Dream went back to the Spade castle earlier than usual because of the yesterday's ordeal. Dream could not afford to be hated more of her mute maids, especially if she is keeping an owl in her shed and she have grandeur plans of escape in the near future.
Dream is currently anxious by the additional informations she learned however, she also felt relieved that she might have someone to travel with her once she leave the embrace of the Spade Castle.
Moreover, the knowledge that she could save Kaleid's life is the best thing she have heard.
Curing the steward will answers the whereabouts of her father, the late king of Spade.
Dream snuck back into her tiny bedroom. On her tiny receiving table is a cold meal that the maids had left for her, probably around lunch time.
There are no signs of the mute maids but the guards are the only one outside her room.
Dream situated herself at the front of the meal and started scooping at the cold soup. Of course, Dream ate a lot better when Kaleid is in the castle. A lot better and healthier. The steward always mind the foods that is bad for her weak stomach and always give her the ones with best nutrients. Dream does not mind eating the cold food in front of her. In her previous life, she have to swallow stale and moldy food in order to tame her growling stomach. And she was thankful if she managed to put something in her mouth, it was way better than starving for days and working at the same time. Earning money, doing chores and going to school.
Dream believes she still have a better life than the former one. As a matter of fact, she have died couple of times already and she doesn't mind going through it for the third time.... however, this is the first time that she have people that she treasures so much. The thought of them suffering is not something she does not want to experience.
Her heart aches.
Tiny drops of tears meshed with the cold soup she is scooping to eat. The tiny drops of water is the only warm thing in this tiny bedroom.
Dream did not noticed the liquid flowing down from her eyes unto her cheeks because at that time, she is hardening her heart and emotions to prepare.
......
Anne is marching out of the hallway of the assembly. She have to see the Dukes and their Marquis in order for her to oversee them. That was an order from the phony Emperor and from her son Soliard. She would love to think it is a request from her son and his father, so that they could all finally be together as a family.
But an 'otherwise' is starting to creep in, from the back of her mind.
Anne left Lunard in the assembly, Anne is thinking that she have done her responsibilities for the day. She looked outside the window and realize that it is already almost dawn. The red skies remind her of the girl that had been left behind by the King of Spade.
"Your majesty, if I may?"
A voice came from her back. Anne slowly turn her head to see the plump figure of the Duke of Cancer being stopped by her guards and maids from coming any closer to her, the queen.
Anne looked down at the short stature of the man. Anne felt disgusted upon seeing the bullets of sweats running down on the side of the man's face. The man's heavy breathing that indicates that he ran after her upon exiting the assembly hall. However such actions make her skin crawls.
Anne made sure she is enveloped by elegance and turn toward the man.
'Hmm, Soliard, wants to kill this man so bad, probably because he looks so disgusting. I will let him when our plans became reality.'
"I believe we have addressed everything in the assembly hall, Duke of Cancer."
Anne did not missed the smirk that came out of the face of the pig in front of her.
"Well, I have some concerns that I wished to relay to her majesty that should not be heard by the other nobles, who we might know, far beyond greedy for their own means."
Anne stopped her eyebrow from twitching up. The disgusting man in front of her was the greediest person she had met. However, when she was a young queen, she could not push away the man as he is the only one who gave support to the young foreign queen. That support helped Anne quite a lot in order for her to stay in high society and put the nobles of Spade in check. However, Anne knows that that help she received from the Duke was not out of kindness.
'This man is asking for a payment now.'
"Go on."
The man chuckled when Anne demanded him to go on speaking what on the duke's mind. Then he whispered.
"It would be on our both best interest if we converse in private, your majesty. After all, this is in regards the safety of the millennial princess."
Upon hearing Dream's title, Anne could no longer stop her face from wrenching. Anne is filled with mix emotions where the Duke interpreted it that the Queen bit into his scheme.
Anne fell in silence and said.
"I-I will seek your audience in the near future." Then she turn back to continue her grand exit.
Anne's mind is occupied by lots of things. The red dawn outside made her wants to see the face of the girl who she thinks she treasures with great care like a tiny gem.
......
Anne whispered to her maids not to follow her inside. The maids trembled from her orders but they did not show any opposition otherwise.
Anne watch the servants bowed their head and she slowly open the door. Inside is a tiny room meant for a tiny girl. The bed where the girl should be is empty but on the side just under the window sil is a girl covered in blanket.
Anne silently walked to the window and closed it. Then she looked down at the skinny girl who seems to be in real deep sleep.
Anne sat down and watch the girl's face under the light of the sunset. Her hand move and fix the disheveled hair of the girl.
'She have grown.'
The girl in front of her grown up far too differently than her own child. Of course that is a fact as the two have totally different set of parents. On the other hand, Lunard is a complete stranger she picked up to be Soliard's twin.
Anne is mesmerized by the girl's sleeping face.
She raised Lunard who is also a stranger to her but the girl in front of her is someone more special.
Anne gently caressed the sleeping girl's face. Anne remembered when she first saw the girl as a toddler. She hated how curly and black her hair was and the girl's striking resemblance to Joseph. She hated that a fruit of the man she supposed to love manifested from some other woman. She hated it all even though Anne is already in love with another man and was already nurturing her own fruit.
However it all changed when Anne watch the girl growing day by day. She watch the little girl learning to smile little by little. She watch the girl trying to speak little by little and even though. Anne can only observer it all in a distance. However, Anne cannot help it but be mesmerized.
"He raised you with care." She whispered to herself.
Anne always thought that the gaze this girl received from the man she loves is just as much the man supposed to give to their son.
However, that is also the reason why she also feel pain. Anne always fantasized the what ifs. What if, they were a normal family? Will he take care our son just as much as he does with this girl? What if he is with Soliard just as much he spent his time with this girl? Will Soliard be more closer to his real biological father? There are lots of what ifs and in all of those what ifs, there are only happiness if those actually happens.
Sometimes Anne could not help it but feel jealous of the girl's existence. This girl right here was born to be love, even if no one is sure the value of the girl's being. Totally different to Anne and her son's fate.
But she could not hate the girl. She just could not. Anne hates herself as much and feel pain as much whenever the girl get hurt by her own hands.
Anne picked up the girl from the ground and easily carried her to the bed. Anne believes that she care about the girl cause of her own feelings but she never noticed that the girl's body is wasting away from her own care.
Anne cry due to all the conflicting emotions inside her. She feel pain when she hurts the girl but she never blame her own weakness and blame the girl's existence instead.
She never wonder the what if, the girl is her real daughter will she be treated this way? What if her feelings are genuine towards the girl will she have a better room and clothes appropriate for her size? What if this girl is her man's daughter, would she hurt her?
What ifs that she never ask herself.
.....
It is a new morning and Dream seek the advice of the omnipotent being, as what it says about itself.
The owl is looking proud about itself upon hearing Dream's request.
"Well, well, well, I know you will come around."
"You know I am starting to think that you do not know how to go back that is why-"
"Bad child!! This all fate you know." It proudly stop Dream from stating the truth.
"I will not be a burden, I will help you on finding your partner too."
The owl elegantly flapped it's wings from Dream's statement.
"That sounds quite assuring, especially coming from the 'God's favorite child.' All that luck need to be used up. Hmm, but you should let me remove the curse on your seal."
"Wait!" Dream covered her forehead with both of her hands. "Not yet, let's remove it when we leave the castle or probably the best time to remove it, is when we really need the power of the Clover Seal."
The owl crossed it's wings and start pondering.
"You know it will help us a lot if we utilize the power of the Clover at the get go. It will also cut time and we will have plenty of resources fall unto our arms like miracle if we undo that curse."
"Nope! Nah ah!"
The owl sighed from Dream's stubbornness.
"Just do not blame me, when you realize how easy our journey could been if we both utilize our seal."
Dream caressed her forehead. It might be what the owl said, but Dream wants to treasure the last thing her mother left her, even if it is a curse and it will make her journey harder. Moreover, she wants to follow her mother's first and last wish.
Dream knows that her mother should know that she could not keep the curse forever. Dream could feel sometimes that the Clover seal is capable of burning off the curse but she will keep it from the owl for now.
"So what is the plan?"
The owl blink a couple times after staring back to Dream's scarlet eyes.
"Don't you have a plan?" The owl asked back.
"This is why I am asking the wisest being in this planet."
The owl became bashful.
"Uh hemm, well I am the wisest in this continent. Well behold my child and be awe of my knowledge."
Dream watch the owl be elegantly narcissistic and ponders the time she will be spending with the being while taking her journey.
'I will get used to this, probably.'
"Hmmm, I think it is important to find Light first. And seeking for her presence, we must make our way to your friend."
"Uncle Kaleid?"
"Yes! You want to heal him noh? That will be the perfect time for you to let go of that curse. After all, you seems close to Diamond Country and after we leave that place, our fate will highly rely on our strength. How was Kaleid with fighting and so on?"
Dream start remembering the teary steward when she first met him. He looked so skinny and was crying to the king of Spade, how he only managed to scape death from the barbarians invading the borders.
"Uh.... He can surely protect himself."
"A baggage then, hopefully, we can find Light near him. Light might had taken a liking to the man, is he good looking?"
"Extremely!"
This time it is Dream who feel like bragging.
"I don't know why he keeps himself single. But he is so pretty with his light auburn hair that is always neatly styled. He is always clean and when he takes off his coat, all the maids lets out a sigh. He is not so muscular but he fills up his suit quite nicely. He is a great cook and baker too and!"
"I get it, I get it! He is a great steward."
Dream starts fidgeting upon remembering the steward who stayed next to her and raised her like he is her parent. Dream treasures every word her mother said to her at that magical moment but if it is for Kaleid, it is a worth of sacrifice.
The owl softens upon looking at Dream.
"You must love him so much."
"I do, he is the best dad, mom and friend. The Spade castle is big and cold but it was never lonely."
Thanks to all the love she received. Dream is grateful, she believes she received enough love from everyone, good enough even to cover her former lives.
Dream stared back to the Spade Castle through the broken window of her shed.
"She loves me too."
"Who now?"
Dream shook her head.
"Well, do you have any relatives outside this castle."
Dream started thinking and listing out the names.
"There is the crown prince of Spade, my eldest brother, Kahel. My second brother, Soliard...."
"Okay, where is this Kahel?"
Dream's aura start getting gloomy.
"I believe he was last known to be with my father the King of Spade."
The owl flinched and started going for the next one to divert the conversation.
"Then this Soliard?" The owl is hopeful that it will lift the girl's mood but there were no changes. "Is he probably dead..."
Dream shook her head hard and started explaining in mellowed voice.
"He is currently the Imperial crown prince and also the acting regent of Heart Country."
"Oohh! Big guy!" The owl was astonished of the accomplishments of the young prince.
"But we are not close..."
"Oh..." The sound of disappointment was apparent to the owl's voice. But it find it strange that such young prince have manage to become a regent and the imperial crown prince too. The owl lightly shook it's head when it noticed that the girl's slumped to the lowest. "How about in Clover Country? Your mother's...?"
Dream then look back to the owl's eyes.
"I never thought of them..."
"You are the daughter of their seal bearer, they must have visited you at some point? The Clover's royal family or your mother's family? Some Dukes from Clover? They are for sure really nice people?"
The bias of the owl towards Clover Country runs deep.
"I..." Dream tried to dig dipper in her memories. "There is one time, it was my first birthday and coronation?" Dream massage her forehead to remember that day. Dream remembers her former lives but those moments are far too engraved in her mind that she tends to push off the irrelevant new memories.
"I only briefly met him and my father called him father, so he must be..."
"Your father's father-in-law!!! Do you think he is a high ranking in Clover? A noble perhaps? No probably a royal?" The owl got excited for a potential comrade they might have.
"I do-do not know..."
"Why!!? They are related to you? They are your mother's family?! And you are the daughter of their seal bearer! They must had seek your presence!"
"I do not know." Dream lower her gaze and remembered the events thereafter. "I was never allowed to leave the castle's grounds, and my father only brought me to Diamond Country for couple times when I was younger because he could not leave me alone and Uncle Kaleid was extremely busy."
"Huh? Sounds like your dad locked you up."
"No, such thing..." Dream's voice got higher then she lowered it when she remembered her Father's words.
'Do not leave Spade, learn how to blend with the people of Spades, the nobles will never know who you are nor they will ever find you as they never step on the commoners grounds.'