Angie's eyes opened slowly. A faint sound stimulated all her senses. It felt like she had gone back to the days of the first half year since leaving the island when she had not been able to sleep soundly and let her guard down even for a single day. Someone was trying to enter the bedroom.
She kicked the bed and got up. Her body was moving on its own, just as she had always prepared in her head until last year. Angie put the bag she had prepared under the bed on her back, wrapped Noah's cradle in a blanket, and secured it tightly to her chest. Her heart was pounding like crazy.
Just as she was about to leave the bedroom through the first-floor window, the door swung open. A dreary fog rose darkly through the darkness, obscuring her vision. Angie blinked and stared at the familiar outline. Her legs were paralyzed, unable to move.
"Angie."
Kyle was before her eyes, his softly wavy black hair, his pure white cravat and jacket, as beautiful and perfect as when they had their nightly rendezvous.
"Angie, I..."
He was surrounded by fog and was saying something. Only then did Angie realize she was in a dream. She held the baby in her arms tightly as she watched the hallucination. Even though she knew it wasn't real, her teeth chattered with fear.
"I want to live forever. With you..."
His finger pointed to the baby in the cradle. Angie's heart thumped. She wrapped her arms around Noah protectively. Then the cool low voice came again.
"Is this my child?"
No! No... Noah is my child!
She screamed at the top of his lungs. At that moment, the fog began to roll in again where Kyle had been standing, and the airflow changed. Someone else was superimposed over his afterimage.
Angie frowned and squinted her eyes. It was unclear whether she could make out what he was saying. His voice had also become rough as if it was being scraped against metal.
"Angie. I want to live forever. Everyone dreams of immortality... I want... eternity..."
Just as her hand was about to reach out through the fog, Angie's eyes shot open. Someone's scream rang in her ears. It was coming from her own mouth. Then, a baby's cry echoed through the darkness.
“Noah!”
Angie jumped up and picked up the baby from the bed next to her. The baby woke up to her mother's screams and started crying and whining. As Angie held him in her arms and patted his back, he gradually calmed down.
“Honey, I’m sorry. Mommy had a dream and scared you...”
Her heart was still pounding. It was a cool autumn night in October, and the air was warm inside. But she was still shivering and sweating. The baby's eyes were wide open and he began to breathe evenly. Angie carefully laid the sleeping baby down again and wiped her forehead.
Why did I suddenly have that dream?
The royal delegation from Trieste was scheduled to arrive in Vintergar in a few days. Maybe that's why she suddenly had a dream about Kyle. And there was someone else. Who on earth was the silhouette that appeared behind Kyle?
A shudder ran down her spine. Angie crouched down and took a deep breath. It was just a dream. In a dream, no one could harm her or Noah. She had felt a faint sense of unease since she heard that he was coming to the Citadel. That must have been why she had had such a nightmare.
But dreams are just dreams. They are just expressions of the anxious unconscious and have no meaning. They should not have happened.
It was still dark outside. The moonlight streaming through the window filtered gently through the cream-colored curtains. It was still a while before the sky turned pale.
The sky was clear as day, and the air floating through the city was warm like a blessing from God. On an autumn day, two weeks before Noah’s birthday, the streets were bustling with preparations for the National Foundation Day festival from the morning. People seemed to be already looking forward to the royal parade that would be held late in the afternoon.
Angie was home with Bryn, her and Martin's babies Patricia and Noah just an hour before the parade. But she had to go out in a hurry because something had gone wrong with the baby's handkerchief, which was due to be baptized tomorrow. The owner of the costume shop, who was the only one outside the family who knew Madame M's true identity, had come to visit with the finished product she had received yesterday.
“Amber, what should we do? The consul’s wife really likes everything else, but here, the baby’s name is spelled wrong. I think we’ll have to fix it and send it back today.”
“Huh? That can’t be... Isn’t the baby’s name Michael, spelled like that?”
“In Vintergar, it is, but the baby’s godfather is from Vicente, so he must have named it that way. So it becomes Mikael. Since there are so many immigrants in Vintergar, even if it’s the same name, the spelling can be different. Usually, it’s Michael, Mikael, but in Trieste, it’s also written as Mikyel or Mikyle.”
“Ah... That’s right. That’s true.”
Suddenly, Angie remembered Michael from the island. Now that she thinks about it, his name was also written as Mikyle. I hope he is doing well in Hedestad...
But she had no time to dwell on her thoughts any longer. Madame Madeleine began to gently urge her on.
“So, can you come to the studio with me right now and just embroider the names again? I’m really sorry I’m just resting at home, but I’ll make sure to finish by five o’clock so you won’t miss the parade! I’m really looking forward to it, too.”
“Oh, no. That’s okay.”
Angie tried to hide her embarrassment and smiled. She had no intention of going outside at all, let alone watching the parade, but she couldn't say why.
“You don’t have to worry about that, I can finish it quickly. But I just happened to run out of blue thread in the studio. Since you insisted on using that color, I guess I’ll have to go to the costume shop in person...”
Then Bryn intervened and handed Patricia over to the nanny.
“That won’t do! The only person who knows Madame M’s true identity is Madame Madeleine, so if anyone else sees it...”
“Oh, don’t worry about that! It’s the first day of the festival and there’s a parade, so I sent them off work early. I’m the only one in the store.”
“I see? Then I’ll finish it there. Since the consul’s house is nearby, I can ask the servant to bring it to you. Bryn, I’ll be back soon, so I’ll leave Noah in your care. The baptism is tomorrow, so I have to hand it over today.”
“There’s nothing we can do. Instead, instead of walking, take Uncle Anton’s carriage and go. I’ll have it ready right away.”
Amber pulled her hat down low over her wig and put on a cape before getting into the carriage with Madeline. The streets were already in a festive mood. Everyone had finished work early and was gathered in small groups in the square with their families, chatting.
Many people were eating and drinking sandwiches, pies, milk tea, and root beer in front of street vendors. On the stone floor under the fountain, children's playful drops of powdered sugar sparkled like snow.
“Oh my, that muffin stand has been here for a long time. The muffins there are really soft and delicious. Has Amber tried them too?”
“Oh, no. I haven’t... yet.”
“I tried it last month because a new employee brought it. He’s from Trieste, and he said it’s a totally different atmosphere from here. It’s free and lively here, but there, street food is prohibited and he's not allowed to go out after dark. Oh my, how can he live in such a desolate place?”
“From Trieste... from the capital city of Hedestad?”
Angie asked, trying hard to hide her excitement. Her heart was beating faster than usual when she heard the story from someone outside her family.
“Yeah. His family was scattered during the war and came to Vintergar as a refugee, but I heard he recently got in touch with his relatives there. They used to exchange letters occasionally, but even that has been cut off since last year. Wow, they’re already here.”
The conversation ended there. Angie told the groom to come pick her up in thirty minutes, then went into the dressing room with Madeline.
The royal family of Vintergar attempted to interact with the people several times a year through water parades and processions through the streets. This year’s National Day parade through the streets was one of them, but the royal family of Trieste, who were the state guests, were not allowed to attend the procession for security reasons.
The peace treaty between the two countries was proceeding smoothly. Neither of the two countries wanted war. The two royal families were completely of one mind and heart in that regard, as they did not want the clouds of war to gather. However, there were still many areas to discuss, such as economic relations and trade opening.
“His Majesty is unable to make a hasty decision.”
“I see. We need to reach an agreement at least on trade.”
Jerome added as he assisted his master in preparing to go out. He was now the Duke of Blackwell's official secretary.
“If we make a decision, Vintergar will respond immediately. The royal family still has more influence than the cabinet council, but both the royal family and the council want to negotiate on this issue.”
Kyle continued speaking, taking off his round jacket and taking a long coat.
“There are still two weeks left, so we’ll have to wait and see. But... where is she, not yet?”
It was a question about Angie's whereabouts. Jerome shook his head, looking down.
“Yes, there hasn’t been any contact yet.”
Kyle turned his head away without asking any more questions. He had already expected the answer, so there was no need to discuss it further. If there was something, he would have heard the report long ago.
He put on his long coat and fastened his cravat with the pin Jerome gave him. He put on a gray fur muffler around his neck and a bowler hat instead of the formal top hat on his head, not so much to keep warm as to hide his face as much as possible. He was at the very end of the procession, in the carriage, but he was probably looking out the window at the scenery, so he wanted to be on the safe side.
“I will go and check if Madam’s preparations are complete.”
Kyle raised one eyebrow as he put on his gloves. He didn't seem to care at all about the Duchess.
She kicked the bed and got up. Her body was moving on its own, just as she had always prepared in her head until last year. Angie put the bag she had prepared under the bed on her back, wrapped Noah's cradle in a blanket, and secured it tightly to her chest. Her heart was pounding like crazy.
Just as she was about to leave the bedroom through the first-floor window, the door swung open. A dreary fog rose darkly through the darkness, obscuring her vision. Angie blinked and stared at the familiar outline. Her legs were paralyzed, unable to move.
"Angie."
Kyle was before her eyes, his softly wavy black hair, his pure white cravat and jacket, as beautiful and perfect as when they had their nightly rendezvous.
"Angie, I..."
He was surrounded by fog and was saying something. Only then did Angie realize she was in a dream. She held the baby in her arms tightly as she watched the hallucination. Even though she knew it wasn't real, her teeth chattered with fear.
"I want to live forever. With you..."
His finger pointed to the baby in the cradle. Angie's heart thumped. She wrapped her arms around Noah protectively. Then the cool low voice came again.
"Is this my child?"
No! No... Noah is my child!
She screamed at the top of his lungs. At that moment, the fog began to roll in again where Kyle had been standing, and the airflow changed. Someone else was superimposed over his afterimage.
Angie frowned and squinted her eyes. It was unclear whether she could make out what he was saying. His voice had also become rough as if it was being scraped against metal.
"Angie. I want to live forever. Everyone dreams of immortality... I want... eternity..."
Just as her hand was about to reach out through the fog, Angie's eyes shot open. Someone's scream rang in her ears. It was coming from her own mouth. Then, a baby's cry echoed through the darkness.
“Noah!”
Angie jumped up and picked up the baby from the bed next to her. The baby woke up to her mother's screams and started crying and whining. As Angie held him in her arms and patted his back, he gradually calmed down.
“Honey, I’m sorry. Mommy had a dream and scared you...”
Her heart was still pounding. It was a cool autumn night in October, and the air was warm inside. But she was still shivering and sweating. The baby's eyes were wide open and he began to breathe evenly. Angie carefully laid the sleeping baby down again and wiped her forehead.
Why did I suddenly have that dream?
The royal delegation from Trieste was scheduled to arrive in Vintergar in a few days. Maybe that's why she suddenly had a dream about Kyle. And there was someone else. Who on earth was the silhouette that appeared behind Kyle?
A shudder ran down her spine. Angie crouched down and took a deep breath. It was just a dream. In a dream, no one could harm her or Noah. She had felt a faint sense of unease since she heard that he was coming to the Citadel. That must have been why she had had such a nightmare.
But dreams are just dreams. They are just expressions of the anxious unconscious and have no meaning. They should not have happened.
It was still dark outside. The moonlight streaming through the window filtered gently through the cream-colored curtains. It was still a while before the sky turned pale.
***
The sky was clear as day, and the air floating through the city was warm like a blessing from God. On an autumn day, two weeks before Noah’s birthday, the streets were bustling with preparations for the National Foundation Day festival from the morning. People seemed to be already looking forward to the royal parade that would be held late in the afternoon.
Angie was home with Bryn, her and Martin's babies Patricia and Noah just an hour before the parade. But she had to go out in a hurry because something had gone wrong with the baby's handkerchief, which was due to be baptized tomorrow. The owner of the costume shop, who was the only one outside the family who knew Madame M's true identity, had come to visit with the finished product she had received yesterday.
“Amber, what should we do? The consul’s wife really likes everything else, but here, the baby’s name is spelled wrong. I think we’ll have to fix it and send it back today.”
“Huh? That can’t be... Isn’t the baby’s name Michael, spelled like that?”
“In Vintergar, it is, but the baby’s godfather is from Vicente, so he must have named it that way. So it becomes Mikael. Since there are so many immigrants in Vintergar, even if it’s the same name, the spelling can be different. Usually, it’s Michael, Mikael, but in Trieste, it’s also written as Mikyel or Mikyle.”
“Ah... That’s right. That’s true.”
Suddenly, Angie remembered Michael from the island. Now that she thinks about it, his name was also written as Mikyle. I hope he is doing well in Hedestad...
But she had no time to dwell on her thoughts any longer. Madame Madeleine began to gently urge her on.
“So, can you come to the studio with me right now and just embroider the names again? I’m really sorry I’m just resting at home, but I’ll make sure to finish by five o’clock so you won’t miss the parade! I’m really looking forward to it, too.”
“Oh, no. That’s okay.”
Angie tried to hide her embarrassment and smiled. She had no intention of going outside at all, let alone watching the parade, but she couldn't say why.
“You don’t have to worry about that, I can finish it quickly. But I just happened to run out of blue thread in the studio. Since you insisted on using that color, I guess I’ll have to go to the costume shop in person...”
Then Bryn intervened and handed Patricia over to the nanny.
“That won’t do! The only person who knows Madame M’s true identity is Madame Madeleine, so if anyone else sees it...”
“Oh, don’t worry about that! It’s the first day of the festival and there’s a parade, so I sent them off work early. I’m the only one in the store.”
“I see? Then I’ll finish it there. Since the consul’s house is nearby, I can ask the servant to bring it to you. Bryn, I’ll be back soon, so I’ll leave Noah in your care. The baptism is tomorrow, so I have to hand it over today.”
“There’s nothing we can do. Instead, instead of walking, take Uncle Anton’s carriage and go. I’ll have it ready right away.”
Amber pulled her hat down low over her wig and put on a cape before getting into the carriage with Madeline. The streets were already in a festive mood. Everyone had finished work early and was gathered in small groups in the square with their families, chatting.
Many people were eating and drinking sandwiches, pies, milk tea, and root beer in front of street vendors. On the stone floor under the fountain, children's playful drops of powdered sugar sparkled like snow.
“Oh my, that muffin stand has been here for a long time. The muffins there are really soft and delicious. Has Amber tried them too?”
“Oh, no. I haven’t... yet.”
“I tried it last month because a new employee brought it. He’s from Trieste, and he said it’s a totally different atmosphere from here. It’s free and lively here, but there, street food is prohibited and he's not allowed to go out after dark. Oh my, how can he live in such a desolate place?”
“From Trieste... from the capital city of Hedestad?”
Angie asked, trying hard to hide her excitement. Her heart was beating faster than usual when she heard the story from someone outside her family.
“Yeah. His family was scattered during the war and came to Vintergar as a refugee, but I heard he recently got in touch with his relatives there. They used to exchange letters occasionally, but even that has been cut off since last year. Wow, they’re already here.”
The conversation ended there. Angie told the groom to come pick her up in thirty minutes, then went into the dressing room with Madeline.
***
The royal family of Vintergar attempted to interact with the people several times a year through water parades and processions through the streets. This year’s National Day parade through the streets was one of them, but the royal family of Trieste, who were the state guests, were not allowed to attend the procession for security reasons.
The peace treaty between the two countries was proceeding smoothly. Neither of the two countries wanted war. The two royal families were completely of one mind and heart in that regard, as they did not want the clouds of war to gather. However, there were still many areas to discuss, such as economic relations and trade opening.
“His Majesty is unable to make a hasty decision.”
“I see. We need to reach an agreement at least on trade.”
Jerome added as he assisted his master in preparing to go out. He was now the Duke of Blackwell's official secretary.
“If we make a decision, Vintergar will respond immediately. The royal family still has more influence than the cabinet council, but both the royal family and the council want to negotiate on this issue.”
Kyle continued speaking, taking off his round jacket and taking a long coat.
“There are still two weeks left, so we’ll have to wait and see. But... where is she, not yet?”
It was a question about Angie's whereabouts. Jerome shook his head, looking down.
“Yes, there hasn’t been any contact yet.”
Kyle turned his head away without asking any more questions. He had already expected the answer, so there was no need to discuss it further. If there was something, he would have heard the report long ago.
He put on his long coat and fastened his cravat with the pin Jerome gave him. He put on a gray fur muffler around his neck and a bowler hat instead of the formal top hat on his head, not so much to keep warm as to hide his face as much as possible. He was at the very end of the procession, in the carriage, but he was probably looking out the window at the scenery, so he wanted to be on the safe side.
“I will go and check if Madam’s preparations are complete.”
Kyle raised one eyebrow as he put on his gloves. He didn't seem to care at all about the Duchess.
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