The three girls huddled together, shrinking back from our presence. The boy stepped in front of them, spreading his arms to shield them, and whispered soothing words to calm them down.
I walked up behind him and slowly approached the girls. I knelt on the dirty ground to be at eye level with them.
"What are your names, little girls?" I asked softly, offering a gentle smile.
They just stared at me with wide, fearful eyes and shook their heads mutely. The boy answered for them.
"They don't have names. Like me."
"My!!" I gasped, bringing a hand to my mouth. "Since when have they lived in the streets?"
"I don't know since when," the boy shrugged, his expression weary beyond his years. "But I found them in the streets, so I brought them here."
My heart ached for them. I reached out, placed my hand on his messy hair, and started to pat him gently. "What a kind and amazing boy you are."
The boy blushed deeply under the praise, looking down at his feet. I stood up, dusting off my dress, and turned my face to Adel and Lady Octavi with a serious expression.
"This type of case, where children are being neglected on the street… is it common here?" I asked them sharply.
I saw their faces stiffen; they seemed to find the question difficult to answer.
"I believe not, My Lady," Lady Octavi answered cautiously. "It is so rare for children to be neglected on the street, it is almost impossible."
"Back then," I pointed out, narrowing my eyes, "Lady Octavi said 'that kind of street is gone, so there are no kids living in the street anymore.' Why could you say that?"
"Because it is what it is, My Lady. His Grace, My Lady's father, has fixed this problem."
"Fixed?" I scoffed lightly. "How did my father do that?"
"I believe His Grace provided foster care and orphanages for these children," Lady Octavi explained.
"Foster care and orphanages?"
"Yes. His Grace built several orphanages in this duchy specifically to take care of these children."
"What about foster care?"
"His Grace established training centers for people who want to treat these children and become their foster parents. These people were trained and made capable of taking care of these children in their own homes or in the orphanages."
"If my father did all of that," I demanded, gesturing to the huddled group, "THEN WHY ARE THERE STILL FOUR CHILDREN BEING NEGLECTED IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW?"
"That is the one thing I do not know, My Lady," Lady Octavi admitted, lowering her head.
"What if there are more children in the streets than just these four?" I asked, trying to cool my composure and stop the rising anger in my chest.
"I think it is impossible, My Lady…"
"But it is possible too," I countered. "I will talk with my father later about this matter. But right now, what are we going to do with these four children?"
"I think it is good for them if we take them to the orphanages," Lady Octavi suggested.
I thought about it for a moment, looking at their frightened faces.
"NO!" I declared firmly. "I want to bring them home."
Lady Octavi and Adel's faces dropped in surprise.
"My Lady…" Adel stepped forward, her brow furrowed. "Is My Lady's act a little selfish?"
"Little selfish?" I turned on her. "What do you mean about it, Adel? Huh?"
"I know My Lady is worrying about these children," Adel reasoned, holding her hands up placatingly. "But to take them… I think it is a little selfish of My Lady. Surely My Lady wants to save all the children in the streets. But taking them personally is not the answer. What happens if there are eight children? Will My Lady take them all?"
"So what are you suggesting about this matter, Adel?" I snapped.
"Like Lady Octavi said, it is better if we take them to the orphanages."
"Orphanages?" I laughed bitterly. "I know it sounds great when I hear what Lady Octavi explained about it. But seeing four children in front of me, I ask myself: why did my father's plan about this matter fail?"
"I believe His Grace's plan will not fail, My Lady," Lady Octavi insisted.
"Yes, it will not fail, Lady Octavi," I said, my voice rising. "But once more, I will ask you from this mouth: why are there four children in front of me?"
Suddenly, I felt a strange surge of emotion—a dark, boiling anger deep inside me.
Lady Octavi's face showed genuine fear. She took a step back.
"Ab… ou..t… tha..t," Lady Octavi stuttered, unable to meet my gaze. "I'm afr..aid.. I.. don't… Kno..w."
"Even a Claudi Family member cannot answer it to a person they swore allegiance to?"
For some reason, the words just spilled out of my mouth. They didn't feel like mine.
"My Lady…" Adel interjected, stepping between us. "I think it is inappropriate to talk like that to Lady Octavi."
For no reason at all, my body moved on its own. I walked closer to Adel, looming over her.
I leaned into her face. "So how must I talk to my subject who swore their allegiance to me, huh, Adel?"
Lady Octavi rushed forward, trying to separate me from Adel.
"Forgive my words, My Lady," Adel said bravely, standing her ground. "But they swore their allegiance not to My Lady, but to His Grace. Lady Octavi just got ordered by His Grace to take care of My Lady, so she is still not your subject, My Lady."
Lady Octavi looked shocked by Adel's boldness.
It felt like I had completely lost control of my body and my mouth. My hand shot out and grabbed Lady Octavi by the chest as she tried to pull me away. With shocking strength, I threw her backward.
I moved even closer to Adel until my face was inches from hers...
...… .... …..
I blinked.
Suddenly, the world shifted.
In front of me, Lady Octavi was kneeling on the ground, leaning heavily on her sword for support. Her clothes were a mess, her hair was in disarray, and there were fresh bruises blooming on her face.
I turned around. The children were huddled in a corner. Adel was hugging them protectively. Her clothes were torn and messy too, and she also sported bruises on her face.
"What just happ—"
I felt sucked out of the world. A black force consumed my vision.
I heard Lady Octavi calling my name, her voice desperate. And suddenly… that calling was gone.
...… ...…
"You..."
"Are an interesting mortal…"
"But…."
"Who… and what… Are… You??"
"I don't… Recall… that… there… is… an… interesting… mortal… like… you.."
"You… are… worthy… to… be… overseen… by… me… mortal…"
... ...… …..
I opened my eyes.
A pounding headache immediately assaulted me. I looked around, blinking against the dim light. I was in my bedroom, and it was already night.
I tried to sit up. As I rose from the pillows, I saw Adel sitting on the couch in front of my bed. Our eyes met.
She gasped, looking terrified. She immediately stood up and made haste to leave the room.
"Adel's face seems fine right now…" I muttered, rubbing my temples, trying to recall what had happened. "I believe in that street, I saw Lady Octavi and Adel get some bruises on their faces and their clothes... after that, my vision was gone…"
Suddenly, a memory flashed.
"I heard some voices in the blank vision…" I tried to remember what I heard… but it hurt my head too much.
Moments later, the door burst open. Father, Mother, Sofia, and Adel rushed to my bedside.
Mother was the first to reach me, pulling me into a tight hug. "My Aurelia, you are finally awake…"
I saw tears glistening in her eyes.
"I am alright, Mother…" I whispered.
"Are you sure, darling?"
"Of course… Can I know what was going on?"
"You were unconscious, Aurelia," Father said, his face grave.
"I was unconscious?"
"Yes, you were," Mother confirmed, pulling back to look at me. "Can you recall what was going on before you were unconscious?"
"I was in the street, and met four children… Ah yes! What about the children? Are they alright?"
"The children are alright," Mother soothed. "Right now, they are in the servant's quarters."
"It is a relief that the children are alright," I sighed.
"Can you continue your story?" Father urged gently.
"Right. After meeting the four children, I had a discussion with Adel and Lady Octavi about what happened with them. I made up my mind to take the children, but Adel and Lady Octavi prevented me from doing that, and we exchanged words about it. Suddenly, I blinked my eyes. Lady Octavi was already kneeling on the ground with bruises, and Adel was behind me hugging the children, and she had bruises too. After that, I felt sucked out of the world, and a blank vision came to me."
"Do you not remember what was happening? Why Lady Octavi was kneeling on the ground?" Mother asked intently.
"I can't recall anything about that."
"Adel and Lady Octavi told me that you lost your control," Father said heavily. "And they saw you act like your mother."
"Like Mother?" I looked at her.
"Yes. Your mother is so scary if she loses cont—"
Mother turned her face to Father and smiled—a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I think it is exaggerating to say that I am scary when I lost control."
"But Adel and Lady Octavi recalled Aurelia back then acting like Madam… Right, Adel?" Father turned to the maid.
Adel didn't answer. She turned her face away, avoiding eye contact.
"Ehmmm…" Father cleared his throat. "In other words, you could not remember anything about why Lady Octavi kneeled on the ground."
"Yes. May I know what happened there?"
"You lost your composure, Aurelia," Mother explained softly. "And made Lady Octavi and Adel get hurt."
"How could I hurt Lady Octavi and Adel?"
I saw Mother and Father exchange a glance, trying to avoid the answer.
"There is a time for that," Mother said firmly. "Your father and I will tell you. But right now, it is better for you not to know."
"But I just hurt Lady Octavi and Adel! I want to know how I could hurt them."
"I believe there is a time for you to know, but not now. It is better if you get better first," Mother insisted. "And Sofia is here. She will examine your condition."
Sofia walked forward to the bedside.
"Hello, My Lady, we meet again."
"Hello to you too, Sofia."
"Can I examine your condition, My Lady?"
"Sure."
Mother stepped back, and Sofia sat beside me. She examined me efficiently—checking my pulse, my temperature, and looking at my tongue.
"Does My Lady have something bothering you?" Sofia asked.
"Bothering me?"
"Yes. When My Lady was unconscious, was there any memory, any feeling, or anything that My Lady experienced while in the blank vision?"
"I don't recall anything like that happening while I was unconscious…." I paused. "Right… if–"
"But I felt there was something weird about me today," I interrupted myself.
"Weird?"
"Yes. When I exchanged words with Adel and Lady Octavi back then, it seemed I could not control my body and my mouth."
"So what My Lady did back then was out of My Lady's control? And your words too?"
"Yes. And while I was unconscious, I felt there was a voice emitting in my head."
"Was that voice Lady Octavi calling My Lady?"
"No," I shook my head. "I didn't recognize the voice."
I saw everyone's faces fill with surprise.
"My Lady didn't recognize this voice? And what did this voice say to My Lady?"
"I cannot remember all of it, but I believe there was a word… 'mortal'… that was emitting in my head."
Sofia looked visibly shocked.
"Mortal?? It was weird to hear that while unconscious."
"Does Sofia know about this?" I asked.
"Hmmmmm…"
I saw Mother's hand gently tap Sofia's shoulder.
"I am sorry, My Lady," Sofia said quickly, bowing her head. "I don't understand or know about the voice that was emitting in My Lady's head. Don't worry, I will try to find out about it, My Lady. May I excuse myself to search about this matter?"
"Sure, you can excuse yourself."
Sofia excused herself and left the room. Mother sat back down beside me.
"Aurelia, you need to take a rest right now."
"Mother, do the little two know about this matter?"
"No, they don't know," Mother assured me. "When you were brought back to the house, their maids distracted them and took them to the garden. So they didn't know about this matter."
"It is a relief then."
"Don't think too much, just take a rest," Father said.
"Yes, just take a rest, darling," Mother agreed, leaning in to kiss my forehead. "Good night."
Mother stood up. They began walking toward the door.
"Wait!! Adel!" I called out.
Adel stopped and turned. "What is the matter, My Lady?"
"I want to say, I'm sorry that I hurt you back then."
"It is okay, My Lady," she said quietly. "It was my fault too that I couldn't control my words to My Lady."
"It is my fault, Adel… so I'm sorry."
"No, My–"
"I think there is no one at fault here," Mother intervened smoothly. "It was just an incident where everyone got hurt. Just take a rest, Aurelia, and don't overthink about this matter. Good night."
They left the room and closed the door. I lay back down in bed and tried to sleep.