The Phantom Carriage (Chapter One)

Hot, balmy days were native to the place in which Alexander Van Druitt had resided his whole life. Alexander was a tall man with a slender figure and excellent posture, not to mention perfect manners which he was greatly proud of, and in the small town where he lived, known for.   His hair was the colour of sweet honey, his eyes the richest hue of blue and his skin pale as snow. His characteristics were fawned over by many of the women in town but he was not interested in marriage, especially to a woman; instead he yearned for the thrill of adventure.

Too long had he been stuck up in the small town of Laevatia and he had grown restless to a point of exhaustion. These days his favourite thing to do to pass the time was to sit on the small balcony outside of his room that over looked the rose garden while enjoying a cup of Earl Gray.  It was utterly distasteful to him that his favourite occupation was one that the older citizens of the town often enjoyed as well. It angered him because he was only 22 and he was becoming docile.  On many occasions he had asked his father for permission to leave the town and travel, but he had been denied, his father simply saying that he would not have his eldest son wandering around the world like a vagabond for it would sully the Van Druitt name.   You see, Alexander was the oldest of four, the second oldest being Richard, a snotty nosed brat of age 18, the third being Eros, a somewhat polite 13 year old boy, and finally the youngest, Saraphina, the princess of the house, who was seven.   Therefore, the house was always incredibly boisterous, which unfortunately bothered Alexander greatly for he was a man of high class and dignity.

On the odd day that Alexander decided to go out, he was always followed by an incredibly large amount of people who were extremely wound-up in their excitement of catching a rare glimpse of Earl Viktor Van Druitt’s heir Alexander Van Druitt.   He was thoroughly annoyed with the screaming and the scheming of the people around his carriage when he rode down the street; he wanted out of this petty game. He no longer wanted to feel like he was on a pedestal for everyone to see!   Alexander tried many times to run away, but he was always caught before he could even reach the gates of his own home, and was always dragged back to the mansion to wallow in self pity.  He thought his future to be forlorn just as the rest of his life had been, but he was wrong.

Alexander glanced over at the small book that lay open beside his teacup on the wrought iron table beside him. It was blank except for the date on the top right corner that stated that it was May 17th he had not had anything planned for the day, so he had decided to sit out on the balcony and enjoy the fresh air.   It was already seven at night and was growing dark rapidly; soon he would have to head inside, to once again become trapped inside the house.   The door behind him opened with a click and Eros waltzed gleefully onto the balcony with something in his hand.

“Alexander, my brother, I have come to congratulate you,” he said smiling ear to ear.  

Alexander regarded Eros with mild curiosity and gestured for him to sit down.  

“Eros, what are you speaking about and what have you there?” Eros giggled and handed him a letter.  

"Eros... have you-” Alexander started to say, but was interrupted by Eros. 

“I know, I’m sorry for opening you’re letter, but I couldn’t help myself.” He looked up at his older brother and tried to look ashamed, in which he failed miserably.   Alexander sighed and smacked his brother on the back of the head. 

“Ouch!” Eros cried, but Alexander was not listening anymore, he had opened the letter and was reading it.   Suddenly, his face contorted in anger and he rose up out of his seat.

“WHERE IS FATHER?!” he roared. Eros flinched and shrunk back into his chair afraid.

“H-he is in h-his office,” he stuttered.  Alexander glided by his brother into the house and down the staircase to his father’s office and burst open the doors, almost knocking them off of their hinges.