Baron La Croix: Death of YOU

1. Dices of Hazard

In 1888

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He coughs in his napkin. His breathing feels heavy. And when he finally can be a moment without coughing he sees blood on it but it doesn't shake him up. Cathal is already used with it. He has lived many years with tuberculosis but I started getting worse a month ago. The changes were rapid. His breathing became laboured, a persistent cough accompanied by bloody sputum and night fevers develop. He lost some pounds fast, lost colour and energy. He went to the doctor and his answer was, "You have at least two months to live". Cathal wasn't prepared to die. He wasn't scared but he only was nineteen years old. He just got everything he had and he had to leave it.

Cathal seeks for salvation. He visited more doctors than any other person in ten years but It didn't help. They all said it's going to end with his death and Cathal got used with it right away. Someone else, instead of him, would try something they have never done before, but Cathal just ran not to face everyone's pity. His good friend and his doctor recommended to take it easy and rest in the mountains. He didn't have hope, but he could live more than two months and one already ended. 

And there is Anastasia with whom he's supposed to marry. He had never loved the woman but it had been his best opportunity. Besides, Anna was beautiful, intelligent and good-hearted. Anna had waited for their marriage long and said 'whatever happens' she always wants to marry him. The first thing Cathal did know about his situation, he reneged. He ordered beautiful gifts, jewellery and a huge bunch of red roses what were Annas favourite. Maybe he did wrong because as soon as he gave her these things and told that they're not going to marry, Anna threw everything on his face and told how much he hates him. 

Now he's running. He left everything that's dear to him and escaped as far as he could. And for what? To die inland he didn't know. Do die with people he didn't now. Cathal didn't hope to live longer. He had already acquiesced to his sickness. He could still hope there's going to be another life. Maybe he dies but it's permanent because he believed in metempsychosis. Believed in rebirth. 

Cathal went as far as he could but he won't run mentally. He still had his assets and he couldn't leave those lying around. First, he writes a document of inheriting. And it demands a lot of attention because he doesn't have children or any other relatives. There are only his tree uncles and one cousin. If he could, he wouldn't choose any of them but he has to choose before it's too late and his assets are divided between them equally.

***

The carriage pulls in and Cathal starts coughing again. He covers his mouth with the same napkin with beautiful embroidery. This is ruined anyway and he won't hesitate to use it. When his persistent coughing coms to an end he stares with his cloudy eyes blood on the napkin. There's much more blood than it used to be. 'I guess that's my end ' his mind is swirling around and he feels how his head starts pulsating. It follows a new round of non-stop coughing and Cathal can barely breathe in between those coughs. He feels like suffocating and his hands start shaking.

"My young lord," His butler Wenzel opened the door and rushed to him. Usually, he just had to open the door and stand next to it till Cathal got out but when Cathal's health started failing him he needed someone's support. Wenzel put his arms around Cathal and helped him stand. Cathal leaned on him more than he would have wanted, but right now he didn#t have any other options. He felt weird. His head was dizzy and his whole body was in heat. 

"Oh, my young lord, you have got a fever," Wenzel's voice was calming, his voice barely whisper, but Cathal could hear worry in it," let's get you inside, my young lord."

Somehow, with Wenzel's help, Cathal finally was able to stand by himself. He wasn't ready to enter the little cottage his uncle had prepared for him. Though it was a good place on the edge of Transylvania and the village was within walking distance. The house wasn't a big deal. It only had three rooms and Cathal had to share with his butler, only one he had taken with him. At first, it was a little bit unfamiliar. Cathal had only lived in huge manors where everything had been glory.