Chapter Five
_ It is time for the Prince to return to his palace..
* * *
The situation remained quiet despite a week of _ Peter _ and _ Caral _ monitoring _ Nyla _ and her child..
_ Peter _ sighed as he ate a piece of dry bread, looking at _ Caral _, who sat behind a rock to provide himself a safe space to monitor _ Damian _, who was playing around _ Nyla _ in a field belonging to Mrs. _ Catherine _. _ Nyla _ was giving instructions here and there to the workers, and _ Damian _ was around her, the child appearing very much as if he were enjoying himself, like any child his age..
"How much longer will we stay like this?!"
"A message will arrive today from the Archduke.."
"What do you expect?!..."
_ Caral _ looked deeply toward _ Damian _, who was smiling sincerely and freely.
'Did the Archduke know or feel this?!...'
" _ Caral _!!"
_ Caral _ realized he had been absent-minded and looked at _ Peter _ in confusion:
"What?!"
"Nothing, you were just far away.."
_ Caral _ sighed and returned to his usual monitoring...
* * *
After the workers finished arranging the baskets, _ Nyla _ thanked them and allowed them to leave. Then she looked at the sun and found that lunchtime was approaching. She looked in a certain direction and sighed:
" _ Dami _... we must return to Aunt _ Catherine _'s house; she has prepared banana honey pie for you.."
"Really... hooray!"
_ Damian _, who was chasing a squirrel and playing with it, stopped and looked at _ Nyla _ enthusiastically. He left the angry squirrel and went to his mother, who, as usual, as soon as she grabbed his hand, began giving him the usual instructions... washing hands and face, eating quietly... etc... and the child, despite his grumbling, did not seem annoyed...
A moment before they reached _ Catherine _'s house, _ Damian _ spoke with a playful smile:
"Are they still watching us?!"
"I believe so... just don't pay it any mind..."
"It was my fault, Mother..."
"It's alright."
The child was truly sorry; he lowered his shoulders and clenched his small fists tightly, saying sadly:
"I should have monitored my surroundings well and not been reckless... I never want to be away from my mother.."
_ Nyla _ felt a sharp pang in her heart and lowered herself to his eye level. Gently, she took his hands, kissed them, and said in a warm voice...
"I won't let anyone take you away from me... You are my child, even if not of my blood..."
_ Damian _ kissed _ Nyla _'s cheek, his expression brightened, and he said with a sweet smile:
"I have only one mother, and that is you, Mother.."
_ Nyla _ embraced _ Damian _, and the feeling of constriction in her heart eased. She smiled at this little angel who always finds a way to her heart..
"Will I keep waiting for long?!..."
"Auntie.."
When _ Damian _ rushed into _ Catherine _'s arms, her expression brightened, and she patted the boy's head while looking at _ Nyla _ with sad eyes... but she spoke brightly:
"The pie will get cold, come in quickly, both of you..."
"Wash your hands first..."
_ Damian _ entered the house enthusiastically, and _ Nyla _ followed with _ Catherine _... _ Catherine _ looked at _ Nyla _ and spoke warmly:
"What happened, _ Lucia _?!"
"Auntie, I'm truly afraid.."
"Do the knights have a connection to _ Damian _'s family?!"
"I fear he will be taken away from me..."
_ Catherine _ patted _ Nyla _'s back to comfort her and said:
"If necessary, I'll do anything to help you both smuggle yourselves out of Carson..."
"We cannot flee. If the truth that _ Damian _ is alive spreads, he won't be safe anymore..."
"..."
"Auntie, I don't want to risk his life for my selfish desires..."
_ Catherine _ looked warmly at the young woman before her. She had learned that _ Nyla _ was not _ Damian _'s biological mother more than three years ago, and _ Nyla _ had told her about her identity and asked for her help. _ Catherine _ couldn't refuse, and thus she was the protector of _ Nyla _'s secret and continued to treat her as she was when she entered the village..
_ Nyla _'s shoulders were hunched, and she felt a burning sensation in her throat. The idea of fleeing and disappearing had crossed her mind, but what if her beautiful child got hurt?
Her best decision was telling _ Catherine _ her secret, for she had been her support during times of fear. If she did something reckless, not only she would get hurt, but also Mrs. _ Catherine _ and the kind people of this village..
She returned her shoulders to their naturally upright position, breathed deeply, showed her brightest face, and returned to the dining table..
* * *
"Will you go yourself?!"
"No."
"Do you think _ Caral _ was mistaken about the child?!"
"I don't think so; _ Caral _ has sharp senses, so I don't doubt the matter..."
"What are the orders, Your Grace?!"
"Let the road to the Duchy be secured with the highest levels of secrecy."
"And _ Nyla Harvey _?"
"I want her alive."
"I will follow your orders, sir."
_ Hans _ bowed, then looked at his master's rigid features, which showed no reaction since the news reached him. He sighed deeply and swept his eyes around the usual office. Nothing had changed; this has been the state of this office for seven years, and for twenty years before...
This man lives like a ghost in this place; you feel he might leave at any moment. _ Elion di Walter _ has always been known as a man who belongs to nothing...
* * * It was very early morning, and everyone had woken up to perform their work, until a luxurious carriage passed..
"Did you see?!"
"It's very luxurious.."
"To whom does that carriage belong?!"
"It looks like it belongs to a great noble..."
"What brought it to our village?!"
"We don't know..."
People whispered about this strange carriage; they saw it with amazed eyes. The carriage was made of polished black walnut wood with silver-inlaid handles, traveling through the roads of Toriz Village, followed by another carriage less luxurious than the former but still very luxurious. Just looking at it was very expensive..
The carriage was moving surrounded by about twenty elite knights, all carrying the "Black Griffin" emblem with red eyes, which was the same emblem painted on the carriage...
After traveling for more than twenty minutes inside the village, it stopped in front of a house at the top of the hill. The villagers stopped whispering and waited in anticipation. There was no trace of doubt regarding the destination of the carriage; the woman who lives at the top of the hill is undoubtedly a noble, but they loved her and lived with her. She wasn't pampered, arrogant, or obsessed with the role of the victim; rather, she was an affectionate mother to her child and a diligent worker in any job. Every individual in this village had received a helping hand from her...
The people didn't know the story, but as is rumored about young noblewomen who flee because of love or scandal—despite people's bias— _ Lucia _ was a friendly and kind person who won the hearts of the people of this village...
"Do you expect it's for the child's family?!"
"Perhaps... it seemed she was caring for her child in a noble way."
"But if she didn't want to..."
"I won't let anyone force Mrs. _ Lucia _ into something she doesn't want.."
"They are powerful, _ Paul _... don't you see the knights?!"
"Mrs. _ Lucia _ is a strong person; she won't let anyone force her into something she doesn't want..."
" _ Jan _ is right... don't worry, _ Paul _..."
The elders and youth in the village were gathering at the bottom of the hill, waiting for _ Lucia _ or anyone to emerge from the house. Since the carriage arrived, the knight knocked on the door, and entered, nothing had appeared...
"What are you doing, _ Paul _?! Come back here.. Hey, _ Jan _!"
"I'm going to see Mrs. _ Lucia _..."
The two boys moved toward the house anxiously. Even _ Jan _, who trusts _ Lucia _, felt anxious. But as soon as they approached the knights, they were prevented from approaching..
"Approaching here is forbidden..."
"But it's Mrs. _ Catherine _'s property, and no one has the right to stop us..."
The knight hesitated a little, but the other spoke with greater firmness as he pushed _ Jan _ and _ Paul _ away:
"You are not allowed to interfere in military affairs issued by the Emperor..."
_ Jan _ froze for a second while holding _ Paul _. He realized that the person he was conversing with was from the knights of a great power, even if he didn't know which one. The Emperor doesn't give authority to just anyone...
_ Jan _ and _ Paul _ retreated several steps back, but they didn't move far so they could at least see _ Lucia _ when she emerged...
After a wait that didn't last long, _ Lucia _ came out carrying a small box. Strangely, the child who always seems braver than any man in the village was clinging to his mother like someone afraid of her escape. He noticed that the knight who seemed to be of high status was speaking to _ Damian _ with respect, but he was ignoring him, clinging to his mother...
_ Jan _ anxiously shouted in a loud voice:
" _ Damian _!!!... Mrs. _ Lucia _!!!..."
_ Damian _ looked with sad eyes at _ Jan _ and _ Paul _ and clung more to _ Lucia _. The knight politely carried the box from _ Lucia _, who turned to _ Jan _ and waved to him with a smile that he felt carried all the sadness of this world...
"Mrs. _ Lucia _...."
_ Jan _'s eyes flowed silently while _ Lucia _ urged _ Damian _ to board the carriage, and before she boarded, he saw the knight talking to her—a conversation he didn't hear.. but after that, she boarded the carriage...
The knight who seems to be the primary official here and who had been in the village for days... as soon as he boarded, the procession moved all at once as if it were a single entity...
The carriage descended the hill, and everyone was in a state of intense sadness. Everyone stopped watching the view of the moving procession until it left the village...
There was a shadow looming over the village people. There were no farewells with words; they couldn't see _ Lucia _ or the naughty little _ Damian _... Everyone felt sad and quietly went about their work with stolen souls...
* * *
As soon as the view of the village disappeared from _ Damian _'s sight, he threw himself into his mother's lap, crying with intense sadness...
"I couldn't say goodbye to _ Paul _ and _ Jan _... even Grandma _ Martha _ and Aunt _ Rita _ and Uncle _ Ben _ and.... I won't see everyone... Mother... I don't want to leave the village... I want to live with Mother here... Why?! Why must it be like this?"
_ Nyla _ patted _ Damian _'s back and hair; she didn't stop the child from crying. It was ironic that she was the one who truly wanted to cry... Her life here was beautiful and wonderful. She loved every individual in this village and loved every corner of it. She had become accustomed to her life as _ Lucia Pons _, the single mother, and loved it, just as she immersed herself in the love of her parents when she was a child to forget her previous life. She drowned in her life as _ Lucia _ and forgot the novel...
* * *
The previous night...
_ Nyla _ was sitting at the tea table. _ Catherine _ looked at _ Damian _, who fell asleep on the sofa while reading one of his books. _ Catherine _ placed a small blanket over him and returned to sit at the table.
" _ Damian _ has fallen asleep... why don't you both stay the night at my house?"
"I expect guests in the morning.."
" _ Lucia _..."
"I might not be able to say goodbye to you, Auntie..."
_ Catherine _ placed her hand on _ Nyla _'s trembling hand and patted it gently..
" _ Nyla _... I cannot give false hope, but I hope the Archduke pardons you..."
"I am greedy, Auntie..."
"..."
"Auntie, I... I don't want them to take my child from me... Is this selfish?!"
For the first time, _ Nyla _ allowed the tears to come out and continued to remain in silence... _ Nyla _ sighed after she calmed down a bit and said with a smile she tried to make encouraging:
"I'll do anything to stay close to _ Damian _..."
She had already thought. She wouldn't spare any effort to prove her usefulness in exchange for remaining close to her child, supporting him in his life, and seeing him grow up safely..
"I trust your ability to do that..."
_ Catherine _ smiled through her tears and spoke with great support and strong emotion.
_ Nyla _ looked at the clock and said calmly as she stood:
"We must leave; I have to prepare _ Damian _'s important belongings..."
She approached _ Damian _ and adjusted his position, and although he seems larger than his peers and he is too big for her to carry, she carried him on her back while whispering gently... when he opened his eyes sleepily:
"Mother.."
"We're going home.."
_ Damian _ clung to _ Nyla _'s neck, and _ Catherine _ placed the blanket over the child's back and smiled while _ Nyla _ said thoughtfully:
"Ah... I must prepare chocolate hazelnut biscuits... when he rides the carriage, he hates eating... and since the journey is long, I need many of them."
_ Catherine _ understood that _ Nyla _ was trying to ignore the dark thoughts and trying to move forward for the sake of the child, so she said to go along with her:
"Then it seems I'll walk with you. It seems you need eggs and many ingredients to prepare the biscuits, so let's go together..."
_ Nyla _ smiled and moved with _ Catherine _, who hurried to the kitchen and took what she needed, and they set out together, walking in the refreshing night air quietly. A young man stepped forward enthusiastically:
"Mrs. _ Catherine _, Mrs. _ Lucia _, do you need any help?! Shall I carry _ Damian _ for you, My Lady?"
_ Lucia _ laughed when _ Damian _ tightened his embrace and said playfully:
"He is very clingy when he's asleep. Never mind, _ Caesar _..."
He took the heavy basket from _ Catherine _'s hand and said playfully:
"Then I'll carry the items.."
_ Nyla _ smiled and continued walking toward the house. She was trying to feel as much as possible of the night air of this village where she lived years of the happiest years of her life...
When they arrived at the house, _ Caesar _ placed the items and left with a smile. After she placed _ Damian _ in his bed, _ Nyla _ sighed and started working with _ Catherine _ to prepare many biscuits in many of _ Damian _'s favorite flavors, and a very large amount was prepared...
When they finished, the time had passed midnight. Although _ Catherine _ wanted to stay longer, she knew that staying longer would only increase the sadness in her heart. She stepped toward _ Nyla _ and gave her a medium brown box the size of a large man's fist. It was a magical box, and she said playfully:
"I don't know what idea came to me when I bought it, but it's wonderful for storing large quantities of food without spoiling..."
_ Nyla _ laughed and took the box:
"It will be suitable for storing this amount of biscuits.."
They proceeded to put the biscuits in the box while avoiding conversation, and in the end, _ Catherine _ burst into tears and said with a kind, heavy heart:
"I don't know how I can get used to life without you both. I feel like I'm losing my daughter and my grandson... _ Nyla _, take care of yourself.. and write to me at the earliest opportunity.."
_ Nyla _ embraced _ Catherine _ until she calmed down and said affectionately:
"Fine... take care of yourself, Auntie."
"If you feel a desire to return... then this house is your house."
After a difficult farewell, _ Catherine _ was able to leave the house with a heavy heart, while _ Nyla _ barely suppressed her tears, gathered her strength, and began collecting only the very important things for _ Damian _ and some comfortable clothes for the journey...
Morning came, and _ Nyla _ was still bustling in the house, sometimes cleaning this and sometimes rearranging that... Sleep refused to visit her, and it seems that _ Damian _, who had strong instincts, felt it. He woke several times from his sleep, and he heard and saw much, but he pretended to sleep until the moment the door of the house was knocked. _ Nyla _ finally woke from her wandering and opened the door for the expected visitor. It was _ Caral Percion _ in official knight's attire, and _ Peter _ was waiting for him outside. _ Nyla _ took a deep breath and allowed him to enter..
"I don't know if my humble home suits you; you may sit.."
" _ Nyla Harvey _, you know the reason for my visit?..."
"I know, but _ Damian _ is asleep... I must wake him first.... Please, have a seat."
She felt her heart trembling, but she took a deep breath, looked calmly at _ Caral _, and asked him to rest... So _ Caral _ sat on the sofa in front of the door leading to the bedroom. _ Nyla _ paid him no mind and entered the room, finding _ Damian _ awake and looking at her quietly. She approached him quietly and embraced him...
"Mother?!!"
"It's time. It is time for the Prince to return to his palace.."
... To be continued ...