Calarogu Shark Media, Hello and Welcome to Ghost. This episode is titled Ten
Lords Are Leaping the High Society Leap. In the elite circles of Edgemont,
the Leap Year Ball, held just once every four years, was a spectacle
of high society, an event where the ten Lords are Leaping, a group
of distinguished gentlemen from prominent families showcased their wealth and influence. But this Leap
Year, the Ball at the Grand Ashbury Estate, would be remembered for a
far more sinister reason. A grand event steeped in tradition and history, the
Leap Year Ball at Ashbury Estate traces its origins back to the seventeen hundreds.
Initially, this illustrious ball was held in February, coinciding with the Leap Year's
extra day. However, the mid nineteenth century brought a pivotal change. The
harsh winter of eighteen forty, marked by heavy snowfall, rendered travel in February
nearly impossible, leading to the postponement of the ball. The event was rescheduled
to mid December, aligning it with the festive Christmas season. This serendipitous shift
transformed the ball, infusing it with the spirit of Christmas. The resounding success
of this impromptu Christmas themed event led the Ashbury family to permanently move the Leap
Year ball to December, blending the leap year tradition with the warmth and joy
of the festive season. Over time, it evolved into a symbol of unity
and celebration, an integral part of Edgemont's Christmas traditions and a testament to the
enduring nature of customs adapting and thrice through the ages. Among the Lords was
Julian Ashbury, the youngest and most enigmatic of the group. Julian was known
for his daring and often reckless behaviour, traits that both fascinated and worried his
peers. His love for thrill seeking was well known, but no one could
have predicted how it would lead to his downfall. The Grand Halls were decked
with holly and ivy, while the melodies of Christmas carols resonated through the air,
mingling with the sounds of laughter and merriment. A long standing tradition of
the event, eagerly anticipated by all was the Leap of Faith, performed by
the Ten Lords. A leaping a group of ten esteemed gentlemen from the highest
echelons of society. This daring feat involved each lord leaping from the balcony of
the estate into a large, meticulously prepared pile of snow and head below,
symbolizing trust, courage, and the spirit of the leap year. The spectacle
was a highlight of the evening, with each lord adding his flare to the
leap, much to the delight and admiration of the gathered guests. On this
fateful night, amidst the backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights and a blanket of snow
enveloping the gardens, Julian stepped forward to make his leap. With a moment
of bravado, he announced his turn, his friends and onlookers gathering to witness
his performance, a stunt he had previously executed with grace and a plomb,
as the lords before him had done. Julian climbed onto the balcony, the
anticipation from the crowd below palpable in the crisp winter air. He paused for
a moment, taking in the festive scene, then launched himself into the night,
aiming for the soft landing of snow and hay that symbolized a successful leap
of faith, a tradition that had long been a cherished part of the Leap
year Bull's festivities, But at this time something went terribly wrong. As Julian
leaped, a look of shock crossed his face, he missed his mark and
fell to his death, his body found in a grotesque pose amidst the pristine
snow, a stark contrast to the warm glow emanating from the mansion. It
was all an accident, casting a pall of Christmas that year, and as
the new year began, strange occurrences started to haunt Ashbury Estate. Visitors to
the estate, drawn by the allure of its history and the tragic tale of
Julian Ashbury, began to report eerie sightings and occurrences that sent shivers down the
spines of even the most skeptical. One of the most chilling phenomena was the
sight of a figure leaping from the balcony where Julian had taken his fatal leap.
Witnesses claimed that on moonlit nights they could see the silhouette of a man
matching Julian's stature, standing on the edge of the balcony with the same bravado
that Julian was known for. This spectral figure would launch into the air,
but just as it neared the ground, where the pile of snow and hay
once cushioned the lord's leaps, the figure would inexplicably vanish into thin air,
leaving onlookers in bewildered fright. As the ghostly apparitions grew more frequent, Julian's
elder brother, Edward, began to delve into the family's past. He discovered
that Julian's love for risky endeavors stemmed from a childhood incident, a fall from
a tree during a Christmas adventure that had left him bedridden for weeks. This
incident had ignited Julian's obsession with defying death, a desire that ultimately led to
his tragic end. It had been nearly four years and time once again for
the Leap Year ball. Edward, desperate to find peace for his brother's restless
spirit, decided to recreate the leap year event, but to honor Julian,
only nine lords would do the traditional leap. Edward took the ninth and now
final leap, landing safely in the pile of snow and hay. As Edward
stood up. A profound silence enveloped the onlookers. Their eyes turned upwards as
the ghostly figure of Julian materialized on the balcony, his expression imbued with a
sense of relief and gratitude. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as if
the boundaries between the past and the present blurred, connecting the two brothers across
the realms of life and death. Julian's spectral figure gazed down at Edward,
a silent acknowledgment passing between them. It was as if Julian recognized the leap
not just as a physical act, but as a symbolic gesture of understanding and
closure. Those gathered below watched in awe, the air thick with a mix
of fear and fascination. Then, in a movement that was almost ethereal,
Julian turned away from the balcony, his form starting to glide towards the interior
of the estate. As he moved through the open doors into the grand hall
beyond the Christmas Tree, his figure became increasingly translucent, the outlines of his
form blurring with the air. The murmurs of the crowd hushed as they witnessed
Julian's final journey through the halls of his ancestral home. As Julian reached the
center of the ball, under the magnificent chandelier that had witnessed so many of
the family's triumphs and tragedies, he paused, his eyes, glowing with an
otherworldly light, seemed to look beyond the physical walls of the estate into a
realm where peace awaited him. With a final nod, as if bidding farewell
to his beloved home and the life he once knew, Julian's figure gently faded
away, dissolving into the air until nothing was left but a lingering sense of
serenity. The haunting ceased. Julian's spirit was finally at peace, his death
no longer a shadow over the Ashbury estate. The Leap Year Ball continued in
subsequent years, but now, as a tribute to Julian, only nine lords
would leap, a tradition now evolved into a symbol of unity and celebration,
an integral part of Edgemont's Christmas traditions, and a testament to the enduring nature
of customs adapting and thriving through the ages. Ladies Nancy Flavor, Milky Seas
one of the swami says the name B three two. Anim Bevery Ghost is
a Calorouga Shark Media production, written and hosted by Alexander Ian McIntyre, produced
by Mark Francis. Executive producers Mark Francis and John McDermott Caloroga Shark Media