The Bride of the Immortal
Page 35
“You… you were the blond girl in front of me?” Mairin said unbelievingly.
“I’m sorry…” Adrijan mumbled ruefully.
Magdala laughed lightly.
“It’s all in the past now. It’s we who have to apologise, Mairin. It’s because of us that you were endangered.
You see, Grandmamma wanted to find out the truth about the immortal. There were some hideous rumours about him and she assigned someone to scare you into running away from Sunflower Garden. It was meant to keep you safe and give us a chance of infiltrating his home.
We had never expected them to do this in the way you experienced it. If Adrijan hadn’t come to your rescue – I don’t think I could’ve ever forgiven myself.”
Mairin swallowed. It was certainly something she didn’t want to be reminded of.
“Well, that explains your grudge against me,” Mairin realised. “Of course you didn’t want me to marry Vivian.”
Magdala nodded. “I’m sorry though for what I did to you. I even have to admit that being a brat was deliciously fun.”
Mairin laughed. “You were quite good at it too.”
“She was,” Vivian agreed with her. “Why did you attack me in the ‘Sanctuary’ though?”
“I was quite offended by your wedding with Mairin. I thought you had forgotten about me but I saw it as my duty to find out if you were indeed as evil as the rumours claimed you to be. When you invited me to the ‘Sanctuary’ I thought you did so bearing ill intentions in mind – that’s why I took the knife with me. You can imagine my surprise when you showed me the statue of your true love.”
Vivian nodded. “I’m still a little hurt by this,” he teased her.
“Here,” Magdala said and held out the device to Vivian.
“Why are you giving me this?” he asked.
“We can stay together now, can’t we? Let’s protect this together, share eternity together,” Magdala proposed shyly.
“Mhm,” Vivian put his hand on hers, covering the device. “We shall.”
His gaze wandered to Alfred, Adrijan, Änlin and her.
“Will you help us with this task?” the immortal asked.
Of course he had agreed to aid them. Vivian was his brother, his king and the man who had united her with Mairin. For the latter alone he was eternally in his debt.
After bearing with his guilty conscience for centuries he was tremendously relieved to see Magdala sitting next to Vivian again. It was because of this that he could fully enjoy the thought of having Marin close to him.
“Mother, sister, brother,” Vivian addressed Änlin, Mairin and him, “and friend,” he turned towards Alfred. “I had anticipated the worst and gained the best. Today I’m indeed the happiest man on earth and therefore I hope you’ll forgive me for retreating with my wife now. There’s still a lot we have to discuss.”
Even after all this time, Vivian sometimes still sounded like the king he was.
“Good night, brother,” Adrijan said with a big grin.
Vivian nodded and took Magdala’s hand. The angel waved and they left.
“So, Alfred, won’t you sit down and enjoy the rest of this delicious breakfast with us?” Änlin invited the servant.
“But-“
“No ‘but’, good man,” Änlin reprimanded him.
“Very well, Madam,” Alfred said and sat down next to her.
“We’ll have to work on that ‘Madam’ too…” she scolded him. “For now though-“
“Adrijan?” Mairin tucked at his sleeve, gaining his attention.
“Mhm?”
“It’s already morning but I’m quite tired. Do you think it would be alright to get some more sleep?”
“Of course,” he said, wondering about the question but hiding his confusion behind a smile.
“Let us go to my room then. I also want to see if Therry is alright.”
“Us?”
Mairin blushed.
“Oh,” he said smirking. “Oh,” he repeated. “We should go at once then.”
Mairin nodded happily and the two of them retreated without interrupting Änlin and Alfred who, it seemed, were immersed in a profound discussion.
Epilogue
Änlin walked through the magical room Mairin now shared with Adrijan. She had sneaked into it, knowing that it had the most enchanting view. Therry sneaked closer to nuzzle and purr at her legs and she bent down to caress him.
“Adrijan and Mairin will be back soon, little one,” she comforted him.
Both were out on a walk in the warm summer sun, probably enjoying that there was nothing left to separate them.
Over the past few months Magdala, her own grandchild, had grown even more attached to her husband and together they seemed indeed happier than she could have imagined it. After so many years she finally knew what a great injustice she had done to Vivian in taking Magdala away from him.
Änlin opened the door that was hidden in the unicorn mosaic and stepped out on the balcony. The tomcat attempted to slip past her legs but she had been prepared for the playful attack and had blocked the path with her leg beforehand.
“Not so fast, my boy,” she reprimanded him laughingly. They had decided that he and Nebel should stay with them, sharing the effects of the hour glass.
Änlin’s smile vanished quickly as she closed the door behind her. The view in front of her was an unwelcome reminder of why she had come here in the first place.
A few more steps, uncertain steps, brought her to the balustrade. Änlin lowered herself on the cold stone and swung her legs over it.
She had lived a long life, a life without age, but not without time. Not knowing how many summers had passed since her birth she couldn’t help but experience the years that had come and gone as a heavy burden on her shoulders.
The sight in front of her was certainly worthy of being put on a series of picture postcards but all it did for her was making her overcome by a feeling of emptiness. It was comparable with sitting in the study on a Sunday afternoon when for once there was nothing that had to be taken care of and one was left alone in the company of the person that was the most difficult to deal with. It was a moment in which one was at the mercy of one’s thoughts – a very dangerous thing.
She had had it all – even the things she hadn’t wanted – and there was nothing left to do. For the first time in centuries, her granddaughter Magdala experienced a summer as a woman, finally united with the man she loved. For far too long she had been confined in a children’s body, becoming used to acting like a little girl to protect herself. Even next to Vivian she had put up the front not to arouse his suspicion until she could be certain of his character.
What a brave girl she was.
Änlin peeked into the deep. Perhaps it would be nice to see how much Magdala would develop now that she could live freely.
Next to her Adrijan had certainly undergone the biggest change. With his friendly behaviour and warm smiles he now scared the servants who had known him before as the man infamous for his cold, distant manner.
Änlin watched her feet as she moved them back and forth. Once again she asked herself if it was better to end her life, to avoid questions she wasn’t meant to answer.
A gush of wind dragged at her and she vehemently held on to the stone balustrade. Änlin sighed and climbed off the railing.
The day she had seen Magdala smile in Vivian’s arms she had felt like a passenger of a ship coming to shore, bearing in her heart the promise of steady ground underneath her feet.
Who was she trying to fool?
She had already decided that she would stay together with them – perhaps not forever – but certainly as long as it would last.
The End
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