Blood Pact: Elvesmore and the Duke

Volume Two: recollection No.1

In Paris, 1863.

In early spring, it rained ice. Old Coby was ill.

I told Butler Samael about this. I hoped he could find a competent veterinarian for me, but he brought my father instead.

Before that, I should talk about my father - the well - known Earl of the Berkin family, a handsome and learned gentleman. God can bear witness for me. I don't say this because I love him.

In fact, my father - Morgan Berkin was a talented scholar, although he wasn't very good at waltzing. But Mrs. Memia told me that my father and mother met and fell in love because of this dance.

"Al."

I was holding old Coby beside the fireplace and looked up at my father.

He was a proper gentleman. He always had his collar high and his blond hair combed back at any time. Oh, that head of blond hair was just like Mrs. Berkin's, but the old Berkin lady had half of her head white already.

"Old Coby is ill." I stroked Coby's sparse fur and asked in a low voice, "Father, can you cure Coby?" "I'm sorry, Al." He bent down and crouched, rubbing Coby's head. Coby was really ill. It didn't, as in the past, stick out its rough tongue to lick father's palm.

Father said calmly, "I can't, Al."

I looked at my father. He didn't seem very sad, but his voice sounded sad.

"Al, how old are you now?"

"I'll be fourteen after spring, Father."

He leaned over, held old Coby's head with both hands, and said softly, "When you were born, I adopted Coby... Good boy, it's already old."

I lowered my head. Old Coby's body was warm. I leaned my head against its face, "Father, can I sleep with it tonight?"

"Al." Father stood up. "Maybe not." He patted my shoulder, "Your mother won't like to see this, and neither will your grandmother. Son, give it to me."

Father carried old Coby away. I saw him kiss Coby's head, but Coby didn't respond at all.

Mrs. Memia poured me hot milk. She covered me with a thick blanket and sang a lullaby.

But I couldn't fall asleep. I held Mrs. Memia's hand, "Coby will get better, right?"

"Yes, child." Mrs. Memia kissed my forehead and picked up the candlestick. "You should pray for it. God will answer your prayer."

"Okay. I will do that." I nodded to her.

"Then good night, Master Elvesmore."

I said good night to her. Mrs. Memia blew out the candle in the room and left.

I prayed for old Coby all night, but the next morning, when I was about to have breakfast with my father, Samael stopped me.

He pushed his glasses and told me seriously, "Please don't disturb the master, young master."

Samael told me that father had buried old Coby in the rose - filled yard.

I brought Coby's favorite cheese to see it. Father was also there. His clothes were dirty with mud, and he looked a mess.

"Father," I held up the cheese, "I won't fight with Coby for the cheese anymore. All of it is for it."

Father turned his head to look at me. He didn't look well.

I said, "I prayed to God. Old Coby will come back."

Father didn't say anything. He hung the small wreath on the wooden cross.

After a while, Samael came to tell us that Mrs. Lili - my mother was back. She had gone to Viscount Pagnol's banquet. She liked dancing and brandy very much, but the Berkin old house hadn't held a banquet for a long time. Mrs. Berkin didn't like noise, and neither did father.

Before dinner, father and mother quarreled in the room again.

"I hope you can be more restrained, Lili. You... you are already pregnant!"

"Don't remind me of this. I know, Morgan. I just went to see my old friends and stayed there for one night. You can't blame me."

"I'm not blaming you. I just hope you pay attention..."

"Morgan! You can't blame me for this. I really can't stand staying in the house all day doing nothing. It's too boring here - you don't even know that your dear mother treats me like a prisoner. I can't stand it!"

"Lili -"

"Morgan, you should seriously consider my last proposal. We can live in the Folopafei Villa. No, maybe just go there for a vacation. Let me take a breath, and I will be grateful to you, my husband."

"You know it's impossible. Mother -"

"Morgan, please don't tell me you believe what your mother said. It's impossible! She wants to tie you here. Even Elvesmore knows that there can't be evil spirits in this world!"

Suddenly, there was thunder outside the window. I was startled and made a sound.

"Al!" Father walked over with an ugly face, dragged me out from behind the door, and slapped me.

"What are you doing? Morgan! God!" Mother took me into her arms and screamed sharply. I hugged her aggrievedly, but father still shouted at me, "This child is too presumptuous. You spoil him too much! His teachers can't teach him. It's all your fault!"

"Oh! Morgan, you are in such a bad temper today!" Mother retorted angrily, "You can't take out your anger on Al just because a dog died! Poor child!"

"You..."

Mother was never afraid of him. She raised her chin, "Al is your child, but in your heart, he is not as good as a mongrel dog!"

Father's shoulders trembled with anger, but he finally shook his head, "... I don't want to talk about this, Lili. Okay, that's enough. Let's go downstairs for dinner. Mother is still waiting."

I think father was a good - tempered person. At least in every quarrel, he was always the first to give in, and mother always sat angrily on the sofa.

"No, I won't go." Mother let go of me, walked to the dressing table, and sat down. She picked up a silver comb. "Unless you promise to leave here and live in the Folopafei Villa for a while, I will never face her."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

Father slammed the door and walked out.

I followed him from behind. Father's back was very tall. I stepped on his shadow and followed him quietly.

Later, he sighed, turned around, and waved to me.

"Al, I'm sorry." He lowered his head and touched my face. I wanted to tell him that it didn't hurt at all.

"Maybe Lili is right... We should have a new life." Father said to himself as he walked downstairs.

...

I had no idea at all what the curse Mrs. Berkin was talking about was all about.

It sounded like a ghost story to deceive children. But when father proposed to leave, Mrs. Berkin cried and held him back, saying that an evil spirit was going to take him away.

I quietly asked Mrs. Memia what was going on.

Mrs. Memia waved her chubby hands and lowered her voice, "Oh, Master Elvesmore, this is a huge secret."

I opened my eyes wide and pricked up my ears - if I had long rabbit ears.

Mrs. Memia sat down on the bedside and pulled up the blanket for me.

"You mustn't say this in front of the old lady, child." She told me, "Maybe it's just a story, but the old lady loves Mr. Morgan very much. You should know that she has only one child."

"She doesn't love me, but I'm also her only grandson." I said.

"Don't say that, naughty boy." Mrs. Memia still regarded me as a child. She sighed as if she was about to tell a bedtime story.

"Oh, this isn't a fairy tale, child." She stroked my head. When Mrs. Memia and I first met, she said that my black eyes were very beautiful, like gems, which made me like her.

"I don't need fairy tales." I looked at her, "I've grown up, Mrs. Memia."

She looked surprised. After laughing for a while, she finally told me what she knew.

"Child, have you seen Lord Job?"

I shook my head.

"Oh, that's the gentleman in the oil painting in the corridor, right next to your father's portrait, Master Al." She gently began the story, "On that long corridor, every painting hanging there is of every Berkin Earl."

"They look so young." I gave my opinion.

This statement made Mrs. Memia pause for a moment. Then she covered her mouth and said softly, "Yes, they are all young, child..."

"..."

After a short silence, I shook Mrs. Memia's sleeve. She made an "oh" sound, then shook her head and told me in a low voice, "Master Elvesmore, let's talk about other stories."

"Still can't tell me the secret? Mrs. Memia. I promise to keep it a secret." I swore.

"Oh, it's not interesting, Master Al." She shook her head and said, "Let's talk about your favorite manor ghost story, strange child."

Oh, there was no way then.

I nodded. Mrs. Memia was a very eloquent storyteller. She knew many strange and novel things.

"That was the Cerablus Manor written in the book by the Great Venerable Anderson. There was a devil living inside..."

A playful bird got lost and flew into the beautiful manor full of blue roses.

The owner of the manor was a devil. He said to the bird: Child, I will show you the way home.

The happy bird spun in his palm and asked: Thank you. How can I repay you?

The owner of the manor gave him a blue rose and said: When the red full moon appears, I will come to meet you.

Please be my bride.

I tilted my head and looked at her and said softly, "This is different from what the book wrote, Mrs. Memia."

"Oh, yes. This was what my mother told me." She said with a smile. I winked at her and told her, "But I like your story. So did the bird become the devil's bride later?"

"When the red full moon comes, the devil will come to pick it up." Mrs. Memia stood up, "Good child, you should go to sleep."

I sat up and asked her, "Did the bird also love the devil?"

Mrs. Memia blew out the candle and said in a low voice, "Sorry, I don't know this either, child."

Mrs. Memia never told me this answer. Although I had forgotten what she looked like later, this story was deeply engraved in my mind.

...

Two weeks after old Coby left, Mrs. Berkin and Mr. Morgan had a falling - out. After that, Mr. Morgan left the Berkin old house and Paris with his beloved wife and son.

Mother told me that the Folopafei Villa was a beautiful place. She added later: Oh, any place is beautiful as long as it is far away from here.

She prepared jam bread and nut cake and put them in a basket tied with a red bow. Father hired a coachman, but he firmly refused to bring servants - this would increase the cost. This was what mother said. She often talked about father's stinginess in front of me.

"He was the most handsome among my suitors, Al." Mother propped her chin and blinked, "And he was a great noble, Elvesmore... But that was a long time ago, in the last century, Elvesmore."

My mother, Lili Rogna Anlife, was a very charming woman. It was said that her past suitors could line up along the Seine River, but she was still very popular. Mother often attended balls. She was a beautiful woman who loved dancing, but since she got married to the Berkin family, she had lost her favorite entertainment.

At that time, I often thought about a question - every Berkin Earl had blond hair, and mother also had a head of blond hair as bright as the sun. But my hair was black, a little curly, and looked very rough. My eyes were also dark. Mrs. Berkin always said disgustedly that I would scare her.

"It's normal, Al." Father didn't care at all. He rubbed my head and said, "Have you seen Mrs. Rapheno? She also has black hair."

Father's words made me feel at ease.

I think, compared to mother, I still loved father more.

The Folopafei Villa was not far. If there were no accidents, it would only take a few days' journey.

We stayed in the carriage for two days and then stayed at an inn in a small village. This journey was still very pleasant. Mother still quarreled with father occasionally, but she seemed to be in a good mood. At least she wouldn't refuse father's kisses.

The innkeeper, old Voss, was an old man who liked to drink. Most importantly, he had a dog.

Oh - that dog looked exactly like old Coby.

Old Voss rubbed its head and said, "First Mate, say hello." It barked just like old Coby. I crouched down and hugged it, then turned my head and shouted, "Father, look at Coby quickly!"

Father was busy with the luggage. Mother was standing with a silk fan in her hand, frowning. I thought they might be about to quarrel again.

I let go of the dog. Old Voss emphasized to me, "This child is First Mate, right?" He kicked the dog.

The dog whined in protest. I believe it liked the name I gave it better.

"Come and help, Alvesmore!" Father shouted at me.

"Okay!" I ran over.

That spring was the first time I left Paris.

At that time, I didn't know what else this spring meant.

I had forgotten this memory for a long time, and when I finally remembered it, my time had stopped forever.