Chapter 9(The Traveler)

"She does not seem fond of me" Cole looked in Eloise's direction. She had a scowl she didn't bother you hide on her face. Whenever their eyes met, she glared only to avert her eyes. He wondered what he’d done wrong. Women usually adored him at first sight. Wrath glanced at Eloise and then back to his horse. He straightened his saddle and readied for the next ride.

"If it makes you feel any better, she does not like me either," he told him. He remembered the events of the morning and smiled. He mounted his horse and cast a glance in Eloise's direction. She was seated under the tent with Corianne, Miles, and Heath.

Was that fear he just sensed from her?

“Are we going or you are going to stare at her all day? I mean she is a sight for sore eyes" Cole said with a smirk then quickly galloping ahead.

Eloise watched as the two galloped away, laughing about something. Cole Carl Chamberlain was a high-born vampire and a close friend to Wrath. His family was amongst the founding vampire families who shared very close bonds with the Valerians.

An hour ago, she hoped he wasn't the same person who killed her. It turns out he was. He spoke like him. Smiled like him and looked exactly like her Cole. Her Cole?

Thinking of him made her terrified. She wasn't used to this world. Yet, that didn't stop it from shattering the very moment she laid eyes on him. And to think she thought she could settle in without worry. She hadn't wrapped her head around this dying and time-leaping situation entirely, and from nowhere he pops up into her life.

Yet, it seemed he had no idea who she was. He had no idea who she was or what he'd done to her in the future. But it seemed his sister knew her. Elvira. Where was she?

"I will go lay down for a while. I don’t feel so good" Eloise stood up from her seat saying.

"What's wrong, Eloise? Should Elric fetch the doctor?" Miles asked his brows creasing with worry.

"No, no. That wouldn’t be necessary. It’s just a slight headache. I’m sure a little sleep will help. Excuse me" She told them before heading away from the tent. Behind her was Lucy who followed after her quietly.

The siblings watched as they headed toward the manor.

"Did something happen?" Miles turned to his sister asking.

"Elvira touched her," Corianne replied.

"Well, that is never good,” Heath said.

“Why is Elvira the topic?" Thorne asked, entering the tent with Leonard behind him.

"She touched Eloise," Heath told his brothers.

"That is never good. Where is she?" Leonard asked as he took off his riding gloves.

"Off to take a nap," Miles told them stepping from his seat.

“I doubt she is” Corianne muttered, glancing in the direction of the manor. She sensed her fear and anxiety in her earlier. Around when Elvira touched her and when she saw Cole. She wondered if the rumors were true but brushed it off quickly.

Elvira Chamberlain was a half-witch and vampire. She was a seer, a famous one amongst her rare kind. She earned the name Elvira the Mad when she massacred a whole town of fairies hundred years ago. Elvira’s visions were erratic. They mostly occurred whenever she touched someone. Over the years, she turned into a traumatized person nobody wanted around.

"My lady, that is not the way to your chambers," Lucy said after Eloise as she headed towards the drawing room.

Eloise stepped into the drawing room to find Elvira standing by the fireplace. She immediately turned towards her with an astounding look.

"About earlier? Did you see…"

“Your death? Yes, I did” Elvira said to her abruptly. She glanced at the entrance now and then, as if she was expecting to walk through at any moment.

"I…How did you… what are you?” Eloise asked.

"I am a seer. We do not have much time and you keep asking the wrong questions, Eloise!" Elvira yelled. Eloise noticed the unrest in her tone as she spoke. Eloise walked towards her cautiously but curiously. She knew about her. Could it mean she could help her understand why she was here and why Cole was too?

"My Lady be careful?" Lucy said from behind watching Elvira with a scowl.

"Who is coming?" Eloise asked remembering what she said earlier.

"He who walks in the night and breathes fire. Your fire….” Elvira suddenly paused then began murmuring to herself.

“I did not tell him. You are not the same. But I know. I know what you are” She paused again then slowly turned to Eloise with a deranged look in her eyes.

Eloise stepped three steps away from her noticing the look in her eyes.

“I know what you are. You are a traveler…. Someone is coming" Elvira glanced at the entrance, quickly stepping away from Eloise. She headed by the fireplace and continued muttering to herself.

Both Eloise and Lucy turned around to find Elric at the door. Behind her were two maidservants.

“My lady, I hope I did not interrupt anything?” Eric asked with a bow.

“Not at all” Eloise replied before casting a glance at Elvira.

"Lady Elvira, Lord Cole has asked you be taken back home immediately," Elric told her.

Elvira turned to a confused Eloise with a sad expression.

"I am sorry…. It must be very hard" she said to Eloise. She reached out to touch her but Eloise stepped away.

Elvira retrieved her hands with a sad look. “Do not forget what I told you. It will not be long before he finds out” she told her.

Eloise watched as the two maids held her and took her away.

“I apologize about Lady Elvira, my Lady” Elric said with a bow.

“There is no need, Elric” Eloise responded with her eyes glued in the direction Elvira used.

“Is there anything you will need, my Lady?” Elric asked, drawing her attention.

"I think the Lady will retire now, right my lady?" Lucy placed a hand on her small back.

"Yes, excuse me, Elric," Eloise said. Elric bowed her head and watched as she ascended the stairs with Lucy.

In her room, Eloise lay quietly in bed staring at the roof of the canopy bed. Lucy quietly took off her shoes and then slowly massaged her feet.

"My Lady, I have a question?" She said hesitantly.

"I’m all ears, Luce" Eloise replied blankly staring at the roof.

Several unanswered questions ran through her mind.

“He who walks in the night and breathes fire. Your fire…” Elvira's voice echoed in her mind. Who was she talking about?

"The part about you being a traveler. It is all part of the madness, right?" Lucy asked as she continued massaging Eloise's feet.

"Of course it is. You think I’d still be here if I had that power?" Eloise said with a chuckle. But she meant every word of it.

She would go back to where she belonged if she had such powers. Go back to face Cole, and make him pay for what he did to her.

“But I heard stories about Elvira the Mad. And they say although her visions are erratic, they are true” Lucy told her.

“What are you trying to say, Luce?” Eloise asked with her eyes still trained on the roof.

“Before your marriage to the Lord. Rumors were circulating in Elda about the prophesied traveler among the Heretics. But that was quickly hushed by the coven leaders. And now, Elvira the Mad shows up and says you are a traveler. Could it be that you are the deemed traveler?” Lucy asked with a curious look on her face.

“Believe me, I wish I was,” Eloise said to her. Lucy slowly placed the heavy mahogany covers around her and sat at her side.

Eloise didn’t think Elvira was mad as they said. She was in her right mind, a little crooked in some corners but not entirely insane. As she spoke to her, all she saw was terror and an urgency to tell her something she couldn't.

“He doesn’t know. I didn’t tell him” Elvira's words rang in her head constantly.

Was it Cole she spoke of? Was it her brother she was talking about? Eloise thought to herself.

“You should not think about it too much, Lady El” Lucy told her disrupting her thoughts.

Eloise turned to her to find her with a small smile.

“Thank you, Luce,” She told her with a smile.

Lucy's eyes wavered for a second but she smiled too.

“You know something, Lady El. You are nothing like I heard. At least not everything” Lucy said with a tsk.

“What did you hear about me?” Eloise asked curiously, thwarting her thoughts for a second.

“I heard you were wild, strong, very rude, and hostile. The wild and strong I see but you are the most friendly mistress I have ever seen. So you do not have to worry about Elvira the Mad. I will not allow her anywhere close to you ever again” Lucy told her.

“Thank you. I’m glad you are at my side, Lucy” she told her placing a hand on hers.

Lucy beamed and quickly stood to her feet.

“I will go supervise the selection of the herbs for your bath this evening. You will have to look your best for dinner. Rest well, my Lady” Lucy said with a bow.

“Is that so? Or you are just going to see Old Buckle. I saw the way you looked at him this morning” Eloise said as she watched her walk to the door.

“That arrogant gruff of a man? god, forbid, my Lady” Lucy said clicking her tongue.

Eloise chuckled. “Whatever makes you sleep at night, Luce,” she said.

Lucy smiled to herself right before she flunk the double doors open.

“Luce?” Eloise called her and she turned quickly.

“Yes, my Lady El” She responded.

“Tell me more about this prophesied traveler later,” Eloise told her.

“Yes, my Lady” Lucy replied with a bow. She slowly stepped out and closed the door behind her.