If the entire being of Hubert was tormented with nerve and worry over Aurora’s possible death, her family would be even more tormented with fear of him saving a wrong person. By wrong, they dreaded not him saving the wrong Aurora, but the wrong person. It was clearly informed that the timeline was stated as 1941 in this story and for my readers from the Realistic Realm, you might have heard of the horror during that period of time. It was as if the entire civilisation had gone back to the dark age, stone age was better still.

You could be anyone as you wanted, a thieve, a beast, a liar, a murderer, anything your human brain could think of, but you shall never be the Jews or any kinds of individuals that the government disliked.

In here, Fraulein Helen and General Friedrich were worrying exactly the real identity of Fraulein Aurora. They cared not of her being as a human but more concerned about her blood, was it Aryan or not. However, the concern was dissolved when Dr Hermann, also known as one of the most helpful generic biologists in the government and a very close friend to the Von Bach household, came to run a few tests for the still fainted Princess and declared her pureblood as an Aryan.

Though it might seem cruel to run the tests before practically saving her life, it was for the idle loyalty to the Fuhrer. But the tests didn’t take much time to finish, simply matching the hair colour, checking of the hair root to see whether the colour was dyed and to check the colour of the pupils.

“Oh, what an antique fashion style she has.” Looking at the gown of Aurora, Fraulein Helen was in awe of her taste in fabrication, almost interrupted his husband’s question.

“So, what's wrong with this poor maiden?” The General asked while checking her appearance with all the familiar faces in his mind, those pathetic souls who had so misfortunately possessed a wrong face at a wrong era. Why would their countenances be familiar to him you might ask? Well, one shall never forget the first time one murdered his conscience.

“You see, Friedrich, I'm afraid that all those hours spent in that piles of snow have made her system grow weak. It might take several hours or even weeks for her to wake up.” The Doctor replied as casually as the couples were listening, but not Hubert.

He didn't blame them for their lack of concern for they weren't connected after all, neither by blood nor by acquainted encounters. As for him, she mattered a great deal of his relief from guilt.

It was quite certainly believed that for my faithful readers, the confidence of Hubert, was so rarely strong, almost impossible. Just why would he be so certain that she was the same Aurora? Couldn't he possibly just pick up any blonde maiden with a necklace of a wooden rose charm? You might have the answer as his utter desire to pay for his redemption from what he had done to little Aurora in the past.

“What would be the worst for her?” He finally managed the bravery to ask such a question.

“The worst? I suppose years of coma.” The doctor collecting his essentials without a single pathetic look toward his patient.

***

It was the middle of the night now and our heroine was still asleep, being cursed at a peaceful slumber in a gigantic bed with soft silk pillows and mattress seemed a rather pretty situation than most suffering souls outside the castle wall. Though it was a guest bedroom, it lost neither the grandeur of an aristocratic estate nor the generosity of noblemen toward their guest.

The entire castle, from bedrooms of the masters to that of the servants, was covered with a quiet sound of snoring and murmurs of nightmares. As for Hubert, he stayed in the guest room, couldn’t rest himself but looking after Aurora. It was the quietude that allowed Hubert to rethink his dramatic act. It was the quietude that alerted him to be careful. Skillfully, with a sincere hope to deny his conjecture, he turned the rose charm and studied carefully of its back. The same inscription of “H.A” in cursive letters was clearly visible despite the colour of time and ages passed. He needed no more proof but this.

A very short moment of joy then followed by a moment of grief. The fact was not altered by his discovery, she was still asleep, peaceful was her countenance and chaotic was his heart.

Compared with his years spent in being a Gestapo, his hands were covered with blood and curse, but never did he once feel terrible or at least wrong to his doing. Because he didn’t do it on his own behalf. He was told to be a member of the Hitler Youth, he was told to strive to be an SS officer, now he was enthroned as the lieutenant by the connection of his brother in law, or at least as he would call him, papa.

Ever since the day he was adopted into the Von Bach household, General Friedrich had been loving him as a father. It was until the first year of their Christmas spending together that he decided to call him papa and his sister Helen. Always believed that he was in lack of the favour in being connected with the bloodline, he tried all the ways possible to impress his papa.

From the study of Mein Kampf to an impressive performance in the Hitler Youth to a quick promotion from a mere officer to a Lieutenant Colonel posed in the Berlin office, he did it all to earn his importance in the state of the Von Bach household. Of course, what was installed in his heart was unknown to the couple. For if so, they would have made sure such idea be wiped out from his mind.

He didn’t believe shooting and killing the innocent as evil. All those years in misery and the pain of guilt had made him an iron heart. However, he only felt sorry for killing one person, Aurora. Though he didn't directly kill her, he caused it to happen. If he was satisfied with the smile she had on her face when receiving his gift, she would suffer no harm.

He thought she had passed away, yet, she was here, so close to him again. He would pay for his debt by providing her shelter and a family and warmth from a true-hearted friend. Perhaps with all the emotions whirling in his heart at that moment, he forgot to be a gentleman but allowed himself to ignore all the etiquettes to a lady and mildly gave her lips a soft friendly kiss.

The kiss was neither harmful nor passionate, it was a mere expression of thankfulness and hope of salvation from his guilt. However, out of his expectation, she could feel it. The moment after the kiss, when he looked at her face again, she moved a bit and her eyes were open. It was as if the wake of nature after the sunrise!

He was observing all these in shock as she breathed and spoke, “Pardon me, I must have given myself away in reading.” Aurora rubbed her eyes softly and continued, “Please don’t tell mama. She doesn’t like me spending all night in reading.”

Feeling the one still in her presence, she politely ordered, “You may have my permission to withdraw. And, if you would, please call Nanny Flora for me, thank you.”

“Aurora,” Hubert gently recalled, “how do you feel? Better now?” He chose to ignore her weird behaviours.

Aurora was still numb at her surrounding because of a long slumber. By calling her name without a title, how rude, caused her attention to take a better glance at him. It was then that she realised she was not in her bedroom nor was she in her familiar castle. Slowly, memories started to link together, of how a spinning wheel appeared in the midst of her room and disturbed her reading and how she couldn’t resist the temptation to put her forefinger on the sharp needle and how everything went from blur to darkness with a prick of touch.

After placing the puzzles of logic in her mind, she took another glance at Hubert. He was no servant at all, instead, he was the man from her once upon a dream. Without any blush that a proper lady would have, she asked bluntly, “Did you kiss me?”

Hubert, who was shocked at her question, almost choked on his words, “I…..that was a friendly kiss. I was…...thrilled, yes, thrilled of finally finding you.”

“Me? Where is papa? You have to report to papa. You are my prince who has saved me from the curse!” Aurora politely got off from the bed and approached to him with a joy that was difficult for him to perceive the cause.

“What?”

“You just gave me the true love kiss! You have broken the curse! You are my prince!”

In front of him was a young blonde maiden with sky blue pupils and bright rose lips, dressing in a fine silk pinkish gown that was in a middle ages fashion. It gave him a second wonder of whether he just saved a mad Aryan lady who happened to have the necklace or not.

“Are you Aurora?” Hubert asked with a mild tone, knowing that she was still a young girl who shouldn’t be frightened of.

“Indeed, I am.” She replied assertively with a light bow.

“Why are you acting so strange? Are you the Aurora from the Saint Trinity Orphanage?”

“Why, how strange? Such words are beyond my understanding. Pardon me, are you a prince or not?” Aurora asked in a more vigilant attitude.

“I am not. Where do you from? Are you Aurora from the Saint Trinity Orphanage? I am Hubert. I used to be your only friend in the Orphanage! Do you remember me?” Hubert might have lost a bit of patience here but his hope was never vanquished.

“Kind sir, pardon me, but what are you trying to convey?” Her eyes wouldn’t tell a lie, she was helpless and Hubert saw it. Perhaps she had lost her memories and it was no good for him to keep forcing her to recollect the pieces at such a sudden.

“Let’s get some rests now. I am sorry for making you uncomfortable.”

“No, not at all. But would you kindly tell me where I am, thank you.” She asked with a light gleam at her face.

“You are at my accommodation.”

“Oh, and where is it?”

“In Berlin,” he replied as politely as possible, given the record of hers.

“Oh, and where is it?” She asked with no joke on her face.

“Germany, my lady,” Hubert started to believe that she was being humorous, so was he cooperating with her attitude.

“Oh my, and where is it?” She started to have a panic that she was in somewhere far away from her home, let alone to say her bedroom.

“In Europe,” he didn’t find it boring but continue to play along.

“Goodness! It’s the realistic realm!” Her countenance turned from doubtful to frightful.

“Aurora, it’s late now. Let’s get some rests for tomorrow. The doctor is coming to give you a further check-up. Hopefully, he can explain the reason for your memory loss.” Hubert gave her a very warm smile which failed at calming her nerve.

“No, wait, don’t leave. Fine man, please bring me back to the palace. My parents will reward you greatly!” Tears of fear gave their way down her face.

“Aurora, you are safe. Don’t be scared. You are secure, in here, no one can lay his hand on you.” Hubert patiently assured which really softened her nerve a bit.

Seeing that she got settled in her bed, he decided to leave her in the guest room alone. Now that she had woken up, it would be inappropriate for him to stay.

“Pardon me,” the Princess recalled softly.

At the door, as he turned his head back, she spoke timidly, “You haven’t asked my permission to withdraw.”

“May I? Your royal highness,” he sounded neither offended nor sarcastic, but simply wanted her to feel as comfy as possible.

“You may, and, thank you. Thank you for being so kind to me,” she smiled as a gentle light ray touching the petals of lilies in the very early morning.

“Thank you, Aurora, for giving a chance for me to redeem my sin,” he replied genuinely.

But exhaustion had taken away her desire to pay attention to their conversation, instead, she chose to rest her soul in this strange land where righteousness and happiness were as rare as pain and hopelessness in the Realm of Fantasy.