761 NE-08-17
The morning of the departure for the Hunting Gathering was filled with primal, disciplined chaos. It felt less like a sport and more like a war camp mobilizing for glory.
I stood at the top of the entrance stairs, dressed in a practical dark riding dress. Adel stood on my right, her hands clasped perfectly in front of her. Lady Octavi stood on my left, her hand resting casually on the hilt of her sword.
Below us was a sea of movement. Stable hands and footmen struggled to hold the reins of high-spirited warhorses.
"Is a Hunt always like… this aggressive?" I whispered to them, watching footmen load a rack of heavy spears onto a wagon. "It feels less like a sport and more like an invasion."
"It is a projection of power, My Lady," Lady Octavi answered, her eyes scanning the yard. "The other Dukes will bring their best. If House Aurelius brings picnic baskets and a silk tent, they will look at us as weak. Your father intends to remind them that the 'Golden Family' has steel and prowess."
"About the horses…" I pointed to the massive beasts below. "Are they trained for battle as well?"
I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Lady Octavi nodded. "They are Destriers. The finest warhorses in the realm, bred for speed and strength. They are the horses of the Cataphract Army, My Lady."
"So Aurelio will ride that horse?"
"No, My Lady," Octavi said gently. "A Destrier is for the charge, to break lines. It is heavy and aggressive. For a hunt, a Destrier would make Young Master Aurelio slower than the prey. He needs speed and agility."
She pointed to a sleek, elegant horse being groomed nearby. "The Young Master will ride a Courser."
"Courser?"
"Yes. A swift and nimble horse, perfect for the hunt. Aurelio will be able to keep up with his prey and maneuver quickly through the forest. It is a noble steed, fit for a Young Master."
"So why do we need to bring Destriers if we don't need them for hunting?"
"Well, the Destriers aren't for the hunt," Octavi explained, her gaze shifting back to the armored giants. "They are for the Vanguard, My Lady."
"The Vanguard?"
"We are entering a gathering of armies, not a picnic," Octavi said seriously. "If your family arrives with only light hunting horses, the other Houses will see you as prey. The Destriers are the heavy cavalry. They are there to remind everyone that while we are here to hunt, we have the prowess to crush armies."
She glanced at me. "You may see special types of armies from other families in the Hunting Gathering, My Lady."
"So it is just a theatrical play…" I whispered.
"The Court and Nobility are a theatrical play, My Lady," Adel interjected smoothly. "You need to understand that every move, every gesture, every choice is a carefully calculated statement of power and influence. It is not just about the hunt; it is about politics."
Lady Octavi nodded in agreement. "Remember, in the world of nobility, perception is everything."
"And in this play," a voice cut through our conversation, "we are not just the actors who recite the lines; we are the ones who write them."
We turned to the entrance.
It was my mother.
She stepped out of the house wearing a riding habit of deep crimson that perfectly suited her red eyes. She looked at me with a warm, maternal smile, but her eyes were sharp as they scanned my face.
"Mother…"
I walked down the stairs to meet her, Adel and Octavi following close behind.
I stopped in front of her. Her eyes softened as she looked at my dress. She reached out to gently cup my cheek.
"My, you look beautiful, Aurelia," she said with her gentle voice. "However, you look pale, darling. Are you feeling unwell? Do I need to bring Sofia?"
"No, Mother," I shook my head quickly. "I am… just thinking about today. It is a big event. I don't want to make a mistake."
"Thinking?" She let out a small giggle. "You worry too much, my dear. Today is a Hunt, not a test. You don't need to burden your head. You just need to enjoy the fresh air. You have been in your room for an entire week, after all."
She turned her gaze to the bustling courtyard, watching the armored Destriers and the loading of the massive weapon racks.
"Although," she added wryly, "it seems your father is taking it too far. Don't you think?"
"Is he, Mother? I thought it was just another typical Father preparation."
"It is typical of him," she agreed, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.
My father emerged from the house.
He was dressed in full hunting regalia—a rugged leather coat adorned with fur that made him look like a king of the wilds. In his hand, he carried his regalia cane, looking sturdy and proud.
When he saw us, his serious face broke into a beaming smile.
"Aurelia!"
He walked down the stairs with a heavy, confident stride.
"How is your body, my dear?" He stopped in front of me, searching my face.
"I am fine, Father…"
My mother interjected, "She is thinking too much about this event, my dear."
"Thinking too much?" My father's gaze softened. "Why do you think about this event so much, my darling? Just don't do that."
I could see the concern in his eyes as he gently placed a massive hand on my shoulder.
"You must relax and enjoy the moment," he said softly. His words brought a sense of calm over me. "It is good to see you under the sun again. Your room… it wasn't too unpleasant, was it?"
"No, Father… my room is my room, but being outside in the fresh air is truly refreshing," I replied with a smile.
He let out a heavy sigh. "I hated it," he admitted, looking down at me with sad eyes. "I hated to confine you in your own room. Dinner has been quiet… too quiet. It felt more like a punishment for me than for you."
"My dear," Mother told him gently, resting her hand tenderly on his arm. She looked at me with a serious expression, yet her eyes were warm. "It was necessary, Aurelia. You took some risks that terrified us. We had to ensure you understood the weight of your decisions, especially regarding your own safety."
She reached out and brushed a stray hair from my face.
"But do not think we enjoyed it," she whispered. "We missed you, darling. A home isn't a home when its heart is locked away."
"I understand, Mother and Father," I said, feeling a lump in my throat. "I have learned my lesson."
"Good," Father said, forcing a brighter smile onto his face. "How about we go inside the carriage now?"
"I still need to wait for Aurelio, Father."
"Ah, yes… The Hunter," Father said, chuckling. "I believe he is bringing his own Vanguard."
His own Vanguard?
As if summoned by the title, the heavy doors of the entrance hall swung open.
Aurelio walked out first.
He didn't look like the little brother I knew seven years ago. He wore fitted leather armor. At his hip, a real sword hung heavy and sharp. He walked with a stiff, formal posture, his eyes fixed straight ahead, avoiding mine.
"Aurelio," I called out, taking a few steps to meet him. "You look… prepared. Is a boar too big for you? Perhaps a rabbit?"
I tried to bridge the gap between us with a light-hearted joke.
Aurelio stopped. He didn't smile back.
Slowly, he turned his head to me. His expression was unreadable—a stark contrast to the boy who had begged me not to go to the Capital weeks ago.
"I am not hunting rabbits, Sister," he said in a low, cold voice. "And I do not need you to worry about my quarry."
He walked past me, heading straight toward his carriage.
I froze.
Since I left for the Capital weeks ago, his attitude had shifted completely.
"He's just focused!"
A loud, cheerful voice broke the silence.
Alecia marched in behind him. She wore custom-made leather gear. However, what drew stares from the footmen—and me—was the weapon strapped to her back.
A Great Axe.
She carried the heavy weapon as if it were a twig, despite being just fourteen years old.
Behind her walked Felix, calm and composed. He wore dual short swords at his waist.
"We are a team, Lady Aurelia!" Alecia announced, grinning. She ran past me to catch up with Aurelio.
She slapped my brother on the back, making him stumble slightly.
Aurelio frowned at her, but he didn't push her away. He just leaned in to say something to her. It was a stark difference from how he treated me.
"He allows Alecia to touch him," I whispered to Adel, feeling a sting in my eyes. "Yet, he won't even look at me."
"Well, Alecia has been sweating in the mud with him for years, My Lady," Adel replied softly. "They share the bond of the sword… Now, you… you are the distant sister."
The realization hurt, but I nodded. I had to accept it.
…
..
.
The carriage wobbled gently as it moved along the forest road.
I sat facing my parents. My father sat heavily, his hands resting on the head of his cane. He wasn't looking at the passing forest; he was staring at the floorboards.
Mother sat beside him, holding his arm gently. She looked at him with concern, occasionally squeezing his hand.
"Aurelia," Father said suddenly. His voice was low and thick with emotion.
"Yes, Father?"
"The Orphanage," he whispered. He lifted his eyes to meet mine. They didn't show suspicion, only deep pain. "I keep thinking about that night. When we told you about the fire… You fell to your knees. You looked so despairing. As if… as if you expected the world to be that cruel."
He leaned forward, reaching out to pat my knee awkwardly.
"My dear," Mother murmured to him.
"I must ask," Father continued, looking at me with pleading eyes. "Is there something else? Is someone threatening you? Are you scared of someone, Aurelia? You can tell us. Your mother and I will protect you."
My heart squeezed. My father was terrified I was in danger.
"No one threatened me, Father," I said, managing a small, sad smile.
"However… the truth is… When I woke up seven years ago without memories, I felt the world was very big and very scary. The more I learned about the world, the more I felt like I didn't belong. It is not about someone threatening me; it is about feeling lost and alone in a world that doesn't feel like mine."
My parents exchanged a worried glance, their expressions softening with understanding.
"My dear," Mother said, her voice trembling. She reached out and pulled me into an embrace. "You are not lost. You are Aurelia. You are ours. You are my lovely daughter. And this world belongs to you as much as anyone else."
I pulled back just enough to look at her.
"However, that is just it, Mother," I whispered, my voice cracking. "You say I am Aurelia… But I don't know who she is. For fourteen years, she lived, she laughed, she loved you… and I don't remember a single second of it."
I looked at my hands.
"I wake up every day in a room that feels like someone else's room. With someone else's body," I confessed, the words spilling out like a broken dam. "I wear her dresses. I use her name. I even play with her siblings. But I don't know what her favorite color was. I don't know what made her cry. I feel like… like a ghost haunting a body that isn't mine, Mother. How can I belong in this world when I don't know the first portion of my own life?"
The silence in the carriage was deafening. Father looked distressed, as if I had slapped him. Mother's eyes shone with unshed tears.
Father reached out for me. He gripped my hands tightly.
"You are not a ghost," he said fiercely. "Those fourteen years… they are precious to us, yes. But the seven years since? The daughter who woke up, who learned to walk again, who learned to read again, who cares so deeply for her siblings that she would fight the world for them… That is the daughter I am proud of."
Mother squeezed my shoulder.
"We did not lose Aurelia," she said clearly, staring into my eyes with intense love. "We watched her grow up twice. And I love her sitting before me just as much as the child I carried. Do not ever doubt that your place is here, with us."