Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 92: The Third Victim~

A couple weeks passed, and manor life felt...slow and somewhat foreboding. Leora's condition had not improved whatsoever, and the manor seemed more lifeless as the days dragged on. Jiu went to see Leora and found she was in the room with Julian, who was currently sorting out documents; ignoring Victor, who seemed to continuously hiss at the doctor.
"Where's Henry?" Jiu muttered, glancing around.
"Have you not been told?" Julian frowned, seemingly unbothered," His wife has died. He'll be in London today."
Jiu blinked in sheer shock. Lady Brandon...dead? He could hardly believe it. Julian had so carelessly dropped the news that it felt somewhat surreal, like some odd dream. True, Jiu hadn't particularly cared much for Lady Brandon, but it felt like such a harsh and disrespectful way to break her death. Yes, she had been a little annoying, but not to the point where her death was treated so haphazardly. It was as if she wasn't considered something significant enough to mourn. Like she was irrelevant to the family she'd married into.
Jiu studied Julian with furrowed brows," You seem unphased by it all."
"I am a doctor," Julian shrugged, sounding rather bored," I deal with death most of the time. I've built up a tolerance for it, I suppose."

"How did she even die?" Jiu frowned.
"Jack the Ripper."
Jiu's eyes widened in horror, startled by the idea. She'd died a grizzly murder, there was even less excuse for the family to treat it like nothing! The whole of England would be in panic and grief, no doubt about it, but her own husband's family? It was bizarre. Jiu glanced at Leora, desperately hoping she at least felt some sort of pity for the woman. He was relieved to find she did look a bit sad from the news, absently running her fingers through Victor's fur. She wasn't a psychopath like Julian Frost, at least; though that much was granted. Jiu made his way over to the bed, sitting down beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. Victor mewed and perched, so he was resting on both Leora and Jiu.
"How are you feeling, dear?" Jiu whispered so Julian couldn't hear.
Leora gave Jiu a weak attempt at a smile to offer some reassurance," Not awful. Rather sad about poor Lady Brandon, she was everso young."
"Yes..." Jiu nodded, thoughtfully," In that respect, perhaps it's for the best you're in the manor."
Leora nodded in agreement.
"How are you feeling health-wise?"
Leora opened her mouth to speak, before Julian spoke above her.
"Worse. She coughed up blood last night; the last time she coughed up blood was the day you found out about her tuberculosis."

Jiu turned pale at the thought.
"Blood?"
Leora chuckled, weakly," Only a little; don't worry so much."
"I can't help it if your health is getting worse," Jiu whispered.
"It's not necessarily worse, just-"
"It is worse, Leora," Jiu frowned at her, sternly," It is most definitely worse."
"Exactly," Julian hummed, heaving up a suitcase that he'd had by his feet," Which is why you must rest extra well whilst I'm away, Leora."
Jiu blinked in shock.
"You're...leaving?"
"Only for a few days," Julian shrugged his shoulders," I'm going to help Henry with his loss and we want to look over some things back at the surgery is all. I trust you to give Leora her medication, alright?"
Jiu glanced at the vial on the desk and nodded. Julian hummed and left, not even bothering to say pleasantries or goodbyes. In a respect, Jiu was quite glad he was leaving; less Julian meant less captivity for Leora.
Leora glanced at Jiu," Does this mean in can go around the manor more in the day?"
"Yes," Jiu smiled," Though, let's not overdo it too much, alright? Julian is right about one thing; you need rest."
Leora nodded, smiling, before she glanced away, in thought.

"What's with the slightly upset expression?" Jiu chuckled, cupping her face in his hands," You do know Henry and Julian aren't here for a few days, right? That's like a blessing from the heavens. No, even better than that...is there anything better than that? Well, if there is, that's what this is."
Leora smiled weakly," I am happy, it's just last night I... I remembered something."
"Something?"
The girl nodded, glancing around the room.
"I remember waiting to be free...I feel like I'm waiting again, just... waiting to die; in this case."
Jiu grimaced, at the thought, before forcing on a determined expression," You won't die. You promised me, remember? No goodbyes. I won't let you die, Leora. You're going to recover, just watch."
"Right, you're right," Leora nodded with a sigh," I will."
Jiu smiled and squeezed her hands on reassurance.
"Want to tell me what you remembered? Perhaps it'll help to talk about it. Maybe as you speak, you'll realise it's not the same. That you won't be waiting to die."
"Alright, let's try that," Leora nodded," Here, snuggle with me, it'll be a long story."
Jiu smiled, sitting back against the headboard of the bed, wrapping his arm around Leora and pulling her close.
Leora sighed," What I remembered was this-"