The Impact of Her 3

Another tiring day passed within the Winston Bakery.

Everything was clean and everyone had left the store. The windows were barred, and some of the lights were dimmed as two people remained inside.

She was too immersed in scrubbing the wooden floors. They had already been cleaned by her workmates, but for some reason, she felt compelled to do it again. Perhaps, it was her way of ignoring what had happened when she took a letter to Robert's home without him knowing.

***

As the cockerel greeted the morning with its powerful crow, Laura finished writing a letter for Robert. After their bitter separation, Laura couldn't help but feel guilty for how they parted ways.

It was a decision that only one was willing to make. She knew it was for the better. But she also knew that she didn't think about Robert's feelings before making it absolute. When they ended their conversation on such a sour note, she was uneasy about everything.

Because of that, she did what she thought she could do: write a final letter to Robert—a person she had just met, but who had a certain impact on her life. She folded her letter and carefully snuck out of her room. She didn't know if she could still get past the barrier to the Immortal realm, but she would do her best to get through.

And it seemed as if the gods were on her side.

On her way up the mountain, an Immortal was headed back to his realm with a cart full of barrels. The barrel had a familiar emblem: the Western Wind emblem that she had seen countless times on Robert's saddle. She quickly hid in between the barrels when the Immortal stopped to chat with the portal keeper.

When they arrived at the castle, she slowly made her way to the stables, hoping to find Nana Olsa. And it was just her luck—Nana Olsa was there, attending to the horses.

Nana's eyes widened in horror as she saw the woman. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she approached her.

"I know I shouldn't be here," Laura quickly replied.

"Well, if you know that, then why risk your life to be here?" Nana said. "And didn't I already tell you and Robert to stop seeing each other for the greater good of everybody?"

"I'm not here for Robert. I came here for you," Laura replied, keeping a polite tone despite the cold treatment towards her.

"And why would you be looking for me?"

Without saying another word, Laura handed a letter to the old lady. As Nana received her letter, Laura explained, "I never got the chance to fully explain my decision to Robert. You witnessed how we treated our last conversation together. I didn't want our final meeting to end on that kind of note. This letter will help him understand why I had to choose that decision. And I hope you'd be able to give this to him."

Nana looked at the woman before her. To her surprise, she wasn't desperate to have Robert back by her side. She was willing to let him go, just for him to have peace. Nana marveled at how strong-willed she was and was amazed at her willingness to do what was right.

Nana simply nodded and Laura turned around. But before Laura could go far, Nana suddenly remarked, "He raised you well. I couldn't be prouder."

Laura stopped in her tracks. She turned around with her brows furrowed. "What did you say?"

Nana hid the letter in her apron before saying, "He raised you after his own heart. And with that, I'm satisfied with what you are as a person."

Laura stood in shock. 'What is she talking about? Who is she talking about? Does she mean…Grandpa Ben?' Questions swirled in her mind.

Laura walked back a few steps. "What do you mean? What are you saying?"

Nana gave a brief smile before heading back inside.

***

"Laura? Laura?" Grandpa Ben's faded voice became clearer as Laura returned to reality. Grandpa Ben sat beside her, helping her put away the bucket and the brush. "The floor's already been cleaned. Are you trying to make us slip tomorrow?" he smirked.

"Grandpa Ben, may I ask you a question?" She turned to him.

Grandpa Ben stopped and looked towards his beloved Laura. "This seems to be different. What's on your mind?" he asked.

"Do you know anyone by the name of Nana Olsa, by any chance?"

Grandpa Ben sat before her, frozen. He didn't blink. His eyes were wide open upon hearing Laura's question. His fears and his worries quickly overpowered his ability to think clearly. He didn't expect such a question to come from Laura.

Not during this time.

"Grandpa Ben?" Laura's soft touch on the old man's arm was enough to calm him down. Grandpa Ben looked at her hand and back to her face as she asked another question, "Do you know her?"

'Perhaps, the time has come,' he thought to himself.

Once I arrived, I quickly hopped off Lady and entered the bakery. Thankfully, Grandpa Ben was in. “Grandpa Ben!” I called as I rushed over to him. People stared with judgment, but I didn’t care. I needed to get to the bottom of everything.

My voice was loud enough. It made Grandpa Ben turn in my direction. “Robert!” he smiled. He walked to me, wiping his hands with his apron. “I didn’t expect that you would be back so soon. It’s always a delight to see you.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Grandpa Ben.” I returned a smile. “Your creations are out of this world. It has left me wanting more.”

“But I know that’s not the main reason whenever you come and visit. Isn’t that right, son?” he asked, teasing me with a look. I laughed nervously as I scratched my nape. It may have been too obvious, I supposed. Laura had always been my excuse to come here.

“I can’t hide anything from you, Grandpa Ben,” I sighed. “You already know too much about me.”

He crossed his arms as he smirked. “Your mouth can try and hide the truth. But your eyes give everything away.”

I shook my head, chuckling. I was never a good liar. And I thought I already had enough lessons to be better at it. Alas, I’m still terrible at it. “I don’t want to waste your time, Grandpa Ben. I can see that the bakery is full of customers again,” I said, looking briefly at the crowd. “I want to ask if you know where Laura’s been hiding.”

“Hmm,” he rested his chin on his knuckles, thinking. “Have you tried looking in places where she could possibly go?”

“Yes, I did. But she wasn’t there,” I said.

Grandpa Ben started thinking once more. This town wasn’t huge, so it made no sense that we didn’t know where she was going. I was at the point of defeat because there was only one place in this town that we shared together. And that was the field.

After a while of thinking, he replied, “She probably visited the swamps of Dashury.” He then smiled at me, putting his hands behind him.

“Dashury? I asked, baffled.

Dashury was once a flourishing village in the plains. It stood a few miles from this town. According to the stories, it was a utopia—a peaceful place. However, a mysterious fire destroyed everything. It left nothing behind but ashes. Since the day it was burnt, it was abandoned, and nobody dared to live there again. No one would even enter, fearing that the former town had been cursed.

Grandpa Ben nodded. “Laura has some kind of connection with the abandoned town. For some reason, she’s always been fascinated with that place. If she can’t be found within the town, surely she’s there.”

“Thank you, Grandpa Ben.” I smiled. I then mounted Lady and rode to Dashury as fast as possible.

♔♔♔

We finally arrived in Dashury and upon entering, the burnt remains of the town filled the air. My heart broke as we made our way through the entrance. There was nothing but ashes. Most of the houses were gone. A few remained but they had burned entirely on the inside. Scraps of clothes scattered about. The bones of the dead could be seen everywhere.

This was once the most colorful place in this realm, some said. Now, it was nothing but a forgotten memory, a myth that people were afraid to speak about.

After a horrifying scene, I noticed a swamp behind a row of houses. I hopped down and headed towards it. As I reached it, a small pier appeared with a boat tied to it. I expected to see floating corpses or crocodiles on the water. But all I saw was the dark green color that covered the murky water.

I stood on the pier and called out. “Laura? Laura, are you here?” I waited for a reply but all I heard was my echo. “Laura?!”

“Robert?” a soft voice spoke behind me. I turned my head…and there she stood. With her was a sack that was about the height of her legs.

I immediately stepped down from the pier and rushed over to her. “I found you,” I remarked, relieved. “I can’t believe I finally found you,” I continued, unable to contain the happiness within me. I wanted to hold her, but I didn’t. All I could do was look at her from head to toe continuously, satisfied that she was now in front of me.

“I didn’t expect that you would look for me,” she said, confused. “How did you know I was here? This place is very far from town, perhaps even from the entrance to your realm.”

“It doesn’t matter how I knew,” I replied, moving closer to her. “I rode all this way to find you…because I need to talk to you.”

She took a deep breath, looking around us. “Would you like to go on a boat ride?” she asked, turning back to me.

“Of course,” I nodded. I offered to carry the sack, but she insisted on doing it. I didn’t argue with her and simply followed her onto the boat. I settled across her and she grabbed the oars, slowly rowing away from the pier.

“I’m surprised this place doesn’t faze you,” she spoke, looking anywhere but at me. “Most people are scared to even think about this place.”

“I should be the one saying that.” I grinned. “There’s no one here. The nearest town is a few miles away. You should be the one who’s afraid of this abandoned town.”

“Should I be scared of the place where I used to live?” she answered softly, looking at me.

I was stunned. We remained silent for a moment as she continued rowing. How was she able to live here? The people said this town burned ages ago. That would make her too old. “How is that even possible?” I asked. “The stories said this was abandoned even before I was born.”

She chuckled. “People are still gullible to false information. Storytellers exaggerate the truth to make things even more dramatic,” she replied. “And in this case, it was done to make this place seem like it was haunted.

“But you said you were from an orphanage. How were you able to confirm that this was your birthplace?” I asked.

“Once I was tasked with scrubbing the library floor and I heard some of the workers talking about certain children in the home. Their conversation ranged from the eldest children and then, to the newest ones. I was one of them,” she explained. “They said that the people who brought me to the orphanage explained my origins. It was also explained to Grandpa Ben, and he was kind enough to tell me the truth.”

“According to the people who found me,” she added, “I was the only surviving member of this village.”

“That’s impossible. They said the fires were too great. Nobody was able to leave their houses.” I leaned closer. “According to the stories, the fire spread too quickly, and there wasn’t much time for anyone to survive.”

She sighed as she answered. “They said the fire happened the day after I was born. I was found under the floorboards of our house. They said my family was cremated. They figured that my family accepted their untimely death so they tucked me under the house in the hopes that it would keep me safe.”

“I still don’t understand.” I shook my head as I sat upright. “They said that happened years ago before my birth. That would make you an Immortal to be able to survive this long.”

She shook her head, smiling. “A learned prince like you is susceptible to changes in history. That’s hilarious.”

My brows furrowed. I grew even more confused as we continued the conversation.

“I’m certain that as a young monarch, you studied the history of your world and ours. And I heard that most scholars here changed some of our history because they wanted to make a lasting impact,” she said. “This village isn’t that old. They just had to make a story that would make this place even more frightening in the minds of others.”

“Oh.” I nodded my head. “I do apologize about your family.”

“There’s no need to apologize, Robert. I don’t find it offensive.” She smiled. “It was heartbreaking when I learned that I don’t have a true family to return to. However, that shouldn’t hinder someone’s growth. I have accepted the truth and I believe it will strengthen me as I move forward with my life,” she continued. “I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice. They made sure that I was going to survive even though they didn’t have the same fate. I will use this life to honor them the best that I can.”

“Is that why you’re here? In honor of their memory?”

“Honoring my family and the population that built this village is just one of the reasons why I’m here,” she answered.

“One of the reasons?”

“You’ll see,” she winked and continued rowing further into the swamp.

♔♔♔

We went deeper into the Dashury swamp as minutes passed. Thankfully, the sun was still up in the sky, which made this place less eerie than it already was. We were surrounded by trees, both short and tall. There was nothing to see but the green water that surrounded us. The boat finally stopped. Laura put the oars down and opened the sack.

“What are you doing?” I asked as I moved closer, trying to see what was in it. The sack contained crumbs.

Without answering my question, she whistled a jolly tune to the swamp. She did it thrice but only silence answered her. I was going to repeat my question when I heard a swarm of fluttering wings. In a matter of seconds, swans and ducks flocked in our direction. Her smile immediately greeted the beautiful creatures. She then grabbed a handful from the sack and threw it in their direction.

The crumbs hadn’t landed on the water before they rushed over. It was a race. The fastest would get more than the others. Laura threw out two more handfuls to accommodate the rest. She then turned to me. “Would you like to give it a try?” she asked, offering the sack.

I nodded enthusiastically. I slowly moved closer to her, careful not to tip the boat over.

“Grab what you can and give it to them,” she said as I sat beside her. She grabbed another handful and fed them more.

I grabbed mine and spread the crumbs into the air. As we continued, more and more birds joined in. Suddenly, a sense of warmth and comfort started inside of me. This was nothing extraordinary or special. But as we fed the beautiful birds, I was soothed. I was amazed to see so many birds in one place as well.

“Try doing this instead.” She tapped my shoulder as she reached for more crumbs. This time, she raised her hand in the air and simply opened it. Smaller birds landed on her hand and slowly pecked away. “It does take a while before they trust you,” she remarked, smiling as she gazed at the birds on her palm.

“Is this what you were talking about a while ago?” I asked as I gave out more crumbs. “You come here to feed them?”

She nodded, throwing away the remaining crumbs in her hand as the birds flew away. “I’m not sure why but whenever I do this, it calms my mind,” she explained. “Once I feel connected to nature, I’m able to sort out my thoughts and my emotions. That is something I need because I tend to get overwhelmed.”

“It is a joy to watch and very peaceful.” I nodded. “It does give you a different kind of joy.”

She looked at me, smirking. “Have you ever done this before?”

I cleared my throat as I looked the other way. I didn’t have time to do something like this back at home. My time was occupied by my duties, responsibilities. As a child, I was always learning because that’s what James wanted. Also, nobody wanted to do these kinds of things with me. Everyone was always occupied with something. And I was ashamed to admit it to anyone. I felt like I missed so much during my childhood. Even now, I know I still missed a lot.

“Robert?” She gently turned me around. “You’ve never tried this before?” she repeated, surprised.

I nodded as I looked down at my hands. “I have no one to do this with and no time to be able to do something like this,” I said, playing with my fingers.

“Don’t you have birds in your realm?” she asked as she gave more crumbs to the birds. “I’ve been there, and your kingdom looked like the perfect place for birds to come and visit.”

“It’s not that. We used to have birds within the castle grounds. However, James had the servants drive them away because they destroyed Mother’s garden,” I explained. “And besides, doing it on my own wouldn’t be any fun. Each individual in the castle is always doing something.”

“Oh. I’m very sorry if I was insensitive.” She lowered her head.

I smiled as I poked her cheek. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” I lifted her face and turned her around. “You did nothing wrong.”

Her cheeks slowly turned red as she smiled. “In that case, you should take your time and enjoy this. We have a lot of crumbs here.” She pulled a half-filled sack from under my seat. “So, we’ll be here for quite some time.”

I smiled at her enthusiasm. As we talked more and continued feeding the birds, I came to a sudden realization. Almost everything that I had never done as a child, I experienced with Laura for the first time. As I reminded myself of that, satisfaction rose within me. I was absolutely grateful for very moment that we shared. The gods blessed me with someone to create memories with and I was forever thankful for their gift.

Without a shadow of a doubt, she was now one of the most important people in my life. And I would do anything and everything to shield her from any possible danger, both in her realm and mine.

♔♔♔

We finished the whole sack and were now left with the half-filled one. We talked and shared so much about each other. It was as if time stopped, giving us more space to be together. But our joyful conversation stopped when we heard a soft thunder from above. We looked up and the clouds began to block the sun. Another faint thunder grumbled from afar. The sky continued to grow grey in color.

James must be in an unforgiving mood right now.

“We best leave.” Laura closed the sack and put it back under her seat. “We wouldn’t want to return to the bakery soaked in rainwater,” she added as we prepared to leave.

“As the prince of the kingdom who creates rain, I understand what you said,” I teased as I sat firmly on my end of the boat.

She then grabbed the oars and fiddled with them as she slid them into the oarlocks. “I hope we'll be able to get out of here in time. We’re quite deep in this swamp,” she said.

“I can row for us. I can do it faster and you already did it a while ago,” I offered.

“Don’t worry, I can do this.” She smiled as she looked at me. “I’ve done this more than once. Another passenger makes no difference.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Of course.” She nodded. “Now, sit tight and I will get us out of here in no time.” She then rowed with all her might and speed. I kept my gaze on her, not wanting her to strain herself because of the added strength and speed. I also prayed that James would be in a lighter mood so that the rain would not pour.

♔♔♔

A while passed and the skies just grew darker. The thunder moved closer to our direction and the clouds seemed heavier than before. At any given time, the rain would fall upon us. To our luck, the dock was already in sight.

“I told you I’d get us out of here,” she said, triumphant.

I returned a smile, but it quickly faded as a raindrop fell on my nose.

She immediately saw it and rowed even faster. A few more drops followed and in a matter of seconds, the rain poured. “Oh!” she shouted, still rowing.

I was going to control the rain, but it was forbidden to use our magic outside of our realm. And should I try that, James would immediately notice it. Once that happened, he would do everything to trace where it came from. I turned to the dock, wanting to get there a little faster. Then, a faint giggle came from Laura. I looked at her and as soon as our eyes met, she laughed.

“You still have the nerve to laugh when we’re drenched with rain?!” I asked.

“Why are you taking this situation so seriously?!” she asked with a smile. “The least you could do is appreciate the rain!”

“Laura!”

She continued laughing and amidst my attempt to stop myself, I couldn’t help but join her. To see her this happy, I couldn’t help but marvel at her child-like characteristics. This woman was just too precious to be angry at.

A few more rows and we finally reached the dock. I got off first and helped her get out of the boat. I then took it upon myself to tie the boat to the dock to make sure it wouldn't float away.

“We need to go,” she said as soon as the boat was secured.

I grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving.

She quickly turned around. “Is there something wrong?” she asked.

I looked around and up to the skies. “The rain isn’t that bad.” I then turned to her. “Would you care to dance with me?”

“Dance with you?” Her brows furrowed.

I nodded with a smile.

“You want us to dance under the pouring rain?” she repeated, confused.

I nodded again.

“Spending too much time under the rain might give us a cold,” she explained. “We still need to return home. I don’t know what to tell Grandpa Ben if I come home in this state.”

I stepped towards her. She then lowered her head, turning slightly to the right to avoid me. I gently lifted her face. “We’re already wet from the rain. What’s the point of getting out of it? And you said it yourself: the least I could do is to enjoy it.” I winked.

She smiled and lowered her face again, staring directly at my chest.

“So, would you care to dance with me?” I asked once more.

She took a deep breath and replied, “Can’t we just leave and go home?”

I cupped her face and lifted. it. I leaned in. Our foreheads nearly touched. She looked to her left. She trembled a bit under my touch. I gently poked her nose and said, “If you want to go home, we shall go home.”

She sighed after holding her breath. She nodded and stepped away from me, walking ahead of me. She may not know this but that short moment being close to her, made me feel safe once again.

♔♔♔

Laura and I finally arrived back at the bakery. Laura and Leo rode right in front of us so I could make sure that nothing happened to her. When we got back, the rain had already ceased, and the sun shone once more. Because of the ride home, our clothes had dried out a little bit.

As Laura stopped ahead of me, I hopped off and helped her get down. We walked to the side of the bakery, carefully pulling our horses by their reins.

“Thank you for accompanying me, Robert.” She smiled.

“I should be the one who’s grateful.” I moved closer. “I was able to do something memorable with my time.

She giggled as she removed the lead shank from Leo’s collar. “But still, you made the rain worth it.”

“Which reminds me.” I held onto her arms. “Don’t forget to change your clothes.”

She nodded shyly. “I need to prepare for work. You should go home and change as well. You might catch a cold.”

I chuckled. “Don’t you worry, madam.” I gently poked her nose. “I will change my clothes. However, rain doesn’t make me sick that easily.”

She smiled as we stared at each other for what it felt like a long time. If I were given the chance to do so, I’d stay in this spot with her, holding her close. I would never get tired of looking at her. In addition, her eyes just made me want to stay.

I cleared my throat, making her look down at her feet. “I’ll take my leave, then.” I stepped back.

“Absolutely.” She nodded, hiding her face from me.

I turned around and walked towards Lady. But then I stopped. Without any second thoughts, I returned to Laura and laid a gentle peck on her cheek.

The world just stopped.

She looked at me, eyes widened out of surprise.

“I, um…I,” I stuttered, struggling to say something coherent. “I, uh,” I pointed at Lady, walking back slowly.

“You need to go,” she helped with a smile.

“Right!” I quickly hopped onto Lady. “I’ll see you again soon.” After a wave of goodbye, I rode away. All my mind could think about was the kiss that I gave her.

♔♔♔

I made my way to Mother’s room since Gonzalo told me that I needed to see her immediately. Walking through the hallways, I still couldn’t wrap my head around that kiss. As my lips touched her cheek, it was as soft as I thought it would be. I wanted to smile so bad that my cheeks hurt because I was stopping it. I didn’t want to smile randomly as I sprinted through the halls with Gonzalo. I might look insane.

As I arrived in front of the door, I put my ear to it but heard nothing. Fearing the worst, I barged in and as the doors swung open. I couldn’t believe what I saw. “Mother?”

“Goodness gracious, Robert! You scared the life out of me,” she remarked with a hand on her chest. The other held her blanket.

Mother was out of bed. And not only that, but she was also fixing her bed. The ledoras worked!

“How are you feeling, Mother?” I asked as I rushed over to her. Gonzalo closed the door behind me.

“Fantastic.” She smiled as she touched my face. “The medicinal herb you gave me did the trick,” she said as she folded the blanket.

I asked another question. “How was your rest? You immediately fell asleep after taking the herb.”

“It was the best sleep I’ve had since I got sick.” She smiled, putting the blanket at the foot of the bed. “The Medicine King came in and told me everything about the herb. All in all, I feel so much better.”

I sighed out of relief. “I’m happy that you’re well now, Mother.”

She was about to hug me but stopped. “What happened to you? Why are you wet?” she asked as she felt my damp clothes.

“Um, well…”

“Did you fall into something? Were you drenched by the rain?” she asked.

“Yes, Mother. I got caught in the rain when I took a stroll.” I smiled out of embarrassment.

“Then, why haven’t you changed your clothes yet? You can get sick!” she scolded, something I was thankful for. That just showed that she was truly healed.

“Mother, I feel fine,” I said as I held her hands. “I enjoyed it, to be honest. I never thought playing in the rain could be so…fun.”

She smiled. “I understand what you mean. To play in the rain can be refreshing. But when you do, you must change your clothes immediately. Or better yet, give yourself a warm bath to prevent any kind of cold or fever.”

“Yes, Mother.”

A knock came upon the door.

“You may come in,” Mother answered as we turned to the door.

Gonzalo entered and immediately walked to us. “Pardon for any interruptions, Your Majesty and young prince.” He bowed briefly. “I have news from His Majesty.”

“You didn’t interrupt anything, Gonzalo. You may stand,” Mother replied. “Do deliver the message.”

Gonzalo quickly stood up and answered, “His Majesty sent one of his envoys here with news regarding his current voyage. He said the trip was prolonged due to unforeseen problems. However, His Majesty said he will return once everything is finished.”

I was not surprised about James’ update. Even when everything was planned, some of our duties could be interrupted by unforeseen events. I could only hope that it wouldn’t last long so Mother wouldn’t have to wait. Mother had a tendency to get a bit depressed when she waited for James, which was something I never wanted to see.

“Thank you, Gonzalo. You may leave.” Mother smiled.

Gonzalo took another bow and left.

“Mother, I’m going to change into something different. I might also take a nap.” I turned to her, holding her hands. “Will you be able to take care of yourself? I can stay with you for a while. You don’t have to force yourself if you still need my assistance.”

“Oh, dear one, I’ve fully recovered and it’s all thanks to you. You don’t have to worry about anything anymore.” She giggled as she cupped my cheek, gently caressing my skin with her thumb. “Now, I must prepare. I will be having tea with your Aunt Bethilda,” she added, pulling her hand back.

“You just recovered, and your immediate plan is to have tea with Bethilda?” I asked.

“Robert, I know you don’t get along with her but at the very least, call her Aunt,” Mother requested. “I understand that you never liked her, but you have to show her some respect as a family member.”

“Mother, you know very well why we don’t get along with each other,” I replied after a sigh. “And you know my attitude: I don’t respect people who I deem unworthy, whether they’re family or not.”

She let out a sigh, her smile in a firm line. “I’m not forcing you to do something you don't want, dear one. But I implore you to give it a try.”

As a prince, I wanted to simply say ‘yes’ to what Mother asked but her request would go against my beliefs. I never wanted to disrespect Bethilda. I never wanted to show such disdain towards another person. But she brought it upon herself.

“I’ll take my leave now, Mother. I would like to get out of these damp clothes and lay down,” I replied. If I continued this conversation about Bethilda, I would lose my mind.

She kissed me on the forehead. “Have a bath before your nap.”

I nodded and bowed before walking away.

♔♔♔

After a soothing bath and a change of clothing, I was preparing myself for a nap when someone knocked on my door.

“Enter,” I answered as I sat down on the side of my bed.

The door opened and Bethilda appeared. What could she want from me now?

“I don’t know why you’re here but I’m not in the mood to talk to you.” I turned around and arranged the pillows. “I’m going to take a nap and I would like to have a calm mind before I do so.”

“I heard your mother is cured,” she said. “The maids said she’s back to her usual, healthy self.”

I turned around and looked at her, my brows furrowed. She didn’t seem enthusiastic about Mother’s recovery. “It appears that you have some sort of problem about that, duchess.”

She walked towards me and replied, “I came here to remind you that your mother’s current recovery may not last long. That herb you gave her may have cured her in an instant. But she may be deteriorating from within, and we don’t have the slightest clue about it.”

“Bethilda, my day has ended on a good note, and I would like for it to stay that way. Your presence is ruining everything for me, so I suggest that you leave me alone,” I spat.

“Robert, I’m warning you. Your mother’s health isn’t to be taken lightly. That plant might have a bad effect on her,” she said as she moved closer to me.

“Allow me to make one thing clear for you.” I held my head up high as I walked up to her. “That herb that you’re so desperately trying to shed a bad light on cured my mother. Whether you accept it or not, my method cured her and that’s the end of it,” I replied. “There’s nothing you can do about it so there’s no use in trying to persuade me otherwise.”

She didn’t say another word. She just stood in front of me, stunned.

“Now, if you would be so kind as to leave my room so I can have a peaceful rest, it would be much appreciated,” I added, pointing at the door.

She gave me an icy stare before turning around, and slamming the door shut as she left.

I went under the sheets and laid my head down, letting out a breath of relief. Bethilda certainly had her way of getting under my skin! I once wished that she would be trampled over by Lady but that would be too cruel.

Mother has healed. There was nothing Bethilda could do about it. The best solution for her existence is ignorance. I closed my eyes and slowly felt myself drift away into a peaceful sleep.