Chapter One: The Black Cat of the Yamizuka Family

Candles lightly flickered through the darkness of the lower level of the Yamizuka family home. The long forgotten lower level was found by chance by the Yamizuka's youngest child. A beautiful child with a more then average amount of curiosity about everything around her.

When she first found the hidden passageway that led down to the lower level below, it was only about a week ago. The passage way only led to one room, and in that room were shelves that were stacked with books from floor to ceiling, papers were scattered across the floor and tables. Why would a room like this be unused for such a long time?

"I wonder what use to go on in here. I've never heard mother and father talk about such a place. Of having a lower level to the mansion. Maybe even they don't know about this place. Geez, where's the light? It's so dark in here! I can't see a thing."

The young finder of the Yamizuka's hidden room thumbed around looking for a light to get a better look. The candles that slightly lit the room from the hall wasn't enough for a proper view. Finally, after five minutes of looking for a light she finally found it. A single hanging light bulb that came down from the ceiling with a badly eaten away string. She reached up and pulled the thin string to light the room with a faded white light.

"What is this place?!"

Since that day she been going down to the room to learn more about it. Pulling books off the shelves and reading through them, shuffling through the papers that were scattered everywhere. Every day she spent in that room the more she learned about what happened, Black Magic. One night, she was going through another large book, trying to get some answers about the room she had discovered. The time had quickly flown by before she suddenly heard her name being called out by one of the servants who worked for the Yamizuka family.

"Erika! Lady Erika! Where are you?!"

"C-crap! If any of the servants find out I found this room, there's no doubt they'll tell father about it." Erika quickly put the book she was reading back, turned off the one light in the room and quickly made her way up the stairs that went up to the main floor before the servants could find her.

"Lady Erika, please answer us! Your father is wondering where you are! Lady Erika!"

"I'm right here! I'm right here! I'm sorry for not answering you when you first called out to me. I was listening to my music while doing my homework. I'm sorry for worrying you all." Erika laid with a smile.

"Oh, Lady Erika, you and your music while doing homework. You should find a better way to study. Being the youngest child of the Yamizuka family your duties may not be as big as you elder brothers, but you still need to keep up with the family image."

"Tech! Family image. Why should I care about something like that."?

"Lady Erika, I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just, since you are the youngest child of the Yamizuka family we worry about you. Your siblings are much older then you, and.... everyone here just..."

"I know," Erika interrupted. "I know you're all just looking out for me and I appreciate everything that all have done for me. Now, where is my father? He's looking for me, right?"

"Huh, ah.... yes. He's in his study. I'll bring you your late-night tea to your room. It will be waiting for you."

"Thank You."

Erika quickly made her way to her father's study. A place she didn't like going to for some unknown reason. A feeling that many things that involved her had happened in that room. She had no proof of this, but she would often hear members of the family staff talk strangely about her.

"Did you hear about Lady Erika?"

"Huh? You mean Young Lady Erika? What about her?"

"I overheard the Master talking with someone on the phone the other day. Apparently, Lady Erika isn't Lady Ester's child. The Master had an affair with one of the servants. Because she was an ill girl and she couldn't find work elsewhere, her family asked the Master to hire her in. When Lady Ester found out about the affair she was livid with the Master and had the girl fired. After that, Lady Erika's birth her mother died, but not before she was able to tell the Master where she and Lady Erika was."

"Wow! I had no idea that was the case with Lady Erika. I always wondered why Lady Ester didn't treat Lady Erika like all the others."

"Shhh! Don't let anyone else know about this. We might get in some serious trouble."

After over hearing the servant's conversation about her birth Erika didn't care about the Yamizuka family image as much as she used to. The women she thought was her mother wasn't her mother at all. Did her father even love the women who was her real mother or was it just an accident and a mistake of what happened. She has yet to mention this to her father, fearing that it may bring up painful memories or make him angry at her. Once she reached her father's study, she softly knocked on the door and waited.

"Father, you wanted to see me?"

"Come in Erika."

She opened the door and waiting for her was her father and Lady Ester, her alleged mother.

"Father, it's nice to see you. Why is it you wanted to see me?" Erika welcomed and questioned her father.

"Don't be rude Erika. Your mother is here too." Mr. Yamizuka stood from his desk and walked up next to Lady Ester.

"Good evening mother. I hope you had a pleasant day today."

Lady Ester gave Erika the most unpleasant glare after she spoke to her. "Like I care for your opinion. I don't need your worries and concerns about my day. Lady Ester snobbishly snapped at Erika.

"I'm just trying to be nice. To be honest I could care less about how your day is. Your attitude is routine towards your own child. Even though I know I'm not really your daughter."

"Please you two. Now's not the time to fight. Erika, Ester, please calm down." Mr. Yamizuka tried to calm the two females. "Now, I have something I want to discuss with you. Erika, please sit down.

She did as her father asked of her and took a seat in one of the chairs that sat in his study. Erika waited to hear what it was her father wanted to tell her. Master Yamizuka walked back over to his desk and took out a small box from one of the bottom drowses.

"You've grown into such a beautiful young lady, and your birthday is coming up in a few weeks. I believe that it's about time I give you this." Her father handed Erika the small box that he had taken out of his desk.

"What is it?" Erika asked.

"Open it and you'll see." Her father said with a smile.

Erika opened the small box to find a necklace that had a large red stone hanging from a gold chain. Looking carefully at the stone Erika could see what looked like a slit of a cat's eye inside. Erika looked up at her father with widened eyes. The stone was beautiful. When she looked over at Lady Ester she saw an equal amount of stock and a hint of disgust in her eyes.

"Father...I... it's beautiful, but...who's was this?"

"I can't tell you that. All I can say is that the person who once owned that necklace would want you to have it."

Erika looked down at the shimmering jewel that was sitting in the box that was in her hands. She didn't know why but she had a feeling that the one who owned the necklace before her, the two of them had a connection.

"Thank you, father. It's really beautiful and I'll be sure to take great care of it." Erika thanked her father for the gift and then took it out of its small box to hook it around her neck. Having trouble with the latch, Erika suddenly felt giant soft hands take the gold chain from her small hands.

"Here, let me." Mr. Yamizuka took the thin gold chain and clipped it together around Erika's neck, moving her long, silky black hair out of the way. When he came back around and saw the red jewel gracefully laying against his daughter's pale skin. He couldn't help but be happy. "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful."

Erika's face slightly blushed after hearing her father's words, but when she looked up at Lady Ester her face was full of disgust as she glared at Erika and the jewel around her neck.

"Thank you, father... and mother. If you could please excuse me, it's getting late and I still have some homework to do. I should be heading back to me room for the night to finish up for school tomorrow."

"Of course. I don't want to keep you from your studies. Go now, and good night." Her father lightly kissed his daughter on the head before allowing her to return to her room.

Erika made her way back down the dark hallways towards her room, leaving the hidden level of the manor alone for the night. The jewel from her new necklace moved along with her as she moved. Many of the servants noticed the gem around her neck and couldn't believe that she had it. Some stood in large groups and whispered about what they have seen.

Erika started to wonder what the whispers were about. Every time she would get something new from her father the servants would often do this kind of thing. When Erika finally got to her room she shut the door behind her and let out a heavy sigh.

"Guess Lady Ester has another reason to hate me now. After the look she gave me after father gave me my gift...." Erika looked down at the jewel that hung down on her chest. "...even the servants are acting weird now. They know something, and I want to know what it is."

Erika slowly opened her door and looked out into the hallway. Quickly, she made her way out of her room and down the hall when she heard some of the servants making their way towards her. Erika quickly hid behind one of the statues that stood in the hallway.

"Did you see what the Master gave Lady Erika? I didn't think he had anything left that belonged to Lady Erika's mother." One servant said to the others.

"I know! Lady Ester must be angry with the Master now. I hope she doesn't do anything to Lady Erika. The Master would be heartbroken if she did."

"Don't be so loud. Someone might hear you and then we'll all get into some trouble."

The three servants made their way down the hall, not realizing that Erika had overheard everything that they had said. The necklace that Erika was wearing, given to her by her father, belonged to the mother so never knew. Tears started to fill her eyes. Her father had kept this for her. Knowing that Lady Ester would be furious with him, he kept it anyway, so she could have something that was once her real mother's.

Wiping the tears from her eyes Erika gathered up the courage to return to her father's study to ask her father about her mother. Quickly, she made her way back down the dark hallways she had come from. Avoiding servants and her older siblings until she suddenly ran straight into one, her elder brother. He was much like Lady Ester in every way, especially when it came to Erika.

"I-I'm so sorry brother. I didn't mean to run into you!" Erika quickly apologized to her short tempered elder brother. After apologizing Erika wanted to quickly get away from him. As she did her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

"What kind of apology was that? You can do a lot better than that, little sister."

A terrified look washed over Erika's face. Her brother is a scary person, just like his mother.

"Come on little sister. Do a proper apology."

"There you are Lady Erika!" A sudden friendly voice called out. Both Erika and her brother turned to see one of the young male servants making his way towards them.

"Toto?" Erika questioned.

"Lady Erika, I have been looking for you. I have some details to discuss with you. Can you please come and follow me?!" Toto asked with a smile. Erika quickly nodes and made her way towards Toto. Glad to be away from her brother.

"Protecting her again are we Toto? Being the same as always."

"I don't know what you mean Young Master. I just have some business that only Lady Erika can help me with. Come, Lady Erika."

"Y-yes!" Erika stuttered and followed Toto down the hall.

With a heavy sigh of relief of being away from her elder brother Erika could finally relax for a bit. After letting out the heavy sigh a light chuckle reached her ears.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing my Lady. It's just... there's no reason to be so nervous Lady Erika, but you do need to be more careful when you're walking around the manor by yourself." Toto placed his hand on Erika's shoulder as he gently spoke to her.

"I know and I'm sorry. I just... I'm tired of all the secrets about who I am. I know I'm not Lady Ester's daughter, I've known for a while after over hearing some of the servants talking about it. I've stayed quite about until now and I want to know more about the women who was my mother. Please, Toto, if you know something about my mother please tell me!"

Toto suddenly stopped once he heard Erika's pleading for wanting to know more. All who were around when Erika's mother worked for the Yamizuka family were forbidden to talk about her. Anyone who did and was found out was fired on the spot.

"I'm sorry Lady Erika, but she was here before my time here. You need to ask your father, he would be the best and only person to go to about something like this. So please, don't ask me about your mother."

"You're lying Toto. You were here during the time my mother's time. I've been learning about her, but her name was missing when I went through my family's employee's records. You and my mother worked together for a short while before she was fired. What is it you're not telling me, any of you?!"

"I'm sorry Lady Erika, but this is where we part was." And with that, Toto left Erika standing alone in the dark hallway with a lot more questions than answers.

With none of her questions about her mother answered Erika reverted back to her original plan to ask her father, but now it really was too late in the night for those kinds of questions. It was going to have to wait until morning. The sound of her footsteps echoed down the long dark hallways that led down to her room. She was tired of all the secrets but most of all she was tired of being lied to and tired of being treated like someone who needed protecting.

"I'm so tired of this! No one will give me a straight answer when it comes to my mother. I just want to know more about her. That's all I want."

"So... you want to know more about that little hussy who almost ruined this family. Of course, I do blame that weak man I call a husband."

Through the darkness of the halls the image of Lady Ester came into view. Her long hair that was usually up in a tight bun was now down past her waist. Her eyes seemed to glow through the darkness as she walked through it.

"La... I mean, mother?"

"Stop calling me that. I know that you already know that I'm not your mother. I never saw you as one of my own children anyway. But I will tell you what you want to know. I'll tell you about that hussy, also known as the Black Cat of the Yamizuka family."