My Dignity?

After all those conversations, Heinz finally told me we should take our leave; hence the time almost strikes at midnight. I wave a farewell for the Carmine sisters and hope we will meet again only if fate lets us. But before we could set out, Young Master Damien approached us.

We took permission from our leave. I was relieved as Lord Damien never strives to pry at me. But he greets me again with another suspicious smile. " My Lady, I hope we could have a nice and formal chat soon," He grins. " Time seems to chase on us, My Lord. We need to go now," my brother cut off, and Damien let us. I mentally shrugged on my shoulder, and Heinz quickly dragged me in the carriage after that. He wasted no time. Our servants greeted us and readied before we set out.

" What was the rush?" I heavily panted, and I sat down on the carriage. My feet ache from the haste, and not to mention I wore heels. " You almost made me trip on my shoes. Well lucky for you. You wore boots," I pointed to him, and Heinz let out a sigh, and the carriage started on the way home. " Pardon me." he Apologetically said. " It was dangerous at night now. We might have encountered something bizarre If we took too long," he said as he tried to avoid me and with gloom on his face.

We passed across the misty forest, which was hard to see the surroundings, and somehow it makes shrugs of the chills. I hear howls from the werewolves and a siren of mermaids singing near the lake. A song that compelled people to plummet into sleep, but both of us covered our ears. We would never fall for those melodies.

After a few hours of silence, Heinz decided to break the ice. " Adelaide, tell me what ' really ' happened," he raised a question. I gulped down as I peered at Heinz. He was looking at me with a confused look. Did he notice? " I-IT was accident!" I stood up, and he flinched from the sudden shout. The carriage also bumps that almost hits my head. " Adelaide." Heinz cough. " Why did you shout all of the sudden?" he grunted as he scratched his head. As I again slumped at the seat. My arms and legs are stricken out.

" Did you really do something? Never lie, or else I willl let you eat something funny," he threatened, and I rolled my eyes. But It was true he would let me eat some weird-looking mushroom and ended up saying different languages, which I only knew. Funny, If I may say. I clicked my tongue. " I kicked His Lord- He deserved it after all." I said courageously and no shame at all. Heinz gaped from what he heard. He looks like someone broke a glass out of a sudden.

" W-what?!?" Heinz blurts out, and his face is like a color of a fresh blueberry for a mere second. " Y-You are so foolish, If the Duchess would have witnessed the scene do you think we could walk again in the daylight?" He resumed, and I heed no mind. " His Lord came out of no where, how come I get not scared?" I fended myself. Indeed I was scared in a split second, and it was true. They were intimidating. But after the incident, I feel like I did something people never commit as it was impossible. Maybe a satisfaction for a weak person like me.

"Dignity, Sister. Spare your face for some," he glanced sharply at me as I amusingly scoffed. "Who cares of Dignity?" I took back his own words. " Dear Heavens. What have you become." bitterly with a disgust on his tone.

"After that incident what happened afterwards?" He went right into the main topic, as I anticipated from him. He taps the finger as it lingers; he waits for my reply. "I keep apologizing until I ran out of breath, and he told me its fine since Im his guest." I said truthfully from what I remember. "I wish i could have smacked him in the face also," I added dreamingly to what might happen If I did continue punching him. "You two face devil- Who taught you to be like that?"

"My own!" I boasted myself. Thanks to the novels and books of Drama I read once a child, I have learned so much. " No wonder our parents seems to favor you and the housekeepers look up at you."

"If you are confiding this to Father. Do you think you could get away from me?" Giving him a cocky smile. Heinz hisses at my remark. He shifted to the right side to avoid my gaze. "Your being spoiled rotten." he murmured. However, for me, it was louder than the howls of the wolves.

And another silent and awkward between us. It did not bring more hours until we came home to our lovely abode. The countless hiss of the winds blew away, and the night got colder. The Gate opened, and we stopped at the front. Our parents welcomed us, but Felix was nowhere to be recognized. Mother dressed in a comfy nightgown with hanging roses in her waists, and Father wore an undergarment skirt that reached his knees. Seeing him wearing those makes me chuckle a bit. My brother yawns as weary from the journey.

Hannah steps down from the front of the Coach, and she courtesy both of us before she could leave with a coachman along with more workloads on her. The somnolence pushed back onto her when she almost got tripped by her feet. Mother and Father had not asked yet about what happened at the banquet. But I will worry about telling them those details later. I sleepily walk up to my room and hundreds of steps before reaching my bedroom. The room was still scented like lemon, as the secret flower glow as usual.

Changing my clothes into a comfy nightdress; twinkles with gold like stars in the starry nights. I wandered into the dream state. Everything went to void, and the scent of lemon became more dominant.

~~~~~~

The night already caught up, and If time could tell; It Is already the setting dawn of the morning and dew-kissed the teardrops. Louis overworked himself from time to time, a soon successor of the secured throne of Atharta. He shan't disappoint the people that could destroy its reputation from the three Empires.

The knock came and heard from his office. Three knocks and five knocks it follows. It was on the rhythm like a pattern. "Come In, and recognize yourself." he halted the paperwork, and the door opens revealing a person dressed in a black suit. Louis raised a brow, and the person showed a courtesy. "Your Highness, I almost got caught from their guards. But I tend to look out away from the Manor and continue to spy them," they confessed.

"What about her Lady?" he asked. "Lady Adelaide encountered with Young Master Heinrich, but his Lord had not do anything but talking to her, your highness." they answered. He put a slight grinned smile. Reaching a pouch of money from his desk and threw it into them. "You did your job well. Await for my next order," he said with satisfaction, and the person with the black suit quickly grabbed the bagful of coins.

"May the Gods favor your success to the heavenly, Your highness." and they said with an emotionless face reflected as they left after that, leaving with no whiff. They were now gone with the winds. 'What a strange being, they left within a blink,' he regarded. Louis shrugged off. The Crown prince browses the letter, and which was written by Lord Felix Eilberts. Words crossed in each word with blood ink. There were names. Names that are not even familiar with the Haelan.

' It seems the mastermind behind the onslaughts has been searing their skins with names. They were branded on their back; Ellian, Moore, Josiah, Marikit, Chiyo, Kim...' The names continued, as it interpreted their spur of death each; Five and a hundred demises in a month.

" Oh Heavenly Creator, please shall guide their corrupted souls into the heaven with no remorse. And restart their soul anew and rekindle them with thy light," he prayed humbly.