It was in silent but palpable collective anxiety that Mathias, Emily and Heisenberg had followed Lady Dimitrescu out of the living room. Inwardly and even if they did not show it, the two friends were still marked by this revelation which had been exposed to them. Gleen Shepard, Emily's father, and Sophie Derune, Mathias' mother, therefore knew each other in secret and had therefore put in place a plan to hide a key that had belonged to Alice, the founder of the Derune family. But for what purpose? Emily was now convinced, the answer was in the suitcase belonging to her father that she kept preciously since the beginning of her trip.
The group passed through a small dining hall, then a central outdoor courtyard, in which Emily was very surprised to see creatures, a few zombies dressed in rags, patrolling listlessly and casting curious glances at her. Mathias reassured her however, telling her that they were servants of the castle and only attacked those who were considered intruders by the masters of the place. Heisenberg on his side, remained calm, but the dark face, his hammer on the shoulder, not seeming to like the turn which the events took.
Lady Dimitrescu walked in the lead, not saying a word, and led the others to her apartments which she now shared with Mathias. After climbing a beautifully crafted staircase and traversing a corridor, the group entered a richly decorated and furnished vintage bedroom, complete with an imposing four-poster bed in which the couple slept.
_"Okay... and now?" Heisenberg asked, scratching his beard.
Alcina Dimitrescu said nothing, approaching the center of the room, then leaned over and suddenly, to everyone's surprise, punched so hard that she broke a plank of the floor in two, then the countess took something out of the hole... A small dusty black box which she revealed to the others, but hesitated for a second before opening it.
_"Forgive me, Alice..." she breathed softly between her lips, as if to be forgiven for a promise she was about to break.
She revealed the contents of the box. A silver key, with a surface so smooth it reflected light and was shaped like a dragon head, the Derune family crest. All eyes remained on the object. So it was this key that Doctor Gleen had entrusted to Alcina in secret. Alcina gave the key to Mathias, because as the last of the family, it was rightfully his. The young lord gazed for a moment at his ancestor's key in the palm of his hand, then his eyes met Emily's, who both looked at Gleen Shepard's suitcase. It was time to lift the veil on this mystery. Emily went to put the suitcase on the small round, ornate wooden table.
_"Go ahead Mathias. Open it." Emily asked.
_"Emily... Are you really sure about that's what you want? Sometimes the truth can hurt more than ignorance. Believe me, I know how it feels." Karl suggested.
_"Yes, I'm sure." Emily affirmed with determination. "All my life I have lived in ignorance of the distance my father maintained between him and me. I need to know, and I am ready to accept the consequences of my choice."
Heisenberg almost admired this intention and respected the young woman's choice. Mathias turned to Alcina who had remained in the background, but she nodded, giving her consent for the suitcase to be opened. Mathias gave her a thankful look, then came back to Emily and handed her Alice's key.
_"Open it. It's your father's suitcase. You deserve to open it." suggested the young man.
_"But... it's the key to your family." replied Emily, touched but refusing to do it alone, because considering that Mathias also had the right to know what his mother was hiding.
_"In that case... we'll open it together." Mathias said with a smile, to which Emily agreed.
The two friends joined their hands, holding the key together and about to put it in the lock of the suitcase. The tension was palpable, the tight throats, the beating hearts... Behind them, Alcina Dimitrescu and Karl Heisenberg had approached in order to them also to discover the truth. The Derune key fit perfectly into the hole, and after two full turns to the left, the metallic sound of unlocking sounded, making everyone's hearts leap. With slightly shaking hands, Emily opened the suitcase and its contents were revealed.
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The Resident Eviloves : Connections (Lady Dimitrescu - Resident Evil)
FanfictionOne year after the events of Resident Evilove, following the deaths of Moreau, Daniela and Miranda, a new order has been established. Mathias Derune has accepted his status as new lord and now lives in the castle with his wife, Lady Alcina Dimitresc...
