Surprised? Yeah, me too XD
After I finished Malady 4, I took a little pause from writing and then I finally (!) finished writing down the complete skeletal outline for this arc so that I didn't have to carry everything in my mind anymore and potentially forget some details... Anyway, I guess, writing down all that's to come (a lot! writing everything down also reminded me that I really do hate myself hah (but it will be fun! hopefully!)) got me overly excited and here we are: A new chapter, not even a month after the last one! (The 10k-cap also helped hah.)
Well, here we are!^^ I hope you'll enjoy Clockmaker 1~
Chapter Twenty-Four:
The Countess, Clockmaker - Part 1
"I was sick of time, and forests too."
Countryside, England, United Kingdom – February 1846
~Cloudia~
Keegan had not told me that someone else would be here too. I thought it would solely be the Disaster Trio and me.
And how odd it was that it was the man from the reception.
"Good thinking, Milt," said Falk and walked to Milton to take the plate from him. "Someone," he glared at Geoffrey, "has been monopolising the orange muffins."
"I took them when nobody else seemed to want any," Geoffrey defended himself.
"They were just brought out!" Falk yelled. "And you placed every single one of them on your plate. Were we supposed to steal them from you?!"
"A man has to eat to gain strength and height."
"You are not even growing anymore! And why muffins? Eat vegetables and fruits if you need strength!"
"Eating baked goods is important too!"
"Eat as many as you want in your own time! This is a group setting, Bentley!"
"This is my own time, Flanagan!"
Falk wanted to reply something when Cadell walked to them and said, "Now, now, there is no reason to yell. Milt brought new ones, didn't he?" He took the plate with the muffins from Falk, and from one moment to the other, the atmosphere shifted, brought about by them remembering that Milton was here.
"I am sorry for having yelled with you so close to me, Milt," Falk said, sounding genuinely rueful.
"I am sorry for having been overeager with the muffins and making you head to the kitchen," Geoffrey said, sounding similarly apologetic.
Cloudia could only blink in bewilderment at the strange scene in front of her.
I had only met Milton Salisbury once before. Of course, I knew nothing of him from the brief time we spent together at the Layton Art Gallery. Still, he did not seem like someone who would be associated with the loud, chaotic Disaster Trio, perhaps even be friends with them. Milton was so timid... he did not fit together with them.
However, while he seemed very out of place next to Geoffrey, Cadell, and Falk, he also seemed to have his place within this group.
Curious.
A faint smile that didn't reach his eyes appeared on Milton's lips. "It is all right, Geoffrey and Falk," he said softly. Then, he turned to Cloudia. "Welcome. Mr Morrow, isn't it? It is nice to see you so soon again. I am sorry for not having come to you immediately to greet you."
"It is fine," Cloudia replied. Only when the words were already out, did she realise that she had said them gently, involuntarily mirroring Milton's tone and the tone Geoffrey and Falk had used when they had spoken to him. Keegan rarely spoke like that, and Cloudia was glad that no one seemed to have noticed the mistake.
What a slip-up! And I hadn't even been here for an hour. I needed to be more careful and guarded.
"I also think that it is nice to see you again so soon, Baron Salisbury," Cloudia continued, making her voice sound a little grumpier than before. Interestingly, all members of the Disaster Trio looked worriedly at Milton when she had finished speaking.
That faint smile from before re-appeared on Milton's face. "Please call me 'Milton,' Mr Morrow. There is no need to be so formal with me. Especially not in such a setting."
"Then, please call me 'Keegan,' Milton," Cloudia replied.
Milton nodded, and then Cadell said, "How about we sit down and eat and talk a little?" He gave Cloudia a clap on the back and smiled at her. "Get to know one another a bit better before the hunt?"
It was certainly an odd conversation, being interspersed with Falk and Geoffrey's bickering and Cadell's attempts to calm them down. It was fairly one-sided with the Disaster Trio, mostly Cadell, asking Cloudia questions. Although Cloudia was not very keen on socialising, it itched her to talk more, to ask more questions herself, to contribute more to their conversation. Unfortunately, she was "Keegan" right now, and her dear cousin had never been particularly talkative. As a result, it felt as if Cloudia was not involved in a lunch conversation, but was rather being interviewed. And considering the kind of questions the Disaster Trio mostly asked – How long have you been hunting? What is your favourite part of hunting? Is it true that you are a master tracker? Etc. – she wondered if she wasn't, in fact, being interviewed for something.
While everyone else was actively participating in the conversation, Milton was a silent observer. Cloudia kept forgetting that he was there until he asked someone of the Disaster Trio a question when they weren't talking to her, enquiring about Geoffrey's wife Hannah, Falk's studies, Cadell's insight on the last derby. He never asked her any questions. Cloudia would have felt insulted if she had not noticed how draining all of Milton's attempts at light conversation were to him. If he barely managed to talk to people who were apparently his friends, she could not blame him for avoiding talking to her, a stranger.
Milton looked so sad and miserable while he was quietly eating and listening to everyone else talking. Still, when he spoke, he put on a faint smile and a soft, almost happy voice. Milton's father had died two and a half months ago; the wound was still fresh, the grief still strong. Milton was struggling, he was trying, and Cloudia could not help but wonder why he was even here if he was doing so badly.
After two hours of painful conversation, it was finally time for the hunt.
Cadell led them outside. The servants had brought out the horses – beautiful animals; Cloudia could not wait to ride one of them but wished she could have brought Falada with her – and set out tables with the rifles. Cloudia took in everything and blinked in bewilderment when she noticed that there were only four horses.
"Cadell," Cloudia said; he had told her that it was fine to call him by his given name, "aren't we missing a horse?"
"We're not, Morrow. Milt will not be hunting with us," Cadell replied.
Cloudia must have looked very puzzled because when Falk looked at her he said, "Milt will participate in the hunt. He simply won't hunt. He will walk around the forest and shoo animals in our direction to make things easier for us and ensure that everything goes well. Like carrying around extra 'ammunition,' helping us with our rifles if something goes wrong with them, or making sure that no animal will become a danger to any of us."
"In the past, Milt hunted a few times with us," Cadell continued with the explanation. "It's only a bit more difficult for him, and he was always more comfortable in his unique position of 'hunt guard.'"
"Why is it more difficult for him?" Cloudia wanted to know.
"It is more difficult for me because I cannot ride," Milton said behind her, startling her and making her take a step to the side to integrate him into their little circle. "Animals generally dislike me. That's why I could never learn it," he answered her unspoken question as well. "And why there won't be any dogs in this hunt."
Geoffrey suddenly appeared and put an arm around Milton's shoulders. "You can still decide to join on foot, Milt! Not that you get rusty. You need to practice! Practice! Keep practising!"
"Don't push him if he doesn't want to, Bentley," snarled Falk.
"I'm not pushing him! It's Milt's choice! I am only saying he should not forget to practice! Even if he is already the best shot amongst us, he needs to practice to get even better!"
Cloudia raised an eyebrow. "Milton is the best shot amongst you?"
Looking at Milton, I would immediately put him on a list of "people who should never be given a gun." But then, maybe if he was not in mourning, he was less anxious, less shaky?
Geoffrey put down the arm he had wrapped around Milton's shoulders to give him a clap on the back. "Yes! Best shot I know even."
"Milt never misses his mark," Falk stated.
"If he were to actively participate in the hunt, none of us would have a chance," Cadell added and smiled.
Milton blushed. "I am not that good," he told Cloudia sheepishly. "They are only being nice."
Cadell laughed. "That's our humble Milt for you, Morrow."
"Milt? Should I explain the hunt's procedure or do you want to do it?" asked Falk, walking to the table with the rifles.
"I can do it, Falk," Milton said, and Falk nodded.
"Milt better does it himself," meant Cadell.
"Yes," said Geoffrey. "No one ever understands your explanations, Flanagan."
Falk glared at Geoffrey and Cadell, and Cloudia could see that he was restraining himself not to yell at them in front of Milton. Surely, he had done this a dozen times today already, but right now, he seemed to remember to hold himself back when Milton was with them.
Wordlessly, Falk handed something to Milton who thanked him and then turned to Cloudia. "This will be a rather unconventional hunt as none of us will kill any animals today." He showed her the object in his hand: a dart with indigo fletching. "This is a tranquiliser dart. It is only strong enough to take down an animal. If a human gets hit or grazed by it, they will only get stabbed and nothing else. The dart's dose works on all animals found in a regular British forest, from rabbits to wild boars and deer, and will work quickly, but not instantaneously. A hit animal, no matter the size, will not wake up for at least two hours. Of course, the hunt may take longer than that. Thus, some larger animals may wake up before the hunt is finished. The dart will stay in the animal and will be counted later. Please be careful not to shoot at an animal that has already been claimed by someone else."
Milton touched the fletching. "The colour of the darts' fletching will vary so that it is easier to discern who shot which animal and who got the most. After the hunting period is over, the animals will be located and counted. Therefore, it's not necessary to take them with you. The larger the animal you 'hunted,' the more points you receive. Afterwards, the darts will be removed and the awakened animals will be let go."
He gave the dart to Cloudia who curiously turned it around in her hand. "We also have darts in red, yellow, and blue if you prefer a different colour," Milton told her.
"This one will be fine," Cloudia said, and he nodded. Then, Falk handed Milton a rifle. "Of course, it would be inconvenient and potentially dangerous if one were to approach an animal and stab it with a dart from a close distance," Milton continued and showed Cloudia the rifle. "These rifles were modified to be able to carry and shoot the darts. Except for that, they work the same as regular rifles. You will be able to hunt as always. The only difference to normal hunts is that tranquiliser darts will be used instead of bullets."
"A non-lethal hunt. Interesting," Cloudia said and took the rifle from Milton. She inspected it from all sides; it looked just like a regular rifle. Then, Cloudia put in her dart. Like he had said, it worked exactly like loading a rifle with bullets. This modified weapon could hold three darts, and Milton silently handed her two more indigo ones.
"I've never seen anything like this before," said Cloudia. "Where did you get it?"
Cadell shrugged. "It's something very new on the market, apparently. You can try it out, Morrow," he replied and pointed at a tree that was only about four metres away from them.
He didn't have to tell me twice.
Excited, Cloudia readied and raised the rifle and shot the tree with ease. She hit and the dart got stuck in the bark. This modified version worked surprisingly well. Shooting with it was a familiar, smooth process.
"It works like a charm," Cloudia said and lowered the weapon. "Do you always hunt like this?"
Falk shook his head. "No. We usually use normal hunting rifles and bullets. Milt suggested we try something else this time."
Milton fumbled with his sleeves. "I am sorry if all this is a bit weird to you," he said to Cloudia. "I should have said something earlier."
"No, it's my fault here," Geoffrey interjected, much to Cloudia's surprise. "I invited Morrow. I should have let him know."
"It's all right," said Cloudia. "While this is certainly odd, it is also refreshing. I do not mind trying out something new."
Milton smiled faintly, and Cadell joyfully clapped his hands together. "This is good to hear, Morrow! With everything now explained, we can start the hunt."
The rifles and darts were handed out – Falk received the red ones, Cadell the blue ones, and Geoffrey the yellow ones. As a start, everyone got thirty-six darts packed in a small bag. If someone were to run out of darts, they either had to return to the manor to get more or find Milton who would be carrying darts in all colours with him.
After the weapons, the horses were distributed. Out of fairness, Cadell chose not to use his personal horse today and instead picked a brown steed called Philippe which he had only ridden once before. Cloudia's horse was named Domino, a white mare with a black mane and black spots. Falk's was called Samson, and Geoffrey's Major.
While Cloudia got ready and introduced herself to Domino by feeding her an apple, Milton gave her, much to her surprise, yet another item: a gun. England had notably very few large animals, and the animals that were larger like deer usually didn't attack people. Milton explained that it was still better for everyone to carry an actual weapon for emergencies and emergencies only. With raised eyebrows, Cloudia accepted the gun.
Shortly afterwards when everyone was on their horses, Milton announced that the hunt would now commence and Cloudia alongside Cadell, Falk, and Geoffrey rode into the forest.
Every time Cloudia went hunting, she thought of August and the first time she had ever participated in a hunt. She heard August's instructions and tips whenever she raised her rifle, aimed, and fired. He had taught her all she knew about shooting and hunting. He had been unsure whether he would be a good teacher; she had been sure that he would be. In the end, Cloudia had been right: August had been a wonderful instructor, and she would always carry his teachings with her – and the memory of that first hunt that resurfaced with every new one.
On horseback and with a rifle in her hands, alert on the wildlife around her, Cloudia was catapulted back several months into the past. A restless fifteen-year-old, eager to learn how to use a gun, to find something new to keep her busy and divert her thoughts.
It felt as if more time had passed since then, but it had not even been a year. Cathleen and August were married now. Cloudia now knew how to use firearms. But she was still fifteen, was still restless and trying to find new things to keep her mind and body busy.
Taking a deep breath, Cloudia pushed that thought aside and aimed at a fox. She hit and watched it fall down and asleep. Those tranquiliser darts worked very well. It was almost scary.
Cloudia looked at the fox for a moment longer and then rode on. The hunt energised her, filled her with excitement and adrenaline. She loved the feeling of wind on her skin when she rode and wished she could feel it in her hair too, wished she could take off the wig and let her hair fall loose. She enjoyed the hunt so much that, for a while, she forgot about the main reason she switched places with Keegan: the bandits in the forest. Cecelia had said that they had last been spotted around this area. So far, Cloudia had not spotted any of them or anything that indicated that they were indeed in this forest.
It was a pity that the bandits seemed to have left for someplace else, and I could not catch them anymore and annoy some policemen by doing their work for them.
At least, I could participate in a hunt and have some fun in that.
Cloudia shot a few more foxes, some rabbits, and while pursuing a deer, she ventured deeper and deeper into the forest. In the beginning, she had sometimes spotted Falk, Cadell, or Geoffrey, though never Milton; she wondered where he was and how exactly he was fulfilling his duty as "hunt guard." Now, following the deer and eventually losing it, Cloudia realised that she hadn't seen anyone in a long while and that she might have ridden too deep into the forest. Not knowing if she was even allowed to go that far away – no one had told her, and she had forgotten to ask –, Cloudia made Domino turn around. As soon as they were moving back towards Beaumont Manor, Domino got frightened by something. Cloudia tried to calm her down, in vain, and was thrown off the horse and landed hard on the ground.
Nanteuil-la-Forêt, Marne, France – June 1848
~Cedric~
Cedric had never been a morning person. His perfect mornings entailed sleeping in and having breakfast in bed when it was time for lunch. However, because of his various occupations, he had learned to get up early and get ready quickly. Therefore, when Jacques woke him up at six in the morning, Cedric's body was surprisingly ready for the day even when his mind was not. After visiting Cloudia, he had managed to sleep for about ten hours which was a good amount, but they did not quite even out the hours he had spent sleepless and tormented. At least, they would be enough to allow him to wander through the forest to get to the Clockmaker.
As soon as Jacques was gone – he still had preparations to do before their departure – Cedric groaned yet again and got out of bed. He washed himself, got dressed, packed his bag while he thought how he had been unable to have a proper conversation with Cloudia again. They were always broken up, and he had become thoroughly annoyed at this circumstance. This time, he had apparently even fallen asleep in her room and been brought to his later. Cedric could barely remember what little they had talked about yesterday, though he remembered the disorientation and disappointment he had felt when Jacques had woken him up. The little time he had spent with Cloudia had been blurred by his sleepy brain.
At least, while Cedric might not be a morning person, Cloudia was one. It was a little after six o'clock, and the chances were high that she was awake right now. Jacques had said that he might need a while to get ready. If Cedric hurried, he could visit Cloudia before they left.
Cedric fastened his hairband and grabbed his bag before he strode out of his room and to Cloudia's.
Jacques could take all the time he wanted.
Smiling, Cedric opened the door to Cloudia's room – and was met by Lisa. Only by Lisa.
Oh, for Heaven's sake.
Lisa grinned at him. "If you're looking for Lady Cloudia," she said while dusting the room, "she has been gone for hours. Mr Kamden left Al and me notes to say that they would go to Nanteuil-la-Forêt."
"For hours?" Cedric exclaimed. "It's six o'clock! What could they want that early there?"
She shrugged. "Don't ask me. The note wasn't very detailed, but I guess they wanted to investigate some more?"
Cedric rubbed his face. Of course. Cloudia usually got up early to get work done or finish a book. This case was keeping her busy and bothering her – and if she had left in the dead of night, she had likely thought about catching the culprit when they were about to claim their next victim. Of course, she had thought that.
Cedric sighed and let his eyes wander through the room – and seeing the seating area, his memories from yesterday flowed back and with them came a healthy blush. Thankfully, Lisa had turned around to dust a vase, and he was still conscious enough to understand that he had to leave before she saw him in his current state.
"Well. Bye then, Miss Greene," Cedric said and hurried out of the room and to the kitchen. He needed to eat, needed to go somewhere where he likely would not run into anyone he knew – not when his face was still burning red.
The kitchen was busy at this hour with cooks and kitchen helpers hurrying around to prepare breakfast. Cedric watched them work for a moment before he turned invisible and sneaked inside, taking some food here and there. Then, he teleported himself out of the building. Perhaps it would cause a bit of confusion, but he did not think of that. All he could think of was Cloudia's warm hand in his, her hand in his hair, her face so close to his…
Cedric groaned and leaned against the château's façade, turning visible again when he was sure no one was around. He put an arm over his eyes and breathed the crisp morning air in and out.
"I do not care about this case, about this mission. I am only here for…" I couldn't believe that I had said this out loud yesterday! Could not fathom what was happening to me.
At least, I had broken off my sentence. God, at least, I had broken off my sentence…
Cedric slid to the ground, repeating the words in his head that had been crossing his mind and lips for quite a while now: "I am not in love with the Countess."
He took out the food he had stolen in the kitchen and ate a croissant to divert his thoughts. Although Cedric had not eaten anything since yesterday's late lunch, the knot in him did not let him feel his hungriness much. He pondered over contacting Cloudia via the skull pendant necklace but dismissed the idea. Maybe it wouldn't be good to hear her now – even if it wasn't her voice, it was her words, and that might already be too much for him to bear right now when she wasn't actually there with him.
I was a mess.
"You look like a mess," Cedric heard the one voice he did not want to hear in this very moment. Naturally, as the universe seemed to have taken a dislike to him, Cecelia was here and no one else.
Cedric stuffed the rest of the croissant into his mouth and looked blankly at Cecelia who had appeared at the exit, a small bag in her hand.
"Good morning, you mannerless idiot," said Cecelia, grimacing.
He kept on chewing. The flaky pastry crumbled in his overstuffed mouth and bits of it got stuck on his face and fluttered onto his clothes.
"You are disgusting."
He kept on chewing and chewing.
Cecelia sighed and asked with a wicked smile on her face, "Did you sleep well, Not-Kristopher?"
He kept looking at her blankly. She shrugged.
For a while, no one said a word. Then, Cedric swallowed down his croissant and asked, "What are you doing here so early, Cecelia?"
Cecelia raised an eyebrow, and Cedric sighed. "Good morning, Cecelia. What are you doing here so early?"
She smiled. "I am waiting for my carriage to get prepared and my luggage to be brought out. I planned to head out a little later. However, I woke up early and have been overflowing with energy all morning – it is terrible. I hope this goes away soon. At least, leaving early means arriving early and having more time for myself there."
Cedric blinked at her. "You are going somewhere?" "Couldn't you have done this sooner?" he wanted to add but held himself back.
"Yes, to Paris," Cecelia told him, and he stared at her.
"To Paris? Since when?"
She rolled her eyes. "Since we planned this trip, Not-Kristopher. I don't have to disclose all I do to you if I don't want to. But don't worry: I am not following Milton. I am going there because the Williams marquessate owns two properties in Paris. After Michael's death, they were given to his brother. However, one of them is not an old family house but a home Michael purchased specifically for him and me. While that house belongs legally to his brother, it is mine in any way. I am managing it. Richard does not dare to touch it; it is his in-name-only. I haven't been at this house in a long time, so I am heading there for business reasons."
"Oh, dear God, you have relatives?" Cedric exclaimed.
"Of course, I have relatives. Who did you think the current Marquess Williams was?"
"Honestly, I do not care for such things."
Cecelia rolled her eyes again. "Michael has a younger brother and sister who are both married. Richard has a young son. Arabella is expecting. I have plenty of relatives."
"Oh, dear God, you are an aunt?"
She sighed. "We always have the most pleasant conversations, Not-Kristopher, don't we?" Cecelia reached into her bag and held out a daguerreotype to him. It showed an uncharacteristically friendly-looking Cecelia in front of a quaint house, her arms linked with a bespectacled smiling man.
"That's Michael?" Cedric said, squinting at the picture. "He looks like a perfectly normal man. Not evil at all. He seems so ordinary."
"I didn't invite you to comment on Michael. I am showing you the house." Cecelia glared at him. "And no, while he was indeed a normal person, he was certainly not ordinary."
"Well, Michael's on the daguerreotype too," Cedric replied. "You look like such an uneven match."
Cecelia huffed and put back the image. "And what are you doing here, Not-Kristopher?" she said, a sudden edge to her words.
Did I accidentally say something that upset her? What exactly was it and why did it upset her? I had to find out.
"Jacques said that he would meet me at the front entrance," Cedric told her. "I am waiting for him. When he arrives, we're heading to the Clockmaker – wherever that person lives."
Cecelia chuckled. "The front entrance you say?"
"Yes."
"And you're waiting for him there?"
"Exactly."
"Right now?"
"Yes, ri-" Cedric's face sagged. "I'm at the wrong entrance, aren't I?"
"Yes," Cecelia said with a grin. "This is the back entrance."
With a groan, Cedric stood up and brushed the croissant crumbs from his face and clothes. "I'll go then," he said and hurried around the building and to the front entrance. Cedric had rounded the corner to the entrance when he spotted a carriage in front of it. He slowed down and walked towards the door. Jacques was nowhere to be seen, but Milton was sitting on the steps to the entrance, reading a book.
Milton looked up and smiled at Cedric. "Good morning, Kristopher," he said and put his bookmark into his book and closed it. "How are you? Did you sleep well?"
"Good morning, Milton," Cedric replied. "I can't say I slept particularly well, but I did sleep for a decently long time, so I am doing fine."
"That's good to hear."
Cedric looked around. "What are you doing here anyway, Milton? I mean, sitting and reading here."
"I am waiting for Bram. A few things still needed to be arranged. I wanted to do them; however, after yesterday's storm, Bram insisted that he will do it and that I should get some more rest." Milton gazed up to the sky. The way the wind gently played with his hair and the sun illuminated his hair and eyes, made his facial features both soft and refined, he did remind Cedric of a faerie. "Today, the sky is clear though," Milton said dreamily, "and it is so warm despite the early hour. It seems that it will be a lovely day today."
"Is that why you have been reading on the steps instead of in the carriage?" Cedric asked.
Milton smiled at him. While he was always restless, he had been on edge yesterday, his nerves pulled tight, ready to tear at any moment; he had seemed so lost, had been suffering yesterday. He had been so damped, all smiles that hadn't been fully lit. Today, Milton was back to being the radiant Milton Cedric knew. Barely knew, but still. And Cedric was relieved because of that.
"Exactly, Kristopher," Milton said.
"What are you reading anyway?"
Milton held up his book. There was no title on the cover, and noticing his mistake, he turned the book to show Cedric the spine instead which held the author's name and title in gold capital letters against a brown background. "Dombey and Son," Milton said at the same time as Cedric read the title for himself.
"Ah, the Dickens novel the Lady still haven't got around to re-read," said Cedric. His eyes wandered to the bookmark sticking out of the novel. "Interesting. I thought you would be like her and simply memorise the page number."
Milton put the book back on his lap. "I do memorise the page number as she does," he told him. "Using a bookmark is an old habit. I like the reassurance and ease of one."
Cedric nodded. "I see."
"And speaking of Lady Cloudia," Milton said, his eyes shining brightly in the light. "I don't think you aren't confident at all. However, you should try to be more confident when it comes to her." He blushed and worried at his sleeves. Before Cedric could respond anything to his off-throwing words, Milton glanced at Cedric's bag and clothes and asked, "Are you going somewhere too?"
Cedric blinked at him. "Uh, yes. I promised Jacques to hike through the woods with him today. To explore the area. He said that he would meet me here."
"Through the woods?" Milton gazed at the forest around them before he turned back to Cedric, looking very concerned. "We wandered through it a few days ago. Please take care when you go there and always be alert."
Cedric blinked at him. "Sure. I will take care."
Despite the reassurance, the concerned look didn't leave Milton's face. It only did when he craned his head to the door the very moment Wentworth appeared there with a bag in his hand.
"Good morning, Your Grace," he said, bowing his head to Cedric. Cedric returned the greeting, and Wentworth turned his attention to Milton who had stood up, book in hand. "I am all done, Master Milton. We can leave now."
"Thanks, Bram," Milton replied.
Wentworth walked to the carriage, placing the bag inside it, leaving the door open, and sitting down on the coachman's seat.
"Wentworth will drive the carriage?" Cedric asked Milton. "Isn't he a bit too old for this?"
"It may seem so, but I assure you, Kristopher, that Bram is still perfectly capable of driving a carriage," Milton told him. "He is very fit for his age. And we do not want to inconvenience any servant here to bring us to Creil. It is such a long drive." He looked over to his butler and then back at Cedric. "I must say goodbye now. We will see us again in a few days or a week, Kristopher. Good luck with your hike, and take care."
Cedric nodded. "Goodbye and thanks, Milton. See you in a few days or a week, and take care of yourself too," he said and then suddenly remembered Milton's words in the kitchen. "I wish you all the best that you are fast enough for whatever you have to do."
Milton's eyes widened in surprise, though it lasted only a moment before his surprise was replaced by sadness. "Thank you, Kristopher," he said, his voice heavy. "I'd give anything to ensure that I will be."
Milton got into his carriage and closed the door. Cedric waved at him, and he waved back. Then, Wentworth set the carriage in motion, and Cedric watched them drive away and vanish from his sight. He kept looking after them even when they were long gone.
Sometime later, Jacques arrived, happily clutching the straps of his backpack and saying that they could now leave.
~Cloudia~
Cloudia woke up to the moon hanging bright and almost full above her. Denis had taken off the wagon's roof, and she and Kamden had not bothered to find and put it back. Thankfully, it had been a good choice: After it had stormed all day, the rain had stopped before dinner. Since then, the clouds had vanished and never returned, and the sky was now clear and dark and full of stars. They could only hope that the clouds and the rain wouldn't return later.
Gently, Kamden helped Cloudia to sit up. He had driven with special care, and Cloudia had been able to sleep soundly the entire drive. She still hadn't got a lot of sleep; nonetheless, she felt energised and ready to go to Nanteuil-la-Forêt.
It was the same energy that had been filling me all night, that had not allowed me to sleep and brought me here.
"Have you slept well, Cloudie?" Kamden asked and softly kissed her head.
Cloudia smiled. He always did that when they slept and woke up in the same place or when he was there when she woke up. "I did. Thanks, Kam. I needed that extra bit of sleep."
Kamden squeezed her hand. Then, they got out of the wagon, bound the horse to a tree, and left it there with some food before they headed towards the village.
"What do you plan to do in Nanteuil-la-Forêt?" Kamden wanted to know.
"It's so early in the morning. I hope it is early enough that the murderer hasn't struck yet," said Cloudia. "Then, we could hide and patrol the village and make sure everyone stays in their homes and the killer cannot act – unless they've spontaneously decided to break into yet another house. We may even catch that pesky killer. Imagine if they hadn't claimed another victim yet and we could catch them red-handed. A dream."
He nodded.
"Of course, I doubt it will go that easy. Still, I hope at least nobody died this night yet."
"It will be fine," said Kamden and then hesitated to continue. "Unless the killer is a… a something."
"Like allegedly in those killings from 1841?"
"Yes. Ever since I heard about those killings, I cannot stop thinking about them. It is such a terrible tale." Kamden looked at the forest surrounding them. They were walking on the street that ran through it, divided the forest into two parts. In the darkness of the night, the trees that rose left and right to them seemed to have gained height; their branches and crowns seemed to bend and reach to one another, trying to close the gap between them and swallowing Kamden and Cloudia up in the process.
It was curious how the absence of light could distort a picture in such a way.
"Many of them happened in or around forests," Kamden continued and shuddered.
Cloudia linked arms with him. "You know very well that there are no such things as ghosts or phantoms or monsters, Kam. The killings surely happened, but they must have been so horrifying that, in their minds, the survivors and those who knew about them turned the monstrous murderer into a true monster. It's easier to imagine someone who does such atrocious deeds as something other than human than to accept that it was indeed a human like you and me who was capable of such bloodshed."
Kamden took a deep breath. "You're right, Cloudie. Of course, it couldn't have been an actual phantom or ghost or shadow. Those men came to my bookstore only a few weeks ago: Their story is still fresh in my mind."
She patted his arm. "When we are back home, I'll help you research those killings. To get some closure for you and those men if we can find and contact them. And to get some closure for me too because I cannot believe that I've never heard of a crime of such calibre before."
Kamden kissed her forehead. "Thanks, Cloudie."
Cloudia smiled at him. "You're welcome Kammie," she said and then withdrew her arm from his and took his hand. "Come, we are wasting time; we need to hurry."
Cloudia had hoped and wished that four o'clock would be early enough that the murderer hadn't killed anyone yet and she would have the chance to apprehend them. However, when she and Kamden entered Nanteuil-la-Forêt and walked through the narrow streets, she noticed a commotion in the distance and her heart sank and anger rose in her. Cloudia hurried through the streets, following the voices. Kamden was close on her heels.
The voices led them to the cemetery which consisted of a small old stone building surrounded by gravestones in all shapes and sizes and framed by a stone wall.
How very kind of the murderer to kill their victim here.
Kamden and Cloudia entered the graveyard and saw Yvette talking to Alain Descombes and a man Cloudia had not seen before. Next to them laid a body covered in dirt. While Cloudia couldn't understand their conversation as they were in the other end of the cemetery, she noticed Alain reaching out to Yvette, and Yvette immediately stepping back before he could touch her.
She and Kamden were only a few steps away from Alain, Yvette, and the unknown man when they finally noticed them and stopped talking. They turned to them, and Alain was the first to talk. "M Gauthier, M Fouille, what a pleasant surprise. You have come right on time."
Cloudia glanced at the body to their feet. The victim was a boy around Gustave and Dominique's age with dark hair. "I would not say that we have come right on time, M Descombes."
"You are at least right on time to look into the next murder," said Yvette and wrapped her arms around herself. Interestingly, she wore proper clothes and did not look like someone who was ripped from their sleep in the dead of night; Alain didn't look like that either.
"Serge," Yvette nodded to the unknown man, "just dug out Ruben and brought M Descombes and me here from the townhall."
Serge stepped forward and held out his hand to Cloudia. "Serge Renou. I am the cemetery's groundskeeper."
Cloudia shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I am Jean Gauthier, Détective Vidocq's assistant, and this is my colleague Grégoire Fouille. You may have heard that we are currently investigating the murders that have occurred here in the last few days."
Kamden bowed his head to Serge, and Serge nodded at him and then looked back at Cloudia. "I did hear about it," Serge said. "You are not doing a particularly good job."
Cloudia smiled. "Would you mind doing it for us then? With all the hindrances that were put on our way?"
Serge scowled, and she kept on smiling. Cloudia turned to Yvette and Alain. "Please tell me: Who was murdered this time? What happened?"
"Ruben Fournier was murdered," Alain told her. "Despite the curfew, M Renou could not help himself but check on the cemetery."
"I was at home and remembered that I had forgotten my wallet in the mausoleum because I put all my things there while I work outside," Serge said. "It's interesting what you remember at the most inconvenient of times. I couldn't remember that I'd forgotten my wallet before the curfew or even shortly afterwards: No, I woke up from sleep, turned around, and while I tried to fall asleep again, I remembered that I left my wallet in the mausoleum.
"Anyway, I pondered over whether I should go and get it or not. I didn't know if the stranger was not only a murderer but also a thief. And didn't he break into the tailor shop? Did he steal anything? Well, at any rate, I did not want him to get my wallet. I didn't want some killer to get away with my hard-earned money. That's why I went out despite the curfew to get it. I got it and wanted to quickly inspect the graveyard. That's when I noticed that a part of the plot had been dug over – and not even well." Serge pointed at a messy man-sized hole only a metre away from where they were standing. "I spend my life making sure the cemetery looks good, and then someone comes and messes it up. I started grubbing at that place to find out why someone did anything to it and eventually found Ruben Fournier's body. After the initial shock and some hysteria, I managed to pull myself together enough that I was able to go to the townhall and get M Descombes and Mlle Guilloux." Serge gazed at the corpse. "I dug him out as carefully as I could, but he had neither been put in a coffin or casket nor even wrapped in a cloth before he was buried. I grubbed out a knife too. I laid it down next to him. He has a wound on the chest. Maybe he was stabbed and buried with it and the knife eventually came loose? I don't know."
Cloudia took a deep breath.
Ruben Fournier – I had heard this name before. He was Gustave Beaubois' best friend. I had wanted to talk to him.
And now he was dead.
"Thank you," Cloudia said. "At what time did you return home yesterday, M Renou?"
"At about ten o'clock," Serge replied.
"And when did you come to the cemetery to get your wallet and noticed the dug-over area?"
He pondered a bit and then said, "I noticed I'd forgotten my wallet at about two-thirty. It took a while for me to decide to go and get it and then to walk here… so I arrived at the graveyard and noticed the dug-over area at about… three o'clock? It didn't take me very long to dig out the body: It wasn't buried very deeply. Just two or three metres. I was quite shocked by what I've found, so I stood by the body for a long time doing nothing before heading to the townhall… No idea how long I just stood here though."
"M Descombes and I just arrived here," said Yvette. "Only about ten minutes before you came, M Gauthier, M Fouille."
Cloudia nodded. "And the curfew is ten o'clock, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Did any of you see Ruben Fournier yesterday? If yes, do you remember at what time that was?"
"I haven't seen him yesterday," Alain replied.
"Me neither," said Serge.
"I haven't seen him as well," Yvette said. "I was with you almost all day yesterday, and there weren't many people outside in the heavy rain…"
"Very well. I have one more question," Cloudia stated. "Mlle Guilloux, M Descombes, you look very prepared and awake despite the early hour. Could you please tell me why?"
"Yvette, M Guilloux, and I spent the night in the townhall," Alain told her. "We stayed awake and ready for the next potential murder. When M Renou came to the townhall, Yvette and I went with him while M Guilloux stayed back – we thought that it would be better if someone remained at the townhall in case someone else needed our help."
"I see." Cloudia looked at Ruben's dirt-covered corpse. "Please stay where you are standing right now. Grégoire and I will inspect the graveyard. Afterwards, we will carry Ruben Fournier's body to the deadhouse to examine it."
Serge and Alain had hurried to the hospital to get a stretcher. Now, Alain and Kamden were carrying Ruben's corpse on it to the deadhouse, and Cloudia and Yvette followed them in silence. Serge had been dismissed and sent back home.
Kamden and Cloudia hadn't found anything of note at the graveyard. The murderer's footsteps had got mixed up with the footsteps of Yvette, Alain, and Serge. Even if they hadn't been, it wouldn't have mattered anyway: The ground had still been wet from the storm the day before, and no shoeprint had left any good marks. The culprit had most likely used a shovel that was kept in the mausoleum to grub the hole – the same shovel Serge had instinctively used to dig out Ruben. Again, there had been no sign of a fight. There also hadn't been any sanding marks, meaning that Ruben had very likely been killed at the cemetery. What could he have done there?
The sky lightened up when they arrived at the hospital. The dark was streaked by light blue, by orange, by red, the night gradually rolling into sunset. As soon as they stepped into the hospital, Vivienne hurried to them. She guided Kamden and Alain to the deadhouse, unlocked the door for them. Together, Kamden and Alain transferred Ruben from the stretcher to a table.
"From here on, Grégoire and I won't need your help anymore, for the time being, Mlle Guilloux, M Descombes," said Cloudia. "You can return to the townhall – or, rather, return home to get some proper rest. We will seek you out again later."
Alain and Yvette looked at each other. "All right, M Gauthier," replied Alain.
Cloudia accompanied them to the exit, waved them goodbye. The sun had risen by now, bathed the sky in gold light. She closed the door when Yvette and Alain were out of sight. Cloudia headed to the deadhouse and when she was nearly by the stairs leading down to it, she spotted Corinne running upstairs with a tray in her hands. Corinne had been in a hurry yesterday too, and while nurses always fluttered through a hospital, Cloudia couldn't help her curiosity and discreetly followed Corinne to the upper floor.
Downstairs, barely any rooms had been occupied; upstairs, none of them was – except for one in the far back. Corinne unlocked the door and vanished behind it. Cloudia frowned. On Corinne's tray had been a glass of water and some medicine; she was delivering them to a patient, though what kind of patient had to be locked up?
Shelving this piece of information for later, Cloudia walked downstairs to the deadhouse before anyone saw her spying on Corinne.
Ruben Fournier, 18 years old. He was the eldest son of a blacksmith and the latest of the Nanteuil-la-Forêt murderer's victims.
He was now lying on a table in the deadhouse, next to Nadia, Dominique, Gustave, and Marius.
Cloudia stared down at Ruben, at his pale face, the brown hair that stuck to his head, the eyes that would never open again. Vivienne and Kamden had cleaned him up a bit while Cloudia had brought Yvette and Alain to the door. On the way out, Yvette had told her a few things about Ruben: He had been Gustave's best friend since they were little. They had been inseparable, and he had had a short temper and a tendency to get into trouble.
While Cloudia looked down at Ruben, Kamden got ready to examine the bodies. As soon as Cloudia had re-joined Kamden and Vivienne in the deadhouse, he had offered to fully examine Ruben – and do the internal examination for the other bodies. Since then, Vivienne had been dismissed with the task not to let in Laurent if he arrived, Kamden and Cloudia had put on aprons, and he was now preparing and arranging the tools.
"You don't have to do everything now, Kam," Cloudia said, not taking her eyes off Ruben's corpse.
"It will be fine," Kamden replied.
"We are talking about five bodies. And what time is it? Five-thirty?"
"It may be early, but I am not tired at all." He took a deep breath. "I am positive that I can do this, and I am never that confident."
"Lisa is not here."
"While Miss Lisa may not be here, you are, Cloudie."
"I can hardly replace Lisa in this matter. I am not trained in this, and I've only assisted you, watched you work four times before," Cloudia reminded him, and Kamden walked to her and took her hand, squeezing it.
"Cloudie," he said. "You may not be experienced in such work, but there is no one else more suitable to be my partner than you. We will be fine."
Cloudia smiled at him. "You're right, Kam." She let go of him and put on some gloves. "Let's do this then."
With a sigh, Cloudia fell into a chair.
She and Kamden had worked for hours without pause. After externally examining Ruben, they had started to carefully cut open the bodies and take out the organs for inspection. They had quickly found their momentum, their tact and had been able to work swiftly, cutting open and examining one body before moving on to the next until they had finished inspecting and testing all five and returned the organs to where they belonged. It had taken a long time, but with the work done yesterday and the ease and quickness with which they had been able to work today, it hadn't taken them as long as it usually would have.
And now, while Cloudia's mind was tired, her body wasn't.
My anger and frustration at this case must be keeping it running, must be pushing me to keep on.
Anger and frustration were boiling in me aplenty, mixed with curiosity and perplexity.
There was enough fuel in me, and I needed every drop of it.
Ruben's stab wound had been the cause of his death. The knife was perfectly ordinary again. Again, there had been no signs that he had fought against his assailant.
Just like Nadia and Dominique and Gustave and Marius hadn't fought back.
And just like them, Ruben hadn't been drugged.
Cloudia discarded her bloodied gloves on a table and buried her hands in her pockets. She reached for the clover necklace in her right pocket and rubbed her thumb over it. They had tried to talk so often, their attempts had been foiled so often, and now, more than ever, Cloudia yearned to talk to Cedric. Cloudia contemplated reaching for the skull pendant necklace to contact him, but she didn't know what Cedric was doing right now. Was he already awake? Was he going to the Clockmaker with Jacques? If he was currently heading to the Clockmaker, Cloudia didn't want to bother him. It wasn't an easy way, and Cedric had to look after Jacques. What if she distracted him and something happened in the woods?
She sighed and clenched her hand over the clover pendant.
Kamden finished his notes and then walked over to Cloudia, placing a kiss on her head.
Cloudia looked up at him and chuckled. "What's with you today?"
"You… you ha-have been looking so crestfallen lately, Cloudie," Kamden said. "And I wanted to cheer you up."
Cloudia smiled at him and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Kam."
Kamden sat down on the ground in front of her. "Always, Cloudie." He looked so strange right now: He was smiling and his eyes were gentle, but he had a bit of blood on his face and more on his apron, and he did not seem to mind this at all.
Cloudia took out a handkerchief and rubbed Kamden's face clean. "I am always astonished how this does not faze you at all. Getting blood on you. Cutting open people."
"They-they are already dead," Kamden replied. "I do not mind handling the aftermath of murder."
She shook her head and scrutinised his face to see if she had missed a spot. "You are supposed to be my normal brother."
He smiled uneasily at her, and Cloudia put the handkerchief away. "I was surprised when you said you wanted to become Dr Alan's apprentice when we were ten. You love your bookstore so much; you always said you didn't want to do anything else."
Kamden looked down at his stained apron. "I had assisted him a little in the years before – before I met you. Becoming his part-time apprentice seemed natural to me."
"And I can understand that. But this?" Cloudia nodded at the covered bodies, pointed at his and her clothes. "In any other regard, you get so queasy, Kam. Yesterday, you were appalled when Lisa suggested that the murderer might have tried to crack open Marius' skull like a tin."
Kamden grimaced. "Do-don't remind meee of that."
"Sorry, Kam, but do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes, but…" He paused, weighted out how to continue, picking out the right words and arranging them neatly in his mind. One could always see the gears turning in Kamden's head. "This-this is part of what Dr Alan is-is teaching me," he eventually said. "Just another… another bit of knowledge, another skill. I guess I-I simply got used to it because of that?"
Cloudia nodded. "And this skill came in very handy." She stood up and held her hand out to him. Kamden took it, and she pulled him up. "Come. Let's discard the aprons, wash ourselves, and go interview Ruben's family and Dominique's friends."
She was about to turn and let go of Kamden's hand when he tightened his grip. Cloudia looked at him in bewilderment.
"You have barely slept, Cloudie," he said. "We have been in Nanteuil-la-Forêt since four. Now, it is almost one o'clock. And we have been working without pause for the last hours. You cannot keep this going."
Cloudia's gaze softened. "I appreciate your concern, Kam, but, strangely enough, I am doing well. I feel full of energy and can keep on going for much longer. And I cannot go to sleep now: I have a case to solve and a murderer to find."
Kamden's eyes widened a little. "You… you aaare feeling strangely-strangely energised too?"
She blinked at him. "Yes. I suppose it's because I am very eager to bring this case to an end, but if you are feeling oddly vitalised too…"
"Ex-exactly. We are sleep-deprived – you more than me. We-we haven't eaten yet. We haaave been working without pause for… for hours. We should be exhausted." Kamden squeezed her hand, and she squeezed his too. He had become shaky just now.
"I have no idea what is going on," said Cloudia, unease welling in her chest. "I am only full of energy. Otherwise, I am fine. And you?"
"Me-me too."
She nodded. "That's good. Whatever is going on, I doubt it's something bad. We are fine after all. More than fine even. Of course, the question of why that is has to be explored and answered, but that can wait until later. Working on this case can't."
"Cloudie…"
"Kam, I promise that, weirdly vitalised or not, I will go to sleep as soon as we have spoken to Ruben's family and Gaspard and Enzo and we've returned to the château. I promise to look into what has happened to us later when we have the time for it."
Kamden mustered her face. "Very well, Cloudie. I will come with you and help." He took a deep breath. "However, I-I want you to promise me something else too."
"What is it?" Cloudia asked.
"That you will eat something before starting the interrogations."
She smiled and pressed his hand. "I promise that we will eat something before starting the interrogations. And now come – we still have a lot to do."
~Cedric~
A long lane ran through the forest like a vein. Château de Charbonneau was located close to the forest's lane but was still well-hidden from sight. To get to Nanteuil-la-Forêt, one had to get to that lane and then follow it through the forest, leaving it behind and walking down the path now surrounded by fields, not trees until the village was reached. It was a simple straightforward way. It was uncomplicated and, if one was not driven by Denis, safe as well.
To get to the Clockmaker, one could not leave the forest or take that secure lane.
His workshop was somewhere in the opposite direction from Nanteuil-la-Forêt and hidden deep within the woods. No easy path led there.
How did this Clockmaker even get any customers? Did he get any at all? Who in their right minds would wander through a forest for hours and hours to purchase a clock, and why? To find out how many hours they had been hiking through the woods?
Had people not heard of pocket watches? Or were the Clockmaker's works that good?
Jacques led the way, consulting a map he didn't let Cedric see and looking around for clues and waymarkers. Cedric did not like it at all that this was Jacques' first time visiting the Clockmaker. He disliked forests; the risk of getting lost in one and never finding your way out was too high. And although he could simply teleport himself out of one nowadays, Cedric could not help but feel uneasy while they walked through the woods – especially considering that Jacques' presence meant that he couldn't simply dematerialise out of the forest.
I would have to hit him unconscious first.
"Did the Marquis say how long it will take us to get to the Clockmaker?" Cedric asked and pushed a branch aside.
"Grand-père said it will take about six hours."
Cedric stared at him. "Six hours? This has to be a joke."
"He never jokes," said Jacques matter-of-factly.
"Couldn't he have told us sooner?!"
Jacques shrugged. "I guess he did not want to scare us away? I cannot speak for you, Your Grace, but it wouldn't have scared me. This mission is very important to Claudette, and I am honoured to be part of it. I am very energised today and ready to handle this journey, no matter how long it will take. Also, Grand-père didn't tell me how to get to the Clockmaker until earlier either – that's why you had to wait for me."
"It wouldn't have scared me away either," Cedric said. "However, I would have appreciated knowing how long we will have to walk so that I could have mentally prepared myself and bid my farewells to my legs." He clapped on his legs. "Goodbye, my friends. We had some fun decades together."
Jacques chuckled. "You are quite fun, Your Grace."
"Please just call me 'Kristopher.' I can't do this if you call me 'You Grace' for the next six –"
"Twelve. We have to go back too."
"– twelve hours or so."
Jacques nodded. "Very well. You are fun, Kristopher, though don't think I've forgotten that my cousin nearly died because of you."
"It was an accident," said Cedric, exasperated. "And the Countess is perfectly capable of getting herself nearly killed on her own."
"Still, I got my eye on you, Kristopher," Jacques said. "And on the map and the trees and oh!" He crouched down and looked at some flowers with yellow blossoms. He took out a notebook and quickly scribbled something inside.
"I'm sorry, Kristopher!" he said and stood up, pocketing the notebook. "I want to write down some things to show my father."
"It's all right," Cedric replied.
"Thank you for being so understanding, Kristopher. Of course, that still won't get you on my good side."
Cedric groaned. He would have rather endured twelve hours of "Your Grace, this and that" instead of being constantly reminded of what happened in Wales.
For a while, they wandered in silence. Jacques walked ahead, and Cedric followed obediently, dodging and pushing away branches, taking care not to walk into stinging nettle, jumping over rocks and large roots. Milton had urged him to take care and be alert in the forest. It was indeed not easy to hike through it, but it wasn't more difficult or dangerous than going through any other forest.
It must be in Milton's nature to worry about everything and everyone – even if there was no need to worry.
And thinking of his words of warning, I remembered something else Milton told me this morning: "I don't think you aren't confident at all. However, you should try to be more confident when it comes to her."
Sometimes, I had no idea what he was talking about, but his words made me think of her. I wondered how she was doing and felt a blush creeping into my face. Fortunately, Jacques had his back to me.
Jacques was a few metres ahead of him, and Cedric was walking around a patch of mushrooms when a familiar feeling ran through his body. It was unmistakable, albeit faint. Cedric stopped and gazed around, his heart beating hard in his chest.
Of course, at least one of them would be in the area. People had been dying daily in Nanteuil-la-Forêt for almost a week. It would have been strange if none of them had shown up.
But Cedric hadn't expected to find one here – in the forest, quite far away from the village.
He spotted her and her tent on a small glade in the far distance. Far enough that the feeling was very faint; far enough that he would not have noticed her if the feeling had not alerted him.
And Cedric hoped that, unlike him, she hadn't noticed that there was one more Grim Reaper in the woods with her.
Especially considering that Jacques was walking straight in her direction.
Me: *likes writing Cloudia and Cedric together the most*
Also me: *doesn't let them have a proper full-length conversation*
It be like that ._. (- as if this is not of my own making)
Hey, at least there were a few kisses in this chapter, right?
Anyway. In this chapter, we said goodbye to Milton and Cecelia - for now. I don't dislike Milton, but it's refreshing not to have to write him for some period of time as he's not the easiest character to write for various reasons...
Also, while I had planned to kill Ruben next, I didn't decide on where his body would be found until it was time to write it hah. I couldn't think of a place and then finally remembered that Street View is a thing. No idea why I didn't think of it earlier ._. Anyway, I found the cemetery almost immediately which was fun and decided to put his corpse there. Nanteuil-la-Foret does look somewhat like a murder village from cosy detective stories haha.
There is a forest close to the village. However, it's farther away in real life. With this story set in 1848, let's just pretend that the forest was closer then. So much can happen in over 170 years after all. Maybe the forest was actually closer to the village then?
Thanks for reading and until next time^^