CHAPTER 2
I spent the next two days looking for her. I went to every Inn in town and asked every person I came across, describing what I could remember of her, if they knew of such a person, but no one did. By the third day I had given up, considering she had left town by now. I decided to spend the rest of the day in the town square hoping I could find something of interest.
The town square was the center of activity in our town. It seemed to always be crowded with people entering and exiting shops, mothers gossiping with each other, children laughing and playing here and there or watching the puppeteer's show and merchants selling goods from other cities and towns.
Today it seemed lifeless. Many of the shops were closed and there was hardly a handful of people out today. Seeing that there was nothing to do here I decided to head back home when I noticed Raelene coming out of a nearby house.
Raelene was another one of my childhood friends, our mothers use to gossip with each other when we were kids. Raelene was a very pretty girl with dark red hair, large,bright green eyes and a slender form.
She was the daughter of a well known Baronet, but more importantly she was my first love. Unfortunately she was also D'Anton's first love. D'Anton and I spent weeks bickering over her until we decided to have a dual for keeps, the winner gets Raelene and the loser accepts defeat and no longer pursues her. D'Anton won the dual that day. I never saw him more determined to win against me,come to think of it that was the only time he ever won a match off me.
Raelene wore a long dark green satin dress with a brown shawl draped around her shoulders, her hair was in curls tied behind her head by a much too long green ribbon. She was holding a small basket in one hand.
"Good day to you, Miss. Raelene."
"Oh, Lord Hellsinger", she said giving me a small curtsy, "I did not expect to see you today. How are you?"
"I am just fine", I said flashing her a smile."I was just on my way home, but then I saw you. Whats in the basket?"
Raelene removed the handkerchief to revile that there were different kinds of medical herbs in it. "Ovan asked me to run a few errands for him. D'Anton's been sick lately, so i was sent to ask Dr. Lawanda to come check in on him."
"D'Anton hasn't gotten better then?"
Raelene let out a sigh, "No, he's gotten much worse I'm afraid. I was just visiting awhile ago, he has a high fever and can barely move or eat the meals I've cooked for him. He's just been coughing and sleeping, coughing and sleeping. Yet, he still tries to go out and train. I keep telling him to stay home and get some rest, but he wont listen. He's such a fool."
"Yes, that's D'Anton for you", I said laughing.
"I know", Raelene said ," I just wish he would take better care of himself. It's getting late I should be going now."
"Oh Raelene, I was wondering have you seen a lady with.."
"With black hair, pale skin, and a pink dress?" Raelene finished for me.
"Yes, wait how did you know?" I asked confused.
Raelene started laughing, "D'Anton wont stop whining about how you abandon him to chase some strange girl through the woods. Unfortunately I don't know anyone like that, sorry Nicolas." She started down the street but then stopped and turned around, "You know you should go pay a visit to D'Anton soon. I think he would really like that". With a finale smile and wave she was off again.
I watched her walk down the road until I couldn't see her before heading home myself.
My family estate was around twenty acres with a large rose bush garden (all planted and cared for by my mother). Our house, a very Victorian style four-story mansion, was filled with the most lavish furniture from such places as Berlin, Paris, and Vince. Chandlers hung from the ceiling with candles in them, laced curtains were draped around every window in various colors and the redwood banisters and floors were kept polished. There was statues of baby angels here and there and on the walls hung different paintings. Different symbols were carved into doors, railings, and other places around the house, the meaning of them all I still don't know.
I gave my travelers jacket to one of the servants as she passed and made my way down one of the corridors to my room.
"Nicolas, your back!"
At the sound of my name I turned to find my little sister Abigail descending the stairs towards me. Abigail was the youngest in our family. With her long brown hair, brown eyes and dimples she looked a lot like a child version of our mother, unlike the rest of us who had the jet black hair and blackish-gray eyes of our father. She was my most loved sibling. I remember when she was born I thought this must be what an angel looks like, and from that day on I called her angel.
When she reached me she embraced me in a tight hug. "Where have you been", She said, "Miss. Bloomfield and Father have been waiting for you for hours."
"Sorry, I lost track of time."
"Come on then, their waiting for you in the garden",said Abigail taking my hand.
Abigail literally dragged me out to the garden. We saw Miss.Bloomfield and Father drinking tea and chatting at one of the tables outside.
Miss. Bloomfield was our stepmother. Our mother, Grace, was very ill and fragile. She loved to tend to her rose garden and read stories. Shortly after having Abigail she passed away. Father never shed a tear, instead he married Miss.Bloomfield and put her in charge of our up bringing while he managed the estate. Its been ten years now and the only proof that our mother existed was my small memory of her and the roses that surrounded us now.
Miss. Bloomfield took Abigail and my face into her hands and kissed our cheeks as we came to sit down. "I'm so glad you've arrived. We've been waiting for hours.
"We have something to tell you" ,she went on, "Your father and I have been thinking it is time for you to settle down and find yourself a wife. Now starting tomorrow we will begin preparations and..."
"Wait, what?", I said not fully taking in what she was saying.
"It is very rude to cut people off while they are talking. As I was saying you are of a marriageable age and what better time to get married then now?"
Beside me Abigail started laughing, "Come on now, there's no way Nicolas would get married."
"Abigail mind your manor", Miss Bloomfield snapped at her.
I hated Miss.Bloomfield, I could never bring myself to truly like her. She only cared for the riches my father provided her with and shaping us into proper children who would marry into richer families. I knew it was only a matter of time till she tried something like this.
"I agree with Abigail, you cant force me into a marriage I don't want," I snapped at Miss.Bloomfield.
"I'm not forcing you, dear. The chose in your partner will be up to you."
"I still wont do it", I said louder.
"Don't raise your voice to you mother like that", Father said,the first thing he said all day
"She's not my mother!," I shouted at him. I was well past my limit now.
"Nicolas, calm down, Abigail said holding my hand, look, Miss. Bloomfield is crying."
I looked at Miss. Bloomfield and she was indeed crying. Now, you could say a lot of things about me back then and possibly even more now, but you could never say that I was mean to women. "Go and do what ever you want", I sighed, " I really don't care". I stood and walked back to the house. From behind me I could hear Miss. Bloomfield say something that sounded like you'll thank me for this.
