At noon, Serena and Charlton had lunch with Gizel's family and Milly. Afterwards, Gregory and Geneva said their goodbyes as they had to start their travel back to their march.
Anyway, now with only 2 full days in Militeia left for Charlton's stay, Serena and Charlton were about to maximize their time together to explore the capital. Serena who already made the girls her accomplice has nothing to worry about.
Their first excursion to town was to the jeweler as requested by Charlton. It was quite delightful as he saw Serena so unrestrained, eagerly looking at everything with the abandon of a child in the chocolate shop. At one point, he was thankful that he had enough resources to satisfy one of her guilty pleasures which he just discovered. Not that she can't afford it herself, but as a man, he would feel inadequate if he can't afford it for her.
It was followed by walking the streets of Militeia, and for the first time, they walked under the sunlight, hand in hand, without being too worried of people staring at them and thinking that they were doing something wrong. Them, being tourists, providing a veil of anonymity. It was a delightful feeling and they reveled in it.
They continued exploring the capital, they went to a large brick and mortar domed church called the Santa Maria, to which Serena would compare to the duomo. Then, they went to have a candle lit dinner at the marina with the gentle waves of the sea as their background. It was beautiful.
When they went back to the mansion, it was already past dinner, but no one said anything about it. At night, Charlton walked to Serena's room when everyone else should be asleep. The next morning, he went back to his room before sunrise. The next day was also spent the same way they did the other only that they went to other locations instead.
The 2 idyllic days passed that way, and the next day should be when Charlton and Kylo were to return to Windsor.
--
Serena was standing with Charlton at the balcony of the room she was staying in. It was already 10 in the evening and Charlton will be going back to Windsor the next day. The night was beautiful with the moon and the stars dotting the night sky. She raised her head to look at the stars. Then she felt a warm hand grasp hers.
"What are you thinking?" Charlton asked.
Serena shook her head and smiled, turning to look at him, she said, "I have a secret. Do you want to know what it is?"
"Always. Do tell me." he replied.
"I have dreamed that I am not really a person of this world, and everything that is happening around me are but fiction, and you are but a fairy tale my mind conjured up. I am so happy now, but I am always afraid that none of this is true and one day, I will wake up and you're not there." She shared.
Charlton chuckled with her words, "As I thought. You are a ghost who appeared to hound me." he teased.
Serena smacked his hand with the joke, "I'm being serious. In my dream, I'm already an old lady who died and when I woke up, I am already here." It was really strange. When she first arrived, she could clearly remember who she was before she transmigrated. Now, her memories were hazy, and although she still has knowledge, she was losing some of her memories from her previous life.
It has been happening through-out the year in fact, her old memories being replaced by Serena Maxwell's own memories, but she never noticed it until she could no longer recall even her own name. It's disconcerting and if not because of her knowledge that's definitely not of this time, she could no longer differentiate if she was Serena Maxwell or the old lady in the first place.
Charlton brought her hand to his lips and brushed a tender kiss on the pulse point at her wrist. "No matter, even if you are a ghost, I love you and will always love you. Serena, you are you."
Serena nodded her head. No matter, this was her reality now. There's no point in pondering. Charlton was right, she was herself and no one else.
"You know, I feel like we're living in a fairy tale these two days. Out here, so far away from Windsor. Don't you wish we can live like this every day?"
Charlton circled his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her shoulder. He knew what she was alluding to, but chose to answer differently, "If this were a fairytale, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? You know, fairy tales end with a happily ever after."
Serena sighed as she placed her hand on top of his. She understood what his answer meant. She knew that she should not impose her will for what he was doing was all for their sake. Still, she could not help but voice out, "To be honest, I'm scared of what the future would entail. Not for myself, but for you. I know why you chose to take the path you're taking now rather than any other, but what if…" it all ends up becoming a failure? Was what she wanted to ask, but stopped herself, afraid that she would jinx him.
Charlton turned her around so their eyes would meet. When they were face to face, he smiled at her, "Serena, don't think that way. Have more confidence on your man." He knew what she wanted to say, but no matter, he would not take the easy way out. First, there's no guarantee that they won't be hunted like dogs, and second, what kind of life would they live? Aside from that, he was a man. He refuses to run away like a coward. He would fight for her or die trying.
--
TBC