The Duke of Whishipper

Chapter 13: A Secret Holder (7)

The gray bird's, Nile Hyacinth, turquoise blue eyes narrowed.
As the servant of the Duke of Whishipper, the Undying Duke, he knew what the first mission meant. It was not merely for his Master to use his powers against a real human, but as well as him and the blue butterfly to show their skills as his assisting limps.

'Servants can never fail their Master. Never.'

The gray bird persistently repeated those words in his mind.

"Nile?"

Nile snapped back to reality at the calling of his name. Rivan gave him a questioning look however he did not show any more interest when Nile shook his head lightly, showing it was nothing that matters. Then, the high class servant spoke.

"I came to inform you that the tea in the garden is prepared for the talk with young master Eliot."

"Very well. I will head there then."

Rivan glaces one more time at the third and last letter. His eyes widened in shock for a split of a second before they returned to normal as quickly as he read the sender's name.

'Lady Rina Lether Whishipper'

The letter was from his late mother, Lady Rina. Rivan drew a crooked smile to hold back his surprise, shock and uncertainty. To hide the clashing feelings. He shoved the letter in his inner pocket to read it later.

*****

The garden of the Duke's mansion is, the least to be said, a large space.
Rather than being filled with various vibrant colors, the flowers scattered on both sides of the path had gentle fragrant scents. They were captured in stone walls in groups of jasmines, wild lilies, lavenders, freesias, lilac and more and more.
Trees reached their flowery branches braided into a bow. Despise looking naturally beautiful, the garden was not neglected, showing sings of being carefully taken care of and well supervised.

At the center of that garden, was a tea table with an ash gray haired boy who looked like a doll, expressionless, beautiful and cold.
Eliot lifted his blood colored eyes to gaze back at Rivan's lime greens.
Sitting across him, Rivan looked at Eliot as the latter poured him a cup of red hibiscus tea. The springy light poured gently, warping the calm garden and tea table in a peaceful feature.

"You don't know everything, do you?"

Breaking the silent was Eliot's calm voice, flowing more soothingly than the sound of the singing birds.

"As much as you look confident you actually lack information, Your Grace."

"Rivan."

Rivan spoke with a gentle smile.

"Calling me your grace is too formal given I'm your only close relative and guardian."

"..."

Eliot did not comment on that note and so Rivan rested his chin on his hands and spoke with his unchanged calmness, as if he was stating known facts.

"What I know is indeed limited. It's more like little pieces of everything."

Eliot put down his teacup and looked to his side. He was precisely gazing at the white Jasmines, Lady Rina's favorite flowers. His doll eyes held, for the first time since Rivan have seen him, a barely considerable amount of hesitation. That lasted a split of a second, yet Rivan was certain of the emotion he have witnessed, before the blood red burned with determination.
Looking back at the calm black haired young man, Eliot began.

"A Secret Holder should never speak of their Secret for they will face a punishment. It is the needed to make such a reasonable sacrifice"

Upon hearing Eliot's stiff words, Rivan frowned and spoke firmly.

"I am not seeking information this way-"

But his words was cut as Eliot added.

"They should never speak of the contract's details too. However..."

Rivan closed his mouth. He understood what Eliot was getting to.
He should not speak of the Secret itself.
He should not say who he made the contract with.
He should not tell of the time nor place of the contract.
He should not speak of the punishment.
However...

"I can help you. I can tell you what you want to know."

Eliot's soothing voice echoed in the garden. It sounded more lively ,b than ever, having the barely audible trembles flickering within it.

Secret Holders should not. That does not mean they cannot.

"One. I can tell you one information at a time."

Rivan was no longer disapproving of the young boy's actions. He would only observe for a while. Meanwhile, Eliot closes his eyes and took in a deep breath. No sing of the previous hesitation was present as words flowed from his mouth like the poured tea.

"I, Eliot Lether, speak of my Secret contract to Rivan Whishipper."

Rivan fidgeted in his seat and frowned his eyebrows. He could feel an ominous aura creeping and flowing around his being with those words.

'This is wrong.'

He had a sense that insisted on the fact that Eliot Lether, the Secret Holder, should not do what he claimed. Secrets were not found to be told. Yet he did not stop him. He chose not to interfere with the boy's choice. Thus, the persisting feeling faded away.

"Lady Rina told me about a person who died once and would return again. She told me about his appearance and the why he died..Mm.."

Eliot's eyes twitched slightly, seeming uncomfortable.

"I now hold two Secrets."

The young boy clenched his closed eyes.

"I hold the Secret of Lady Rina. Her contract of 20 years ago is bounded to me now. That does not mean I am the founder of the Secret. I am mere a witness, a Keeper."

After he said the last words, Eliot's left eye began to leek of a deep red liquid.
Blood. His closed eye was bleeding red as bright as its color.

Rivan narrowed his eyes at that sight. This was a type of punishment to a Secret Holder. It was not an injury and it would not leave marks of its existence. Nonetheless, pain bleeding out certainly exists.

"Huu."

Eliot breathed heavily to lessen the pain from his eye. He kept a steady voice as he processed, not allowing the pain to sway his tone.

"I hold the Secret of your truth. I know of your curse."

The color of the blood deepened into somewhat a blackened red. Eliot stopped talking and held his eye within his palm. He focused on decreasing the undescribable pain from his eye.
The flowing of blood would stop if he spoke no more. However, that was no option. He had to. He had other things to say and mention to the person listening quietly before him.

'Just a bit more...to make the Lady's wish true...'

Those thoughts were the fuse that encouraged Eliot to speak on.

End of Chapter 13.