The day came when all the members of the council departed cautiously.
It was still a danger to be too obvious and let Isabelle understand of the existence of a plot against her.
And so, the Stanleys set out from the port of Glasgow to reach their island safely, followed by the Pembrokes who had chosen the same route to descend to Wales.
Prince Henry left from the port of Edinburgh, to arrive safely in France, from his wife and his son, so did John, who decided to embark on the maritime route to go back to the Duchy of Canterbury, in England.
The only one who essentially decided to stay was the young Duchess of Northern Ireland, Dorothea Dallas, Abigail's younger sister.
Seven years had passed since Abigail's death and so her son had lived without ever experiencing the love of a mother.
For the months of the life of the child she had lived the mother had been very attached to little Rudolph right from the beginning and she had asked Juniper to take the child with himself and take care of him.
The Baron had been grateful, on the other hand, as Rudolph, in those years had filled his days with joy and could not think what could have happened to him if he had decided to leave him there in England.
Juniper had just learned of the untimely death of young Princess Charlotte, and although the death of a child had filled the Baron's heart with grief, he now felt in every way more relieved, knowing that he could have a better chance of winning that war.
Either way, the sun was still shining in a clear cloudless sky when Juniper had last accompanied Henry and John, his cousins to the great port of Edinburgh.
The sun was beating hard and shining sparkling on the white, soft and untouched snow of the winter climate of the North, giving that winter environment an almost happy look.
The congress had lasted two days and one night, but those days had been the most intense and constructive, as finally, after five long years Juniper had been able to meet again his two closest cousins and relatives.
It had made him understand that he had allies, that it wasn't just him, that he could fight, have the strength to do it.
He withdrew inside his carriage with his young betrothed when the ships had long since set sail.
Dorothea Dallas held, delicately the arm of her boyfriend, between them there was a not too big difference in height.
While the girl measured 1.60m the Baron measured 1.70m, which in any case was not too little for a man.
They went up the steps of their carriage, Juniper perceived around the girl a mysterious aura of joy, of happiness, and it was beautiful.
It was nice to know that what she felt about him was real and that, unlike many young people her age, she wasn't forced into a marriage she didn't want, forced into a sad married life with no love or passion.
No, she was not like the others, she was a Dallas, she possessed a remarkable intelligence and sensitivity to say the least, she was a strong, determined girl.
It was everything Juniper wanted to have by his side at that moment, and it was nice to know that together they had chosen each other and that the man also covered all the virtues sought by the girl.
He wanted to start all over again as soon as possible, he wanted to marry her, have sons and daughters with her, so many that for their life they would never be alone.
Dorothea had beautiful hair, long, soft as silk, always smelling of fresh flowers and copper-coloured, tinged, reddish, even more accentuated now that the young woman kept it tied in a braid down her back.
She had two large eyes, the mirror of human innocence, the color of the deepest black, darkness and silence.
Juniper loved those colors like he loved that girl, oh how much he loved her, he was just unable to even tell.
They were alone, he and she and it was as if they were invincible, as if the world could no longer do anything to them.
Dorothea prepared to leave a quick and heartfelt kiss on the other's pale lips.
-We'll do it, I'm sure- the Duchess reassured him with a weak smile -all odds, fate seems to play on our side-.
But Juniper, although he was happy with her, seemed immediately seized by some bit of resentment or sadness, which brought him chills.
He knew people were dying in the war and he knew, that if his beloved took part in this too, the chances of her losing her life would be high.
He couldn't afford to lose her, he would never allow it and never forgive himself, losing his second wife in such a miserable way, losing her as he had lost Abigail.
-There will be no us in this war, you won't fight, I can't allow it, to lose you like this...- the Baron admitted, lowering his gaze.
He feared something in the heart of his beloved, he feared she would reject an offer of that kind and accuse him of not valuing her enough, but on the other hand Dorothea seemed to understand his motivation with enough understanding.
-What should I do then? If I'm not the one to lead Ireland, who will ever be able to do it for me?-.
-Let your brother, Maxim Dallas, fight for you, but I would like, before all this begins, to make sure that you take on the most important task for me and with the most value for me...- tried to convince her the man, leaving in the girl's mind a lot of thoughts.
-Promise me that if I don't...well...survive...you will take care of Rudolph...-.
Dorothea was struck by the request, by the affection, by the attachment that the man felt, he had learned to feel love for a son who was not his, whom he had initially repudiated, but whom she had learned to love.
She knew the little boy and loved him, she loved him as her older sister's biological son and her adopted son.
Rudolph had inherited the same look from his father, yes, but in all the gestures, in all the actions that the little one performed, he seemed much more docile and sensitive, what would never been expected from the son of a general, he had inherited the character completely from Abigail.
The boy played in the fields, around the castle, Rudolph loved being alone and in a group, he detached and made a bouquet of beautiful flowers which he gave to the beautiful girls, daughters of the attendants and noble courtiers.
He loved reading and drawing, which he was best at of all, he loved flowers and drew them, along with numerous landscapes and small details.
Dorothea sighed, she knew she had to be strong, she knew she had to, for Juniper, for him and for Rudolph too.
-I will do it, I will pull back, I will take care of Rudolph more than my own life, I promise you...-.
She felt something cold take her behind her neck, close there, a metallic coldness, almost like that of silver.
She opened her eyes again, from her neck now hung a beautiful pendant that she recognized immediately.
It was adorned with red and green precious stones, which on the beautiful silver built a rose, symbol of the Dallas family, an heirloom, which from generation to generation passed to the eldest of the daughters.
-This belonged to your sister Abigail, she begged to always carry it with me, before our separation, I promised to give it to Rudolph one day, but at this moment I would like you to keep it, it fits you perfectly...- these words came out as a whisper from the cold pale lips of the Baron, as a faint smile was created on his face.
Dorotea smiled, she blushed.