Chapter Three: A Ray of Light in the Darkness
Two months previous to the day, she was to be a married woman, and yet here she now stands resigned to her current fate: hiring common investigators to find the man she loves, trapped in what feels as an eternal state of abeyance, awaiting for others to conclude their part before she can consider what must be done next.
Sara feels helpless. It is utter agony.
The one she had employed in effort to find Leon had seemed a decent enough fellow; a keen eye and a love for the sorting out of puzzles, their portfolio rich with mysteries solved; and yet what little she had gleaned from their discoveries in conjunction with what Mathias relayed her of his own discoveries.
In two months, they had discovered that Leon had been carried off in the dead of night by strange fellows.
And that is the end of it.
Sara tries to put her worries out of her mind, as she knows well there is little she can do ‘til such a time as she has learned more.
She had thought her time would be spent worrying over whether Leon still yet lives… and yet the truth is, loathe it as she does, the world yet continues on, and she too, lives her life as usual, with the addition of… such a thing as this, gnawing at her, at the far reaches of her mind, always. There remain the times when it lessens, and she can near forget it, but it always remains, always lurks in the darkest shadows of her mind.
Yet she has her own life, her own responsibilities, and they do not stop, and so she marches on.
As for this day, she must attend her errands; she needs visit the herbalist for healing poultice, as she slipped horrendously upon the stone two days past, and bandaging has helped none, and she must visit the farmhand as she is in need of food.
She is about to embark for the day, whereupon her dear pigeon, Clea, flutters to her with a letter.
”Clea! What a darling surprise! How do you fare, little one?”
Clea lands upon the frame of Sara’s bedding, cooing at her.
Sara makes to pet her small head, and the small avian taps her foot against the bedframe. Ah, so she comes bearing news!
Sara,
I believe we need speak. Make haste to my keep.
Mathias
Sara’s heart hastens its pace. Could he have news of Leon?
She mounted her horse and departed with urgency.
———
It is nearing dusk when Sara arrives at long last.
She rushes inside, seeks direction, dashes through the keep, to the room she had been told Mathias has sequestered himself within.
She bombards past the door, entering the room, and stares at Mathias, her eyes dovelike, asparkle with a desperate hope.
“Sara. Good. I had hoped to sp—“
“Have you found Leon?”
There is an overlong pause, before Mathias responds, “That is the matter I wished to discuss with you.” He gives a long sigh, which sounds… saddened, before he speaks again “It may be best to dampen your hopes of recovering Leon. If he has been taken for such a long period it is unlikely—“
He continues on, though Sara ceases to heed his words. She cares not for yet another lecture; all others she knows had tried to convince her to abandon her “mad quest.”
She only wonders why he had ushered her here with such haste if only to tell her what many have told before.
And so, in the stead of taking in his stern words, she takes in his room. So this is the room he had been trapped for the past year? It is quite lavish.
The room is darkened, few candles to light it, though of what Sara can see she finds it furnished most notably with a considerably-sized bed, replete with wood of cherry which frames the bedding, sheets of dark silk, and the soft supple feather of down, which Mathias still seemed primarily to confine himself to. All, of course, difficult to find, befitting his station of ‘Lord’ quite well.
Near to the bed, Sara finds a great wardrobe of dark wood and ornate make. Doors closed, of course, yet she imagines most of Mathias’s clothing to be dark in color, much like his room.
As she idly wanders the room, careful not to trip, she also spots the drapery on the far side of the room which are left closed, though small rays of the light of the day filter through into the otherwise dark room, only a small number of candles otherwise lighting it. Beneath, receiving much of the light, two plush chairs sat on either side of a small, round table. One of the chairs looked as though it had not been used in quite a length of time.
She continued wandering, towards a large desk of expensive wood nearest the far corner of the room. It is well organized, with a pile of correspondences set to the side, a candle lit just near it. Atop this pile, she sees two letters separate of the rest. The topmost letter she recognizes to be in Leon’s hand; upon investigation, it seems a letter he had written Mathias nearly three months prior. She knows it best she not read it, as it is none her business to worry over, yet she had so missed hearing his words, the beautiful things he has to say. She could not decide…
Yet, Sara catches glimpse of the underlying parchment. The letter beneath mentions him by name, though not in his hand. Perhaps…
She brushes aside the letter written by Leon, yet not far, in favor of reading this correspondence, tilting her head to best read it at its current angle, in hopes of any news of Leon.
She thinks to hear Mathias inquiring into her actions behind her, but she pays him no mind. She can hardly focus upon him at her own desperation to hear of Leon. After all, Sara’s just a right to know any news of Leon as Mathias.
—aware of Baron Belmont’s presence… of the vampire Walter…
A vampire is involved? Sara must know more of this. She makes to hold the letter, to read more thoroughly the news relayed.
Lord Cronqvist,
As you know, we have been made aware of Baron Belmont’s presence within the castle of the vampire Walter Bernhart. It would beget much danger to attempt a rescue, as, in addition to Bernhart’s forces, he himself is a formidable fighter, and we’ve yet to confirm whether the Baron yet lives, or his exact whereabouts within the castle. We have wasted the lives of enough scouts to write off further attempts to breach the castle walls.
You will, of course, be kept informed of any updates to this information.
The letter has been signed by a man whose name Sara recognizes not, and dated recently, just over a week previous.
“Leon… he has been found? This is why you wrote me, yes? Of course… of course!” Sara states triumphant. Perhaps… if he had only just received this letter… it would explain much!
Yet… “Why make such an attempt to dissuade me from continuing my search, though, if this is the case?”
Mathias pinches the bridge of his nose, answering, “Leon has been found, yes, yet the likelihood that he yet lives—“
“Surely 'tis worth at least an attempt—“
“He has been taken by a vampire, and a powerful one to boot, if my sources are to be believed. There is truly little chance he yet still lives?”
“But why is it that he was taken by a vampire?” Sara exclaims. “Surely, surely there are meals easier to obtain than a man who remains undefeated in battle, such as Leon? Why pursue someone such as that, why not seek out easier prey? Why Leon, why Leon?”
There settles a tense silence over the room.
“Surely, a man as clever as yourself must also wonder, Mathias. Why Leon?”
He takes a long breath. “Whatever the case may be, it is quite unlikely Leon will be retrievable at this point.” Sara begins to protest, but Mathias continues, “Mounting a rescue is hardly feasible at this point, even for one such as I, and the chances Leon lives even two months and a week after capture… I cannot, cannot bear the loss of my dearest friend so soon after losing my beloved wife. This is not a subject I wish to pursue further. Go.”
“But-” she started.
“GO.” He says it with an air of finality, an air which leaves no room for protest.
She leaves the room, and though she is put off by Mathias’s dismissal of Leon’s very life, after far too long with little progress, Sara feels optimism.