The Bewitched Soul

The hug was warm and welcoming. Lord Gerard was tall, but Alexander was even taller than him.

"Come, I'll show you your room." Lord Gerard gestured him to walk beside him.

"My greetings to the great Lord Gerard," Julius bowed.

"Join us, Julius." Lord Gerard was happy to see him.

Climbing the stairs, they went straight to the guestroom. Alexander's room was adjacent to Lord Gerard's. Julius being the butler, had his room next to Lord Alexander's.

Julius bowed and left the two Lords for privacy. Lord Gerard stood right in front of the mirror. Seeing Julius leave, Lord Gerard turned around.

"Lord Alexander, I hope you enjoy your stay here," he spoke as he saw Alexander looking at him with dull eyes.

"Thank you, Lord Gerard, for accepting my request." Alexander's eyes turned into crescents as he smiled.

"Shall I ask Robert to bring your food up here?" Lord Gerard spoke.

"Thank you," Alexander agreed.

The long journey was indeed tiresome and exhaustive.

"Take rest, Lord Alexander. See you in the evening." Lord Gerard smiled as he was about to leave.

"Thank you."

After Lord Gerard left, Alexander went straight to the bathroom for a warm shower. He stripped down and stepped slowly into the bathtub. Turning the water know swiftly, the water rushed down the tub. He closed his eyes as his skin soaked in the warmth, the heat of the warm water. Leaning against the bathtub, he let the water cover his body, submerging him right till his neck. After a while, he slowly stood up, releasing thin rivulets of lukewarm water, and trickled down his back. Water dripped from his darkened hair, racing past his neck and his back. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the bathroom. He slipped into a set of new clothes and slept.

Lord Gerard was in his study, flipping the pages of the file. There was an old man next to him, looking at the flipping pages.

"He's here now, Gerard." the old man spoke, one could see the fine line wrinkles on his face.

"I know, Rupert." Gerard signed on a page, keeping that file aside.

"What about the vow? The promise?" Rupert asked, his voice shook while speaking.

"Centuries have passed, Randolph is no more." Gerard looked at him, straight into his eyes.

"The boy needs to know. He needs to know who his mother was,"

"He resembles her, Gerard," Rupert emphasized on each and every word.

"That doesn't make anyone think that he is her son, Rupert." Gerard continued.

"I'll wait for him to ask. If he doesn't, this stays a secret for eternity," he spoke as he kept rolling the pen over the file.

"Be prepared. What about the little girl?" Rupert asked worriedly.

"She's safe there..." Gerard smiled as he turned to look at Rupert.

"I see..." Rupert smiled.

Alexander woke up. It was six in the evening. After getting freshened up, he went straight to Lord Gerard's study.


Before knocking the door, he heard

"Come in, Lord Alexander, " Gerard spoke as he sensed Alexander standing behind the closed door.

A brief smile formed on Alexander's face. He opened the door,

"Good evening, Lord Gerard." Alexander wished as he smiled.

"You still come to know whenever I'm about to knock the door," he spoke as a gentle smile formed on his face.

"The Lord was once a small kid back then, who used to sneak in my study." Gerard smiled as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, I didn't visit you in years, Lord Gerard." Alexander's voice sounded apologetic.

"Centuries, my boy. I know you had been through a lot." Gerard looked at Alexander.

"So, tell me... why after so many years?"

"Regarding the past, Lord Gerard," Alexander spoke as he looked at the rolled paper in his coat pocket.

"Call me Uncle, you used to call me when you were a little boy," Gerard continued.

"Your father and I were close friends. You resemble your father in many ways, Alexander"

"And my mother?" Alexander interrupted.

There was a minute of silence in the room.

"The day has come," Gerard smirked as he spoke.

"She was one of the finest white witch warriors, a warlock," Alexander spoke as his eyes scrutinized Gerard's face.

"You know a lot about her, Alex" Gerard's hand kept rolling the pen over the file.

"It must be Julius," Gerard smiled as he spoke.

"I came to know about her after centuries. She's dead now." Alexander clenched his feet as he spoke those last two words.

"The forbidden love, my child. You must have known by now, what dangerous powers you possess." Gerard spoke in a serious tone.

"Why am I still alive?" Alexander asked as an ocean of questions swirled inside his head.

"You really want to know, Alex?" Gerard asked.

"I want to," Alexander couldn't stop.

"Because your brother died." Gerard finally revealed.