The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 28: Tea and Talk

The journal of King Xavier:

Anna likes : Roses, vanilla-flavored macarons and strawberries, all kinds of tea brewed concentrated and given a little milk, and General Leon. (Last of all, he loved it so much that it hurt me to see him continue to be sad after General Leon's departure.)

Anna hates: Cold air, Nordhalbinsel, my father, and maybe even me.

The way Anna didn't hate me: To be her friend. (But how?)

Note:

Today I saw her wearing a wedding dress belonging to Duchess Francis. But strangely she looked embarrassed and continued to cover her face. Though I wanted to look at her, I guess I would never get tired of looking at her. He looks amazing and shining. Like sun. And I lose the ability to speak every time I see it. I must be crazy! I could have thought of marrying her at that moment! I almost actually proposed to her with the ring today in the horse carriage. Luckily I was able to tell her about the ring and my heart inside, and that it was hers. Anna would be getting away from me if she knew what I felt for her, or how often I thought about her and dreamed of her. He'll probably really hate me. I should be grateful if he'd just be friends with me. I really have no hope, right? Our relationship exists only in the past, not the present.

***

"You're daydreaming." Leon's voice that came suddenly with teleportation magic scattered his reverie.

Anna was on the balcony of Vierra's room after making sure her daughter was asleep. He did not want to rush to go to his room—who was previously Xavier's room. So he decided to have tea on the balcony of Vierra's room. He orders one of the Wolf squad members assigned to guard his daughter to deliver a message to Leon to meet her on the balcony of the Princess' room.

"I'm thinking." Said Anna. He then sipped his tea before the hot tea became cold tea as the ever-cold air in Noord froze. Anna put her fur coat together and rubbed the ruby gemstone on her ring. The heart core of the Great Fire Dragon warmed him like a hug.

"What are you thinking?"

There were so many things Anna was thinking about that Anna didn't know where to start. There was a lot going on that day. About Elyan who is now the responsibility of Leon— and Anna herself is not sure if Leon can really take care of the child alone, especially with a lot of bad rumors that began to circulate about 'the extramarital child of Grand Duke Winterthur' among the nobles. About her decision to negotiate with Haru, whereas Anna herself is not yet fully convinced that she can do it. About his decision to go against Orient if they reject those negotiations. About the arrival of General Tyros who brought him Xavier's journal book as well as a hairpin containing the heart core of the Wind Dragon. About his request to Ludwig. About the contents of Xavier's letter. And what Anna saw in Aletheia's eyeball this afternoon.

There was so much to think about that Anna didn't know if she would be able to sleep that night.

Anna turned to her side, Leon was waiting for her to answer his question. Hazel's eyes didn't turn away from her. "Leon... What do you think about me making Westeria a part of Imperial Schiereiland?"

Leon looked surprised at the question. But he hurriedly arranged his expression to look calm, then replied, "I think it's a bit ambitious and not like you."

Anna agreed. "But if Westeria becomes part of Imperial, then Eugene does not need to abdicate. It's not like Nordhalbinsel forcibly took Schiereiland after killing my father. It's not like that."

Leon shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, Your Majesty." He then shifted his gaze, gazing into the distance, into the darkness of the snowy night before them. Leon drank his tea and let out a long sigh. "alright... You asked my opinion. Here's my opinion, if Queen Eugene agrees, I think maybe you can do it. But if he doesn't agree—“

"Eugene would've agreed to it." Cut Anna straight away. He's pretty sure about it. If Eugene wanted to have a family and children, he could not occupy the throne of Westeria. But if Westeria was under the rule of Imperial Schiereiland, the curse would no longer apply to Eugene without having to remove Eugene from his throne. And Anna did not need to burden her infant daughter with great responsibility. By making Westeria part of Imperial Schiereiland, Anna had the power to enlist several Westeria technicians to help Ludwig complete the Steel Dragon project.

"alright. I've decided. I'm going to Westeria with my mother-in-law." Said Anna.

Leon did not respond immediately. He finished the cup first, then said, "When should I accompany you?"

"No. Not yous. I'll ask General Tyros to accompany us. I have another job for you if you're not busy."

"In addition to learning how to be a good single father, I'm very unemployed right now. Irene and my assistants helped me a lot in the Winterthur area so I have a lot of free time."

"Oh, right. How's Elyan doing? Are you having trouble?"

"He's fine. She used to cry a lot, I think it was natural that she was away from her mother, but there was a nanny and her mother in the Queen's Palace. Irene was starting to like it too. And tomorrow he's gonna start living in Winterthur's residence."

"That's great." Said Anna. He was silent for a moment, wondering if he should tell Leon about the rumors circulating about him or not. The rumors he accidentally heard this afternoon. But there were no secrets between them, so Anna decided to tell him. "Have you heard the rumors circulating today?"

"What rumors?"

Anna cleared her throat, "Grand Duke Winterthur brought home the son of his unknown lover."

Leon seemed at a loss for words for a while. "Gosh." That's all he can say.

"They said, your beloved asked for a large sum of money and a mansion for payment for giving birth to your son. There are also those who say that the woman is a married noblewoman and you seduce her. Some say she's a beautiful poor widow. But many believe that the woman is a prostitute. And you don't want to marry her because it's just one night's love."

"That's crazy! I've never even fucked anyone." Leon Protest.

"Well, you don't have to tell me about that. You're as free as any single man in the world. But thanks for being honest with me."

"Absolutely not. You look like a nice guy who's even willing to be a foster father to the son of the woman who's been mean to you." Answer Anna directly. "But you're popular, Leon. It was so popular that many women out there claimed to be the mother of Elyan." Answer Anna. He feels guilty because the bad rumors hit Leon because Anna was the one who initially persuaded Leon to bring Elyan. "Sorry, Leon. I should have known there would be a lot of gossip like this if you brought Elyan to your place—“

Leon immediately cut off his words, "I have absolutely no problem with those rumors, Your Majesty. I can ignore it. But the boy... I hope Elyan doesn't hear it. That was terrible for her."

Anna agreed. More or less he understood why Leon was worried about Elyan. Leon was in that position. A child without parents is brought to the Palace by the King and made his adopted son before the Queen gives birth to an heir.

Without looking back at Anna and just staring blankly ahead as if he was looking at the past, Leon continued his words, "When I was a kid, I was looking at the past, there were also rumors about my birth mother because King Edward did not tell anyone about who my parents really were. Gossip is like I'm the King's illegitimate son. The son of a prostitute who slept with the King. Fortunately, I did not take their heart too much. And King Edward explained to me that my mother and father were honorable men, heroes who died on the battlefield, who were meritorious to Schiereiland and were the two men who protected him. So since then I can ignore those rumors."

Leon had never told Anna that before, but without being told, Anna knew Leon had been having a hard time at the Palace because people didn't know about his birth parents. And when she heard that Leon was finally willing to tell her all about it, Anna didn't know how to respond. So she did what Xavier used to do to her if she felt sad and upset. Anna radiated warmth from the heart core of the Supreme Fire Dragon that was in her ring at Leon to give him comfort.

And Leon soon realized it because it felt like someone was holding it. He turned his head towards Anna as if asking without making a sound. Leon immediately got his answer when he saw that the ruby gem ring on Anna's finger seemed to light up brightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. But please don't make me flutter. I don't want to misunderstand." Leon said while turning his reddened face.

Anna immediately stopped him, drawing back that radiance of warmth. He then switched the conversation so that the situation between them did not become awkward, "You don't want to tell anyone about the truth? That he's not really your son and that he's the son of Eleanor with her lover?"

"That's not necessary. In this country there is not much to see other than snow and ice. The gossipers were just tired of making their own entertainment by gossiping. They will get tired of the rumors if I ignore them. I won't let Elyan know about his biological parents. So only you and Irene know." Said Leon.

"I'm so proud of you, Leon." Anna smiled at him. "At first I wasn't sure if you were really capable of raising a child who wasn't your child at all. A child born to someone you hate who has made you immortal. But now I'm sure you can do well."

Leon couldn't help but smile at the compliment, "It's normal. I'm used to making you proud."

Anna rolled her eyeballs. "You should stop bragging like that, Grand Duke."

Leon laughed at the tone of the talk. "So... What task do you want me to do, Your Majesty?"

Anna cleared her throat before starting, "I want you to bring me one of the Dragon Trackers from the Orient named Eri. And let no one know."

"Can I bring along an army of wolves?" Ask Leon directly. He did not know the Orient Dragon Trackers known as Torakka at all, he had only heard of them. So the task would be a little difficult if he had to look for it himself. The Wolves would be able to trace the scent of the person he was looking for, and that would ease his task.

"of course. But don't let him get hurt." Said Anna.

"I understand." Said Leon. "One more thing..."

"What?"

Leon didn't say it right away. For a moment he seemed to doubt whether to ask her or not. But he was too curious to be able to hold back that question. "Just now, when I was carrying Aletha in my hand in the meeting room. What did you see there?"

"What do you mean?" Anna asked, half hoping Leon never asked. Because he himself was still unsure of what he saw in Aletheia's eyeball. And the truth in it was hard to believe, but at the same time, he wanted to believe it.

"Aletha tells a hidden truth to whoever sees it. What are you looking at?"

"Not much. Nothing specific." Anna's Lying. He couldn't even look at Leon when he said that. Because he saw something there. More precisely, he saw a chain of events that he did not know about before.

Leon crossed his arms in front of his chest, raising one of his eyebrows, demanding honesty. "You're not very good at lying."

Anna sighed. Know that one day he has to tell Leon. But that was not the right time. There are too many things to think about and do. "I'll tell you later." Anna's Promise. But then he asked, "Leon, do you know about the Grimoire Sand Clock? Is that thing in Winterthur House?"

"I've heard it." Leon acknowledged. He remembers the hourglass belonging to the Lilacier Grimoire that was stolen by King Edward and used by him to save Irene from her death on the battlefield, but until then Leon had never seen the hourglass. "But I don't think it's in the Winterthur House. Eleanor said, it disappeared somewhere. What's wrong with that thing?"

"It's nothing. I'm just.. curious." Answer Anna.

And Leon understands that Anna will not tell the real reason behind the question. "alright. I'd better go back now before there's any more gossip. Good night, Your Majesty." Leon said, then he disappeared from before Anna.

After Leon left, Anna just sat by Vierra's cot and gently stroked her daughter and muttered the sleep song her mother used to sing. But his mind wandered, recalling the incident last afternoon when Leon came to the meeting room carrying Aletheia's eyeballs.

Aletha did show him something. And Anna couldn't stop thinking about it.

And maybe the hourglass that disappeared is still there and the answer to all the questions.

***