"Phew." Ilene breathed a sigh of relief as she wiped the buckets of sweat formed on her forehead. "No one noticed me."
She jumped inside her room from the window which was enormous enough for anyone to pass through. Moonlight filtering through the window.
"This secret path was made for me." She dusted leaves and twigs off her clothes before recollecting the rope, which she used to escape from her room.
"Ilene, you are finally back." Ilene jumped at the unexpected yet familiar voice which drew her attention.
"Agatha, you scared me!" Turning around, Ilene faced the woman approaching her. In the attire as same as that of Ilene, that woman seemed to be on her late fifties, with slight wrinkles around her eyes and gray curls peeking amidst her black hair. She was Ilene's nanny, Agatha.
"Oh! I thought nothing scared you." she blurted out. Her brows pulled up in astonishment.
Ilene threw herself into Agatha's embrace, wrapping her in a bear hug. "I have won, Agatha." Her hold, soothing and comforting.
"I knew you would make it, my princess. I am happy for you." Agatha brushed a gentle hand through Ilene's silver locks.
"I thought you lost your way." She exhaled a shaky sigh.
"Heh! I am well familiar with the path. I wouldn't get lost." Pulling away from her embrace, Ilene gestured toward the knotted ropes swaying over the floor.
"Would you spare a thought for this old lady?"Her hands on her hip, Agatha grumbled.
"Making me lie in bed, wear your clothes and pretend to be you. I was afraid your mother would show up out of the blue." She huffed, patting her forehead.
Ilene gave a shrug before flashing a cheeky smile. She enjoyed being scolded by Agatha as it's one of her love languages.
"My dear Agatha, you are not old at all." With her hands placed on Agatha's shoulders, Ilene made her face the mirror. "Look how pretty you are wearing my clothes." She jutted her chin towards their reflection in the silver mirror.
"You and your smooth tongue." Agatha laughed, rolling her eyes.
"I can't be like you, sneaking outside all the time." Agatha seethed, shoving her off of her. "You shouldn't have stayed out so late today." She cupped Ilene's face, turning around.
"Of course!" Ilene muttered, nodding her head. "Do you want to come along next time? They will love your company." She humored.
Agatha scoffed, grumbling under her breath. "I don't have time for that."
A laugh bubbled out of Ilene. "Alright."
"Go get changed. Remember, as a noble lady, you must be mindful of your etiquettes. And also…"
"I must not let anyone know that I snuck out, especially mother." Ilene added, finishing the sentence for her.
"So, my dear Agatha, you will cover up for me, won't you?" She pinched her chin, her eyes twinkling.
"I suppose I ought to be the one dragging you to—-"
Knock. Knock.
A familiar eerie knock at the door interrupted Agatha.
With the knock, they both had their gazes staring to each other. Ilene's pulse accelerated as she knew the person outside the door. It was her beloved mother, Iris. The lady of this Valkyrie Manor.
Her head snapped towards Agatha, her eyes growing wider with the knock on the door.
The knock left them in silence with the two of them eyeing each other warily.
After a minute of exchanging glances with each other, Agatha excused herself to open the door only to find a woman leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed and jaws clenched.
Adorned in a long sleeved velvet gown that represented her nobility and her values, Iris bore exact similar appearance to that of Ilene's. A pair of silver specs accompanied her deep blue eyes.
Her hair was vermilion-red braided into an elegant bun, unlike Ilene's voluminous silver hair.
She had stopped aging, with unblemished and glowing skin and zero grey hairs.
It is evident that Iris resembled Ilene when she was in her early twenties.
"Didn't I tell you not to vent out from the manor?" Iris sharp voice cut in, the very moment she entered inside.
"Ow Ow, Mama." She tugged Ilene's ear.
"Mama, Do you know what happened today?" With much amusement and joy, she squeezed her mother's hand that was tugging her ear. "Again somebody mistook me as you." Ilene cracked up, subconsciously clapping her hands in laughter.
"I was more than willing to build a rapport by posing as you with them."
"You will never do such things, Ilene." With rapture blue eyes, Iris snapped. Her voice hesitant and dubious.
"Why? I will do." Ilene spat. "See you haven't aged. You don't have grey hair and anyone can wear frames. People think we are the same person and—"
"Didn't you participate in the horseback riding tournament today?" Iris cut her off before Ilene could ramble further. A small frown took over her forehead.
Ilene can't deny this truth about her mother. One way or another, Iris has always managed to pull out the truth from her. She bit down her lip to stop herself from saying something stupid.
"And I won, mama." Her lips stretched into a thin grin.
"But, why do you have to sneak today? You know right we have to go for the Royal banquet tonight?" Her lips drew into a deep scowl.
"And today was also the tournament, so how could I miss my shot?" She leaned her arms on Iris's shoulders and peered into her eyes.
"Sometimes I think I gave birth to a son instead of a daughter." Iris growled, shoving her daughter off from her.
"I am not less than a son and I am your only child, which means I am automatically your favorite." In a conceited tone, she bragged.
"You have always been a sly little creature who is fun loving." Iris pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Like father?"
The smile on Iris's face faltered on the mention of her husband.
"I remind you of father, don't I?" Ilene quirked a brow, her eyes crinkling something that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
Ilene is the loving result of Iris and Elliott Valkyrie, who is no longer in this world. People do criticize her for being brazen and rebellious, as a woman, but as long as her family is supportive, Ilene doesn't care about the world.
"How I wish you could see him, feel him and be loved by him. The way a daughter is loved by her father." A tear rolled down Iris's cheek.
Ilene smiled, her heart slowly shredding itself apart.
Mama does miss Papa who is no longer with us. From what I have heard from Agatha and mother, the love they shared is something the world will remember for eternities. That's why, Mama embraces his absence till this day.
"I too wish to see him and be loved by him." Her chest heaving and eyes burned with tears that threatened to resurface.
An emotional tension had laced the air, replacing the then playful ambience. For a minute, the room echoed the sound of sniffles and heavy silence.
"My crybaby." Ilene rubbed her thumb over the curve of Iris's jaw, pushing the tear away. She fixed a mirthless smile on her face.
"Aren't you worried about your foundation that would worn out after crying?" Iris chuckled at her ironic query.
"She is more concerned of her tears that would create a hole if they spill on the floor." Agatha's voice piqued, she cleared her throat to remind them of her presence.
"Yes, my dear Agatha." Ilene shifted her attention to Agatha, pinching her cheeks.
"I am going to freshen up now. I will see you two downstairs." Ilene quickly stretched her body with a yawn before dragging them both out of her room.
She closed the door behind her. Her expression growing gloomy, Ilene let out a strained breath.
She missed her Papa, his presence. Nothing felt as incomplete as the absence of her father in her life.