Hidden Jewels

Chapter 3

It was a warm evening at the capitol, and despite the late hour, it was indistinguishable from the earlier afternoon. Along with the increased daylight hours and pleasant mild weather, the day was far from over and many more things could be done. As such, schools prepared to open as summer neared its end and a pair of father and daughter took this time to walk through beautiful gardens.

The little girl was very cute with curly black hair styled with red ribbons and a little dress. Her large dark eyes were bright as she giggled, playing with the flowers in her father's free hand. Cradled in one arm, she would boldly clamber up and down his arm with vain effort to reach a passing butterfly or perch up the broad pair of shoulders. Perhaps this too was part of the fun. As for the father, he amused his daughter by letting her be; never letting her lean too far behind him. He had no qualms with a boisterous daughter since it showed himself in his little girl. Moreover, even if it was only over his shoulders, this was a window to the world.

"Baba! Baba!"

"There, there, Little Snow. We're almost there. Settle down." He softly smiled as his pace slowed down, weaving along the narrow walkway towards the last lines of epitaphs and statues. "It's time to meet your mother."

Adila pouted at the butterfly gradually vanishing into the bright sky. Regardless, her little chubby fists firmly clenched her father's outer coat.

The destination was a clean grave. Due to the plant growth allowed about the tomb, it easily blended in with the royal ancestral cemetery. However, the plants were not as vigorous as compared to the graves beside it, so it could be presumed- aside from the engraved year on the stone and the impeccably clean site- that it was still a recent burial. For a moment, he did nothing. Silently gazing through the tomb, he saw his gently smiling wife and the years they had spent together; he remembered her joy when holding the newborn Adila and how she cried with both joy and hilarity at the appearance of the child. There was clearly a tale to tell, but Adalheida had shaken her head and secretly smiled at the baby. After kissing her warm brow, she only told him to treasure her; knowing that she was an answer to their prayers. Many other memories arose at his incitation and other triggers even he had not expected. His eyes burned, lips trembling as his gaze deepened.

"Heida, I've brought Adila. It was her first birthday last week and she speaks of both of us."

Seated on her father's arm, Adila snatched the flowers ingeniously tucked into the outer coat breast pocket with both hands and sniggered.

Seeing this in his periphery, Maximilian silently snorted. "She has your sense of humor... and somehow my brother's laugh...." He could image her amused expression and knowing glance.

Much ado about nothing.

He lowered his gaze, unseeing. "Yes, yes."

Silence returned once more and Maximilian's focus did not return until Adila started kicking up a fuss out of boredom. So he helped her stand before the tomb.

"Adila, say hi to your mother."

Adila looked at the tomb and what she thought is up to anyone to guess. She did turn for the wild, bright, flowers crowning the headstone though. So, staggering forward, she walked over the stone slab before them with hands outstretched for the flowers. Beaming, she wobbled within the cradle of Maximilian's hands and exuberantly tore the flowers for her picking.

Maximilian softly smiled at the scene of his daughter's hands on the headstone. Even if she was too young to understand anything, this sight was enough for him. "Adalheida," he exhaled beneath his breath. "Forgive me, but I cannot let our daughter grow up without a mother figure in her life. I will remain loyal to you in my heart and vow not to bear any more children, but for Adila's future...."