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Book: Vampire - Child of Destiny (Vampire Series Book 2) by Charmain Marie Mitchell
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Authors: Charmain Marie Mitchell
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and asked the girl who answered my call, to bid Henri, Louis' manservant, to attend me.
Henri was a very powerful man, he was tall and strong, and his face shone with evil and malice. When I first made my plan on how to escape Louis, my first thought was: how I would I be able to win Henri's support, for I did not wish to receive his wrath.
"You wished to see me, mademoiselle?" he asked from the door of my bedchamber, his body taking up the whole of the doorframe. I smiled towards him, but he did not return the courtesy, and so I simply beckoned him into my room.
"Henri, are you a rich man?" I asked him and saw a look of bewilderment cross his face.
"Non… as you know, mademoiselle... I am not," he stated abruptly.
"No, I thought not, well, Henri...how would you like to benefit from the riches of the chateau while I'm away on my travels? I will leave the lands to your care, and you may keep all of the profit that you make. The only thing I will ask in return is that you keep, and pay, just a couple of servants in service, who will be engaged to look after the chateau whilst I'm away.” Once more a look of confusion chased along his features, but now I saw hope and greed flit across his face also, and I was certain that my plan would succeed.
"I have killed your master, Henri...” I waited for him to move towards me in anger, but he did not, although his hand did reach towards the sheathed dagger that was in his belt.
"I will be leaving for a while, but all I will be taking with me is a cart and horses, a few servants, my jewels and some of the fine cloths that hang around my bed. If you will allow this, then you shall profit from the lands, and on my return you will still hold the rights to this land…you will, of course, become a rich man."
Henri bent his head towards his chest. I was at first unsure of what his answer would be, and I started to doubt my earlier thoughts of success, but after a few moments, he lifted his head, and looked into my eyes, his shone with triumph, and I knew that success was mine.
The atmosphere in the chateau changed over the next few days, instead of dark and broody it became light and happy. Servants no longer crept around hiding in shadows, nor were they afraid to speak in my presence or look into my face. Instead of the wrath of these people, as I was expecting, they were instead grateful that I had freed them from Louis. I had discovered that his hold over the chateau had lasted for just over one hundred years, and that he had ruled the servants with violence and terror.
Even Henri, who had always previously seemed to be gruff and irritated, had changed radically. He now walked the corridors of the chateau, a smile ready on his face, and a merry whistle chirping from his lips.
He had changed so much, that he had even told me of his plans for the land surrounding the chateau. He had decided to grow grapevines and he had asked many of the families already living in and around the chateau to join him. Apparently, many of them had agreed that they all would work together and profit from the gift I had bestowed on them.
Any guilt that I felt for Louis’ death evaporated in the face of the happiness of these people. I had taken their lives back from the tyrant who stole them, and in doing so, I had given them a reason to live and thrive.
Life for me changed also. Now that I was no longer Louis’ prisoner, I started to ride around the countryside surrounding the chateau - the area was stunning! The chateau was nestled in the shade of rolling spring green hills, very much like the English countryside, but more serene. The air was warm, and although it was wintertime, it was warm enough to ride along the lanes without the need of heavy furs and capes.
Several times, I rode into Bordeaux, the closest town to the chateau, and soon enough I became spellbound by the beauty and vibrancy of the town. The
Henri was a very powerful man, he was tall and strong, and his face shone with evil and malice. When I first made my plan on how to escape Louis, my first thought was: how I would I be able to win Henri's support, for I did not wish to receive his wrath.
"You wished to see me, mademoiselle?" he asked from the door of my bedchamber, his body taking up the whole of the doorframe. I smiled towards him, but he did not return the courtesy, and so I simply beckoned him into my room.
"Henri, are you a rich man?" I asked him and saw a look of bewilderment cross his face.
"Non… as you know, mademoiselle... I am not," he stated abruptly.
"No, I thought not, well, Henri...how would you like to benefit from the riches of the chateau while I'm away on my travels? I will leave the lands to your care, and you may keep all of the profit that you make. The only thing I will ask in return is that you keep, and pay, just a couple of servants in service, who will be engaged to look after the chateau whilst I'm away.” Once more a look of confusion chased along his features, but now I saw hope and greed flit across his face also, and I was certain that my plan would succeed.
"I have killed your master, Henri...” I waited for him to move towards me in anger, but he did not, although his hand did reach towards the sheathed dagger that was in his belt.
"I will be leaving for a while, but all I will be taking with me is a cart and horses, a few servants, my jewels and some of the fine cloths that hang around my bed. If you will allow this, then you shall profit from the lands, and on my return you will still hold the rights to this land…you will, of course, become a rich man."
Henri bent his head towards his chest. I was at first unsure of what his answer would be, and I started to doubt my earlier thoughts of success, but after a few moments, he lifted his head, and looked into my eyes, his shone with triumph, and I knew that success was mine.
The atmosphere in the chateau changed over the next few days, instead of dark and broody it became light and happy. Servants no longer crept around hiding in shadows, nor were they afraid to speak in my presence or look into my face. Instead of the wrath of these people, as I was expecting, they were instead grateful that I had freed them from Louis. I had discovered that his hold over the chateau had lasted for just over one hundred years, and that he had ruled the servants with violence and terror.
Even Henri, who had always previously seemed to be gruff and irritated, had changed radically. He now walked the corridors of the chateau, a smile ready on his face, and a merry whistle chirping from his lips.
He had changed so much, that he had even told me of his plans for the land surrounding the chateau. He had decided to grow grapevines and he had asked many of the families already living in and around the chateau to join him. Apparently, many of them had agreed that they all would work together and profit from the gift I had bestowed on them.
Any guilt that I felt for Louis’ death evaporated in the face of the happiness of these people. I had taken their lives back from the tyrant who stole them, and in doing so, I had given them a reason to live and thrive.
Life for me changed also. Now that I was no longer Louis’ prisoner, I started to ride around the countryside surrounding the chateau - the area was stunning! The chateau was nestled in the shade of rolling spring green hills, very much like the English countryside, but more serene. The air was warm, and although it was wintertime, it was warm enough to ride along the lanes without the need of heavy furs and capes.
Several times, I rode into Bordeaux, the closest town to the chateau, and soon enough I became spellbound by the beauty and vibrancy of the town. The
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