Many guests attended, and the event to welcome them lasted until the evening. Cheryl couldn't stand it any longer. Her waist and legs were aching, as were her cheeks from having to smile all the time. Edgar had noticed her discomfort before she could complain.
"Go rest first if you're tired." Edgar spoke in a low, soft tone.
Cheryl was overjoyed when she heard that. But because she didn't want to be too obvious, she pretended to decline Edgar's offer.
"No. There are still a lot of guests arriving, and I need to greet them as well."
Edgar cracked a smiles. "I appreciate your intentions. However, your body is more important. I know you're exhausted. Go get some sleep."
"I can only agree because the Marquess has said so. Then I'll excuse myself to take a rest."
Cheryl turned around after she finished speaking. A hand gripped hers.
"What exactly is it, Marquess?" Cheryl asked, confused.
"We don't need to speak formally to each other, as I previously stated. And who are you addressing as Marquess? Call me by my given name." Edgar reminded Cheryl once more.
"All right, then I'll excuse myself to rest."
Cheryl agrees to refrain from speaking formally but does not mention Edgar's name.
Edgar watched as his little wife walked away, trailed by a group of maids. He could only sigh helplessly.
-
The maid who followed Cheryl was quick on her feet. When Cheryl said she was tired, they immediately gave her a bath, helped her change her clothes, and then let her rest in her bedroom.
Cheryl was the first to enter this room. She didn't notice when she changed into her bridal gown this afternoon. It was only now that she realised she was in the bridal chamber.
The decoration is lovely. The curtains, bed linen, and nets were all red and clean. Furthermore, several bouquets of myrtle flowers were placed throughout the room.
Cheryl was a little uneasy thinking that this was her and Edgar's bridal chamber. But, as uncomfortable as it was, the truth was that she was now married and had become someone's wife. Cheryl is an adult who understands what is and is not appropriate. Because everything has happened, just leave it alone.
Cheryl lay down on the big bed, massaging her slightly dizzy head, after she had made peace with her worries. She noticed the carved bracelet remained on her wrist. She pauses her massage and fiddles with her bangles. She had the sensation that the red colour of the gemstone on her bracelet was swirling like a whirlpool, either from exhaustion or from something else. Cheryl blinked a few times before returning her gaze to it.
"I thought it was my imagination, but it must be because I'm so tired."
Cheryl is done with fooling around. She concentrated on her comfortable bed and aromatherapy candles on the left and right sides of the bed; her tired body immediately relaxed. Cheryl fell asleep soon after.
Cheryl then had a dream. Claudia's life journey was depicted in her dream. Claudia's memory, to be precise.
°°
Claudia is just nine years old. In the palace garden, she and the other Princesses were playing hide and seek.
She met a teenage boy with a slightly dirty appearance while she was trying to find the Princesses who were hiding. The adolescent was standing in front of the palace's main entrance. He stood tall no matter how hot it was.
Claudia had no idea why the teenager insisted on standing there, despite the fact that his body shook from time to time.
Claudia approached him, attempting to greet him. But the young person ignored her.
Claudia stopped trying to talk to him because he appeared arrogant. She went to her room to get an umbrella and a water bottle, then handed them to the teen and left.
Years went by quickly. Claudia is now 18 years old, the legal marriage age. Claudia didn't have much hope because Yvette wasn't married either. She worried that she would never have a good marriage because her royal father would never consider anything for her.
Until the soldiers from the north returned to bring the victory. The three warrior leaders came to popularity quickly, — especially Edgar Baldwin, the only unmarried general.
Claudia had had no reaction to the news. All of the famous person had nothing to do with her. Until she ran into Edgar in the palace garden. As he took something from his robe pocket, the man smiled. Claudia had given me a water bottle many years ago.
"I apologise for not being able to introduce myself. Edgar Baldwin is my name."
Claudia and Edgar grew close after that.
Every time Edgar went to the palace, he looked for Claudia. If he is unable to visit, he will send letters or small gifts to the Princess on a regular basis.
Several people appear to have taken notice of their relationship. That, according to the king, was the key to Edgar's weakness. Meanwhile, Yvette, who fell in love with Edgar at first sight, saw it as a thorn in the flesh.
At the same time, Edgar made a marriage request to the king. Claudia was, of course, the bride he was referring to. The king agreed with some heartfelt intentions, but it enraged Yvette.
Yvette devises an audacious plan to get rid of Claudia so she can replace the marriage. She also brought her knight guard to kill Claudia.
Claudia's consciousness was about to vanish when she noticed Edgar running towards her in a panic. He grabbed Claudia's injured body in the hopes of keeping her awake. Claudia's last breath had already been taken, and her consciousness had drifted.
°°
Cheryl awakens unexpectedly. She inhaled heavily, as if she had stopped breathing. Someone rubbed Cheryl's back, startling her.
"Edgar?"
Cheryl sat next to the man. His face was clearly worried.
"So, what exactly is it? Did you have a nightmare?" He enquired.
Cheryl remained silent. Dream fragments flashed through her mind once more. It appeared to her to be a memory from the past rather than a dream. She really wanted to dive into Edgar's arms once she found him beside her. She had never felt anything like it before. It's a deep yearning. It was so moving that she found herself in tears just thinking about it.
A single tear streamed down her cheek.
When Edgar saw Cheryl crying again, he felt as if his heart was being grabbed by an invisible hand.
"Why are you so upset? Was the dream really that terrifying?" Edgar inquired softly, wiping away tears with his fingertips.
Cheryl wanted to cry even more when she heard Edgar's voice. Her shoulders started to shake. She hugged Edgar without thinking. Her ear was right next to Edgar's heartbeat. Cheryl sensed the comfort of Edgar's touch and scent. It looked exactly like the one in Cheryl's dream.
So, those dreams are memories of the past, correct?
They hugged like that for a long time. Cheryl realised she was clinging to Edgar's body like an octopus after her crying stopped. She looked down, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry for causing you concern." Cheryl stated quietly.
Edgar was unexpectedly hugged, and while surprised, he was also pleased. It felt like he'd been reunited with a long-lost lover.
"It's all right. If you're upset, you can always hug me."
Cheryl shook her head. "I'm not scared."
Edgar cocked his brow, intrigued. "Oh? So, why do you suddenly want to hug me?"
Cheryl paused, clutching the corner of her dress. "Will you think I'm crazy if I say it?"
"Won't," Edgar assuredly replied.
"All right, I'll say it." Cheryl inhaled and exhaled slowly, attempting to relax. Then she looked at Edgar's expression.
"I'm actually from another world." My soul arrived not long ago, before you returned from the North. I still live my life like Claudia. However, I recently had a dream about a previous life. The dream was so vivid that it felt like a long-forgotten memory. Claudia and you are both present in the dream. They…” Cheryl couldn't stand it any longer.
She gave Edgar a timid look. He decided to behead her because he was afraid this man would become enraged. Cheryl was taken aback by his calm reaction.
"Are you not angry?"
Edgar cracked a smile. "No, why should I be angry?"
"Because I'm not really Claudia..."
"Are we certain?" Edgar arched his brow. "For the first point, it makes no difference where your soul comes from. You are you to me. Then, regarding that dream, I had a similar dream not long ago."
Cheryl was taken aback. "Is that correct?"
"Do you not believe me? Allow me to finish your unfinished story. Claudia and Edgar in your nightmare. They were in love, but they couldn't be together because Claudia died. Right?"
Cheryl was taken aback. "You, Edgar..."
Edgar grabbed the tiny body and took her in his arms as he saw tears well up in his wife's eyes.
Cheryl did not object. She pressed her face against the strong man's chest. She then overheard Edgar say, "If we were a couple in the past, I am grateful that we can be together again in this life. We must create a happy couple life for ourselves, as well as for Edgar and Claudia in the past."
---