Chapter 30
Aurora entered the manor and slowly made her way towards her bedroom. Every muscle in her body ached from exhaustion. The day had felt endless, filled with discoveries, responsibilities, and worries that seemed to multiply with every passing hour.
Just as she reached the staircase, Philip appeared.
"My Lady, please come have dinner. You haven't eaten all day," Philip said, his voice filled with concern.
Aurora rubbed her temples, "I need a bath, Philip."
Philip immediately nodded, "Of course. Why don't I have a meal prepared on the balcony? Once you've finished bathing, you can eat and rest. The sun has already set, everyone has been seen to, and all today's matters have been handled. Allow us to take care of you for once."
Aurora blinked. For a moment, she was struck by how familiar his words felt.
In her previous life, she had spent so much time carrying everything on her shoulders that she had forgotten what it felt like to be cared for.
"Yes, My Lady," Emily added gently. "Philip is right. You've been running around the entire day. Even the strongest person needs rest."
Aurora looked between them. The concern in their eyes was genuine.
Not obligation.
Not duty.
Concern.
A strange warmth settled in her chest.
In her previous life, she had lost so many people she cared about. Seeing Philip and Emily standing before her now felt almost unreal.
"Okay," she whispered.
Neither servant missed the exhaustion hidden behind her smile.
After they left, Aurora slipped into the bath. The warm water embraced her tired body, easing the tension in her shoulders. She closed her eyes.
For the first time all day, there was silence.
No reports, no investigations, no politics, no hidden enemies.
Only the sound of water gently rippling around her.
Yet her mind refused to rest. Memories of the day washed over her.
The thefts.
The missing funds.
The dangers lurking within the duchy.
The people she needed to protect.
Her father.
Her family.
Her friends.
Fear twisted in her stomach and now she knew what the future held. That knowledge was both a blessing and a curse. No matter how many plans she made, she couldn't shake the anxiety that she might still fail.
That history might repeat itself despite all her efforts. By the time she finally emerged from the bath, the water had gone cold.
After dressing in a simple white nightgown, Aurora stepped onto the balcony.
She stopped.
A small table had been prepared. Candles flickered softly in the evening breeze, bathing the balcony in warm golden light.
The stars sparkled overhead. The entire setting looked surprisingly romantic.
A painful ache suddenly squeezed her heart.
Dante.
Her thoughts drifted immediately to him. The man she had loved for five years in her previous life. The man she would likely never see again.
Aurora lowered her gaze.
God...How much she missed him.
She missed his smile.
His laugh......His warmth.
She missed the way he would hold her hand absentmindedly while reading. The way he always remembered the smallest details about her. The way he made her feel safe, loved, chosen. A sadness so deep it almost stole her breath settled over her.
There had been no grand titles.
No political alliances.
No arranged engagements.
Just love, pure and simple.
A single tear slipped down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away.
Her thoughts inevitably drifted towards Lucian.
Immediately, frustration surfaced, comparing Lucian to Dante wasn't even fair.
Lucian couldn't hold a candle to him.
The Crown Prince was cold, distant, and painfully judgmental at times. Romance seemed to avoid him as if it feared being frozen to death.
Aurora almost laughed.
Dante had possessed something impossible to explain. Something that drew people toward him.
A warmth.
A kindness.
A light.
Meanwhile, Lucian often looked as though smiling caused him physical pain when he looked or thought of her.
And yet...
Aurora frowned.
There was something about Lucian that made him uniquely himself. Something she couldn't quite understand. Perhaps because beneath all that coldness, she occasionally caught glimpses of someone lonely.
Someone burdened.
Someone hurting.
The realization annoyed her, was this because he could not be with the one, he loved Bella.
She didn't want to feel sympathy for him. Not after everything and yet the feeling lingered. A strange mixture of frustration and reluctant understanding. It was irritating....Very irritating.
"My Lady?", Emily's voice pulled her from her thoughts.
Aurora looked up.
Emily was standing nearby with a knowing smile.
Aurora immediately suspected that expression.
"What is it?"
Emily's smile widened, "Nothing."
That answer made Aurora even more suspicious.
Deciding not to pursue the matter, she sat down.
"Emily, please ask Philip to place the mine ledgers in the study. Also, ask Turner to send me all the investigation reports he has gathered so far regarding the farm renters."
Emily sighed dramatically, "My Lady, you promised to rest."
"I am resting."
"Reviewing ledgers is not resting."
Aurora pointed toward the comfortable chair, "I'll be sitting while doing it."
Emily looked genuinely offended, "That's not how rest works."
A laugh escaped Aurora before she could stop it. The sound surprised both, of them. For a brief, moment, the heaviness surrounding her heart eased.
Seeing her laugh, Emily smiled softly.
Aurora's chest tightened.
How long had it been since she had shared moments like this?
Moments free from fear and tragedy?
"I also need you to arrange a meeting with His Majesty," Aurora added.
Emily groaned quietly, "There goes my hope that you might actually sleep tonight."
Aurora smiled unapologetically.
Emily shook her head before remembering something.
"Oh! The banquet is tomorrow. Your dress arrived this afternoon."
Her eyes brightened instantly, "It's beautiful, My Lady."
Aurora groaned. The banquet. She had almost forgotten.
"I might not attend. Father has only just arrived, and he needs me here."
Emily looked horrified, "My Lady, you haven't attended a society function in ages."
Aurora raised an eyebrow, "That sounds peaceful."
"It sounds scandalous."
Aurora laughed again.
Emily folded her arms, "You should go."
"Why?"
"Because you're fifteen."
"That is hardly a reason."
"It is when half the kingdom's young nobles are hoping you'll attend."
Aurora nearly choked on her tea. The thought alone was exhausting.
Emily, however, looked entirely too pleased.
Aurora narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "You seem very invested in this."
Emily's innocent expression was far too innocent, "I simply want my lady to have fun."
Aurora wasn't convinced. Not even slightly, "We'll see."
Emily pouted dramatically.
Aurora rolled her eyes, "Go get some sleep, Emily."
The maid's expression softened, "You too, My Lady."
Aurora smiled gently, "Good night, Emily."
"Good night, My Lady."
As Emily disappeared inside, Aurora turned back toward the stars.
The peaceful night surrounded her, yet beneath the calm, anxiety still lingered.
The future remained uncertain.
Enemies were already moving in the shadows.
Friends she cherished could still be lost.
People she loved could still be hurt.
But tonight, for the first time since returning to the past, Aurora allowed herself a small measure of happiness.
She was not alone.
And somehow, that made the future feel a little less frightening.
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