CH 134

“I understand, Your Highness,” Baroness Baden said, after a long pause. Her voice pierced through the air as the sun set beyond the window,

“I’m really sorry,” the Prince  apologized once again, making eye contact with the Baroness.

They sat in a quiet room bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun. Baroness Baden reached up and touched her forehead, she could feel a headache coming on and no surprise, after the war that ravaged through the afternoon.

Bjorn’s sudden and unexpected arrival had quite the impact on what would have been a quiet afternoon. The staff was thrown into disarray. While they were always prepared to receive an unexpected guest, never one of such stature as the Prince of Lechen.

At first, she thought the prince and Erna had broken up to have some alone time and sort out their thoughts. Yet, as the sands of time trickled by, the prince didn’t meet up with Erna. It was puzzling how he could be so unconcerned about her well-being, especially considering he knew precisely where she was headed with only a single suitcase in tow.  So, she believed they made the heart-wrenching choice to part ways, forever bound by the decree of divorce.

Erna was equally angry and stunned. She calmly requested to meet the Grand Duke in person, hoping to resolve everything in a calm and civilised manner. The Baroness would have tried to change Erna’s mind, had she shown any signs of distress, but Erna simply smiled in her usual, placid manner which reminded the Baroness of her daughter Annette during her divorced with Walter Hardy.

The sight of her Granddaughter looking as fragile as glass left the Baroness at a loss for words. She could only pray that Erna would not break like her mother. Fortunately, Erna regained her vitality after Lisa cared for her a little.

But now, Bjorn had caused a lot of distress to Erna, showing up out of the blue and even though it was difficult, the Baroness had to show some courtesy to the Prince of Lechen. Her plan was to politely shoo him away without ever seeing Erna.

In recent days, Erna had been laughing and talking like her usual self, even though she still seemed like a child struggling against the sea. However, in that moment she poured our all her anger and frustrations to the Prince, she seemed more alive than ever.

Their argument had escalated to the point of an actual physical struggle and the Baroness had to step in to separate the two. While the Prince was as composed as ever, Erna was in the throws of a full blown rage. She was bright red and her face contorted into a pouty anger.

The Baroness took the Prince away to her own room. She would have taken him to the drawing room, but the need for a private conversation required some where a little more private.

To her surprise, the Prince responded to the conversation with genuine sincerity and humility. He expressed remorse at the way he had taken Erna for granted and was asking for forgiveness. He showed no self-pity and made no excuses for his behaviour. He even seemed cold and unfeeling at times.

“It may be difficult to comprehend, but if you put yourself in Erna’s shoes, Your Highness, you might understand what she is going through and see that her wounds go much deeper than any apology could heal,” the Baroness looked at Bjorn with mixed feelings. “Most importantly, even if, by some miracle, the situation was resolved, you and Erna have drifted too far apart, you must see that the situation is hopeless? So, what’s your plan?”

“Actually, I don’t know that and I have no plan,” a flash of agitation flickered through Bjorn’s eyes. “I didn’t think it would be possible to end any marriage without confrontation. I just want the chance to face each other properly, no illusions, lies or letters.”

“Do you not think that such a confrontation would only hurt more?”

“Maybe, but I believe scars that come from trying are better than the regrets of not trying in the first place.”

There was a passion in Bjorn’s eyes as he looked up from his teacup. Despite the room being dimly lit, illuminated solely by the soft glow of candlesticks on the table,  the Baroness could see a change in Bjorn.

After watching the Prince for awhile, Baroness Baden rang the service bell as the darkness of early evening settled in. A young maid came into the room, nervousness clear.

“Please could you fetch me Erna, dear.”

Even as she issued the discreet command, the Baroness’ gaze remained fixated on the prince.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Erna had started the day like any other. She woke at dawn, while it was still dark outside, and went through her usual routine of washing her face, getting dressed and making her bed. She then sat down to busy herself until breakfast. Artificial flowers sprouted from her fingertips and were as beautiful as any other.

“Your Highness,” Lisa came into the room to check Erna had risen. “Have you been working since dawn again?” Lisa said, noticing Erna at her crafting table.

“Only a little.”

“Ah, I didn’t suggest this so you could work yourself to death,” Lisa said.

“Its okay, I don’t have anything else to do this morning,” Erna smiled. She rushed over to put on her hat and coat, not forgetting the scarf this time. “You don’t have to suffer coming out with me if you don’t want to.” Erna looked at Lisa with a worried look.

“Suffer? We used to take walks together round the Grand Duke’s residence all the time.”

“These days its really cold though, the area is so safe that you can walk alone with your eyes closed, so you don’t have to worry about me, stay home and keep warm.”

“Don’t talk like that, there are wolves in the woods, I’ve heard them. I could never let you go out there alone.” Lisa said firmly.

“In this quiet place you can’t even find anyone’s shadow here,” Erna said.

“No, there are no people, but there are animals and A BEAST!” 

That damn beast, the wolf of Dniester.

Lisa suppressed her anger by balling her fist. It had been five days since the Grand Duke’s arrival stirred up the whole village, since the white wolf took up residence in Baden’s house.

Despite Erna’s protests, the Baroness let the Grand Duke stay in the mansion. So far, there had been no incidences where they needed to share a moment together. If Bjorn ever even thought of going into Erna’s room, Lisa would end up going down in history as the maid that had murdered a Royal Prince.

As usual, Erna and Lisa went on their morning walk. Normally everyone would still be asleep, but since Bjorn’s arrival, everyone got up early to have things prepared just in case and although the Prince never made any demands, the servants couldn’t ignore the fact that a Prince was living under their roof.

He was the least troublesome, uninvited guest in history.

Lisa cast a sympathetic glance at the pale faced servants as they went about their business. The air was cold enough to cause goosebumps, but the sky stretched out with a crystal-clear brilliance, and

the first rays of morning cast their gentle glow, spreading across the horizon.

“Ah, today is the delivery date for Mr Ale, would you like to accompany me into town later, to lift our spirits?” Lisa’s words turned to white mist as she spoke. Erna smiled brightly and nodded.

The Prince had treated Erna worse than his cane when she was beside him, so why was he not so persistent in his pursuit of her? It was clear the Prince was guilty of many things.

“Hi, Ma’am.”

As soon as Lisa and Erna stepped beyond the porch, someone greeted them. They turned to look up to a second story window where the Prince was lounging and smoking a cigar. His hair was dishevelled and he was in a scruffy shirt, he looked like he had just woken up. 

“Would you like to go on a date with me?” Bjorn asked, exhaling the wisps of smoke from his cigarette.

Erna glared at him, how many times had he asked her that question in the last five days? Even Lisa was fed up of hearing it.

“Then maybe I could accompany you on your walk, in place of your fine young maid,” Bjorn’s light tone made Lisa flinch.

Erna carried on glaring and gave no answer, turning her head away to confer her refusal, the sound of her footsteps crunching away did not slow to a more casual pace until she was far past the garden gate and halfway across the field.

“He’s a poisonous mushroom, you know?” Lisa whispered, as if the Prince would hear her from there. “Two times is absolutely out of the question, you know? If you eat it any more than that, you will certainly die. Of course, you’ve eaten it once and know all too well.”

As the image of the Prince invaded her mind, with his beautiful exterior and enchanting smile, what was so great about him in the first place? Not the way the wind blew through his platinum locks, or the way he so sarcastically smoked his cigar. Lisa almost lost her footing, taken away by his handsomeness like that.

“You just can’t,” Lisa snapped, erasing the thought of the Prince. “Don’t even look at him, its probably better that way.”

“What?”

“Never mind, just never make eye contact.”

Erna burst into a childish laugh. It had been a plan they thought up one evening, as Erna was getting ready for bed.

“Promise me, okay?” Lisa said, fidgeting.

“Well, of course,” Erna said, her voice tinged with laughter.

It had been five days since the love sick wolf came to Buford and for the time being, things were peaceful.