237: In Egon's chambers (final)

In Egon's chambers (final)

Egon pulled himself up and leaned against the headboard again, his muscles relaxing. He hummed appreciatively as he looked down at her with a softened expression in his eyes before patting his lap a few times.2

"Put your head here," he said, his voice gentle.

Adela complied, laying her head on his lap, her eyes scanning his room, really seeing it for the first time.

The chamber was simple and scarcely furnished, warm and cozy. A rustic wooden desk stood against one wall, bearing the weight of scattered parchment and inkwells, while a dimly lit oil lamp sat atop a sturdy nightstand by the bed, its flame blinking with the shy summer breeze that wafted in from the window every now and then.

She closed her eyes in contentment as he tenderly ran his fingers through her hair, a soothing gesture that brought comfort to both of them.

"I thought I had grown accustomed to your spontaneous reflections, but I truly want to hear more of your voice, talk to me," he said.

"...I hope things are alright downstairs."

"It's good that you gave them time alone," Egon replied.

"…You wouldn't say that if you knew what her decision was," Adela said with a hint of concern.

Egon sighed. "Andreas and I talked for hours about this. We both hope she came to a decision to end their engagement," he revealed, causing Adela to tense up.

It seemed a heartless thing to say about her sister who had been struggling for so long to come to peace with that decision.

"Shh, relax," he slightly chided, "You shouldn't manifest such strong reactions before hearing the entire story," His eyes went up to the ceiling and then down again. "What Andreas really wants is to have her all to himself in his manor in Kolhis," he paused, "I can completely relate to that."

Adela remained silent, leaving Lanark behind was now out of the question. 

"It's just that, it has been extremely difficult for him to watch her suffer and know that he is the reason behind her pain. If he wasn't so attached to her, he would not have waited so long…" Egon continued, his fingers never stopped caressing her hair, providing a calming rhythm to the conversation.

She felt a pang of sadness. "What is he going to do about his mate bond?" 

Egon shrugged, his expression darkening. "Keep a close distance, just like he was already," he replied, snorting in disbelief. "He has the most ridiculous theory about maintaining a friendship with her… as if such a thing would be possible."

Adela couldn't argue with him, how challenging would it be to maintain a platonic relationship with someone you were destined to be with?

Egon paused in his gentle hair-brushing motion, his voice taking on a somber tone, "If that doesn't work, he plans on following her from the shadows without ever letting her know."

Adela's heart sank. "Condemning himself to such a life… It is unacceptable," she murmured, sharing Egon's sentiment.

He continued with his caresses, the tenderness in his touch soothing her troubled thoughts.

"It is what it is. He knows where she is coming from, had it been her with another mate, dead or alive…" he trailed off, and she felt his lap slightly shaking as he shook his head, "Andreas would probably end up with a fried brain. No one is blaming Larissa here."

She placed a hand on his lap and pushed herself up, her hair spilling over her shoulder, followed by Egon's warm, crimson eyes.

"Lay on my lap some more," he said with a husky voice that made her completely forget why she had straightened up in the first place.

With a contented sigh, she settled back into his lap, feeling the comforting rhythm of his caresses on her hair.

"I do understand House de Lanark's concerns, for I have a sibling of my own," he said, his words coming out softer, a reflection of his gentle self whenever Bastian was involved.

She recalled how Bastian was missing from the fortieth and now again.

"…Where is Bastian?" She asked with a mild frown.

"He is with Aldric," Egon mumbled with a disapproving tone.

Aldric?

"…Whatever for?" She said, perplexed.

"They are best buddies now," he said darkly.

Adela kept her mouth shut about it. It obviously bothered Egon, and what two adult noblemen do with their time and the selection of the people around them was not her concern to meddle with.

"You disapprove," Egon concluded.

"It is not my place to disapprove."

"If I knew my brother the least bit, I would say that he is keeping an enemy of mine as close as possible to him."

That did make sense, but it seemed like a big sacrifice on Bastian's part.

"I worry about him, Adela. It's like what happened with Olga's dad. He suggested marrying her for real."

Adela sat up once again, but this time, Egon's eyes were fixed on a far corner in the room, his face drooped with concern.

"Why would he throw his life away like that?" She wondered aloud.

Egon's next breath seemed to have broken in his chest. He looked at her with a set of hurt brown eyes. "I told him something similar. You know what he said?"

"What did he say?"

"He said he doesn't have a life."

The words rushed out of Egon's mouth as if he was trying to push a huge weight off his shoulders, but saying them didn't seem to lessen his distress.

"…I am so sorry, my love," Adela whispered.

Before she could blink again, she felt her weight completely shifting, and Egon had her sitting by his side on the edge of his bed.

"Come in, Andreas," he said without the door ever being knocked.

"Adela needs to go down," Andreas's voice came through the closed door, cold and detached.

Adela's hand instinctively went to her chest, and she uttered, "Larissa?"

"It's the Archduchess. I heard her talking to the platoon outside."

Adela jumped to her feet and hurried to the door when the sound of a bell from outside filled the air around them. She looked back at Egon with a startled expression in her eyes.

"I am not here," Egon stated seriously.

She nodded once and opened the door to find nobody standing outside. Clutching her dress, she hurried down the corridors. Something was not right about this. The Archduke had specifically ordered them not to return before Larissa's conversation with Andreas ended once and for all.

Why is Mother here?

Adela's mind raced as she hurried down the stairs. Something didn't add up. Her mother had always been loyal to her father's decisions, never going against him in her entire life. Why was she now acting differently?

Why was the Archduchess herself involved in this situation?

pqdm.com