The Companion (18+)

29. Home

When Aurélie woke up, she noticed that the space next to her was empty. Sitting up and blinking a few times to fully wake up, she realised that the curtains were drawn back and that the sun was setting. She took a moment to recognise her surroundings, the events of the previous evening quickly rushing to her. Still feeling exhausted, Aurélie swung her legs over the bed, swaying slightly as she stood up. The door to the bathroom opened, revealing Étienne as he stepped back into the room, fully dressed.

"Good, you are awake. I was about to wake you up myself," he greeted her, giving her a smile and running a hand through his hair. "We should hurry. I expect that my father will be knocking on our door soon to continue our journey home."

Home. They were still days away but Aurélie already felt a sense of joy wash over her as she imagined her room and Amelie. The peaceful gardens and the cozy library and living spaces. What she wouldn't give to already be back at the chateau and forget all about the events that happened the evening prior.

"I should not take long," Aurélie said, picking out her Dubois uniform and walking over to the bathroom. Étienne stepped to the side to let her pass, gently closing the door behind her.

In less than twenty minutes, the travelling group was packed and seated in the carriages they had travelled with the night before. The innkeeper was given another small pouch filled with coins, generously taking it and bowing to Duke Saint-Clair as he left.

The Duke decided to sit in a separate carriage with several of his men to discuss important matters, leaving Aurélie and Étienne in a carriage by themselves. The pair spent the day's journey discussing what had happened and what exactly Aurélie had found in Delacroix's office. She omitted the part about the dagger, not yet sure how she would explain the exact copy she had resting above their heads. When the pair was not discussing what had happened or what was awaiting for them back in France, they silently watched the dark countryside pass by or make light conversation. Aurélie learnt a lot about Étienne's childhood and his mother. She was surprised to hear how similar Étienne was to his mother. It seemed that both were mischievous and both had a similar temper. Her death was a surprise to everyone, having happened rather suddenly and with no explanation what drove her to end her life. When recalling having found his mother in the gardens with a silver dagger in her heart, Étienne stopped the conversation and stared outside. He let Aurélie take his hand into her's, giving him time to either continue his story or leave it. To the companion's surprise, he continued on, talking about the funeral and how most of the important figureheads from Europe were present— including Delacroix.

Aurélie thanked him for sharing his story, appreciating the fact that he was comfortable enough to recall such a terrible event in her presence. She enjoyed spending the time they had alone together, thankful that his stories made time go by a little faster.

The journey back to France was long. As soon as the group had left the borders of Hungary, they resumed the usual route and regularly swapped out horses so that the ride back home would go a little faster. They still had to spend several nights in the same inns and hotels they had stayed in when they made their way to Delacroix's castle, as they continued to transversed the European countryside.

As soon as they had crossed the border into France, Aurélie let out a sigh of relief. They had one last stop before they would pass into the more remote region of the country, where chateau Saint-Clair rested. The place that they stayed at was small but lavish. Duke Saint-Clair and Étienne were met by a tall dark man that shouted in glee as they stepped past the threshold, his arms wide as he embraced the Duke.

Everyone was rushed inside and rooms were being prepared for the travelling group. The owner of the inn was named Jerome, a vampire that was over four hundred years old. Aurélie learned from him that he had managed to build up this place and provide a safe haven for those who were running away from the revolution. Endless tunnels and rooms ran underneath the inn, some connecting to houses and churches from the nearby village. The companion politely declined his invitation for her and Étienne to have a brief tour, not really in the mood to spend half a day underground. She felt exhausted and was ready to fall into whatever bed was given to her.