GENTLE | VISCOUNT TEWKESBURY

1| A Blank Canvas

[Y/N]

PLACING THE BRUSH I HAD USED TO COLOR THE ONCE BLANK CANVAS IN FRONT OF ME INSIDE THE JAR I SIGHED. Wiping the paint off my hands on my old yellow dress I continued to stare at the piece of art in front of me. It pictured a girl sitting on the bright green grass, her back against a tree with a book in her hands. Braided in her golden hair were wild flowers in every shade of pink. To anyone it's just another painting that would trigger the feeling of happiness and calmness. Just another piece of art that would be hung up somewhere in this very same house.

To me it is a reminder of times when things were simple. It gave me a feeling of nostalgia recalling those times I would spend countless hours outside in the garden with my two sisters conversing about anything and everything our adolescent minds could come up with.

Unfortunately, things changed a lot after Margaret's marriage and since her and Alicia aren't around anymore it's only me and my mother now. Oh well and Amybeth. We may not be related by blood but I consider her family. She's been around before I was even born.

Holding the canvas in my hands I made my way towards my mother's room. Knocking on the door I waited for an answer, her voice telling me to come in. However the answer never came. Setting the canvas down I steadied it against the wall before slowly opening the door.

The room was dark as the curtains hadn't been pushed to the side as usual. The room seemed to be empty so I closed the door and made my way down the stairs, not paying any mind to it. I made my way towards the kitchen where Amybeth stood with a spoon in hand watching over the pot.

"Hey Amybeth have seen mother?" I asked the blue eyed girl. "No Miss Y/n, I haven't seen her since she left the estate last evening." she informed me. "She left last night?" I asked confused. Normally mother would inform me if she was to visit someone. It wasn't like her to leave the estate and not tell me or Amybeth where she was going.

"She didn't tell you?" she asked surprised. I shook my head turning to leave. Maybe she had one of those club meetings again and she just forgot to tell me.

THE SKY WAS DARK INDICATING IT WAS NIGHT-TIME AND MOTHER HAD YET TO RETURN. I refused to sit and wait while I did nothing. However the only solution I could come up with was writing Margaret a letter, informing her about mother's sudden disappearance.

It was not common of me to write letters to my dear sister. Mostly because if I did I knew she would consider visiting us, bringing along her husband, whom I strongly despise. However this was rather serious and I didn't have anything else in mind.

Closing the envelope I sighed and placed on my desk so I could mail it tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Sighing I tiptoed to my mother's room, the wooden floor creaked below my feet as I did so. Under the dim light of the candle I was holding I noticed an opened envelope on the table.

Setting the candle down next to me I took the envelope in my hands to examine it. The name of the person who had sent the letter was no longer visible as somebody had crossed it out. Reaching for the letter my fingers grazed the slightly crumbled piece of paper. Pulling it out I read it quickly my eyes scanning the page for anything that would give away where mother was. However I quickly stopped once I realised what I had just read.

Mother was to be arrested for her 'feministic' acts. That's probably why she disappeared. Sighing I placed the letter back in the envelope before looking around the room. I noticed the book mother was last reading left on a chair on top of a few other books.

Picking it up I examined the leather cover letting my fingers graze over the title of the book written with silver letters. "Jane Eyre" I read out loud. Flipping through the pages of the book a small note fell on the floor. I knew it.

Placing the book on the table I crouched down and picked up the note. 'Irises grow where the moonlight changes colour' the note read. What does that even mean? Irises stand for messages so there should be another note hidden somewhere. But where does the moonlight change colour.

Glancing around the room my eyes stop at a painting of mine I had gifted to my mother years ago. The painting featured a clear night sky with little white dots scattered around the big circle that was supposed to be the moon. However I had painted everything as if seen through a filter that caused the white moon to look more purple than white.

Smiling to myself my hand reached behind the painting searching for another note. My smile grew bigger when I felt the soft paper on the tips of my fingers. This time the note wasn't coded. Instead written on the paper with calligraphic letters were the words 'Your will shall decide your destiny'

I know what I have to do.

Author's Note: First chapter is up. It will
probably be a bit boring at first but I promise
it will get more intresting in the next
few chapters.