Heritage: A Crown of Thorns

Chapter 1: A fateful meeting (part two)

Gordan helped Tom settle into the warm seats. At one end of the coach was a coal burner, and on top of it was a copper kettle whistling at full volume. And although the coach was gliding through the rough snow storm, the tea didn’t spillover. Gordon chucked some fresh coal into the burner and poured a hot cup from the whistling kettle for Tom.

“This should warm you up, Master Tom.” Gordan offered warm ginger tea in a fancy Chinese dish. Tom awkwardly accepted the gesture, and no one could blame him. Royal etiquettes hardly get used in the modern world. But regardless of his queer behavior, one sip of the tea was all Tom needed to regain some of his lost sanity drained in the snow abyss outside. He could feel his frozen joints unhinging and his muscles melting like warm butter with each sip.

“Again, master Tom”, Gordon poured another cup and sat across him. He continued “I humbly apologize for not arriving on time.” Gordon bowed his head with sincerity. Tom was a man that would soon rather forgive a grudge then let it consume his mind.

“If that is the price to meet my family, then I have no plans to hold it against you.” Tom patted Gordon on his shoulders. His glimmering eyes stunned Gordon for a moment. Gordon looked at Tom, as if another memory flashed vividly across his vision. He raised his head and gave Tom a bittersweet smile.

“You really are Lady Lara’s blood.”

“I don’t know, but I plan to when I meet her.”

Gordon paused for a moment. He grabbed his cane and pressed a button on the ornamental wolf’s head. A small note popped out at the other end and he handed it to Tom.

“What is this?” He asked while his fingers played with the red candle wax seal in the shape of a lizard's head.

“I do not know what the contents of that note are. But it was entrusted to me by Lady Lara. She instructed that I hand this over to you in a situation where she might not be able to meet you.”

“Not able to meet me? What does that mean?”

“Listen close to me, master Tom.” Gordon leaned in and spoke in a soft tone. “Your family name holds unimaginable power, and there are those that would either have that power on their side, or not exist at all. Your great-grandmother sat on the sidelines too long and she paid the price for not having many allies in her time of need. And in the end, even I could not save her grace from the family conflict.”

Each of his words brought spine-chilling sensations and it was as if the shadows beneath Gordon’s feet grew larger and towered over him. Tom once again started shivering, but this time not from the cold, but from the black abyss oozing from Gordon’s eyes. Tom mustered his courage and asked what he wanted to know.

“When did she pass away?” His stuttering words softened Gordon’s expression. It was not Tom’s fault that Gordon failed to protect his master. And now scaring the poor boy would not achieve anything. He halted his blaring malice and retreated to his seat. His grim face relaxed.

“A day after writing the letter calling you here, her Ladyship held a meeting with the heads of the other families. The agenda and all the discussed issues were kept confidential, and only the respective heads of each clan knew them. But the one item that was known by all was you. You master Tom, as the last heir to the Helsing name. The coming day after the meeting, she passed away in her sleep. Her cause of death is yet unknown.” Gordon clenched his fists. His face cringed as if he knew more than he was letting on.

“Clans? Meetings and last of my name? What is all this rubbish? I came all this way to meet the people that abandoned me. And you are filling my head with all this nonsense. And now you tell me that the potentially last person that could be blood-related to me is dead. Is this an elaborate hoax or do you people get a sick kick out of making orphans suffer.” All the pent-up frustration erupted and Tom spewed it all onto Gordon. Who watched in silence knowing full well that his reaction was to be expected. Gordon recognized the burning desire to belong in Tom’s eyes. It reminded him of his younger days, when Lady Lara took him off of the icy London streets. But he knew that he had already revealed so much as was permitted to him.

“I am sorry, master Tom,, I am so very sorry that you didn’t get the chance to talk with her Ladyship. All I can say is that as you longed to meet another of your name, I know Lady Lara longed for the same. a lot she wanted to ask you and tell you.” Gordon’s words swept the rage from Tom’s eyes. The brimming anger was replaced with a hollow sense of relief. Tom could feel a knot twisting in his guts. At least he won’t have to face rejection from a living member. He sat back in his chair and contemplated for a minute. His hands playing with the note in his hands. When, at last, he breaks the seal and reads its contents. But, he could not break the wax mold even after using all of his strength.

“Why won’t this open?” Tom threw the note to the ground. He held his head in anger and frustration. Gordon picked up the note, dusted it and handed it back to him.

“Sometimes, we do not know what we need until the moment we know it. So, it is nice to hold onto little things in life. Lady Lara told me that the seal would not break until the time arrives for you to choose.”

“Choose? Choose what exactly?” Tom asked, but Gordon shook his head sideways.

“I do not know. But I have a feeling that choice will carry more than just your fate.”

“A nice sentiment, but I have no use for things that aren’t useful immediately…” He grabbed the note from his hands and put it into his pocket. “Now what happens? You drop me off at the nearest bus station, because I think I left my wallet with all my stuff back at the other station.”

Gordon tapped the roof of the coach with his cane and it came to a halt. The twin doors parted and beyond it a giant mansion with tall wooden doors. Each door was adorned with a wolf’s head. Gordon looks at Tom and with a stern tone he warns him.

“If you wish to know the truth, take the test. But if you wish to continue your life, content with knowing that you are at the top of your name, then burn the note and reject taking the test. I will wait for you here come morning. I shall escort you back to civilization, and you will never see me or anyone from here again in your lifetime.”

“What test? What do you mean?” Tom tried to get answers to his questions. But Gordon hastily gets him off the coach and closes the door behind him. He knocks on the door but no response comes from Gordon.

“Kid! Your old granny was good to me. She feeds me when others would rather stab and steal from me. She didn’t deserve to die.” Oliver, the coachman, spoke. His voice was deep and rugged, but the words were filled with warmth and kindness. He spat to the side and shook his head as if drying off tear droplets. Oliver riled the horses and drove away.

Tom stood there in the middle of the light snow shower. His gaze fixed upon the tall wooden doors. He wanted to run away to the comfort of his warm home with all the convincing of modern technology. But he made up his mind. Tom was owed a proper explanation. And nothing that had conspired could rob him of that. If there was anything that was unexpected, it would be the family reunion becoming a farewell for the last member of his family. Tom dusted off the snow and walked up to the door knobs. He grabbed the ring and gave a proper knock. Nothing happened for a few seconds. But then, Tom heard a sound coming from within the building.

“And now from NorthTown, representing the Helsing family. I present his Lordship Thomas D. Helsing!” A voice boomed and echoed deep within the halls of the mansion. The doors opened and a quick flash of light momentarily blinded Tom.

************************************************