Long ago, in a remote French village, there lived an unusually powerful and infamous countess known only as Blue Mane. Her bright sapphire-hued hair was a bewitching trait in and of itself. Moreover, she had an unusual habit of proposing to the men she married, something unthinkable at the time. However, she found security in her wealth and status as a noblewoman, enough to get away with both her eccentric hair and eccentric behavior, where woman of lower status would get burned as a witch for such hair and behavior. That same status, however, was no such comfort to all her husband, who would always eventually tragically and mysteriously vanish.
One day, she went down to her neighbors. The neighbors in question were almost gentry. Almost.
The stone and wood house was fine enough to give the appearance of nobility. Blue Mane knocked on the polished oak door, and when it was opened, revealing the head of the household, a balding gentleman whose skin was sagging with age, his deep-set eyes widening, taking in Blue Mane’s captivating blue hair, her imposing stance, her long black cane with its silver handle.
“C-C-Countess Blue Mane.” He stammered, “What a surprise.”
“Hello, sir.” Blue Mane replied, “I have a matter I wish to discuss with you. May I come in?”
“Ah, certainly,” The patriarch said, letting her inside, “Please, do come in.” Once she got inside, he asked her, “May I take your cloak, my lady?”
“No thank you. “Blue Mane responded politely, “I’ll get right to the point of my visit, Henri, is it?”
“Y-Yes, my lady.” Henri stammered.
“I wish to marry one of your sons.” Blue Mane said, “You have three of them, I believe.” She looked around the somewhat aged entryway, as if expecting the boys to appear at any moment.
“Why, yes,’ Henri began, “Were you considering Louis, my oldest, or…”
“I shall tell you in a weeks’ time,” Blue Mane cut him off, tensely, raising a hand, “I’m preparing a banquet, your entire family is invited. Then and only then, will I tell you my choice.”
“Of course, my lady.” Henri agreed reluctantly, “Perhaps you might want you want to stay for a while, see my sons…”
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m afraid, I must begin preparations immediately.” Blue Mane said politely, “Thank you for your blessing.” With that, she left, just as suddenly as she came.
#
Compounding the sudden appearance and exit of Blue Mane was the tension among the brothers, for none of them wished to marry a woman whom they considered quite eccentric, possibly insane, and either way dangerous. Moreover, each was conflicted by their desire for the others to avoid harm. Stories of Blue Mane’s husbands’ disappearances loomed large in their minds. But Father had made his decision. Countess Blue Mane wasn’t the type of woman you said no to, and regardless of the other circumstances, one of them marrying such a wealthy woman would be a bone to their family.
After a week of terrible anticipation, the day of the banquet arrived, and they had to admit it was the most opulent thing any of them had ever seen, course after course of thick creamy brown chestnut soup, Mackerel codded with mint and fennel, veal pies, beef pies, even minced pies, Cou au vin, vegetables, either pickled or served drowning in butter, plum cakes and Madeleines dipped in dark chocolate and a whole pyramid of marzipan fruits. Appetizing as the food appeared, it hardly proved a comfort for the brothers, who were nervously picked at the feast while waiting for Blue Mane to announce her choice.
Suddenly, Blue Man stood up, tapping her goblet with her fork. “It is now for me to announce my groom.” She declared. She descended from her spot at the head of the table, marching down it. As she stopped at the youngest son Matheu, his heart jumped in her throat. She pulled out a golden band encrusted with small diamonds and took his hand.
“Matheu,” She began, putting the ring on his finger, “Will you marry me?”
Matheu’s mouth began to form a no. He wasn’t stupid, nor did he have a death wish. But his father shot him a warning look and he knew he wasn’t being given a choice. “Yes.”
Taking Matheu’s hand, Blue Mane placed the ring on his finger, before declaring, “We shall be married by the end of the coming week.”
#
“We can’t let him go through with this!” Their sister Anne exclaimed, disgusted as she paced around the kitchen.
Anne was a year older than Matheu, the family’s second to youngest child. Upon returning home after the banquet, she, Matheu, and their brothers had hidden in the kitchen, discussing what to do.
“You saw the way father looked at me.” Matheu said, “There was no way out.”
“Maybe this could actually be a good thing.” Pierre, the second born, suggested, “Matheu becomes part of the aristocracy, which would certainly help the family, and there are worst things than becoming a noblewoman’s pet.”
“Until Blue Mane’s enemies carry him off!” Anne explained, “Or –”
“Anne, Anne, Anne,” Matheu spoke up, getting to his feet, “There’s nothing we can do to stop this. I’m sorry.”
Reaching out, Matheu pulled his big sister into a tight embrace. “Maybe this time will be different. Perhaps I’ll be the one who survives.”
Anne sniffed. “You won’t let her take you away from us?” She requested, on the edge of tears, “Not completely, at least?”
“Oh, sweet Anne.” Matheu whispered, “Of course not.”
#
Months later Matheu was curled up in the middle of an imposing dark wood bed with a black and gold damask canopy. Though he was dressed in a warm quilted doublet and there was still a warming pan beneath the bedding, he felt cold and miserable. Like all heat and joy had been sucked from the world.
The wedding feast was barely finished before Blue Mane was spiriting Matheu to her country Chateau, miles away from the only home he had ever known. He wrote to his father and siblings, of course, but the correspondence was so slow in getting there, if his family wrote back at all. Anne seemed to be the only one consistently responding to his letters, and when his fathers and brothers did write, they never acknowledged their sporadic correspondence. Louis even had the nerve to chastise him for how little he was writing, like he was the problem.
The Chateau itself was luxurious, yes, but so isolated that, save for one combined cook and maid of all work, they were only two people for miles, and yet his new wife was distant and aloof. Sometimes there were whole days when he didn’t even see her except for meals, and even then, there wasn’t much conversation between them.
Was this how it was for them? Matheu thought, staring at the window, thinking of Blue Mane’s pervious husbands, Was this what happened to them? Was the loneliness too much? Could you die of loneliness.
Where are you? He thought, closing his eyes, Where did you all go? Will I go there too one day?
#
Shortly after this, one day over breakfast, Blue Mane spoke up out of nowhere, “Matheu, my sweet, I must leave for a while, and I have something I would like to give you.”
Blue Mane slid a key ring over to him, laden with shiny, cold keys, colored copper, or sliver-toned, but one stood out above them all, gold, intricately craved and covered with dark red jewels, it was pratically garish.
“These are the keys to every door in the Chateau.” Blue Mane explained, “You may open any door you want except,” she placed her finger on the garish key“This one, which opens a door to an underground chamber. If you truly love me, you won’t go into this chamber.”
I don’t love you. Matheu thought but had enough sense to keep those words in his mouth.
“And if you do open the door, I’ll be furious, and cannot guarantee what I’ll do.” Blue Mane threatened bluntly, as if reading his mind.
“I won’t open that chamber.” Matheu assured her soberly, seeing no other option. Who would believe him if he said she attacked him? He was the man in this situation. No one would. He was on his own with her, so it was better just to do what she said.
As Matheu watched the carriage carrying his wife away fade in the distance, and idea dawned on him. His heart beating fast with anticipation, he ran back into the Chateau.
With his wife out of the house for a good long while it sounded like, he quickly wrote to his brothers, and precious sister Anne, as well as all his old friends, inviting them for a party. She never said he couldn’t do that.
As he rolled up the last letter, he stared down at the key ring, red jewels flickering light off the key to the forbidden room. What was so special about that room?
#
As he cleaned up the Chateau and prepared the parlor, he fought the urge to open the secret chamber. As he helped the cook, Clarisse prepare the food, he asked her about it and she had no clue what it was and why Blue Mane was so protective of it, but she warned him not to go down there. “I like you, boy,” She said, “I’d hate to see anything happen to you.”
This made Matheu want to look even more, but still he fought the urge, standing at the door to welcome his guests.
#
It wasn’t long after that, that the first guest arrived, Anne running ahead of Pierre and Louis, squealing and pratically jumping into her little brother’s arms. “Matheu!” She squealed again, this time with words, “I’ve missed you so much.
“It’s been too long.” Matheu agreed with a grin, before letting her go and facing his brother. “Louis,” He began neutrally, “Pierre.”
“Hello, little brother.” Louis greeted him with a smile, going in for a hug as well, “Look at you.”
Matheu glanced down at his fine outfit and felt his cheeks heat.
“Come you, must tell us everything.” Pierre said.
Soon he was in a throng of family and friends, catching up, filling Matheu in on the goings on in the village since he left.
“So enough about all that.” Pierre said finally, “Tell us Matheu, what’s it like, living with the mysterious Countess Blue Mane?”
Did Matheu dare tell him the truth? How he was kept at arms’ length by his own wife? Of the loneliness he felt? The key? “It’s…full of mystery.” He said finally, which wasn’t exactly a lie.
“Pierre, Louis, come look at this!” One of his cousins called out, gesturing to an oil painting on the wall.
Louis rolled his eyes, “Better see what she’s going on about. Come on Matheu!”
His parents always said he was too curious for his own good.
#
As Matheu crept through the lower levels, it got darker and colder, but he wasn’t deterred. He came to a plain- looking door at the end of the hall. He took the gauche key and put it in the lock, slowly opening the door. Immediately upon seeing the contents of the room, he dropped the key to the floor in shock and horror.
There was blood everywhere. The floor, the walls, everything was tinged with dark brown gore. Hung up on hooks were the corpses of four men, their heads cut off, the necks of their shirts covered with blood. Beside each body was stand with the head on it, their eyes shut. The floor was covered in their blood.
And Matheu was even more horrified to realize he recognized these young men. They were Blue Mane’s missing husbands.
Matheu was in such a panic, he almost forgot to lock the door before running for his room. Making it, he slammed the door shut, falling to the floor, panting. He closed his eyes as tears wetted them.
His thoughts came in flashes. Those poor boys! What must they had went through in their last moments? Had someone really done that to them?
Had she done that to them?
And was she going to that his too?
He finally opened his eyes, tears streaming down his face, hitting the key.
The key!
He frantically picked up the key, immediately realizing, to his horror, that it was stained with the blood of the boys who came before him.
#
Matheu spent the rest of the night in his room, trying to get the blood off the key, but it wouldn’t come off. This is it, He thought, every organ of his body filling with panic and dread, I’m done for. She’s going to find out what I did, and she’s going to kill me and lock by body away for the next one to find and no one will ever…His train of through was broken by the sound of the door opening. He whirled around only to find a bewildered-looking Anne, standing in the doorway.
“I just came to tell you everyone was gone.” Anne said, then immediately recognizing her brother’s state, added, “Matheu, what’s wrong?”
Matheu said nothing for a moment, his mouth feeling like it was pasted together. Then he finally held up the key, saying in a weak, quavering voice, “This.”
#
And so, everything came spilling out. How Blue Mane treated him, the key, the instructed, going down to and finally that awful chamber. By the time he finished, he had broke down, sobbing in his sister’s embrace.
“We’re going to get out of this, Matty,” Ann whispered, trying to keep her voice steady, “It’s too late to leave without drawing suspicion, so tonight we’ll pack and tomorrow when Louis and Pierre come back, we’ll flee.”
Matheu finally pulled back, whipping his face. “But what if she follows us? She knows where we live.” Suddenly he wasn’t just terrified for himself, but for his family.
“Then we’ll have the constable at the ready.” Anne reasoned, “You just discovered four murders. Even she can’t escape that.” It was too ghastly, too horrible to even contemplate. “But we need to work quick.”
#
Neither of them slept, packing into the night. Even though they packed as light and possible, it still came out to two trunks. Matheu was getting the second trunk, waiting for Anne to come assist him, when he heard Anne’s terrified voice call out, “Matty! Matheu get- “Suddenly her voice was cut off.
Alarmed, Matheu ran down the stairs to find Blue Mane in the foyer, clutching a struggling Anne, one hand over her mouth as tried to urge her brother to flee.
“What are you doing?!” Matthew demanded, filled with rage despite his fear. How dare this fiend lay hands on his sister?! “Let her go!”
Blue Mane roughly threw Anne to the ground, then tossed the bloody key beside her. “I know you went into the chamber.” She said coolly, but clearly enraged.
Just then the cook came in with a grave look on her face carrying an ax, handing it to her mistress.
“It’s a shame, really.” Blue Mane said sadly, “I thought you might actually be the one. If you had only been trustworthy…”
Anne screamed as Blue Mane raised the axe to strike at Matheu.
“Wait!” The lad screamed, thinking fast, “I have a last request! Let me put on my wedding suit. F-for my marriage to death. And I’d like to have one finial prayer with my sister.”
Thinking Matheu had accepted his death and was choosing to face it with dignity and honor Blue Mane relented. “Alright but be quick about it.”
#
Matheu dressed as slowly as possible, stalling for time until his brothers showed up. If they could just stall until Louis and Pierre got there…
“Matheu!” Blue Mane called out, “I’m growing impatient!”
“I’m coming!” Matheu said, slowly walking out the door.
He moved as slowly as he could, finding an annoyed looking Blue Mane waiting impatiently at the bottom of the stairs. Alone.
“Where’s Anne?” Matheu demanded, picking up his pace in spite of himself.
“I had Clarisse take her down to the chamber.” Blue Mane answer somberly, “I’ll do it there. You weren’t supposed to leave it once you found it. She was supposed to keep you down there.” Blue Mane gesturing with her head towards her arm, indicating for Mathue to take it.
He did and they made there way towards the chamber, Blue Mane pulling him faster whenever he tried to slow down. “What will you do with my sister? Once it’s over?”
“I don’t know.” Blue Mane admitted, “I’ve never had a witness before.”
When they finally reached the terrible chamber, the door was open, Clarisse waiting with an axe and Anne on her knees in the blood, sobbing, her hands bound in front of her front.
Matheu’s stomach dropped in horror. It was bad enough Anne had to see this, but if the others couldn’t find them, this awful room would be the last thing either of them saw this side of eternity.
“With your sister now, Matheu.” Blue Mane calmly ordered.
Matheu got to his knees by his siter. “Are you hurt?” He whispered.
Anne shook her head, still in tears, “I know what you told me, but I-I—”
“I know, I know Matheu soothed.
“Weren’t you two going to do a final prayer” Blue Mane reminded them.
Taking a deep breath Matheu bowed his head and began. “Our Father who art in Heaven…”
Just then there were footsteps upstairs. “Matheu?” Louis’ voice called out, “Anne? Where are you?”
“Louis!” Anne called out, “Pierre! Help us! Blue Mane, she killed her other husbands! She’s going to kill Mat—” ” At that point the Clarisse cut her off by covering her mouth, but it was too late. Blue Mane’s secret was out.
“Get off of her!” Matheu screamed, jumping up and pushing the cook away.
At that point, Louis and Pierre appeared in the doorway, both of their mouth’s falling in shock. “Dear Lord…” Louis began,
Noticing something on the table, Pierre picked up a stack of white rolled papers. “These are our letters…”
While they still processing what they had found, Blue Mane charged at the others, realizing if she wanted to keep her secret, she was going to have to kill them all the four began to struggle over the act and somewhere in the chaos, it went into Blue Mane’s head. She let out a bloody gurgle before dying.
Panicked, Clarisse scrambled to her feet, only to be grabbed by Louis and Pierre.
Matheu got to his and stared at the lifeless body of his wife. What sort of depraved heart could conjure such wicked things? Still, he crouched down, and shut her eyes.
#
The siblings locked the cook in a closet before going for help. Since it was in self-defense the siblings weren’t charged, but the cook was hung as an accessory to the other murders. As her husband, Matheu inherited all of Blue Mane’s fortune and Château, which he had burned to the ground, wanting nothing to do with the evil place. He used the wealth to see that three previous husbands were given a proper burial and arranged very carefully chosen marriages for all his siblings, eventually remarrying to a woman he loved, who was not a murderous lunatic.
It was a long road, but Matheu and his siblings got their happy ending.