Queen of Darkness

Chapter 6 - The Gift

~The Next Evening ~

Alex:” Where is this Châteaux Dubois, I’ve never heard of it, even googled it I couldn’t find anything?” He was obviously pleased with this because now he had some proof I was lying.

Me: “And you never will... It was build a few miles from Vieux Carré but was reduced to rubble in the war”

Alex:” Vieux Carré?... You mean Old Square.... As in The French Quarter, in New Orleans?..... What war?”

Me:” The Battle of New Orleans in 1815, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves....

As Magdalene showed me to the dining room, the table was set with enough food to feed 20 men but no one else joined the spread and I sat in silence as I dined alone. Afterwards Madeline gave me a tour of some of the other rooms including the great hall were many balls were held, the tea room where ladies would gather for tea, gossip and do needle work, the library which had the most books I’ve ever seen, and then we were back in the hall way where my room was situated, where Pierré was to meet me to take me on a tour of the grounds.

Me: “Magdalene, am I the only occupant in this wing...?”

Magdalene:” My Lady, all the other rooms are for guests, which currently there are none... The only other room belonging to anyone is the one at the end of the hall, which is the Master’s room”

Me: “Oh you mean Master Pierré?”

Magdalene: “Oh No My Lady....Thé Master.”

Me:” Excuse me but I Thought Master Pierré was the master of the house... Are you saying there’s another?”

Magdalene:” Master Pierré is a Master but he is more like... How do I explain it?... Ummm, more like the Master’s Son, but not by blood”

At that moment Pierré arrived and I couldn’t ask Madeline anymore questions. Instead Pierré showed me the gardens, the maze garden, the stables and the boundaries of the property.

Me: “I’ll be forever grateful that you saved me, but I don’t understand why you brought me here... What is it I’m required to do, surely as a slave I should be staying with the others and be given my duties”

Pierré:” The Master took ownership of you, yes but you are no longer a slave.... Not a slave as you know it anyway, that’s why you are staying here and treated as his guest... You may roam the property as you please but you are not allowed to leave the property unless by order of the Master and even so, you have to be accompanied by either the Master, myself or the General”

Me: “I don’t understand, Who is the Master and who is the general.... why would he want me as a guest and not a slave... Or... am I to be his secret pleasure?”

I’ve heard of wealthy masters keeping some of their slaves in their houses for, what we slaves’ referred to as, secret pleasure. They were effectively sex slaves and didn’t do anything other than please their Master but they were also not to be known about as the act of sex with a slave was frowned upon.

Pierré:” Do not speak about Master Robert as if he is a tyrant ...he will be taking good care of you and you should be thankful for the opportunity”

Me: “I didn’t mean any disrespect... I just don’t understand any of this. Where is Master Robert, I have not met him? ”

Pierré: “Master Robert is away on Business, he often is.. Master Robert is a very important man with a lot of influence in businesses, government and military, that’s why you can’t leave the property, with such a status there are always those who will oppose him, and they will take advantage of any situation to gain power.”

Me: “I apologise but I’m just a slave... I don’t understand”

Pierré: “Stop saying that! You are no longer a slave...” Pierré was clearly getting annoyed with me. Sighing deep to suppress his annoyance he continued “You just can’t leave... This is very important, if you leave the property, Master’s enemies might get to you, they will torture you for information and most likely kill you”

Pierré took me through the maze, and as we reached the opposite side I notice more lawn and beyond that a Vast Forrest of trees with no end in sight.

Pierré:” The property ends where the treeline begins... Don’t ever wonder into the forest... Beyond those trees lies a different enemy”

Before I can press him for further details he spins around and jogs back into the maze with a grin, shouting over his shoulder “let’s see if you paid attention, find your way back and you’d better hurry because I want you to meet someone”

Pierré disappears from my sight and I try to find my way through the maze which now seem like an impossible task, every so often Pierré would tauntingly shout out that I’m cold or I’m going the wrong way, confusing me even more. I’m just about to give up when Pierré jumps out, around a hedge and startles me, I give a loud shriek in surprise and laugh then turn around running. We end up spending a good 10 minutes chasing each other and laughing. It was the most fun I ever had.

As I rounded another corner I unintentionally ran straight into Pierré, who caught me in his arms, lifting me while spinning me around a few times. When he set me down he placed a kiss on my cheek which was not at all proper manor but I didn’t say anything, I just blushed.

He took me by the hand and led me back to the Châteaux.

Pierré:” We’re going to the library, I’m going to introduce you to Lady Abigail, she’s a very good Friend of Master Robert...Master Robert sent instruction for me to teach you about various subjects and Lady Abigail will be teaching you other things. Master Robert must have great plans for you if he wants you to be educated.”

I met Lady Abigail, and was mesmerized by her wild red curls and freckled face with big blue eyes. She was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and she had fire, confidence and passion.

Lady Abigail studied me up and down intently ” So you’re the chosen one?... We’ll see about that. Pierré, give me something to work with here... Tell me she can at least read? ”

Pierré: “That she can my Lady... And write as well she also has some math skills, thanks to her farther”

I looked at Pierré in surprise, how did he even know that.

Abigail mumbled “very well” into her bag while she rumbled through it, finally pulling a book, two candles and some herbs from it.

She lit the one candle and from it set the bundle of herbs alight, she spoke a few words which I didn’t understand and walked around me making circle motions with the smoking herbs, almost causing me to cough from smoke inhalation.

She opened the book at about the fifth page and held the other candle up in front of me.

Abigail:” It’s a basic fire spell to light a candle.... Concentrate, and read the words”

I looked at her dumbfounded, I even looked at Pierré thinking they were joking, but both of them looked dead serious.

Me: “You’re joking right? Spells... As in voodoo?”

Abigail: “No No...Not voodoo not like the stuff your parents did... Real magic”

Me: “How do you know about my parents?”

Abigail:” Focus!.... Say the words”

I looked at the words and frowned:” This isn’t even English how am I supposed to read it?”

Abigail sighs in frustration while nodding her head and then hits me with the candle against the forehead.

Me: “Ouch! What the hell?”

Pierré giggles behind me “It’s a test”

Abigail: “Just read as you see the words”

I take a deep breath and look at the words again reading it aloud, even if I’m saying a load of mumble jumble.

Suddenly the candle sets alight but so does the library curtains and a couple of books in various places along the shelves.

Pierré cusses and runs around smacking the curtains and throwing the burning books on the floor, stomping them. I gave a shriek and look at Pierré bewildered, not sure what just happened.

Abigail just looks at me with amusement “I guess Robert is right... You are special... You do have the gift. This will be very interesting. Keep the book and learn the words... Oh don’t read them aloud, we don’t want you setting Robert’s home on fire, and next time... Focus. You need to channel your thoughts, you’re all over the damn place” Pierré, I want her everyday between 2:00 and 5:00, make sure to bring her”

Pierré: “Yes my Lady”

From the next day I was on a schedule, I was woken at 6:00, freshened up and were dressed in time for breakfast at 7:00 which was always alone as Pierré always had his breakfast taken to him in the library, I would go to the garden after breakfast for a bit of fresh air, then meet Pierré in the Library at 8:00 where he taught me on various subject from history to geography, economics and maths. By 12:00 I would go to the dining room for lunch, alone again, and then Pierré and I would leave the Châteaux at 1:00 by coach in order to reach Abigail’s home by 2:00 where she taught me the history of magick and how to conjure spells. Pierré and I would return to the Châteaux at 5:00 and get back at 6:00, in time for dinner... alone, followed by my bathing torture routine. Bed time was around 9:00 as there was not much one could do by candle light.

7 months passed by. I started to believe Master Robert was a myth as he never came home. I got real comfortable with my life. Abigail and I became good friends and she opened my eyes to many things.

I was happy that for once I found something that I was good at and once I learned magick, it couldn’t be taken from me... Even though practicing magick had to be kept a secret as witches were still burned... That didn’t end in 1693 it was just covered up better.

Abigail who was a high priestess made me a part of her coven and I made good progress. The day I was initiated into the coven, Abigail told me that on initiation I was going to be given a new name, a name used by witches and when practicing Magick. She dubbed me Aurora; it was my choice to take this name on completely. The way I saw it I left my old life behind, As Jaydene I was a slave and only knew suffering. Everyone I knew thought I was dead, this was my new life with new friends, a new home as a Lady with a new gift, all in all I was a new person, a chance to start anew, a chance to forget the pain, and in addition I really liked the name Aurora.