Estefan froze. A corpse lay on the ground before him. His small chest rose and fell rapidly as he gasped for air, horrified by what he'd just seen.
"It can't be…" he sobbed, crawling toward the body. "It's - it's not Mama…"
With trembling hands, he pulled at the figure to reveal its face and to his surprise it was a man, someone Estefan had never seen before. Relief mixed with confusion. He staggered backward, heart pounding, but pressed on. Something urged him forward.
He didn't know what was happening, but he felt like he should move forward. To see if he could find his mother and to solve the question regarding how this man came here, was he alone? Estefan's thoughts were filled with questions because this was the first time such a thing ever happened.
As he ventured deeper into the woods, more corpses appeared. Some slumped against trees, others lay sprawled across the ground and he saw his mother's arrows; he knew them by their distinct featherwork which were embedded in many of the bodies.
Why would she kill them all? He thought to himself because this was confusing, she went to hunt dinner not people and who were they? Why did they come here or how did they come here since this was a walled up estate under the protection of the Duke who was his father.
"Mama…?" he whispered, voice barely audible. Why would she kill these people? Who were they? He stepped back, eyes darting between the trees.
Ten... thirteen... maybe more.
Then suddenly his head struck something dangling above making him shriek and he instinctively stepped away. But slowly, with a dread that gripped his spine, he looked up.
A pair of lifeless feet swayed gently above him.
"No… Mama…"
His knees buckled.
There she was, his mother Lady Jane, hanging from a rope tied to a thick branch, arms limp, her bow still strapped across her back. Estefan collapsed beneath her, clutching at her ankles, screaming through tears.
But no one heard.
Only the dead were there with him.
Two days later, the weekly cleaners arrived at the manor, only to find it eerily silent. No sign of the lady. No boy at the doorstep, they searched the entire house and after confirming that they were missing they summoned the guards and searched the forest.
After hours of combing through the dense trees, they found Estefan who was unconscious beneath his mother's hanging corpse. The boy was quickly brought back to the manor. A doctor from the Ducal house was summoned from the Ducal Capital City Luso.
Shortly after, a carriage rolled up the gravel path. From it emerged an old man dressed in official garb. This was Benjamin, chief administrator under the Duke.
The old man made his way towards the upper floors where the boy was present, on his way he met the doctor and asked him for the report regarding the boy along with the mother.
"She's been dead for three days," the doctor reported grimly to Benjamin. "The boy survived, but… he's traumatized. He's seen far too much."
He read the detailed report given by the doctor, Lady Jane was physically injured as there were signs of a melee combat with her body receiving slashes and blunt attacks perhaps through a fist. She died due to strangulation from the rope as she was hanged to death while the boy was alright except for suffering a few days of hunger and thirst but the psychological impact was an issue.
He entered the boy's room, placing his leather bag on the table. Estefan sat on the bed, staring silently out the window. "Where is my father?" the boy asked without turning.
Benjamin responded quickly. "Your father is a busy man."
Estefan slowly turned his head. His eyes which were once bright and full of life but now were darkened.
"Too busy to see his dead wife's body? Or his ruined son?" His tone held no tears, only disappointment.
"You'll see him soon enough," Benjamin replied, trying to remain composed. "You'll be attending the funeral at the main palace."
But Estefan's gaze was sharp, unwavering.
"No. She will be buried here. In the garden behind the manor where Mama and I planted flowers there together." He declared.
Benjamin frowned. "It's the Duke's order. Your stay will also be relocated to the palace. You have no one left here."
Estefan slid off the bed and walked toward the window. "If he cared, he would've come himself. But he didn't. I've made my decision. I will stay. And she will be buried here." His voice was deadpan, hollow but firm.
"Are you sure about this?" Benjamin asked, now uncertain.
"Yes." The boy did not flinch.
Benjamin turned to leave, pausing only to say, "I hope you don't regret this decision, young man."
There was no answer from Estefan, only silence as Estefan just stood there, staring at the garden and the old man left. Only then did the boy finally place a hand over his chest, as if trying to hold himself together.
No one came to comfort him. No father. No family. Just memories and silence.
He remembered his mother's words:
"Never trust anyone." her advice to him and she had been right or so he now believed.
He knew what he had to do. She had been murdered. And he had no protection anymore but he would survive so he could find out the truth and make someone pay for what they did to him.
Three hours later, Benjamin arrived at the palace in Luso. He entered the Duke's office after three sharp knocks. "Enter," came the voice from inside.
"I've inspected the manor, my lord," he said, keeping his head bowed.
"Go on," the Duke said without looking up from his papers.
Benjamin continued the report. "The boy refused to leave. He wants to stay. And he insists on burying his mother in the manor's garden." The Duke looked up at last and for a moment, he said nothing.
Then a crooked smile played on his lips. "Hmph," he muttered. "The useless brat… already showing his teeth."
[To be Continued]