Aeternitas by M Mixson (free ereaders txt) 📖

journey to the new estate was one that Zese had been hesitant to make at first but once the older man was out of sight of Zese's parents he leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered, "Well now, how about we have ourselves a little talk."

Zese raised his eyebrows and stared at Boisson hard. "What's your game?" he asked.

"My game?"

"Everyone wants something so you must want something from me."

Boisson raised and lowered his brows before shrugging, "I suppose I can't talk you into believing me so I'll just have to show you."

Zese rolled his eyes, showing what he thought of Boisson.

Boisson studied the young man intently; and wondered at the change that had come over the boy. At the house he had acted completely docile and seemed to be very strange in his ways. But now that he was no longer in the house or the vicinity of their land he was completely changed.

He was now much wilder, seemed to care less about what people thought, had no respect for authority....

He remembered the mother saying that he had been a very troublesome child when he was younger but over the past years he'd calmed down ever since he'd gone through a family ritual.

Had he been forced? Or had it really helped? Boisson wasn't sure what to think about this fifteen year old boy. He certainly would be handsome when he was older with that wild hair of his and strong face and muscles. He would catch all the ladies’ eyes.

"Come now," he tried to induce conversation yet again, "Tell me a bit about yourself. Your mother told me you could paint and your father said you could horse ride, am I correct?"

Zese looked over at him again, "You would be."

"Why don't you draw me then? I'm sure you'd find me interesting."

"You're very boring compared to many of my subjects. Besides, I prefer to draw out of my mind. I have no need for realistic painting."

Boisson was yet again surprised, this boy challenged everything he said.

Sighing he leaned back in his seat and stared out the window as the scenery flashed by.

Had he made a mistake in picking up this young man? Or had he just found the perfect person?

Whatever the case may be, he thought, this boy will bring life back to my dull old estate.

Zese himself felt bad about being rude to the man and he couldn't help but stare out the window so he didn't have to look at the man he had worked so hard on offending.

It hadn't been hard to slip back to his old personality from childhood offending the man that he might get to go back to his own estate and away from the, it sat just under the surface of his new one. He had hoped that by one the one he would be living at for the near future.

Instead the old man had taken it all in stride and had welcomed the young man's abuse.

Why? Why? What did Boisson get out of it? He got a new worker, a new hand to help out at his estate, but why him? What made him so special?

Zese frowned at the window for a little while longer, but when he saw an inn come into sight he turned back to Boisson and began,

"I'm sorry I've been so rude. I've just been very nervous about going elsewhere. My family home was very important to me, and I'll miss them greatly while I'm here."

"Apology accepted. But I didn't imagine you as close to them, but I suppose growing up with rich parents also creates a somewhat unique personality. Have you noticed that?"

Zese had noticed that, noticed that once he began to talk to Lysaes he'd changed, his boyish, brattish attitude had faded and had left him kinder and gentler.

Now...what would happen to him now?

Zese hoped that the rest of the journey was short so he could finish this "job" as soon as possible.

The estate was large and desolate for the most part. It was also very different from his own. While his had small hills and rolling valleys, Boisson's estate had large open plains filled with tall and wild grass. There was a sense of absolute tranquility here, and in the distance he could see a large structure that seemed to be made out of stone. He looked towards it and Boisson followed his eyes.

"What are you looking at?" he asked. "That old structure?"

Zese nodded and asked, "What is it?"

"An old altar, for sacrifice I believe?"

"Sacrifice? What ancient people used sacrifice?"

"I'm afraid that I don't know. If you're interested in history and old architecture however there is another "temple" structure beyond that one. I don't know if you're interested but in your free time you're welcome to fix it up and use it to your liking."

Boisson noted how the boy's face lit up at this.

"I'd like that; thanks!"

Boisson smiled and Zese grinned back before staring as the mansion house grew larger and larger. It was a massive building that seemed to create a whole new atmosphere - much like the palace from his vision. The windows were large and wide so that he had no doubt they let in an obscene amount of light.

The doorway was a huge, heavy block of wood that had fanciful decorations on it. In fact it looked out of place on the mostly elegant structure that stood before them. Two huge towers rose on either side of the front end and the back of the mansion he was told dropped away down a slope.

"It doesn't physically drop I should say," Boisson said, "But it ends right at the edge of the slope so we added a little patio and stairs that lead down the hillside."

"What's at the bottom?"

"A garden, a labyrinth might be a better term for it."

"Who made it?"

"One of my ancestors. There's a story that goes with it, a young woman was lost inside the maze and was crying for help all that night, but no one heard her and when they did hear her it was early morning. She'd been lost in the maze all night, she was scared and crying, the lord's son could hear her. He panicked and called out to her, 'Lady! Fair Lady! Where are you?' and she called back, 'Here! I am here!' and he ran through the maze looking for her. Soon he too was desperately lost, and couldn't find his way out. He called to her again, 'My lady?' and her reply was 'Lord, you've found me.' and indeed he had, for he faced a large tomb that one could not see unless they were in the maze themselves. Fear overcame him and he turned to flee but found himself facing his oldest younger brother. This traitorous brother and the woman who was supposedly lost in the maze had orchestrated the whole thing, she actually not being lost. The oldest brother looked at the tomb again and found his name carved upon it. Terrified he lashed out at his brother in an attempt to kill him. His blow stroke the brother so hard he fell and cracked his head upon the steps where he died. The woman was enraged and she plunged the dagger into the oldest brother's back whereupon he died too. Then the woman slit her own throat, and she too died upon the steps of the tomb. The youngest brother found them all together and deduced what had happened. It was a sad and scandalous affair that rocked the nobles’ world. They talked and talked of it in the months that came, and the youngest brother was so ashamed of his family until he met a young woman. This young woman became his wife and they started a family together, however, the ending isn't so happy. For when the three boys were young their mother had sold their souls to the devil and now the devil was hell bent on taking the youngest son's soul as well. The youngest son found himself lost in the maze one night. And there in front of the tomb was the girl his older brother had orchestrated the original plot with! She smiled and looked like a little demon. It was then he realized that she was...she was truly evil! She was the devil in disguise. He fell to his knees and prayed to the Princess to save him. However she was too late and he met his death there upon the same steps that his two brothers did. The Empress however had heard of all of this and managed to save the youngest son's soul and brought him to the Afterlife. In vengeance she tied the demon's soul to the tomb in the maze and made it so she would never be able to leave it. And so it is said that three ghosts wander that maze to this day."

Zese's eyes had grown large and wide at the story. "Is it really true?"

"Well, I don't know about the Empress or the Princess but the death of the three sons and the unknown woman? Absolutely true. That was all witnessed by a maid of the house. Perhaps the maid's imagination was running wild, or perhaps not. But whatever the case that story has turned to legend and no one will set a single foot in that maze anymore."

"So it really is haunted!"

Boisson laughed. "I myself have never wanted to venture in, but the gardens and the other paths around it are wonderful to walk in. I recommend you do that as well."

At this point they had pulled up to the mansion and Boisson stepped out. "Now, Zese, over through that field there is the horses stable, and to the right there is where the servants live, they have their own houses to live in. And then everything else you can easily find. We too have a chapel on the ground here. You may make use of it if you wish."

Zese stood outside the carriage for a long moment before asking, "Where will I be staying?"

Boisson gestured to the mansion house. "In here," he said and opened the door.

The mansion house was absolutely lavish, and Zese could barely believe his eyes. "Your room is on the fifth floor at the left end. It is an empty room because I thought that you and some of the servants could go around in the other unoccupied bedrooms and pick furniture that suited your taste."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Zese told him.

Boisson's face had turned serious again. "It's not just hospitality. I'm here to train you."

"What exactly am I being trained in?"

"The art of war."

Chapter 10: To the Future

The work was grueling and hard. Although Zese was of noble blood and Boisson did what he could to show his appreciation, the work was hard and tiresome. The first week was easy, Zese got used to the new place, the new estate, a new world. The next week started off as menial labor, working in the kitchens mostly. He learned how to tell different vegetables apart, the different fruits, the different types of grain, and the methods of rolling bread, of baking, of cooking. He was essentially demoted to a kitchen boy. This kitchen duty lasted for three and a half