Scene 2: Cursed blood

"My eye? Oh...yes...a duel gone bad. I'm afraid I was just too handsome and it had to be taken away by God's will. I don't think that even Nathaniel could save it." Alex says, looking back at his cousin for a moment. "You've done eye surgeries before, yes? Do you think I'm doomed? There was still that nagging thought that for as much as his cousin had accomplished, you would swear he would want to impress the family with his doctorate. Yet it was never brought up.

"The Hall of Arms? Of course, he'd be there." Alexander said with a sigh, making his way towards the closed door. Stepping into the hall, he would cup his hands over his mouth and call out. "Dear cousin, you left your little sister alone! Cousin Elias!?" There was no sign of the man as he stepped curiously amidst the honors and regalia that their family had collected over the many decades. As he approached the grand hall doorway though, a noticeable chill began to sink into his bones.

"Do either of you feel that?" Alexander asked, fearing that he was somehow on the downward slope from the sweet touch of opium. The thought brought the craving to his mind, his body itching in need. It couldn't be that. Alexander reached for the door but when his fingertips touched it, he pulled them back harshly and jumped back.

"By god, that's cold! Nathaniel, come here!" Alexander shouted, his other hand reaching back to keep Claire away from the door. "W-what do you think is happening here? You're an educated sort, right?"

"to my taste?" he snorts at the Caretaker. "There are strangers roaming freely in our grounds, and someone unknown is taking the liberty of summoning the family with anonymous letters... And you ask me if this is to my taste? OF COURSE NOT, YOU SENILE FOOL!" he escalates to an angered shout.

" I want the fencing around the grounds checked, and the dogs released every night from the kennels, " he commands.

He turns back towards the Manor.
He follows the sound of voices indoors, to see what those pesky young Rookwoods are up to.

Nathan cautiously approached the door to see what Alexander was talking about. Even for the Rookwoods, this was very strange and beginning to be too much for an 'educated sort' to just explain away. "Well, I have some theories, and there are some test we could do, but the simplest way to get an answer is likely the best here. We should open it"

@Dr_B

The Caretaker's expression turns into a strange mix of surprise and worry as Roderick snaps back at him. "The fencing and the dogs yes. Tonight." He apologizes a few times as the old man turns his back on him to figure out what is happening at the Manor now. It's like the whole place has gone to hell in his short absence... to think the family staff is supposed to be the most competent!

The Caretaker leans his weight on the shovel for a moment, looking confused as Roderick walks to the Manor looking confused "Someone unknown?" He turns to look in the direction of the family's mausoleum. "What does he mean? He surely knows you well" he asks, as the crow that stood on the nearby gravestone flies off...

---

@KingHotTrash,@Cettish,@crazybirdman

In the meantime, Claire, Alexander and Nathaniel decide to follow the sound of the closing door, which leads them to the old family's armory room, the obvious place to find Elias. However, he is nowhere to be found. As Alexander leaves the room, he feels a strange chill coming from the great hall. Maybe it's just his cravings. How long has he been... clean? Too long, that's for sure! As if to make sure he is not going crazy, he tries to open the door and is surprised when his skin burns on the almost frozen handle.

Nathaniel is intrigued by the temperature of the handle. It is an uncommon phenomenon, but there are possible explanations, of course. Unfortunately, rigorous testing would be impossible without proper equipment. Maybe the Guild would have something he could use later? For now, the only sensible things is to open the door and actually see what is going on inside. It seems returning to this place is an uncomfortable experience to everyone, maybe someone has to keep it together.

---

@Squadfather44Elias, distracted by the comments, looks around, trying to figure out who is talking. It's not unusual to comment on the dancers, but it's generally rude to not be discreet. But it's not exactly what is bothering him... no, it's more the strange way it they talk, maybe an old way they pronounce some words... It feels, from another time.

"You must be so proud of him." Someone starts whispering somewhere else. "I hope he makes the right choice. It's difficult, but someone has to lead the family again".

And that's when he loses his focus.Players Waiting:

Claire has not much to do at this moment. As Alexander keeps her safely away, she just stares at Nathaniel going for the door.

Roderick follows the voices breaking the sacrality of the silent hallways of the Manor.

He finds the younger Rookwoods gathered in front of the Armoury door, intent on looking closely at the door handle.

"An unusual gathering spot... But it will have to do." he says a little louder than necessary, hoping to startle the trio.

"Just arrived, and already eavesdropping?" he says in an Amused, yet accusing tone, stopping behind them. "Old habits are hard to die, it seems..."

He takes stock of the three. They have much grown, since their last encounter. Particularly Claire, no longer the child he remembers.

Claire looks up excitedly.

"Grandfather!" she yelps. And, assuming Alexander won't stop her, she rushes towards Roderick. For a hug.
Not the I-almost-knock-you-over kind she gave Alexander. Afterall, she should consider grandfathers old and brittle bones.

"I am so sorry for you about grandmother," she says. Mostly because it is the polite thing to do, not because she vividly recalls grandmother.

Roderick tries his best to detour Claire's hug, only managing to invite her towards his right side in a stiff half-hug.

He pats the youth on her back in a cautious greeting. "Sorry?.. Whatever for?... Let's have a look at you... You are fifteen now, I believe..."
He keeps his hand on her shoulder, pushing her slightly away to take a long look at her.

"Yes... You have the Rookwood pride shining in your gaze. That is good," he says nodding slowly.

Then continues, as if answering an unasked question. "You are not here by my will, should you be wondering. I, like you, know very little of this gathering. I find myself at the receiving end of a mysterious letter, not having penned it as would befit the Master of the Manor."

He scrutinises the trio with cold eyes. "I find such predicament distasteful in the extreme. Perhaps one of you is the source of this insufferable prank? Speak freely."

Elias conscious to dance, but also tries to figure the voices out. Getting into a rhythm with the music, he continues to try and keep up.

Nathaniel is ignoring the old man, not out of rudeness, but because he is trying to find another way into the room, or possibly opening the door some other way then the knob.

@Squadfather44

"Did you see that?" Elias hears the surprised gasps as he manages to rescue his accidental slipping by turning it into an advanced move he still remembers from his lessons as a child, leaving his audience breathless as he dips the lady with a swing for the grande finale. In the silence that follows the spectacular end of the music, Elias can hear the rain starting to fall outside. It is going to be another rainy night, it seems.

As the loud applause start, Elias' eyes scan the room, finally finding the couple he was looking for. "When is the moon again?" The old aristocratic man asks the woman standing next to him, too lost in the conversation to have noticed the dance. He does stop talking as he notices the woman's gaze fixed on Elias. A gaze that he recognizes. The same gaze that would often watch him during his dancing lessons. And that look, the constant sadness of that look. It could only be... Aunt? The one person who took care of your two of them when their parents disappeared? What is she doing here? Didn't see...?

And that's when the noise of something big trying to ram the door behind Elias startles him!

---

@Dr_B, @KingHotTrash, @Cettish, @crazybirdman

Nathaniel considers the door for a moment as Alexander and Claire wait, curious about what strange science the man would have learned during his time away. He touches the door slightly to confirm it is cold. Too cold to touch safely, in fact. But there is little that can be done in these circumstances, so he does the one thing that comes to mind. Though not elegant, it should do the trick. And yes, it is a demonstrable mathematical possibility! He kicks the door as hard as he can, just as Claire shouts "Grandfather!".

Nathaniel slowly turns back, hoping that is not what she really meant to say, but he quickly finds himself facing the clear disapproval on the old man's face. Luckily, Roderick is too busy avoiding too much physical contact, even with his grand-daughter. After explaining he had nothing to do with the invitations, and seeing how none of the potential pranksters dared to speak, he simple takes the knob and opens the door with that smug face that is silently really just saying "This is how doors open"

As they all walk into the great hall, they are faced with Elias staring back at them, standing surprised in the middle of the empty room, the place so silent that the rain drops outside almost echo through the walls.

Nathaniel was a bright fellow for certain; a doctor if one was to believe his word. He had a sharp mind and quicker wits. So it was quite the surprise when the man of science went with kicking the door as hard as he could to try and gain access. The well-made frame held solidly against the attended rupturing and there was certainly a grin spreading across Alexander's face. Despite how he despised most of the family, he was a Rookwood through and through. Seeing a family member embarrass themselves, when it was not him being the disappointment, was quite the thrill.

Alexander's head turned at the sound of his grandfather's voice, the smile dying a little as he condescendingly approved of what he assumed was their eavesdropping. The old man stepped forward, reaching for the door.

"Grandfather, the door is-" Unlocked. It opens easily and there is no cry of pain from the man when he holds onto the doorknob. A curious look came across Alexander's face as he stepped closer, his head tilted in query as the door opened to show Elias standing alone in the great hall.

How...strange. It was as cold as death a moment ago..." Alexander murmured to himself, walking beside Nathaniel. "Next time you're just going to kick a door, leave it to the disreputable rake doctor." Alexander chided, following behind their grandfather.

"All I know is that a message found me in the f-" Alexander caught himself, quickly correcting his words. "...in the city. I assumed that there was no prank. Maybe Gunther went mad, he was calling you and grandmother as if you were children." His attention then turned toward Elias, a man who was so well put together and organized. It was this same man who looked positively flabbergasted.

"Cousin Elias? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Elias?" Claire asks and steps inside the room, slowly approaching her brother. "Are you okay?""Something creepy is going on here," Claire says quite convinced. "Creepy invitations, which grandfather didn't send." she counts the evidence on her fingers. "A frozen door... creepy although pretty women talking to grandfather outside... and ghosts, Alexander? Yes. I have quite the reason to believe that there are ghosts."

Roderick holds his breath at the sight of Claire not reflecting on the polished floor. She... she is different... he thinks, realizing there is much more to the girl than meets the eye. Best to keep that knowledge for myself, he ponders, eyeing the others.

Claire looks at grandfather's look. He looks at her... then the floor... then at her...
A little confused she looks down.She looks down. She sees the magnificent ceiling reflected in the floor, but it does not connect in her mind that she should be there herself as well. She looks at her shoes. They are tied, they are clean.

She shrugs at grandfather and continues her approach to Elias. "Brother?"