CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Gabrelle felt the excitement pound out of her as she made her way through to the yard and enter the now extremely run downs shed. Her mother had spent hours on end in the shed in the guise of preparing medicines for her patients. After she was gone, Gabrelle took to the kitchen to do her potions because it was convenience that worked for her. Her heart hammered as she opened the door. It was empty as she had expected it to be because she had cleared it out herself. She knew that the book would be tucked away somewhere here because in her dream her mother had mimicked a smile that was a duplication of a once unforgettable afternoon that they had shared only a week before she had been called to her final destination. This had to be the clue that Gabrelle was so intensely searching for. Her heart weighed down to a stone as there was no nook nor a cranny that gave her an indication that the book would be found right here in the shed. Another dead end that made Gabrelle feel at the end of her tether and she began to experience the sensitive pangs of defeat. Another disappointing day of bad news to deliver to the Count. She walked around the tiny shed once more and still nothing. Giving up she went inside her home and baked a small bread from the measly wheat that she had left in her larder. Going to castle and being back had given her temporary amnesia that she had not received one client. Now the fear began a stampede inside of her. At this rate her survival could be in the clutches of defeat. No sooner had she begun to sweep up the floor of her modest abode, she heard her tap on her door. The ragged breathing from the other side made her smile. It could only be her dear friend Heidi.
"Where have you been?" An accusation was hurled in front of her in the customary place of a greeting.
Gabrelle grinned. "Top of the morning to you too." Her woes forgotten and she chortled, obviously a private joke she shared only with herself as she recalled the Count had greeted her in that manner. She was learning much a lot from him, and she could not help the beam that extricated off her face. All her woes contorted into a bundle until later, she stepped aside for Heidi to step in.
"I am serious Elle," her friend hissed. "Where have you been and why did you not attend the festival?" Too many questions in one breath that had Gabrelle stealing into her imagination so that she could avoid the truth and furnish her friend with a reasonable and believable explanation.
"Calm down." She laughed and impulsively hugged her friend. Before she knew it the words tumbled out of her mouth. "Do you know the countess Arabella?"
Heidi`s eyes rounded too porcelain teacup play saucers. "Everyone knows of the countess and her magnificent sons, but I have not had the privilege of meeting her."
Gabrelle was like a kid in a store that sold only sugar treats. She was smiling with the tenacity of a girl that had just stepped into heaven. "Well, I have met her and her two sons." For some reason, Gabrelle felt the strength of a pride that she never knew existed within her. Before she could go further into explanation, Heidi beat her to it.
"Are you lying to me Gabrelle St James?" Heidi was pouting and placed her hands on her hips. "If you are I swear to the Gods in the sky that I shall never speak to you ever again."
Gabrelle was still grinning like she had an entire pie stuffed into her mouth. She was shaking her head. "I swear to you that I have spent the weekend at the castle."
"You are so lucky." Heidi was genuinely excited. "Rumor has it that the two Counts have not been seen ever since the passing of their father." Gabrelle bit her lip. She could not comment on that, and she realized that she had said too much. She needed a quick change of subject.
"That is why I could not make the festival." For added effect she sighed heavily, intensifying her longing and punctuating more attention to the fact that she was genuinely sad to have missed it. Heidi was like a dog with a bone, and she persisted.
"Tell me everything about the countess and her family." This was when Gabrelle regretted telling her the truth.
She patted her friend's hand. "Now now sissy," She pulled out the sister card whenever she reached an anticlimax of a conversation. "I cannot talk about the afflictions of others." She hoped that this would close the subject but Heidi`s facial expression told her that her friend was trying to pull a silent tantrum. Gabrelle ignored her childish behavior and went to the wooden drum and drew out a mug of liquid. After the debacle of finding nothing in the shed, she had grabbed some lemons of the tree and made a simple lemonade. She handed her homemade brew to Heidi who never refused anything and gulped it down greedily. They chatted a few minutes and Heidi did try to extract more information, but Gabrelle kept her information on a downlow and just fed her descriptions of the castle. When she left Gabrelle, sat down, fanning herself in relief and helped herself to a mug full of the lemonade.
"You have done well in evading your friend." Gabrelle jumped off her chair only to be come face to face with Count Samsidion who was obviously lurking in the back room.
She clutched her chest mocking an attack and laughed with nervous banter. "Golly, you gave me a mighty fright." She did not even realize that he was in the house.
He nodded, his features void of any emotions and even though she knew that he did not have the ability to feature them easily, both he and his brother had trained themselves to blend in. "I did not mean to startle you, but I had no other place but the room in the back to protect myself from the sun." She nodded her understanding.
"At your convenience Count." She lowered her gaze to show her humility and to give him the courtesy of his class against hers. This did not sit too well with Count Samsidion.
"I have no wish to be treated as a Count." His words held a mockery that was targeted solely at him. She heard the inflicted pain that sprouted out of him and somehow, she understood his feelings. "I am just a person that needs to survive and for now my title and the wealth that comes with it means nothing." He was sincere and she felt so adequate at this man that was so brave. She had to find a way to help him. They chatted for a while and Gabrelle did not have the heart to tell him the book was still astray. As she cut herself a chunk of the bread and bit into it, she tapped her feet to no beat. Somehow amidst all the stress that was draining her out she found a way to find a little bit of peace. As she munched on the bread her feet found a new beat to double up until she felt a hollow noise. She looked down to see that the wood had lifted. Pressing it firmly down, she finished the last of the slice of bread that she had cut. It was a moment when the darkness had left her to open up a cloud of rising beauty. Count Samsidion was not at all like the stories that she had conjured up in her mind about him. She felt a stirring of remorse within her. She could only imagine the man that he would have been had he been able to breathe normally, and he would have procreated a dynasty that would have given birth to gentility. She was no expert, but she knew that snobbery evaded him. Then instinctively she had a lamp burning awakening and she looked at the loose wood on the floor. As he was talking, she raised her hand in gesture to halt his thoughts.
"Give me just a moment." The sun had faded but the light was still in abundance. She hurried back to the shed and wrenched open the door. She was a woman on a mission. She knew exactly the spot. Pa had made a table for mama, and it was her space that she spent most of her days. Gabrelle had remembered the unstable piece of wood that ma had put the leg of the table on. She went straight there and knocked her foot on it. She reached into her apron and took out a blade. With the aid of the pointed side of the blade, she pried open the wood until it lifted. There buried under the wooden floor was a multicolored cloth peering from underneath disheveled from the past days and dusted with some dirt. Gabrelle had somehow known that she would find it but now as she faced the reality, she could hardly believe her eyes. She bent down and picked up the parcel and brought it to her chest, hugging it tight. She stormed out of the shed and rushed to her home. Count Samsidion was sitting and reading a book that she presumed that he had brought from his castle. Her breath quickened, equated from the dancing exhilaration that had her gleaming with joy. She did not know the contents of the parcel, but her gut knew. She knew that the book was there safe and sound.
"I have not opened this as yet, but I know." She smiled so brilliantly as she spoke. "I just know that this has got to be the book. I just know." She hugged the parcel close to heart and after many months she knew that she had a special connection with her mother and grandmother from beyond the grave.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Count Samsidion was as eager as her and he put down his book and was at her side in a blitz. She nervously placed the parcel on the table and tried to open it gently. She was not sure as to the condition of the book and that is why she proceeded with caution. Count Samsidion did not take to haste and neither did he give in to a show of impatience. He awaited with gentle eagerness for Gabrelle to open it. As the last layer of material was peeled away, the revelation was more than what she had dreamt about. The book was there, intact along with some memorabilia that belonged to both her mother and grandmother. Gabrelle opened the book as though her fingers were a lazy ginger cat that was about to take a long winter nap. The book was old, and the pages were weak but the near sight would be that the writing was still visible, and the ink did not smudge. Gabrelle was grateful that her Pa had taught her to read and write. She paged through the book with immense curiosity and then she came to the page that she needed. The undead not so fondly known as the Vampire lived off the blood of human. When in sunlight they burnt but man-made lamps had no effect. It was said that they were forsaken by the Gods only to surrender to a world of darkness. They moved at the speed of lightning and devoid of blood they boasted skin that was thinly opaque causing a deep saturation of the sun. There was more material penned in the neat handwriting of her grandmother and as she browsed the pages there were additions made by her own mother. Gabrelle felt a wisp of wind breathe pass her ears. She could have sworn that words were being whispered to her. It was confirmed. Her ancestry belonged to a surfeit of charming witches. She looked at the Count who had an overabundance of eagerness simmering his charcoal eyes that held a bolt of distance fire in them.
"Well?" He asked almost inaudible; afraid that the hope he held on to would turn out to be yet another farce. She took a while; still drinking in the magnificence of the book.
"It's the book." Her confirmation allowed for him to sit down and shake his head.
"At last, a refraction of hope." She expected him to do a jig of merriment but all she saw was that he had this glow of optimism. Gabrelle felt a lurch in her heart and before her thoughts could bombard her sensible thinking, she retracted those meanderings. It would make no sense to allow for emotions such as the ones that were creeping in to rule her. There was no hope for her and the Count to be anything more than mere acquaintances. The countess had promised her reward for her work and that was her entire aim. For now, her pantry held a sadness of almost barren emptiness. She needed to get to work.
"We will leave at the crack of dawn. Just as soon as a tiny light hits the air." The Count declared, clearing his throat to mark her attention. She nodded. It was the only way and the quicker they made it to the castle, the earlier she could get the cure. She decided to save the last of the bread for her journey the next day. That night as she lay in her tiny bed her dreams were no longer stamped by an impeding darkness. Instead, she closed her eyes to rest. She asked Count Samsidion if he wanted to read the book to which he replied that the book belonged to her family, and it would be an invasion of privacy if he went through it. She smiled remembering his words and as sleep claimed her, she nodded off to a land of peace as the book was clutched and wrapped tightly in her arms.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
True to his word Count Samsidion had gently shook her, awakening her to a chilly morning as dawn huddled in the backdrop of a retreating night. There was barely time for her to splash water over her face, pack her food in the basket and get into the awaiting carriage. It was going to be a long ride back, but Gabrelle knew that this was going to be a grand opportunity for her to acquaint herself with the book. She opted to drop into a light snooze until a warmth spread across her body. She knew that Count Samsidion was fine as long as he was not exposed to direct sunlight and the carriage windows were covered heavily in a black clock. She opened her cloth bag and removed the book, caressing it gently with her fingers almost afraid to disintegrate the pages. She turned to the page of the undead and decided to read each line with precision. It was truly an interesting read and further scanning gave her the entire picture of her grandmother`s feeling. It seemed that she too was subjected to an encounter with a vampire. Grandmother was explicit when she wrote that the human race was surrounded by the undead. The horror that she read would have left her cold, but Gabrelle knew that if the Count wanted to feast on her blood, he would have sucked her dry by now. She was taking a leap of faith, but her perception had never deceived her in the past. She looked at him. He was staring into space and obviously he was in deep thought.
"A penny for your thoughts, Count Samsidion."
"I can share my thoughts without the penny if only you would drop of the Count."
Gabrelle shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "We have had this discussion before, Count Samsidion."
"And I have expressed to you that calling me by name is sufficient."
"I wish not to offend the countess, your mother."
He sighed and then after he had given it a thought he burst out. "Let us come to a suitable agreement." Gabrelle raised her eyebrows. She was eager, bursting to know the new scheme of things. "Call me Samsidion in the privacy of our company and in the presence of my mother you may adhere to the protocols." Gabrelle gave it a thought and it was a sufficient enough request.
She gave him a sweet smile. "Very well Samsidion." She loved the way his name ran off her tongue. "That is mighty kind of you." He returned her smile.
"Kindness has nothing to do with it."
Gabrelle was confused and she wanted him to clear it up with a suitable explanation but held back. The heat rose from her neck, staining her cheek and she quickly buried her head into the book. Count Samsidion broke into a joyous laughter and Gabrelle smiled with Genuity. They stopped a while for Gabrelle to eat the pittance of a meal and she downed it with the left-over lemonade that she brought with her. It was enough to tide her over until they got to the castle. As she read the book, she learnt that the undead had a strength that could outweigh many a beast and their eyes went blood red when they were thirsty and when they feasted it was the excitement of procuring a prey made them infallible. Because they had much time on their hands, they used it to improve on their knowledge. They had no need for sleep, human food and water. Her grandmother was very explicit in her understanding of the vampire. It was said that the female vampire had violent tendencies of brutality where else the male had patience. Gabrelle stifled a yawn as the sun went down. She knew that their destination was not too far away from completion. She wanted to stretch out her arms and limbs but out of respect and display of mannerism towards Count Samsidion she abstained. And then as the sun had diminished to light ash and the parley of the darkening evening congealed with the moon and stars they had arrived at the castle. Gabrelle was stunned as Count Samsidion helped her off the carriage and escorted her into his home. As she walked into the castle the simmering of a delicious stew consorted with her stomach to give her a jolt in hunger.
"Do you come with good tidings." The countess stood at the top of the stairs, her hands on the balustrade as she made her way down the huge onyx staircase. She wore a face of perplexity, and this made a million thoughts run greedily through Gabrelle`s mind.
"Indeed Mother." Count Samsidion spoke clearly and obviously a tremor of warmth arrived with sweetness through his words. The countess looked at Gabrelle, her eyebrows raising in question.
"I have found the book, Contessa." Gabrelle spoke with the same affection of softness. "From the written word, I do believe we can try to recreate my grandmother`s word into something that would alter both the Counts lives." However soft she was, she was audible, and the countess was breathing a sigh of relief.
"Why this is just some excellent news." The countess was beaming as she eyed Gabrelle with marvel. "You must be famished and tired. Come child, Cook has prepared a tiny feast." She took Gabrelle`s hand with affection as she escorted her through to the dining area. The countess stopped and turned. "Samsidion," she addressed her son casually. "Fetch your brother and join us so that we can discuss the next move in hopefully the right direction.
The dinner did not disappoint, and Gabrelle did not understand as to whether she was starving, or it was all this fine dining was what got her salivating with a ravenous greed. The water that was flavored and paired with the orchard fruits were just delicious and she gulped it as though she was a starving soul in a desert. She was grateful when the house maid charged forward and replenished the gold goblet. She had a fleeting thought as she tucked into her pea soup. Once she had completed her task here, she wondered how she would ever settle back into her old routine. The two Counts returned and took their seats. There was no place arrangement for them to eat so they were just here for the conversation. Once the main course arrived of melt into the mouth beef, Gabrelle knew that this was a tiny piece of heaven right here on earth. She looked up to see that the young Count Thaneus was looking at her with fascination.
"Hungry, are we?" he opened the conversation with a grin and the soft lighting provided by the fancy lamps gave Gabrelle a clear view of just how handsome the Count was. Unlike Samsidion she noticed that his hair color burnt on the glow of a bruising copper. His eyes were green but the strike of a blatant line of red was there. His skin was smooth and pale and unlike Count Samsidion, he wore his hair shorter. Gabrelle placed her spoon down and transferred her admiration to the older Count. He was the one that was introverted but with Gabrelle he sought comfort in her presence. He too was eyeing her with interest. Gabrelle felt a trite embarrassed because she knew that she was behaving like a glutton. She placed her napkin down.
"No dear girl." Thaneus was appalled and aghast at the same time. "Please do finish your dinner. Do you know how I envy your appetite right now." She looked up at him and swallowed the remaining food that sat at the base of her throat. She had placed herself in his shoes and she knew how poorly he felt. The best prepared dishes sat right here in front of him, and he could not even taste or relish one tiny morsel. Samsidion gave her an encouraging nod and the countess piped in her bit of encouragement.
"You must eat child. There is more where that came from, and you need to build your strength."
This was Gabrelle`s chance to talk a little about the book. "In the book that my grandmother left there is a spell that can work for you to go out into the sunlight without the rays hurting you." This piqued all of their curiosity. "There is only one problem; the requisition is only a witch can perform the ritual and I am no witch."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Three pairs of eyes bored into her face, drilling spikes into her sockets. The countess dropped her fork causing a clutter on her plate.
"That is preposterous child," she spluttered, and bits of her food flung out of her mouth. She grabbed her napkin and brushed the debris of her face. "We have come so far and there are very few people that we can trust." The horrific look that she gave Gabrelle was robbing her of her sanity. Gabrelle was starting to feel so guilty. These people were so kind to her. She felt as though she was letting them down.
"Contessa," she began a speech that was not rehearsed so she was faltering. "I did explain to you that I am just a mere healer." Gabrelle could not find any adjustable words that would make the situation feel right again.
It was Count Thaneus that eventually broke the ice. "Why don't we allow for Lady Gabrelle to sleep on this. Perhaps tomorrow will place her in a better position." That felt as a welcome suggestion for Gabrelle. Her body was aching from the journey, and she knew that she will be open to help in the making of the potion. For now, she knew nothing about witchcraft and spells. After she had eaten, she excused herself and was shown to the room that she had used previously. She did try and protest to the countess that she could sleep out in the servant's quarters, but the countess rubbished it as though the mere suggestion irritated her. It took Count Samsidion exactly five minutes later to get into her bedroom. The pleading look looming his eyes had spoken to her in volumes.
His tone was raspy, eager and overzealous. "I am desperate, and I need to speak to you at the earliest of your convenience." He was there at that very moment, so it made sense that he had chosen his convenience. Being raised with humility Gabrelle dare not argue with him. She knew no matter how kind he was, he would never tolerate insubordination.
"How can I serve you Count Samsidion?" She had to keep it on the neutral and as per respect to the countess, she extended him the courtesy of being an aristocrat.
He was hesitant, nerves were ploughing him from top to bottom and Gabrelle thought it best to extend patience towards him. She waited and he was mustering the courage to spill out the blockage that was invading his peace.
"My brother and I are running out of time." Gabrelle became sullen with confusion.
"I don't understand."
When they had lived with being undead all of these years, she did not comprehend his statement.
"It is the clergy people of Nottingham that are pushing to meet my brother and I concerning the matters of the village." He was all over the place with his explanation and Gabrelle was in whirlpool of loss. He saw the blankness feed her facial features and decided to explain further. "They do not know our actual faces, but they are suspecting that our lifestyle is suspicious."
Gabrelle nodded, that was inevitable because questions would be raised as to why two dominant members of this society were living as recluse.
"Considering the recent rumors about your kind, it would be suspicious that both you and your brother never came out of the castle."
It was just an observation and Gabrelle marveled at how easy it was to communicate with Count Samsidion. She noticed that he loved standing at the window, and she went to join him.
"I do not care about my demise." He was punctured as the pain deflated his resolve. "My mother and brother would bear the brunt of our misfortune." Gabrelle was walking his path of pain and she felt drained out. Instinctively she reached out and touched his face; the iciness froze her warmth, but she never flinched and neither did he.
"This is not your fault Samsidion." She whispered almost too afraid that others would hear her call him by his name. There was something definitely happening between them, and her heart raced.
His eyes slanted revealing the rubies of fire that did not at all frighten her. "Your touch feels so good." He revealed his weakness to her. "I feel almost human again." Despite the moment of softness and beauty had Gabrelle surrendering her heart she had to listen to her inner voice that was cautiously hissing at her. She was only a servant and had he not needed her, he would have never chosen her.
"That is not true, Gabrelle." He had felt her feelings while reading her thoughts. "You are so different to the high classed females that I have been acquainted with." He bent to whisper into her ear, and she felt the stirrings entrap within her.
"If these circumstances were normal then you would be obliged to engage with your own kind."
"Perhaps I would have been the first in my line to make history and change the order of manipulative ways."
Gabrelle swallowed her lump and her pride. She tried to shift away but Count Samsidion took hold of her. She shivered but not from his chilly exterior. She trembled because of that sliver of closeness that they were sharing. "Now we will never know." Gabrelle was the first to snap out of this reverie of madness. She took a step back.
"Forgive me my Lady." He was pained as he apologized. "I have no right to place my intentions upon you. You are at the prime of your life and I am just a mere corpse that cannot emote in any sphere."
That made her so sad, and she knew then that despite her growing feelings towards the handsome Count she would have to find a way to help him. At least if he could co-exist with the villagers then he would have some reason to fulfil in happiness. She looked at him wan, tired but certainly not defeated.
"The answers are in the book Samsidion." She ventured with a tint of hope to encourage him. "I just need to decipher my grandmother`s meaning. I will find a solution."
He believed her and the flicker of a smile told her that he would place his trust in her. "You should get some sleep." He was so gentle that Gabrelle thought that she would melt right into his arms. "Do you mind if I stayed a while? I love watching you sleep."
She nodded and went into the bed. It was bliss to sink into the feather softness and even though Count Samsidion watched her sleep, she felt super safe. This time there were no dreams that would plague her. She rested peacefully until the sun welcomed a new morning.