"When you, dear brother—for so I shall henceforth call you—began your strange and wondrous revelations, you painted so vividly the happiness that once filled our humble cottage at the edge of the Black Forest. Your words pierced my heart—I could not hold back my tears.
"But let me not dwell on that joy, which now seems so distant. Instead, allow me to tell you what drove me to abandon that peaceful home."
Her voice trembled as she continued.
"It was about six weeks before my travel. I had gone into the forest to gather wood, humming a song to myself. Then—I heard it. The sound of hooves striking the hard-packed path. I turned and saw a stranger, a cavalier, approaching. He was strikingly handsome, though there was something stern in his expression. Later, I would learn he was forty-eight years old, though he looked not a day over forty. Time seemed to favor him.
"He wore elegant clothes, though of an unfamiliar cut. As he reached me, his gaze lingered, intense. I could feel my cheeks flush. I lowered my eyes, but when I looked up again, he had dismounted and stood beside me.
"He spoke kindly. His voice was warm, and the sternness melted from his face. He explained he had been hunting with Freiherr Emmerich and had gotten separated from his party. Lost in unfamiliar woods, he needed directions. I guided him as best I could, and when he offered me gold, I refused it. He asked about me—my family, my home. I told him of my grandfather, the only family I had left. He listened with interest. His manner was so respectful, so gentle… I saw no harm in talking with him.
"Before leaving, he asked me to meet him again the next day—same place, same hour. Then he was gone.
"I shouldn't have agreed. I knew it even then. But I was dazzled by him. His presence lingered in my mind long after he left. Still, I resolved not to return the next day. I feared your anger—your disappointment. I meant to stay away…
"But when the hour came, my will faltered. And I went.
"He was waiting. Pleased by my return. His words, his compliments—he was so unlike anyone I'd ever met. Then he revealed his identity. I was speaking with Lord Aurel of Blackmere.
"Imagine it, dear brother—how a girl raised in the seclusion of a forest cottage, who had never encountered nobility, could be so easily swept away. I was flattered… excited… confused. One meeting led to another. And soon, I no longer needed convincing to return.
"Yet guilt gnawed at me. I knew you would disapprove, and I dared not tell you. For six weeks, I lived this secret life. Still innocent—but hopelessly in love with the Lord Aurel of Blackmere. He consumed my thoughts by day and haunted my dreams by night. I would've done anything to keep him near me.
"And then, the sacrifice was demanded.
"He told me he was returning to Gloomfen. Sooner than expected. He begged me to go with him. I was torn between duty and love. I hesitated—but not long. My heart drowned out my conscience.
"I fled with him."
Tears welled in her eyes, but she pressed on.
"He carried me on his horseback to a distant peasant cottage near Emmerich Castle. There, he left me in safety, promising to return the next morning. That night… I wept bitterly. Regret already clawed at me. The peasants were kind, but nothing could comfort me. My dreams were terrible. I woke at dawn, haunted and weary.
"True to his word, Lord Aurel returned. With him was a trusted servant, Dorian. They brought a third horse—for me—and a page's disguise. He had thought of everything.
"To conceal our elopement, Lord Aurel left the castle quietly, saying business required him to return to Lumea quickly, with only Dorian at his side. The rest of his entourage would follow later.
"Oh, brother… the pain I felt in that little cottage chamber, as I removed my humble garb and donned the attire of a page. My heart broke as I thought of you—alone, old, abandoned. And yet….. when I returned to the room, and Lord Aurel smiled at me, praising my disguise—something inside me softened. I smiled back. And some of my guilt faded.
"We began our journey to Gloomfen. Lord Aurel's words were honeyed and soothing. Though cold and haughty with others, he was tender with me. Within days, I found I could think of you without tears. It shames me to admit that.
"The Alps were perilous, but we crossed them. And then… Gloomfen unfolded before me in all its splendor. I was enchanted."
She stopped. Her breath caught.
Suddenly, her eyes widened in horror.
A piercing scream escaped her lips as she pointed to the window.
"Again—that face!"
She collapsed onto her seat, her body trembling, her voice a broken cry.