AURORA

IX

MARCH 1512

THE OLD WORLD

LADY MARISSA EATON

-

The manor was quiet, only the footsteps of servants echoed in its corridors. The Duke had retired to his work after greeting me.

"I'm so very grateful for your presence, it has been a while since I have spoken of the paintings we own," The duchess said pausing beside me, to open the doors.

"It is I who should thank you," I replied for courtesy.

I brushed my hand over my dress, I was still nervous from this morning's events. I had to rearrange my schedule to attend this meeting and from the response I received from the army, I was very hesitant to do so. They were absolutely furious that I was their commander. They had repeatedly asked me for the whereabouts of Adalynn, and I do not think I had lied too good.

"It was a great history, our family has had," the duchess said turning around, I shook my head, forcing my thoughts away. I looked at her and nodded. In this household, the family was headed by the duchess, who had redeemed the title from her father. The duke was named as such only by marriage.

Their marriage was that of a fairy-tale, the Duke was a stable boy in this very house, when the duchess became twenty-three. Once she had become possessed, her lead companion had not even spoken to her before the Duke found her by himself.

The painting in front of us, had the portraits of the duchess parents who had only deceased recently. The duchess was still talking of the material used to paint on, and I was honestly in no condition to listen. She suddenly swirled towards me.

"Lady Marissa," she said.

"Yes," I said, flashing her an innocent smile.

"I shall tell you a story, for you to understand the process of the pictures." I leant forward and nodded, trying not to seem too eager.

"I'd be pleased to listen," I said.

"You mustn't, though, tell of this story to anyone."

"On my honour, I will not," I said.

"Our bloodline wasn't always of the same name," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "It was known as something else. The name was told not to be mentioned by anyone, so it slowly disappeared, and no one remembers."

"But why is that such a huge of a secret," I asked.

"Because, the man left the country."

"To Ireland or Scotland," I asked, confused.

"No," she said.

"He went to Dublin, did he," I said speaking of the awful Irish conflict.

"No," she said, "no one knows where, but they say he travelled far, to the unknown."

"I still don't understand, my lady."

"The man was supposed to be the best thing to happen to England. He was trained form birth to be the strongest and wisest, he was said to marry the king's daughter and to be the next king. But he instead left. It caused a lot of problems within the country. If he is known to represent my family, we would be put to shame. Our family worked years to erase all ties to him."

"But what of his descendants, would you take them back," I asked.

"We must, we are under oath to do so."

I cocked my head, "Oath?"

"Yes, my Lady."

"Who has put you under oath, to do such a thing," I asked.

"The gentleman's mother," she said.

"But that is many generations long," I exclaimed in shock.

"Yes," she said, a small excited smile on her face.

"As each person is sworn to become the next duke or duchess, they must also promise to allow any person from the generation of his to come forward and ask to take our title."

"But how can he prove such a thing," I asked.

"The story of how this came about is not known but to a few, clearly he must know of his origin. He must also know a special phrase."

"Special phrase," I asked.

"Yes," she said, "You see, the man who left was told a specific phrase. It happens to mean a lot to him, apparently his father would use it quite often. The line is to be carried on by his descendants and if ever the need to return arises, they must tell the reining duke or duchess of the phrase."

"I am shocked that such extensive history lies between the walls of this manor."

"Indeed," she laughed, "I was too, when my father told me in his will."

"So why exactly are you indulging me in this knowledge, I could spread it, everyone has a disastrous taste for gossip"

"My darling, you would never find the phrase," she said, a smile on her face. I nodded and sighed.

"Unfortunately," I laughed.

"Now come here," she said, "I'll show you a painting, the very first painting, ever put in this hall. It is a painting that shows our history from the very beginning of times." I rubbed my hands together, who knew art could be interesting. Or history for that matter.

"However," the duchess said, "There is a catch."

"Whatever might that be," I asked.

"We do not know, who anyone in the painting is, all we know is that they have walked or lived within our halls."

"How?"

"We know the people of our recent generation, but those at the very beginning of the corridor, we have no idea who they are."

"You must have some idea," I pestered. She shrugged, a small glint in her eyes as she walked the length of the corridor.

"We'll start with those from the very beginning," she said.

"As you wish, my Lady."

And then she twirled and tilted her head towards the framed painting at the mouth of the corridor.

OOMPA LOOMPA