Shadows' encyclopedia - The Prodigies of Arahsmurd book 1

The Gerard house 🎀

During the walk, Christine and Rose were chatting. Ryan listened intently to their conversation. Louis walked in front of Rebecca, taciturn. He coughed and wiped his mouth with a blood-soaked cloth. Rebecca remained on her guard, scanning her surroundings. A few metres away, the Gerard property rose up in front of them. It was a block away, in a small wood. The Gerard family home was exceptional; it looked like a manor house. It didn't have a warm atmosphere, and the rain was pouring down on top of it all. The smell of wet branches and leaves accentuated the autumn atmosphere. At the gate stood Madame Gerard's husband. He was very tall and looked so young. The father of the family exuded charisma.

"This is Hervé," announced a cheerful Mrs Gerard. "He's taken a few weeks off!"

"I'm very happy to see you again," exclaimed Hervé, delighted. "What do I see? Isn't that Rebecca? You've grown!"

The young woman felt embarrassed, but gave him a smile. Hervé Gerard took them on a guided tour of their home. There were paintings covering every room, weapons and even large leather coats. The smell of smoke wafted through the air, along with the sweet scent of citrus fruit. Their home was impressive: the staircases were so high and wide that you had to be patient to climb them. A wolf-fur rug decorated the corridor, which could accommodate an entire graduating class. Rebecca appreciated the darkness and the decoration of the place. All the coats, boots and strange weapons lined the passageway.

Each element was presented like an exhibition of works of art. The young Goth felt in her element. A few memories came flooding back, even if they were still a little hazy. Hervé puffed out his chest and spoke in a big, warm voice.

"These are collectors' items that belonged to my ancestors. It's a heritage that we hold dear here."

"We see weapons, coats... Were they hunters?" asked Rebecca, curious.

"These objects did indeed belong to hunters. They liked to hunt big game like grizzly bears and many other animals!" laughed Hervé, proud.

Rebecca was drawn to the objects. While she admired the works of art in the house, the adults chatted about a wide range of subjects. In the corridor, a maid was going back and forth between the kitchen and the living room. She was serving a few glasses of water and snacks to the guests. Louis stood at the end of the corridor, staring at young Laurence, who was paying him no attention. 

Suddenly, Rebecca heard voices... Something was happening in one of the rooms in the house. Her body stopped moving. At the end of the corridor, a door appeared that was different from the others.

Rebecca felt sensations, the same as when she was a child. Surprised and curious, she tried to move towards the door, but Louis blocked her path. Their eyes met and the intensity he could exude threw her off balance. Rebecca avoided him, then analysed the paintings in minute detail. She loved history, especially when the objects contained secrets. Some of them appealed to her and she hoped to get a critical viewpoint or answers from Louis, but he didn't seem talkative. On one of the canvases, the presence of a man aroused the young guest's curiosity: in his hands was a red weapon which turned out to be the heart of the whole universe. Then, in the background, a powerful man sat on a throne adorned with black roses and thorns. Rebecca was captivated by the Gothic style of the painting. The two stayed away from their parents for a long time... Louis kept staring at Rebecca. He put his hand on her shoulder, ready to speak for the first time.