Chapter Fourteen: The Baroness
So… this lovely thing was a rose? He held the soft white pieces to his nose to take in the scent again, willing it to take the pain away.
If the girl was willing to give him something this lovely, he was certain that he wouldn't mind being her pet. She looked like the type to always give food.
Food… he was starving. It had been days since Jurah had given him anything to eat. He had been given a little stale water earlier that day, but his throat was still parched.
xxXxx
Maria Helena von Gikkingen was in a considerably better mood than she had been before her nephew's visit the week before.
She gazed happily at the roses the Yoshioka girl had sent her; the second batch that she had sent since her nephew's visit. The familiar scent had softly filled the room, reminding her of brighter times.
And also of worse times.
Maria sighed, and turned her gaze back to the beautiful sun she could see from her barred window; one of the very few things she liked about her room. She hadn't been allowed outside for nearly two years, and even then, she had only been outside for a mere half-hour.
Of course, that could have been because she had tried to run away again. A groan worked its way past her pale lips, and she pulled on one long white sleeve in irritation. She stood up from her chair by the window, and started pacing her room like a caged animal.
She was just so sick of this cold place! Trapped here, day after day, year after year…
It was a wonder she hadn't been driven insane by now; she would have had plenty of company. Maria sometimes toyed with the idea of playing mind games with the doctors, but she was on thin ice with them as things were, for refusing treatment.
She couldn't see why it was any of their business. Self-righteous men with narrow minds had no business dictating what she knew to be true.
Another patient started screaming from down the hall, but she couldn't understand what he was trying to say.
Maria fell back into her chair, tears once more threatening to flow down her face. Slowly, she placed a hand over her lower belly, and thought about the worst mistake of her life.
Suddenly, her eyes were drawn to the window again. She blinked, and placed both hands on the cool glass. 'What is this? We never get mist at this time of day.'
The little ground she could see from her window was covered with thick grey mist, swirling softly in the wind.
Oh, it was beautiful.
Just as Maria was leaning for a closer look, the mist started running up the side of the building, almost like a backwards waterfall.
She slammed against the back of her chair with a gasp, as the mist covered her window. Whatever wind was controlling the mist seemed to hesitate, and then seep through the cracks between the glass and the window frame. The window soon became lost in the pearly grey mist.
"What is going on? George!" Maria cried out, shakily climbing out of her seat to run for the door. She pounded on it, but it was still locked tight. "George, something's happening!"
"Come now. Is this any way to treat your son?" a distinctly familiar voice asked her from the window. The voice was softly accusing.
Maria froze, her eyes widening with shock.
It couldn't be!
She slowly turned around, to see the mist gather together in a pillar next to the window, and then change into a solid figure.
He had her hair, she could see that immediately. Partially, at least; some of the fur on his face was a creamy white. His eyes, however, were the same as her father's. It was good to see that soft mint green again, even if the eyes were carefully guarded, much the way her father's had been when forced to talk to someone disagreeable.
He was tall as well, and built the same way as his cousin. He was even dressed similarly to his cousin, although he seemed to prefer grey to black. Her son was leaning against the side of the window, his arms crossed over his chest thoughtfully. In one of his gloved hands, he held a simple wooden cane, swaying it slightly as he waited for her to do… something.
Anything.
She stared at him. The illusion was a bit more solid this time, but she knew better than to believe it was real.
But, it would feel wonderful to pretend for a while. Slowly, she walked to the figure in the corner of the room he was standing in.
She stopped right in front of the apparition, and looked at what her son could have been. "Please, let me sleep long enough to hold my boy this time," she whispered, a tear escaping her sapphire eye.
The tall feline blinked in shock as she opened her arms, and wrapped them firmly around his chest.
He was solid! And warm…
"You… think you're dreaming?" he asked, his voice and accent perfectly matching his father's.
But despite the fact, she still loved the sound of it. "Of course. It's the only time I get to see you." She squeezed him a little tighter, thrilled that he hadn't disappeared again.
Even better, he was wrapping his arms around her to return her embrace! It was hesitant at first, but then deepened after a few seconds.
"Mm…m-m…" he finally struggled to say after a few silent minutes, his voice becoming thick with unheard sobs.
The hairs on the back of her neck rose in anticipation. "Say it, just once," she begged, more tears falling from her eyes.
"M-m…Mother," he whispered.
Maria burst into tears, fully realizing that he was real. She buried her face in his light grey jacket. "I-I'm so sorry, son," she sobbed. "I… I wanted to keep you, I really did, but he wouldn't let me! He wouldn't tell me what he did with you, the day you were born, and he took the secret to his grave. Have you been well? Have you been happy?" she begged, clinging to him like a lifeline.
"Lady Gikkingen?" George asked from outside her room, and started playing with the lock on her door.
As quick as lightning, her feline son shifted her body to one arm, and merely pointed at the doorknob with the other hand. The wooden frame shook as the attendant struggled with the door, but it would not open. He started yelling for someone to help him.
"Mother," her son repeated, lingering over the name happily. "Would… you like to come home with me? We will be too easily interrupted if we stay here, and this place doesn't suit you."
She stared at him disbelievingly, but nodded as more tears streamed down her face; this time of gratitude. "Please, son; take me out of here. I hate this cold place."
He chuckled softly as he drew her close for another hug. "I'm afraid that it is sometimes cold there as well, Mother. But it isn't so bad, once you get used to it."
"Wait, my roses!" she cried out, looking back at the bouquet the dear violinist's daughter had sent her.
"Don't fret, Mother," he laughed as they dissolved into mist. "We have enough Polar Stars at home to fill the night sky, and then some."
By the time the attendants broke through the door, both mother and child were gone without a trace.
ooOoo
Maria raised one hand to her forehead, feeling a little strange as she and her son regained physical forms.
"You may wish to sit for a while, Mother," her son said worriedly, easing her into a comfortable couch she hadn't noticed before. "Haru always feels lightheaded after I transport her, too."
"Haru…" Maria murmured, looking up at her son again. "You know the violinist's daughter?" she asked with surprise.
Her son smiled warmly, his beautiful eyes taking new life. "She is the center of my life, Mother. Speaking of which, where is she?" he muttered to himself, straightening to look around the place.
Maria looked around as well, a little unnerved by the cold stones and big silver lake flanking one side of the strange islet. "Where are we?" she asked worriedly.
He sighed, hanging up his hat and coat on a row of hooks on the wall. "That is a very long story, Mother. If you would wait a moment, I would like to make sure that Haru's safe." He bowed politely to her before walking through a long red curtain.
She nodded, and watched him disappear from the strange room. Once he was gone, she indulged her curiosity. She stood up, and walked around the front room.
There was a tall silver teapot on a small stove in the corner, and Maria's nose told her that there was some tea warming in it.
"I hope he doesn't mind," she said worriedly, helping herself to a cup of it.
Her son returned, just as she was taking the first delicious sip. "Haru's asleep in bed," he reported, taking a disgusted look at his pocket watch. "I should have known that transporting you home over such a distance would take until past midnight. Would you like to rest for a bit, Mother?"
"That can wait, Son. I think we owe each other some explanations," she replied sternly. She returned to the couch, and patted the seat next to her invitingly.
He nodded, and hesitantly did as she wished. "Mother… why am I like this? Humbert mentioned some deal with a cat, but he claims not to know any details. Would you mind explaining further?"
Maria sighed, thinking about that distant day. She looked at him again, wondering where to begin. "Your father and I were never really close," she explained, once again hating herself for what had happened. "He was quite attentive when he was courting me, but almost before the vows were said, he started ignoring me. I'd beg him to tell me what was wrong, but he never opened up to me again." Unconsciously, she reached over and placed her hand over his, her expression pained. "I had my… suspicions on why he was suddenly so aloof, but without proof, there was nothing I could do about it.
"Years came and went. He blamed me for not giving him any children when speaking to his family, but the fault was really his. He wouldn't so much as offer me an arm unless other courtiers were watching. We even had separate bedrooms." She shook her head angrily. "Then, twenty-eight years ago, I did something foolish. Please understand, son; my entire family was dead by then, and I was shunned by your father's family because they believed me to be barren and a liar. I was so lonely; I would have died to have a child, and have someone to love."
"That's not so unreasonable, Mother," her son consoled her, his own eyes filled with pain.
"No, but…" She sighed. "Learn from my mistake, son; never make a wish aloud unless you can follow through with it. Looking back, there are quite a few things I would have changed. If I had been wiser, I wouldn't have allowed us to be separated, even if it meant running away to the mountains to keep you safe."
"Mother, just tell me what happened," he begged her.
She took a deep breath for courage. "When I was alone in my garden, I wished out loud to have a child, even if it was a cat. As it so happened, the Cat King happened to overhear me. Did you know that cats have a king?"