The next morning arrived with a pale sky. The rain-washed streets glistened as if the heavens themselves had tried to cleanse what couldn't be washed away.
The scent of damp cobblestones filled the air, mingling with the faint trace of lavender her mother used to dry in the window.
Ella stood by the doorsteps, staring at the carriage waiting before her. Its black frame gleamed with a faint reflection, and horses shifted restlessly, as if impatient to depart.
Inside, all their belongings were carefully packed and even stacked into another cart behind them.
Ella's eyes drifted up to the sign above the shop's door. 'Rose Tailoring & Embroidery.'
The letters were newly painted when the place was renovated two months ago, only for it to be abandoned.
Ella couldn't help but smile. "I'll miss this," she whispered. Remembering how it was always packed with people, laughter filled the place, and her mother's chatter with the ladies while fitting their gowns.
Now, it was filled with emptiness.
A soft voice pulled Ella from her thoughts. "Ella, my dear. It's time to go.
Her mother stood by the carriage, her shawl drawn tightly around her shoulders. She looked elegant in her dress, although exhaustion was evident in her eyes due to the lack of sleep.
Ella took a deep breath and walked toward her. "It feels strange," she murmured, glancing back at their house one last time. "Do we really need to abandon everything? The house you built and the shop you loved?"
Her mother's gaze softened. "Home isn't just a place, darling. It's where we're together." She reached out, brushing a damp strand of hair from Ella's cheek. "And that is being with your father and siblings. We will finally be a complete family."
But Ella wasn't sure she believed that. She loved to see her siblings and father, but deep inside, she harbored fear about what they would think of her.
"But Mama, you love this place. I grew up in this," Ella pleaded, hoping her mother wouldn't sell the building.
"I know, Ella. But you will grow more in a suitable environment. After all, you also carry a noble's blood," the mother pinched Ella's cheek. "Now, get inside. We'll be traveling for hours. Better get haste and not let them wait."
Ella pouted as she climbed inside with her mother and sat uncomfortably. "This chair is hard," she mumbled, shifting in place.
As the horses started forward, the wheels splashed softly against the wet stones. Ella pressed her palms against the glass and watched as the only world she'd known slowly disappeared behind the mist.
Hours passed in silence as Ella had fallen asleep. However, she was woken up by her mother.
"Ella, wake up. We're close. I need to tell you something before we arrive," the mother stated while handing Ella a biscuit.
"Hmm, what is it, Mama?" Ella mumbled sleepily while biting into the biscuit.
"It's about your father. I haven't told you about him, so I guess this is the right time." Her mother's voice was soft, but there was tension beneath it, like a thread stretched too tight, threatening to snap.
Ella blinked, waiting for her mother's words.
"He is a Viscount, a great noble with a good relationship to the King himself," the mother stated quietly.
Ella smiled. "Isn't it great, Mama?"
Her mother gave a light chuckle, one that didn't reach her eyes. "He was kind. Once. Before his responsibilities consumed him." Her hands rested neatly on her lap, the gloved fingers twisting the fabric of her shawl. "Your father was raised under the old traditions, Ella. He values discipline, composure, and reputation above all. He is strict…. But, kind in his own way."
Ella frowned, tilting her head. "Seems like he doesn't like having fun."
Her mother couldn't help but laugh, though the sound trembled. "Maybe, who knows? You can share your fun with him if you like."
Ella sighed deeply. "I hope they will like me, Mama."
Her mother patted Ella's head, comforting her. "They will. I'm sure of it."
Through her mother's assurance, Ella breathed in relief. She grabbed her mother's hand and caressed it gently on her cheek.
"We will have a good life as a noble, Ella. We will be," her mother whispered, pinching Ella's cheeks.
Outside, the fog lifted, revealing the Viscount's estate in the nearby distance.
The Vicount's estate was close to the castle, but far enough to have its own place and rules over its land.
The mist from the moors rolled in like slow, restless tides. Its sprawling grounds were enclosed by wrought-iron gates, their intricate vines of metal glinting faintly in the pale morning light.
Beyond them stretched a long cobblestone drive, blanked by rows of linden trees whose golden leaves swayed, scattering across the path like bits of fading sunlight.
"Mama, is this really my father's place?" Ella couldn't help but ask. She had expected something more extravagant, but somehow, she felt creeped out by the place.
"Yes, dear, it had gotten old, but it's still the same place I always dreamed of living in," her mother stated dreamily, looking at the window with longing in her eyes.
At first glance, the mansion was magnificent. A grand stone edifice crowned with turrets and steep gables, it's window tall and narrow, draped with ivy that clung to the walls. The facade gleamed where the rain had washed it clean, yet shadows lingered beneath the arches and eaves, softening the brightness into a somber hue.
The scent of withering roses drifted from the gardens, where statues of angels and mythic beasts stood half-consumed by moss.
"Mama, there's a fountain!" Ella exclaimed, pointing at the courtyard, its marbled figures of nymphs frozen mid-dance, though no laughter accompanied them.
"Yes," her mother replied, but didn't even glance at the fountain, as her focus was on the mansion's windows, which reflected the pale sky, yet, behind them, the velvet drapes dulled the light.
Ella took one look at her mother and felt the tension inside the carriage increase. It was suffocating, so she shifted her attention back to the fountain.