Life Becomes Duke's Beloved
The Foreign Memory

.

"You look happy." Abela spoke in a dreamy tone, while Armand was still petrified in his place. Armand never expected that Abela would recall the slightest memory of them. No, Armand just never tried to do it.

While Abela felt even more surprised, what was this feeling? What he suddenly felt. Or what made him suddenly have those memories. Does that mean he has really fused with this woman's body? What happened to Abela's soul?

"Norh ...." Abela whimpered to feel her head like it was on the prick of millions of needles, something flashed in it like the portraits she saw.

The picture where he saw Armand next to the balcony door looked at him curiously. The night was not too dark because the moonlight was very bright and magic stones shone in many places. Abela could clearly see Armand's expression back then. His thin smile, made his face not too intimidating. But it still makes him nervous.

Abela could feel the thump of her beating heart with an irregular rhythm or her breathing becoming heavy. Clumsily he bowed respectfully to the hero of the kingdom. Abela remembered the feeling of how sore her lower lip was because she had bitten too tight. As he heard Armand's low voice asked quietly.

"What makes a beautiful woman like madam stand alone on this lonely balcony?"

Abela heard her voice tremble from a distance, "I was just looking at the moon Your Majesty."

"Month ... Look beautiful." Armand said that with his masculine low voice.

The sound that made Abela's heart beat back quickly. Abela was sure Armand was looking at her as he said that. Abela, wearing a dark factory dress and covering her face with a tile. Showing that she's a widow who's not engaged to anyone else. The dress code applied in his kingdom. Maybe that was why Armand dared to get close to him.

"If Your Majesty wants to wear this balcony, I will return to the hall," Abela's great-grandson softly. He was too nervous to look at Armand again, after hearing what Armand said earlier.

"Dearly enough. At least may I know what your name is, madam ?" Armand's voice sounded very calm and gentle. Fused with the ripples of the leaves that were buffeted by the wind.

"Yes?" Abela was sure she was surprised when she heard that.

"Your name is madam."

"A ... Be ... Lt ...."

...----------------...

Abela sat down while panting. His breath was choked and his chest was hurting. The first Abela saw in the chaos of her head was Armand's panicked face.

"Abela ..." call him. Armand said nothing more, except hugging Abela tightly. He dyed Abela's hair many times, Armand was relieved and worried. How not, Abela was suddenly unconscious after groaning once.

"Duke lent us his personal doctor. How you feeling? What's the pain?" armand asked a little impatiently.

"My head still hurts .." replied Abela Lirih.

What was that? The dreams? Abela was still confused by the vision. After all, he saw those images from Abela's position. Not the third person.

Armand helped her lie down again, "Sleep again," said Armand softly.

"What's going on?" ask Abela, more on herself, not on anyone else.

"You're suddenly unconscious. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you remember too hard" Armand replied regretfully.

"You were wearing a full black warrior outfit with a white accent, when we first met?" Abela wanted to convince her of what she saw earlier, in her subconscious.

"Yes, you're right ...." Armand answered slowly.

"That night ... The moon is very bright and ...." Abela stopped what she was trying to say. Damn, that was really Abela's memory. Which he saw.

"Don't remember it too much. Look, it's not that important to remember" Armand said worriedly as he saw Abela's forehead creasing again withstanding the pain.

"It doesn't matter?" Abela repeated Armand's words in a questioning tone.

"I mean, not for now. I accept you as you are now. I'm sure as time goes by, just slow down. We can definitely remember all of that back."

"I ...." Abela swallowed her saliva, staring at the ceiling of the castle high above her.

"That's it, stop thinking and talking baby. Rest up. Yeah." yeah." Armand persuaded Abela to sleep. Her hands gently caressed Abela's hair and forehead.

"You want me to sing a song?" armand asked, not serious.

"No." Abela muttered softly before her eyes closed and she fell asleep again.

.

.

Time was so short, that Abela knew she was ready on her horse to drive herself to the capital. Armand repeatedly checked his condition this morning. The man was worried that Abela could not ride his horse well. And persuaded him to board a horse-drawn carriage which he would borrow from the Duke of Estonia. But of course Abela was stubborn to use her own horse.

Armand, Abela, and Calix horses lined up in the second row. The first line is the captain of Armand's army and the three most formidable Armand warriors. While behind the second row, all the soldiers either Armand brought or the troops from the Estonian Duke residence mingled into a neat row.

They calmly, drove their horses through the city whose citizens cheered encouragingly on their Master - Calix-and the soldiers who would go far for quite some time.

Their horses were still walking leisurely. Even while climbing the hills. They tried to reach the magic gate before the sun got higher.

Arriving in front of the magic gate, the first row of troops spread out to two sides. The second line enters the gate first. Abela spontaneously looked at Armand who was just a small nod. With the horse's roaring voice sounding quite loud, the three of them entered the magic gate.

.

.

Armand accompanied Abela to the horse-drawn carriage that was preparing to bring Abela home. He still had to stay in the palace to write reports on the parchment and attend parliamentary meetings.

"Where do you want to go home, Abela?" ask Armand softly.

"To my house." Abela still answered slowly.

"alright. I will visit you at dinnertime" said Armand, who was nodding back by Abela. For some reason after having that dream last night, his body felt very tired. He just wanted to get to his house and take a shower and lie down.

That was what Abela wanted, before her carriage stopped in front of her residence. Then slowly he got down the horse carriage. Fixing her slightly tangled dress. Nodding greeting all his employees. And ....

"Mother !" the child's voice sounded pretty loud.

A child with hair and eyes in line with Abela's was running down the stairs excitedly. Her golden strands of hair glistened in the sunlight. The expression on her face that looked happy made Abela unable to shift her attention to anything else. The boy finally reached the fourth step when he suddenly jumped, causing everyone to panic. Luckily the boy landed in Abela's arms.

"Mother ... I miss you" said the boy, still excited.

Abela's hand hugged the child's body which was not too big for a thirteen-year-old - at least Abela remembered the age of this child because Hana always brought it up.

"Orlando?" abela was not too sure.

"Yes?" Orlando moved his face away from his mother's nape to see the face of the mother he missed. For some reason, the rope of the professor where he went to school allowed him to go home.

"How are you, Mother?" ask Orlando.

"Mom's fine. Mom just felt a little sick. So ... Can I take a break?" Abela didn't lie, she was really tired.

"Of course, Mom." Orlando came down from his mother's lap with a very confused face.

"I'm sorry mother" Abela said again as she stroked the top of her son's head. And without looking again, climbed the stairs to his room. Without Abela noticing, Orlando's eyes darkened as the stairs Abela climbed.

...----------------...