Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 40: The First Memory of Duncan~

As soon as Jiu came back to the manor, he felt true dread set in. He couldn't find Leora, and that immediately worried him. What if she was in danger? But, he calmed as soon as Edward told him Leora had just gone to bed early. Jiu decided to do the same thing. As he stepped into his room, or at least, 'the wonderland room' he couldn't help but wearily glance around. He couldn't sleep there knowing that perhaps the boy hadn't truly left. Surely it hadn't been Duncan in the room, as Dorian had said. Duncan was dead. He had been dead for a long time. But, if Duncan was vengeful, his spirit would have lingered. And lingering spirits with motives were not to be taken lightly, Jiu knew that much. Once he was certain the perimeter was clear and safe, the ghost general settled down into his bed, his breaths short with worry. Jiu couldn't take his eyes off the portrait of Duncan and his mother; he couldn't imagine the boy being a cruel spirit, he had looked so kind in nature. After a long moment, Jiu felt his eyes grow heavy and slipped off to a dark dream. No, a memory. Not his, but of someone else's.

Jiu gasped, looking around the Wonderland room with wide eyes, still sitting in the bed with the exact sheets covering him. Two boys ran about; one laughing much more than the other, bouncing on each piece of furniture and making incoherent noises of joy. A one, nearly two, year old girl waddled after them with wide eyes; wanting so eagerly to be a part of their games.
"You'll never catch me, Harry!" The older boy announced, laughing as he swerved around the wardrobe.
Harry? That name. Young Lord Henry whined, angrily; he still looked as sullen as ever.
"It's no fair, you always get everything, Duncan," Henry pouted.
"Duck-an!" The toddler version of Leora squealed, clapping her hands with bright eyes," Duck-an!"
Duncan grinned," You're just jealous that you can't run as fast as me. Isn't he, Leora?"
Leora giggled, waddling over to Duncan with bright eyes of admiration. Henry scowled, crossing his arms. Duncan scooped Leora up in his arms and laughed, spinning the little girl around before setting her on top of a box, steadying her.
"There, now Leora is the biggest and bestest."
Henry glowered even more," Leora always gets the attention...so do you, Duncan. I equal nothing compared to you."
Duncan's gaze softened slightly. He gently picked up the giggling Leora and set her on the floor; turning to Henry with a smile.
"Look, the podium is free, Harry!"

Henry meekly glanced at it, his eyebrows furrowed. He huffed.
"I don't want your leftovers. I don't want to be the second thought. I always am."
Duncan smiled, sadly.
"Well, nobody here thinks you are, Harry," Duncan suddenly turned to Jiu, smiling at him warmly," Do they, mother?"
Mother? Jiu then realised, this must be Duncan's mother's memory...she had tuberculosis and had been bedridden so, perhaps this was the room she'd been placed in. Duncan had probably made his cousin's play in here often, so he could keep his sick mother company. Jiu doubted Henry would tell anyone that, but it was a sweet sentiment, no doubt about it. Duncan seemed to be a caring boy. Or, at least, he had been.
"Exactly," Duncan's mother spoke, her voice softer than expected.
The words, however, came out of Jiu's mouth, because he was in her body.
"Nobody thinks you're following Duncan's shadow, Henry."
Henry's gaze lit up, and he nodded," I believe you, auntie."
Leora babbled, waddling over to her aunt's bed and crawling in. Jiu chuckled slightly at the sight of the girl as a toddler, running her hands over his face and snuggling close.

"Leora, auntie is sick, you'll hurt her," Duncan chided, chuckling; pulling Leora off Jiu gently.
"You worry too much about me, Duncan."
"How can I not, mother?"
Duncan's expression grew slightly sad, but he brushed it off with a grin.
"Duck-an!" Leora giggled," Dance!"
"You want me to dance?" Duncan grinned, tilting his head," How could I ever deny you that, Miss Leora?"
The toddler sat on the floor, clapping her hands. Henry, too, sat beside her, watching with wide eyes. There, Duncan danced; pretending to be lady-like at times, earning a few laughs from Henry and his mother. This continued for a few moments till the boy grew tired and stopped. Leora pushed herself onto her feet, and waddled off to grab a towel from the wardrobe. She passed it to Duncan with a big grin.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Leora," Duncan sighed with a smile, dabbing the sweat off himself, gently.
"Duck-an, Leora love Duck-an!" The toddler exclaimed.
Duncan grinned, kneeling down to her height. He gently kissed her cheek and looked in her eyes, his expression soft.
"And I love you too, Leora. I'll always protect you, okay?"
Leora nodded with a big grin.

Jiu suddenly felt a burning in his chest and coughed, sharply. Duncan's gaze flickered over to him, in concern.
"Mother?"
The coughing didn't stop. Duncan pushed past Leora, causing the toddler to fall on her butt with a whimper.
"Mother! Henry, quickly, call for help!" Duncan cried, as Jiu's coughing did not cease.
Henry nodded, running out of the room, desperately. Duncan cried a little as Jiu's coughing did not cease, begging for his mother to stop scaring him. Leora sat on the floor with wide eyes. Duncan turned to face her, tears dripping down his face in frustration.
"Get out, Leora, please! Don't look at her! It'll only scare you!"
The toddler stared with wide eyes, unmoving.
"GET OUT, LEORA!!"

Jiu sharply coughed, sitting up in bed, awake; sweat dripping down him. He was back. He glanced around the dark room, steadying his breath as he stopped choking on what had been dust particles. Jiu grimaced, looking at the places in the room where the young children had been, and it felt like it had been some weird nightmare, almost. Duncan, he'd dealt with so much and was so kind and...he and Leora seemed close. But he yelled at her, was that when he started to despise Leora? The ghosts' gaze fell on the portrait of Duncan and his sickly mother and he sighed.
"Why do you hate her so much now, Duncan? I won't stop until I understand why you want to hurt her."