Conspiracy

Travelling

The crowded station was thick with people making their way to and from their destinations, while great curling tendrils of chalky steam snaked their way through the chaos as the trains hissed their goodbyes. In a simple, buttoned dress coloured like the sky, Regina Adams gingerly made her way through the throng of suits and skirts to the entrance of the train station. She emerged into the frigid morning air and laughed inwardly as her breath flew away in soft puffs in the breeze; an occurrence rarely seen in the warm streets of London. Staring up at the sky, her smile continued to grow as all shades of pink, orange, and gold crept across the Earth's ceiling, paving the way for the sun's rise. She wished she could've stayed and watched the morning grow over the snow-capped mountains, but alas there were things to be done, and places to be. Although her location bordered the edge of the province in which her brother was in residence, the carriage ride was to be long and rough, and she needed rest before she continued on her way. Removing the crinkled piece of parchment from her pocket, she mouthed the instructions her brother had sent.

"Once you have left the train station, head to the nearby inn called the Midnight Owl. I have booked for you a room for the day, as the carriage that is to take you from Transylvania to Prahova Valley will not arrive until sundown. Once he arrives, he will take you to the town that is nearby to the estate. There, you will find another carriage waiting to take you the rest of the way. I hope the journey is safe, and I shall see you when you arrive.
- Andre".

Just as she finished, a cool breeze swept through the station, so she hurried to bury the note in her pocket, lest she lose it. With one last shiver and glance at the sunrise, she turned and made her way into town. She searched for what seemed an eternity for a sign bearing the name of "The Midnight Owl", but to no avail. With a huff of annoyance, she resolved to ask for assistance; something she had always despised doing. The old man who gave her directions was of a friendly manner, his faced wrinkled with age, wisdom, and kindness. In his gravelly voice, he asked Regina of her business in their froze corner of the world.
"I'm visiting my brother. He lives in Prahova Valley on the Bloodthorne Estate." She explained quickly. Not seconds after she'd spoken, the old man's charming, happy persona evaporated, replaced by a sudden rush of inexplicable fear. He grabbed her wrist in a vice-like grasp with speed far greater than what his age claimed he had. He bowed his head over her hand and began to chant an ominous phrase in a language Regina could only identify as Latin.
"O Dominus omnipotens custodire ab hoc mulier est anima daemonibus, qui latet in tenebris. Benedicat anima eius. Exaudi orationem meam. Da fortitudinem eius et salutem."
Regina attempted to pull away from the man's grip, but his hold was too tight. A bubble of fear welled up inside her throat, as though a tortured scream was trying to escape, but was drowned before it could. The man was still chanting when at last she managed to slip free. Then he crossed himself and hobbled away, leaving Regina shell-shocked in the street, a thin film of sweat beading on her forehead while her heart hammered in her chest. Not wanting to draw any more unnecessary attention to herself, she quickly dabbed the sweat away, and continued on to the inn, trying to compose herself before she stepped inside. Upon entering, she was immediately assaulted with the stench of rum and whiskey, mingled with the mouth-watering smell of roast pork and potatoes.
"Can I help you, miss?" a middle-aged gentleman called out to her from across the inn as he wiped his hands on a greasy rag.
"Ah, yes! You can. My brother booked me a room for the day."
"Regina Adams? Sister to... Andre Adams?" he asked slowly, avoiding her gaze.
"Yes." She replied, confused as to why her brother's name would incite such unease from the man.
"Right this way, sweety." A kind-faced, portly woman appeared beside her, gesturing to the stairs.
"Thank you."
"So you're the Adams girl. Your brother wrote the other day and requested we secure our finest room for you. So we put you in the Midnight Suite. It overlooks the town square."
"I thank you."
"Of course. I just pray you'll be back to use it again." She mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, nothing. Nothing. Here we are!"
The woman pushed open a door to reveal a room laden with furniture coloured in a beautiful shade of midnight blue and speckled with flecks of gold and ivory. A wolf skin rug lay at the foot of the four-poster, canopy bed while a fireplace crackled to an audience of sapphire sofas. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the dust in the air, and turning them into miniscule fairies.
"I do hope you like it, even though it's only for the day. And if you need anything, my name is Ethel. Just come and ask at the front desk." She smiled; a sad smile, ridden with regret and grief.
"Thank you, Ethel. I'm sure I'll be very comfortable here." Regina, returning her smile as best she could as Ethel bowed out of the room, closing the door with a gentle click. Regina sighed heavily as she set her suitcases down, for she could feel the hours of fatigue creeping into her eyes, so she decided she ought to try and catch a wink or two before she continued on her journey later that evening. But despite the heavenly cloud of comfort she was lying on, sleep evaded her grasp for much of the day as Ethel's morbid comment floated around her mind, planting seeds of doubt and fear in the tiniest cracks before sitting back to watch them grow, cackling at her insecurities. Ever since her parents had been in that terrible accident, she had always been shrouded in a cloud of self-doubt and anxiety. All her doubts from her past, and fears about Ethel were now being accompanied by the terrifying encounter with the old man, ultimately adding to the puddle fear pooling in her chest. Finally, after what seemed to be forever, her common sense found its voice and stepped in to save her, telling her that she was simply overtired and that her imagination was taking hold and warping her reality. This set her at ease, and she was able to finally fall into a light sleep for the rest of the afternoon.

∞

Darkness. Two voices, conversing silently by the light of a single candle's flame. One, a man, argues on behalf of an absentee. The other, a woman, counters.
"Leave her be. She is troubled enough without you inserting your fingers in the pie of her brain."
"Oh, come now. You make it sound as though I take joy in corrupting the weak minds of humans."
"She is not weak."
"No?"
"No. And she has a wonderful life back home. So leave her be."
"Fine. I will. But should anything come to pass that would require me to insert myself in the situation, then I assure you there will be no hesitation on my behalf."
"I have no doubt about that."
"Excellent. Now go. Surprise her. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you."