🪻《The boy with Azure Eyes》🪻

That evening Clodette was awakened by the sound of  horses galloping towards the mansion. Even though they were miles away she could hear them. She could even hear Evangeline's heart beating with excitement as she sat on the opposite chair, her governess of nearly twenty years.

Clodette sat on her wooden chair with a book resting on her lap, patiently waiting for Julius to come to her but then she heard rapid heartbeats and heavy breaths.

"He must be nervous, scared and anxious, that boy." she thought.

Clodette slowly placed the book on the table and turned to Evangeline. "You should welcome them first," she said. Evangeline quickly rose to her feet and chimed "But of course! Finally, he has arrived!"

Clodette watched Evangeline's retreating back as she happily went to welcome the visitors. She walked closely to the window and peeked, Julius was standing outside the carriage waiting for the boy to climb down. Moments later, the boy came out the carriage. He had jet-black dull hair that looked like it hadn't been washed for several days. His head kept jerking here and there as he was gawking at his new surroundings. His clothes were dirty and torn, he didn't wear any shoes and from the looks of it he must've been deprived from using it because his soles were bleeding and had fresh cuts, moreover some cuts were several days old that hardened over time.

The boy turned his head back and forth from the mansion to the statue of Eros. Julius called him over which interrupted his gawking, Clodette smiled at his nervous antics!

"He looks like a rabbit, a scared little rabbit"

"I should meet him." she walked towards the door and turned the doorknob slowly, she walked outside to the staircase.

"I need to move slowly." she reminded herself. As she reached the end of the staircase. She halted and stared at the skinny little boy beside Julius, his tousled black hair moved as his head kept turning around to look at every decorations in the mansion.

His amazement evident in his eyes. His mouth agape and his eyes twinkled as he looked at the diamond chandelier. His eyes darted to the top of the staircase where Clodette was standing and their eyes finally met.

He had azure eyes. Those eyes. His doe eyes stared blankly at Clodette. "I know those eyes." she said, inwardly. There was but one name that popped into her mind. The name she couldn't forget.

Claudius.

Her heart skipped a beat. She immediately turned to Julius, who nodded at once.

So he's the one.

The boy looked at her with widened eyes, he quickly rub them forcefully with the back of his hand, He stared back at her and blinked hastily.

Don't close those eyes!

Clodette lifted her feet and leaped closer to him. For a moment she forgot that she needed to act more human. She was too hasty with her movements that she ended up standing inches away from him. He tossed back, surprised.

"He's too skinny." I think his family...hmm, his foster family didn't feed him right.

She tried to smile at him like what she'd practiced in front of the mirror a few days ago with Evangeline. She told her to smile and speak warmly to not frighten the boy.

"How old are you?" she asked him.

"Twe-Twelve." he stuttered.

She lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arm. Did I sound scary? Why is he trembling like a leaf?

Clodette walked around him, examining him. His clothes were too dirty and smelly. His hair were sticking together, too greasy. She lifted the hem of his shirt but he jerked back, trembling.

He looked down on his feet. He must be a shy boy, I didn't expect it from the descendant of angels. Clodette looked down and saw his bare feet bleeding. His foster family didn't even give him shoes. Poor boy.

"He needs a bath and new clothes—" Clodette was speaking to Julius but her eyes never left him. "—and medicine for his feet."

The boy lifted his head secretly and gazed at her when he saw Clodette staring at him he quickly lowered his gaze as his ears flushed crimson.

"Yes, my lady." Julius replied.

"Boy, what's your name?" Clodette tilted her head slightly to her right.

"Th-They never gave m-me one" he muttered.

What do you expect?

"Hmm..." she tilted her head to the other side and straightened up when an idea struck her.
She clasped my hands together and exclaimed. "From now on, your name will be Claude." she smiled.

She wanted to sound cheerful but it sounded force. Did he noticed the melancholy in my voice? For he blinked his eyes rapidly and looked down without uttering a word.

She studied his face for a while and for a brief moment the edges of his face lifted up as if he was smiling secretly to himself.

Then Clodette turned her back at him, leaving him to Evangeline.

Julius found Clodette standing by the window with her arms wrapped around her waist. He moved closer, she could hear every step he made, his even breathing and heartbeats.

"His eyes give him away." she spoke slowly.

"Yes indeed, blue eyes are the insignia of Claudius."

"If he thinks his curse will kill me, he is much mistaken. I will hunt his descendants down!" she spoke breathlessly.

"You will not die Clodette, not as long as I am here." Julius assured her. He placed his cold hands on her shoulder.

"A child will be born under the full moon he will bear my insignia and he will end your life"

Claudius' words kept echoing inside Clodette's mind.

"I hope he's the one." Clodette couldn't help but implore.

Clodette moved away from Julius and sat down on a wooden chair beside the window. A hundred years had passed and yet, she could still remember that day. That awful day! The day that she lost everything!

Julius moved in front of her and bent his knee. He took her hand on his and glanced up at her with those bold green eyes.

"Just tell me what to do. I will do anything for you like I always have for the past years." he spoke, gently.

She looked at him closely, his dark hair shone brightly, he had laugh lines around his mouth and a line crease on his forehead. Age had claimed him, he was once a handsome man. He grew a thick mustache, streaks of grey hair could be seen on his head but he still had the stance and aura of a gentleman.

He was twenty-two when she first met him here in New Orleans. Now, He was in his fifties! How time had passed again and left her.

"He is the only surviving descendant of Claudius." Julius spoke with gentleness. "We can kill him and get it over with." he stood up and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"I need him to become loyal to me, enough to give up his life for me." she spoke harshly. "or–none of this will mean anything." 

"He is no use for you, Clodette." Julius touched a lock of hair, falling down her face.

"No, he will be. Once the council knows I have him. I can go back to Transylvania and meet my father again." she swatted his hand gently away from her face.

Although, Clodette had no intention of giving him up to her coven. She didn't want any innocent blood be spilled again.

"His blood is precious" she whispered, "that's my leverage."

The only surviving descendant of Claudius Aurelius, the moon-eyed warlock.

🪻《Author's Note》🪻

Hey Lovely people 🥀

New revelations were mentioned in the story. I really want to make you wonder what will happen next.

🍂| Question of the day:
Who's Claudius and is he someone of great importance in the story?

What are your thoughts?
Comment below and don't forget to vote!

Love, Julia🪸