Royal Trespassing

Chapter 4

Mia released a soft scream that she has been holding for a long time and then ran towards me. The man reached his laptop and turned the music off. He was middle aged and lanky with bushy grey hair. His red eyes seem to pierce what ever confidence I had left.

"I've never had visitors before, at least not in the past two hundred years that I can recall. I'm sure you're aware that it's rude to trespass."

It was hard to focus on anything but his blazing red eyes. I tried to force myself to speak.
"This castle doesn't belong to you, it belongs to Mr. Wilson who we have permission from. We're not trespassing."

As he stood up, Mia and I took a step back. He stretched a little, stiffened back up, then walked about the room with a wine glass of something yellow in his hand. Could he possibly look more terrifying?

"Mr. Wilson," he said gazing around the room.
"Is that the new owner of the estate?" He took a sip of his drink.
"I've never talked to him, I've only received one letter from his illustriousness." He paused for a brief moment.
"The nation may realize him as the legal owner of this estate but they do so falsely. I never sold my property to the man who first took control of the lot of palaces many years ago which has been sold and passed down along a path that now halts at Mr. Wilson."

I couldn't figure out what to say next. Two hundred years? This guy is crazy. So what if he does rightfully own the castle, what difference does that make? Why is he here? Why is his eyes red?

"So where does that leave us?" he asked softly but it seemed like he yelled because the sound sharply broke the silence.

"It's been a long time since I've had a face to face conversation with someone that's lasted longer than a few minutes. Let's chat. Come have a seat."

He pulled out an old trunk for us to sit on. He had only one chair in the musty room but it was modern unlike the truck. Mia and I exchanged glances. I nodded to her and tried to give her a reassuring smile to make her feel at ease even though I didn't. I still kept the knife in my hand as I sat.

"Care for some apple cider?" He motioned to his glass.

"No thank you," I responded. Mia just shook her head no.

"Very well. I suggest we take turns having our inquiries fulfilled. I'll began."
He cleared his throat.
"What are two young ladies doing in my castle?"

I explained to him the agreement we have with Mr. Wilson. He listened intently, asking brief questions and giving small comments. Mia sat almost motionless, only her eyes moved, following the man's own red eyes.

"What a queer contract you have. Mr. Wilson does seem like the kind of man to disregard the historical value of this estate however. What's your first question?" He asked.

Mia blurted out "Why are your eyes red?"

The man took a step back at her sudden address but then he smiled and swallowed another sip of his drink.

"I was born with these red eyes, a genetic mutation that runs in my family. That's why our castle and our lineage is so appropriately named."

That makes sense.

"It is my round again. My name is Lucifer Crimson. What are your names?"

"My name is Rose Foster."
I look at Mia, waiting to see if she is out of her frightened trance. She isn't.
"Her name is Mia Lewis."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Rose and Mia," he said as he shook my hand and smiled at Mia. Maybe he isn't so terrifying after all.

"Maybe I'll try some of that apple cider," I said.

"Haha that's the spirit miss!"

Miss? The only ones who ever call me miss are my grandparents, James, and a few elderly teachers. The cider is off-puttingly sour, but I suppose that's the point.

"Now it's my turn. How old are you really?"

"What is the date?" he asked.

"October the eighteenth."

" Then I have spent 395 years and eight days on this earth, excluding the time spent growing inside my mother of course."

Mia, who was hunched-over looking at the ground, straightened her back and shoot Lucifer a look that could kill.

"That's impossible," she said, like she was mentally pointing a finger at him and calling his bluff.

"I believe I must disagree with you. Let me explain why you are incorrect."