Nock, nock, nock!
"Marco?"
What to do?
I looked everywhere, as if there was a place to hide. The truth was that there was no escape. If I wanted to get out of it, I had to improvise with what I had at hand: literally my father's corpse.
Nock, nock, nock!
I took a deep breath and tried to force my tears out.
Nock, nock, nock!
It was difficult, but they came out.
Then, I ruffled my hair with my hands.
Would I look desperate and shocked? I hoped so.
I ran to the door, opened it, and burst into mock crying.
"Mother! I don't know what happened to father!"
"What happened, Marco?"
"I do not know! We were arguing, he got very angry ... suddenly he turned red and… speechless ... as if he couldn't breathe and ... "
"and?"
My mother ran towards Lord Derderián's stiff cold body.
"My love?"
Unanswered.
My mother's face was paler than ever.
"My love?" She asked again, shaking Lord Derderián's stiff body. "Don't do this to me, please. Answer me!"
But he didn't reply. He had already exhaled his last breath.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The cry of my mother's pain gave me chills.
She exclaimed for help. She asked to bring the doctor immediately. Half an hour later, arrived Lord Namio, a doctor of high prestige among the high spheres of the South.
He examined my father's body for fifteen minutes or so, during which my mother prayed relentlessly to the Saints.
"Please don't take my husband ... not yet ... open his eyes, open his eyes ..."
I was silent. I didn't say anything, but deep down I wanted the opposite for my father.
"Don't wake up, please, Saints, take him away."
The doctor gave the final verdict: he looked at my mother with sad eyes and shook his head. I breathed easy.
The Saints listened to me.
My mother threw herself into my arms to unload her crying.
Should I have cried? I was not sure. Likewise, I did not. I didn't feel particularly sad, but I didn't smile either.
I tried to look for any happy memories with my father, but couldn't find any. Everything was so cold ... so distant ...
Only painful punishments and hurtful words came to my mind.
"You suck! You don't deserve the name Derderián! " were the words I heard the most from him.
Never an "I love you." Never an "I'm proud."
I guess the biggest disappointment was choosing Bachué to be my wife. In fact, I heard rumors among the servants that he was considering poisoning her.
If my mother had not interceded ...
Damn old man. If I could have, I would have kicked his corpse.
Everyone in the mansion immediately heard the fatal news. Fatal to them, not to me. When Lady Derderián and I left the room, we met my little brother. He had red eyes for crying, and was surrounded by all the servants.
He was the first to kneel before me.
"May the Saints save Count Derderián."
Then, one by one, each worker in the mansion bent the knee.
"May the Saints save Count Derderián."
And so, my era in the mansion began.
***
A couple of days after my father's burial, I had my first meeting with Duke Al-Thule, to introduce myself as the new Count Derderián.
We are in the gardens of the central courtyard of his palace. Only two of his personal guards accompanied us.
Of course, in that meeting, the most important topic would be the same one that was on the lips of all the nobility in the the South. The gossip of the moment: Bachué Quispe.
"It was a massacre, Count Marco," the Duke lamented. "Dozens of dismembered bodies were found near the Garden of the Gods."
"How was that possible?"
"Nobody knows. That could only be the work of the most macabre witchcraft. It was to be expected from a dark-skin with blood red eyes. "
I nodded uncomfortably.
I really despised that man. I despised his square face, despised his long nose, despised his scent, his eyes like black seeds. It was torture having to feign respect and force smiles to ensure the survival of the Derderián household.
How was it that my father could bear it for so long?
In other circumstances, I would have celebrated the fact that the Al-Thule had lost a part of their men, but at that moment, it was also my loss. Well, it suited me if they caught Bachué and brought her to me.
"Now more than ever it is important to bring Bachué Quispe to the justice of the King," I said.
The Duke nodded.
"The weight of the Holy Law will fall on her frail head. I swear."
"My Lord, I offer myself to go personally to capture the dark-skin."
The Duke looked at me confused. I wasn't expected to say that.
"You? Personally?"
Don't look at me in that condescending way, you fucking bastard.
"Yes, my Lord," I replied. "I feel like it's my duty. Only then can I atone for my sins before the Saints. "
"Of course. Understand."
The following words were SO difficult to pronounce:
"I ask you to please help me. I will travel with half my men and it would be an honor for you to support this campaign with soldiers you trust. "
"Of course I will support the campaign! And so that my commitment is not in doubt, I will assign my son as the leader of the mission. "
His son?
"I am honored, My Lord."
Lie. If there was anyone I hated more than Duke Al-Thule, was his heir. But it had to be admitted that the boy was quite skilled with the sword and he was a born a leader. So maybe he would be an important asset in the campaign.
"My son's sword has never known defeat. And this won't be the first time. "
I nodded.
I was shaking with excitement, as I would have powerful soldiers from the South at my side, but I tried not to show it. Dead first before showing the Duke that I was elated by his help.
"Do you have any plans to find the fugitive?" The Duke asked me.
"Yes my lord. I understand that she wants to reach the North and she does not travel alone and that they do not do it by the Royal Road, but they have taken an alternate route that can only lead to a destination if they want to reach the North. "
"And what is that destination?"
Porto Razza. I'm sure they plan to take a boat around the West Sea coast and then disembark in Olda. "
"It makes sense ... yes ..."
"I propose that we go ahead and wait for them in Porto Razza."
The Duke nodded.
"It will be the last time they see the sea," he said.
"It will be the last time they see anything, My Lord."