Fan Fiction ❯ Dangerous Beauty ❯ The Count ( Chapter 4 )

Count Makraim watched Elise eat her diner. She was so content. He almost let a laugh escape him when they had entered the room and she ran like a child towards the food. After diner he watched her and Matsey go toward the gardens. He could see them take a seat under his willow tree. The tree had given him so much comfort in his younger days. He parents died a year ago and he stopped going to the gardens. They reminded him of them, of better happier times. He walked away from the window. This girl, this Elise, she was a mystery to him. Her midnight eyes captured him and her long beautiful hair mesmerized him. Her light delicate features spoke to him in ways he never thought any woman capable. He began to berate himself. What was he thinking? He had barely known the girl. Then a small voice inside him told him she would need comfort. He recalled the look in her eyes hearing about her father and village. His soul had been aching at the pained look in her eyes. He remembered feeling like he'd do anything to put a smile back onto her face. He was brought out of his thoughts by Matsey. She was sneaking out of the garden and upstairs towards Elise's room. Something told him to go to the window to check Elise. The sight he saw almost brought him to his knees. She was on all fours and her body was trembling. He was about to run to her when someone barged into his manor. There stood none other than Sir Garot.

He smiled a crooked smile and spoke with venom in his voice. “You have something that belongs to me.”

Puzzled, Count Makraim just looked at him “There is nothing here that belongs to you. Get out and leave my household at peace.”

His smile quickly vanished “I tired of people like you. I am told my bride-to-be is here. I come to claim her, I come to end my hunt.”

A realization hit Count Makraim with sickening force. “She is not yours. Leave her be you have done enough to her. You have taken everything from her.”

“Enough! You bored me with your words. I will take her tomorrow. Have her ready for me. And I will give her everything. I just got rid of all the obstecles in my way. Nothing more!”

Withe that, he left. Count Makraim's anger quickly left him to be replaced by fear. It was not a fear for his life but for hers. He had to get her to the king and get her there quickly. They would leave tonight, now. He ran out to the garden to find her missing. Fear took over and he ran to his stables to find his horse missing . She had taken him bare backed seeing as no riding equipment was missing. What was that stupid girl thinking? Where was he going to find her? Then a thought gripped him. Matsey, she would know. He saw the quick friendship they were forming. He turned to go into the house only to find Matsey standing here looking at him with terror filled eyes.

“Please forgive me!” Matsey dropped to her knees pleading with him, tears in her eyes “SHe told me to get her a horse and I was going to go with her. I would have never I would never O God please forgive me for being so deceitful!”

Count Makraim picked her up from the ground and noticed her visible flinch “I'm not going to hurt you. YOu must help me find her. Sir Garot is hunting her down. He came here tonight for her. She probably knew that and fled. Please tell me, where were you two going?”

“S-she s-said s-she had an aunt in Rumox. B b beyond th-that I do not know.” Matsey choked out in a whisper.

“Get the horses ready. We are leaving now to go after her”

“y-yes master!” Matsey looked on after him and then began getting two of the horses ready. He really was a mystery to her. THe girl was gone now. He was no longer obligated to her. So why would he want so badly to go after her? She would be safe in Rumox with her aunt. Sir Garot surely wouldn't put forth the effort to find her. Come to think of it. How did he know she was even here? The master had found her at night in a dark alley and said no one was there. No one had followed the girl or her master. So how did he know?