Chapitre 44
Quelques minutes s'écoulèrent dans un silence apaisant, seulement troublé par le léger bruissement des pages d'un livre que Camélia feuilletait distraitement. Puis, d'une voix hésitante, elle rompit le calme :
« J'ai l'intention de demander l'annulation de mes fiançailles avec le prince Edgar. »
Vidalia sursauta et se redressa brusquement, les yeux écarquillés. Son regard se fixa sur les iris violets de son amie, où se mêlaient sincérité et douleur indicible.
« Vraiment ? » souffla-t-elle, le cœur battant la chamade. « Tu l'as déjà dit il y a quelques années, mais je pensais que c'était sous le coup de l'émotion… après sa trahison. »
Camélia baissa les yeux en se mordant la lèvre. Vidalia, inquiète, s'approcha et prit sa main dans la sienne.
« Je ne pensais pas que tu le voudrais vraiment… Qu'est-ce qui t'a fait changer d'avis ? » demanda-t-elle doucement.
Camélia releva lentement le visage, ses yeux violets brillant d'une lueur blessée.
« Pour être honnête, » murmura-t-elle, « j'ai longtemps espéré qu'Edgar change… Nous nous connaissons depuis l'enfance. On m'a répété sans cesse que je serais sa femme. Alors nous avons grandi avec cette certitude, en imaginant un avenir radieux. »
Sa voix se brisa légèrement, et Vidalia serra les doigts pour la soutenir.
J'ai tout fait pour être la fiancée parfaite, et plus encore, une future reine irréprochable. J'ai sacrifié mes rêves, réprimé mes élans, je suis devenue froide, stricte, persuadée que c'était ainsi que je remplirais mon rôle. Et pendant tout ce temps, il m'encourageait vaguement… ou m'ignorait, me poussant à partir ailleurs, tout en m'accusant d'être fade.
Le ton se fit plus dur, et Vidalia sentit ses dents grincer de rage. Comment osait-il ?! Camélia était l'âme la plus noble et la plus rayonnante qu'elle ait jamais rencontrée.
« Puis Angela est arrivée, poursuivit Camélia d'une voix tremblante. Et c'est là qu'il a cessé de faire semblant. C'est là que j'ai compris… que je m'étais bercée d'illusions pendant longtemps. Edgar n'a jamais changé ; c'est moi qui refusais de le voir. »
« Non, Lia… » tenta Vidalia, bouleversée.
Mais Camélia secoua la tête, un sourire douloureux effleurant ses lèvres.
« Je sais », murmura-t-elle. « Je l'ai accepté il y a quelque temps. Edgar est tombé follement amoureux d'Angela. Mais ce n'est pas tout. »
Elle prit une profonde inspiration, puis dit d'une voix vibrante :
« Depuis quelques mois, une rumeur persistante circule. Le prince Edgar… aurait des liaisons avec les servantes. »
Les yeux de Vidalia s'écarquillèrent, sa bouche s'entrouvrit légèrement.
"Quoi?!"
Camélia hocha la tête, le visage ferme.
« J'ai mené ma propre enquête. Plus d'une douzaine de jeunes femmes m'ont confié leurs malheurs, une fois assurées que je les protégerais. »
Vidalia porta une main tremblante à ses lèvres. C'était impossible… ce n'était jamais mentionné dans le roman !
« Comment peut-il parler si mal de toi ? » souffla-t-elle, indignée. « N'a-t-il donc aucun respect pour toi ? »
« J'espérais qu'il changerait, mais il n'a fait que s'enfoncer davantage », dit Camélia avec amertume. « Il est temps que cela cesse. Après le Festival de la Magie et de la Nation, je demanderai une audience auprès du roi. Je ferai annuler ces fiançailles… et je serai enfin libre. »
Un silence pesant s'installa. Vidalia sentit son cœur se serrer pour son amie… mais au fond d'elle, un soulagement immense l'envahit. Oui, Edgar et Angela étaient faits pour être ensemble, quelles que soient les circonstances. Mais Camélia allait être libérée de ce fardeau écrasant.
Vidalia se jeta dans ses bras et la serra fort contre elle.
« Tant que tu es heureux, c'est tout ce qui compte pour moi », murmura-t-elle avec ferveur. « Même si le monde entier se retournait contre toi, je resterais à tes côtés, pour toujours. »
Camélia la serra tout aussi fort dans ses bras.
« J'avais tellement peur que tu sois fâchée contre moi », confia-t-elle à voix basse. « Que tu penses que je t'abandonne… Je voulais tellement que tu restes loin de lui, j'avais peur que tu te fâches et que tu ne veuilles plus être mon amie », dit-elle avec un mélange de regret et de soulagement.
Camélia recula doucement et prit le visage de Vidalia entre ses mains, l'obligeant à croiser son regard. Ses yeux violets brillaient d'un mélange de gravité et de tendresse.
« Je croirai toujours en toi, Vida. Toujours. Même si tu me disais que tu viens d'un autre monde où les gens voyagent d'un continent à l'autre, je t'écouterais sans jamais te rejeter. Tu es comme ma petite sœur, et si tu m'avais prévenue, je ne t'aurais pas repoussée ; je t'aurais écoutée ! »
Vidalia éclata de rire, un frisson la parcourant. Si seulement elle savait…
« Et si je te disais que la lune est faite de fromage blanc ? » lâcha-t-elle en reniflant, mi-taquine, mi-émue.
Camélia haussa un sourcil avec une grâce hautaine.
« Je le savais déjà », répondit-elle d'un ton sentencieux.
Elles éclatèrent de rire, les larmes se mêlant à leurs sourires, et Vidalia s'effondra contre son amie comme une enfant.
"Look at me like my big sister, Lia," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Camélia brushed a tender smile against her cheek.
"Thank goodness, because the other one hardly deserves anything better than a low-class demon."
This time, their laughter rang out in unison, filling the room with a soft, sisterly warmth.
≈≈≈≈
Camélia gradually calmed down, and a gentle warmth rose to her cheeks, which took on a lovely rosy hue.
"And then… someone has caught my attention lately," she confessed in a small, almost shy voice.
Vidalia stared at her, stunned, as if the heavens had just opened. It was definitely a day of revelations! Camellia Greenwood, the impeccable, the unwavering Camellia, had just confessed that she had a crush on someone? Someone other than that idiot Edgar?
A familiar figure immediately formed in Vidalia's mind: light brown hair, clear blue eyes… A mischievous smile stretched across her lips as she straightened up, looking like a fox sniffing out prey.
"Oh… really?" she sang in a drawling voice. "And this person wouldn't happen to have beautiful light brown hair? Warm, piercing, light blue eyes, mmm?"
Camelia quickly looked away, her already pink cheeks flushing even more.
Vidalia triumphed inwardly and, savoring the moment, continued in her playful voice:
"Broad-shouldered, slender, sometimes a little nervous and awkward… but, when the moment demands it, capable of being so… intimidating."
Camélia's breath caught for a second, her body betraying her unease as she squirmed like a child caught doing something wrong. Vidalia, delighted, added softly, her emerald-green eyes sparkling with mischief:
"Especially when it comes to protecting those he cherishes…" She paused, pretended to think deeply, then continued in a mock-hesitant tone: "Oh, I think I know who it is, but I'm not entirely sure. Correct me if I'm wrong… But it seems to me it's Silas Reinhard. Am I mistaken?" she said, adopting an innocent pout.
Camélia narrowed her eyes, her cheeks puffed out and scarlet like a little girl whose favorite toy had been stolen. In a sudden burst of energy, she lunged at Vidalia and tickled her mercilessly.
"You little insolent thing!" she exclaimed, laughing despite herself.
Vidalia burst into clear laughter, trying to escape, tears welling in her eyes.
Camélia sniffed, tossing her white hair over her shoulders with a mock-haughty air, stiffly resuming her seat. She folded her arms, watching Vidalia try to catch her breath between sobs.
Vidalia finally straightened up, her eyes shining with laughing tears that she wiped away with the corner of her eye.
"Don't take it like that… I'm happy you like my cousin," she said, regaining her composure. "If you two get married, we'll be family!"
Her almost childlike enthusiasm made Camélia blush, and she immediately lowered her eyes.
"I'm not sure he feels the same way about me…" she sighed wearily. "I'm still engaged to a prince, and besides… everyone describes me as this cold, graceless, bland duchess."
Vidalia tilted her head, her gentle gaze filling with tenderness. She found her own self-deprecation ridiculous.
"I'd be very surprised if Silas didn't love you," she chuckled softly. "You might not see it… but I do."
Camélia looked up, intrigued.
Vidalia inhaled deeply, as if she were about to share a secret. Her smile became dreamy.
"Every time he looks at you, he forgets the whole world." His eyes are fixed on you as if you were the only light in a dark room. When you enter a room, he straightens up, as if your presence alone gives him importance. Have you noticed? He always stutters, even when he tries to sound confident. And he turns bright red, so red you'd think he was going to choke on his own words.
Camélia was speechless, her lips slightly parted.
"And then…" Vidalia added, laughing softly, "he has this strange way of breathing… as if he needs to inhale a little of your air so he doesn't fall to his knees in front of you. I find it adorable."
Camélia's eyes widened, unable to reply.
"Yes, he loves you," Vidalia concluded tenderly. "I'm sure of it."
And, as if to seal her words, she gently climbed onto his lap. Camélia, almost mechanically, let her hands slide into her friend's dark hair, soothed by the gesture as much as by her words.
Camélia remained silent for a moment, her fingers gliding effortlessly through Vidalia's two-toned locks. Vidalia let her, giving her space to think—after all, her friend now had to consider how to attract Silas's attention and, perhaps, win his heart.
"And you?" she asked suddenly.
Camélia, in a soft but firm voice.
- Hmm ? What do you mean? Vidalia raised her head slightly to look at her.
— With that idiot Arzhel, let's see. Do you think I didn't notice? He is completely in love with you… if not obsessed.
Vidalia's heart lurched painfully in her chest. She quickly looked away, letting her gaze wander into the familiar shadows of the room.
"He invited me to the festival of magic and the nation, in the capital," she murmured weakly.
Camélia's caresses stopped abruptly.
— You don't look happy… I thought you liked him. Even if I find him much too eccentric for a sweet girl like you, she added dryly.
Vidalia's eyes narrowed, stung.
— You can detect everyone's feelings... but not those of the gentleman who makes your heart beat? she said, sarcastically.
— I knew it! This bad guy is a bad influence on you. Look at you, you're getting insolent!
Camélia gave him a little slap on the behind, indignant.
— Mmm! Vidalia protested, sniffling.
"It's not worthy of a lady," Camélia replied in a professorial tone. And don't try to avoid my questions, you're too transparent for that.
Vidalia pouted: caught in the act. She sighed, before burying her face against her friend's flat stomach.
"I can't…" she said in a muffled voice.
- What ? Camélia wondered, arching an eyebrow.
—I can't be with him.
"It's true that he's strange," Camélia admitted.
- I know.
—And dangerous, as a mage.
- I know.
— Obsessive, violent, devious…
— I know.
— He hides things.
— I he…
—And he's possessive, way too possessive. Obsessed with you beyond reason.
— I know—
— You know, yes! sighed Camélia, exasperated. I understood.
She took a breath, her tone softening.
—I don't want to be hypocritical. I had to tell you honestly how I see it.
His fingers resumed their caress in Vidalia's hair. Vidalia loved this frankness as much as she feared it: every word hit home. She, who had not been able to be transparent about Prince Edgar, felt the weight of this contrast.
— Although I know how unhealthy this attachment is... I also see how much Arzhel loves you. I am convinced that he would burn the whole world for you, as he likes to say. Yes, his possessiveness will undoubtedly hurt you... but I know, Lia, that you thirst for this love. You've never tasted this feeling. Even if you found your family, even if they adore you, even if I love you with all my heart too... you need more.
At these words, Vidalia could not hold back her tears, which stained her friend's dress.
- And even if I hate his insolence and his arrogant air, Camélia continued in a tight voice, I am ready to step aside... because he, at least, brings you joy.
A trembling smile broke through Vidalia's tears. Yes, Camélia's words were true. Clear like spring water. But the truth remained painful.
"It's impossible…" she whispered.
Camélia parted her mouth to ask why… but her gaze froze.
Her eyes rested on the back of her friend's neck. A dark mark pulsed faintly there, oscillating between appearance and disappearance, like a living seal. A stigma.
His fingers brushed the mark; Vidalia choked back a sob. Camélia, daughter of a great line of mages, understood immediately. His heart broke before his eyes.
"You… you can't free yourself from it? she asked in a pleading, broken voice.
"Only death will free me," Vidalia murmured, the words carried away by the wind.
The words resonated like a baleful echo in the room, mixed with Camellia's panting breath and the silent tears that splashed Vidalia's bare skin.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. A thick silence surrounded them, filled with unexpressed emotions that they didn't know how to express. The sun continued its slow descent towards the horizon, casting long shadows across the room as they sat together, each lost in thought.