355: Between the past and the future

Between the past and the future

Adela's face grew noticeably colder, and it had nothing to do with the lingering chill from the window left open by Egon.0

This reaction was all too familiar to her whenever her son broached the topic of dreams involving the First Empress. Noctavian, attuned to her unspoken feelings, ventured to speak.

"The dreams I have about him are purely factual, Mother. She only reveals to me the extent of her twin's deception. It's been a long time since I experienced one, though. Were the dreams she showed you always filled with horror?"

Adela's hand gently caressed Noctavian's cheek, her green eyes radiating affection. She had shared this tale with him before, yet she sensed that he inquired once more out of his deep reverence for the First Empress who had paved the path of glory for her awaited heir centuries ago.

"... I needed to conserve all of my energy during my pregnancy with you. That's why Rauul insisted I wear the brooch at all times, and from then on, only pleasant dreams graced my slumber."

He glanced at his wristband, acknowledging the First Empress's love and protection that had encompassed him even before his birth. Noctavian gently touched his bracelet in gratitude.

"Alkadim caused harm, not just to her but to Aunt Larissa as well. However, he's not on my list because his actions were unintentional. He was deeply deceived, after all."

Adela's eyes softened with maternal pride as she spoke, "My son possesses great wisdom. You can maintain a list of those whom you approach with caution and keep them at a distance, but never let the thirst for vengeance consume you."

He had heard her convey the same wisdom countless times. Just because he wanted justice for his mother, it didn't mean he would allow that urge to control him; he was determined not to become a puppet like those possessed beings around the hidden mines of Lanark.

"I won't allow obsession to take hold of me. I will vanquish our enemies and strategically distance myself from those who offer no value to us."

Adela nodded approvingly, "Yes, that is a prudent and befitting approach for Your Highness."

He gently placed his hand on her cheek, emulating her earlier gesture, "What do you plan to do about him?"

Adela responded with a hint of uncertainty, "...He arrived today; perhaps he'll leave soon?"

Both of them had heard Egon declare his intention to enter through the door and the speech he had delivered, asserting his right to know whether Noctavian was his son or not. Adela's last question was merely wishful thinking.

Noctavian pressed further, "And if he doesn't leave Lanark?"

The idea of Egon staying in Lanark had once been Adela's dream, but that dream had long faded.

"Your grandfather is resolute about driving him out, and that man's pride won't allow him to stay where he's not wanted."

Noctavian's cheeks took on a rosy hue, making him appear closer to his true age as he inquired further, "Do you plan to let him know that your marriage isn't annulled?"

Adela wore a small smile, "No, it's best that he believes this marriage is over."

Curiosity brimming, Noctavian asked, "May I inquire why?"

"You may ask me anything, Noctavian," she replied without hesitation, "It is for the best that he thinks our marriage is over because, quite simply, it is over between us. From a political perspective, Emoria no longer requires the support of the last Emperor's descendants, and House de Lanark stands stronger than ever. This marriage holds no significance for our kingdom."

Noctavian, however, was concerned about the personal aspect of their relationship.

Adela could perceive the unspoken inquiries in her son's eyes, a skill she had always possessed. Noctavian was reluctant to vocalize his concerns, but he was probing into matters of the heart. Surely, she couldn't reveal to her son that the missing piece of her broken heart was in Egon's possession.

"...Irrespective of the legal status of our union, I earnestly wish to heal him," she confessed to change the subject. "You must have sensed it too, the gravity of his situation?"

Noctavian nodded, remembering the mysterious aura that surrounded Egon. Initially, it had appeared malevolent, which had made him hesitant to acknowledge Egon when he first sensed his approach on horseback. However, after confirming Egon's identity with Rauul, Noctavian came to understand that Egon's dark aura was simply characteristic of his unique nature. That man didn't fit into any known species.

The man's exterior may have been as untouched as a rock, but internally, he was going through a pain that would have driven most humans to their knees, crying out for help.

Adela interpreted her son's silence as confirmation of her question.

"...When I saw him on that mountain that day, dealing with so much anguish in solitude instead of sharing a life with us here, I finally understood that he was right all along. He's not human, nor is he a vampire. He's trapped in a limbo, a state he was thrust into when he was just a few years older than you are now that day in the forest. That's why he never pursued his transformation... He's not in a good place, mentally or physically. He's still that lost boy, frozen in time."

Noctavian harbored a deep aversion to his mother's tendency to make excuses for those who had caused her harm.

"Do you believe he refuses to complete his transformation because he refuses to get better?" he asked, his frustration evident.

She nodded, her expression patient. "Undoubtedly."

"Free men live the life they choose," Noctavian echoed the words of Kaiser de Lanark. "And free men are held accountable for their choices."

"That is precisely what I meant to convey, Your Highness," she argued. "I do believe that years ago, he was just as unprepared to heal as he is today. That's why he struggled so hard to leave Lanark until he finally succeeded."

Her hope that he would find the will to heal while being away from her, because of her, was a different matter. That transient affection likely stemmed from the mate bond he felt toward her and dissipated when the mate bond ceased to exist.

As she placed her hand on her stomach, Noctavian understood the significance of the gesture. Vampires, like shapeshifters, possessed a mate bond that his mother as a Healer could detect. It had once connected her to Egon von Conradie, and she could no longer sense it as of late.

He gazed into her pretty green eyes, wanting to ask a question he couldn't find the words for—did his mother still love his father?

"...Why did you oppose that marriage annulment legislation that day?" he ended up asking indirectly.

She smiled faintly, "I dislike being coerced into a particular direction." She arched an eyebrow, "Something I share with my son?"

Noctavian's face brightened, but before concluding the conversation, he needed to make one thing clear, especially given her determination to heal her hidden husband.

"I shall never accept him into my life, Mother."

"..."

Adela didn't particularly like the use of the word 'never,' given her emphasis on the importance of flexibility for a ruler. However, she appreciated his honesty in expressing his thoughts. What Noctavian didn't know was that she had already witnessed a future scenario involving his relationship with his father once before, a long time ago when she was still pregnant with Noctavian.

In her dream, she envisioned a spectauclar King with Emorian hair and features, fair skin reminiscent of Larissa's, and familiar brown eyes. This King was accompanied by faithful followers who played a crucial role in uniting the continents and establishing his rule over the world, and among those loyal subjects was the man he now rejected.

Would that vision ever come to pass?

In that version, Egon was markedly different from the Beast she saw today, leaving her with doubts about the nature of that dream.

Was it merely a dream she had constructed based on her hopes for the future, or was it a prophecy?

pqdm.com