7 days later
The next week, there is a package dropped off at the door. Claudius Fontaine has been ignoring me, and in a way, it feels like we broke up. It was so stupid. All of this. He was just a ghost and a dangerous one at that; I could realistically never have a relationship with him.
I'm sure that's exactly what he was considering also.
I was getting used to being normal again, with normal expectations.
However, I didn't expect a package to arrive.
I wait for Claudius to appear without saying anything but he does not, so he isn't interested in the delivery. I take it outside on the back porch where I sit cross-legged to open it up. It was from Robert. I open it up, and inside is a wooden box. Inside that, is a single bone. A leg bone?
It's old, it's creepy, but I pick it up, feeling a foreboding sense about all this. This was a femur bone.
I think about the skeleton in the closet... Claudius called them his bones.
So why did I suddenly feel that was a lie? What if this was about Aelia's bones?
I had my suspicions.
I turn back to the mansion, femur in hand, and I stride back inside. I don't delay now. I head straight to the closet and the creepy skeleton left in a pile. I immediately look for a femur bone, and I find only one – the opposite of what I'm holding. The same size. What I confirm, is that this skeleton had been missing this other femur. But not anymore. I was holding it in my hand right now.
I place the bone down in the pile, and I shut the closet door.
When I turn around, I half expect Fontaine will be there to explain, or to scold at the very least, even after a week of being absent.
Instead, it's still empty nothing air.
It's like Claudius Fontaine doesn't exist anymore.
****
5 months later
I stayed the entire duration of my contract. I pulled through. For one reason only. Money. Yup, Robert paid me on time every month, and it was enough to stay. At the end of it all, I got in some great footage and I had some amazing moments to myself.
And I had honestly convinced myself Claudius just ascended into heaven, or hell – and just moved on from this world.
To not even show himself once in half a year, was odd. To not even feel his presence, was just another confirmation. He was gone-gone. I don't know where, but he wasn't coming back, either.
I fall asleep on the last night of my stay with all my belongings packed away.
It was time to say goodbye to the Red Wing.
That night, everything changes.
I dream vividly of absolutely nothing. It's probably the only strange thing at first.
I loved to dream, and I always dreamt, but this night it's different.
And when I wake up?
The first thing I feel, when I open my eyes – is I have a sore throat, and a burnt smell of ash up my nose.
I sit up, sneezing and coughing violently. Although nothing is expelled from my nose or mouth – I can taste the acrid smell inside my body.
It's like I'm dying. I don't even have time to notice all the colour and all the strange noises around me. I've rolled out of the fresh sheets to collapse on my knees, coughing repeatedly – until abruptly all the smell and pain fades at once.
And I'm okay again.
Except... I'm not actually okay anymore.
Because the floorboards I'm staring at are not pale anymore, neither are they old and worn. They are so polished the sun is sending a bright beam right into my eye. When I look up, the master bedroom is thoroughly furnished, and there are many sounds of lively activity coming from downstairs – and even out in the hall.
I'm also very, very naked.
I know what's happened but I don't understand how!
I woke up in the fucking past. The hell? I was meant to be given charms. Claudius was meant to fuck me. Then I was meant to make a wish. That's how he was meant to return to his time. So what the actual fuck happened last night?
I grab the bed, and pull myself to my feet tentatively, as I gaze around the room... and all my belongings are gone. The bay window that was lifeless but pretty enough, is now full of plush pillows and golden thick curtains. The bed... has a dress on it.
A dress for me.
It's laid out like that. Obviously for me.
It's black and white. With a specific design. A very plain design... because it's for a maid.
As I'm staring at it, my stomach is churning and my heart is erupting with rage at the realisation just as the door swings open and a real life man walks in, and then the door shuts.
But I know his footsteps.
I cross my arms over my naked chest, as I turn toward him.
I'm staring at a man who killed me last night.
Without my permission.
A human – fucking – sacrifice. But never mind that.
Claudius Fontaine is alive, a Lord and very much... here.
The amount of colour on him has me stupidly blushing, when I should be trying to kill him in a pool of his own blood.
Look at him, wearing dark blues and bleach white cuffs, and his hair nearly styled.
And his cruel mouth, perfectly curved up in satisfaction.
"You passed my approval, Alix – you got the job," Fontaine nods toward the maid's uniform, gesturing toward it, "I suggest you put it on and get out of here... before my fiancé sees you like this. For the record. I know what you sacrificed – for us to be together again."
And by us, he does not mean him and I.
Fontaine's now vibrant unrecognisable blue eyes, rake over me quickly, as if he didn't mean to give in. Then he nods, as if approving of some unknown decision – then he turns and walks out, the door slamming shut behind him.
He used me.
He seduced me and it was all a fucking lie.
I am still in shock, as I walk around the bed and slowly attempt to put on the uniform myself. What else could I do? It's heavy and uncomfortable. I put it on because there is no other option. There was a family and all their guests and all their workers outside this room right now – living in the past.
I was at the mercy of my Lord; who had given me a job.
I guess you could call that a mercy?
As my rage turns to feeling numb, it quickly rises back up as fear. I was scared.
Claudius just took my life from me. He had no soul, I swear.
When I'm dressed, I turn toward a large mirror opposite the bed, leaning at the edge of a plush rug.
What I see is not my reflection.
Well, it is me, but it's not me.
Who I am in the mirror, is not me outside of it. I'm seeing myself in my modern clothes – burnt and ravaged. She's covered in grime and ash. I walk toward the reflection, and she walks toward me, mimicking my movements.
The closer we get, I can see myself disappear – as the door opens again.
There is someone else here now.
From the reflection, I see that it is Aelia who just entered, in her red vibrant corset dress. From a circus. So we finally meet –
"What are you doing in here?" Aelia doesn't ask me like she wants me to answer. When I turn toward her, she's already opening the door and waiting for me to exit, "Go on... get to work, go on."
This wasn't a discussion or a negotiation. I don't think she even knows who I am.
I decide I want to look her in the eye, to challenge that bitch – but the moment I do meet her gaze, I immediately lower my stare.
Fuck. She is ferocious and in control. I had to be careful. I genuinely felt intimidated.
All these people from this time, understood their place. I did not. So I had nothing to hold onto. I walk out of the room, on her order – deciding I need to gather my bearings.
Now standing just out the door, down the corridor, I look up to see Claudius walking down the hall with another maid by his side. Looking at me, he has his hands clasped behind his back as they both stride toward me.
"This is Alix," Claudius introduces me, "Help her, Margery."
I don't have a moment to open my mouth, yet again, as Fontaine strides by toward his bedroom, where Aelia is waiting.
My Lord opens the door, walks in and the door slams shut – which seems to rattle my whole world, not just the wall.
I'm staring too long at that door.
"Alexandra, it must be," Margery is shocked at hearing my name was Alix from Claudius.
"Just Alix," I respond, testing her response.
Margery's eyes widen, "Alexandra," she murmurs, worried for my sanity, "I believe your full name is more appropriate while introducing yourself to others, yes? Where have you come from?"
"Claudius didn't say?" I ask.
"...please..." Margery goes so red in the face, she can't stand my words, "You'll refer to him as Fontaine, Alexandra."
I decide I don't like conversation in this day and age.
It was better not to talk.
Now that I have shut my mouth, Margery relaxes her shoulders, turns and expects me to follow.
I take in the mansion. It's much bigger than before. Doubled in size. It's entirely overwhelming.
Margery takes me to the servant's quarters, a room shared by many beds. She discusses with me that my duties will change depending on what they'll need my services for.
Eventually I am left with the easy charge of cleaning the servant's quarters themselves, an introductory task. On my own, I make the beds and tidy the room. Then Margery fetches me to force me into helping to decorate the ballroom for some kind of reception. A wedding, okay, who am I kidding.
It's as I'm awkwardly walking around the others, pretending to work, that I'm staring out the windows to the front yard – where a certain commotion is erupting.
Aelia's friends, who would burn down the mansion – sacrificing her for Claudius' immortality, are being told to leave and an argument has started. They're being forced to go, while Claudius ushers them all off. Aelia looks uncomfortable and caught off-guard while watching them leave.
As I'm staring through the window's reflection, I can see myself again – my real self.
The ashy, burnt Alix, reaches out to me, and this time I reach for her as well.
When I touch my fingertip to hers through the window pane, I feel ice travelling through my finger.
The feeling disappears when my reflection does.
"Alexandra – help set the tables please!"
I hear a screech and when I turn, it is not just Margery telling me off, but every maid and servant in the ballroom has stopped to take me in and note my laziness.
I immediately strut back over to help, and in my rush, I walk into a servant who steps back into my way at the wrong time. As we crash together, he spins toward me to hold me up. He has grabbed my hands.
I hold them back, in an awkward clasp, as he starts to apologise but the breath seems to have left his lungs and he forgets how to communicate.
I can feel his warmth travelling through his fingers, and I can pull on that string. I tug on it some more, and I feel a flood of power travel through my veins. Then I release the tug... and it stops. So I can control it.
I let go of his hands after holding them too long, and I feel the eyes of everyone around me, judging my strange behaviour.
As I get back into the task, I try to keep my head down to divert the attention away from my 'strange behaviour'.
I can't lie, I feel extremely isolated and unsure of how to interact with anyone.
I try to listen in to the way they all talk, but the thing is, none of them really talk while working aside from small talk.
It's starting to play on my mind – how alone I actually am.
Was this going to be the rest of my life? Living and dying in a time I didn't understand? Would I always be alone and misunderstood from this point on?
I'm fighting back tears – losing my concentration, when the wine glasses come out.
They come out on trays, and they're being handed to each one of us.
Everyone is walking off confidently with them, balancing them perfectly as they take them to each prepared table.
A tray is thrust into my awaiting palm, almost immediately the tray tips heavily to one side and seven glasses fall – shattering all over the ballroom floor. The tray also clatters to the ground, and as I step back, literally trembling with fear... Margery is immediately on me.
"That's enough from you," she yells as she storms over to grab my arm, "You will be made to pay for this! Are you stupid!? You must be stupid, girl! Look what you've done!" Margery is dragging me out of the ballroom, away from all the prying eyes. I'm just watching where we are going, and it seems to be an office on the first floor. She opens the door and puts me inside, "Wait here."
She exits and slams the door, while I turn around the empty office space. It seems to be a place for my Lord to write letters.
I take a seat and it isn't long before my misconduct is being spread around the house.
I can feel the gossip.
I'm one of the dramas for the day.
Guess who intercepts me – walking through that office door a small hour later.
At this point I'm leaning against a bookshelf, embedded into the wall, while Fontaine casually strides in and locks the door behind him.
Fontaine is smirking to himself as he looks at the floor, as if expecting this 'bad behaviour' to happen.
He turns toward me, and sees all the questions in my eyes.
"First, I want to talk," I begin, "You killed me... you lied to me... Sir... what the hell is all this then...?" I tell him all that carefully, scared people may be listening in from the outside.
Claudius agrees, frustratingly, "Yes, I know," I raise a brow, and he helpfully adds, "You would not agree to sacrifice yourself for me. I had to lie. I had no choice."
"What about my choice?" I hiss, under my breath.
"You chose to stay... with in incubus, I'm a demon, Alix, that's on you, I told you what I was," Claudius reminds me.
"Not anymore," I look him over.
"Actually, that part never changed," Claudius stays still, "I didn't want to lose that advantage, I am simply alive now – and I can control my powers while I'm breathing. You died for me to become this. Alive, immortal and back in my time. I do owe you Alix, don't you forget that."
"No shit you owe me," I take a step toward him, and I hold out my hand, "Let's shake hands to a new beginning – and putting the past to rest."
Claudius is very alarmed by my sudden desire to let go of a grudge – but I just want him to touch me.
Claudius delights me in the moment, clasping my offered palm. The moment our skin makes contact, I can feel he is alive. He is warm and strong and here. And so is my new advantage.
I tug on his life force – and Claudius immediately tugs back, and then let's go of my hand.
"...I didn't expect... that..." Claudius growls, going cold.
"You're marrying Aelia," I ignore his worry.
"Yes, she is the love of my life," Claudius tells me like it should be obvious, "Why would you care, you're just a whore who sleeps around with whoever you like?" I immediately go forth to strike him but he easily apprehends my wrist and doesn't let me go. He doesn't understand my upset, "What?"
"That's not what it felt like to me, you talked about marrying me," I snap, "You wanted me to be your wife if you returned... you never said anything about being a servant... and you messed up my heart. I was falling for you, Fontaine –"
"Don't be ridiculous," Claudius unhands me and steps back a little, "Do not think you are precious to me. You're just another girl. I have more concerns, beyond women's hearts."
"You are disgusting," I say.
"I am here to discuss misconduct," Fontaine snaps, "What have you done already?"
A hurried knock at the door interrupts at the perfect time.
"My Lord," a man calls out.
"What is it?" Fontaine already seems concerned.
"Aelia seems to be leaving–?"
"HA," I blurt it out before I can contain myself, "Deserved," but even as I say it, Claudius is running out the door in a panic.
I roll my eyes but this time I don't stay put, I follow.
I have to see this.
The butler is a little worried but unconcerned by the determination in my step, as I walk with him, behind Claudius, who is heading to the front garden where the coaches had all left an hour prior.
I go outside to observe the chaos.
Aelia is throwing her bags into the back of a single wagon, wiping tears from her eyes.
I watch as Claudius approaches her, "What are you doing?" is all he can ask.
"I can't stay, this isn't who I am," Aelia and Claudius certainly have some kind of dynamic.
She seems the whore and he the in-love idiot, with a woman who never loved him in the first place.
It's so obvious watching from the outside.
"Is he blind?" I ask the butler.
"Would it not appear so..." he surprisingly answers me, and we both share a knowing look.
Claudius is now trying to apprehend her, but she is pulling out of his hand and slamming the wagon doors on his fingers.
There is a rush of air beside me, as four of Claudius' family run out to be with him.
I do not know who is who, so I ask the butler which one is which, as I'm 'new' to the estate.
"His father died in war, his mother from sickness – they are his two cousins, Gregory and Walker, and his little sisters, Isela and Pearly."
Cute names.
His little sisters were probably ten and twelve, they seemed as such. His cousins are older teens, maybe sixteen. Claudius is definitely the head of the Fontaine family.
"And what is your name?" I ask the butler.
"Quinn," he answers, "And you?"
"Alexandra."
"A beautiful name."
"Thank you, Quinn."
As Quinn and I are getting along, and I believe I have found my first friend, Claudius is being comforted by his family as Aelia abruptly departures, her horses taking her quickly from here.
Claudius Fontaine is distressed.
Oh, and I feel amazing.
My God, he deserved it.
Claudius looks up at me, and in that moment, he catches me smirking.
He approaches, sisters and cousins in tow.
In front of everyone, Fontaine cracks it.
"What exactly are you smiling about?" Claudius asks me directly.
"I'm watching a young boy become a man," I explain, "Never fall in love with pretty women who want money or serve in cults, Claudius."
"Fontaine," he scolds me.
"Fontaine," I give in, "I apologise."
Claudius says nothing else, he walks into his house with his wide eyed sisters behind him. The cousins are a little shocked but eventually follow as well.
I turn to Quinn, hoping he doesn't hate me.
Instead, he just winks, and then also turns.
I am last to follow, and even then, I hesitate a little longer outside in the sun.
This place was truly beautiful in its time. The estate had a soul again.
Not to mention, the darkness that was carried in those travelling people, was now gone. Claudius Fontaine had set out to do what he wanted in the first place.
He couldn't get everything he wanted.
He was just learning that – and his first lesson was with me.
Aelia was a causality in the chaos.
I wasn't from here.
I was from the future.
And that was Claudius' biggest gift; if he chose to see it.