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“I want to try dating,” Bjorn said with a gentle smile, looking down at Erna “Would you like that?”
“No,” Erna said, her words forced through the lump in her throat.
“Liar.”
“I don’t like it any more. I don’t like you, I don’t like dating and I don’t like these almonds.”
“Well, it seems my wife has become quite feisty and childish in my absence.”
Despite Erna’s piercing glare, Bjorn couldn’t resist teasing her. The musicians on the merry-go-round started playing a cheerful polka. The music evoked memories of the previous spring.
Erna was determined to maintain her composure, she held her head high and attempted to subdue her anger. She clenched her fists, squeezing the bag of almonds.
She couldn’t fathom why they man, whom she didn’t even know any more, would suddenly recall insignificant details when everything between them was lost.
“Yes, I am a fierce and childish woman. The woman you married no longer exists, so please stop being so ridiculous and pushy, end this stupid marriage.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you a lot more than that girl you used to be,” Bjorn crossed his arms and his grey eyes filled with Erna. “You look so much more beautiful when you’re being fierce like this. There’s something thrilling about it, if only you were like this sooner.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’ve fallen in love with you all over again and I would like to take you out on a date.” Bjorn smiled seductively, a contrast to the vulgar jokes. Erna was shocked.
“I am telling you that all I want from you, Your Highness, is a divorce.”
“Is that so?” Bjorn nodded his head. “Then I guess I will have to think of something better than almonds to convince you.”
“No, please don’t.”
“It is my heart, Erna, if you don’t date me, how else am I supposed to love you?”
“I’ll not allow it, I hate it when you love me.”
“Listen, my dear wife, when did the act of loving and feeling affection toward someone need permission?” Bjorn laughed. “Did I give you permission when you had feelings for me?” Bjorn cocked his head, “what, nothing to say?”
Unable to find a suitable response, Erna turned away and pouted. It was irritating, but difficult to accept and hard to argue against. It was exactly like that, he was more like a debt collector, than someone asking her out on a date.
Erna gave the bag of almonds to Lisa and strode across the plaza. Bjorn followed after her, seemingly like a man that had very little enthusiasm for anything.
Erna gracefully approached the awaiting carriage. The winter sun was swiftly descending in the sky, leaving behind a cloak of serene darkness that enveloped her surroundings before she realized it.
*.·:·.✧.·:·.*
Lisa dozed in the carriage, the sound of her heavy breathing was the only sound to be heard in the awkward silence between Bjorn and Erna.
Erna was looking out of the window, doing her best to ignore Bjorn. The soft lantern light cast a gentle glow upon her contemplative look, accentuating her small and pensive face.
“Why didn’t you ask?” Bjorn said, cutting the silence. “I interrogated your painter friend, aren’t you worried?”
Erna let out an exasperated sigh and turned to look at Bjorn.
“Because I know there is nothing to worry about.”
“How can you be sure of that?” there was a faint hint of laughter in Bjorn’s voice.
“If something had happened, you wouldn’t have acted like you did.”
“You trust me that much?”
“No, I merely stated a fact.”
Erna regretted giving the response, but she didn’t feel like correcting herself. Getting entangled in this man’s tricks was something she wanted to avoid.
They returned to sitting in silence and exchanged glances, while Lisa dozed between them. As they approached Baden Street, the darkness outside thickened.
“I apologised to him,” Bjorn said with a smile. “I made a sincere apology to Mr Lore for what happened during the Heine family picnic.”
“I see” Erna straightened herself. “Don’t do that to Pavel again. What ever you think, Pavel and I are just friends and now…”
“What ever you say, Erna, I will always dislike him,” Bjorn said, cutting Erna off. “To be honest, I’m quite jealous of him.” His voice was tender and unlike anything Erna had heard from him. “Emotional judgement and jealousy are two separate things and, well, I can’t help the way I feel. If you’re genuinely concerned for the painter, maybe you shouldn’t pay any attention to him. It would be even better if you didn’t mention his name.”
“Jealous? Are you really saying that you are jealous of Pavel Lore?”
“You didn’t know? Well, you do now.”
Erna was taken aback by Bjorn’s confession, his audacity met by her unwavering expression. His brazen attitude only fuelled her anger more.
“Why are you doing this to me? You’re not this kind of man.”
“This kind of man?” Bjorn said dejectedly. “Well…” Bjorn said, crestfallen.
He was a wretch, stuck in the remote countryside, struggling to win back the love of his wife. When he thought about it, he could understand the way Erna was feeling, to some extent. It was a side of him she had never imagined.
“The Prince you used to love no longer exists, Erna,” Bjorn said with a reluctant whisper.
Bjorn let out a heavy sigh. It was a truth he had been unwilling to face, but the words slipped out of him now and they felt unconvincing and insignificant.
The Prince of a fairytale, who had rescued a maiden from the countryside and ugly marriage was an illusion, a falsehood and no longer held any significance.
“This is me, Erna, this is my true self and I want to start over as this me.”
His gaze fixed on Erna and held the depths of her serenity, which was reminiscent of the night sky. The throne constructed upon an illusion crumbled to ruins and he found himself capable of embracing this truth. He felt a genuine longing.
What he longed for was not just Erna’s love, but Erna herself and the chance to love her properly. She looked at him, her lips parting and in that fleeting moment, she nodded.
Lisa awoke, stirred by the violent jolting of the carriage pulling into driveway of the mansion and bouncing along its cobbles. Erna snapped her head to look out the widow.
“Oh, we’ve already arrived?” Lisa said, blinking to chase away the drowsiness.
Almost as if she didn’t miss a beat, Lisa began rambling again, yammering on about trivia matter such as what would be for dinner, the new vase she had bought and even sharing the story of the annoying calf.
This maid should be fired. Bjorn thought as he gazed at the warm light streaming out of the old mansion’s windows.
*.·:·.✧.·:·.*
“What on earth can we do, madam?” Mrs Greaves said, her face filled with worry as she spoke to Baroness Baden.
It had been two weeks since Bjorn had settled in Baden House and surely he would be leaving to go back to Schuber soon.
“If the Prince doesn’t leave soon…”
“I won’t be leaving.”
Before Mrs Greve could finish her sentence, the young man’s voice echoed through the room. Startled, she turned and abruptly stood, her face going red with embarrassment. Bjorn seemed to appear from no where and stood in the entrance to the parlour.
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
“It’s fine,” Bjorn said casually. “Don’t worry about this uninvited guest.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“It’s fine, go ahead and throw a birthday party for my wife, although, I imagine it won’t be easy with me around.”
At a loss of words, Mrs Greve quickly turned around before the Baroness gave her permission to go. Erna’s elderly nanny, who never forgot to draw the cross as if praying, made Bjorn smile. It felt like he was being treated like a demon.
As Mrs Greve vacated the room, closing the door behind her, the Baroness laid aside her sewing. Bjorn offered a formal greeting and sat down beside her.
“I see you’re about to go horse riding,” the Baroness said, adjusting her spectacles, noticing that Bjorn was wearing jodhpurs and carried a crop.
“Yes, Baroness,” Bjorn smiled, not his usual, cold and detached smile, but one that was warm and perfectly gentle.
The Baroness looked at the young, handsome Prince with calm eyes. Even without sincerity, she could understand what it was about this gentleman that could captivate Erna and, at the same time, inflict wounds.
“It seems Erna’s feelings toward you still remains tepid.”
For the first time, something resembling actual emotion flickered in the princes eyes, which had been flat all along.
“Yes, it’s not easy,” Bjorn nodded.
The Baroness looked at him thoughtfully. It was embarrassing for him, but also sad at times. It was a mix of curiosity and pity, but the Baroness could see that the Prince loved his wife.
“I will make sure there is a place for you at the dinner table. I can not guarantee Erna will accept it willingly, but that’s all I can do,” Baroness Baden said calmly. “Oh, by the way, she went out to see her calf with her maid, so she will be in the cattle pen right now.” Baroness said as she picked up the call bell. A maid came into the parlour almost immediately. “I have some urgent business that needs taking care of, would you fetch Lisa for me please.”