Haereditas: The Lost Art

Chapter 3: Better Days

5 years ago

The cold winds beared down on the wood , howling like a hurricane, though the musty logs held. Within the cabin, Alexsandr pronged the warm yellow and orange blaze in front of him. Once the flame seemed satisfactory enough, he turned around to tend to the sick man on the velvet seat. The velvet seat was slightly torn in some edges, as if it had a rough time in the cabin, but the person sitting on it had seen better days. Wheezing, like a broken trumpet, he found his son Alexsandr grasping his wrinkly and coarse hand. Maestro was in his mid 60s, but the sickness had clearly brought his health towards a turn for the worst. And even though he was proud of the man he had raised, Maestro knew the words his son would utter, and the disappointment that would fill him like a balloon.

Yet the buff man did not ask about his legacy yet, for he was patient and was quiet. 'Thank you Alexsandr, for being here with me.' His son's voice cut through the air, 'Senaviev, father, or did you forget?' He knew Alexsandr prefered his mother's last name, but surprisingly he stayed loyal to his father, and not his mother. Though he knew the hardship he suffered trying to be a part of a family that he did not legitimately belong to. Everytime he remembered Alexsandr's Russian mother he felt regret of bringing this unwanted child into this world, but that was why despite his family's protests, he raised the child as his own. Lady Esther, however, had a condition in keeping this bastard.

Alexsandr knew what she had ruled out: that even though he was the first child of Maestro, he was not the son of his wife, and would not inherit the family fortune nor be the family heir. Maestro weakly said, 'Alexsandr, I know what you are thinking...'. 'Do you, father? If you do, then why don't you let me prove myself!' Alexsandr replied with his tempers rising. 'Let me take control of our family fortune! Rather than those whelps Lady Esther raised in their little secluded and spoiled worlds!'

The two had had countless arguments just like this before, and rather than start another, Maestro knew better. "You know my time has come close to its end, and you cannot keep fighting against what Lady Esther has stated."Alexsandr knew both of that, and looked up out the window, gazing into the Taiga night beyond. It brought back memories of when he had learned of the injustice.

They were teens. Francesco was the closest to Alexsandr in the family. They had just graduated, on their way to college, and had arrived in Mother Esther's room to hear her words. This was when she simply said "I called you two, because it is time you know that one of you will be the heir of this household, of our family fortune."

Alexsandr was confident, he was the natural choice, being the first born of his father, and most proved and strong amongst the two. But his confidence transformed into surprise when she turned towards Francesco, and declared he would be the future heir. Lady Esther knew his confusion, and said 'When my brother wanted to raise you, the family was against him. But I understood his intentions, and said that he should be allowed to, but on the condition that your illegitimacy in this family keep you from the throne."

At once, Alexsander's rage filled him. He could not believe that his greatest friend and relative would take what he deserved from the start. Francesco tried to reason with him, but nothing could heal the wound of betrayal from the family he had stayed so loyal to. He left Mother Esther and Francesco behind, and returned to his motherland, and vowed not to return until he could prove himself.

Though strong, he knew his father could see his disappointment. "Then why am I here, my father? In your worst days, why are you here, secluded with me in the cold?"

"Because I want to give you a chance to prove yourself, Senaviev."