The Cord

Doctor Who

There I stood in front of the gates of the biggest house I've ever seen. It was an underestimate to call it a manor, it was a straight up castle leaning on the mountains. During the day I have crossed the town, which was pretty big, but I guess the place was really convenient for passing merchants. 

Now I just kind of wondered on how to approach this situation. So I arrived but I did not think plenty ahead to come up with what to do now. Should I knock? And then what? March in screaming that I was a wanted witch, whose entire living was burned down and then caught by a few madman who tortured me a bit until I killed them? That was something. 

I closed my eyes and with a few deep breaths counted the lives I felt inside. One... three... seven... ten... maybe fifteen? Something about that. Very little people for such a big house. I wondered for what reason. 

Well, I guess there was nothing else left to do. I gathered my strength and banged on the door. Silence echoed for a few moments and then the huge door opened, a servant's face peaking through, 

"Yes, may I help you?", he said with the most dead voice that I've heard. His face also stayed frozen in the meanwhile. That was a good skill. Maybe I will try that later. 

"Most definitely. I came to visit Lady Genevieve Alden, if she is to be found here."

His eyes gave up nothing and he stood there frozen to the rock. Then he bowed his head a little and allowed me to pass inside. Well, that was easy. 

I entered the most beautiful hall ever. It was decorated with masterful frescos and the roof of it reached the skies. However it surrounded with this chilling feeling of being in church or perhaps a grave. Goosebumps decorated my skin. 

"This way, miss"

No wonder the servant also sounded dead, he was living in a humongous mausoleum. I followed him through the biggest staircase up to the second floor. Everything about this place made one feel small and insignificant. We turned right a few times and entered a smaller, feminine room, which I supposed was the tea lounge. Inside sat a young lady and an old, grey lady. Both of them lifted my eyes to me. 

"Miss Genevieve Alden, this Lady is claiming to be Your guest."

I felt even more awkward, "Yes, I should introduce myself. Some time ago I happened to receive your letter of invitation for a visit. My name is Elizabeth Krass" 

Her eyes lit up and I knew she recognised the name. 

"Ah, how pleasant that you came! I was worried when I received no answer. I though that perhaps I had offended you."

She got up and engulfed me in a hug. God, she was tiny but strong. From what I had estimated she was a few years younger than me and yarning for a female company. 

"Allow me to introduce my aunt- Amelia Calvin. I am afraid she is not in her best condition right now. She has..."

"...Alzheimer's", I finished her sentence. Yeah, I knew. I could feel it from miles away. Her life orb was off, I could even sense it from outside. 

"Well, aren't you an observant guest", a deep voice entered behind me. With one move I turned around to a tall, dark man with the painfully icy blue eyes. His lips were pressed into a small, hostile smile and his gaze was exploring me from head to toe. I felt a bit violated. However, he seemed to quickly come up with his own conclusions and now looked at me like I was an obstacle in his life, a tumour which he wanted removed as fast as possible. 

"So, please share on how you came up with such quick diagnosis." His voice now sounded threatening and though the question seemed innocent, his tone definitely indicated the opposite. 

"Of course. I happened to be a doctor. And a qualified one." Now it was my time to fire back. He wanted to challenge me? Very well. I had taken down bigger men than him. Also the knowledge that I could kill him with one touch seemed comforting.

However, my tone left no mark on his face. 

"And what brings a doctor all the way here?" 

Now it was Genevieve's time to speak up, "She is an old friend of mine. I invited her for a visit."

His look changed when he turned to her. It softened up and warmed, but there was still some message in his eyes and she definitely was able to read it. 

"Very well. I won't interrupt you anymore. Please enjoy your visit, doctor." He took a small bow but it felt more like a threat than a sign of respect and left the room. Well, that was welcoming. 

Genevieve looked apologetic at me as her cheeks decorated with a tint of red from embarrassment. 

"Sorry for that. Please don't take it personally. After my parents were deceased I came to live with my cousins and my aunt, and they assumed a protective role over me. He does this because he cares."

"Ah, that's alright. I had worse receptions in life." Did she mention though that she had multiple cousins? 

"I'm sorry but who is the other cousin?"

Genevieve seemed to liven up to this question. "Oh, how rude of me, I never introduced any of them. The cousin that you just met is Alexander Calvin, he just turned twenty five and stands as the oldest heir of this family. He also has a few years younger brother Sebastian but he is not currently home. However, we expect him by dinner."

At that moment the aunt seemed to recover her understanding of the surroundings and bore her eyes at me.

 "Elizabeth, dear, you finally came. Your mother was so nervous you would not make it, especially after that incident on the rode. Look how beautiful you grew up to be, you know, she is so proud of you."

Once she spat out those words so fast that I barely got the meaning, her eyes dulled up again and her look drifted away from focus. Her illness was really getting to her. Genevieve, on the opposite, seemed to be as focused and tense as she could. 

"Please bear no mind to this. Her illness makes her say many things which she does not mean and which have mostly no meaning, besides it being the produce of her lost mind. I hope she said nothing offensive."

At this moment I could not disagree more. Her words to me had very much some meaning and her suspicious knowledge of my travels was offsetting. If only she could hold a proper conversation for a few minutes. Suddenly a bell for dinner echoed the halls and a huge smile appeared on Genevieve's lips. 

"Finally, it's time for some food. You must be so tired after your journey, I feel so bad that I did not sent a carriage, but I had no way of knowing when you would come."

Well, nether did I, in fact, I was not planning on coming here at all, but life usually changes my plans pretty often. 

She led me through a labyrinth of corridors which were decorated better than any art galleries and pushed into a humongous dinner hall. The first course was already set on the table and servants were waiting to assist us. However, it seemed so wasteful to dine at such huge table designed for a crowd of people. There was just two of us, apparently the aunt rarely left the tea room and her cousins decided not to join us today. 

We did have a very pleasant dinner and Genevieve did everything in her power to make me feel welcome. Turns out my guess was right and she was so eager for some female company as she felt very lonely in the huge halls of this manor. And in the end she was a very pleasant girl, a tad bit boring and naive but with a good heart. After we were finished with our food she guided me into my bed chambers, which were bigger than my entire hut back at home. However, thinking about my home stung my heart a little. Only right now I got the realisation that I had no one and nowhere to go, all my family and friends were dead and all my possessions destroyed. Shit, I was so alone. 

Eventually Genevieve left my room and the weight of the journey got to me. I felt more tired than ever, exhaustion was squeezing my brains and stabbing my muscles. I thought for a moment- was I the protagonist or antagonist of this journey? I did not feel like the good guy. I felt dirty and numb to the outside bothers. I wondered where did I make my first mistake in life? 

Man, I wanted to fix everything so bad.