the back of his chair and petted the incredibly soft fur. “Is this?”

“And what is it?” asked Junsu.

“It’s a chinchilla and his name is…Bob. A friend gave him to me. He was farm bred, slated to be killed and skinned, but my friend saved him and brought him here to me. Bob had a broken leg and was scared at everything. I’ve had him for three years now. He likes you.”

“So soft,” murmured Jaejoong petting him. 

“They are farmed for their fur…Come. The night is late and we must be all tired. Just leave Bob there. He’ll scamper off somewhere but he’ll show up again when there’s food around.”

“You named him Bob?” asked Yoochun, a little incredulous.

“I couldn’t think of any other name. Go; find your rooms. I’ll take care of the dishes,” said Ella as they stood, grabbed their things and walked out. Ella made quick work of the dishes  before slipping upstairs, via back ways, to the beautiful master bedroom in the very back area on the fourth floor. From her initial assessment, Jaejoong would choose this room. She the fire awake and turned down the cover, dislodging Wednesday from her perch on top of the covers. Fresh towels were in place and the room was spotless. 

“Demon, off,” said Ella as the lodge lopped into the room and jumped onto the bed. Wednesday, from her new perch on top of the pillows, gave the dog a bored look. Demon jumped down and disappeared  into the passageway. Ella cracked the bathroom door as all, but two, looked exactly like the walls of the house. 

She was about to leave when the door opened the connected the antichamber to the bed room and Jaejoong walked in.

“Sorry,” said Ella automatically bowing her head. Her unbound hair fell forward, obscuring her face.

“It’s all right.”

“I assume you will find this room to your liking,” said Ella, slowly moving into the passageway. 

“Yes. It’s gorgeous,” said Jaejoong picking up Wednesday and cradling the kitten in his arms. 

“It’s the master bedroom. All the furnishings are the original. Well, good night…Jaejoong,” said Ella, going into the passageway and securely closing the panel behind her. She climbed up and down staircases and through hallways between the walls of the rooms to the round tower. She climbed the rest of the stairs to the top, getting slower with each stop. Her room was at the very top.

When she reached her room, a sob ripped through her. She sank to the floor, a hand pressed to and an arm around her stomach. Crying, laughing, yelling- it all pined her as one of her wounds crossed her stomach. But it was not the physical pain that made her cry, rather it was the emotional agony.  She wanted love. Not the love of a parent to a child, or a friend to a friend, but the love of a man to a woman. She wanted Jaejoong to look at her with love and desire in his eyes and hold her like he held Wednesday. It would never come to her as he would never to see her face, nor get to really know her. If he did see her face, he would look at her in only pity. Ella wiped the tears from her face and back the physical and emotional pain. She stood to her feet slowly and sat down softly in the gorgeous hand carved captain’s chair as she carried up to her room from a random room within the house. Slowly, she let herself relax. With relaxation came the lingering pain. Six years had already passed since the attack and she was still feeling the pain from it. 

She grabbed the mail that sat on the low table next to her chair and read through it. She had insomnia because of the pain and the nightmares. Nothing important and nothing person. She tossed the junk mail in the fireplace on the other side of her before wrapping a blanket around her to keep off the chill and wait for dawn.