It was late in the afternoon, at the precise hour where the bleeding gold of the sun met the deep, dominant dark blue of the sky, and the very first stars started to twinkle from afar. The carefully crafted bouquets of flowers had already been set neatly in their carrying baskets. The only thing that lingered in the quiet air was the cold wind blowing across the vast garden, a chill that made the vibrant petals start to darken as they blended into the moody ambiance of the setting sun.
The four of them stood in absolute silence along the vast lawns. The sweeping winds carried the day away, scattering a few stray, breathtaking petals of the white roses across the manicured grass. The clock had already clicked past its hour, and the dusk had fully shown its colors, painting the manor grounds in shades of deep violet and grey.
The elderly butler broke the silence, bowing his head in a low, respectful arc. "It is time, my lady. I shall accompany you toward the ancestral tombs, where the master of this house awaits your presence."
Marie and Annie followed closely behind her, carefully taking the baskets of heavy bouquets with them.
As they crossed the threshold into the grand estate, Kelly suddenly stopped in the middle of the dim hallway. She turned to one of her maids and said, "Marie, can you bring these three specific bouquets to our room? We shall wait for you here until you come back."
The servant did not hesitate to do what she had been told. She bowed, separated the extra arrangements of irises, daisies, and white roses from the rest, and carried those beautiful bouquets upstairs. They waited for quite some time in the quiet corridor, and after the servant returned, they continued their solemn walk until they finally reached the heavy iron gates of the tombs.
There, the headmaster of the family awaited her.
Leaving her servants behind to take their time arranging the floral offerings in their proper order, Kelly walked forward alone toward Lord Laurdy.
"Greetings, headmaster," she said, bowing her head gracefully to the imposing patriarch. "I am truly sorry, for I have taken a long time to arrive."
He turned to face her at the exact moment where the last of the light and the approaching darkness met in the sky. As she faced the undisputed man of the house, his expression was unreadable, but his tone was surprisingly even. "It is alright. You are just right in time."
For half an hour, the two of them chattered in the dim twilight under the shadow of a massive, ancient tree. As they spoke, Kelly learned a century of heavy, blood-soaked history that ran directly through the veins of this powerful bloodline. It may have been entirely against her own culture and personal beliefs, but she understood that to live here meant she had to adapt to their ways.
The master of the house was exactly as warm and as cold as his stoic demeanor suggested. He was clearly not an affectionate man, but he was as deeply traditional as a patriarch could be. She realized then that he had accepted her into the family not simply because of his son's fierce, unyielding will, but because of the deeply rooted traditions he was bound to uphold. Yet, the conversation lasted for quite some time under a thick layer of tension, the eerie intimidation she felt around him was not her imagination, but the heavy reality of the Laurdy name.
In the distance, the elderly butler approached them with rhythmic, measured steps. "Everything has been set, master. Your presence is now necessary."
The heavy, smoky scent of burning incense could be smelled from afar, and the golden light of dozens of candles flickered wildly against the sudden blows of the autumn wind. As they approached the grand Cenotaph, Kelly saw that the ten bouquets of flowers had been carefully and magnificently designed at the base of each lord's stone statue. The structure was breathtaking under the clear glass sky built above the tomb, allowing the moon, which now shone brighter than before, to pass through and completely illuminate the sacred sanctuary.
They stopped exactly five meters away from the central altar.
Lord Laurdy stamped his heavy cane against the stone floor, the sharp crack making the wind whistle through the sudden, absolute silence of the night.
"This is the place where our ancestors lay and rest for eternity," he intoned, his voice echoing off the glass and stone. "You are now part of this family. Let them know your presence as you extend your respect, not only for the living, but for those who are gone and lived their lives entirely for the prosperity of this land."
The chilly night wind gently blew against her dress, wrapping the fabric around her legs as she stood in the silence. Stepping forward, she extended her deepest respect in front of the statues of the great ancestry of this family. She knew that the secrets of this clan did not linger on the tips of her fingers, but rather lingered in every dark corridor and shadow of the vast land she was now stepping on.
Following their rigid customs, she silently prayed and knelt on the cold stone, just like what they wanted her to do. When the lights of the candles flickered violently and the burning sensation of the incense finally died out, signaling the end of the ritual, she slowly stood up.
The head of the family took his first steps outside the sanctuary of the dead without looking back. Kelly slowly walked away behind him, the heavy air clearing until she could barely smell the scent of those flowers she had carefully prepared for the deceased. Before leaving the elders, she extended her formal evening greetings to the night, giving a final respectful nod to the man and woman of the house.
Since the night was already late and her body still ached with exhaustion, she finally retired to her private bedchamber. She decided to wait there for her husband to join her for a late meal, wanting nothing more than the comfort of his presence.
Inside the quiet room, the air smelled beautifully like a fresh summer breeze under the bright moonlight, perfectly laced with the sweet, raw scent of the three chosen bouquets Marie had left behind. As a chilly winter like wind suddenly entered through the open terrace, Kelly walked over to the balcony.
Standing perfectly still against the stone railing, she looked out into the distance. There, walking through the moonlit courtyard, she could see a broad shouldered man carrying a massive, striking bouquet of blood red roses, making his way back to her.