Chapter 2: Two: Finder's Keepers

My alarm clock shrieked loudly. I raised my hand and knocked it off. The noise ended and I knew morning had come. After my erotic dream last night, I thought I won't get back to sleep anymore. But I actually dozed again. Sunlight was making its way inside my room. Much to my delight, so did Oggy.

"Get off the bed!" I said to the grey haired husky. His ears bowed at my anger but he slid off my bed. I patted his head and said sorry, I wasn't a morning person.

"Kristania!" I heard my name all way from the kitchen, "Come have breakfast." It was Dina, my mom.

"Coming.." I yelled back. She's the only one who liked calling me Kristania, others including my Dad settled for just Krista.

I washed my face and put on a lose shirt, it was Saturday and mom doesn't really care about my appearance. Not unless she's got visitors, she'd force me to wear any ladies clothing that I loathed.

"Come on boy." I called Oggy, he was my best friend. Dad gave him to me when he was a puppy and now that he's big, he'd warmed up to me more. We went down the stairs and raced towards the kitchen.

"Hey," Dina called Oggy, "you get breakfast in the back."

"He's not gonna make a mess mom." I pouted. She never approved of pets, she barely tolerated Oggy and would find faults all the time.

"My house, my rules. Now, out you go." She opened the backdoor for Oggy who followed like a 5 year old just learned how to walk.

My gaze followed Oggy outside, feeling guilty and all. But there's no talking out to Dina. If she decided she didn't want Oggy inside, then he can't. She's only letting me keep the dog because Dad is always away.

"Take him for a walk later, I need some space for my yoga."

"I will." I said with my mouth full of cereal. Dina sat across the table and was just having a fruit drink.

"Your father called. I told him you're still asleep, goodness. He never checks the time. It was half past 3 in the morning!" Dina shook her head, she does that when she's irritated.

I decided to ignore her but I don't have a direct number to call dad back. He's currently away working on archeological finds. "Did he say what it was about?"

"I believe he did but I was so sleepy that I can't remember now."

That's Dina for you. She's been dismal about dad's career choice after they got married. He used to be a Bank manager who earned well. Dina got all she wanted with Dad's money. When dad discovered he still wanted to be an Archeologist, he gave it another try. Originally, his parents were against it. He was on his 3rd year when they forced him to drop out and take accountancy instead. He proved to be good at it. Though his heart longed for finding ancient things.

Mom didn't like it either, because he travelled a lot and won't be back for months. Then he began to limit her spending and focused the money on his project. It drove Dina mad, she could no longer hang out with her rich friends and go to expensive vacations. She filed divorce and dad was more than happy to grant it. The only person suffering now is me.

Every weekend I stayed with mom, on weekdays I go back to Richmond because Dad's house was just a mile away from my school. Mom tried to transfer me in her area but found that having a teenage daughter would limit her flings, she let me stay with Dad. Although Patrick, that's my dad, is always away I didn't mind. He had a large house and provided me well with anything a money could buy.

"Did you get a call back number?" I asked Dina.

"Its in my phone. Here," she handed me her cellular. "Just tell him it'll go to his bill. Long distance calls are expensive you know."

I nodded and returned Dad's call, it went to a hotel operator. I didn't have his room number so I gave him Dad's full name.

"Just a minute miss, I'll see if Mr. Neville is in his room" the receptionist didn't wait for my response and placed me on hold. There was a click sound and I sat listening to Katy Perry's "Bonapetit" while the receptionist checked up on my dad. She was back immediately, "He'll take your call now. I'll connect you to him"

I was about to say 'thank you', but she was gone. Three seconds passed and I heard Dad's voice, "Krista? That you?"

"Hey dad, yeah its me." He sounded excited. "I just woke up, mom told me you called earlier."

Dina raised her brow, I can read her face saying It was way too early. But I didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I uh did that. Guess I forgot the time sweetie." He laughed, God I missed his voice. "I have something for you."

I drained my cereal and took the bowl down the sink, "Yeah? What'd you find?"

"Not a what Krista..." he paused for effect, "Who."

I frowned, "Uhm, come again?"

"I said I found him. I found him Krista, after all these years. I finally did it!" He was yelling now, with joy of course.

"Calm down Dad," I saw mom moved closer , "who? Who did you find?"

"The Baron!" I heard him zip something, his duffel bag maybe, " I found the Baron Lucian!" He was moving around his room, he must've placed me on speaker coz he sounded far, "I found his house and I'm on my way there now."

I almost dropped the phone. Oh dear lord. Is this true?

"Krista? Sweetie, you're pale as sheet!" Dina came over me and pushed me down on the chair. "What is it? What did Patrick say?"

"Mom, he... he found the Baron." My voice was very small, I was still staring at her phone. But dad already hang up.

Dina was scrambling her memories, Patrick was working in one project that included a Baron's disapearance. It was his project that dragged their marriage off the cart.

"Damn!" I heard her say, "I thought he gave that up a long time ago. For all I know he was chasing the missing pages of a journal that belonged to an aristocrat."

"That journal was from a servant who worked at the Baron's house." I corrected her.

"Ugh, so its that man again. Before and until now, what is your father thinking? And now he says he found him?" She was almost screaming. Dina had hoped dad would never find anything and come back to her, as a husband, a banker— a rich provider.

"Says he found the Baron's residence."

"And? What does he intend to do with it? Dig for the body?"

I raised my head, hardly believing what my mother just said. She saw my face and realised her mistake. She knelt down so I could reach her face.

"I was hysterical sweetie, I didn't really mean a... a dead body. Perhaps, he'll find the bones? After all, its what archeologists do right?"

"Perhaps." I said meekly.

"I think I need my salts." Dina walked away and came back carrying her pills. "You can take one sweetie, it'll help you calm down."

I shook my head. The last thing I need was a pill that'll make me sleep. I stood up and went outside, I calmed myself by running. Oggy was already waiting for me. We hit the road and ran.

The subdivision was very exclusive, so my mom isn't worried when I go out for a run. Not only did Oggy needed it, I had to maintain my health. I was with the school's swimming team. And I was very good at it, I aim to use my skills to get a scholarship and not rely on my parents. I'll be eighteen in a few months, I gotta look after myself.

The activity kept me busy, I raced Oggy. I know that was silly, he's got four legs and I only had two. But we didn't stop until both of us were out of breath. We sat on the grass under a maple tree. The wind was blowing mildly so I wasn't hot. Oggy's tongue dangled out of his mouth, made him look like he's smiling.

Then my thoughts went back to the Baron's story. I first heard it when I was 9, Dad had gathered several documents about a Baron who mysteriously disappeared. I wasn't understanding yet why mom disliked Dad's love for mysteries. I often begged Dad to let me see his work, he finally showed me the translations of the journal.

There were about 18 pages of it, the original was kept in a museum because it was to fragile to be touched. According to the author—assumed to be a woman or a serving girl at the manor, she was writing it as a memory so that after she died the Baron will not be forgotten.

Dad explained to me the heirarchy of the aristocrats, I listened with wide interest that I would talk in my sleep all about them. When I began to finally grasp it, he told me about the story of Galbraith Norwood, 11th Baron of Lucian. He was simply referred as Baron Lucian.

According to the journal, the late Baron Lucian was called Clayton Norwood, Galbraith's dad. He adopted the owner of the journal after she was found wandering the streets alone. The family took her in and raised her like their own. She had studied literature, music, dance, and other things aristocrats needed to know. She had also been the closest friend of the next Baron.

The journal had described Galbraith as darkhaired and a blue eyed child. He had inherited both his mother's hair and eye color, while his skin was after his father—a white man. Galbraith was kind, sweet, honest and very smart. He was the perfect child, as depicted in the journal.

However, as the owner grew into adulthood so did the depictions of Galbraith. One entry had described him quite differently this time, the author had described him as a tall lad with wide spread shoulders. He had a lean body and well shaped legs, his hair had grown long enough to reach his nape. His brows had grown thick that it shaped his blue eyes beautifully. Galbraith was turning into a handsome man.

One entry that I remember had said, 'He walked with such ease and grace. It was not because he was taught to, but because he was a natural lord. Even if no one knew his father, one can tell he is high born. He does not know how his eyes danced when he laughed, how his smile makes me so happy and how his voice could stir me.' The author was obviously crazy inlove with the future Baron.

But besides the descriptions found in the journal, a lot of experts have not found any other evidence of the Baron. No one could point out a portrait or any further documents about him. I had relied on the journal how he looked like, I just imagined how gorgeous he was.

Then I started having the dreams, I can't remember how he first came to me. But I remember that I was still a child. He would sit by my bed and tell me wondrous things, about his family, his favorite horse, how he liked to dance and so many things. I loved his voice and how he could make me smile. I fought to extend the dream for so many times, and I constantly missed sleep when I would lay awake and see he was not there.

At first, I thought it was my will to see him that drove him out of my dreams. I had practiced lucid dreaming but he'd still disappear as soon as I start to speak or try to open my eyes. For years, I contented myself by just hearing him. His voice never changed, but his stories grew wider. He'd tell me about himself and his house. He'd described what he liked to do when he was alone, when he was out riding with his horse, when he plays with his bestfriend and things that a teenager would do. I realised that his stories have changed as I grew.

It wasn't only until recently that he began to touching me. At first, I thought it was a different dream. But he'd called out my name, so I knew it was him. He started to hold my hand or touch my nose but never more than a hug. Until last night.

I gasped as the dream came back to me, I closed my eyes as I reminisced. It felt so real. His hands, his warmth and his boldness. Had he sensed she has now become a woman? Is that why he's escalating? Or it had something to do with my Dad finding his house? Are they connected? I don't know. Do I want to know? Yes.

But I also want to know how he can visit me in my dreams, so far I don't remember that we had anything to do with him. My family, both from mom and dad's side did not have aristocrat blood. Or maybe, we haven't found the connection yet.

For now I have to see the house for myself. Wether its the real one or not, it'll probably give me an idea about him and my dreams. I decided to find my Dad and see what he has actually found.

I went home and called Dad back, he was happy to hear I was going to meet him. He gave me the address and arranged for a pick up. Mom wasn't in the kitchen, I wonder where she was.

"Stay here boy." I told Oggy. I went upstairs and found mom on her bed, knocked out. I shook my head and went to my room.

I had enough money to buy a plane ticket for both me and Oggy, yes, I'm taking him with me. I usually do, Mom will never spare him mercy if I leave him here. I grabbed my purse and took Oggy with me, we went to the nearest plane ticket store.

My nervousness was overflowing. And I couldn't understand why. Is it because I might finally meet the Baron? Will I be able to put a face on his voice? Will I ever get answers to all my questions? Now that, is something to think about during the trip. If dad intends to keep the house, he can. He found it after all. But I will find the answers to my questions so I can keep my Baron to myself.

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