After finishing his breakfast Lucian went to the meeting room. In the room Dr.Moore was already waiting for him. It was a spacious and elegantly furnished room reflecting the refined taste of Oakheart household.
The deep emerald green walls were bordered with dark wooden panels. Intricate carvings were done on their surface. Above them were the elaborate wooden mouldings which traced the edge of the ivory ceiling, where delicate ornamental patterns surrounded a magnificent crystal chandelier hanging from the centre.
The tall window allowed soft daylight to spill into the room through their delicate white lace curtains. Heavy burgundy drapes framed each window, their folds gathered neatly along the upper edges.
Several antique armchairs were arranged around a small round table, their curved wooden frames decorated with delicate carvings. Two rose-coloured chairs stood side by side near the windows, while a deep crimson armchair faced them from the opposite side. Another matching chair sat closer to the wall, below the painting, completing the arrangement. A large patterned rug stretched beneath the furniture, adding warmth and colour to the polished wooden floor.
Decorative lamps rested nearby, while small tables along the sides of the room held flower arrangements, porcelain ornaments and other carefully selected decorations.
Everything was arranged with a sense of order and elegance. It was the sort of room where one could comfortably spend an afternoon entertaining guests, discussing matters of importance or simply enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of tea.
Dr Moore was sitting on the rose coloured chairs near the window. His bag filled with his equipment was kept beside him. As soon as he saw Lucian enter, he stood up and gave a slight bow.
“Good morning, young master Lucian. It's good to see you in good health.”
He spoke in a warm, reassuring tone, just like a doctor celebrating his patient recovering.
“Good morning, Dr. Moore,” Lucian replied with a polite smile. “I'm feeling much better than before.”
He sat down on the chair beside the one Dr.Moore was sitting.
“Is that so? It’s great to hear you are finally recovering.” Dr.Moore replied.
Dr. Moore sat in his chair and opened his medical bag. He began with the usual examination, checking Lucian's pulse, asking him to take a few deep breaths. He listened carefully to his breathing and examined him with the practiced skills of someone who had treated him for years.
“Have you experienced any fever since my last visit?” he asked.
“No. I did not.” Lucian replied.
“What about headaches, dizziness or difficulty in breathing?”
“Sometimes, it is hard to breathe, but nothing unusual.”
“And what about your appetite? Are you eating properly?”
Lucian glanced briefly at Selene before answering.
“Maybe. I think so," he replied with a mischievous smile.
Selene raised an eyebrow.
“Lucian.”
“Alright, alright. Yes, I've been eating properly,” he corrected himself with a mischievous smile.
Dr. Moore chuckled seeing the exchange between the siblings before returning his attention to Lucian’s examination.
After a few more questions and doing a final check, he closed his medical bag and leaned back in his chair.
“Well, it's a good thing that you haven't suffered another fever, and your condition appears to be stable,” he said. “However, your body is still quite weak. You still need more time to recover completely.”
Selene, who had been standing quietly throughout the examination, finally spoke.
“Is there anything in particular, we should be concerned about, Doctor?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary at present, Miss Selene. But I would advise against allowing him to overexert himself. He should continue eating properly, get plenty of rest and avoid heavy physical activities for the time being.”
He then turned towards Lucian, giving him a mildly stern look.
“And that includes running around, staying up late and ignoring your sister's instructions.”
Lucian let out a small sigh.
“Does everyone have to bring that up?”
“Only when the patient gives us enough reason to,” Dr. Moore replied with an amused smile.
Selene couldn't help but smile at that remark.
After offering a few more instructions, Dr. Moore packed away his instruments. He picked up his hat, brushed a few creases from his coat and gave Lucian and Selene a slight bow.
“Take care of yourself, young master. I'll visit you when it's time for the next session.”
“Thank you for coming, Dr.Moore,” Lucian replied.
“There's no need to thank me. It's my duty to look after my patient, after all.”
With that, Dr. Moore turned towards Selene and offered her a respectful nod before taking his leave.
The servants escorted him out, leaving the siblings alone in the room.
Hours passed and soon the evening approached. The sun was beginning to set, casting a dim orange glow through the arched window. Long shadows stretched across the room as the daylight slowly faded.
Lucian was seated at his study desk, engrossed in one of the novels he had taken from his bookshelf. The story revolved around an unusual figure, described as:
“A man who shows path to the lost souls wandering aimlessly in the eternal darkness.”
The novel told a tale about a village who lost the sun and were left to survive in the endless darkness. The villagers gradually lost themselves, wandering through the endless darkness for what felt like eternity without knowing where to go.
Then, one day, a mysterious traveller emerged from the depths of the darkness. He carried a strange lantern whose light revealed paths that had long remained hidden. With its help, he guided the villagers towards the new sun. And at last, after years of endless darkness, the villagers witnessed the light once more.
Lucian was very immersed in the story. He leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes moving from one line to another. Just as he was about to turn the page, a faint sound of footsteps caught his attention.
He paused his reading and listened carefully.
There were two distinct pairs of footsteps approaching his room. Their voices grew louder as they drew nearer, until both of them suddenly stopped outside his door.
As he was about to call out, the door sprung open.
It was Selene.
She entered the room with a serious expression. But she did not come alone. Just behind her a strange woman also entered the room.
She was dressed in layers of moth-eaten shawls embroidered with delicate silver thread. The garments loosely hung around her frame, giving her an almost spectral appearance.
A heavy, suffocating aroma followed her into the room. The smell of burnt myrrh, dried sage grass, and old parchment quickly overwhelmed the familiar scents of medicine and herbs.
She carried a small bag with an iron-beaded drawstring attached to it with her. Its worn surface bore the marks of years of use, leaving Lucian curious about what might be hidden inside.
Lucian shifted his gaze from the strange woman to Selene. Asking about who this strange woman was.
Seeing confusion on Lucian’s face, Selene stepped forward, and started introducing the strange woman in a calm, measured voice.
“Lucian, this is Madam Vespera. She’ll be the one to examine you and determine whether you’ve been cursed or not.”
Chapter discussion