Chapter 8: Echoes of the Departed 

"Lucius, you're back!" Louis exclaimed, his face lighting up with a grin as he spotted Duke Lucius at breakfast. "Oh, you didn't return with Julian?"

"Count Julian won't be joining us for breakfast this morning," Felix replied. "He'd like to rest a bit longer."

"I see. By the way, Lucius, can I take El to town?" Louis asked, his hopeful expression accentuated by puppy dog eyes.

"El? Ah, I see," Duke Lucius remarked. "You two do seem to be getting along quite well."

"Yes, we are. So can I?" Louis interjected eagerly.

"Hmm, let me think..." Duke Lucius mused, his hand tapping his chin playfully. "No."

"What?" Louis blurted out, momentarily taken aback.

"El should remain within the manor for the time being, away from the public eye," Duke Lucius replied with a firm tone. "We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention, Louis."

"El?" Louis asked, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Yes, El," Duke Lucius responded, turning to me with a warm smile. "And you can call me Lucius."

Dumbfounded, I glanced at Louis.

Louis's annoyed look was directed at Duke Lucius, and I couldn't help but smile in amusement.

"T-Then how about the harvest festival?" Louis asked again.

"The harvest festival? Hmm, that's in two weeks. It's still too early for Elise to go out, Louis," Duke Lucius replied.

"We'll be careful, I promise," Louis countered earnestly. "And with the harvest festival bustling with children and families, El would blend right in! I'll make sure she remains unnoticed."

"... Let me think about it," Duke Lucius replied, his tone softened at Louis's determination. "But for now, Louis, eat your food before it gets cold."

"Alright..." Louis conceded, his expression resigned, while Felix's gentle pat on the back conveyed reassurance and understanding.

As Louis was about to put a forkful of food in his mouth, he paused, looking up with another question forming on his lips. 

"Oh, Lucius, one more thing! Can El join me in my classes?" Louis suggested eagerly, his eyes bright with anticipation.

"Yes, about that, Louis, I've been considering that myself. However, I'll need to speak with the tutors first," Duke Lucius replied with a smile. "Don't worry, I'll make the necessary arrangements and let you know."

"R-Really? That's great! Thanks, Lucius," Louis exclaimed gratefully. 

Duke Lucius nodded, acknowledging Louis's gratitude with a faint smile. 

"Elise, could you come by my study after breakfast?" Duke Lucius requested, his tone gentle yet authoritative. 

"Of course," I responded, exchanging a curious glance with Louis, both of us tilting our heads slightly in unison. 

- - -

"Elise, please, take a seat," Duke Lucius instructed, gesturing towards the ornate chairs positioned in front of his imposing desk.

I complied, settling into one of the intricately carved chairs. Duke Lucius rose from his seat behind the desk to sit opposite me, his demeanour serious yet composed as he broached the purpose of our meeting.

"During my absence, I travelled to the capital to meet with the King's Council," Duke Lucius began, his eyes fixed on me with a hint of concern.

"And in our deliberations regarding the village attack, I made sure not to disclose your survival," he reassured me.

"We can't trust anyone," he continued, "but I hope, at the very least, you can trust me."

His gaze softened, a plea for understanding evident in his eyes.

"... I trust you," I replied, meeting his gaze with sincerity. "And I have faith in your judgment and intentions."

"After all, you offered me refuge when I had nowhere else to turn," I murmured gratefully. "I... I can't even begin to thank-"

I glanced up to see a glimmer of moisture glistening in Duke Lucius's eyes. 

In a surprising gesture, Duke Lucius rose from his seat and moved towards me, enveloping me in a tender embrace.

"When I lost my parents, I longed for someone to hug me and cry with me. But there was no one," he confessed, a slight quiver betraying his composure. "So I hope this hug can offer you even the slightest solace, Elise."

His embrace was a silent echo of the longing and pain he still carried within. As his arms wrapped around me, I felt a warmth that I hadn't experienced in a long time. 

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible amidst our shared tears. "Your warmth... it's reminiscent of my mother's embrace." 

Duke Lucius tightened his embrace, his own emotions surfacing as he admitted, "I miss my parents too. I miss them dearly."

"Every night, I'm haunted by the emptiness... they left behind," he choked out, his voice trembling with emotion. "It's a void I can never fill. It's too... unbearable."

Resting his head on my shoulder, his tears dampened the fabric of my dress. In that vulnerable moment, all I could offer was silent companionship.

- - -

After a while, the intensity of our emotions began to subside, and Duke Lucius lifted his head from my shoulder, wiping away his tears with a gentle sigh. 

"My apologies, Elise," he said softly, bringing his hands to his face as he sighed deeply. "I didn't mean to burden you with such a sight." 

"No.. not at all," I murmured. "Thank you.. for the hug. It meant a lot to me."

With a nod of appreciation, Duke Lucius straightened up and appeared visibly lighter.

-

"Um," I started tentatively. "Can I... ask you about something?" 

Duke Lucius turned towards me, his demeanour poised as he encouraged me to proceed. 

"Of course," he responded, his gaze attentive as he awaited my question.

"That day you told me that..." I paused, gathering my courage. "You said that the attack was motivated by the belief that my village... harboured sorcerers." 

"Wh-why did you say that?" I stammered, my voice faltering. "I-I mean, how could you have known... when I was the sole survivor?"

"..."

The Duke remained silent, a hint of astonishment crossing his features as my question hung in the air like an unspoken accusation. 

"They—" He halted, his expression troubled as he deliberated on his response.

"They told me," he eventually admitted, his confession breaking the silence that enveloped us.

"Who?" I pressed, my apprehension intensifying as curiosity battled against the growing dread within me.

"The..." His voice wavered, a fleeting shadow passing over his features, his gaze briefly averting before snapping back to mine with a chilling intensity. "The dead."

"The dead... told you?" I repeated, the words feeling surreal as they tumbled from my lips, struggling to grasp the magnitude of his revelation. 

Duke Lucius nodded gravely, a solemnity settling over him like a dark shroud. "On that night, I sought answers from the lingering souls."

"Lingering souls?" I whispered.

"Yes," he explained, his gaze distant as he recounted the events of that tragic night. "When lives are cut short, some souls remain tethered to the mortal realm by unfinished business or unresolved emotions."

"Did... my mother also?" 

"I have no way of telling, Elise," he replied gently. "But all souls must eventually depart from this realm, unable to linger indefinitely."

As I absorbed the Duke's words, the realisation that my mother wouldn't linger but would move on brought a bittersweet sense of solace amidst the pain of loss.

"What did the they tell you?" I asked.

"The souls," Duke Lucius began, "echoed certain words, such as 'sorcerers' and 'hiding'."

"Perhaps the attackers believed your village hid sorcerers, or maybe something of great value or danger," he mused, his tone heavy with solemn contemplation. "But given the merciless nature of the massacre, the former seems most probable."

"B-But how... how were you able to communicate with the dead?"