Chapter 2
While Valeria lost herself in a labyrinth of conjectures, Clara, visibly nervous, watched her mistress. After the brief initial exchange, Valeria had plunged into a deathly silence, with her gaze fixed on nothingness. More than twenty minutes in a catatonic state. Clara's concern grew by the second.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up upon spotting the water basin that she had left on the furniture by the door. A bold, almost imprudent idea germinated in her mind.
With determination, she approached the furniture, took the porcelain basin, and approached Valeria with stealth. Just when she was preparing to throw the ice-cold water at her to snap her out of her trance, Valeria broke the silence with a soft voice, almost cautious:
"Excuse me, how did you say my name is? Just to confirm it" after coming out of her daydream, she looked at Clara with curiosity and added: "What were you trying to do?"
Clara froze in her tracks, with the basin trembling in her hands. Stammering, she responded:
"Miss, finally! I was already having a heart attack. And… and… I was going to refresh you a bit with cool water to wake you up."
Valeria was surprised at Clara's audacity. Did the maids of this world perhaps have a license to commit such atrocities? Before she could reprimand her, the young woman, seized by panic, continued:
"And responding to your question, you are Valeria Delacroix, daughter of Duke Maximiliano Delacroix and Duchess Elena Delacroix, crown princess of the Empire of the Rose. In truth, Miss, I am very worried about you. Better I call the doctor so he can examine you and, by the way, I'll notify the Dukes that you have already awakened."
Before Valeria could articulate a word, Clara left the room in a hurry, leaving behind her a trail of nervousness and concern.
Defeated, there was nothing left for her but to wait for the arrival of the blessed doctor. Meanwhile, she sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of destiny on her shoulders. She reflected on her next steps, trying to chart a plan in the middle of the confusion. At the same time, she examined the room with detail, absorbing every detail of the luxurious environment. Suddenly, her gaze landed on an enormous mirror with a wooden frame of exquisite design, an imposing piece that dominated one of the walls.
Without hesitating, she got up and walked toward the mirror, feeling a strange anticipation. Upon arriving, she was stunned at the image it reflected. In her previous life, she did not consider herself ugly, but Valeria's beauty was from another world, an almost unreal perfection.
Her hair, of a brilliant silver color with aquamarine glints, fell in cascades over her shoulders, framing a face of delicate features. Her gray eyes, deep and intense, seemed to harbor ancestral secrets. Her figure, slender and graceful, promised to drive mad any man who dared to look at her.
She was an extremely beautiful young woman, between sixteen and seventeen years old, which meant that, if her suspicions were true, she had little time left to alter her destiny. In the novel, the engagement was broken when Valeria turned seventeen, and at eighteen she found death, a tragic end that she was decided to avoid.
She had to conceive a bold plan, an infallible scheme to break that engagement before the plot set in motion and she was relegated to the role of antagonist, condemned to repeat the errors of her predecessor.
While Valeria continued absorbed in her reflections, the doors of the room opened suddenly, revealing the imposing figure of the Dukes. After the crash caused by the abrupt opening, the first thing our protagonist felt were some strong and protective arms surrounding her with fervor. A deep voice, loaded with relief and concern, resonated in her ears:
"My daughter, you don't know the scare you gave this poor old man. We thought we had lost you forever!"
"Maximiliano, please, leave the girl alone, you are suffocating her" reproached a feminine voice, soft but firm.
In that instant, Valeria felt how the embrace loosened slightly, allowing her to breathe with greater ease. Even so, the Duke refused to let go of her completely, clinging to her as if he feared that she could vanish at any moment.
"I am fine, father. Truly, I feel fine" she managed to articulate, feeling a strange warmth at the show of affection.
Just in that moment, like a timely savior, a gentleman of about sixty years appeared, dressed in an impeccable white coat. His kind face and his serene bearing gave him away: he was the doctor.
"Permission, your excellence, but I need to do my work. Will you allow me to check the young lady?" he asked with courtesy, but with an undeniable firmness.
"Of course, doctor. Verify that everything is in order, please" answered the Duke, yielding the way to the physician with certain reluctance.
Just at that moment, as if she were waiting for the opportune moment, Clara burst into the room, with her face pale and her voice trembling:
"Please, doctor, check my lady's head well. She doesn't know who she is. When she woke up, she asked me many strange questions. I think she hit her head when falling into the lake."
Upon finishing speaking, the ragged gasp of the Duchess was heard, who, seized by anguish, began to cry inconsolably. The Duke, with a gesture of tenderness, approached to embrace her, surrounding her with his strong arms while he whispered words of consolation in her ear:
"Calm down, my love, everything is going to be fine. Our daughter is strong, she has always been. She will pull through, you'll see."
The doctor, imperturbable before the family scene, continued with his laborious review, examining Valeria with thoroughness and professionalism. Finally, after some minutes that seemed an eternity, he stepped away with a gesture of satisfaction and, with a calm and reassuring voice, said:
"The young lady is fine, within what is possible. Fortunately, she only has a bump on her head, but nothing to worry about. With rest and the proper care, the inflammation will go down in a few days and everything will return to normality. Now, Miss Valeria, could you tell me what it was that happened? Do you remember how you fell into the lake?"
And just when he finished formulating the question, a sharp and intense pang pierced Valeria's head, making her groan in pain. She took her hands to her temples, trying to alleviate the pressure that threatened to make her head burst.
Upon seeing her state, the doctor hurried to reassure her:
"It's fine, don't strain yourself. Don't try to force the memories, they will arrive alone, little by little. Do you remember anything else? Do you know who you are?"