126: Despite the vast divide

Despite the vast divide

Adela's night was tumultuous, her dreams plagued by winding paths that led to nowhere. And as the next morning broke, she faced a daunting task that she had intentionally delayed desiring more time to gather her thoughts and find clarity.0

She stood outside the Archduchess's door, her father's morning words echoing in her mind as he roused her from sleep: "Your mother needs you now more than ever. Be a dutiful daughter and stand by her side."

She was well aware of that fact. It didn't make the prospect of approaching her mother any easier.

Throughout her childhood, Adela had always struggled to comprehend why Grace de Lanark exhibited warmth and affection towards Larissa while maintaining a distant and cold demeanor towards her. In her relentless pursuit to understand and gain her mother's approval, Adela had endeavored to emulate her older sister. She styled her hair in the same manner, dressed similarly, and had even contemplated dyeing her hair red.

What did Larissa possess that Adela did not? It remained an enigma.

As adolescence arrived, Adela arrived at a painful realization. It wasn't the elusive qualities or traits that set her sister apart; Grace de Lanark simply possessed two distinct sets of eyes—one pair she employed to gaze upon Larissa, and another pair she directed towards Adela. Deciding not to fight an uphill battle, Adela ceased her endeavors to win her mother over.

It was a challenging choice, but one that ultimately liberated her.

You can do it... Just knock on the door!

As if Kaiser didn't have enough on his plate already with managing the prisoners and dealing with the aftermath of the forest's destruction, the situation became even more overwhelming with the arrival of a message from Claude de Lanark coinciding with the departure of the King. Claude's message confirmed the troubling information Egon had shared the day before regarding Larissa's abduction.

The Archduke found himself unable to stand by his wife's side, leaving Adela to take on the responsibility.

Right... 

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she tapped on the door.

"Leave me be," came a feeble command from inside.

"Mother, I am entering," she announced, granting her a brief pause before opening the door and stepping into the room.

Adela walked purposefully towards the closed curtains and pulled them open allowing the sunlight of an early spring to enter the room. As her mother squinted and adjusted to the sudden brightness, Adela was struck by a wave of nostalgia. The way Grace's hair fell around her face with its undeniable resemblance to Larissa stirred up bittersweet feelings in Adela's heart.

Please be well, sister.

"It is good that you are here," Grace murmured when she was done blinking, beckoning her to come closer and patting the bedside.

It was always Larissa who occupied that space and tended to their mother's needs. As Adela took her seat, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was merely a substitute, a stand-in for her absent sister.

Grace sighed.

"I no longer possess the gift, Adelaide... Is your father truly well?" Her mother's casual mention of Adela's gift, though not entirely unexpected, still managed to catch her off guard. She fought to compartmentalize her emotions and concentrate on the matter at hand.

"He is... coping," she responded cautiously, selecting her words with care.

Grace nodded, her gaze distant. "I understand... I worry for him..."

Adela nodded, sensing a small semblance of unity with her mother in that instant, as they both shared concerns for the Archduke.

"You know... On the journey back from Destan, Kaiser and I braced ourselves for the questions you might have about me—about my true identity and my family lineage... Your father was relieved when you decided to pretend as though you hadn't uncovered the truth... But I, on the other hand..." Grace paused for a short moment, "I felt disappointed."

Adela's grimace deepened as she tried to comprehend the meaning behind her mother's words.

"Disappointed? In me?"

Grace shook her head gently, "No, not in you, my dear. It is I who feel disappointed in myself, for the choices I've made and the secrets I've kept..."

Adela's confusion lingered, unsure of how to proceed. "I... I will not cross any boundaries and pry into things that are private to you. If you wish to share, I am here to listen."

Grace reached out to hold Adela's hand, "You are my daughter, and you have every right to know about our family's history. If there are questions in your heart, do not hesitate to ask. I will do my best to provide the answers you seek."

They were words Adela had longed to hear as a child, and yet as a grown woman, she couldn't help but feel their lack of impact. Those words did nothing to bridge the emotional distance that had existed between her and her mother for so long.

"...How do you feel about going to Kolhis to attend Larissa's wedding, Mother?" 

Grace scoffed initially, a touch of skepticism evident in her response. But soon after, her eyes welled up with tears, revealing a conflicting range of emotions.

"I don't believe a word of what your father told me about Larissa," Grace spoke with bitterness. "I saw her face shortly before she disappeared... She did not look afraid or even nonchalant. She looked... guilty."

Adela remained silent, causing Grace to sigh in resignation.

"...I will send word to participate in the wedding celebration, but I will not be involved in any planning... It seems that nothing but shame awaits me from here on forward."

Adela's frown deepened. Despite the vast divide that seemed to separate her from her mother, she couldn't bear the thought of allowing anyone to shame Grace, the Archduchess of Lanark.

"Mother," she began, her voice steady, "the situation in the Archduchy is likely to worsen for all of us... I have been offered the chance to move to His Majesty's palace in Destan. There is a standing portal there that connects the King's palace to the von Conradie's manor in Kolhis... If you come with me, you can see Larissa whenever you want... Once the situation improves, you can return and reclaim your rightful position here..."

Saying all of this out loud was truly difficult for Adela, as she braced herself for another one of her mother's disappointed gazes. However, to her surprise, the Archduchess did not regard her with disapproval. On the contrary, she seemed open to the idea.

"If that's where you intend to go, I shall follow you," her mother responded. "Even if your father refuses to accompany us, I will be by your side."

Guilt crept into Adela's heart as she considered her father's reaction. "The Archduke won't approve," she said quietly.

Before they could delve further into their conversation, Bernard rushed to stand by the open door, panic evident in his voice.

"Lady Adelaide, you're needed in the dungeon. The Archduke has summoned you."

Adela's heart skipped a beat. Never before in her life had she received a request to be present in the dungeon. She exchanged a worried glance with her mother before quickly making her way out of the room.

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