WALPURGIA ✔️

Chapter 27 - They are alright ...

☽

A year and six months after the departure of Rebecca and Baldwin

Ending of January/beginning of February

Hugh and Elizabeth Brandt

"Hugh, dearest", Elizabeth, Baldwin's mother, approached her nervous husband to calm him down.

She was just as worried as he was. It had been over a year the pair had been gone. And a long absence never meant something good with any of her children, especially Baldwin.

"I'm sure they are alright."

It was what she told herself every time something reminded her of them, every time she went to bed.

These words were what she told herself daily.

The lie her children told her daily, to calm her down.

The lie she told herself daily.

Baldwin was alright.

Rebecca was alright.

Elizabeth almost made them out in front of her. The amber eyed witch, with her bright smile, the red curls. Baldwin - her Baldwin - behind his mate, good two heads taller than her. Rebecca looked delicate next to him, but her blood proved she was anything but frail. Her son knew that.

The darker skin and darker hair of her eldest, along with his ruff movements, clashed beautifully with Rebecca's elegant upbringing. Quite the couple - her favourite one too.

She practically saw Baldwin gazing at Rebecca lovingly, saw Rebecca's glinting eyes whenever she spotted Baldwin.

She saw how Baldwin went out his way to surprise his mate, spotted him in the garden picking flowers after he had examined them long enough and deemed them worthy as a gift.

She saw Rebecca's fingers twitch as she used her magic, and asked what she had been doing. Her daughter in law took her mother's hand with a bright smile.

The world appeared in colours, shapes and cords in Elizabeth's eyes.

"A relaxing spell for Baldwin", the girl had mused. As the shapes touched the cords, a wonderful sound emitted in the room. Bell like? Elizabeth couldn't place it. Rebecca watched them too. "He's been working relentlessly for the past couple of months. It's the least thing I can do for him."

She heard them taking a walk and discussing heavy matters, heard Rebecca's attempt to shush Baldwin's loving moves in embarrassment. She heard their laughter; Baldwin's barking laughter and Rebecca's varying giggle.

She smelled the two - forest and sea, crisp and salty air, freshly cut grass and water lilies. Both wild. Both pleasant.

She felt them too. Baldwin's short but tight hug as he greeted her, his polite kiss on his mother's cheek. Rebecca's loving hugs whenever they saw each other.

She loved these two so much.

Tears rose to her eyes. They are alright, Liz.

Hugh turned to face his wife, his mate, and sighed deeply. Baldwin, once reawakened, had inherited the shade of her green eyes. He missed him as much as his mate did.

"They are alright", Elizabeth repeated, laying her hands on her husband's arm.
Hugh looked away. "Saying it multiple times doesn't make it come true."
"I'm sure they are together right now, looking after each other."

Elizabeth heard Alexander above her in her son's room.

Hugh listened to him too, with closed eyes. "Like Baldwin", he mumbled to himself. The steps were the same - short and heavy.

Baldwin - the past few lives hadn't been kind to him. He had aged quite a bit since he had been turned, every year an obstacle to him. The boy full of life had been gone ever since the realization of his lonely life had set in. Hugh and Elizabeth had done everything they could to help him, but Baldwin distanced his problems and soon himself from them. He didn't want to be a bother to his parents, only visiting them when he felt somewhat good about himself.

They had heard about him through stories, chased after him when he was killing senselessly, stopped him from taking too many lovers who could betray him. The sheer anger and frustration had done a number of things to Baldwin.

Killing things, killing people and almost himself through the battles. It had changed him - his smile showed he had lost the joy he once bore.

Hugh and Elizabeth grew tired with every action of his. Baldwin had too.

They almost cried tears of joy four years ago. Baldwin's joyful side had returned along with Rebecca to their first Christmas together in a very long time. It was a vivid memory in the parents' minds.

Baldwin had been so proud to introduce her. She had been so shy around them in the beginning.

Baldwin's pure smile whenever he looked at Rebecca. The young de Chauvette who loved him too, for who he truly was. Her beaming smile and warm nature made Hugh accept her instantly. She was part of him as much as his family was.

Anybody that could love Baldwin as much as they did.

"If things went as Baldwin planned them, they would have both returned by now." The hunting realization of Hugh's words made Elizabeth shift. "Nobody expected things to go smoothly - not even him - or else he wouldn't have appointed me head of the family's organisation again."

Angry steps sounded above. They heard Alexander's cussing.

"The worst thing that could have happened is for them to be separated."
Elizabeth shivered at the thought of Rebecca roaming the past on her own. Or Baldwin searching frantically for her. "No, I'm sure they are together!", Elizabeth's lips were shaking.

Hugh forced himself not to imagine his daughter-in-law being with Genevieve de Chauvette, or with anybody else than Baldwin. His heart couldn't take the thought of her being scared and worried, or being all on her own. If he could, he would have long gone after them, after her. Rebecca was still so inexperienced when compared to Baldwin ...

But they had forbidden it. No more meddling with the past than necessary.

Hugh's sad eyes met Liz's ones. He put away a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "I don't want to imagine them apart!"

"It's better we don't", Hugh grimly agreed. "One can only imagine how Baldwin must be losing his mind without her."

The endless hunting. The needless killing. Baldwin stopping to listen, not able to reason with anymore.

Hugh drew his wife, his love, into his arms. They quietly searched for strength from each other.