The Baron and his Lady

Thirty-eight: Goodbye

Master bedroom
Claus' pov

After awhile, Lucian and I conversed and talked about old times. We recalled funny memories we had when we were children. The pranks we played on the servants we didn't like and trips to the town brothel.

"I remember that redhead Camilla, she always wore silk. Her bedsheets and blankets were all silk, weren't they?"

Lucian laughed, "I recall because you slipped and fell on your face!"

"The silks were bloody slippery. How can she managed to move with it? Have you ever wondered?"

"Women."

Another laughter. Then he grew serious. "Now tell me," he found my gaze and I wanted to look away, "what is it your withholding from me?"

"You wanted to know how we managed to get home? Well, a miracle happened."

I stood up and faced the window, he waited for me to go on and I did, "Patrick took over and carried everyone in the car and drove back here. He also called the doctors because Tristane wasn't breathing, you were unconscious and Krista was freezing. Louie helped after we managed to unlock his room. I'm guessing Letecia trapped him there.

"When the doctors arrived they started asking questions what happened and I couldn't recall how he actually handled them. I just woke up and regain control but everyone had been taken care of.

"Patrick was quiet. I can't reach him. I guess he was resting. I found Louie and told him what was happening, he didn't want to believe at first." I gave a small chuckle, because Louie's astonished face was so unforgettable, "I told him about my journal, the history of the manor and many things that I only knew. He finally believed me.

"Now that things have calmed down, perhaps we can ask Tristane how to get Patrick back."

Lucian nodded. I turned to get the door but Louie came in breathless.

"No one gets out. You both stay here, understand?" Then he was gone. We heard the door being locked.

I strode to the door and turned the knob, it won't turn! He locked us in here.

"What is going on?" I muttered.

Louie's voice came through the door, "Just hold on guys. We got quiet a situation here." His footsteps echoed across the hall, he was going downstairs.

Lucian stood, "What could he mean?"

"No idea."
******

"What the fuck did you do?!"

Tristane just stared at Louie. Dina laid unconscious on the floor. Her body limp.

"She was being hysterical. She was ready to go back up and find Patrick. What would've you done?"

Louie raked his hair, "Dina's hysterical always. She just needed her pills. No need to knock her out."

"I did not hit her. Not with my hands that is."

"Then how?"

Tristane lifted his hand and a whiff of magic rose form his fingertips, "A little sleeping magic."

"Bloody hell! I just thought you just hit your head so hard that you were talking about witches and demons. Magic, powers and curses. They're just movie crap. But...but you! You're the real thing!"

Tristane smiled, "Yes. I'm the real deal. Now help me put her in the guest room."

Louie nodded and carried Dina. She weighed almost nothing, she'd been dead serious about maintaining healthy lifestyle and had been a vegan for months now.

Once she was settled Louie closed her door. "Now what?"

Tristane crossed his arms, "We figure out how we can bring Patrick and talk to Dina. If you'd seen him, Claus is currently in control."

"Yeah. He and Lucian were talking." He still couldn't believe that the Baron was real, alive and in his very room. Then another shock was Claus, also real and alive just trapped in Patrick's body.

"Do you think we can exorcise him?"

Louie's eyes widened, "Are you saying we call a priest? Like what they did to Emily Rose?"

"Yes Louie. Like what they did on that movie."

He sighed, "I may know a priest but he won't be here until tomorrow. He's friends with Patrick and can keep his mouth shut. I'll call him."

"You do that pal. I'll check on Krista."
*****
Master bedroom
Claus' pov

"I guess this is the right time to tell you Lucian."

"What about Claus?"

I took the chair again, "About the offer I made with the demon."

"I figured you offered blood that's why it let us go."

I shook my head, "It no longer wanted blood. When you saved Tristane it only wanted to kill. Life in exchange for the magic we borrowed."

Lucian fell on his knees, "No. You can't mean to mean to say that you..." he gulped, "you offered your life?"

"I did little brother."

"But why? I would've been willing to die!"

I cupped his face, he was already crying, "You can't possibly mean that Galbraith," I used his name not his title, "you have been given your chance to love the woman who loved you back with all her heart. But fate had been hard on you, I am partly at fault at that. I doubted Yra, I helped her meet her untimely demise. And for that I am willing to pay.

"I'll let the demon take my soul so Patrick can regain control with his body. And you can finally be with Krista. She is alive brother. You don't have to die and leave her miserable, can you?"

Lucian sobbed, "No. I don't think I can."

"Then don't me fight me on this. I have sealed my fate long ago. The fact that I am alive right now is a blessing. I have been given time to tell you the things I have not been able to tell you before."

"Is there no other way?"

I sighed, "I do not think so. Tristane figured out how Letecia trapped me in here but there is no way out. The longer I stay in this body the less Patrick's chance of getting it back. I don't want that to happen."

"I just got you back, Claus."

"And I, you Galbraith."

His tears stopped now but his voice was still pained, "How soon before the demon takes you?"

"At sundown."

"What?" He stood and looked outside, "It's already mid-day."

"And I thank the heavens that you have awakened already. I couldn't have said good bye if you were still unconscious."

He sank on the bed, his shoulders shook, "I can't believe this."

Me neither. We just sat there with silence to spread through us. Just a few more hours and I'll be out of this body. Away from my brother, from the new era, from everything I've dreamed of having again.

It hurts to say goodbye.