As the sounds of crying echoed through the hallways, a woman layed there breathless. A baby had been born. The first female Ernest child. The woman by the name of Irona smiled waiting for the doctor to bring in her child. She thought of different names that she might name her daughter while she waited. Excitement filled the air.
The door opened but instead of the doctor coming through, it was her husband, Duke Ernest. He was holding a shawl. When Irona held out her arms to hold it, there she saw a horrid sight. A doll dripping in blood. The shawl became bright red as the blood dripped, staining her hands. The white sheets started to turn red. Slowly the atmosphere became uncomfortably cold. Irona looked up at the lifeless Duke.
Desperately, Irona cried out, "Where's my child?".
The Duke continued to stare at the doll that was still in the woman's arms but said nothing.
Irona continued to question the disappearance of her new-born daughter and yet, no one would answer her. The people in the room stood avoiding the woman's fierce gaze. Only the Duke stared at her with the same lifeless gaze which Irona was used to.
Gazing back at the bloody doll in her arms, she sobbed as she asked once again directly to the Duke, "Did you kill her?", and yet the Duke remained emotionless.
For an hour, Irona wailed and screamed as she realised, her child was gone. Tears streamed down her pale face and her voice started to crack as she yelled out in pain. She continued to bawl her eyes out until she finally broke.
Her head suddenly lifted up, and she started to laugh. On her face was a wide smile as if she was happy…? Although she was laughing, her eyes were not. The moonlight reflected on her black, beady eyes as she laughed hysterically.
"Why…? WHY?". She looked down at the doll that had gotten soaked from the tears and smiled. Irona whispered, "It's ok. I'll protect you" as she smiled from ear to ear. The servants in the room were intensely terrified. They could only watch the Duchess as she went insane and caressed the doll's face as if it were her child. Although the servants shivered in fear, the duke still stood there, not even moving an inch as he watched his wife go insane.
"I'll name you...Aria", Irona whispered softly once again.
Humming down the streets, Duchess Ernest held her "baby", wrapped up in a shawl as she plastered a smile on her face. She was heading towards the Filliendia library.
Inside there, Irona went to the far corner where neatly arranged books towered above her. She would continuously read there whilst holding her shawl. This would be her weekly routine.
Just as the sun was setting, Lilac mustered up the courage to speak to her.
"You must really like that author, don't you?"
Hit by the unexpected question from someone she didn't know, the lady couldn't respond.
There was a dead silence between the two as they tried to think of something to say.
"I'm L-lilac…", she mumbled. "I-i'm sorry… I've always just wanted to talk to you…"
The other lady chuckled, replying, "You can call me Irona or if you want, Lady Irona."
Lilac noticed the lady's clothes and although they were all black, the clothes seemed extremely expensive. She also saw the crest embroidered on the lady's clothes and gasped.
"I-i'm so sorry my lady, I didn't know you were a duchess! Please forgive my insolence…", Lilac quivered as she awaited the Duchess' reply.
"That's alright Lilac, but if you must, please just call me Lady Irona."
The atmosphere started to become warmer as they started to talk about their similar interests in books. They continued to chat for hours before Lady Irona left to go home as it had turned dark.
As they parted, a lingering thought remained in Lilac's mind. "Why did she have a doll in her shawl?" Although she was curious, she dismissed the thought and returned to her duties. Irona and Lilac would frequently chat every time they saw each other. Until that day... It was the first day of Spring when Irona didn't show up.