The Duke of Northern Estate was dead.
The remains of his mortal body laid on the blood-soaked carpet of his office. Ripped-like a ragged cloth - the sorry state of him could only indicate that it was the work of some wild beast. Long, angry lashes of nails marred his torso and cut it wide open from between. Dents of teeth sinking into the skin of his forehead and tearing it open were evident.
Horrified, the screams rang through the night. The mansion, which was supposed to be teeming with the joy of welcoming a new bride, now drowned in the blood of its lord.
The said bride ran out of the nuptial chamber upon hearing the screams. Alarmed and perplexed, she looked around to find the servants running in distress. The widespread fear heightened her alertness.
"Your grace is dead! Your grace is dead!" A maid screamed.
Vaidehi's eyes widened. Barefoot, she ran in the direction the maid had come from. The thin yellow nightdress she wore did little to prevent the cold air from nipping at her skin. Trepidation and anticipation had her heart racing out of her chest.
And there it was - the Duke's office. The door was slightly open. A dried stream of blood stained the threshold and a lump of flesh, with some hair on it, laid lifelessly near it. Vaidehi trembled. Heaving and downright terrified. The servants ran around her but she was blind to it all. A stroke of masochism struck her. She knew pain awaited her behind the door, yet her trembling hands pushed it.
Then she fell down, screaming.
3 years later
"Hereby, the court declares its final verdict on Merlo versus Merlo, case number 67947. Lady Vaidehi Merlo is legally entitled to have the compensation for the sudden demise of her late husband, Duke Bernard Merlo. The court also allocates her half of his property, along with the coal mines and private shipping docks. The court orders Duke Oswald Merlo to handover the ownership to the lady by three months. Further details of the verdict are in the documents attached."
Count Gregory Merlo and his wife Josephine Merlo, the uncle and aunt of the Duke, were giddy. Vaidehi sat beside them, blank. She had long given up expecting any semblance of civility in them.
The judge soon adjourned the court and Vaidehi dashed out of the room. The stares burned her skin. Breathing heavily, Vaidehi barely held onto the threads of her composure by nails. A bead of sweat rolled down her hairline, despite the cold afternoon air biting her nose and cheeks.
Rubbing her arms, she willed her heart to calm down. Walking out with her head down, faint shouts of her name from behind fell on her ears. She groaned and pulled at the blue shawl around her shoulders, holding its ends to her bosom in hopes of gaining some support. The faint shouts grew louder and angrier. Vaidehi ducked her head down and walked faster-only to crash into someone.
Her ankle turned and twisted, but before she could fall, two hands held her in place. One grabbed her forearm and the other snaked her waist.
"My apologies." She was quick to say sorry as she bit her lips in pain.
"Careful." A familiar said from above her, luring the memories which were long dormant, like a snake charmer lures a snake.
Vaidehi snapped her head up in shock, almost breaking her neck in the process.
"Augustus." She whispered, her brown eyes clashing with the steely blue ones in absolute surprise.
"Vaidehi."