Bastian

Odette looked up at the clock, 3:42 is read and she quickened her pace across the square. Even though her breath was heavy and she could taste the metallic tang of fear rising to her lips, she couldn’t stop.

   Leaving the Duke’s residence earlier than planned left her with enough time to get to the station on time. Though she was concerned about being caught eavesdropping, it was irrelevant now, that world was no longer her concern.

   “Its okay Meg, we’ll be okay,” she comforted the whimpering dog as they raced up the steps to Carlsbar Central Station.

   After returning to the hotel in the car leant to her by the Duchess, Odette checked for the girl Molly, who, as expected, had left, hiding the treasure Odette had given her.

   With that last loose end resolved, Odette left the hotel once she left the divorce letter for Bastian. The boat that Tira was on should have set sail long before now and all Odette had to do now was make the train on time.

   Just a little more and she would be free.

   Odette pushed herself a little more, iwas hard trying to carry a puppy and drag her luggage at the same time, but the anxiety of having her freedom so close spurred her on.

   Navigating her way through the throngs of people flowing here and there, Odette practically had to fight her way to the ticket booth. With the ticket bought, it wasn’t until she got to the platform where the train was waiting, that she realised that Bastian owned the very train line she was set to escape on.

   “Watch out!” a man pushing a luggage trolley shouted out as Odette made to board the train.

   Odette jumped out of the way, only to put herself directly in the path of another imminent accident. Pushed by the surging crowd moving around the luggage trolley, Odette lost the grip of her trunk. She tried to catch it, but bumped into someone as she bent over, threatening to send her sprawling to the ground. Fortunately, a man behind her offered her support and prevented her from hitting the concrete ground.

   “Are you alright?” the man said, helping by picking up Odette’s trunk. Despite the large scar on his cheek, the man was very cordial.

   “Yes, thank you, I’m very grateful for your assistance.”

   Odette pulled herself onto the train and slumped into the corner, panting. A shrill whistle blasted across the station and the shunting carriages started to jostle forward.

  Finally, 4 o’clock on the dot.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

He saw it neatly placed on the side table under the window.

   Bastian immediately walked across the room and picked up the letter with his name stylised across the front of it. As he stared at his name, the sun setting past the window, darkness descended not only on the land, but in him too.

   He received the news that Odette was not been feeling well from that servant girl charging through the hunt like a lost sheep. There was a hint that Odette might be suffering morning sickness from falling pregnant, though she had claimed it was gastritis.

   Being the polite and honourable family, the Duchess had lent Odette a car with which to take her back to the hotel. She even offered Bastian the use of their family doctor, having him sent to the hotel if needed. Bastian suspected there was more to it than that.

   Odette had ran away.

   Bastian knew it even before he opened the door of the empty suite. The precious dog was missing also. The hotel stewards were unaware that the Lady Odette had returned early or even left with her luggage. The maid Odette had brought was also missing.

   Bastian glared at the envelope in his hands, the swirling script of his name across its front. The darkness in the room deepened as the sun set and his mood became black.

   A knock at the door brought him back to reality. It was an urgent knock and when Bastian opened the door, the steward stood before him, he had gone in search of Odette.

   “I have just gotten back from talking to the staff at Ardenne Mansion, they have not heard from Lady Odette or her maid.”

   “I see,” Bastian murmured dryly. 

   He looked over at the dog bed, his eyes coming into focus. It was strange to have brought that dog all the way out here, a clear sign that something was amiss and had he not been so clouded in his thoughts when it came to Odette, he might have sensed something was off.

   “My Lord, is there anything else?”

   “No, you may withdraw now, I will handle my wife,” Bastian said, pulling a cigarette and lighting it.

   “But, my Lord…”

   “There is no need to worry,” Bastian said confidently, as if there was only one truth to the situation. The steward have a curt bow and left, closing the door behind him.

   Bastian didn’t move from the centre of the entrance hall. Standing as if a royal guard on duty, puffing on his cigarette and staring at his name on the envelope. By the time he lit his third cigarette, the hallway was completely dark.

   He eventually worked up the motivation to move himself to the bedroom, where the dim firelight lit the room in a dull golden glow. He sat on the edge of the bed and tore the envelope open.

   Firstly, I want to express how sorry I am for breaking things up like this.

   Odette’s letter began dryly, like a bank notice. Bastian read through the letter slowly, taking in every word and pausing at the end of each sentence to take a draw on his cigarette.

   I tried to atone for you by fulfilling my remaining responsibilities, but it seems that it was nothing more than cowardly self-deception. My greed for a good end even after everything has already gone wrong has finally brought about the worst end of ruining each other.

 Even now, I think the only way to rectify the mistake is to terminate this contract as soon as possible. Even so, it is not right to run away like this, but please understand that I have made an irresponsible decision because it is the best for all of us.

The maid who came with me was Theodora Klauswitz’s maid’s niece of one of the maids who acts like a spy. Through the child she communicated with them. Since she left, she no longer served as her spy, but I withheld her disposal for fear that if I ousted the maid, she would attach someone else to her. I’m sorry I unintentionally deceived you once again.

I clean up the maid myself and leave. There was no suspicious movement from your father’s family. Both me and her were abandoned victims, so the information may be inaccurate, but at least to the best of my knowledge it was.

Attached are the papers for divorce and a letter apologizing to His Majesty the Emperor for my sins. I promise to humbly accept whatever the official grounds for divorce are. Please handle it in a way that minimizes your losses.

I’m sorry we end up with a different contract than the original one.

I will fulfil my responsibility by living quietly outside of your world.

   Bastian stared at the letter, its elegant handwriting a contrast to the content. As he slowly turned over to the last page, he found a note addressed to the Emperor and divorce papers. From crippling her father, to spying for his family and now the drama of her escape, it was a memorandum of sins written in detail, as if she had gone mad with the guilt of it all and wanted to die at the hands of the Emperor.

   Bastian checked the time. He knew she wouldn’t just obey, but he never thought she would do something this crazy. At least, not so stupid as to disregard the risks.

   Why?

   Bastian walked over to the fireplace, sifting through all the memories he had with her. The action of throwing the letters and the divorce papers felt understated.

   “Family,” Bastian muttered, coming to the one conclusion that made sense to him.

   When it came to family, Odette was very reckless and prone to foolishness. Her father had already died and her half sister left her to start her own family. That left only one possibility, just as he came to the conclusion, there was a rap at the door.

   Making sure the papers in the fireplace had burnt away to ash, he went to answer. When he opened the door, there was a member of staff accompanied by a young boy toting a grubby brown bag. He looked at them quizzically.

   “This child has brought a letter for Major Klauswitz, with strict instructions that it should only be received by you,” the hotel steward said, the boy held out a slip of roughly folded paper.

   Bastian nodded, “okay.” Bastian took out his wallet and handed over a small bill to the boy. His face lit up as he exchanged the piece of folded paper for the bank note.

   Bastian didn’t hear the boy say thank you or the hotel staff bid Bastian a good day. He was transfixed on the letter and as he opened it up, he saw that the name he was waiting for.

It was from Keller, the detective that had been following Odette for the last two years.