The Masquerade Of Black Death (UNDER RE-WRITING AND HEAVY EDITING)

Chapter Ten

Ophelia didn't return that night, nor did Aurelian or the children. People were worried, Aurelian always returns by morning.
Iris got up and had a meeting in the kitchen with all the staff. Claude-Laurence walked into it. It didn't pause like it did when he lived at his parents house, but it quietened.
"I'm sorry okay." He threw his hands up.
"It's not that. Sir." One person stepped off the counter. "You're not well. Please rest. We can sort this." He smiled.
"That's my fiancé."
"And she's our sister. Don't pull that card. Do as I say." Which Claude-Laurence did. He had a fever and a splitting headache. He lay back down in Ophelia's bed and curled up imagining her back in his arms.

Well in fact Ophelia had spent the night laying up at the stairs in a no name field with a road going into it.
Willowdale.
"Why did you come so far?" Aurelian sighed. She was laying on his arm cuddled into his side. "I'm never far from you."
"I don't feel safe without you. It's always been me and you." She tensed up. She was clenching his shirt. "I don't want to marry a man who looks down on you." She shook her head in his pit.
"I'm protective. You're the only person I trust. I don't want to lose you." He looked down at her. He remembered what she looked like as a child. He looked away. "Tell me again, what do you look like?" So Ophelia told him again, and again, and again as though he was dying. Which was ironic, years later they both died in this very place and position.
"When they wake up, let's get you home." Aurelian nodded.
"Not without you." She clung into him. "You're my home." She heard him say that to her, which was true did him. He was contracted to her, he was sold to a Miss Ophelia Thompson.
"Nonsense, you're getting married. I'll always be here to light up your night, but now you have a sun waiting for you at home."
"I don't want to marry him if you don't like him."
"Ophelia, you love him."
"You love Eden."
"It's different, we're men."
"Marry Eden and I'll marry Claude. We want to."
"I tried not to trust you when said to take your hand and leap. But here I am." He tightened his grip on her. "I love you, my dear big sister."
"I love you too, my baby brother."

Once the sun came up, Aurelian packed up and the four of them began their trek back to London.
"We should get a dress on the way home." Aurelian swung his stump up and down, the extra sleeve flapping aimlessly in the small wind. Ophelia placed down some tufts of his hair.
"I have one at home. We picked it out before you went blind, remember? When we played dress up?" Ophelia smiled.
"I do." He smiled too, the smile he had back then. "You were a gorgeous child. That blonde hair." Aurelian turned cold. He sent himself back to the first time he met Ophelia.

There was a small auction of sorts. He looked out in the crowd and saw her due to her hair and skin. He rolled his eyes and was pushed up to the spot. He kept his gaze on Monsieur Esclave at the side.
"Papa, we need to save him. Please." She tugged on Theodore's coat. Then she spun to Oskar. "Please, Oskar. He needs help." She looked at Esme but before she could speak Theodore put a bet on.
"Are you sure? He's very troublesome." The handler said from the wooden stage.
"We didn't ask, fifty pounds." Theodore saw the handlers eyes light up.
"We'll wash him up and bring him to your home."
"No. You let the poor child go now." Theodore stepped out from his children, "come on Ophelia. Oskar, stay with your mother." Theodore grabbed Ophelia's wrist. "I hope he's good." Theodore murmured.
"He will be." Ophelia skipped beside him, Aurelian was pushed into them, Ophelia caught him. He pulled away and walked behind her. Esme and Oskar walked away from the crowd and they met up again a few streets away.
"What is your name, son?" Esme tried to put on a nice smile.
Aurelian just stood there in silence.
"He doesn't speak much English." Theodore caught up with them.
"I do." Aurelian spoke low. "Why share my name when I'll be resold soon?" He slung his head low. Esme licked her finger and rubbed it over his cheek.
"Son, you're stuck with us now. I'm Esme Thompson, that's my husband Theodore, our son, Oskar, and our daughter Ophelia."
"Aurelian."
"What does that name mean?" Ophelia tilted her head. There was no response. Oskar chuckled awkwardly and he offered to take them home and let his parents go for their dinner. Esme was reluctant, but she said to help themselves to anything, Iris will be there.