Cap 14. A sour-sweet memory from the past
It was 10 o'clock at night in the village, in the castle to be exact. The Lady and her daughters had already eaten and were in her chambers doing her favorite things. Once all the obligations had been fulfilled, the servants could dine and rest, however, every night there would be a group of servants who would stand watch in case Lady or her daughters required anything. Normally the watch would last until 3 AM and the second watch from 3 AM until 6, when the rest of the servants began their duties.
"Tonight the following will stay on duty ..." - The older maid Mariana began to say.
Mariana said the names of the servants who would stay up until 3 A.M. In total there were only 4 servants, and among these servants, the name of Erron was named.
"The rest can rest." - Said Mariana and then take a sip of her coffee.
"Shit." Erron said in a low voice, but Anna heard him say it.
"Do not worry, you will hardly do anything at night other than keep the fire in the fireplace in the rooms lit, be next to the personal rooms, or prepare a midnight snack…. Or be the snack in the worst case. " - Anna explained, someone who already knew what she was saying.
"How do you entertain yourself as a guard?" - Erron asked.
"By reading books, Lady Dimimtrescu allows us to borrow books from the library or sometimes chat with each other." - Anna said.
"Well we'll see how all this turns out." - Erron said, accepting that he would act as a servant guard. Erron didn't mind being a guard. Being a mercenary, clients requested that someone they trust watch their backs, especially during sleep.
"My lady, here is the package that Duke brought." - Said the older maid Mariana, while she bowed and at the same time held a small blue box.
"Very well." - Said the Lady of the castle, looking towards her window, watching how the moon rose little by little, ignoring the maid. - "Put that box on the desk."
"YES my Lady." - Said the maid slavishly.
Mariana walked over to the nightstand, put the box there, and then proceeded to say goodbye.
"If you do not need anything else, I will withdraw my Lady." - Said the maid as she bowed.
"Actually yes, I have a question Mariana." - Lady Dimitrescu said while she was still watching the moon - "Tell me, who will be the guardian servants tonight?"
"It will be me, and 3 other girls: Martha, Danna and Lucy." - Explain Mariana.
"Replace one of the girls with the man-thing." - Said Lady Dimitrescu.
This was a strange order, but since it was her lady's order, she simply obeyed it.
"Of course my Lady." - Said Mariana.
After a few last courtesies, Mariana left her wife in the room.
Lady Dimitrescu watched the moon in silence. Several memories passed through her mind, some from 1 week ago to some from 100 years ago, however, in her mind, there was a memory that she cannot eliminate, one that is very intimate and highly emotionally charged.
"Elizabeth ... Elizabeth ... I wish you were here to see him." - She told herself while she looked at the moon, remembering ...
Remembering….
Remembering….
Romania. October 1903
"You're still obsessed with him ... * cough ... ** Cough .. *" - Asked a woman on a bed. This woman was ill, the clean blood catheter was supplied by one of her veins.
"Just a little." - Said the other woman as she gave a warm smile, trying to satisfy the curiosity of the patient.
"I assure you that he is guilty, he was not hanged for nothing." - Said the other woman as she held the other woman's hand.
"I just want to check some information, I met someone who has contacts with a detective agency in America. In November I will have results. " - Said the other woman, while she continued with her warm smile.
"I always knew that because of him you didn't marry ... * Cough * * Cough *" -The woman tried to say, but was interrupted with a bloody cough.
"Lisa, take it." - Another woman tried to bring a glass of water to the sick woman.
The sick woman took the glass of water. To later regain her composure and voice.
"Alcina, I don't have much time left." - Lisa said in a gloomy voice.
"Don't say that Lisa, you have to recover. Do it for your daughters. " - Alcina said tearfully, but still with a warm smile.
"You and I know that I don't have much time left. That blood disease has killed the entire Clan for generations. " - Lisa Dimitrescu said to her sister Alcina hers. - "I just want you to take care of my daughters in my absence."
"No, no, no. You will heal and you will take care of them. " - Said Alcina annoyed with the defeatist posture of her sister.
As the women spoke, the door to the room was opened.
"My ladies, I'm afraid to interrupt, but Dr. Miranda is here." - Said the maid before the women in the room.
"Show her in." - Lisa said in a friendly tone.
From the door, a blond woman of average height entered. She this she was wearing a white coat and her black briefcase. She was said to be new to town, as her methods were modern and ridiculed the religious methods of the church.
"Good Morning. I am Dr. Miranda. I came to check on Lady Elizabeth Dimitrescu. " - Said the kind doctor.
"Well sister, I think you better leave us alone." - Said the woman on the bed to her sister as she took her hand. - "Good luck with your outlaw boyfriend."
"Sure, I'll be back. I love you very much." - Alcina Dimitescu said to her sister.
"I leave it in her hands, Doctor Miranda." - Alcina DImitrescu said in a tone of voice of authority, that, despite feeling a great sadness in her soul, she would not show weakness before the doctor.
"Of course." - Said the Doctor to Lady Dimitrescu. - "But first I would like to talk to you after checking your sister.
"Of course. See you Elizabeth. " - Alcina Dimitrescu accepted Miranda's request and at the same time said goodbye to her sister.
* 14 MINUTES LATER *
Lady Dimitrescu was in the castle that she shared with her older sister. Since all the males of House Dimitrescu died in the war against the Turks in 77, the castle only had women, only 2 members of that illustrious clan on the point of extinction.
But after a very few years, Elizabeth Dimitrescu would marry Lord Viktor Heisenberg, one of the few survivors of House Heisenberg, who survived the war, but not the industrial accidents. The idea of creating a steel factory was the plan of the Heisenberg clan, by taking advantage of their land in the iron mines, they could create steel and earn more money. But with one less member, the plan to create the factory would continue for the rest of the Heisenberg Clan.
But despite having died, he left Elizabeth with a blessing, 3 beautiful and healthy girls. Elizabeth Dimitrescu's three daughters were born. They are the light and joy of the old castle, running, fighting or playing when they were little, now they are 17-year-old ladies with the same hobbies and some new ones.
But things don't seem to be going well. The bloody disease of the blood, an evil that has plagued the Dimitrescu family for generations. Normally this evil presented itself at age 40, but for Alcina, this evil had not developed, or so she had believed.
"Lady DImitrescu." - Said the familiar voice of the doctor.
"Doctor Miranda, how is my sister?" - Asked this time the Lady with more kindness.
"I'm sorry to tell you the bad news, but her sister won't live longer than 2 months." - Said the blonde woman.
"2 months. Live a couple of months. That's all. "Lady Dimitrescu said to herself, the idea of her sister dying was inconceivable to her. She was all the direct family she had left, of course, they were her 3 adorable nieces and she loved them like her daughters, but her sister was all she had.
"There is no way of salvation, doctor?" - Lady Dimitrescu asked calmly before that doctor.
"No, there is not." - Said the Doctor as she touched the shoulder of the woman before her.
No one could lay a hand on Lady Dimitrescu, but this time she… needed it, a warm hand to comfort her. Lady Dimitrescu, a woman with such a high ego, hugged the Doctor as she shed tears.
After a few seconds, Lady Dimitrescu separated from the Doctor, thus avoiding embarrassing the new Doctor of the Village. Once separated, the doctor continues with the most bitter news.
"I am also afraid that you, my Lady, have the same evil, here I have the evidence." - Said the Doctor, not knowing that the words wounded like daggers to the heart of the Lady.
"Ha, me too, huh?" - Lady Dimitrescu answered the doctor with a cynical smile and at the same time with still watery eyes. It seems that she would not escape the curse of the Dimitrescu Clan.
"I'm afraid so. But in your case, there is a salvation. " - Said the doctor.
Before Lady Dimitrescu reacted to such a statement, the doctor interrupted her.
"Look, I've been researching a new cure for the evil that plagues you and your family. However, this cure would not work in Elizabeth, as she is in a critical and advanced state, but in the case of her and your nieces, I could help them ... "- The Doctor said, before being interrupted.
"My nieces too ! ?" - The Lady del Catillo exclaimed anguished, even more than when the doctor had warned her of her own destiny.
"Sorry to say yes. I did the routine check-up with all three and they gave me positive results. That is why it is necessary for you to listen to me, there is a way to save them from that terrible disease. You just have to help me and I will help you. " - Said the Doctor.
"What do you mean exactly?" - Asked suspicious Lady Dimitrescu.
"You will see very soon. For now, I recommend that you spend the last moments with her sister, because she is in the final stretch. " - Said the Doctor, trying to reassure the Lady.
"As ordered, Dr. Miranda, I will." - Said Lady Dimitrescu.
2 months had passed
The atmosphere was sad. The people present in black clothes, a man giving a prayer to the group gathered there who could not give his sermon due to the whimpering of 3 young women who were on a coffin.
"Mother!" - Shouted the one with red hair as she cried, not caring a bit what the others thought.
The other 2 hugged her sister who was crying. But also feeling the same pain and sadness.
None of those present intervened before such an act. Those present were the heads of the families that ruled the valley.
Lady DImitrescu was sitting in a black dress. She was sad, her dear sister was in that final resting box. Due to her status, she did not show a tear, despite having her heart shattered.
The hours of prayer passed and later the burial in the pantheon of the Dimitrescu Family, which sadly was almost overcrowded. In Alcina's mind, she thought that finally the private cemetery would only receive 4 more corpses before closing for good. In that cemetery were several members of the clan dating back to the 16th century, many of whom died in ancient battles almost forgotten by history, but engraved in stone in the DImitrescu castle. Her father, uncle and older brothers were no exception, their gravestones welcomed the new member.
Hours passed and the event concluded. When the last family withdrew from the castle, Lady Dimitrescu went to her room.
She cried, she cried again as she never had before, perhaps even more than when she returned from America to her home and had received the news of the death of her family in the war. She just cried, cried a lot.
After crying for almost half an hour, she pulled herself together. She began to think about the future that she and hers would have with her three nieces, the last of House Dimitrescu.
While she was sitting she notice a series of boxes that were in the office. One of her servants had advised him that several boxes and letters had arrived, intended for herself. Lady Dimitrescu first took the letters and read them. She spent the next 20 minutes reading letters until she was frustrated and furious.
The letters were mostly from letters of condolences on the death of Elizabeth Dimitrescu. At first she felt something beautiful inside her, because her letters gave some light. But as she read each of the letters, she noticed a pattern: in all of them they were letters that not only offered condolences, but also tried in a way to make her fall into a "honey trap". The boxes numbered in dozens, she opened each one and saw lavish gifts. They were a way to make the wounded dragon fall in love.
"Damn worms." - Alcina Dimitrescu said when reading one of the letters. Each was of several men trying to take advantage of Alcina's emotional vulnerability in a moment of great sadness.
She took each of the boxes and letters, no matter what each one contained, and threw them as if they were simple garbage into a service room that was in her office.
Finally, Alcina got into bed. She wanted to sleep, she spent the last 2 days with her sister without sleeping, accompanying her through the slow agony. But finally, Lisa would rest in peace.
Alcina was dragged through the realm of dreams, to the realm of memories
Alcina opened her eyes. She watched as the small luxury room was on fire.
The people around her were dead. She recognized each of the people, they were her friends, companions and strangers on her journey. Each one was killed, but not by the explosion or the fire, well at least the majority, but one of these people was brutally massacred. There were heads, arms, torsos scattered throughout that narrow room.
Alcina saw herself, she noticed that she was under one of the tables and felt how the constant movement of the room slowed down little by little. Also, she noticed something that impressed her more, she noticed that her body was younger, much younger.
Finally, she remembered what had happened more than 25 years ago. She was on the infamous Dallas Train. She panicked. Everything she saw there reminded her of what happened.
However, this nightmare was more than lucid, she felt that she really was in control of what was happening.
But as she recovered, she watched as one of the doors opened. And she saw a masked man in blue clothes, this one had a bloody sword. And she watched in horror as this man advanced towards her with sword in hand.
Alcina closed her eyes, expecting the worst. But she only heard 3 shots. When she opened her eyes she saw the man in blue on the ground face down, he had fallen. Alcina looked up from her and saw another man, but this was totally different, he was wearing a hat and mask, and was also covered by a kind of red cape. This man still had her gun pointed at her.
Alcina was still terrified, the man with the sword was dead, but the other man had a gun pointed at her. She closed her eyes again, now she knew that she would die from a hot bullet and not from a cold blade of a sword.
She had her eyes closed, but she felt the footsteps accompanied by a small bell. Finally, she felt like the man was in front of her. She braced herself for the bullet, but she wasn't ready with what would happen.
She felt like an arm took her by the legs and another arm took her from behind, at that moment she was being carried by that man. Then she opened her eyes and looked into the eyes of that man. Her eyes were blue, compared to the honey-colored eyes she had.
She suddenly felt no more panic, but rather, she felt security. Her body is glued to the body of the tall man, who was walking through the burning car. Alcian's heart was pounding,
She could see the rest of the cabins. They were the corpses of other passengers, they were as varied as in which they were originally. In addition, she saw that among the corpses of the passengers were other men in blue suits as well as other men dressed as the man who was carrying her.
She didn't close her eyes, she felt the need to see everything this time. The man walked until he stopped in a part of the wagon, at this moment the train had already stopped at that moment. That part of the carriage had a large footprint, as if an explosion had ripped open the wall.
The man and the young woman walked through that hole and went outside. The man walked across the uneven terrain, still carrying the young woman in her arms. She felt that not a minute passed when she suddenly heard voices.
"Alcina !" - Shouted an old female voice.
"My niece are you safe !" - Exclaimed the voice of the old woman. She came to take Alcina from the arms of that man. This action made Alcina feel uneasy, as she felt that she wanted to spend more time in those arms of her knight.
"Thanks! Thank you!" - Exclaimed the old woman as she looked at the peculiar hero.
But instead of receiving a reward. The women there saw how that man turned around and just said.
"There are still people inside. I'll be right back." - He said to her with a calm and serene voice.
Alcina felt comfortable hearing the voice of the hero in the hat and cape.
Then the man walked back to the train never to get off it again.
After several minutes, the train finished exploding with a huge bang.
Then Alcina woke up. She woke up sweaty and with her heart pounding. She looked through the sale and saw how the white moon had gone to make way for the sun king.
"Just a nightmare." - She told herself. - "But it wasn't bad at all."
Then Alcina saw how the majestic sun shone through the window. Something inside her told her that this was a sign that she had to move on for her nieces and for herself.
"It seems that the sun smiles at us sister." She finished with a smile as a tear fell from one of her eyes.
*2030* - The present
Erron was sitting in a chair in the main room. He was alone, with nothing else to do, only with his thoughts.
"The front door requires a key and a ladder. It will be difficult to escape through the main one, on the other hand, the outdoor patio has several flaws, the fences are in the best of cases rotten, it will be more than easy to break them with a tool and escape. But first it will be to find any of the damn books and escape. " - Erron said to himself while he better contemplated the main room. He observed the luxuries of the castle.
"There you are." - Said Mariana who was approaching with a cart with hot drinks. - "Follow me."
Erron looked at the old maid, she was wearing a tea set with biscuits.
Erron got up from his chair, and helped the woman loading the cart. This cart did not weigh much, however, it was necessary to carry it calmly and balanced. Erron and Mariana walked through the upper hallways until they came to the same room where he was hired.
Once there, Mariana turned around and said to Erron in a low voice.
"You take care of the rest."
Erron heard what the maid said. Apparently they will bleed him tonight.
"As you say." - Erron told the maid.
Once the maid had left, Erron knocked on the door. Only a voice was heard in there. It was the voice of Lady Dimitrescu.
"Pass"
"Ah shit, here we go again." - Erron said as he opened the door and entered with the cart.
Erron entered the room. And there she was, on the other side of the room and looking out the window, was his Lady.
"Good evening, my lady." - Erron said with disgust, because he would deal with that vampire again. - "Here I bring what she asked for."
"Be nice and put the tray on the desk." - Lady Dimitrescu said looking through the window.
Erron obeyed the instruction. He took the tray and walked across the room until he reached the desk. Erron put the tray on the desk, it was easy to accommodate the tray, there was a lot of space on the desk, there were only a couple of old papers ...
Erron took a closer look at one of the papers. It was the old and outdated criminal hunting system of the old west, a poster with the legend "Alive or Dead," and what disturbed him most was that the reward order was from him.
He looked at other posters and found more posters with the rewards offered on his head. He also saw some black and white photos of himself in different parts of his life: there was one where he was posing in a photo for the Confederate army, in another photo when he served as Sheriff, he saw another when he had formed a band of outlaws and finally, the last photo where he appreciates a man hanging.
As Erron looked at the photos, he did not feel the footsteps of his Lady who was now behind him. He only felt two gloved hands on her chest.
"I think we'll have a long talk, Erron Black." - Lady Dimitrescu said as she caressed Erron's chest…. of her knight from the past.
Author's note.
Hello people, I hope you are liking the story. I would like to know your opinions about it, I really would like to know your opinion of him. Anyway, take care and have a good day.
