Excerpt:

Nearly an hour later they left the interstate. Ben wasn’t entirely sure where they were anymore and hadn’t, despite his constant watch, seen any signs or markers. He noted the trees around them, and as they traveled over the next half hour, they seemed to draw deeper and deeper into them trading a wide four lane highway, for a 2 lane road, and finally leaving a dust trail in their wake on a rough gravel road. It was here, as they began traveling up a rise that the trees opened up and there at the top of the hill loomed the shadow of a rather large home.
Noah spoke. “Yes, that is it. A few moments and we’ll pass through the gate. You best wake Mrs. Marks.”
Ben watched as the house disappeared momentarily as the car descended again down a hill. His mind was quickly filling with questions; some of which he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer to.
“Mr. Marks?”
Startled from his thoughts, Ben reached down and gently shook Laila. “Laila…” and as she began to stir, “we’re here love.”
She looked up at him through bleary eyes, but nodded and smiled, before yawning as she stretched and righted herself. Then she leaned in against Ben who reached his arm around her and held her, both of them looking out the windshield for any sign of what was ahead.
Moments later the headlights revealed two large pillars, and a think iron gate upon which was sculpted a strange insignia. In all it had the appearance of a raven set upon a myriad of Celtic knots. Ben and Laila both gasped at it’s beauty and intricacy. Mr. St. Clair slowed as he pulled up to the stone guardhouse flanking the gate.
A fairly portly man stepped out to the car. It was hard to see him for all the hair that covered his round face, but the prickly burst of fur gave him the appearance of a flustered blowfish, and his brusque attitude did little to help the matter.
“State your business.” he said.
“You already know my business.” muttered Noah. “I just passed through here a month ago.”
“State your business, sir.” he said again.
Noah sighed. “I’ve come to settle the estate of your late master, Cyrus O’Halligan.”
The guard stood silent for a moment looking the attorney up and down. “And these with you?” he asked as he nodded towards Ben and Laila.
“The beneficiaries.” he said. “Now if you don’t mind, it is late and we’re all exhausted. May we enter?”
The man seemed as if he were about to say no when a voice cracked through a speaker in the guard house. “Brendl, open the gate for them. They are expected.”
That was apparently enough as the man without any further question or concern turned, walked into the guardhouse and pushed a button. The gates silently swung inward and Noah, tipping his hat, a gesture that did not hide his frustration, drove the vehicle through the large gate.
“I apologize for the late arrival.” Noah said. “You will be able to see little to nothing as things are now. But we should have time tomorrow to at least show you the main grounds.”
And he was right. No matter how they strained they could see little around them save for the mansion, for that is what it was. It continued to grow as they drew closer. They had, in fact, traveled a full fifteen minutes from the gate before they pulled through a second gate. This one already waiting open for them. Ben couldn’t help but note the fact that peered out from this guardhouse looked very similar to that of Brendl. Well, other than the fact that he was smiling as they passed.
“Good thing the caretaker was still up. We’ll have little trouble now. It might have taken us half the night to pass through the three gates otherwise.”
“Three?” asked Laila.
“Ah, yes… three.”
“How far away are we from the estate then?”
Noah seemed to think a moment. “Likely a couple miles yet.”
“A couple miles?” Ben almost whispered. He and his wife looked out at the structure in the distance, then at one another in awe. Just how large was this place they wondered.
Another five minutes passed, another gate, another eerily similar face, and more dark road ahead. And then things began to change, lanterns lighting outward from the house as they approached. The final bit of travel was well lit, at least as far as the cobbled stone way on which the traveled. The shadows of manicured bushes and sculptures hung just on the fringes of the light, ,and then they pulled in, circling the large fountain before pulling up to the houses entrance. Never had either Ben or Laila seen anything like it save in pictures of European castles in places they had never been. At least three stories and nearly the length of a football field, it was intimidating to say the least.
Mr. St. Clair stopped the car and quickly exited beginning to make his way up the front stairs toward the door. He suddenly turned around expectantly to see that his two charges had not yet left the vehicle despite Mr. Walkens holding the door open for them.
“Come on now!” he yelled. “Normally I wouldn’t begrudge you the wonder of intimidation, but we have little time for you to enjoy that luxury. There is too much left to do, and too little time in which to do it.”
Ben followed his wife out of the car, and she tightly grabbling his hand pushed in close. It was impressive, unique and yet beautiful with enormous marble pillars supporting the arch overhead. Two large windows glowed with the light from inside on either side of large double doors. Slowly they walked up the stairs, noting as they approached that the doors were each engraved with the same insignia found on the gate, the raven amidst a tapestry of interwoven Celtic knots.
As they joined Noah and Mr. Walkens at the top of the steps the doors swung inward opening upon the tall, thin form of a butler. He looked straight at Laila and then bowed deeply, his gray locks falling to either side of his shoulders and as he rose again he smiled behind the kind of beard that would belong to a kindly old wizard in one of Laila’s stories.
“Welcome, my dear.” he said.
Then extending his arms, he also extended his greeting. “Welcome. Please come in. It is late, and I’m sure you are quite tired. I will show you to the rooms I have prepared for you.”
Ben nodded in assent, though he held Laila protectively, his arm around her. Noah and Mr. Walkens slipped in behind them. The butler watched as they walked, their eyes growing wide with awe as they looked around the vaulted room, a ceiling covered with fanciful frescoes of creatures of myth and legend. It was stunningly beautiful, even magical. And at it’s center reclined a man among the myth.
The guests turned as they heard the click of the doors closing behind them. There the butler waited. “I fear,” he said, “that years will not uncover the many wonders of this place, so it is also with an evening. Therefore, I beseech you, let your feet not waver from rest this evening and I, in turn, will endeavor to guide your journey dutifully on the morrow.” Extending his hand to Laila, he added. “Please, if you will.”
Laila gave Ben an encouraging smile and after a moment, he smiled kissing her lightly on the forehead before she walked forward to take the proffered arm of the butler.
Their rooms were on the second floor, and despite the curiosity that grew with every new discovery along the way, they were feeling the deep weariness of the day settling on them. One by one, he showed them each to their rooms. First, Mr. Walkens and then Mr. St. Clair, who begin to enter and then turned quickly addressing Ben and Laila. “Sleep well.” he said. “We’ll have much to do in the morning.”
They both gave a small nod, and even managed a smile.
“You as well.” said Ben.
“Tomorrow…” added Laila.
With that he closed his door quickly behind him.
The gray haired butler once again began down the hall, Laila on his arm and Ben following closely behind. Before long, he stopped once again before a wooden door engraved with the insignia of the household. Relinquishing Mrs. Marks arm to that of her husband, he opened the door to the room and said. “It is here that I leave you this evening. Please rest well.”
The two of them entered the room, a light just outside giving them only enough light to recognize the bed by.
“Should we even bother lighting the lamp?” her husband asked.
“Should we dare?” Laila responded, letting her awe be plainly felt and seen.
Ben somehow knew what she meant, so he carefully led her to the shadowed bed. Not even bothering to remove their clothes, they both feel unceremoniously onto the soft covers.
Exhausted, but with heads spinning, the two of them lay there in silence. “Laila?” Ben finally said.
“mmm-hhh?” she answered.
It was silent a while longer. “No.” he said. “Nevermind. If we start this now we won’t sleep at all tonight.”
She knew what he meant, and likely many of their questions were the same. She didn’t think she could handle it if he were to add any new ones to the load already there. “Yeah,” she said, “you’re probably right.”
Ben had a feeling a lot was about to change. He leaned over and pulled Laila close. “I love you.” he said.
“I love you too.” she answered.
“Goodnight.” he said as he rolled back over.
“Night.” she answered.
Who knew what tomorrow would bring, but at least they would face it together. Sleep came quickly after that, and they both dreamed deeply.