The Captured Butterfly

"That's what I was hoping you could help me with. Could you put me up for a while just until I decide what I'm going to do?"

"Oh I don't know Mar I..."

"My penthouse goes with the gallery, I'm out on the street." She burst out crying again.

"Hey stop ok, you can stay here, I have to be there for my best friend don't I," she laughed worriedly. "When will you be coming?"

"Well I need at least a month to organize everything, is that ok?"

"Are you kidding me, I can't wait."

"Oh you're a life saver Ellie I didn't know what I was going to do. I got the phone call five minutes ago; I was frantic. Hey what did you phone for?"

"Oh nothing Mar for get it, the idea won't work now."

"So how is the old home town anyway?"

"Had dinner with David the other day."

"Oh David sweet baby boy. So is he still with that cold hag he married?"

" Marinda, now is that nice?"

"Yes when we're talking about her, I'm being more than generous. So how is Sweet David anyway?"

"Actually he's divorced she lives in BC with the girls which he said he gets 6 months of the year. Hey he finally stood up to his dad and sold the business. He sells real estate now, can you believe that?"

"Good for him, good to hear he dumped the ice princess too. But if he were my man I'd show him heat and friction every night. He'd never get cold."

Ellie laughed into the phone, "You telling me, you still got the hots for him?'

"Oh girl my thing will burn for him till it's no more." And she laughed too.

"Oh man you spit me up, I needed a laugh thanks, I miss you Mar, I really do. So did you ever find out the name of the person who bailed out the gallery in the first place?"

"Oh ya, a company under the name of R.B. Industries, anyway I should get going I have a lot of plans to make if I'm coming with all my things in a month. Thanks again El you're really saving my life."

"Nonsense, what are friends for eh? Love you!"

"Love ya better, Bye El."

"Bye Mar."

She closed the cell phone in her ear and slouched in the chair. "RB industries eh, nice." His words came slamming back into her head. "As far as you going somewhere, you will be going no place. Don't try to leave ether, you will find that my power stretches near and far enough to make it quite unbearable for you and your friends."

"R.B. Industries, Renald Branston I don't believe it, I can't believe he did this." She gabbed the books she got at the library about his family and read everything in them pertaining to him but nothing was said about a contract. "I have to find that stupid contract, find out what he is talking about at least. He said it has to be somewhere in the house so where would she have hid it?"

She went upstairs, into the storage room in the attic and then started to go threw the boxes pulling out the ones with letters and papers from the desk. She stacked them all and brought them downstairs where she could go threw them in better light. She placed them on the floor in the front room. It was getting dark now so she turned the lamp on then decided it was time to make something to eat. She went into the kitchen to make a tea and something light for her supper. "I feel like just a salad tonight my stomach is twisted into knots. My head feels like it's going to explode too, I'm a wreck. She grabbed her salad and tea and headed for the front room. She placed her supper on side table, sat on the floor and pulled a box over to her. She went threw everything thoroughly, making sure not to miss a single thing. Several hours later she plopped down on the chair and sighed, "Nothing not a damn thing. But there has to be something about this contract he was talking about, there has to be." She looked at the boxes again, "maybe there is something about it in some of these love letters from Jack. Oh man that's a lot of letters to read." Wiped out she laid back in the chair to think. "I'm never going to find it why doesn't he just tell me, why put me threw this. I guess that's the point he enjoys doing this to people." She lay back frustrated in the chair.

She sat there just looking straight ahead; too tired to budge when her eye spotted something odd. In the old bookshelf there were the old books of Ellie's great grandfather's but something was different. There between all the old books sat one that looked very much out of place. She got up and walked over to the bookshelf and took the odd book out. It was a brand new book. "Garden's of the world? Now why would she have put that there instead of the one in the hall with all the new books?" She started to flip threw the pages when two pieces of paper dropped out onto the floor. She picked them up and sat down in the seat. The first one was just a small letter to her from her aunt.

My dear Ellie:

If your reading this then I failed and you have been dragged back here. I tried to keep you away but he quashed every effort I made. I am dieing my dear my heart isn't so good anymore and that leaves you alone to face him, for that I'm sorry. I never told you the truth about the contract between the Stantons and the Branstons, I was really hopeful that you might have escaped it when you moved away to the city. I was trying to settle everything here and send you some money and an explanation to the danger of you coming back. Maybe even suggest you change your name and start a new life somewhere else but he found out what I was up to and stopped me. I just found out he has been keeping track of every part of your life and he suspects I didn't tell you about the families cursed property. He is going to punish me I know this; he has as much said so and he knows my heart is bad so it won't take much. Even now as I think of it, my heart gets tight making it hard to breathe. My heart cries knowing I failed you sweetie. I love you so much and god willing I hope everything goes well. I'm so very sorry my dear.

Love you your aunt June xo

"Wow and what's this?" She opened the other piece of paper and started to read.

I Renald Branston give two acres of the Branston estate to Barney and Isabell Stanton with the addition of a home built to their specifications in exchange, a promise of the hand of their daughter Valerie whom shall become my wife and bier me a son. This contract is bound with the blood of Renald Branston and the Stantons now and future generations. The house may not be sold or given away to anyone without Stanton blood. This contract shall be fulfilled or death will be to the Stanton seed.

* * * *

Her mouth dropped open as she stared at the four drops of blood on the paper. "Oh my god they sold their daughter for a piece of property. But what happened... right, he said I had to fulfill the contract? She committed suicide, since I'm the first girl born to the Stantons since Valerie." She let the letter fall to her side. "Does he expect me to marry him and give him a son? And I have no say what so ever? He crazy! I won't do it, I didn't sign that contract and if he wants he can have his property back. I'll go to his place tomorrow and tell him so." What does he think this is, medieval times? She folded the contract then headed for her purse on the hook. She grabbed her empty salad bowl and teacup and brought them to the kitchen, after straightening out the boxes she picking them up then headed up the stairs. She put the boxes back in the attic then headed to bed.

She was walking in the garden towards him feeling his power drawing her towards him. He was seizing all her will to resist him, making her walk where she didn't want to go. It is only a matter of time my love, you will become mine. Come to me now, Ellie come to me, you belong to me." She started to scream, tossing and turning in her bed until she fell right out onto the floor.

"I can't take this anymore, I've got to come up with a solution." She put her head in her hands and started to cry. Slowly she got up, made her way onto the bed and fell back into a fitful sleep.

Chapter 6 The Broken Contract

It was late morning when she reluctantly pulled herself from the bed then dressed, washed, and dragged her-self down toward the kitchen. She had resigned herself that she had to go and talk with this man, try to make him see reason, if Renald Branston had any reason flowing through his cold veins that is. "Surly we can work something out, he is after all a very successful business man." She said as she made a tea and sat at the table. I don't know what to think of him he's so powerful and rich, he probably knows all the legal ways out anyway, but I won't marry him, I just can't. It is not a reasonable request, I hardly know him, and I don't love him. I refuse to become one of his trophies that he uses to play with at leisure. He has everyone fooled in this town, throwing his money around making them obedient to his whims, well not me." She took the last sip of her tea empting the cup. So with the pep talk planted in her head, and the stiff bull in her bones she walked to the door, grabbed her purse, heading out the door to her car.

She drove up to some heavy iron gates, got out and rang the bell on the intercom.

"Branston residence may I help you?"

"Yes It's Miss Stanton from next door, I need to talk to Mr. Branston please."

"Yes he's been expecting you. You may head right up Miss Stanton." He said as the gates creaked open. She drove inside heading up the long road when she heard a loud clang behind her as the gates closed behind her. She had a sudden feeling of being trapped in a cage, as she got closer to a very large three story, white stone house. She parked her car, "You're being ridiculous Ellie get a grip will ya, he's just a man and your strong enough to handle this," so taking a deep breath she left the safety of her car, then she made her way up the stairs to a heavy oak door. When she pressed the button a pleasant chime rang out.

A tall grey balding man, all dressed in a black suit, opened the door then without a word motioned her to enter. "Follow me please." He took her down a long hall with blue carpets and paintings along both sides of the wall towards an open door near the end of the hall. "You are to wait here, Mr. Branston will be with you shortly." He then closed the door as she passed threw.

"Doors keep getting closed behind me," she said as she shivered. It looked like a study it had a large redwood desk with a red leather chair behind it. There was a black leather chair in front and a fireplace against one wall. Above the fireplace was the crest of a lion and across the room was a red leather sofa with an antique reading lamp beside it. She stood there nervously rolling back and forth on her heals. Finally the door flew open and he strode in with the butler on his heals. He walked over to the fireplace, placed his arm against it, and then turned around to look at her. His eyes where black and made her feel uncomfortable for some reason that she could not quite understand. He looked at her amused then without looking away, "Dorie get me my drink please and bring Miss Stanton a tea with honey, she needs to steady her nerves."

"I don't want a damn tea I want to get on with the business at hand."

Without looking away from her he bellowed his orders again, "Dorie get her a tea and oh she'll be staying for lunch as well, so set that up."

"Yes sir," then he backed out of the room. He was gone before she could open her mouth.

"Look Mr. Branston I came for a propose which I'm pretty sure you know what that is and it's not to have lunch or tea."

Dorie came back in with a tray and handed Mr. Branston a large silver cup then put a tea down on the desk in front of the black chair then backed out of the room.

"Sit Miss Stanton."

"Please sir I just want to talk about this and go home if..."

He inched dangerously close to her face, "Sit down Miss Stanton." Then as she slowly moved over to the chair he walked behind his desk to the large red leather seat.

She quietly sat down, opened her purse taking the contract out and then placed it on the desk.

"You found it, see I told you that you would."

"Sir you must be a smart business man to have the success you do but you have to know that this contract is insane, if I read it correctly it basically says I have to marry you and give you a son, is that correct?"

"Correct!"

"But that is insane sir, I don't know you, certainly don't love you, so why would you want someone like me? How would you satisfy such a contract no court that I've ever heard of would enforce it? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to have someone that wants to share this with you and love you?"

" I do not need a court to see that this contract is filled and I don't need to look else were I already have you?"

"That is what I'm trying to make you understand you don't have me and no offence but you're not my type."

Renald stood up then slowly walked around his desk towards her, "How the hell would you even know what your type is? You had one serious relationship and he was a nut bar Christ he almost killed you both." He smiled, "Oh sorry forgot that's one of those untouchable subjects right? Nothing in your life is untouchable to me. See I have watched, paid, and controlled your life from your birth sweetie. From your first soothers you sucked on to you're latest job; what was the magazine called The World Around us? Shame I had to let you go but it was time you came home."

"What! What do you mean?" She turned in the chair to look at him.

He looked into her face, "Quiet!" he started to sooth her hair. He went over to his desk, grabbed scissors and a brush from the middle drawer then sat in front of her on the desk. "Take out that braid."

"I will do no such thing." She tried to get up only to be pushed back into the chair, she started to shake her head back and forth furiously. "It is my hair and I will leave it in a braid."

He leaned towards her, "Pull the damn thing out or I'll remove it for good," he snapped the scissors.

She looked at him her eyes ready to pop out of her head from fright. She looked into his eyes and they told her he was not a man to tempt fate with. With shaking fingers she pulled her hair out of the braid. Tears of fear where coming down her face now. "Please don't hurt me," she thought. She was about to put the tie in her purse.

"No you are to wear it straight from now on." He took the tie from her hand then cut it in half then passed her the brush. "Brush it out, now."

With shaky hands she took the brush and pulled it through her hair.

"There now see that looks a lot better." He placed the brush and scissors back in his drawer then sat on the corner of the desk. He picked the contract up from the desk. "This is more binding than any legal one, it's binding through life and death." He grabbed her jaw. "Yours. I think its time you heard your family's story and your heritage my dear, sit tight and drink your tea Ellie this is a long story."

He got up and walked to his chair to sit down. "It starts right here in this house about a hundred and fifty years ago. Your great grandparents were my servants but they where also a married couple which not many masters allow but I have always been generous with my servants and allowed it."

She sat back in her chair to stunned with fright to move a mussel; she couldn't talk being so full of fright, she just listened with fearful eyes.

"I allowed them to have children. I mean what did I care as long as they're work was done and I wasn't inconvenienced I didn't give a damn. They had so many, like bunnies," he smirked. "Among several children they had was a beautiful little girl, Valerie. She looked very much like you actually, and as she grew up I noticed just how much of a beauty she was. Oh how she could flirt, I started to spend lots of time with her, lavished money and gifts on her as well. What ever she wanted was hers. I loved her and would have given her the moon if I could get it for her. On her eighteenth birthday I told her parents, that I wished her hand in marriage, that what ever they wanted was theirs. They wanted land and a home for their family. So the arrangements where made, Valerie and her parents read the contract and as I requested each placed a drop of blood on the contract. No one made them do it, they all could have walked away at anytime but the deal was made and the date set. As the date got closer she got antsy, more distant, she came to me and told me she had changed her mind, she didn't wish to marry me anymore. I told her it was to late, the contract was made I gave them ownership of the property and built them a home as well. I told her I would not allow her to back out. I would hold her and her family to the contract. Her parents assured me everything would go fine so all was fine, I thought. The eve of our wedding she took a vile of poison and drank it down, she was found the next morning dead. She decided she would rather be dead then join me in marriage." He stopped for a minute angry in thought then in a snappy voice, "I told them that the next female Stanton child belonged to me and it would be raised the way I saw fit. So I waited for a girl child but all that would come where male babies." He got up and walked around the back of Ellie's chair absently he started to play with the long strands of her hair, fanning it against the back of the chair, "then you where born. I jumped in right away, making all the decisions about everything to do with your life, paid for everything you needed, never having you want for anything. I even allowed your parents to keep you but only if they stayed living at the house but they deceived me, taking you far away, running from place to place. Every time I got close they ran but the last time they did would be their undoing, their car ran right off the road, killing them both instantly. The amazing thing is that you where still alive without even a scratch. Your aunt and uncle were your only relatives still living so I gave them a chance to redeem their family name. I told them to live in the house to raise you. Nothing was allowed in your life unless I said so. Your aunt was supposed to prepare you for your fate. She was supposed to make sure you fill your duty to the contract, she lied to me and that makes me very angry. I am quite tired of your family's lies to me." He started to pull on her hair and only stopped when she made a whimpering sound. " Sorry didn't mean to do that but being lied to touches an angry nerve within me. I even decided from your clothes to the University you attended." He leaned right into her frightened face, "I own you my dear from the end of your long strand of hair to the tip of your toenail. You darling already belong to me so why would I need to look to anyone else?"

In a very shaky state she said, " Please...I can't..."

"Your can and you shall it's just a matter of when that's something I have will decide."

"Please your mad. You can't force me to marry you or to stay here any longer I'm leaving. I will be gone as soon as I can get my bags packed and into the car. I'm sorry my family misrepresented themselves but I don't see why it should come down on my shoulders," she got up to walk away, "I will only take my clothing you can have the house and everything in it. I'm ashamed what my family did to your family and am deeply sorry but I want no part of this drama, good-bye Mr. Branstan."

She managed to get to the door but as she went to open the door she heard his fingers snap behind her left ear and the door locked. She grabbed the knob and twisted, turned and pulled on it. She banged excessively on it while he went back to sit at his desk. Finally with a sore hand, "Could you please let me leave?"

"No! Now I want you to stop this foolish behaviour, come over here."

"She turned herself around slowly with her arms crossed over her chest, "You can go to hell Mr. Branstan" she smiled.