They were near the mansion and Elinora had not yet woken up. Alaric sat across from her, careful not to fall again.
He watched her as she seemed to be sleeping peacefully and was envious of her.
When was the last time I slept like this without worry, peaceful and serene? I really don't remember, he thought to himself.
He looked at her face more intently. She was calm, and the way she was sleeping she looked like a little child. But Alaric couldn't take his eyes off her. The last time he saw someone sleeping like that... it was Mikael.
The memory hit him unexpectedly. His little brother had the same relaxed look on his face when he slept next to him, always trusting that Alaric, his big brother, was there to protect him. But Alaric failed to protect him.
His mind went back to that day.
It was summer and it was a day like any other. Every day he and his younger brother would go swimming in a lake by the mansion. But that day Alaric was busy studying.
Mikael, with the impatient excitement that every little boy his age has, sneaked out to swim in the lake and was never seen again.
Early on, they started looking for him. Just when they realized he was missing, everyone ran to find him but when they finally found him it was too late.
Everyone in the house was devastated, but most of all their mother. She never accepted the death of her young son and at every opportunity blamed the older one until she died of grief a few months later as well.
Alaric was suddenly alone, haunted by his mother's guilt and last words: 'It's all your fault. I should never have given birth to you. I hate you from the bottom of my heart, you killed my child.'
Then his curse began. He began to see sometimes shadows, sometimes the faces of his mother and brother, and hear them whispering to him.
Many times Elinora reminded him of that childish naivety of Mikael's that he had so missed. But he could not allow himself to feel nostalgia. That was because he blamed himself for what had happened.
In the end, he had not returned to his childhood. He was in the carriage, and across the way his assistant had just opened his eyes and was asking if they were arriving at the mansion soon.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize when I fell asleep," Elinora said, shrugging off her clothes.
"That's all right. You must have been very tired."
She laughed awkwardly.
"The last few days I haven't been sleeping well, but today I got a lot of rest. I promise you it won't happen again."
Alaric looked out in annoyance.
"I told you it was okay," he told her.
The ride was coming to an end when just before they arrived Alaric felt a great pain in his chest and began to sweat. He knew this pain all too well. It was the curse that would not let him rest. He felt a thick darkness wrapping around him.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Alaric got out quickly, as if chased, and ran into the mansion. Elinora ran after him, followed him anxiously trying to catch up with him. Her heart was pounding.
What's happening? She wondered.
"Your Grace, are you all right?" she was saying to him as she followed him.
But he quickened his steps and did not answer her.
When he finally reached his room, he closed the door with force and gave orders that he was not to be disturbed. He, unable to stand upright, collapsed on the floor of the room.
Elinora had followed him there but she could not enter without permission.
"He said not to disturb him, so there's nothing we can do," Lia said.
But she didn't leave. She waited outside the door and tried to talk to him.
"Duke Alaric, are you okay? Do you need any help? Let me in," she was saying to him.
He at first answered her curtly as: "Go away!" and "Get lost!", but after a while he stopped replying.
Elinora didn't want to wait any longer. The third time Alaric didn't answer, she made up her mind.
With a deep breath and she put her hand on the doorknob. She knew she could be punished for this act, but she couldn't forgive herself if she didn't do something.
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