249: Facing uncertainty together

Facing uncertainty together

Adela tossed and turned in her wide, comfortable bed on the night of the farewell ceremony.

"I simply cannot afford another sleepless night," she muttered.

After a soothing bath she spent with Sasha's angelic voice ringing in her head, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Taking a deep breath, she focused on the connection between them, feeling the bond pulsating, strong and vibrant, like a lifeline connecting their souls. Closing her eyes, she whispered his name softly, calling out to him through their unique connection.

"Egon," she breathed. "Come to me."

As she opened her eyes, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. The excitement of what she was about to do filled her with anticipation. She knew he would come, just as he did when she called for him before.

And sure enough, within moments, she felt the familiar tug in her heart, signaling his presence drawing nearer. Her smile widened as the bond brought him closer to her, like a magnetic force pulling them together.

"I must get him inside!"

Leaving her hair dripping wet, knowing how much it would provoke him, she slipped into a black nightgown and headed to the window, opening it as wide as possible before leaning outside and sighing deeply.

Her plan was working like a charm.

The excitement of seeing him was slightly overshadowed by another sensation – a warmth in her heart. Knowing how to push his buttons meant that she knew Egon very well now.

She made way for him to enter, and with the next beat of her heart, he stood next to her, his gloved hand making a quick work of closing the window, his eyes showing a mix of worry and mild annoyance.

His body closed the distance between them, his eyes fixated on her hair.

"You're soaked," he remarked.

Her eyes widened as she finally took in his hair that no longer reached his shoulder.

"You shaved again!" she exclaimed.

He frowned. "You'll catch a cold."

"…I ran out of ideas," she cast her eyes down, slightly ashamed of what she had done now, "It was the only way you'd break their rules."

A slow smile spread across his face. "Your feminine conning is quite endearing, but I had already planned on coming inside regardless."

As Adela snuggled closer to him, Egon's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into an intimate embrace. The warmth of his body driving away the chill from her wet hair.

"Thank you for coming."

"I won't take credit for something that you pushed me twice to do," he said with a playful glint in his onyx eyes. "I flirted with the idea of asking you to dry your hair and close the window telepathically, but I know that you would not want that."

She smiled warmly at him, closing her eyes as she pressed her head against his chest. Her betrothed knew her so well too, and the comfort of his embrace was all she needed in that moment.

Egon's thumb brushed gently over her closed eyelid, and she felt her heart stutter at his touch. He had a way of making her forget about the worries and uncertainties that had been plaguing her mind.

"You cried so much," he mumbled.

Adela sighed, her fingers tracing the scars she had memorized on his back. "I couldn't help it."

He kissed the top of her head, his lips brushing against her damp hair. "I'm here now," he whispered. "And I'm not going anywhere."

His words washed over her like a comforting balm.

"Actually, I have a confession to make," he said abruptly.

Adela's heart skipped a beat. Was this about what Aldric had mentioned before the ceremony? Did Egon really manipulate her father's mind at some point? She braced herself for the truth, uncertain if she was ready to hear it.

He took a deep breath, visibly struggling with his words – a rare sight from Egon von Conradie.

"Please know that after you hear me, I will respect whatever choice you make about our future."

Her hands suddenly felt very cold. Whatever he was about to confess, it had to be significant and potentially troubling.

"My apologies for postponing it until the very last minute, but being late is better than never getting there."

"...Please, just say it directly like you usually do."

He nodded, the hesitation in his eyes fading away.

"We may never have offspring."

She had already decided to remain calm, but what he said was so unexpected and irrelevant to all the thoughts swirling in her head that her eyes went into a full fluttering session instead of blinking twice. Blurry images of a dream she had seen ages ago were suddenly summoned into her mind – a child with hair as dark as Egon's, laughing casually in a forest where no child should be left alone.

"Adelaide," Egon called out in a concerned voice, breaking her reverie.

She spoke, but her voice didn't come out clearly, so she cleared her throat. "...Tell me why you are entertaining that possibility," she said, feeling as if she had already lost something precious.

"In retrospect…" he began, looking up and around as if searching for the right words to explain. Then his gaze settled on her wet hair. "Take the color of your hair, for example. It is a trait that speaks of your lineage, something you inherited from your father, something that runs in your blood."

He was simplifying scientific concepts, but it was something she had learned from her private tutor.

"What about inherited traits?" she asked, curious to see where he was going with this.

His expression shifted to one of slight repulsion. "I carry the blood of the damned first Empress. She was known to have conducted experiments on Healers."

An unsettling image of two men tied to a bed flashed through her mind.

Egon groaned, rubbing his stubble thoughtfully. "I don't think I can explain it to you."

"I think I saw what you are talking about." She confessed.

Gradually, his face transformed into an expression of disbelief.

Understanding finally dawned upon her. "Oh… Not… Not directly, I mean… I never—"

"Hey," he interrupted gently, placing his forefinger beneath her chin to raise her gaze to meet his, "Tomorrow night is the last night you spend in this room, in this bed. You will become my wife, and you will tell me everything." His facial expression darkened slightly. "There is so much I want to hear you say."

His implications suddenly sounded more intimate than the thoughts she had struggled to express.

"That brooch, the peculiar dream I had? I saw Andreas with long hair in the Empress's presence, and before him, there were two Healers in her chambers... And she was... Not modest," she confessed courageously, her cheeks blushing with embarrassment.

Egon gently placed a cool, gloved hand on her flushed cheek.

"I am sorry you had to see that," he began, "She tried so long to conceive with a Healer's child and was unable to."

"Egon..."

"Please. Let me finish. I am not quite sure I can father children in this limbo state of mine."

She raised an eyebrow, "Can I speak now?"

He nodded, looking worried.

"About the theory of the Empress's blood and a Healer, are you not missing something vital?"

His forehead creased with a frown.

"Leopold... Your uncle and my mother? Arkin is living proof against that theory of yours, isn't he?"1

As stubborn as ever, he looked as if he was about to object, but she stopped him with another question.

"What if I was the one who could not bear children for you?"

He blinked in surprise.

"What would that mean for your decision to marry me?"

He smiled, "Absolutely nothing would change."

"Egon... Your lineage, your unfulfilled transformation, and all the unknowns we are yet to face, we can handle it all as long as we stay together."

His eyes flashed with pain, "What about motherhood?"

"Fatherhood is just as significant," she replied earnestly, her voice soft and sincere. "I have to be honest with you. Every Emorian on this land is a child of mine. Motherhood is already granted in my heart. As for my needs, I will always only need you."

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, his eyes searching her face for any sign of hesitation.

She closed her eyes and bid farewell to the beautiful child from her dream, hoping that another mother would find him soon.

When she opened her eyes again, there was no doubt in them.

"I only need you."

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