53. Finding answers

"Oh! That's right! How was Vaughn?" She asked after eating the bread he gave her. She had forgotten the kid and his father because of her worries. "Was he alright when he woke up? Nothing weird happened?"

"Nothing happened. He's fine." Kyden answered casually.

"I see. Too bad I didn't get to meet him in person."

She recalled the nightmare she gave to the kid and immediately felt guilty about meeting him.

"They remain here a couple of days after he woke up, to wait for you."

"Duke Wynzel must have felt guilty."

"He should be." The displeasure toward the duke was visible on his face. Mona could bet that the father and son were kicked out the moment her situation wasn't getting any better.

Hiding her amusement at the Grand Duke's expression, she replied, "Then, we should quickly inform them of my recovery."

"I'm sure Marcus already sent a letter." He answered with a frown.

Silence ensued after their seemingly small talk. Mona continued eating and felt comfortable in the atmosphere.

She was already drinking her water when she remembered something.

Setting down her glass and wiping her mouth with the napkin, she turned towards the Grand Duke and asked, "How long will it take to travel from here to the Lost Pier?"

The Grand Duke's hand moving the plate away paused at her question. Very slowly, he turned towards her and looked at her with somber eyes.

Then with a voice laced with ice, he asked back, "Why are you asking?"

Mona flinched at the coldness; she was sure it wasn't directed at her but a conscious way of the Grand Duke to show his emotions. He was displeased at her inquiry.

"I was just thinking of reporting this to the highest priests personally." She answered right away. "Moreover, there is still the issue of the dreamcatchers. As Sandra said, they were sealed on an ancient relic. So, I wanted to confirm if the relic was indeed stolen from the Holy Nation, or only the dreamcatchers were freed from there."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because if it's the latter, then it just doesn't make sense. Why would those demons target a Southerner when the North is much closer to the Holy Nation?"

"And if it's the former, you wanted to know who took the relic and purposely gave it to the Wynzels?"

She grinned at the Grand Duke's response, "Exactly."

"Why don't you visit the south first? Perhaps you can find the relic in there. If you find it, then you can know why this happened. You can just report it at the Holy Nation after it is completely settled."

"That is certainly much easier. But I don't know what exactly is this 'ancient relic'." She looked at him and continued, "I've never seen it."

"Maybe Sandra can tell." He answered and stood after. "I'll ask someone to call her."

Grabbing his hand, she stood also and stopped him, "Let's just go to her. I wanted to walk outside too. I think I need some sunlight."

The Grand Duke glanced outside the window and frowned. "It's noon already. Not appropriate for a walk. You can just do that next morning."

"Still...."

The Grand Duke sighed after seeing her saddened face. He took her hand which was grabbing him and gently guided her to the adjacent door of her room, the one leading to her wardrobe.

"Alright. At least wear casual clothes. You can't step out in those." He pointed to her clothes, a silk nightgown with long sleeves decorated with laces and ruffles, and reached up to her ankles.

Mona even looked twice at her gown to see any part that seemed revealing, but the cloth was entirely covering her. Not even showing any skin at all, besides her hands, feet, and neck.

"Your reputation just got better. People would think twice about that if they see you walking in your sleepwear." He added when he saw her hesitate, "Go change. Or do you want help?"

"No!" She shrank back after realizing she answered loudly. "No need. I can do it by myself."

"I did not mean to help you by myself. There is no need to be flustered." The Grand Duke answered teasingly while grinning mischievously.

Hiding the blush on her face, she whirled around immediately while throwing her answer.

"I'm not!"

She then opened the door and stepped inside, locking the door behind her. After calming herself, she began to change. She wore a plaid sleeveless dress and paired it with boots. She combed her hair and tied it into braids with her old white silk band.

Before going out, she checked herself in the life-size mirror in her dressing room and twirled around a few times. Her fair skin became more noticeable against the dark to light bluish patterns of her plaid dress. Her long braided hair was decorated with only a white knot resting on one side of her shoulder, giving her a gentle and simpler look.

'Her face is indeed a beauty.' Mona thought, admiring the perfect sculpture reflected in the mirror. But when she realized how she used a pronoun again, she shook her head and stared back at the mirror.

"My face is indeed a beauty." She whispered to herself. Still not comfortable in completely claiming the body as her own.

Mona felt sorry, but if she kept herself bound by the past, both hers and Luna, she wouldn't be able to move on and learn how to adapt to that world. Her past as Monarki won't be forgotten, but will only be left in her own time and world. While Luna's past will be kept in that world, she will not let herself be affected by them.

She was now a new person.

Not Monarki.

Nor Luna Evangeline.

But Mona Adriana.

She planned to go where her heart would lead her, and act the way she wanted to.

And right now, what she wanted to do the moment she stepped outside this room, was to confront the Grand Duke about his feelings. But somehow, that idea doesn't sit right with the situation. And she also felt troubled thinking about how their relationship would change.

So, for now, she wanted to find the relic first. And go to the Holy Nation to find answers about her abilities.

The words that First Highest Priest Yunis declared the last time they met; her unknown and weird ability to pacify the demons; and the voices she kept hearing whenever she would fall into the abyss.

She almost jumped back when a sudden knock from outside the door snapped her from her reverie. She immediately gave herself one last look in the mirror before turning away to open the door.

"What took you so long?"

The deep and cool voice of the Grand Duke greeted her. She plastered a smile across her face and answered in an excited tone. "I dressed well to impress!"

The Grand Duke raised his eyebrow and answered with his usual face, "You dressed so plainly though."

"But I still look attractive and eye-catching, aren't I?" She responded with a wink.

Grand Duke Kyden stared at her for a good while, then brandishing a grin on his face, he replied, "Why do I feel like you've become shameless suddenly?"

"I know you already think of me that way the moment I wrapped my arms on your legs back at the pier."

"And you also keep bringing that place." The Grand Duke's voice was suddenly laced with seriousness.

Mona shut the door behind her and looked at him.

"I plan to go back, to personally report this and....find some answers." She announced after a few minutes of silence.

The Grand Duke inched closer to her and pinned her to the door. "Answers about what?"

"You know, about the mysteries surrounding my dark abilities and... many things." She answered and lowered her head. "I am determined to completely start anew in this place. Not tied to Luna nor haunted by my past as Mona. I want to create my new identity but to be able to do that, I must learn of myself first."

She didn't get an answer. And it made her heart beat out of nervousness. When the temperature of the room became, even more, colder than her exposed shoulders started to get pricked by tiny snowflakes, she breathed in nervously and lifted her head to speak.

"Don't get mad, please."

Grand Duke Kyden's face was hidden behind his large palm. His one hand held her in place and the other cupped his face. He appeared to be calming himself because of his loud breathing.

Then in a deep voice sounding slightly muffled by his hand, he answered, "You...can really make me feel mad, terrified, dejected, happy, and annoyed within a day...no, even within a short time." He sighed resignedly and put down his hand, revealing his troubled face tinted with a light blush. "I'll go with you in that nation, even if I can't enter, I'll make sure to find a way."

He whirled away and picked up her white robe folded neatly on her bedside table, then he came back to clothe her with it.

She was too stunned to react after seeing the Grand Duke's blushing face. When she came back to her senses, the man was already opening the bedroom door and gesturing for her to follow quickly while avoiding her eyes.

Mona failed to restrain her wide smile and let it be plastered on her face. She hurriedly followed the Grand Duke. They passed the familiar hallways and she noticed the season had changed. Glancing outside the large glass windows, she found servants already wearing another layer above their clothing. And some trees are already changing in color and shedding.

Fall had begun.

The wind blows colder in the north even if the season is yet in autumn. The day will become shorter and the night will be longer. Which means darkness will dominate more.

Mona embraced the robe tightly and focused her eyes on the back of the man she was following. She was elated when he said he'd go with her, but she was afraid of the answers he'd hear if they went together. She felt insecure about her own mysteries.

For a long while, she stared at his back, pondering whether to keep leaning on that or to leave it behind.