Chapter 11
That morning was going to be a very quiet one at Schloss Ritter. Everyone went to their own bedroom without another word.
Gabriel felt enormously tired and his body was still slightly in pain, but he wasn't in the mood for sleeping right now, so he went to the Schattenjäger library to get a book about famous lost treasures. He tried to concentrate on the book but his thoughts always trailed off to the heavily loaded trunk of the Jaguar. He had to find out what was in there. The last thought before he slipped off into a deep sleep was 'gold bars'.
Gracie sat on her bed and stared at her neatly packed bags and suitcase. It just wasn't right, no, she wouldn't give up that easily this time. Besides, she liked it here. She got up and unzipped the first bag. As she started unpacking her clothes her mood got better and better.
Gerde went straight to bed but sleep wouldn't come. She turned from left to right, thinking. Her thoughts raced, she couldn't get a honest answer from herself. After a while she forced her mind to stop tormenting her soul.
Only minutes later she was fast asleep. In her dreams Friedrich was with her, holding her close, caressing her body and as he leaned closer to kiss her, his eyes had turned yellow and she could see the long sharp fangs as he smiled down at her. Gerde screamed.
Friedrich woke up with a start. He had heard Gerde scream. Grabbing for his dressing gown he quickly got up and left his room. The hallway lay in the dim light of a cold December day, the other bedroom doors were all closed and not a single sound echoed through the castle. The only thing Friedrich could make out was the crying coming from Gerde's bedroom. But when he reached the door he stopped. He couldn't go inside, he was the cause for her pain and Gabriel was right, he didn't have the courage to face her. So he walked back to his room and started packing his things together. It was time to leave.
Gabriel awoke after only two hours of sleep but he felt surprisingly refreshed. On the cover of his bed he found the book of famous treasures still lying open where he had dozed off.
A grin broadened on his face. 'Gold bars' what a silly idea, but still...!
He dressed himself quickly and walked downstairs. The others all appeared to be still sleeping. Good.
He found Friedrich's car keys lying on Gerde's desk in the main hall. Gerde; he would have to talk to Friedrich about her and some other subjects later that day. He took the keys and left the castle. The sky was dark grey and Gabriel suspected even more snow coming before Christmas. Hell, that was only in two days time and he had completely forgotten about that. He pulled his jacket a little tighter against the cold wind as he walked down the path to the cars.
The Jaguar was obviously really heavily loaded, its trunk was nearly sitting directly on the back tires.
Gabriel's hand trembled slightly as he unlocked the boot of the car. Glancing around him he slowly lifted the lid. Within the boot were at least up to a hundred bottles of wine.
"Bottles?!" Gabriel gasped in disbelief. He took a closer look. There was Bordeaux called Domaine de Chevalier 1966, Beaujolais Moulin-à-Vent 1989, white Burgundy Château de Meursault 1978 and far in the back an interesting packet of some sort.
Gabriel carefully pulled it out. It was a quit heavy long wooden box. He opened it. Inside he found several different kind of number plates from different countries, all legal no doubt and at least a dozen of passports for one person.
"My real name is Bond, James Bond" he suddenly heard from behind.
Gabriel jumped back and dropped the box onto the bottles. A loud and unmistakable sound of shattering glass was the result.
Friedrich had sneaked up from behind was laughing out loud at Gabriel's expression. In his hands he was carrying two suitcases.
"I... I.. " Gabriel stuttered.
"I know, you were curious." Friedrich finished for him and threw a look into the trunk. "Ah, Gerde has told me about your bad habit of breaking things all the time."
"I never thought you..., I mean were did you get that stuff?" Gabriel pointed at the number-plates and papers.
"Well, I had enough time to collect them. And I don't like to part with my cars, so I have them registered in different countries. It's a little expensive but practical. But you sounded like you disapprove of my wine. They really are my most valuable possessions. Everything else you can buy again, but an excellent wine, a certain grape and year that is unique."
Gabriel closed his eyes and shook his head. He would never ever really understand his friend. He looked up again at Friedrich and said "You know Friedrich, I think the many years have really gotten to your brain. Is it possible that the great grey matter doesn't recharge unlike the body does?"
Friedrich looked at him and put on an absolutely dumb expression "Wha..?" He opened the rear doors of his car and shoved the suitcases in.
"Don't tell me you really want to leave Friedrich! We have Christmas in two days and my wish is that you stay. We will sort things out, don't worry. And Gerde, I think when she wakes up again, everything will be half as terrifying as last night. Come on. I will help you."
"No Gabriel, you were right. Somehow I am a coward. I learned how dangerous feelings can be, so I always tried to avoid them. And now I am not able to cope with them anymore. I have to go."
"I suppose this time it is up to me to ask you for a walk through the forest. Come on, let's go." Gabriel started towards the long and winding path they had walked before, some weeks ago. Friedrich slammed the door shut and followed Gabriel. Unseen by the two of them Gerde had watched them. Somehow she told herself that she felt better now that she had seen Friedrich putting his suitcases in his car.
Gabriel and Friedrich walked side by side for some time when Gabriel suddenly produced a bottle of wine from the Jaguar out of his pocket and a jack-knife with a corkscrew.
"I have the wine, now all you have to do Friedrich, is to find us a nice spot to sit down. You always said that one can master discussions best over a bottle of good wine."
Friedrich managed a little smile and carried on down the path. A short while later they found a wooden bench that overlooked the valley where Rittersberg lay. They cleaned the bench of the snow and sat down.
"Why do you really want to go? Are you afraid that the officials find you here? Is it because of me and the Schattenjäger business? What about Gerde, don't you love her?"
"Those are a lot of questions to answer. No dear Gabriel, my leaving has nothing to do with you or your actions and your, well, profession. It's just best to move on now, I know. I've done it before."
"Don't avoid the other subject, Friedrich. I asked you about Gerde."
"I can not say. I don't think I can answer your question properly. My feelings towards Gerde are very strong, but I don't know how strong. For her it seems best that I leave. I know why I preferred the company of professionals. No, responsibility had to be taken by either side. I don't have a normal life to live. People tend to get scared of the truth. She thought differently about me before she saw me and my other side last night."
"But why don't you just talk to her dammit. Why are you so complicated. You don't even try. Of course you lead a halfway normal life. What do you think I will try to do. I have to deal with it the same way you do."
"Please forget it, Gabriel. I have buried everything inside for a long time now. Leave it be. But if you ever need some help, all you have to do is call."
"Howl, you mean. Well, I will talk to Gerde anyhow. If you like it or not. Did you tell her that you will leave?"
"No, I think it's best if I just go. She won't even now where I will be going."
"Where will you be going to? Won't you at least tell me?" Gabriel was stunned.
"Of course. I will go to a small village near Sancerre at the Loire in France. I have a house and some wine there. But I'll write it down for you."
"Great. France is a place where I always wanted to go."
They talked some more about the weather, the wine and people of France.
After a while they got up and left for the castle. When they reached it, Gabriel gave Friedrich a great hug and wished his friend all the best on his way. But before Friedrich left, he gave Gabriel the keys and another set of license number plates for the Jeep.
"Keep it. I can't take two cars and you need one. And it even is a Mercedes."
Friedrich grinned and got into his car. Gabriel blushed and thanked him dearly. 'How did the bastard know,' he asked himself.
Gabriel watched as the dark green Jaguar took down the road and vanished in the distance. But Gabriel's fine senses still could pick up the loud, depressing, classical music coming from inside the car.
When Gabriel entered the castle, Gerde was sitting as usual at her desk in the hall.
"He left, didn't he?" She didn't even raise her head.
"Yes, well. He got up to late and had an important call, and then he needed to leave very sudden because..."
"Stop it Gabriel! Stop making up excuses for this spineless, spoiled brat! He's not worth it!" Gerde screamed at him and shot up from her chair.
Gabriel could see that her eyes were red and her nose swollen. "I only tried to ..."
But Gerde rushed up the stairs and vanished in her room. He stood lost in the great hall.
"Puh, what was that?" Gracie emerged from the kitchen.
"Friedrich has left and didn't say good by. Gerde is quite furious about that. Idiot, was I. I tried to make up an excuse but that was fatal. You heard her."
"I will go and talk to her. For you I have some things to get and arrange."
She handed Gabriel a list of things to do. "Now snap to it" Gracie turned Gabriel around and shoved him outside.
"At least one of us has to keep a clear mind here" she sighted and went after Gerde.
Gabriel changed the license plates of the Jeep and climbed in. Only then did he take a look at the list.
He couldn't believe his own eyes. On the list was a turkey, a Christmas tree, different vegetables and all sorts of stuff. How could Gracie think of a warm and loving Christmas in a time like this, but then again maybe she was right. She had even thought of some Christmas presents. As usual in a time of anguish and distress Gracie took organization into her hands and so, two days later Christmas Eve could nearly be described as warm and pleasant. A large Christmas tree shone in the great hall and the turkey was delicious. Only the shadow of the past days and Gerde's somehow sad expression cooled down the atmosphere a bit.
On the evening of Boxing day Gracie started on her studies of the occult and curses. She drew whatever information she could find from the old books, went to Munich and some other different places and much to Gabriel's misery, the telephone bill would shoot up like a rocket from that time on.
But only a few days later, just a day before New Years Eve Gracie came running down from the Schattenjäger library. She waved some papers in her hands and her face was beaming. Gabriel sat alone in the living room, reading. Gracie looked all excited.
"I think I found a first lead! Come, let me show it to you. It's so simple." She slumped down on the couch right beside Gabriel and threw papers to her left and right.
'My God, she's really in her element now' Gabriel thought smiling. He liked her a lot in times like this.
Obviously she had found what she was looking for and now held a single page in her hand.
"Here look, I have traced the cause for curses back to their origin. And all the time I looked in the wrong direction. I always wondered how to stop the curse but I had to look at the beginning. So, I tried to find out anything about Baron von Rolick and Alfing. But Alfing doesn't exist anymore. It has been renamed and is now called Assling. They didn't have any records about the Baron or any passing through people. All we know is, that the Baron was cursed by an old gypsy-woman. The house does still exist but is unoccupied at this time.
We have to find out more about those gypsies. The problem is I don't know how. In the books t says that a curse can be taken away sometimes by the one who caused it or a relative of the same bloodline."
"Well, why don't we ask someone about those gypsies?" Gabriel grinned.
"Ha, Ha, very funny. Go to the next graveyard, dig one up and say 'Hey there. Did you know the gypsies passing through in the summer 1742?'"
"Grace! Think. Just think. We need someone who knew the Baron!"
"I am thinking, I am thinking. Oh no. Oh God am I stupid. Of course. We will call Friedrich. Maybe he can help us. Can you call him tonight? Do you have his number?"
"Sure I have ..." a sudden sound made Gracie and Gabriel look up. Gerde had come back and walked through the great hall. She greeted but no smile crossed her face.
Gabriel looked at Gracie. She looked back.
"Do you think what I am thinking?" Gracie smiled.
"Sure. The telephone bill is already high enough anyway!"
"Bastard!" Gracie muttered. "Do you think it really is a good idea? Does she know where Friedrich went?"
"No, he didn't want to tell her. He thought it would be best. Can you persuade her to come with us to France?"
"Mhm, I'll think of something. We could invite her out for a few days while we do some research at the same time. Sounds practical enough, doesn't it?"
"Not bad. That should do it."
"But before we go, how will Friedrich react to it. Maybe he isn't that excited about it."
"The poor guy really is in love with her. The only thing is, that he isn't able to admit it. Just once I want him to show pure emotion. Going there with Gerde could do the trick. In the worst case, we are just paying a friendly visit."
"All right Mr. Matchmaker." Gracie got up from the couch and went looking for Gerde. She found her in the kitchen, preparing some tea.
"Hey Gerde!"
"Oh, hello Grace. Do you want some tea?"
"Yes great. Listen," Gracie sat down on the bench opposite the large window, "Gabriel and I have a fantastic idea. I have to do some more research. My conclusion I had so far have led me to France. I need Gabriel there for the interpretation and I thought, or we thought that it would be a good idea if you would come with us. Lighten up your mood a bit. Take a rest for a few days. We can hang around in some wine-caves and good restaurants and in between I do my research. I have the address of a Comte de Momeraille, who might be able to help me out."
"I don't know. Maybe I should stay here and get some more things organized for the castle. I don't want to disturb you two."
"Gerde, you are never disturbing us. Please, do it for me. It will be so much more fun with you. I would really like you to come."
"All right, just to please you. But I don't think I will be much fun. Gerde turned around with the freshly brewed tea and the ever so slightest curve touched her mouth, but her eyes looked hollow and empty.
The day after New Years Eve they had packed their stuff into the Jeep and left in the early morning into the direction of France.
The weather stayed dry and clear, so they had a relaxing trip. In between they swapped drivers and it only took them eight and a half hours until they reached the small town St. Thilbaut that was build at the bottom of the mountain on which Sancerre was build on. In the early darkness they could still make out the large, towering viaduct build by the Romans that led all the way up to Sancerre. Gabriel secretly looked onto the piece of paper on which Friedrich had written his new address and a short description how to get there.
From St. Thilbaut it only took them another fifteen minutes until they reached the narrow winding road heading through vineyards to Friedrich's estate.
It was one of these old French houses with an integrated wine cavern at its side or back for storing and producing wine.
Gabriel stopped the car and looked around. Dim lights shone through the windows of the house.
Thank God someone seemed to be home. They all grabbed their bags.
"The count allowed us to stay here for some days," Gracie explained to Gerde. "I hope you like it."
In the meantime Gabriel walked over to the house. Gerde and Gracie watched from the distance.
"Yes it's beautiful. What a great view they must have here at daytime."
Gabriel knocked at the front door and shortly afterwards the door was opened by a middle aged man who was very obviously a kind of butler of some sort. Gabriel had to hide a grin. 'Typical' he thought.
"Bon Soir. Qu'est que yous désirez monsieur?"
Gabriel felt his French a bit rusty but he tried anyway. "Good evening. I would like to see the owner of this estate. I am a friend. My name is Gabriel Knight."
"Oh yes, one moment please. If you would please step this way."
The butler led them into a warm comfortable library with a lit fireplace. Sturdy leather furniture took the main space of this room and the walls were covered with bookshelves. Gabriel face seemed to shine as he saw the amount of old and new books.
"I will call the count immediately." The butler closed the door after him and went into the direction of the wine caves.
Inside the cavern, the bright lights shone onto several huge wine barrels, shelves filled with bottles and in the middle of all stood a large wooden table.
Friedrich had several bottles opened for tasting and was writing the results down in two obviously very old books full of numbers, names and comments. His look was drawn and weary. The past few days had been long and lonely. Especially around New Years Eve. Friedrich knew that the first weeks with a new identity were always very difficult but this time it had been the hardest so far.
He sensed his butler before he entered, so he looked up to greet him.
"Count, a Mr. Knight has just arrived for you."
"Thank you, Gaston. I will meet him immediately." A bright smile spread across Friedrich's face as he got up to follow his butler out to the house. With swift steps he walked to the door of the library and pulled it open enthusiastically.
"Gabriel! How good to see you."
Gabriel's wicked grin irritated him and Grace got up from one of the big armchairs. She lifted one of her eyebrows and smiled at Friedrich. Only then, Friedrich's senses told him that there was someone else in the room. He turned his head, but even before he saw her, he knew that Gerde had come with Gracie and Gabriel.
Friedrich felt his face go pale and his heart beat increased rapidly.
"Gerde ..." was all he could utter.
That instant he knew that his life would change forever. His eyes sparkled and pure joy brightened his face as he crossed the room over to Gerde.
Gabriel's grin grew even wilder as he leaned over to Gracie.
"Got him!" He whispered and continued watching his friend.
Gerde had expected everything, but finding herself again standing in front of Friedrich had not even been one of her wildest expectations. But when she saw his face, all her worries and fears were washed away.
She practically fell into Friedrich's arms and for some time nothing but tender whispers and the crackling of the fire could be heard.
Gabriel quietly took Gracie by the arm and led her outside the room. They sat down in the dining room across the hall. Gabriel pulled out a book from beneath his jacket.
"It can take a while!" He cheered.
Grace smiled satisfied. "I hope it does" and leaned back in her chair. "I hope it does."
After what seemed several hours, the door of the library opened and a considerably embarrassed Friedrich came into the dining room.
"What do you want here yet. Are you already finished?" Gabriel smirked.
"I am sorry to have kept you waiting here for so long, but ..."
"No but! And don't be sorry. We hope you are not sorry that we brought Gerde with us."
"Gabriel ..!" Friedrich's face even grew a few shades darker. "Of course not. But please wouldn't the two of you like to join us again?"
So, all settled down in front of the fireplace and Gaston carried in a tray with champagne and glasses.
"To us" Gabriel raised his glass.
"To us."
Friedrich leaned back and eyed him with a curious look. Gabriel took a big gulp from his glass.
"Friedrich we need your help."
THE END