I Followed Fires

LIII. Bash and Adèle

It was Cyril who first discovered that Bash had come to visit them in Italy.

He was standing in front of her bedchambers just a few hours after dawn. With the absence of his mother, and as his maids were busy preparing breakfast; Cyril had no one else but his sister to keep him company. And so, after he awoke from his sleep, Cyril walked over to his sister's bedchambers, still dressed in his nightwear. With a toy bear clutched in his hand, and his eyes still half asleep, he opened her chamber door, only to find that Adèle was not alone.

Although, Cyril was not aware of this at first. He tugged at the bed sheets, calling out her name as he was doing so. His vision was still awfully blurry, and so he was not able to see that his sister's head was lying on Bash's chest.

"Adèle.." he said sluggishly. "Wake up, it's almost time for breakfast. Theo's still asleep, and I have no one to play with."

When Adèle realised she heard the sounds of her little brother's voice, she was immediately woken up from her sleep, and jolted out of bed (which had slightly frightened Cyril). She wrapped a velvet mantle around her to keep her warm, for the atmosphere of the first hours of dawn was frigid. Then, she grabbed Cyril and held him in her arms. Her eyes turned to Bash, who was also awake as well, but still remained in bed.

"Forgive me, Cyril, I didn't know you were already awake," Adèle spoke in a motherly tone. "I didn't mean to frighten you there."

"Who is that?" asked Cyril, as his little finger pointed to Bash, leaning against the headboard. He rose from the bed, and walked over to him.

"Good morning," said Bash.

Squealing in excitement as he realized that Bash was standing in his sister's bedchambers, and in their house. "Bash!" his little voice said his name with pure joy. "Adèle, look, it's Bash!"

"Yes I know, Cyril." Both Bash and Adèle laughed at Cyril's excitement. " Now I shall go and see if breakfast is ready yet." She handed Cyril to Bash, who was now holding him in his arms. Adèle exited her bedchambers in a hurry. As they perceived the sounds of her feet running down the stairs, Bash went over to sit on Adèle's armchair, near the fireplace. He let Cyril sit on his lap, as he listened to Cyril showing the doll he had with him, and telling him stories of their time in Italy, including the story Adèle told him and Theo about the stars. Bash listened attentively, of course, but his eyes could not help remain sleepy throughout the time Cyril was talking.

"Bash," Cyril said, suddenly changing the topic of the conversation.

"Yes, what is it, Cyril?" he replied, before rubbing his eyes to make sure that he did not appear tired.

"Are you going to marry Adèle?"

Bash was evidently startled by the question. Instead of looking surprised (for he did not want to make Cyril feel as if he did something wrong), he responded to his question calmly. "I'm afraid I can't answer that question now. I'll have to answer it later,"

"But why can't you marry her now? So you can stay with us forever and you don't have to return to the castle."

Bash chuckled, and said, "You shall have to ask your sister, your parents, and your brother as well if you want me to stay forever."

"I do," he replied. "And so does Theo and mother and father."

"Don't you worry," Bash reassured him. "I am sure Adèle and I are going to marry very, very soon."

"Is that a promise?"

Putting on a smile on his face, Bash replied to his question with an air of confidence. "Yes, it is, Cyril."

He let out a squeal once again. Having just realised that Adèle has returned from the kitchens, both their heads turned to look at her standing in the doorway. "Breakfast is ready," she spoke with a kind smile on her face. "And what were you to so busy talking about without me?"

"Nothing." they replied in unison. Bash and Cyril turned to look at each other, and Cyril could not help let out a childish giggle.