Soul Alliance
Chapter 1
It was not until that very evening that I next came into contact with Jaques Juniver. After contemplating for hours over the cryptic clues he had subliminally left in his letter, I finally understood his means.
I waited for what seemed like hours by the old oak tree at the edge of the forest. It was only an hour ago I was wandering the manor grounds, wishing the time away, but I grew so weary of that place, that my eyes began to wander. Not to the rustling tree branches high above me, or to the sillhouettes of distant wolves howling to the moon, but to the shadows in a particular dimly lit room within the manor before me. To Master Andrew's room. The shadows were clearly of people, flitting nervously around the room, almost as if searching for something...but what? After a while, the shadows ceased searching, and a single silhouette moved to the candle I could see flickering behind the curtains, full of life.
Slowly, the shadow leant forward and extinguished the candle flame with a sharp breath. The room was completely dark now. I was so desperate to know who it was in Master Andrew's room. I gazed at the curtains I could only wish to have seen beyond. The anticipation within me excelled to such a level that I shuddered almost turned to flee when I spotted a shadow lurking behind a young sapling, not 10 yards from where I was.
I stood rooted to the spot. After several moments of uneasy silence, the shadow spoke,
"Does the fox know where the rabbit is hiding?"
I stood unmoved for a moment, confused and scared, until the shadow stepped out into my quiverring torchlight. It was Will.
"Perhaps, only if he catches the rabbit's scent. In this case, let us hope that we are the fox, finding the scent of our rabbit before he disappears back down the hole."
I giggled, relieved, and dropped the rotting tree branch I had somehow came to be holding. With tired eyes, I looked upon what was, without a doubt, his most ingenious disguise yet. Dressed in a dull grey suit, his pale chin was littered with stubble and his tender hands were masked by a quilt of cowhide. Upon his head, he bore a stone beret, only darkened by the damp streaks in his wild hair. My attention turned to his pale face. His eyes... Those were the eyes that had witnessed thousands of deaths and shared company with deceitful lovers, but the most astounding of all, his were the eyes that had uncovered secrets and experienced happenings not even the most adventurous of explorers were able to comprehend. His were the bottomless eyes of a restless night, tossing and turning for answers, yearning for peace of mind. Those were the longing eyes of a distraught old friend.
Without a word, we nodded sincerely to one another and he followed me up to the manor grounds, his tough boots striking the ground, as if he was attempting to light a match. We paused on the doorstep and turned to face one another.
"Will...Jaques. I don't know what it is, but there's something going on here. Everybody avoids one another, sneaking around as if they have something to hide. What does it mean?"
He stood deep in thought for several minutes. He expressed his indepth dabate with himself...perhaps he didn't know and he was trying to come up with a logical explanation. Eventually, he spoke, in a weak french accent that would have, in different circumstances, amused me greatly.
"It could mean many things, too many for one to name. Perhaps they are all afraid that they are somehow responsible for what has happened or maybe there is something more going on in this house. Either way, the walls have ears, mi'lady, and nothing is a secret forever."
I smiled at his last comment, and the smile I received in return seemed to light up the entire courtyard.
"That is what I have missed the most since our last escapade together", he whispered in my ear, "...your smile."
Blushing, I took his hand and lead him through the broad oak doors into the main hallway. Everything was so quiet and peaceful.
All at once, we were surrounded. Men and women, all dressed in black and white, were shouting and laughing from every direction. My head started to spin. Queasily, I looked up at Will - I mean Jaques - and as he stared into my eyes, the expression on his face showed that he was concerned for me.
"Ingrid?" he called, "Are you alright?!"
That was the last thing I heard,as everything around me faded into darkness...
I waited for what seemed like hours by the old oak tree at the edge of the forest. It was only an hour ago I was wandering the manor grounds, wishing the time away, but I grew so weary of that place, that my eyes began to wander. Not to the rustling tree branches high above me, or to the sillhouettes of distant wolves howling to the moon, but to the shadows in a particular dimly lit room within the manor before me. To Master Andrew's room. The shadows were clearly of people, flitting nervously around the room, almost as if searching for something...but what? After a while, the shadows ceased searching, and a single silhouette moved to the candle I could see flickering behind the curtains, full of life.
Slowly, the shadow leant forward and extinguished the candle flame with a sharp breath. The room was completely dark now. I was so desperate to know who it was in Master Andrew's room. I gazed at the curtains I could only wish to have seen beyond. The anticipation within me excelled to such a level that I shuddered almost turned to flee when I spotted a shadow lurking behind a young sapling, not 10 yards from where I was.
I stood rooted to the spot. After several moments of uneasy silence, the shadow spoke,
"Does the fox know where the rabbit is hiding?"
I stood unmoved for a moment, confused and scared, until the shadow stepped out into my quiverring torchlight. It was Will.
"Perhaps, only if he catches the rabbit's scent. In this case, let us hope that we are the fox, finding the scent of our rabbit before he disappears back down the hole."
I giggled, relieved, and dropped the rotting tree branch I had somehow came to be holding. With tired eyes, I looked upon what was, without a doubt, his most ingenious disguise yet. Dressed in a dull grey suit, his pale chin was littered with stubble and his tender hands were masked by a quilt of cowhide. Upon his head, he bore a stone beret, only darkened by the damp streaks in his wild hair. My attention turned to his pale face. His eyes... Those were the eyes that had witnessed thousands of deaths and shared company with deceitful lovers, but the most astounding of all, his were the eyes that had uncovered secrets and experienced happenings not even the most adventurous of explorers were able to comprehend. His were the bottomless eyes of a restless night, tossing and turning for answers, yearning for peace of mind. Those were the longing eyes of a distraught old friend.
Without a word, we nodded sincerely to one another and he followed me up to the manor grounds, his tough boots striking the ground, as if he was attempting to light a match. We paused on the doorstep and turned to face one another.
"Will...Jaques. I don't know what it is, but there's something going on here. Everybody avoids one another, sneaking around as if they have something to hide. What does it mean?"
He stood deep in thought for several minutes. He expressed his indepth dabate with himself...perhaps he didn't know and he was trying to come up with a logical explanation. Eventually, he spoke, in a weak french accent that would have, in different circumstances, amused me greatly.
"It could mean many things, too many for one to name. Perhaps they are all afraid that they are somehow responsible for what has happened or maybe there is something more going on in this house. Either way, the walls have ears, mi'lady, and nothing is a secret forever."
I smiled at his last comment, and the smile I received in return seemed to light up the entire courtyard.
"That is what I have missed the most since our last escapade together", he whispered in my ear, "...your smile."
Blushing, I took his hand and lead him through the broad oak doors into the main hallway. Everything was so quiet and peaceful.
All at once, we were surrounded. Men and women, all dressed in black and white, were shouting and laughing from every direction. My head started to spin. Queasily, I looked up at Will - I mean Jaques - and as he stared into my eyes, the expression on his face showed that he was concerned for me.
"Ingrid?" he called, "Are you alright?!"
That was the last thing I heard,as everything around me faded into darkness...