Her Red Knight

Chapter 7

Aspen sighed as she stared out the car window, it had felt like only yesterday she was going in the opposite direction and yet so much had happened. She knew she should probably call Diana but she wasn't sure, but there was nothing else to do. Freyja was not talking to her preferring to focus on the road. So she reached into her blazer pocket and pulled out her phone. She flipped it in her hand a few times as she mulled over the decision again before biting the bullet. She turned it on and scrolled through her contacts until she found the number Diana had called her on just over a week ago, and the good sister she was she didn't even save her as a contact. She hesitated again as he finger hovered over the call button, her anxiety chewing into gut. She would have to bite the bullet, so she shut her eyes and clicked call. She placed her phone slowly by her ear and listened to it ring. A part of her didn't want Diana to answer, she wasn't so lucky as after the fifth ring she heard her voice. "Hey, Aspen, what do you need?" She heard her say an immediately her throat closed up."Uhm, want to check you were okay, everything in Oxford must be crazy." She squeaked out which was then followed by silence, she heard another voice before Diana spoke clearly enough again."Yeah, Knox came, I was sent the pictures of mum and dad, then I summoned witch wind after he tried to pressure me to get the book out and he injured Shaun now I'm with Professor Clairmont.""I know its who Matthew is, same college remember." "Oh, right, anyway we had dinner and he is helping to protect me and part of that means taking me to his family home in France, so I wont be in Oxford when you get back." "That is a good thing because I am not exactly going back to Oxford either." "Why, you aren't staying in Venice full time are you? Trust you to feel the heat of the sun and decide to stay." She bristled, Aspen knew Diana meant nothing by the comment but Aspen hated the sun and if she really remembered her then she would know that, but she had to remember sixteen years is a long time away from someone. "Gods no. I hate the sun, and Venice though beautiful was an awful experience and I am glad to be leaving it behind." "Oh, right I forgot, I thought you would have grown out of that." Aspen sighed, maybe she was wrong to call, her sister really didn't care. "So where are you going?" "Well because every creature is after the book of life and seeming as I am the only other person to touch it in the last five hundred year, Baldwin de Clermont decided I would be safer at his family home while they discussed the matter and to keep me away from Knox." She wasn't going to tell Diana about everything in Venice, like with her parents death anything that happened got compartmentalized and no would ever know the full truth."So we will be staying under the same roof, that sounds great." Diana said happily. "Yeah, it will be good to know Matthew a little better too as well. I believe there mother Ysabeau will be there so I won't be stuck with you all the time." "From what Matthew said, she will be our host. Look we are almost there, I will see you soon Aspy." "Yeah, okay, goodbye Dee. Have a safe tr..." Before she had even finished Diana hanged up on her. Aspen sighed that was more conversation than she had had with Diana for years so she supposed it was a start and the car plunged into silence. The pair were going to Paris first so Freyja could see her sister and Aspen would go to Sept Tours alone, she didn't mind, she preferred to travel by herself anyway. So just outside of the city Freyja pulled the car over, where an almost identical car sat waiting with a woman who looked like she could kill you in a look stood waiting. Her clear blue eyes narrowed as they stepped out of the car. Aspen recognised her as Verin, the oldest de Clermont daughter. She said nothing as she flicked her perfect chocolate brown hair over her shoulder and got in the car. "Thanks for coming this far with me. I guess I will see you around Freyja." Aspen smiled as the vampire looked at her before pulling her into a hug, which she hesitantly returned, surprised by the contact."You will if you ever get in a jam just call alright and I'll be there as fast as I can." Aspen nodded as the moved apart and Freyja handed her the keys. "Well. Goodbye Verin, nice talk." She called over her shoulder as she got in the car and put the key in the ignition. Soon she was off again, Freyja had put the coordinates in the built in satnav but she paid no attention, she had a feeling she knew where she was going and it was purely on instinct she knew where to turn. Instead of sitting in silence she turned on her music and decided to listen to her Madness playlist. She watched as she passed through village after village and the countryside. Soon she knew where she was, even if the massive castle with seven towers didn't give the village away. She just knew where she was, she knew the village and yet when she tried to think how she felt a headache forming. She drove through the village and felt many of the villagers stare at her, she guessed knew people didn't exactly come very often. She continued to drive slowly until she reached the small courtyard, there was a car already parked there which she guessed was Matthew's and so she stopped beside it and got out. She stretched her arms above her head and popped her back as she shook feeling back into her legs as she stared at the building in front of her. She expected her anxiety to over come every emotion but instead a warmth spread through her body as if this was her home. She went to the boot and pulled out her suitcase and laptop bag. She slung her laptop bag over her shoulder as she shut the boot and grabbed her suitcase as she pulled it to the doors where Matthew stood with an older women she knew to be Ysabeau. Matthew walked down to meet her and grabbed her suitcase. "I trust your drive was alright?" He asked."Yeah, I always forget how beautiful France is in Autumn." Aspen smiled as they reached Ysabeau. "Thank you for allowing me to stay." She smiled as shocked covered both their faces. "You know old French." Ysabeau smiled as she place a gentle hand on her arm. This shocked Aspen she didn't even know she spoke in another language it felt so natural to her. "I guess I did. Your home is beautiful." She smiled as the older women hooked her arm through hers and as they walked into the house. "Thank you, I had the best designer." She replied, Aspen knew there was more meaning behind that than she wanted to dissect, they got to what would be the main living room when Ysabeau finally dropped her arm. "You are welcome to any part of my home, we have set up quarters for you in the second tower." She heard Ysabeau say behind her but her eye was drawn to a portrait of five women, in the centre was Ysabeau, looking like a queen in royal purple, beside her was Verin with an actual smile which Aspen thought suited her far better than a frown in a midnight blue dress, the other side she assumed was Stasia who was wearing a almost gold looking gown with a serene smile on her face. Sitting in front of the three was Freyja in a dust pink colour, she had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she leaned into a girl who looked like her, wearing silver almost like armour who was laughing."Don't you think he looks particularly sour?" Aspen heard Freyja say in her ear, she turned her eyes to Baldwin and Matthew who seemed very deep in thought. "Aye, but no more then usual I would say." "Oh, and you would know." This caused her to laugh and then get an angry comment from both of the men "That is one of my favourite portraits." She heard Ysabeau say behind her, startling her out of the weird memory. "It is beautiful, you all look so happy and playful." She agreed as another vampire bustled into the room, and the name Marthe briefly popped into her head but it was gone before she could process it. "This is Marthe, my companion if you want to rest she can take you to your room." Ysabeau smiled. "Thank you but not yet, would it be alright if I walked around the gardens?" She asked a little nervously. "Of course you don't need to ask, while you are here this house is yours." Aspen nodded and smiled before she walked in the direction of one of the many back gardens. Even for Autumn the garden was teeming with, let her fingertips brush over some of the taller plants, ran her hand down a tree and let her hand brush through leaves. She wanted to know why this place felt like home and why the woman she had heard stories about as the witch killer so openly let her move around, she sat under a tree and rested her head back, trying to clear her thoughts. Her memory, she had always described as patchy, but seemingly now more than ever. She decided to categorize what she knew and could remember. • She had known the family for a long time. • She had been in the crusades with them • The two heads of the family was Ysabeau and Baldwin now, but a man named Philippe was in charge at one point • There is Matthew, Baldwin, Hugh, Freyja, Verin, Stasia, Godfrey, Louis and Lousia as the children • She had met at least Baldwin when she was a child only she called him Luci, a nickname for something probably Lucius • She had lived her before • She and Baldwin were something, if the painting and the way he looked at her was anything to go by.He head began to spin and she decided to stop, that was already more information than she though she knew. She wasn't sure how long she was in her head for but it had grown cooler now and the sun was beginning to set creating a perfect warm orange glow over the land. She smiled as she got up and brushed the dirt from her trousers as she wandered to an open area where she suspected was the stables. To her delight it was, there was about nine horses along one side and in the furthest stall from her stood a the most beautiful horse she had ever seen a palomino Andalusian Stallion. He was standing stamping his feet and crying out loudly, obviously for attention, so she walked over. "Careful Aspen, Wicker has a mind of his own." She heard Matthew behind her causing her to spin round. "Oh, I'm sure, but he is just proud I suspect. I'll be fine." She confidently said as she moved over to the stall. She carefully held her hand out to let him sniff it, and miraculously he stopped his temper tantrum, she looked over to Matthew triumphantly and all he did was shake his head and laughed."Ignore him, what's your name handsome?" Aspen said as he stroked the soft white mane. "He's Wicker, as I said." Matthew muttered causing Aspen to jump. "Oh, right. Well it is a pleasure to meet you Wicker." She said as he leant over and bumped her pocket. "Sorry, handsome, I don't have a snack on me." He looked up and blew in her face in a huff. "Typical men." She muttered. "I tell you what, I will bring one tomorrow and we will stretch your legs to. How does that sound." She asked causing the stubborn horse to turn round and nodded his head. "Perfect. I will see you tomorrow then Handsome." She said stroking his muzzle and planting a quick kiss on it. She walked away with a massive smile on her face, she hadn't ridden in years and now she could as much as she wanted. "Of course you would choose the most stubborn horse in the stables." Matthew said coming up beside her. She looked up to him and shrugged. "How would know that?" She challenged. "A mutual friend, I believe you know Hamish. He wont stop talking about how proud he is of you and how stubborn you are." She laughed, that sounded about right for Hamish. "True, but Wicker just needs a bit of attention and food like all men." She grinned at him before running back to the house and to the kitchens as her stomach grumbled in protest. As she entered the kitchen she saw Marthe pulling something delicious out of the oven. "That smells amazing." She said as the older women turned round with what appeared to be a cherry pie. Aspen's favourite pie."I'm glad dinner will be served upstairs in the dining room if you want some." She smiled and Aspen nodded as she left and made the way up to the room where she heard quiet voice talking, she tucked her hair back, hoping she looked at least a little respectable. She pushed the door opened and smiled when she saw a place opposite Matthew had been laid, ordinarily she would it was for Diana but she suspected she would not be coming down a there was no other place laid. "Marthe, is just finishing up in the kitchen." She smiled as she sat down and Matthew poured her a glass of water, they both drank wine but she often steered cleared of alcohol unless it was a gathering. "Thank you." She smiled as they settled into conversation, they asked her about her life and she asked them about history. To anyone on the outside it would look like a mother sitting down with two of her children after years apart but to Aspen it was strange, they knew her, at least in some capacity and she had no idea who they were, but this felt natural, like she had done this a hundred time. There was a pang of sadness in her heart as she felt like someone was missing from this equation but she couldn't think who. It wasn't long before Marthe brought their dinner in and all conversation came to a stand still for Aspen, who hadn't eaten anything all day, her anxiety to high for her to even try. She finished before Ysabeau and Matthew who just stared at her. "And I thought we were fast." He said causing her to blush and rub her arm. "Sorry, I have not really eaten anything all day." She said sheepishly. "Nothing at all!" Ysabeau said in shock and she shook her head. "Honestly I am going to have to have words with Baldwin and Freyja, they should have made sure." "No it is alright really. There are times I eat a lot less than this, usually before essays were due in. My anxiety gets to bad and I cannot keep anything down so I do not try." Aspen said quickly not wanting to get either of them in trouble. "Alright, I wont talk to them. But that is not normal dear, is there anything we can do to keep your anxiety down?" Ysabeau asked. This shocked Aspen because no one had truly cared or asked her that, it felt strange. Even her aunt when she was suppose to care didn't ask her that, instead she was told she was making up how severe it was and that she was looking for attention. She was five when that started and ever since then she felt alone. Hamish and Felicity had tried but she kept it as quiet as she could from them, they knew she had anxiety but to the extent it was. Or even the thoughts that came with the anxiety. "I do not know in truth, it has a mind of its own, but keeping witches away helps and the Congregation, apart from Agatha and Baldwin." She said thoughtfully, she had never really kept track of the triggers after all she had just learnt to live with it and hide it. "Well no witch shall come on our land and most of the congregation leave us alone. If you ever feel like that come and talk to me if you just want someone to listen." Ysabeau said leaning forward and placing a hand over the top of hers. "Thank you." Aspen stuttered in shock at this kind gesture. "Now, I have heard you seemed to have tamed Wicker." She said changing the subject which Aspen was infinitely grateful for as she looked at Matthew. "I would not say tamed I promised him food and attention." She smiled. "Ah the way to tame any man." Marthe said causing the three women to laugh and Matthew to grumble. Afterwards the conversation turned to horses and Aspens previous riding experience. Back in Madison she rode competitively and was really good at her. After the death of her parents, Sarah made sure the girls had a lot to do and that meant Diana and her were enrolled into dance classes, though only Aspen kept that going after the trial period, horse riding, music lessons, Diana piano and Aspen violin, clarinet and singing, swimming, acting and gymnastics lessons. Everyday after school and even on their weekends they were busy. Diana was allowed to drop most of these and though Aspen loved them when she tried to drop them she was met with resistance and by the time she was 10 she was doing fourteen different activities pretty much twice a week, apart from acting. For most they saw this as too much but Aspen loved it, it kept her mind of the images of her parents and she excelled in all of them, but riding was her favourite, she loved how freeing it felt and the way that when she rode all her problems were forgotten. She was able to keep up with all of this and school work, she was unique in the fact very little made her tired, though it was probably because she was too scared to actually go to sleep so when her body had had enough it just collapsed. Was it the healthiest? Absolutely not. But did she absolutely love it? Yes. After dinner Aspen finally went up to the room she would be staying in. It was of course at the top of the tower, but the view it gave of the surrounding countryside was amazing. The room was sparse with only a wardrobe, dresser, desk and bed in, but on her way up she spotted what looked like a small library. The bed was large and incredibly comfortable and if she did not hate sleeping in the clothes she wore all day, she could have fallen asleep right then and there. Instead she opened her suitcase and pulled out a set of pyjamas and opened the door to a massive bathroom. It reminded Aspen of a Tardis, it appeared bigger on the outside, from the outside the towers seemed so small and yet the bathroom and bedroom where massive and on the same floor. She shook that thought from her head as she quickly changed and went back into the room to see the fire lit. It creates a warm and comforting glow over the whole room. Aspen smiled as she pulled her book she had 'borrowed' from Baldwin and curled up under the massive blanket and duvet and began to read the original version of Dracula. It wasn't long before she fell asleep and Ysabeau decided to check on her. She smiled softly as she saw the book on her face and gently picked it up and placed a bookmark in the pages so Aspen could pick up where she left off tomorrow. She was happy that she had finally found them, but it hurt a little that she did not remember any of them. She did not want to explain what happened to Philippe. She knew how close they were and if she ever got her memories back the pain. Ysabeau shuddered at the thought, she saw her roll over. She smiled softly and moved the hair covering her face and kissed her forehead. She knew Aspen would remember and until then she would protect her from the horrors that the world had inflicted on her family. She left, closing the door gently and prayed Baldwin knew what he was doing by allowing Matthew and Diana to stay and for Aspen to be sleeping in her old room. She didn't want her to go through any more pain than she had to.