Un Souvenir d'Événements

The Trapdoor Lover

The rope swung to and fro from the branch of the iron tree.

I watched, hypnotised by the rather macabre spectacle of a noose swinging like a gentle pendulum in a grandfather clock, back and forth, to and fro, left to right, again and again. Though it wasn't the swinging of the rope that had caused me to be transfixed by its movements, it was the fact it was empty.

Erik had been stood upon the trunk of the tree made of iron, giving his last dramatic monologue like one of Shakespeare's villains before their tragic but inevitable death. He had then put his head in the loop of the rope. His legs dropped beneath him and he plummeted down, but the rope did not stop him, for he continued his decent straight through the floor beneath him.

I had once stood and marvelled at the Shah's odd wanderings through the walls of his palace, but at least they could be explained by means of hidden passages in walls. This however was inexplicable. It went against all rules of the natural world, and I admittedly began to question if I had been hallucinating after witnessing something traumatic and pinched myself, but I was completely sound.

Beside me, the Shah was in a frenzy of violent, uncontrollable anger, and I was inclined to take a step back out of caution as I felt my own well-being was impeded. With a roar to rival that of any predator, he slammed a fist into the thick pane of the mirror before us.

I had no words, though I knew he was both unapproachable and inconsolable at this time, so I took my opportunity and ran quickly from the room, shouting to guards to begin searching the summer house, palace and the tunnels and cellars beneath, knowing that Erik would have fled down below if anywhere. They agreed and began their search as I ran outside towards the old, now disused, stables.

I saw the black, glistening coat of Erik's mare first, then the brown of Ladarius who stood beside her. He had become very protective of her over the years, which I know Erik had appreciated, as he would reward him often with apples or other food he bought in the market.

Looking around as I approached the horses, my heart began to sink. The guards hadn't signalled to say they'd found anything, nor had I seen any sign of the fugitive. I stroked the two horses in an attempt to settle my nerves, Ladarius nuzzling my hand when he sensed my agitation. I scanned the surrounding area, gazing as far as my eyes could see before the landscapes blurred in the waves of heat emanating from the ground below.

Suddenly, hearing footsteps nearby, I whipped around to see a figure wearing a long, silk-like cloak approaching me rapidly, but awkwardly, with its head covered by a hood.

"Thank the Gods."

I uttered as Erik all but collapsed against his horse. She nickered at him, nudging her head under him to try to get him to stand. Concerned, I ran to his side and helped him upright. He lent against me quite heavily.

"I'm winded is all."

He muttered unconvincingly but did not refuse my support as he lent his weight (which was very little) against me.

"You're more than winded you oaf, what have you done?"

"The rope cut further than intended, I misjudged my landing because of the initial shock..."

Saying this, he looked down towards his feet, where I noticed that his left ankle was pointed at an incredibly unnatural angle. There was no doubt that it was broken. Before I could offer any kind of assistance to him, he had made his complaints that we shouldn't be stopped and was attempting to hoist himself onto the back of his horse. He managed to do so with a little assistance from me, and after I had mounted Ladarius, we began to ride.

I took us through beaten, winding roads and through deserted areas to reach our destination. I could take no risks in Erik being seen, or me leading him away. I had purposefully sent the guards underground and to the furthest reaches of the palace and summer house to search for Erik, whom they would never find, and as far as everyone was aware, I was searching with them in the cellars. When they would come to realise that he had escaped, he would be safely hidden away in plain sight and I would be back in the palace with them as if I'd never left.