Chapter 10 - Bloodlines of the Swiss RedoubtTwo weeks later, on a crisp, sunlit Saturday afternoon, Gabriel, Bella, and Seraphina brought Henri to the historic cemetery on the heights of Cologny overlooking the lake.
The cemetery was quiet, peaceful, and bathed in golden autumn light that filtered through the ancient mountain cypresses.
They walked down a secluded gravel path until they reached a beautiful, shaded plot surrounded by blooming white hydrangeas and fragrant rosemary bushes.
Standing beneath a towering granite cross was the headstone of Seraphina’s grandfather, Field Marshal Vittorio Moretti:
Vittorio Moretti (1938–2018) — Guardian of the Alpine Redoubt, An Honest Sovereign.
Fresh bouquets of white calla lilies, red roses, and fragrant sweet basil rested at the base of the stone.
Seraphina knelt beside her grandfather’s headstone, resting her hand on the carved granite, her ice-gray eyes bright with tears of profound, eternal peace.
“We kept your designs safe, Grandfather,” Seraphina whispered softly through her tears. “The Imperial Crown is secure. The foundries are clean. The shadows are gone forever.”
Gabriel stepped forward, kneeling beside her on the gravel path, his hand resting respectfully on the stone.
“Your granddaughter carries your genius, Marshal,” Gabriel said softly, his voice carrying clearly across the quiet churchyard. “She is the sovereign of our fleet. In this house, your courage will never be forgotten.”
Henri knelt beside them, placing an antique diamond-testing loupe beside the lilies on the stone—the identical tool Marshal Moretti had carried during forty years of service to the state.
“Thank you, Field Marshal,” Henri murmured. “We will protect the line forever.”
Gabriel stood up, pulling Seraphina into his arms, wrapping his heavy wool overcoat around her shoulders, shielding her from the mountain wind.
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He reached into his pocket and produced an antique silver pocket watch that had belonged to his father, sliding the chain into her palm.
“Our family is whole, Seraphina. The stone will never crumble beneath our feet.”
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