Poison Orchid

Chapter 11

Gabriel entered and settled back in his room and found that it was sometime later than midnight. It was one of the blessings and curse of their breed that they did not need to sleep and could go on days without any kind of rest. But sometimes it felt like a curse, if he could sleep away some of the worries and tension, then probably would be his existence much more relaxing, much more easier. As he lay back on the pillows, he remembered what his grandmother had said about Uncle Ruriel. He might not have been able to find out what happened to his uncle thirteen years back but she had a very clear idea about how to please his Grandma.

Lady Electra was a unusually beautiful child born in a very poor family, where hunger and cold had almost caused the death of a child each season. So her mother not taking a risk this time, sold her off to the pimp when she was in her swaddle clothes for the amount of money that they could be alive that year. Getting the trasure of her life, Madame of the brothel decided that the virginity of Electra would fetch her the price of a lifetime, and decided she would sell her to no one else other than the Czar.

But unfortunately, that did not keep hungry wolves from pawing her body from her very childhood. Electra became well-versed in pleasuring men through other means and modes other than giving up her virginity. And there was another thing she became proficient at, that was hustling the secrets of noble men. When pleasured men spoke all those things to her without even thinking twice, that they were revealing her greatest secrets to her, the secrets they could not even disclose to their wives. She sold the secrets for a huge sum, and when she was fourteen years old, she had unofficially gained the title of Bringer of Malice and Chaos. She was a spy at her excellence as if she was born to be one. It was not from the Madame that the Czar came to know about Electra or about the last sliver of innocence that had been saved to be sold at an exhorbitant price, he came to know about a demure dame, beautiful to the core but poisonous like a scorpion, and her stings not only hurt, they killed.

The Czar bought Electra to be his Mistress, because she was an asset he could not afford to lose and also to the extent that Electra’s cunning reminded him of his Czarina who had already passed a few years back. With her good behaviour and nature Electra won over the hearts of Czar and his children who became besotted with her. Even after the Czar’s death she had considerable power over the administration of the country and was the personal advisor of the Crown Prince. And still no one in their race who knew what Lady Electra was capable of dared to cross paths with her.

Gabriel knew that Lady Electra was one single person whose acceptance counted to a maximum in their society for Petrov. He texted Petrov asking him to come to his room, and also sent a text to his grandfather that he would be calling through video within the next fifteen minutes. And also that he wanted to talk to Grandma and Grandpa together because he wanted to say something important to both of them together.

There was a slight knock on his door and Gabriel asked to come in. Petrov entered the room with a questioning look in his eyes. Gabriel patted on the bed beside him and asked him to come and sit beside him. He took out the laptop on the bedside table and said to Petrov,”Get ready to face your family.”

Petrov looked at Gabriel with anxiety palpable in his eyes and said,”Are you going to do what I think you are going to do?”

“Yeah brother, I think both are essentially the same and one,”said a smiling Gabriel amused at Petrov’s reaction.

“I don’t want anyone to recognise me as the bastard of Count Sariel. I have my own identity as your companion and I want it to be that way,”said Petrov.

“No one will say you as the bastard of Count Sariel. Not after Grandma Electra accepts you. You love her don’t you?”

“Of course I do, what do you think, that who used to smuggle me the tracle tarts when I was small knowing that if any cook finds out I shall be in great trouble. She brought me coats of mink fur knowing that I hated wearing hand downs, she is the one who has never judged me on the basis of my birth or background, that I was a lowly creature.”

“Then don’t think about it now,”said Gabriel connecting the call.

After three rings his Grandpa received the call and looked at the camera, and Grandma Electra was also looking at them. Grandpa was never very interested in the electronic gadgets or technology but Grandma revelled in those things.

“Oh dears!!! Gabriel, how are you? How’s school?” asked Electra excitedly.

“School’s as we did expect Grandma. It was good, kind of a bit different but good.”

“That is good that you like your classes there. I thought whether you would be able to adjust or not to the new situation there. Well what did you just want us to say?”

“Yeah, go on, tell us grandson, what for did you raise us at this ungodly hour from our rest?” asked Grandpa with a smirk.

“Okay, I want both of you to meet someone.”

“Oh!!! Did you already find out that woman? So soon…”

“No..No Grandma, I could not find her but I found out someone else. He’s sitting right beside me.”

“That is just our plain ole Petrov, dear. He is not new at all. We have know him since his childhood.”

“Oh you have known him but you have not known who he is. So I shall ask you one thing, how did you feel Grandma when Father ddeclared that Uncle was not coming back? I know how it must have felt, and the scar has not healed and I don’t claim that I can ever heal but at the least I can offer you a consolation.”

“What consolation?” asked Grandpa. Granma was just sitting there tight listening to each word of Gabriel with close and careful intent.

“I can offer you a grandson instead of a son.”

“ Do you even know what you are saying Gabriel? What….” His grandfather was interrupted by his Grandma.

“Go one,” she said in a small voice.

“ I want you to meet my brother Petrov and the second born of Count Sariel. Your second Grandson. Meet Petrov.”

Electra’s eyes filled up with tears and she was trying to say something but words did not come out of her mouth.

“My greetings Lady Electra, I asked him not to say all these but he wouldn’t listen to me at all. I tried to..” Petrov was interrupted by Electra sitting on the other part of the world behind the screen of a computer.

“From now onwards I wish to be addressed as Grandma or Granny by you Petrov and since you are family I expect that you will dispense of with all the useless formalities that you have been following sice childhood thinking that those were the protocols you needed to follow. Am I clear enough?” asked Electra in a voice that only she could muster.

“Yes Grandma,”said Petrov meekly.

“I wish I had come to know to know this earlier, at the least you would not have faced the hardships in your life and would have got the same upbringing that Gabriel has received.”

“But Gandma, I never wished it to be different, Gabriel had made sure that I learn each and everything that he learnt from his teachers so that he could practise it with me.

Moreover I have my eyes and ears at such places in the palace that I know whatever is going on for and against the Crown Prince. And that is more important than my comfort,” said Petrov.

“Are you sure that you are the son of Sariel?” asked Grandpa with an incredulous look on his face making Grandma snort in a very unladylike way.

“Why do you ask this Grandpa?” asked Gabriel.

“Isn’t that pretty obvious? Hespeaks just likeRuriel

Grandma said,” Why don’t you keep your incredible thoughts to yourself for sometime Darling!!!!!”

Gabriel and Petrov both hid their snickers so that the old couple could not see them. But to no avail, Grandpa saw both the boys laughing at him and gave an expression of mock anger and then broke into a wide grin.

“ There is one more question that I need to ask. Although it is of no consequence to me but still the knowledge is very essential that which woman gave birth to you and do you know that Petrov?”

“I know that Grandma, but it is something I do not want to make it public or reveal it infront of the world, for it is a shameful fact, I already said that to Gabriel but he wanted to….”

“Now let me be clear about what you are saying boy, that you are ashamed of the woman who gave birth to you? The one who bore you nine months in her womb? Do you want me to smack your ears and knock some sense in your head of yours?” asked Electra with fire bursting from her eyes.

“I am not ashamed of the fact that she was an unwed mother, I was not ashamed of the fact that either that who she was before she carried me, I am proud because she took the decision of carrying me but I am ashamed of the fact of what and who she has become after becoming a mother. Because I never accepted her to be my mother anyways, so it does not matter to me at all,” stated Petrov calmly.

Unfortunately before this Petrov did not have the chance of communicating in this way with Lady Electra, so he did not have the experience that how much condescending she can be if she wanted to be.

“My dear, what she was and what she became, none of them are your fault. It is absolutely her decision to understand the consequences of actions but we are a FAMILY, isn’t it? So we do not keep secrets from each other. So be good boy and tell me.”

“It is Regina,” said Gabriel. Petrov looked at him with murderous intent. The moment Gabriel answered this the expression on Electra’s face was of the one worth capturing.

“No more discussion on this topic,” said Grandpa.

“Okay now no more bad questions or talking about past. Now Petrov dear, tell me what would you like for your home-coming gift? A family one?” asked Electra.

“Can I have some treacle tarts please?” pleaded Petrov.

“Me too,” Gabriel chimed in.

“Boys, you are too much. Ask of something from the family heirloom, the ones that were prized and made for you only,” said Electra.

“Can I have a sword like the one Gabriel has, the jeweled one which he keeps in his safe?”

“Okay, now that is something you have asked of worth. Yes dear you deserve one of the family heirlooms and I shall have a special gift commissioned for both of you brothers when you come back home.”

“Boys it is already too late and I think you need to go to school tomorrow, so it would be better if you take some rest, because now I don’t want my grandsons falling asleep in class right?” said Electra.

“Bye Grandma, Bye Grandpa,” said Gabriel and Petrov to the couple in unison amidst peals of laughter.

Gabriel disconnected the line and shut down the laptop and kept it on the table where it was and said,” Well then, brother I would say that it was a very very interesting and enlightening night.” Petrov nodded in his usual manner.

Gabriel continued, ”I would have said that sleep the night with me but it would be cliché and tomorrow morning I would be getting a call from my father that I am truly a faggot or not….”

“Yeah, I know that well. Good night Brother,” said Petrov while going out of the room.

“Good night to you to Bro,” said Gabriel looking at the closed door.