The Reverie of the Crimson Widow

Chapter 4: Chapter 4 : A Carriage Ride



The wheels of the carriage groaned beneath the weight of its burden as it rumbled slowly along the narrow dirt path winding through the dense Valcheim forest. Liesel sat stiffly inside, her small hands folded tightly in her lap, knuckles white beneath her worn gloves. The unfamiliar swaying motion made her stomach twist in knots, and her heart pounded like a frightened bird trapped in a cage.

This was the first time she had ever ridden a carriage.

Her eyes darted nervously between the window's darkened glass and the hand-sewn tapestries lining the wooden interior. The scents inside, leather, cedar, faint perfume, clashed with the earthy smells of the village she had left behind. Every creak and rattle of the wheels seemed to echo her growing unease.

Lady Elsa sat beside her, calm and composed, her green velvet cloak folded neatly across her lap. She was silent, but her presence was a steadying force, like a lighthouse cutting through a storm.

After what felt like an eternity, Elsa finally spoke, her voice a soft murmur that barely disturbed the still air inside the carriage.

"Liesel," she began gently, "tell me, what is the leaf with three points and tiny white flowers that grows near water?"

Liesel blinked, startled by the sudden question.

"Yarrow," she answered cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.

Elsa smiled, a faint light touching her usually reserved features.

"Good. You remember well. And what is its purpose?"

"To stop bleeding. My mother taught me."

A small silence fell. Elsa's eyes held a mixture of approval and something more—curiosity, perhaps, or concern.

"Very good. It seems you have learned much despite your circumstances."

Liesel swallowed hard, cheeks flushing.

Elsa continued, her tone warm but firm.

"Now, tell me, can you read?"

The question felt like a test, an unspoken challenge.

"I... I can," Liesel admitted, voice wavering slightly. "A little. From old books. But not like the nobles."

Elsa nodded slowly.

"We will change that."

For the remainder of the journey, Elsa gently probed Liesel's knowledge, teaching her to recite simple verses in the refined court tongue, correcting her awkward phrasing with patience. She asked about herbs, remedies, and the small wisdom of the forest. Each question was a thread, weaving a fragile connection between the country girl and the noblewoman.

Liesel felt a strange mix of fear and hope, this world was both frightening and wondrous.

Outside, the forest gave way to rolling hills, and the faint outline of a great fortress appeared on the horizon, its towering walls and sharp battlements cutting a formidable silhouette against the morning sky.

Blutthal Fortress.

It loomed like a sentinel guarding ancient secrets and noble legacies.

The carriage rumbled up the winding road leading to the massive gates, where armored guards snapped to attention. The iron portcullis slowly lifted with a heavy clang, admitting them into the courtyard.

Liesel's breath caught in her throat.

Everything here was vast and unfamiliar, the stone walls rising like mountains, the banners fluttering in the breeze, and the distant clang of smithies and soldiers training.

The carriage stopped before the main hall.

Elsa helped Liesel from the carriage, steadying her trembling hands.

"Come," she said softly. "You are home now."

The heavy oak doors creaked open, revealing a vast chamber adorned with tapestries woven in deep crimsons and silvers, the colors of House von Adalbrecht.

Liesel's eyes widened as she took in the grandeur.

Suddenly, a figure appeared on the balcony overlooking the hall.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and piercing eyes that seemed to hold both power and secrets.

Otto von Adalbrecht.

His gaze locked onto Liesel, unreadable, as if weighing her very soul.

For a moment, she felt exposed, as though all her fears and hopes were laid bare beneath that sharp, assessing look.

Then he turned away, his expression unchanged, disappearing behind heavy velvet curtains.

Elsa squeezed Liesel's hand reassuringly.

"You will meet him soon," she said quietly. "For now, rest and learn. This place will be your new world."

Liesel nodded, though her mind swirled with questions.

Who was this man with eyes like storms? What did he see in her? And what fate awaited the girl who had left the apricot tree behind?

As the sun climbed higher, shadows danced along the fortress walls, and Liesel took her first hesitant steps into the vast, unknown life of nobility, a world both dazzling and dangerous.


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