173: Shadows of treachery

Shadows of treachery

Adela withdrew her hand from beneath her chin as the carriage finally came to a stop inside her father's estate right by the door to the manor.1

"The journey has come to an end, My Lady," the coachman declared.

"Thank you."

It was her signal to disembark, and she would have done so already if it weren't for the certainty that opening the door would subject her to the invigorating breeze, which would undoubtedly dispel any lingering traces of her mate from her senses and attire.

Her eyes roved across the lavish interior of the golden carriage one last time.

During the solitary occasion she had been inside the carriage with Egon, his significance had meant little to her. But now that he was absent, a painful void filled her. The juxtaposition of his physical proximity and emotional distance caused immense strain.

But that wasn't the only thing on her mind. Was her father truly the mastermind behind the prolonged rebellion all this time?

"I have to delve deeper into this," she whispered. Just because Aldric says something doesn't necessarily make it true. And an act of treason originating from the Archduchy could potentially bring about its downfall.

With a somber mood, she grasped the door handle and depressed it, signaling to whichever knight stood outside to open the door wide for Lady de Lanark. And as the door opened, her gaze immediately fell upon the strands of a unique blend of white, black, and grey. It then slid down to a half-arched lips, and she returned the gesture with a smile of her own.

"Welcome home!" Aldric exclaimed, as though they hadn't spent the entire day and night together just yesterday.

"Thank you!"

Laughing with Aldric came effortlessly, an unexpected breath of fresh air amid the persistent ache in her stomach. With her hand firmly holding his extended one, she descended from the carriage.

"Welcome back, Aldric," the Archduke greeted as he descended the stairs between the garden and the gate to his manor with Gustav following closely behind. "Adelaide."

The young King and the Archduke exchanged handshakes once more, while Adela gracefully curtsied before her father and his Commander, her composed expression giving no indication of her awareness regarding the uncertain truths surrounding his alleged acts of treason.

"How was your journey of exploration?" Kaiser inquired, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth as they shifted between his daughter and his young friend.

"It went exceptionally well," Aldric replied, his ever-smiling face directed towards Adela as he spoke.

"I understand," Kaiser's expression softened even more. "If both of you are not weary from your journey, I would be delighted to hear all the details."

"I'm filled with energy. Let us engage in conversation while the day is still fresh!" Aldric said.

Adela cast an apologetic glance at her father. "Your Excellency, if you permit, I would like to retire briefly to change attire and accompany my falcon for his training. He is at a delicate stage of development."

Kaiser nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," she addressed the three men before ascending the stairs to the main door of the manor. She hurried through the first hall, up the stairs to her room, down the corridor, and finally entered her private chamber.

With a deep sigh, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it. Her gaze shifted to her falcon, gliding within his cage.

"Have you missed me?"

The fledgling drew nearer to his door, fluttering his wings against it. Deciding that she would tend to him first before attending to herself, she proceeded to release him from his cage.

Adela carefully cradled her fledgling in her arms, feeling the gentle flutter of his wings against her fingertips. With cautious steps, she made her way out of her room and through the grand halls of her father's manor.

"It's a delight to have you by my side," she whispered affectionately.

She made a conscious decision to treasure every moment she shared with her newfound companion as they approached the manor's entrance. The fledgling emitted a sequence of chirps when they went outside, bringing excitement to Adela as well.

As she meandered towards the mews, she allowed her eyes to drink in the beauty of the landscape that stretched before her. Yet, her endeavor to liberate her mind from the grip of her addiction to Egon and the web of lies she called her life proved fruitless as they reached the pinnacle of the hill. Her gaze scanned the panoramic view, seeking a trace of the beast who remained frustratingly out of sight.

It was so easy for you to let go...

If only you and I were the same...

When the fledgling nestled in her arms, she smiled despite the burning sensation in her eyes. "Shall we put the strength of your newly formed feathers to the test?"

Much to her surprise as she reached the mews, she was met with the unexpected sight of her father and Aldric who waved at her in welcome.

"Are you conducting your meeting here?" she asked, her tone lighthearted, as she caught up to them.

"We decided to have it this evening instead," Aldric said, pushing his unique hair back. "I've always been curious about falcons ever since I learned they're your family's emblem." his gaze fixed on the fledgling, which returned his curiosity with a pair of yellow eyes. "Kaiser finally decided to show me the mews once you mentioned you were coming...May I touch him?" he asked, his hand half extended already.

"Oh," she looked down at her bird and remembered how he attacked Egon, "He doesn't warm up to strangers that easi-"

She stopped talking when her fledgling wiggled his way out and perched on Aldric's arm, her eyes wide as she looked at her father who affectionately patted the young king on the shoulder. She shook her head, unable to resist the contagiousness of her father's laughter.

"He's a beautiful creature. What's his name?" Aldric asked, his midnight eyes mirroring the bird's gaze.

"He doesn't have a name. I haven't made up my mind yet," she replied, her gaze shifting to Kannen's stone behind them. "Every time I consider naming him, my mind is drawn to Kannen's name... my departed companion... It's something I'm still uncertain about."

Aldric maintained unbroken eye contact with the bird as he spoke, "In my homeland, it is customary for warriors to give an animal the first name that comes to their mind, and the name is bestowed only if the animal responds to it,"

"...I don't want him to meet the same fate as my previous companion,"

As usual, Aldric's lips curled up on one side, "Carrying someone else's name doesn't necessarily mean they will share the same fate. You and I are living proof of that," 

She was on the verge of arguing when the sound of heavy footsteps caught her attention. She turned her gaze over her shoulder.

"Tian?" she blurted out, casting a nervous glance at her father before correcting herself, "Sir Bastian..."

Visible signs of aging seemed to have worn on him since she last saw him at Egon's residence. It was as if a decade had passed for him.

"Your Excellency, Your Holiness," he acknowledged the men first, then placed his hand over his heart as he looked at her with one hazel eye. "My Lady," he greeted with a wounded tone in his voice.

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