Ludoviko
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A selfish demi-god with a mean streak. A suicidal nonbinary trans fem. What could they possibly have in common?The pain of rejection. In response, one chose to imprison someone, the other ran off into the woods to die.Ludoviko has lived in isolation for many years in an abandoned mansion. With rumors of it being haunted by a malevolent spirit, he's guaranteed privacy. That is, until Roselyn decides to make his home their tomb. He unintentionally saves their life, but the mansion becomes their prison as he locks them away. Old habits.Despite Ludoviko's volatile temper and his coldness toward Roselyn, they begin to see something beneath the defensive mask; a being of magic who is a violinist virtuoso, an amazing chef, and someone who is just simply afraid of being loved, and of losing that love.
This story contains some adult content, including sexually explicit, but not graphic, intimate scenes.
Content Warning; Some difficult topics are also covered that may be hard for some to read; suicidal ideation, transphobia, semi-involuntary confinement in a psychiatric hospital, abuse, and violence.
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Chapter One
Of Blood and Snow
This is an early preview and does not necessarily reflect the final version.
ROSELYN STUMBLED ACROSS AN ICY PATCH beneath the snow. They fell forward to the ground and the pocket knife they’d been fidgeting with flew out of their hand.They remained still as snow began to fall onto their long brown hair. More tears fell as they sobbed quietly into the freezing cold ground. They hadn’t dressed well for the weather; they wore the same outfit they’d prepared to look nice for their crush, a simple black dress with criss-cross straps, and a thinly knitted black sweater over top. Their black chunky-heeled ankle boots hadn’t made the trek into the snowy woods easy, but they hadn’t planned it. They were supposed to be at dinner in a nice restaurant with the man of their dreams, and then maybe kiss by a fire later that night.Roselyn sniffed as their tears slowed and pushed themself back to their feet after grabbing the knife. They stuffed it in their small black cross-shoulder bag, and then pulled out a cigarette and lighter as they shivered. After lighting it, their phone buzzed.They ignored it and continued into the woods. It was getting dark, and soon, it would be difficult to see. It didn’t matter. They weren’t going back. They couldn’t face the world again after such a gut-wrenching rejection.Michael had thought they’d been born a woman because of their androgynous features, but Roselyn had been assigned male at birth. They were nonbinary and comfortable in their body the way it was, but their preference for more of a feminine expression wasn’t enough for Michael. Roselyn had to tell him eventually. A lie was no way to start a relationship, no matter how badly you wanted it to work out.“A broken heart is a step toward death,
a sign of rot spreading from the inside.
The yearning grows and it begs to be fed
but the hunger only hollows out pain.What is left now but the echo of hope,
a desire to be desired snuffed out by the cold;
a wish to turn back time and never have met,
to leave the notion of wanting buried once again.”Roselyn coughed as they blew smoke slowly into the fog that formed from their breath. As they looked up into the sky, they spaced out as the sight of falling snow lulled them into a daze. It felt so empty, so isolated. It was oddly comforting now; the forest around them understood their emptiness, and they understood it.It was where they were going to die, anyway.Their mind flashed to the blade in their bag. Everything had happened so fast that they hadn’t planned anything out other than ending up in the woods. Once there, they kept telling themself that it was a matter of finding the right spot. They had to get far enough away from civilization where they wouldn’t be found in time; they could just die peacefully among the falling snow. Maybe they’d make a snow angel to lie in.Roselyn stopped and stared ahead. Through the trees a large home could be seen, and they realized where they’d ended up. They hadn’t noticed they’d gone so far already.It was the old abandoned mansion that kids used to talk about when they were little. No one dared to venture near it because of the stories that it was haunted by a malevolent spirit. It was said that the danger could be felt from the outside just around the perimeter; the energy alone would frighten anyone away. Roselyn hadn’t believed the stories, but they were still afraid of it. They’d tried to venture out there before as a teenager with some friends, but as soon as they got to where Roselyn was now, they just ran back home giggling and screaming.Maybe it was time to finally find out if it was all real. They’d die in that forest either way; attacked by an evil spirit or by their own hand in an abandoned mansion no one ever entered.By the time Roselyn made it to the front gate, they’d started shivering violently. Their stiff hands barely worked as they wrapped them around the cast iron gate, and they pulled hard until it swung open. They were surprised just how easy it was. It hadn’t been locked.Then they felt it. A wave of dread coursed through their body. It was like walking into a wall of energy that screamed ‘Get out!’ It gripped their body tight like the last panic attack they’d had, and they were tempted to run. Just like they had when they were that ignorant teenager.Roselyn took a deep breath that burned from the icy air and pushed forward. It didn’t matter anymore. Whatever happened happened. They were going there to die, so the fear was pointless.The mansion must have been beautiful when it was actively lived in. It was bigger than any house Roselyn had ever been in anyway, and that alone meant it was grand inside. The front doors were tall and covered in dead ivy, like an attempt by nature to give one last warning to back away. Don’t go inside.Roselyn pried apart the dead vines and tried the door. It was locked.“Fuck,” they breathed through chattering teeth. They moved across the porch to look into a window, and upon wiping it clear of its icy film, they saw nothing but darkness. All the furniture still seemed to be in place though, as well as decorations. It was like the last tenants just up and left and never returned.That feeling of dread begged them to turn away again. It was potent and sent their heart racing, and while it might have worked for everyone else, no other had approached with a death wish. That was enough to give Roselyn the bravery to grab a large rock, and they smashed open the long window.The sound was deafening in the silent winter night. It echoed among the walls in the giant entrance room that remained as still as the grave. The slight breeze rattled cobwebs that hadn’t stirred for ages.Roselyn carefully slipped inside, realizing it was silly to care if they got injured on the glass. The knife was going to do much worse, but they at least wanted to explore a little first. Once they were settled in the freezing cold home, they walked across the gray marble floor to stand in the center of the room. A staircase curved around both sides to a landing that led to two hallways. There was dark blue carpet up the stairs, but it was old and covered in dust.Roselyn shivered again and pulled out another cigarette. Maybe it would be their last one. Anxiety still screamed at them to leave, and they could’ve sworn a voice crept into the back of their head. Their heart hammered. They weren’t leaving now. This was going to be their beautiful big tomb.Roselyn started up the curved staircase on the left side of the room, and when they got to the landing, they looked down a very dark hallway. That in itself was terrifying, but the fear was slowly receding. Their body had become so cold. They were growing exhausted.Large doors were centered on the landing, and they ventured forth. The creak was loud in their ears as the doors slowly opened to reveal a grand library with a fireplace on the far wall. It was the last bit of clarity they got before their mind grew hazy. The new cigarette dropped to the floor from stiff fingers, and they stared down at it.‘I’m going to freeze to death, aren’t I? It’s not how I wanted to go, but I guess we don’t really get to choose after all.’Roselyn pulled their tired body over to a cold silk sofa and lay back. They tried to grab another cigarette, but their eyes drifted shut.
Chapter Two
Spirit of the Exiled
This is an early preview and does not necessarily reflect the final version.
A WARMTH SLOWLY CREPT INTO ROSELYN'S ACHING BODY as their eyes opened. Everything was blurry at first and it took some time to come clear, but when it did, they realized they were still on the sofa in the large library. They barely remembered how they got there, but they knew they couldn’t have started a fire.They sat up slowly and looked around in the dim orange light emanating from the flames. The fire cast dancing shadows all around the room, and it better illustrated the haunted legend of the place. What’s more, if they hadn’t started that fire, then something else did. The malevolent spirit?Roselyn went to move from the sofa, but a deep voice with an accent they couldn’t quite place came from a far corner. It sounded like a mixture of Italian… and Slavic? It was nothing they’d ever heard before.“Why did you ignore my warnings?”Roselyn’s eyes widened and they jerked their head in the direction of the voice. It was hard to make out any details in the shadows, but a man, or what they perceived as a man, stood with a book in his hand staring right at them. When his eyes shone in the firelight, they were a light gray — almost white.“I… I didn’t know anyone lived here,” Roselyn stammered. “I swear. This place has been abandoned, and it looked abandoned.” They were too frightened to move as the man snapped the book shut and started toward them. “Please don’t call the police. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here. I’ll just go — I’ll leave you alone and I’ll just go somewhere else to…” To die. That’s right, they’d gone out there to die.“To what?” the man said. When he stepped into the comforting firelight, Roselyn could finally see all of his inhuman features.He was pale with wavy, short blond hair that was smoothed back with a few curls falling over his forehead to one side. His eyes were indeed a very light gray, as if he were blind. His ears were pointed, and his nose was hooked and beak-like in shape. Strange red streaks glistened beneath his eyes trailing back across his high cheekbones, and he wore a pair of hanging earrings that looked like eyes. He was dressed in all black, the suit and cravat silk with subtle floral designs woven in. Nails like glass claws were on the tips of his fingers.Fear rendered Roselyn mute. No, he wasn’t human at all. So what was he? He looked bird-like, in a way. And how did he survive out there in the cold like that? The place was a freezer without the fire.“I dislike being ignored,” the strange man snapped. “To what?”Roselyn swallowed, but their dry throat just clicked. “To… to die.”The man moved toward the fireplace and grabbed a knife from the top of it; Roselyn’s knife. He flicked out the anodized blade, which glistened pink and blue in the light. “You were going to kill yourself with this blade?”“Yes,” Roselyn managed.“And you thought my home would be the perfect resting place.” The man scoffed and flicked the knife shut, then slipped it into his pocket. “First you break my window and barge inside, and then you nearly spill your blood all over my furniture. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get blood out of white satin!”Roselyn flinched when his voice rose. The call of death had receded with most of the cold, and they couldn’t help but be curious. They wanted to ask what he was, but that was a terribly rude question. He already seemed very angry, so it was probably best to just leave. “I’m sorry, I really am. I’ll just leave. I won’t bother you again.”“No,” the man sneered. “You won’t even be alive to, unless you’ve changed your mind.” He looked his guest up and down. “Not that it matters, you’ll just freeze to death on the way back. Not that I’m letting you go back, you understand.”“What?” The word slipped breathlessly from Roselyn’s mouth.The man sighed tiredly. “I’m not risking all of this by letting you go. You’ll just run back home and tell everyone about the strange creature you met in the woods, if you even made it back. Then there goes my privacy.”“I swear I won’t,” Roselyn said. “You said it yourself, I won’t survive. So just let me go.”The man grinned. “No, I don’t think I will. I distrust any human as much as you should distrust me.”If Roselyn wasn’t already cold, their blood would have turned to ice. “Then… then just kill me already.” Tears burned their eyes. “Then I won’t be able to say anything for sure, right? You’re just going to hurt me anyway, aren’t you?”The strange man huffed a laugh and waved his hand, and the double doors at the other end of the room slammed shut. The fire flickered, but it remained strong. “Hurt you? No, I abhor getting my hands dirty. I will, however, escort you to your new prison. You’ll be here until you die a natural death.”Roselyn’s breath shook as they stared at the man’s hand. “How did you do that?”He lifted an eyebrow. “The doors?”Roselyn nodded. “Are you a… are you a spirit or something?”“Do I look like a spirit to you?” the man spat. “No, I’m something much, much more mysterious to your kind. Greater, even.” He moved slowly around the sofa in an elegant manner, as if he were once royalty. “I suppose now it doesn’t matter, you may as well know who your captor is. I am more than a man and most of an enigma, but I am not that of human fairy tales and legends.I was once a god of great power
from a kingdom of light,
and I was betrayed by my queen;
sent away out of spite.Ludoviko is what I was named
when I came into existence.
I was loyal to my dear Rozabela,
but my desire for power was met with resistance.I wanted to share it with her, you understand,
I had no wish to rule alone,
but she wanted it for herself,
to remain the one on the throne.I stole her crown instead,
what I thought was the source of her power.
I imprisoned her like I will you,
but she merely idled away the hours.I had made a fatal mistake,
the kingdom plunged into darkness.
Her power wasn’t in her crown,
but in her primordial likeness.It was the world around us
that came from her mind,
for she was the source,
and everything existed in kind.A lapse in judgment
from a blackened heart!
I was exiled here,
but now we’ve arrangements to start.”Roselyn jumped as their arm was grabbed by a clawed hand, and they had no choice but to follow as they were dragged out of the warmth and back into the cold. Ludoviko was inhumanly strong.A side door opened from the grand library and led down a hall that was likely an old servants’ passage, and it continued into a kitchen that was covered in cobwebs and dust. Roselyn tried to struggle against the demi-god’s strength, but it only caused them to stumble and fall to the ground.“You’re only making this harder on yourself,” Ludoviko snapped. “Get up!”Roselyn was yanked back up and followed with tears in their eyes. “Please, I promise I won’t say anything to anyone! This isn’t how I wanted to die.”“Then you should have heeded my warnings!” Ludoviko shouted. He pulled them down into a hall of servants’ quarters, and then threw them into the first door.Roselyn fell onto their hands and knees on the stone floor, and Ludoviko shut the door and walked over to the fireplace. Flames roared to life at his request, and he turned to his captive.“You will remain here as long as I see fit. The fire will burn as long as I will it, and you will have a bed and basic necessities.”Roselyn looked up to search for a window. They could break their way out like they broke in, but their heart dropped when they were met with nothing but four windowless walls with dark wooden panels that had grown pale with age.“Sustenance will be brought to you three times a day, and when you require a bath or…” He cringed with disgust. “...to relieve yourself, call my name and I will hear you. I will accompany you to the servants’ restroom.” He turned his back and approached the door once more. “I will continue to watch you. Perhaps there will be a day in your future when I will make use of you as a…” He turned again to stare at Roselyn who had climbed onto the bed and pulled their knees to their chest. “How do you identify?”Roselyn’s eyes darted to the strange man’s face. They hadn’t expected any ounce of decency from him. “I… I’m… they/them.”“Right.” Ludoviko turned again to face the door. “I leave you for now. If any attempt is made to harm yourself, you will be placed in further confinement with nothing.”The door slammed behind him. There was no point in trying to break out, it was likely held shut with magic.Roselyn crawled to the end of the bed closer to the fire. Despite the warmth that crawled into their bones reminding them of how tired they’d become, they doubted they’d be able to sleep that night.Either way, that was their home now.
Chapter Three
A Powerless Demi-god Among Humans
This is an early preview and does not necessarily reflect the final version.
LUDOVIKO STARED AT THE TATTERED WHITE OUTFIT he used to wear. The black stain was still visible to him even in the darkened room. Winter’s faded moon bled a strip of light through the sole open window, and it cast a haunting dichotomy over the demi-god’s face; one side light, the other cast into shadows for eternity.He shifted from where he leaned on his elbow in the large, plush study chair. His psychic sight fell upon the cherry wood violin sitting in the corner of the small room, one of the few things in the mansion that was without dust and spiders. He’d taught himself to play over the many years he’d lived in isolation, and besides the books that surrounded him, the chilling tones were like a friend in the dark.He took up the instrument and stood in front of the window with the pale moon’s glow, and with his chin resting on the end of the violin, he paused before sliding the bow along the strings. The sound was the only thing that brought him comfort; the lonely trill understood him, and he understood it.‘Ludoviko.’The violin screeched as the demi-god stopped playing immediately. Anger bubbled up inside him. How dare they interrupt his moment of peace. He despised that he had to keep Roselyn there, but it was too much of a risk to let them run free. Humans were curious creatures and once met with mystery, they would tell everyone about it — about him. Soon, he’d have more trouble than just one irritating voice in the dark.Ludoviko placed the violin on a desk nearby and left the room. He had told them to call for him when they had a basic necessity to care for, but he’d have to reiterate the importance of it being only for a dire need.The demi-god speed-walked into the servants’ quarters and waved his hand to undo the magical lock on Roselyn’s door, and then stepped inside. They sat on the edge of the bed near the fire, hugging themself.“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Ludoviko snapped. “Humans are diurnal, are they not?”Roselyn glanced up at him. “My stomach’s growling,” they said nervously. “I haven’t eaten since this morning. And…”They grew silent for a moment, and Ludoviko crossed his arms over his chest.“I need a cigarette. Badly.”The demi-god grew perplexed. “You can wait until tomorrow to eat. And what is a ‘cigarette?’ Is it really that important?”Roselyn nodded. “Yes. I’m… addicted to them. I need one soon or I’m gonna snap.” They added quickly, “Please.”Ludoviko rolled his eyes. “You’re under the impression I care in any way about your mental state. Snap at me, and you’ll be in a world of pain.” He turned to leave.“Wait!” Roselyn looked at him with desperation in their eyes. “Please, if you bring me my bag, I won’t bother you for a while. They’re in it — the things I need.”The demi-god’s anger burned as he opened the door and left without a word. He begrudgingly made his way to the grand library and grabbed the bag that was still on the sofa, and then stopped to feel for the knife in his pocket. Was this a ploy of some kind? Were they trying to trick him into bringing them something that would help them escape?In the firelight, Ludoviko emptied the bag onto the sofa to see very few things in it. A ring of keys with some strange baubles attached, a clasped wallet, a rectangular device that looked like a mirror but had a black face, another device made of some velvety plastic material that had a cord and plug attached to it, and a small green and white box with a lighter.The demi-god picked up the odd mirror. It was lighter than it seemed. His thumb slid over the side and bumped a button, and the screen blinded him with light. He squinted on reflex alone, and then looked back to see the time, date, and a picture of a man with short black hair and brown eyes. He was smiling, but he was stationary.Ludoviko turned the device over in his hand. It didn’t feel magical, but somehow, it reflected someone else’s still image. He ran his fingers across its smooth surface, and a series of numbers popped up on the screen. He tapped them, but the thing made an unpleasant sound. He would have to ask Roselyn about it.Tossing everything back in the bag, Ludoviko returned to the servants’ quarters and entered Roselyn’s room once more. He tossed the bag onto the bed, and then the strange device. “Tell me what that is, and I will know if you’re lying.”Roselyn furrowed their brow and picked up the device. “You mean my phone?”“That thing is a phone?” the demi-god said, confused. “It’s not a mirror of some kind?”Roselyn shook their head. “No… You’ve really never seen a cellphone?”The demi-god grew impatient. They were wasting time with useless inquiries. “Who is the man in its reflection? Are you able to speak with him?”Roselyn clicked open their phone and froze when they saw the picture. Fresh tears came to their eyes, and Ludoviko sighed with impatience.“I assume he means something to you. I truly don’t care, as I’ve said before, so dry your tears and answer me.”“No,” Roselyn said. They sniffed loudly. “I can’t talk to him anymore.” They unlocked the phone and tapped a few times, and then held the device up to Ludoviko, aiming it at him.He tensed and backed toward the door. Whatever they were about to do, it would be a grave mistake. Shooting him with anything would be pointless.A bright flash went off, and the demi-god threw his arms in front of his face. Everything went quiet and still once more, and Roselyn cleared their throat.“What have you done to me?” Ludoviko said with venom. “If this is some strange magic humans possess…”“It’s a picture,” Roselyn said. “Look.”Ludoviko lowered his arms cautiously and stared at the device. He saw his surprised reflection in it, and he grabbed it from a pair of thin, pale hands. He still felt like himself, his soul hadn’t been damaged or captured in anyway. It did seem to just be an image. “Can this device contact anyone on the outside?”Roselyn grew suspiciously silent for a moment. The demi-god’s voice rose. “You will answer me honestly when I ask you a question!”“I… don’t know,” they said nervously.Ludoviko held the device before them. “You will show me how it works. Only then may you have it, if it will not prove a threat to my peace.”Roselyn took it and tapped across the screen once more, and they held it out as silence surrounded the room, save for the crackling fire and the growing snow storm outside. After a moment, a voice said, “Your number cannot be completed as dialed, please—“ It was cut off as Roselyn tapped a red button. “I don’t have any signal out here. I can’t reach anyone even if I wanted to.”“So it’s useless?” Ludoviko said suspiciously.“See for yourself.” Roselyn held up the face of the phone and pointed to a series of small bars in the upper right corner. “See? There should be white bars here. There are none. They’re crossed out. I can’t do anything but play games on it now, but the battery’s dying anyway.”Ludoviko couldn’t detect any deception in their voice or in their body language, so he backed away. “Remember, I am aware of everything that happens within these walls. This home has become a part of me, right down to the very foundation. Every last bit of stone is bound to me, so if anything is amiss, or I sense any strange signals coming from that device, I will punish you.”Roselyn’s body grew tense with fear and they nodded silently. “Okay, I understand. I’m not fooling you.”“Good.” The demi-god turned to leave the room, and he slammed the door behind him and locked it. He leaned against the outside as he spoke through it. “You will wait until tomorrow morning, unless you have a dire need. I will make preparations to gather sustenance for you and prepare it, and you will get it when it’s done.”Ludoviko headed back down the hall to his study to pick up the violin once again. He needed to calm the anger that coursed through his veins; it was an anger he’d developed over time, an emotion so explosive and volatile that was created by the poison he’d sickened himself with long ago. There wasn’t a bit of light or kindness in him left, and he’d begun to suspect it had started to leave him even before he realized his feelings for Rozabela.Perhaps he was the one mistake she had made.
