Chapter 3
And just in that instant, a spark of wit lit up my mind. After all, faking amnesia was not such a crazy idea. It was a unique opportunity to rewrite my story, to mold my destiny at my whim. Without hesitating, with a trembling voice and eyes full of fake tears, I responded:
"I am sorry… but no… I don't know who I am. I don't remember anything."
It was enough for the Dukes to hold me between their arms with renewed fervor, flooding me with a heat that I had never before experienced. With a serene voice, trying to calm their evident anguish, I added:
"Sorry… sorry for worrying you. It was not my intention to make you feel bad."
And it was true, in part. I didn't want to hurt them, but I also couldn't risk them discovering that I was not the true Valeria Delacroix. Instead, in this way, I could justify my erratic behavior and my sudden change of attitude with the convenient loss of memory.
The Duchess was the first to break the silence, with her voice broken by emotion:
"There, there, darling, it's not your fault. Don't worry, with time you will recover all your memories. Isn't that right, doctor?" she asked, directing a pleading look at the doctor.
"Yes, yes, of course," responded the physician, visibly intimidated by the piercing look of the Duchess.
The Duke, for his part, did not let me go, clinging to me as if he feared that I could disappear at any moment. Finally, after some seconds that seemed an eternity, he decided to speak:
"Well, it doesn't matter, the important thing is that you are alive and with us. The memories will return with time, and if it's not like that, we will create new memories together."
I couldn't contain the tears, and I began to cry a river, although, contrary to what they might think, they were not tears of sadness or desperation, but of an immense and overwhelming happiness. I had always felt alone, abandoned to my fate, and now, suddenly, I found myself surrounded by two wonderful people, willing to provide me their unconditional love and to protect me from all evil. If the original Valeria did not know how to appreciate what she had, I was not going to make the same mistake. I was not going to waste this incredible opportunity that destiny had gifted me. I always longed to have a family, a home to belong to, and now, finally, I had it. And I would love them with all my heart, as they deserved.
Once the doctor left the duchy, Duke Maximiliano, still visibly affected by the situation, sent an urgent letter to the imperial palace, informing the emperor about the unfortunate accident and the state of health of his daughter. The missive did not take long to arrive at the office of Emperor Fernando, where he was in the company of Empress Elena. After reading the letter with growing concern, both sovereigns took a momentous decision: they would prepare everything necessary and would depart immediately toward the Delacroix duchy, accompanied by their two sons, the princes Diego and Damian.
These, far from showing themselves concerned about the delicate situation of Valeria, showed themselves visibly irritated by the sudden interruption of their daily activities. In the background, both princes believed that it was a farce concocted by the young woman to wake the compassion of her parents and manipulate them at her whim.
The second prince, Damian, did not feel a particular aversion toward Valeria, but neither did he feel sympathy. Despite knowing each other since childhood, they had never been close, and the day Valeria fell into the lake he only saved her out of pure duty, as he would have done for any other person in danger.
On the other hand, the crown prince, Diego, visibly annoyed by the interruption of his important state affairs, decided to break the tense silence that had settled in the carriage:
"Father, is it truly necessary for us to go all the way to the Delacroix Duchy? Do you perhaps ignore that today we had a crucial practice with the general in chief of the first division of the army? Your presence was indispensable to evaluate the progress of the troops."
"Yes, father" seconded Prince Damian, with a slightly softer tone of voice, but equally loaded with annoyance. "Why do I have to go? I understand that Diego must attend, since he is Miss Delacroix's fiancé, but what do I have to do with all of this? My time is valuable, and I would prefer to dedicate it to my studies and training."
Emperor Fernando, exasperated by the selfish attitude and the constant complaints of his sons, replied with a firm and authoritative voice:
"Enough already, spoiled children! In the first place, I have no reason to give you explanations about my decisions, but, since you show so much interest, I will tell you that Miss Delacroix, besides being the future empress of this empire, is my goddaughter, and I cannot afford to ignore her suffering nor neglect her well-being. In the second place, as your brother has well said, Diego, you are her fiancé and you have the moral obligation to be by her side in these difficult moments. And in the third place, but no less important, because I am your father and what I say goes! So, upon arriving at the duchy, I demand that you change those long faces and show yourselves genuinely concerned for Miss Delacroix. Is that clear?"
"Yes, father," both princes responded in unison, with a submissive and resigned tone of voice.
After this brief but intense reprimand, the royal carriage sank back into a deathly silence, which was only interrupted by the occasional neighing of the horses and the screeching of the wheels on the cobblestone road. The tension in the atmosphere was palpable, and both princes struggled to maintain their expressionless faces, fearful of provoking a new explosion of anger from their father. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the carriage arrived at the imposing gates of the Delacroix Duchy.
Once there, a royal herald, dressed in the imperial colors, announced in a loud voice the arrival of the royal family, which provoked a mixture of surprise and nervousness in both Duke Maximiliano and Duchess Renata, who did not expect such a sudden and important visit.
Upon reaching the main entrance of the majestic mansion, the carriage came to a complete stop, and the first to descend was Emperor Fernando, who, without losing a moment, ran to embrace his friend Maximiliano, whom he considered a brother of the soul. With a visibly worried face, the emperor questioned:
"How is she, Maximiliano? Is she at rest? What has the doctor said? Is the situation as grave as I fear? I will bring the best doctors from all over the empire to attend to my goddaughter! Yes, that is what I will do, it is decided. I will not allow anything bad to happen to her."
It deeply comforted Duke Maximiliano to see his friend genuinely concerned about the health and well-being of his daughter, but, aware that the emperor could continue questioning him for hours, he decided to respond with calm and firmness:
"Calm down, Fernando, please, calm down. Valeria is fine, within reason, at least. The doctor cannot ensure that her current state is permanent, but he trusts that, with time and the proper care, she can recover completely. But let us not speak of this here, in the open air. I beg you to come in, Your Majesty, Crown Prince, Second Prince. I invite you to enter my humble home."
Duke Maximiliano made a formal bow, although in his heart he longed to be able to embrace his friend and confidant. Despite the closeness that existed between them, the duke was aware of the importance of maintaining formalities in the presence of the royal family and the rest of the servants.
"Now, Maximiliano, how many times do I have to repeat that you should call me by my name? We have been friends since childhood, you do not have to treat me like an emperor in your own house" intervened Empress Elena, with a kind smile and a slightly reproving tone of voice.
"I know, Elena, I know. I promise to try, but sometimes customs are hard to break. Please, come in. My wife and my daughter are preparing to receive you, you know how women are, always concerned about appearance. I propose that we move to the garden, where you can enjoy a bit of fresh air while I ask them to serve us some delicious tea and some cakes."
"Of course, Maximiliano, it seems like an excellent idea to me. The garden of your duchy has always been one of my favorite places" responded Emperor Fernando, taking the hand of his wife Elena with a backward gesture.
Following the duke and the emperor, Empress Elena and the princes Diego and Damian entered the imposing mansion and headed toward the exuberant garden, where a beautiful kiosk had been prepared to receive the illustrious visitors. A table elegantly set, covered with a lace tablecloth, and adorned with delicate flowers, offered a selection of aromatic teas and exquisite cakes.
While the attentive servants dedicated themselves to serving the cups of tea, Duchess Renata made her triumphal entry into the garden, wearing an elegant and sophisticated sky-blue silk dress that enhanced her slender figure and her pale complexion. Her brown hair, gathered in an impeccable bun, left exposed some diamond earrings that sparkled with every movement.
"Greetings, Majesties, greetings, Princes" said the duchess with a soft bow and a forced smile.
Empress Elena, moved by the sadness reflected in her friend's face, rose from her seat with grace and approached Renata to take her hands between her own. With an afflicted voice full of affection, she asked:
"Renata, dear, how are you? How is my girl? Please, leave formalities aside, we are almost family. You do not have to pretend to be fine in front of us."
Duchess Renata, feeling comforted by the sincere words of her best friend, allowed a slight smile to light up her face.
"I am fine, Elena, thanks for asking. And my girl… well, she seems to be fine, within reason. The doctors say she needs time to recover and that we must be patient. She has to adapt again to her life and her environment, and see how she evolves with the passage of the days."
Before the duchess could add anything else regarding her daughter's health, a slender and elegant figure appeared at the entrance of the garden, capturing the attention of all those present. It was Valeria, the young woman with silver hair and blue eyes, who had become the center of all concerns. With a soft and melodious voice, Valeria greeted the members of the royal family with the greatest courtesy and respect she could muster:
"Greetings, Majesties, greetings, Princes…"