“That was pretty much it for the tour for the time being.” I stated as everyone gathered at the door again after going through the ‘master bedroom’. “We don’t really have anything planned ‘till dinner so feel free to rest in your rooms.” I looked at Ilse in particular as I said that. The tour through the chateau had clearly taken its toll. “Of course you are allowed to wander through the chateau at your own leisure. There’s just two places in this castle that you probably shouldn’t go in by yourself and that’s the attic and the basement.”

  “Things we shouldn’t see? A secret torture room or something like that?” Karin questioned me.

  “Karin….” Ilse commented in response.

  “No, it’s a fair question. We’ve got nothing to hide.” I smiled. “The basement is generally safe but we also keep a bit of an armory there, so it might be slightly dangerous if you don’t know where everything is exactly.”

  “There’s weapons in the basement?” Em asked.

  I nodded in return.

  “Alex, Epiphania and myself manage most of it.” Aileen replied. “We don’t need them in most cases. But it is useful to have when we do. Don’t worry though, we are all really well-trained in the use of those weapons and knowing how to safely store them is part of that. It’s just a precaution to let people not go into the basement if they don’t know the place too well, it’s okay if you have someone to go with though.”

  “Why didn’t your tour take us past it?” Paul asked the next question.

  “I wanted to show the chateau, not the weaponry, besides, I actually only know the weapons are there, I have not actually seen where they are kept.”

  “If you are interested…” Aileen started. “I can always take you to go and see them. But I don’t know if your wife will be so happy with that.”

  Ilse rolled her eyes and smiled. “I’ll be going to our room to rest a little. If my husband wants to go and look at some dangerous toys, he is more than welcome to do so. As long as he stays safe.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that, ma’am. I have a faster reaction speed than most. I’ll be next to him before he even thinks about doing anything dangerous.” Aileen saluted Ilse, making her chuckle.

  “Alright then.”

  “Can I go too?” Karin asked to my surprise.

  Ilse was a bit more hesitant about that but she did agree in the end. “Alright, but do listen to Miss Aileen and follow her every instruction.”

  “Yes, Mom.” Karin nodded.

  “Any of you wanting to join?” Aileen looked at Em, Ria and myself.

  “I personally don’t feel the need to right now.” Em replied.

  “Me neither. Maybe later?” Ria asked.

  “The offer will keep standing.” Aileen smiled. “Don’t feel forced to.”

  “Then I think we will decline the offer for the time being, Aileen.” I smiled back.

  “Alright.” Aileen beckoned Paul and Karin along. “Come, let’s go check out the armory then.” And the three of them disappeared behind the corner as I heard Paul starting to talk to Aileen about something.

  That left the rest of us standing in front of the door.

  “So you are going to head to your room then, Ilse?” I asked.

  “I am, but first I would like an answer to a certain question.”

  “Hmm?”

  “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you didn’t really explain the attic situation yet.” She smirked.

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  “Ah. I honestly forgot the moment Aileen started talking about weapons.” I admitted. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “Hmm, hmmm.” She hummed happily.

  “It’s not like there’s anything dangerous up in the attic but we do keep a part of our archive there.” I replied.

  “Part of which is sealed and the archive in general needs to get handled rather delicately.” Alessia added to my explanation. “Of course we aren’t claiming any of you are unable to handle documents with the care they need. But as some of those pieces have a rather high value, I asked Aurora not to let people up there willy nilly. She hasn’t had the opportunity to learn how to handle those documents either.”

  “I will learn about it soon though.” I smiled again.

  “That does make sense.” Ilse replied. “But as you mentioned a sealed archive, that means you all do actually have something to hide, no?”

  “Well…” I chuckled. “I suppose we do…” I looked at Alessia.

  “Technically that’s true, yes.” Alessia admitted with a brief nod. “They are sealed for different reasons, but some of them are indeed for secrecy’s sake. Some of those archives are meant to be opened in extraordinary occasions and there’s even some parts of the archive that I have not seen opened myself yet.”

  “Do you know how old the oldest piece is that we have in the archives?” I decided to ask myself as I had gotten a bit curious too. I knew one of those archives was about the vampire hunters but I didn’t really know much about the others either.

  “Good question.” Alessia nodded. “The oldest ones that we own are stone tablets with cuneiform writing that Epiphania has brought in. Don’t ask me what they say though. While I’m pretty good at languages, cuneiform is not something that I managed to educate myself in.”

  “Wow. Do you know how she got it?”

  “You would need to ask yourself.” Alessia shook her head. “Epiphania does tend to come back with some of the weirdest things. She does like collecting. I have seen her personal museum at her house… let’s just say there’s lots of things there that are… unique…”

  “Is it ethical to keep those pieces back like that? Wouldn’t it be better used in a museum?” I returned.

  “Hmmm.” Alessia chuckled nervously. “If you manage to convince Epiphania of that, go ahead. Phania has seen lots of civilizations, empires, nations,... crumble to dust in front of her. I think she is more comfortable taking care of those pieces herself.”

  “It sounds like this is not the first time someone has brought that up.” Ilse replied.

  Alessia laughed. “No, it’s not. And it’s probably not going to be the last time either.”

  “I understand Phania a lot when it comes to that particular case.” Viktor spoke up. “Even though I’m almost the youngest vampire of the Conclave. Having seen what happened during the world wars… I really can’t blame her for trying and succeeding to keep her own history safe.”

  Ilse nodded in response but as she did so, I saw her lose her balance. If I wasn’t there to catch her she would probably have fallen right there and then. Her entire weight was now resting on my arm. “Are you alright?” I asked. Alessia and VIktor were also on my side, but I had been a fraction faster than both of them.

  “Mom!” Em called out as she caught on to what was happening.

  “Don’t worry, don’t worry.” Ilse replied, trying to put her daughter’s mind at ease. “I… I just got a bit dizzy, that’s all. I think I’ve been standing up for too long….”

  “Shit, sorry. We should have probably held this conversation inside.”

  “Don’t worry, Aurora. It’s not your fault.”

  “Let’s get her to her room.” Alessia put her hand on Em’s back to help calm her a bit.

  “Can you walk?” I asked.

  Ilse tried to put some weight on her legs but it was clear it wasn’t going to hold. “I don’t think I can.”

  That was enough information I needed. I bent through my knees a little and scooped Ilse up in my arms. I was now Princess carrying my future to be mother in law.

  “Viktor, can you go ahead to her room and open the door?” Alessia requested.

  Viktor nodded and went ahead of us.

  “Do you need me to call a physician?” Alessia had completely taken control of the situation now. It was clear that this was more or less a reflex for her at this point.

  Ilse shook her head again. “I just need to lay down for a short minute and take my medicine, that’s all.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” Ilse nodded.

  Alessia nodded back. “Okay, then I will instruct the staff to bring some tea to your room. “Do sweets help as well?”

  “If you are offering…” Ilse smiled meekly. “Maybe some honey or strawberry jam would be lovely.”

  Alessia nodded once more. “Okay, it will arrive shortly.” She then looked at me and gave me the non-verbal go-ahead as she turned around and zipped away in an instant.

  “She’s fast…” Em’s mom commented.

  “She definitely is…” I agreed as I started walking with Ilse in my arms.

  “Are you sure you don’t need a doctor, mom?” Em kept walking beside me, clenching her hand around Ria’s.

  “Em, sweetie. This isn’t the first time this has happened. It will go over with some rest. Don’t worry.”

  “She can’t help it.” Ria replied, her voice a little bit shaky. “She loves her mom after all…”

  As Ria said that I got a lump in my throat as well.