Bound by Secrets

Year 1774 The sky was gloomy, mirroring the mood and atmosphere in the Blackburn mansion. Rain droplets poured slowly from the sky like tiny needles, hitting the windows in a relentless rhythm, and sparks of lightning brightened the dark mansion before disappearing like it was never there. Chaos and pandemonium spread across every corner of the mansion. Servants scurried through the hallways with lamps in their hands, exchanging worried glances at each other. “My lord, we’ve checked the west wing, and I've sent some guards to go check the lake and garden areas,” Adams, the butler, said in a calm voice, bowing his head. “What about the west wing?” Darell Blackburn asked. “Some maids are searching there as we speak,” Adams responded, his head still in a bow. DING! DING! DING! The bell of the clock tower rang. Its loud ringing sound resonated through the mansion’s walls. Another hour had passed. Upstairs, a ten-year-old boy stepped out of his room, clutching his small teddy bear. He let out a tired yawn and rubbed his brown eyes gently. Young Aiden Blackburn had gone to bed a few hours ago. His mother, instead of his maid, had prepared him for bed as he had requested. She had put on his favorite nightwear and had even read him a bedtime story. “Go to bed, my little pumpkin,” she said and kissed him on his forehead. “Mother, can you please wait till I fall asleep?” He had pleaded with her. But her attention was needed urgently, and she had to leave, but she promised to come back to him as soon as she was done. But… She never came back. Slowly, he dragged his feet down the padded stairs carrying the furry teddy bear with him. He staggered a little and almost lost his footing because he was still a little sleepy; thankfully, he had already gotten to the bottom of the stairs. “My lord,” the butler said hurriedly to Darell, Aiden’s father. “The guards I sent to the lake and garden have returned, but she isn't there, and I personally went to check the west wing after the maids searched, and there was no sign of her there either.” Darell gave the butler an expressionless stare. “Search again, and do not stop until she's found,” he said in an even tone. He was calm. Too calm. His face gave the exact opposite of the raging storm brewing within him. “Yes, milord.” Search? Who was missing? Aiden wondered in his mind when he got to where his father was. “Father…” “What’s going on? Who is missing?” “Go back to your room,” Darell Blackburn gave his son a warm smile. “Where is my mother?” No one responded. He looked at his father in a questioning gaze, quietly waiting for an answer. The rain grew stronger, almost as if that question, heavy as it was, increased the tempo of the rain. It had been four hours of non-stop searching for the lady at the house of Scarlet Blackburn when the sound of wheels and horses was heard outside the mansion. The butler and the lord hurried to the entrance and saw a black carriage approaching. The drenched coachman came down and bowed his head to the feet of the lord. “My lord, the lad —, the lady is gone.” “Gone? Gone where?” Aiden asked in a shaky voice. “Mother would never leave me; she promised,” he started crying. “She is coming back, right, Dad?” “Take Aiden to his room,” Lord Darell instructed a maid. When Aiden left, Lord Darell turned to look at the guard. “What do you mean gone?” “We were attacked by a group of strange men on our way to the mansion. The lady was taken with them,” he said in one breath. “I tried my best to stop them, my lord, but they were just too many.” “Adams!!! Take this man to the dungeon. Keep him there until he tells us what actually happened to my wife.” “My lord, I'm telling the truth, please don't do this.” The guard pleaded as he was being dragged away. Later that night, Darell Blackburn sat in his study alone. He swirled the glass of whiskey he held in his hand slowly. “Where are you, Scarlet?” he asked himself out loud, staring deeply into the fireplace like he would find her there if he looked hard enough. On the other side of the mansion, a maid was sneaking into Lady Scarlet's room. She was supposed to be in the servants' quarters with the other servants, but she had one last mission to complete. She stood at the center of the room, her eyes scanning the room and her mind wondering where the journal she was asked to get was. She quickly walked towards the study table in the room and began opening all the drawers. The drawers were empty. She let out a sigh of frustration and made her way to the closet. She went through the racks of clothes and drawers, yet nothing. She was about to leave the room when she noticed a small cupboard at the far end of the room. Quickly, she walked towards the cupboard and opened it. Her ocean blue eyes brightened as she saw the leather journal in there. She picked it up swiftly and was about to leave the room when she heard the door creak. Her face drained of the remaining color it had, and her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst out of her rib cage. A tall, masked, hooded figure stood at the door frame with an axe. She raised the lantern she held in front of her in a protective stance. Fear gripped her as the figure moved closer to her, and the lantern she held slipped out of her trembling fingers in a loud crash. A bolt of lightning struck again, reflecting the figure’s deadly stare and bloodlust one last time. Before darkness enveloped the entire room. An ear-piercing scream followed, echoing through the hollow and empty walls of the mansion.