Chapter 68

After the baby was born, and with the weight of an uncertain future hanging over her, Elise couldn’t help but wonder if the man she had fled with would make a good father. He had initially agreed to have the child merely to evade the pressures of the emperor. Did he ever truly desire a child like this in the first place?

She pondered whether, if he could muster at least half the care a child needed, there might be a glimmer of hope. However, it appeared rather unlikely. The burning question remained – who would care for this helpless baby? Rebecca Petisson? Ivetsa? A newborn required constant nourishment and attention.

Running away with the baby seemed impractical, but abandoning the child and escaping alone was equally inconceivable. Elise wrestled with her thoughts, muttering softly, “Perhaps I can’t do it.”

The baby had committed no crime, and she refused to be the woman who brought a child into the world out of necessity and then callously abandoned it. She felt compelled to repay at least as much love as she had received from her parents and Andrei. It was her duty, and she was determined to fulfill it.

With a trembling resolve, Elise made her decision, “This is my responsibility, so I’ll shoulder it. If I have this baby, I intend to remain in Rotiara. I’m unsure for how long…”

How many years would it take for the baby to grow up? How long could she stay in Rotiara? How long should she stay by that man’s side? She knew these were premature concerns, but her desires tugged at her heart.

Because she wanted to.

Because she longed to be free of this constant anxiety. Being with Rezette made her feel whole and at peace, almost like a warm embrace. Elise was slowly finding her place in Rotiara alongside him.

“Hey,” Genovia sighed with frustration. “So, you’re telling me I should just hang around, waiting for you to raise this child for several years, and then send you back to Argan all dolled up? Are you out of your mind?”

“If you don’t like it, you’re free to leave. I don’t care what you say to the emperor.”

“Why in the world…?”

“What?”

“I can wrap my head around marrying a former enemy general. If you were in a hurry to meet your doom, you could’ve perished with the rest of us. But now, you’ve not only given birth to a child, but you plan to raise it well and then leave? Is that even possible? Is it an act of kindness, foolishness, or something despicable?”

Elise fell silent, her actions, feelings, and ultimate decisions tangled in contradictions. When did their relationship, initially built on mutual gain, start to hold deeper meaning? She should have shielded her heart from the beginning, but once she’d taken him into her life, she hadn’t foreseen this future.

Genovia shook her head. “No, Elizabeth, love? Seriously?”

Now, even to outsiders, it appeared as if love had entered the picture.

The path ahead seemed uncertain. Elise was grappling with the possibility that her actions were driven by her lack of a plan and dependence on him. She couldn’t help but wonder if her desire to stay in his embrace was evolving into love.

Genovia erupted into manic laughter. “He seeks love, even from the blessings of Grandel, and the most beautiful woman in this land? Love…? Ha!” Her laughter faded, and a hint of anxiety flickered in Genovia’s eyes, as if mocking had given way to concern.

She clicked her tongue. “No, Elise. You’re placing too much trust in him. You’re making him your sole lifeline.”

Elise responded with determination, “My emotions can’t be controlled or commanded. You have no right to interfere.”

“Aren’t you curious how far Rezette Kyrstan can be ruthless? He’s not as devoted to you as you think,” Genovia chuckled.

Elise’s voice wavered as she admitted, “I never expected his devotion from the start. But beyond what you see with your eyes, he’s shown me kindness, and…”

Genovia interrupted, “Speaking with that expression doesn’t make it more believable, you know.”

In truth, Elise’s facial expression had not displayed any noticeable changes, but when Genovia observed closely, she noticed a brief hesitation. Elise quickly regained her composure, but the damage was done. Genovia took Elise’s face in her hands and whispered, “You’re merely a beautiful prize, a woman he aims to conquer, a collectible item. That’s all you are to him, pitiable Elise. I didn’t want to say this…”

Genovia drew Elise closer, her lips brushing against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. But what stunned Elise wasn’t the sensation, it was the words Genovia whispered.

Shock filled Elise’s eyes. “What are you saying?”

Alive. Who?

She bit her lip and shot a glare at Genovia. “Is that a lie? How foolish do you think I…!”

“I’m Genovia of Norella.”

Before Elise could continue, Genovia’s madness seemed to evaporate, replaced by calmness. She withdrew her hand and spoke rationally.

“Norella is the heart of the Northern Confederation. It’s a vital route to the south, and most travelers heading to the capital, Opel, must pass through Norella. It’s where a wealth of information gathers, second only to the Grandel Southern Castle. And all that information falls into my hands.”

Elise remained silent.

“After the burning of Argan Castle, don’t you wonder what’s happening in the southern part of Grandel? The Duke won’t tell you everything, will he?”

Elise’s golden eyes rippled with curiosity. Within moments, those ripples turned into a tempest, and once again, she trembled under the taunts of this devilish woman.

“Is it true?” 

Genovia’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as they narrowed. “Of course. Among your people, there’s a survivor, Elise.”

“Who is it?” she demanded.

“I can’t reveal all my secrets, can I?” Genovia replied slyly. “Even if I told you, you probably wouldn’t believe it.”

Genovia seemed to revel in poking at Elise’s hope for the lone survivor amidst the tragedy, adding life to a glimmer of hope for someone who had already outlived the dead.

Elise clenched her teeth, whispering through the tension as she held her throbbing temple. “You are truly despicable.”

“Swearing on Norella and Irrien, I’ve never lied to you or hidden the truth. Unlike your husband. So who’s the one truly despicable here?”

Genovia laughed dryly at Elise’s silence. “Right, Elise. Your husband knows more about ‘them’ being alive than I do.”

“That’s not possible.”

Genovia shrugged and said, “You probably don’t believe anything I say, do you? Let me make it clear. Let’s go out together tonight.”

Elise hesitated. “Where should we go?”

“Not too far. Just to the first defense line of Rotiara Castle, beneath that fortress. I’ll show you something very interesting. There, you can witness with your own eyes and ears what your husband is doing, what he’s saying.”

Elise, struggling to contain her confusion, eventually agreed. If Rezette was there, it wouldn’t be particularly dangerous. Moreover, it was the same location he had visited earlier that night. Temptation overwhelmed her.

Just to confirm. Just to confirm if any part of what this woman is saying is true, she reasoned.

Seeing Elise’s inner turmoil, Genovia’s lips contorted in a strange spasm. “You’ve made the right choice, Elizabeth,” she grinned. “Once you witness that, you won’t hold the same love-struck gaze as before. Never.”

***

On a moonless night, a carriage silently departed from Rotiara Castle. Apart from Elise’s loyal maid, Ivetsa, no one else knew there was an additional passenger concealed within the carriage, beside Lady Irrien herself. The Duke of Irrien’s anchor emblem adorned the carriage.

The vehicle navigated through the triple-layered defenses and arrived before Rotiara Castle. Genovia stole a glance at Elise, seated opposite her.

“It appears it’s all over already. I can smell the blood,” Genovia remarked.

A faint metallic scent crept in through the gap in the carriage door, unmistakably the scent of blood. Genovia expressed her disappointment.

“It’s a shame. You should have witnessed him taking a life with your own eyes.”

Elise, shrouded in a black robe, huddled her shoulders. The odor of blood brought back painful memories of the blazing Argan Castle.

Genovia drew back the curtain, opening the window. The outside air flowed into the previously silent carriage, the early summer night warm and refreshing.

“Pay close attention and listen carefully. I’ll be kind enough to unveil that man’s true thoughts for you.”

Genovia swung open the carriage door. As her dress trailed behind her, Elise was left alone inside the vehicle.

Through the carriage window, Elise could see the woman moving farther away. At the end of Genovia Irrien’s steps, a long shadow loomed. The carriage’s skewed angle made it impossible to see the figure clearly, but the pools of blood were unmistakable.

A head…? Elise wondered.

An elongated silver blade was suspended over a lifeless body, blood streaming along its edge. A shiver coursed down her spine. Elise took a deep breath to steady herself and leaned closer to the open window, eager to catch any snippets of conversation.