Caged Songs

The world was a hazy blur, a cacophony of pain and confusion. Viviane's head throbbed, each pulse a drumbeat against her skull. Cotton-mouthed and disoriented, she forced her eyes open, blinking against the harsh light. The room swam into focus: opulent, yet stark, with marble gleaming under the sun. Her breath hitched. The familiar weight on her wrists was gone, replaced by something cold, metallic, and utterly horrifying.

Chains. Gold chains, glinting like cruel promises. They were wrapped around her wrists, her ankles, even a delicate band around her throat. Panic flared, cold and sharp, cutting through the lingering haze of sleep. She thrashed, a wild animal caught in a snare, but the chains held fast. Her nightdress, the same one from last night, felt flimsy, mocking her helplessness.

Then, a voice, sweet as poison, cut through the silence.

"I am glad you finally woke up, you had me worried there, Via."

Viviane froze. Stella. Her rival. Her conqueror. Standing by a small table, poised and elegant, but with eyes that held the chilling gleam of a predator. Stella, who looked worse than Viviane had ever seen her, yet radiating a terrible triumph. Stella, who had haunted her letters and meetings, now stood before her, the architect of her new, gilded cage.