《The New Addition》 Part 1 ¡°And who is this?¡± Lynette points to a crowned individual in the book. Livia is momentarily distracted by her mother¡¯s pretty nails, the small jewels on them glittering in the morning light, before she smiles, her round face lighting up, and eagerly replies, ¡°Crown Pwince Phineas.¡± Lynette finely trimmed eyebrows twitch at the mispronounced words, but not in irritation. Her beautiful face tries its best not to smile as she nods very seriously. ¡°That is correct, my sweet girl,¡± she says and cuddles her daughter''s small body closer on her lap in praise. Livia all but blooms under her mother''s unwavering attention. She sits up straighter, her little nose shoving itself in the air as she points randomly on the page. ¡°I also know who this person is, mummy.¡± Lynette pushes a stray lock of purple behind her daughter''s tiny ear, and raises an eyebrow, ¡°Is that so, sweet girl? Who is it then? Tell mummy. I have gotten so old, I need help refreshing my memory,¡± she says in a teasing tone. Livia giggles before shaking her head frantically, her twin curling tails whipping around as she does, causing one of her black ribbons to come undone. Lynette fixes it automatically, unbothered. ¡°That¡¯s not true, mummy! Mummy is the prettiestest and woungest person in all the land!¡± Livia says fiercely and puts on an expression of grave seriousness. Lynette can¡¯t bite down her own giggles and boops her little daughter''s round nose with her finger, delighted. ¡°Well, if my sweet Livia says so, then it has to be true,¡± she says with a look of fond surrender. Livia puffs up her small chest, ¡°Ewactly.¡± Lynette laughs again, and straightens the book on her lap, ¡°Shall we get back to our important reading, dearest?¡± Livia pauses in playing with a long necklace hanging around her mother''s neck, blinking slowly. She turns to the book a second later as if it always had her full attention, and sticks her finger to the page. ¡°This is Pwince Rowdale, this is Pwincess Adanna, this is Pwince Orin and last, the baby, Pwince K-Koulton?¡± ¡°Prince Kolton, yes,¡± Lynette says, correct her daughter kindly, ¡°He is the latest addition to the Royal House of Silvan.¡± And how quickly they were to add the youngest royal to the book. The baby had only been born a month ago but the book had been made available only a week ago. Really, those royals. They weren¡¯t even trying to hide their own egos. It was just as her mother said. The more time pass, the further people drew away from the old gods. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Livia squints at the image, confused, ¡°Um-¡± ¡°You are the sole heiress of the Valentine household, sweet girl. You do not say um,¡± Lynette scolds mildly and adjusts her two-year-old daughter on her lap. Livia''s brows scrunch up at the stupid rule, but she tries to voice her question without saying ¡®um¡¯ as her mother had instructed her. It takes her a few tries, but eventually, she manages. ¡°Mummy?¡± ¡°Yes, sweetie?¡± Lynette asks, scanning over the pictures in the book as her other hand reach for the steaming cup of tea. ¡°How was baby Kou-I mean, baby Kolton made?¡± Livia looks intensely at the portraits, wondering how the small add-on came into being before tilting her head back so she can see her mother¡¯s expression when she answered. Lynette nearly spills her tea down her cleavage. She steadies her hand and hastily places the delicate cup back down as her giggles rose unbidden up her throat. She buries her chin into her daughter''s soft hair, trying to gain control of the laughing fit. Instead, she lets out an un-lady-like snort in her great amusement. Her toddler daughter startles at the noise, staring up at her with round purple eyes so like her father''s. Lynette is thrown into a laughing fit at the expression alone. To think she would see those eyes make such an open and unguarded expression! Livia''s surprise quickly turns into a petulant and angry pout, quickly realizing she is being laughed at. ¡°Mummy it¡¯s not funny!¡± She scolds and crosses her pudgy little arms in a huff. She is just about to climb out of her mother¡¯s lap and storm off when the doors to the sitting room slam open. Livia and Lynette both jump as the bubble around them pops. For a moment, the two had forgotten the outside world even existed. Lynette is quick to fix her expression as one of her young, personal maids rush to her side with a pale, drawn face. She sets her daughter on her feet and stands to meet Tinnty halfway across the room. ¡°What is it?¡± She asks in a low voice, picking up on the alarm. Tinnty looks over her ladies shoulder, to the young heiress who had sat down to stare at the book by herself, quietly so as not to disturb her mother, completely oblivious to the turmoil she is about to face then back to her mistress. Her mind jolts at the word. ¡°My lady, he-he brought her here,¡± Tinnty says frantically, and then her eyes look out the doors of the extravagant sitting room as if she could see through walls. Lynette shakes her head, uncomprehending, ¡°Who? My husband?¡± Tinnty swallows and nods, her eyes one of great pity and sympathy, ¡°I saw them. The lord brought her through the secret entrance. She had a large cloak shrouding her form but there was no denying her white hair,¡± Tinnty moves closer to whisper in a somber voice, ¡°My lady, the lord''s mistress, well, she was obvious with child.¡± Lynette''s eyes focus over her maids'' shoulder, her head slowly shaking as a smile crawl onto her face. She laughs, and the way it cracks into the air, the loudness, startles her. ¡°No,¡± she says after a while, her vision swimming when she shakes her head, ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t.¡± After everything, surely, her husband would not do this to her. He couldn¡¯t! They had a deal. Lynette had even graciously let him return to that woman under the strict promise that he wouldn¡¯t-, because she hadn¡¯t been as foolish as her mother liked to believe. She hadn¡¯t expected a perfect marriage, but she still had thought that she at least deserved the bare minimum. The respect as his wife. As his duchess. His partner. ¡°No,¡± she says again, and clutches her stomach, swaying. ¡°Duchess?¡± Tinny tries to steady her, but Lynette''s stomach feels like a balloon, as if it was trying to float up and out of her and her eyes rolled back before darkness. The last thing she saw was her sweet baby girl''s face, drawn up in heart-wrenching distress for her mother. Part 2 ¡°How could you do this to me!? To us!?¡± Lynette hisses the moment Lord Luvien steps into her room. She clutches Livia close to her body, idly bouncing her crying daughter on her hip as she backs away from him like he was infested with the plague. ¡°Calm down,¡± Lord Luvien orders instantly. His cold gaze sweeps over the state of the room. The broken vase, the flowers scattered over the floor, the bed which had all of its pillow thrown off, and the upended chair, almost a foot away from where it usually rests. ¡°I will calm down the moment you through that pregnant wench out of our house and back on the streets!¡± Lynette screams, ¡°We had a deal. You were not to go back to her now that I am pregnant with your son.¡± Lord Luvien face frosts over, ¡°Who told you.¡± Lynette growls and whips away from him, her arms tightening around her daughter as she begins to pace with a mean smile on her face. Her long, swaying dress hugs her figure, displaying the round mound of her stomach. She had just barely passed the halfway marker. Five months, her midwife had said. ¡°¡¯Who told me¡¯. Is that all you dare to ask!? Aren¡¯t you even going to try to deny it?¡± She snarls. ¡°...There would be no point,¡± Lord Luvien states. ¡°No point,¡± Lynette says mockingly before laughing coldly, ¡°You are on the brink of throwing this household into chaos and you don¡¯t even have the gall to make up any excuses? I cannot begin to understand what you are thinking. You are willing to shatter all our hard work, and for what? That witless girl? Do you even know just how much damage you would cause if word got out about your little affair with that wench?¡± She shakes her head. Lord Luvien steps forward, his face breaking into something thunderous. ¡°She needs help, Lynette. Lily¡¯s pregnancy isn¡¯t progressing well and it is making her gravely ill,¡± He snaps, ¡°I had no choice but to bring her here. It¡¯s the only way I could have given her the care she needed. Once that it is over-¡± ¡°No!¡± Lynette shouts, ¡°No,¡± she says again, calmer. Her face was still flushed red with anger, ¡°I do not care what she needs. Her problems are not ours.¡± Then she stalks forward and stops in front of her husband with a cold gaze that matches his own. ¡°And why do you care so much about this pregnancy,¡± She asks dangerously, eyes narrowing, ¡°Since the harlot had gone on and got herself pregnant like a common pig with no husband, why should it matter to you? If anything, you should cut all ties and finally rid yourself of her, like you were supposed to do.¡± Then Lynette gets a prosperous thought. ¡°Unless...¡± She starts to say, but can¡¯t even finish. Lord Luvien glares at her, his eyes like broken ice, ¡°The child is not mine.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Lynette just sneers back, ¡°And I¡¯m sure you are terribly heartbroken at the thought.¡± Lord Luvien lips curl and he opens his mouth to resort, but Livia chooses that moment let out another loud sob, bringing his attention to her. ¡°How long do you intend to let her cry?¡± He snaps. Lynette nearly spits at his shoes. Instead, she tries to calm herself down. Livia still sobs in her arms, her little fist clutched into her mother''s dress. She rubs her daughter''s small back, trying to soothe her. ¡°Hush, sweet girl. Hush. Everything is alright. Mummy is here,¡± Lynette coos. She ignores the fact that her own outburst and violent destruction of her room caused Livia to become so frightened in the first place. It wasn¡¯t her fault. It wasn¡¯t any of their faults. Livia''s sobbing drops off to soft little sniffles as she buries her tear-ridden face into her mother''s dress. Tentatively, she peeks out, casting a very curious, but still watery gaze towards her father. So consumed with letting her distress known by crying, she hadn¡¯t even noticed his arrival. Livia rubs at her eyes, trying to wipe away the tears. ¡°Daddy?¡± She calls out, reaching out one of her arms. Lady Lynette and Lord Luvien both flinch at the soft words as if they had been slapped. Livia raises her head further, ¡°Daddy?¡± She calls out again, wiggling her finger in the air. As if to beckon him closer. Why wasn¡¯t he moving? Didn¡¯t he come here to comfort her mummy? Livia didn¡¯t know why her mummy suddenly became upset and or why she started throwing things, but at least now it was over. And look, her daddy was here as well! Livia never sees him much, so when he does appear she always tries to gain his attention. ¡°Livia, what have I told you about that word? You do not call your father ¡®daddy¡¯,¡± Lynette scolds, frowning. Livia pouts. That didn¡¯t make sense. Mummy was mummy, so of course, daddy would be daddy. What was her mummy even talking about? Ignoring her mother''s words, she lurches forward and reaches out both her arms. ¡°Daddy!¡± Lynette lets out a tiny gasp as Livia all but flings herself out of her arms, losing her hold. ¡°Livia, stop. It¡¯s dangerous,¡± she says, but it was too late. Her arms loosen and Livia falls. Luckily, her daughter does not fall to the floor that was still covered in glass. Instead, Livia makes a small ¡®oomph¡¯ as she lands awkwardly in her daddy¡¯s arms. Once she realizes who is holding her, she grins wide and all but clamber up his chest to get a better grip. The moment her eyes are level with her father, she places a kiss on his cheek in greeting, ¡°Hi daddy,¡± She says, and promptly snuggles under his chest, drained from all the crying. Lynette does not drop her hands. She keeps them hovered as she takes in the scene before her with round eyes and a gaping mouth. The duchess could count on one hand the number of times Lord Luvien ever interacted with his daughter, much less actually touched her. And now her Livia was snuggling into her father¡¯s chest as if it was a common occurrence. It was an image Lynette was sure to burn into her memory. Because for a moment, Lord Luvien had pulled his daughter close, almost on instinct as he stared down at her with the same bafflement on his own face. As if he could not understand how the toddler had gotten into his arms in the first place. Husband and wife stare at each other in silent wonder. When Livia¡¯s weight grows heavier as she slumps into a slumber, Lord Luvien adjusts his hold so she is more comfortable, before stiffening as his own actions finally catch up to his brain. ¡°Can you take her?¡± ¡°Do you want me to take her?¡± Husband and wife stare at each other again. Lynette is the first to look away, her face coloring slightly as she looks at the state of her room. She clears her throat. ¡°I guess I should have this room cleaned first,¡± she says to no one in particular. Lord Luvien hikes Livia further up his slim hip and looks away as well. ¡°Yes. You should.¡± He does not ask Lynette to take Liva again. He simply turns on his heel and walks out the room with his firstborn perched on his hip. He studiously ignores the wide-eyed looks he gets as he stalks down the hallway to Livia¡¯s room. Part 3 ¡°Why can¡¯t I see mummy?¡± Livia asks the nanny as she is being tucked into bed. She did not know the nanny¡¯s name. The older woman had suddenly appeared one day instead of her mummy, and started taking care of her without a word. Dark blond hair falls into dull brown eyes as the woman offers the young miss a bland but kind smile. ¡°It is not for me to say, Miss Livia,¡± The nanny replies, pulling the covers around her tight. She then leans forward to blow out the candle on the bedside table and stands up, ¡°I will greet you in the morning. Have a good night''s rest,¡± she says before grabbing her own candle holder and turning to leave the room without a backward glance. Livia watches as the light in the hall slowly shrinks as the door closes with a soft click and she shuffles to stare up at her ceiling, waiting. The young miss becomes bored in a matter of seconds and sits up in her bed, staring around her room to find any sort of entertainment. Her eyes catch sight of the book her mother had read with her, weeks ago, sitting on a small table by the sitting area. Livia perks up and quickly remove the tight bundle of covers around her before jumping off her bed and walking over to the book. Though not before grabbing her purple stuffed dragon and tucking it protectively under her arms. She picks it up before turning around and taking a seat. Her room was dark without any candlelight, but the night was clear, and the stars bright and pretty outside. She was tempted to shuffle onto the balcony but was afraid of being seen. Instead, she settles on being content with the minimum light in the room and opens the book to admire the pretty pictures inside. The young miss was not interested in reading if she had no one to show off her ability to. And just like that, the time passed, and the noise outside of her room calmed until finally, the candles were extinguished by the servants. Livia closes the book and rubs at her sleepy eyes, her head nodding off to the side as her heavy eyelids threaten to shut. But when the book slips from her lap and makes a loud thump, she startles awake, blinking rapidly. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± She tells herself and slaps her own cheeks, ¡°I must find mummy.¡± Feeling a bit more awake with the sting in her round cheeks, Livia climbs down the too-large chair and heads for the door of her room. She carefully opens it, trying not to make a sound, before peeking out, looking down the right side of the hallway and then the left. When she sees no one, she grins in triumph. Her plan was working well! Now, all she had to do was go to her mother''s room without anyone discovering her! Livia steps outside and closes her bedroom door behind her. Then she stops. Which was mummy¡¯s room again? She tilts her head, thinking hard. Then she raises her pudgy hand, closes her eyes, and spins three times. When she opens them again, her hand is pointing down the left hall. Livia beams. It was that way. She knew it was. She trots off in that direction without giving it another thought. Livia raises her beautifully crafted stuffed dragon in front of her, ¡°Mummy will be so happy to see us, Caroline. She mustah have missed us.¡± She tells her only friend and waves her in the air to make it seem as if Caroline was flying alongside her. The young miss gets momentarily distracted by this, and zooms the stuffed dragon around, making small whooshing noises as she spins and walks at the same time, giggling happily. Livia does not pay any attention as to where she is going, so when she turns a corner, she is startled when she bumps into something soft yet firm, which causes her to stumble back and fall on her butt. She drops Caroline and whines in annoyance, instantly scowling. ¡°Watch where you walk, servant!¡± she snaps, echoing the words she once heard her mother say. ¡°Oh my, are you alright, dear?¡± A softs voice asks and a pale hand falls into her view. Livia grabs at it blindly, looking to the floor to find where Caroline had fallen.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She spots the dragon a few inches away and trots towards it to pick it up. She makes a show of dusting off Caroline, a pout on her face. ¡°Look what you did,¡± she says, ¡°Caroline is durty because of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have not spaced off. Is Caroline alright, Miss Livia?¡± The toddler hugs the stuffed dragon to her chest, finally looking up to the person she had dumped into. Her almond shape eyes widen in shock and she points at the fat belly before her. ¡°What have you swarrowed!?¡± She nearly shrieks, backing away, ¡°Your belly is about to burst!¡± The ethereal woman with snowy white hair falling around her face alight with the glow of the sister moons blinks once, stunned before she places her hand on her stomach and lets out a startling sweet giggle. ¡°Oh, you are cute,¡± she says, very amused. She shakes her head and her hair shimmers like fine silver. Livia just tightens her hold around Caroline and takes another step back. Who was this woman? Why was her belly so big? She was pretty, like what she thought an angel to look like, but Livia did not know her. She had never seen her before in the estate. ¡°Who are you?¡± She demands to know. ¡°I am a guest,¡± the woman replies easily, rubbing at her fat belly. Livia wrinkles her nose at the gesture, ¡°It is impolite to not give your name,¡± She raises her chin. The woman giggles once more, before she nods somberly, ¡°Of course. How rude of me. My name is Lily.¡± Livia tilts her head, ¡°Lily of what?¡± Lily''s smile widens, ¡°Just Lily.¡± Livia stares sullenly at the stranger before her, not really knowing what to do now. She shuffles her feet, but stops, knowing how much her mummy hated when she did it. She stares at the windows, the floors, and wonders why this Lily person was just standing there, not talking. Then Livia''s eyes fell to the woman''s belly. She points at it once more, ¡°What happened?¡± She demands. Livia has never seen a belly such as hers. Lily was not overly plump, her arms and face rather slim, but her belly was still round and stuck out as if she had eaten a whole melon or two. ¡°Oh, you mean this?¡± Lily hums, patting her belly. In response, her belly jumps under her fingers, as if something was pushing out from inside it. Livia cringes and scrambles back, disgusted and fearful. It moved! How is that possible? Livia did not understand it at all, and it was super strange, and she really just wanted her mummy right now! Why would anyone let such a woman in as a guest! She had a creature living in her belly! Shouldn¡¯t she be handed over to be examined! The young miss was tempted to cry in the hopes that someone will hear her and come to her rescue from this stranger, but then, she would be scolded and put back to bed, and she still wanted to find her mummy! Livia buries her small button nose in the soft fur of Caroline''s head, nuzzling it as she tries to also hide the tears in her eyes by wiping them away. She sniffles. ¡°Miss Livia?¡± the stranger, Lily, calls out to her. Her delicate hand reaches out, but Livia cringes back once more. ¡°You are strange,¡± Livia decides and voices her thoughts out loud, eyeing Lily with very wary eyes. Lily''s hand drops and she tucks it close to herself as her sparkling eyes dull and become crestfallen. Still, she tries to offer a smile, and even forces a light laugh, ¡°Well, I suppose you are right. I am a strange woman, aren¡¯t I?¡± Livia does not reply. She hugs the wall as she shuffles passes the woman before turning and darting off. After wandering around for thirty more minutes, she finally finds her mummy¡¯s room and opens it without knocking. ¡°Mummy?¡± She calls out in the dark with a watery voice. A shadow moves on the bed uncurls and gets up, slow and sluggish. ¡°Livia?¡± A voice croaks, low and unused. ¡°Mummy!¡± Livia cries, and all but launches herself on the bed, scrambling it up it and into her mother''s thin arms. When her mother lets out a pained noise at her actions, Livia jumps away, surprised. ¡°Mummy?¡± This close, Livia can see the long shadows cast on her mother''s face, the redness of her eyes, and the deep sorrow carved into her face. It is then that her eyes fall to her mummy''s stomach, recalling how Lily¡¯s had been so round. Once, her mother had gone on and on about a new sibling, but Livia had been so upset that she had thrown a fit and cried and cried until her mummy had stopped talking about it. Her mummy¡¯s stomach had been fat, but not as fat as Lily¡¯s. But now, it didn¡¯t look fat anymore. Livia tentatively reaches out towards it, wondering if it will jump and move like Lily¡¯s belly had, but lets out a sharp gasp when thin fingers close around her small ones like steel. ¡°Do not,¡± Her mummy says coldly and drops her hand. Livia shivers and nods eagerly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry mummy,¡± she whispers, biting her lips and hugging Caroline close. She had found her mummy. But her mummy was not as she remembers her to be. Livia didn¡¯t understand, but she shivers again, wondering why she could not muster up the strength to draw closer, even though that is all she had wanted to do for days now. Lynette stares at her daughter as if she was staring at a stranger. Her gaze haunted and drawn. Livia cannot meet her eyes. Her purple gaze falls to the covers, then the curtains surrounding the bed, then back to her stuff dragon, unsure and a bit scared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Little Livia says again, dragging watery eyes up to finally met her mothers. Lynette trembles as her stomach aches, empty of a child. ¡°I¡¯m sorry mummy,¡± Little Livia repeats once more, and moves closer, cautiously slowly, in a way no one as young as she should. Lynette covers her face with her hands and sobs. When her first and only child presses into her side, she practically collapses around her, pulling her small body close and curls up, shielding the young girl and drawing comfort for her at the same time. Livia only smiles and pats her mummy¡¯s wet cheeks, just happy to be back in her mummy¡¯s comforting arms. Even if they felt a little cold and tighter than usual. Part 5 Part 5 ¡°To think the lord would be so shameless...¡± A quiet voice says. ¡°Shh! What are you saying? Do you wish to be banished from this household?¡± A stern voice says. ¡°But...¡± ¡°What she says is what we are all thinking,¡± An arrogant voice says with a snort. ¡°That does not mean we should speak it out loud. You wish to keep your job, yes?¡± ¡°I was actually pondering transferring houses, actually. Word will eventually get out. And once it does...¡± ¡°But what of the lady? The lord wouldn¡¯t dare to have her endure such a tragic indignity. He should be by her side while she recovers! Not that intruder!¡± The quiet voice becomes a bit heated in her passion. ¡°You are too na?ve, girl. The lord can do whatever he pleases. The trouble comes in the fact that he is being so careless. To think he would go through all this trouble for some plain commonly flower. The sooner the girl gives birth to her bastard child, the sooner she can leave and everything can go back to normal.¡± ¡°Hush, the both of you! You will wake the young miss!¡± The stern voice says, sounding a bit further away. The warning comes too late. Young Livia was already wide awake. She keeps her eyes close and pretends to let out a soft snore to make sure her nannies knew that she was in fact still asleep. When the voices continue without pause, she grins in triumph to herself and dares to peek open her eyes to peer at her nannies standing by the flickering fire in her room. ¡°Oh, come off your high horse. Do not act as if you aren¡¯t as interested as us,¡± The arrogant voice says, chuckling mockingly. Livia instantly recognizes her as the made that sneaks her candy and lets her stay up late. Livia did not like her much, because the candy nanny always asked her a bunch of questions. Livia didn¡¯t really understand them, so for the most part just took the candy and ignored her in favor of her toys. ¡°What the ever happen between the lord and lady is no business of ours.¡± That was the old, grumpy nanny. Livia actually knew her name, for she had been her nanny for as long as she could remember, but she always pretended not to because the old nanny wasn¡¯t very nice. ¡°Nonsense. Of course, it is. This is our home as well,¡± Candy nanny says, scoffing. ¡°This is the household that you work for. The housing only comes after the fact,¡± Old nanny says sternly. ¡°Poor Lady Lynette. To think that she would lose the lord''s male heir,¡± The quiet voice says. Livia perks up a bit. The young nanny was always nice to her. Even when she would kick and bite at her when she refused to let her see her mother. The young nanny also always sat down and actually played with her, unlike the other nannies. ¡°And don¡¯t you think the timing is strange?¡± The candy nanny says slyly, leaning towards the young nanny. Young nanny stares at her in confusion, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Just as the lord mistress appears, fat with a child ready to be born, our lady loses the heir days later. It is rather suspicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting now?¡± The old nanny hisses, smacking candy nanny upside the head. ¡°It isn¡¯t nonsense!¡± Candy nanny says, stepping out of hitting range, ¡°Everyone thinks so. Even the lady herself! I heard it. Just yesterday, I was walking by the lord''s hall when I heard furious shouting coming from his private room.¡± ¡°Hush! You hush this instant,¡± Old nanny snaps. ¡°...Is the white flower a witch?¡± Young nanny says in a stunned whisper. Old nanny turns on her, ¡°Do not speak of such fiendish things in this household! You will be punished severely if the lord even hears a rumor that you said as much!¡± Candy nanny laughs and Livia curls up further under her covers when the sound rings in her ears, unnerved. ¡°Old nanny, we are the only ones here. There is no need to mince words.¡± ¡°You are new. The both of you,¡± The old nanny says, shaking her head, ¡°If you are so quick to believe all that you have heard, then you should know of other words whispered. Those of the lord of this house, and the family he has been born of.¡± Young nanny hugs herself, shivering, ¡°W-what are you saying? Such things cannot be true. They are just stories parents tell their children to frighten them.¡± ¡°The na?ve girl is right,¡± Candy nanny says confidently, ¡°Such things are nothing but false tales filled with untruths about the old histories of this kingdom. To make it more interesting than it actually is. Honestly, old nanny, to think you would believe in such things! You know as well as anyone what our true history actually is,¡± Candy nanny says mockingly. The old nanny says nothing. Livia shuffles a bit to try to get a glimpse of her old, wrinkled face, expecting to see her typical unamused look but it is darkened by the shadows of the room. Her nannies fall quiet after that. Eventually, they leave her room. Her young nanny makes sure to put out the fire before moving close to Livia. She squeezes her eyes shut, but all the young nanny does is pull the covers further up her chin and tuck them under her before she leaves the room entirely. Livia sighs once the door shut behind her and turns to stare up at her ceiling, wide awake. As usual, she really didn¡¯t understand what her nannies were talking about, but at least she learned a few new words. If she says them to her mother or father, would they praise her? Surely, they would, right?
It was that woman. Lynette was sure of it. But what could she do? Her son was dead. Her only hope. Her everything. Gone. When he left her body, he took with him her ability to have children. She would never be with child ever again. Lynette would not get another chance to provide a proper male heir to her husband. To the Valentine Household. Her only use. Gone. It was all gone. What was she to do now? Lynette did not react when her mother sat by her bedside, staring at nothing. Feeling nothing. ¡°My dear,¡± Lady Giselle intones with a grave voice, taking her daughter''s frail thin hand in her own. ¡°All is not lost, my Lynette,¡± Lady Giselle says and leans forward to turn her daughter''s chin to her, ¡°You still have your daughter. Your Livia is still alive and well, my dear.¡± Lynette blinks and tears fall from her eyes. She does not wipe them away, her rose eyes faint and empty. Her mother¡¯s words barely managed to penetrate through the dark fog that has become her mind. ¡°My daughter,¡± Lynette says emptily.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. What use did a daughter have to her? Livia will only be given away the moment she came of age. Far away from her mother''s reach, to a man who will desire the same thing her husband wished of her. A daughter was useless. Lynette¡¯s baby was gone. Her son...her son. That white witch had done something. She must have. Why hadn¡¯t she been satisfied with taking Lynette¡¯s husband? Why couldn¡¯t that have been enough? Her son...her son. Lady Giselle looks upon her youngest with pale blue eyes likened to a light storm in the middle of summer. ¡°Something must be done,¡± she says to her daughter. ¡°She took my son, mother,¡± Lynette whispers, ¡°She took him.¡± ¡°Oh, my poor little girl,¡± Lady Giselle says, hanging sadness over her face. She draws Lynette close to her, and her daughters cling to her shoulders as if she was on the verge of drowning. ¡°Do not worry, my dear,¡± Lady Giselle says, running her hands through her daughter''s hair, ¡°Your mother will set things right.¡± ¡°She took him,¡± Lynette murmurs in reply, her eyes unseeing, ¡°She took him.¡± ____________________________________ ¡°Daddy, where is mummy?¡± Livia asks as she crawls onto the lap of her father, ignoring her old nanny¡¯s loud protest. ¡°My lord, I am terribly sorry! Miss Livia, please, come here. You must not disturb your father,¡± Old nanny says, beckoning the young miss towards her. Livia ignores her in favor of staring at the other person occupying the table in the room. ¡°Oh, you''re still here,¡± She says to the intruder and drops her eyes to her belly, ¡°And you are still fat.¡± ¡°Miss Livia!¡± The old nanny cries, stepping tentatively forward with her arms raised to take back the young miss. Livia presses herself closer to her father, ignoring how stiff his body was in favor of making herself more comfortable on his lap. She notices a crystal glass with red juice inside of it and makes a grab for it, suddenly thirsty. She pouts when her father pulls it out of her reach and turns her head so he can see it better. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m thirsty,¡± she tells him. ¡°You cannot drink this,¡± Father says coldly. ¡°What can I drink?¡± Livia asks. ¡°Maybe some apple juice?¡± The intruder suggests, giggling. Livia shakes her head frantically, her little twin tails smacking against her round face when she does. ¡°I¡¯m can¡¯t! I¡¯m allergek!¡± She protests, glaring at the stupid intruder. ¡°I can¡¯t. And it is Allergic,¡± Her father corrects primly. ¡°Alerrgic?¡± Livia tries to parrot, frowning. ¡°Close enough,¡± Her father grunts, lifting the glass of red juice to his lips. The intruder giggles again and says, ¡°Well, I think it would be wonderful if Miss Livia was to join us for dinner. Don¡¯t you think so as well, lord?¡± Livia glares at the intruder. Why was she here? Father never had dinner with her mother and her. He was always too busy. Her nanny¡¯s and mother always said so. But the intruder was having dinner with him. If she could, then so could Livia! That was why she had come inside in the first place! She did not need the fat lady to talk the obvious! ¡°...Bring out a plate for Livia,¡± Her father says after he and the intruder stare at each other for too long. The intruder covers her small smile with a glass of apple juice, looking pleased. Livia doesn¡¯t really care. She was just happy that she could eat with her father. But it was a bit spoiled by the intruder. Her mother should be here instead. When she tries to tell her father this, his relaxed expression becomes pinched. Livia mirrors it perfectly, causing the intruder to laugh.
Lately, Livia has been spending a lot of time with her father. Like she was now. His cool hand easily enveloped hers much smaller one with ease as she walks beside him in the private greenhouse of her mother''s. Unlike all the times before was she invited herself into the place her father had happened to occupy, she had been called forth. It was the first time ever, Livia was sure! She had been so excited, and made sure to wear her best dress and her favorite ribbons! But, when she skipped into the greenhouse, her father had not been waiting for her alone. The intruder stood close beside him, her arm in his while the other patted at her fat stomach. Livia had scowled and glared at the sight of her, turning to stone in the doorway. Only after being coaxed by her father did, she fall into step beside them. They were talking above her head while she admired all the pretty flowers her mother had grown. She even recalled some of their names, especially the white and purple ones, which were her favorite! Her mother said that they were icky and could make a person sick, which Livia thought was cool. Spiders could also make a person sick. As well as certain fruits. And animals. Livia knew because her mother always told her as such. She points at the flower and tells her daddy this proudly. Her father''s face closes off when she does. Even the intruder''s never-ending smile wanes a bit. ¡°Um,¡± The intruder says. ¡°You should not say ¡®um¡¯!¡± Livia says to her, ¡°Only common people who cannot talk does!¡± She says, repeating the exact words of the old nanny. ¡°Oh, um, uh, well,¡± The intruders say, looking increasingly embarrassed. ¡°If old nanny was here, she would have smacked your hand,¡± Livia says, pointing. ¡°What!?¡± The intruder says in shock, ¡°She hits you?¡± Her father releases her hand to push down her accusing finger, ¡°If your nanny was here, she would also tell you it is rude to point.¡± He tells her sternly. Livia flushes and pouts. ¡°I want to see my favorite flowers, daddy!¡± She says, changing the subject to tug on his hands, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I remember.¡± Why wasn¡¯t her mother here? She wished she was. Livia missed her. She hadn¡¯t seen her in a long, long time. All she saw now was her nannies, her father, and the intruder. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was really happy about it. But she was still pleased to be with her father. As she tugged her daddy forward, leading, she turns down a path and blinks, surprised to see the person in front of her. But Livia is quick to recover. She drops her father''s hand in favor of raising her arms up and running straight into the plump body of the one who stands in front of her. ¡°Granny! Granny!¡± She shouts in excitement. Lady Giselle shines a dull smile upon her and picks her up with surprisingly strong arms. ¡°Oh my, if it isn¡¯t my sweet little deer. Look how much you have grown, Livia! You have become so big!¡± Her granny praises her in a light voice, hefting the young miss up on her round hip. Livia preens at the praises and wraps her arms tighter around her grandmother. ¡°Ah, I see, you came here with your father? What a surprise,¡± Lady Giselle says and her voice is strange. But Livia doesn¡¯t bother to look up to see why. She just lays her head on her granny''s shoulder and yawns. ¡°Lord Luvien, it has been a while,¡± Lady Giselle says, falling into an elegant curtsy even with a toddler on her hip. ¡°Countess,¡± Her father greets plainly. ¡°How does your wife fare, lord?¡± Lady Giselle asks, not acknowledging the intruder. Livia smiles into her shoulder, nuzzling. The countess pats her back, soothing her. ¡°She is still recovering,¡± Her father answers. ¡°Have you visited to see for yourself, or is this second-hand knowledge from one of your many observers?¡± Lady Giselle asks frigidly. ¡°Granny, what is an obsurvur?¡± Livia perks up, curious. ¡°A spy,¡± Lady Giselle answers her instantly. ¡°A spy,¡± Livia echoes, even more curious. ¡°Lord?¡± Lady Giselle presses for an answer, turning her attention back to her father. Livia follows her gaze even as another yawn splits her face. ¡°I have visited Lynette, countess,¡± Father says steadily. ¡°And how was she? Did she respond to you?¡± Lady Giselle asks readily, stepping forward, ¡°I have been here for five days, and I have barely gotten my daughter to speak to me once. She has become lost in her own mind. Now, more than ever, she needs the support of her husband and lord.¡± Livia stares between her grandmother and father, her brows furrow. Was her mother still sick with tears? ¡°The last I had visited, she seemed well enough,¡± Father says. ¡°Did mummy cry again?¡± Livia asks, and her eyes fall to the intruder when she flinches. She also looked sick. Her face was almost as pale and drawn as her mother''s. ¡°Hush, sweetie. The adults are talking,¡± Lady Giselle admonishes her lightly, and Livia instantly closes her mouth and tucks her head under her grandmother''s chin, doing as she is told without protest. She still keeps an eye on the proceedings though. Like a spy! ¡°Well, enough,¡± Lady Giselle echoes the words blandly. Her pale eyes fall to the intruder, ¡°And this girl? Why does a common pregnant welp stand so close to the Lord of Valentine estate, son-in-law? What reason does she have to be here, in my Lynette personal greenhouse, beside her husband and only child?¡± Before father can say anything, Lady Giselle turns her body so it fully faces the intruder. Livia wonders why the intruder keeps playing with her fingers? Why was she only looking at the floor and not at anyone else? Livia¡¯s mother never would look at the floor! She wanted to say something about it. To point out the intruder''s bad manners but her grandmother told her not to interrupt. She settles for just glaring with a pout. ¡°My lady,¡± The intruder starts to say, raising her head, but that is as far as she gets. ¡°You do not speak unless you have been acknowledged, girl,¡± Lady Giselle suddenly snarls poisonously, causing Livia to startle in her arms. She stares up at her normally calm and placid grandmother with round, spooked eyes. She was angry. Her grandmother was never angry. ¡°Countess,¡± Her father says in warning, his face twisting in familiar fury. ¡°Lord Luvien, I think this charade has gone on long enough,¡± Lady Giselle states calmly, her face returned to its usual state, ¡°As gracious as it was of you to take in this welp you had once known back in your youth, I think her needs can be easily met outside of the main house. There is no need for her presence to remain here.¡± ¡°Countess, as charitable as your suggestion is, I have no reason to take heed of it,¡± Father hisses icily, ¡°Now, I will ask that you remove yourself from my presence while I am still of the mind to recall that you are in fact, still my mother-in-law.¡± Livia stares at her father. ...who was this person before her? He was scary. Really scary. He couldn¡¯t be her daddy. Her daddy never looked like that. Even when her mother was screaming at him. He was calm, just like her grandmother. But then, her grandmother had also been angry. Why? Because of the intruder? She shivers and lowers her eyes. She suddenly did not wish to spy further. Livia buries her head into her grandmother''s chest and tries to ignore the rest of the conversation. But it goes on and on, and soon she has to raise up her hands to cover her ears to block out the loud words. When will it be over? This wasn¡¯t like when her mother and father would scream at each other. This was somehow different. Colder. She wanted her mother. She wanted her mother now. But the adults continue to argue and no one notices the small toddler trembling and crying silently to herself until her tears have dried and she had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Part 6 Part 6 ¡°AAuuugh!!¡± ¡°You are doing great, Miss Lily!¡± ¡°Alright, push!¡± ¡°Aaaurrgghhhhh!¡± ¡°I can see the head!¡± Livia cowers further into the closet she had been hiding in for the past two hours and pushes her small hands further into her ears, trying to block out the screams of the stranger as she lets out a small whimper. Why did she think it would be a good idea to surprise the stranger!? She should have never left the old nanny! Now she was stuck listening to the stranger die!! Livia didn¡¯t understand why anyone wasn¡¯t doing anything further to help the stranger! When the group of women surrounding Lily had suddenly rushed into the room, Livia had been really curious. To the point that she almost revealed herself too early. But then everyone started moving a lot and shouting as they helped Lily to the bed. That is when Livia had noticed that the stranger had peed herself! Like a baby! Livia wasn¡¯t a baby anymore. Even she had known that you only peed in the restroom! But soon after she had made the discovery, her little nose wrinkled up, the stranger had clutched at her stomach and started screaming. And it has not stopped since. Livia didn¡¯t understand! Couldn¡¯t the servants see that the stranger was suffering greatly? Why didn¡¯t they help her!? As another scream launched itself into the air, Livia uncurls slightly when she hears loud murmurs of encouragement, practically right on top of each other. ¡°You are doing well, Miss Lily!¡± ¡°One great push and the worst of it will be past!¡± ¡°Come on, Miss Lily, you can do it. Push now!¡± All they kept saying was push and push, but why? Livia shuffles closer to the open door to get a better view, her never-ending curiosity finally winning out. ¡°Auuugh! Fucking hell! Get this thing out of me!¡± The stranger bawls, sobbing. Her face was very red and very sweaty. Her white hair was damp and clings wetly to her face as her expression twisted into a deep grimace. It was really gross and unseem-...unseeminl- It was just gross. And it seemed really painful. Livia didn¡¯t know whether to cringe back further into the closest or to continue watching with wide purple eyes. Was the stranger going to die? It seemed like she was, but Livia recognized the servants by her side. It was the same woman who had always looked after her mother in the past. When her belly had been a bit round. But that didn¡¯t really bring her any comfort. After all, her mother did not get better. If anything, she has gotten worse. Her mother was sicker than ever. Livia ends up retreating further into the closet when another yell pierces the air and ring in her ears. She curls up in the dark and starts rocking herself as she once again covers her ears. She doesn¡¯t know how long she stays in that position, as somehow, despite all the noise and her own distress, she manages to fall asleep. Livia is only startled awake from the loud commotion happening in the room. She blinks her itchy eyes slowly, confused as to why she wasn¡¯t in her own bed. Then a high pitch, shrieking cry has her sitting up straight, surprised. She knew that cry! It was the same way her youngest cousin cried; it was a wail of a baby. Suddenly very alert, Livia scrambles to the opening of the closet. When she peeks through the small opening, she sees the servant who had looked after her mother holding up a small wiggling mass of limbs in a soft blanket. Lily moved sluggishly on the bed and raises her shaking arms. Around her, the maids were cleaning her up, carefully changing the covers, and rushing in and out of the room like very busy ants. ¡°W-what are they?¡± The stranger asks with a croak. ¡°It is a girl, Miss Lily,¡± The old woman holding the baby says. She moves around the bed, clearly intending to hand the baby over, but then the blanket shifts and she looks down. ¡°Oh, greatest goddess! This is!¡± The old woman stops dead, staring at the baby in her arms in alarm. Then she looks up at the stranger then back down to the baby, her expression closing off. ¡°What is it? What is wrong?¡± Lily asks instantly, struggling to sit up. ¡°This birthmark...¡± The old woman says, and then she trails off. Lily stills at the words, her expression frozen. So do all the bustling maids in the room. ¡°Mark?¡± One maid asks, confused. ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t be,¡± Another one says, paling. ¡°But I had thought it was just a bastard,¡± The one still standing beside the bed says in a whisper. ¡°It still is,¡± The oldest maid in the room hisses, ¡°But it is not just anyones.¡± As one, all the maids turn to stare at the stranger. Livia does not pay attention to the look on their faces, or how Lily seems to shrink and shiver on the bed as her hands fall limply to her side. Instead, she scoots away from the doors of the closet, her brow scrunching up. Basturd. She did not know the meaning of that word. She had once tried asking her old nanny and even the one that gives her candy, but they both refused to tell her and even scolded her for saying it. But she did know what a birthmark was! Because she had one! A very pretty one! Livia''s small fingers reach up to pats at the small space behind her right ear. Then she pouts when she realizes she can¡¯t see it without a mirror. But still, the small mark was slightly raised and she can trace it out with her fingers. It was a bud of a rose. Oval in shape with small little petals hugging each other closely. Livia knew it was a faint but distinct color of grey that blends almost too well into her skin. Making it almost invisible. But even so, it was still there! It was proof of her legi-...legitm-...It was proof that she was her father¡¯s daughter! Her mother had always loved to play with the mark and even helped Livia look at it through a mirror. ¡°Listen well, my little Livia,¡± Her mother had crooned softly, ¡°This is not just any ordinary mark of birth. It is an extremely rare occurrence in which only a few human lineages have in the whole of Ethetia. It is a birthmark embedded with magic, and as you grow, so will it along with you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Livia had asked as she turned away from admiring the bud in the mirror. ¡°Because nature made it so,¡± Her mother had replied with a doting smile. ¡°Why?¡± Livia had asked again, still not understanding but really wanting to. ¡°Because your father comes from a long old line of magic users. Back before even the kingdom of Wisteria had been established,¡± Her mother had replied, only confusing Livia further. The young miss had continued to question her mother, but she forgot most of the answers because they were long and were made up of words that she hadn¡¯t understand. All the same, she had kept her attention on her mother and bobbed her head along to the explanation despite not really comprehending it. Livia did know that the mark behind her ear was very important though. Her father had one. She knew because the scarce moment she was in his arms, she always took the opportunity to pull back his ear to see the fully bloomed rose behind it. It was darker than her own and bigger too. But mostly, it was just super pretty and she could not wait until hers look the same. So, why were the servants making such a big deal about a birthmark? Livia pouts and kicks her feet, knocking over some stuff when she does so. It is a chain effect. Her mouth drops open when the small clamor of clothes falling is heard in the dead silence of the room outside the closet and her head is covered by a heavy dress. She struggles under the dress for a moment. When Livia finally manages to pull it off her head, the closet door is open and a maid stands in the doorway. ¡°Miss Livia!?¡± The maid gasps. Livia ignores her. Her hair blue hair tie had come undone! She tries to fix it with her clumsy fingers but only manages to pull it out altogether. Noo! Her mother gave her this! She needed to put it back! She wanted it back in her hair! NOW! ¡°Give me my child,¡± The stranger suddenly hisses out in the room. Livia blinks. Oh right. The baby! Then she winces. Why was it still crying? Shouldn¡¯t it be silent by now? Then another thought stomps through her head. Wait. Where did the baby come from? ¡°Where did the baby come from?¡± Livia asks the maid standing before her and points at the squalling bundle with the hand still clutched at her blue hair tie. ¡°Of course, my apologies, Miss Lily,¡± The old woman says, handing off the baby to Lily. Then she casts a sharp glance around the room, with that look alone the room springs back in action. The old woman soon returns to the foot of the bed and light blue magic sparks to life, encasing the stranger on the bed as other servants attend to her as well. ¡°There is still the placenta left and a bit more bleeding than usual. I will slow it down with my magic, and hopefully, it clots and stops altogether. After, we will need to stitch up this bit,¡± The old woman went on to say some more stuff, but Livia wasn¡¯t paying attention. Livia evades the maid''s hands reaching for her and crawls underneath her skirt. She ignores the maid squeal and surveys the room in curiosity. It was small, much smaller than her own, and it didn¡¯t even have a balcony!This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Miss Livia!¡± ¡°Miss Livia!? Where did she come from?¡± ¡°Suprise!¡± Livia says, extremely delayed as she throws her hands up. ¡°You can¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°How long has she been here?¡± ¡°Had she been hiding in the closet the whole time!?¡± ¡°Miss Livia, come this way. Let¡¯s leave this scary place, alright? I¡¯m sure you must have been so confused.¡± ¡°Just what are those nannies of hers doing? Isn¡¯t this like the third time this week?¡± Three maids surround her. Once again, hands reach out to pick her up, but Livia is small, and she easily evades them by once more crawling underneath their skirts. The moment she does, she trots over to the bed and instantly begins to climb onto it. Absently, she notices that there are no longer a lot of people surrounding it and the stranger isn¡¯t red or sweaty in the face. ¡°Where did the baby come from?¡± The toddler asks upon sitting down on the bed, blinking round purple eyes at the startled face of the strangers. Her words come out are yelled because the baby is still screaming and squirming. And this close, Livia can tell that it is super small. Like, super small. She has dolls much bigger than the baby. ¡°Miss Livia...?¡± The Lily says at the same time she begins to rock the bundle in her arms. ¡°Why were you screaming a lot? It made my ears hurt!¡± Livia complains in a whiny voice, shuffling closer. ¡°Miss, I suggest you feed the newborn soon,¡± The old woman says, suddenly appearing beside the bed. The stranger drags her red eyes away from Livia and glances down at the bundle. Then she continues to stare, and stare, her mouth falling open slightly. ¡°Where did the baby come from?¡± Livia asks, directing her question to the old woman since Lily did not answer in a timely manner. ¡°From Miss Lily, Miss Livia,¡± The old woman answers her. ¡°What?¡± Livia asks, not understanding, ¡°How? Why?¡± She questions further. But she isn¡¯t answered as the old woman shuffles closer to the stranger and begins to fuss over her, ¡°This way, Miss Lily, just let her latch on. Exactly. Just like that.¡± Livia watches the scene before her in confusion. That was strange. Why was Lily feeding the baby? Only nannies feed babies! Lily wasn¡¯t a nanny! And she was doing it in for everyone to see! It was wrong! It was unseeml-...unseengl-It was wrong! ¡°You aren¡¯t a nanny,¡± Livia points out, pointing. The stranger does not lift her head. Her attention seems to be only for the baby cradled in her arms. Livia crosses her own and pouts. She was being ignored! How dare the stranger ignores her! Just as she was about to move closer and tug at the stranger''s sleeve, the door to the room suddenly bursts open. ¡°How long do you intend to have me wait for news? Why has it become so quiet? What has happened?¡± Her father demands upon entry. The old woman immediately moves towards him, stepping in front of him to block his view, ¡°My lord, I apologize. The miss has just finished giving birth. We are still in the middle of cleaning up. Please, this sight is not appropriate for you to view. Please, let us leave the room and let the maids finish their work.¡± ¡°How is Lily? Is she well?¡± Her father asks as he turns his sight to the bed. ¡°My lord, she will recover. I have already finished healing her to the best of my abilities. Now, we must leave her to recovery the rest of her energy herself,¡± The old woman says while directing her father out the door. Just before the door closes, Livia sees the old woman lean in close to her father with a pinched expression, saying, ¡°My lord, there is something else you must know...¡± Livia looks down at the covers with a frown. Her father hadn¡¯t even noticed she was there. Just like the stranger, he seemed to only have eyes for the bundle in her arms. Suddenly feeling dejected and angry, Livia climbs off the bed and leaves the room all by herself. She pointedly keeps her back to the bed, no longer interested in the baby that appeared from Lily, and slams the door close behind her. A second later, a muffled wail is heard. Livia just huffs and stomps away.
¡°The bastard has been fathered by Lord Valentine!?¡± The candy nanny hisses by the crackling fire. It was late at night and Livia wakes up at the sound of her voice. After her nannies had finally caught up to her after she escaped the stranger''s room, she had been scolded severely by the old, grumpy nanny and sent straight to her room. She has been imprisoned since. And now it was nighttime and her nannies were once again talking while they thought she was asleep. This time, a maid has joined them. The one who usually cleans her room. Livia realizes she had been the same made who had found her in the closet, earlier in the day. ¡°It is true,¡± The maid says in a low whisper, her eyes darting around the room as she leans forward. Livia shuffles further under the covers, keeping her eyes close when she feels eyes linger over her. Once they are gone, she strains her ears to hear more. Despite declaring herself uninterested in the newborn baby, she in fact, still was. ¡°B-but it is a bastard. Miss Lily is clearly unwed...does that mean the lord had gotten her pregnant? Outside of wedlock? It cannot be so! It must be some mistake! That mistress has clearly said that the baby was not the lords!¡± The young nanny says frantically, looking visibly upset. ¡°It has been proven true. I saw the birthmark myself,¡± The maid says. ¡°The one of the blooming rose?¡± The candy nanny gasps. ¡°Just a tiny little bud, right behind her right ear,¡± The maid confirms with a serious look. She crosses her arms and shakes her head, ¡°It is just like Miss Livia¡¯s, only, the bastard¡¯s is even darker, more prominent like the lord.¡± ¡°So what?¡± The candy nanny scoffs, ¡°All that means is that she will have competent magical abilities. That does not make her any less of a bastard.¡± ¡°Of course, it doesn¡¯t,¡± The maid says, also scoffing. ¡°First the lord brought his mistress here. Then our lady miscarried the male heir, and now you are saying the child the mistress had been carrying was in fact the lords all along!? This is all just too tragic. I can barely bear it all,¡± The young nanny weeps. ¡°At least the baby was not a son,¡± The candy nanny says in comfort as she pats at the young nanny¡¯s back. ¡°That is a meager saving grace,¡± The maid seethes, ¡°You lot had not been there when the lady had begun to lose the child. The look of devastation on her face...how could the lord put her through this?¡± ¡°He is as savage and greedy as his ancestors,¡± The candy nanny hisses. ¡°Shut your mouth this instance!¡± The croaky voice of the old nanny pipes up instantly, ¡°You do not speak of such things here.¡± ¡°Now she speaks,¡± The candy nanny mocks, ¡°And still, in the defense of the lord. Do you not have any sympathies for the lady of the estate?¡± ¡°Of course, I do,¡± The old nanny says, ¡°What she has gone through is just awful, but do not forget you live under the roof and rule of Lord Valentine. Do not mistake his cold and detached disposition for one who would not see you flogged and without a job in an instant!¡± The words drop the room into a tomb of silence. Livia yawns and snuggles into her pillow, blinking slowly. She still didn¡¯t really know what basturd meant, but she did understand it was something to be ashamed of. But what does flogged mean? It sounded like a punishment. Was that the same as getting a smack on the wrist? Livia hated when the old nanny hit her. It never really hurt, but it was really irritating. Especially when it was done in front of the other servants. Livia really didn¡¯t like the old nanny very much. But her mother had told Livia to obey her, so she didn¡¯t have a choice but to. She had to be good for the sake of her mother. Because Livia understands now. Her father had done something bad. When he brought the stranger to their home, everything changed. No one is happy about the stranger being here. Not the maids. Not the butlers. Not her nannies, and especially not her mother and grandmother. The stranger made her mother sick. The stranger made her grandmother angry. If only the stranger never came. Livia wished she would just disappear, then everything would go back to normal. ...right? ________________________________________ ¡°What is her name?¡± Lord Luvien asks softly from his seated position by her bedside. Lily stares down at the small babe sleeping peacefully in her arms and remains silent. She tucks the blankets down so she could better view the small round face, admiring the soft, white downy hair and the barely visible eyebrows. From the coloring alone, the newborn seemed to be a small copy of herself. If only she had not been given his mark. If only the old midwife hadn¡¯t seen. Then Lily could have... Her daughter moves a bit in her arms, her pink little mouth pouting then smiling before it softens again in her sleep. Lily rocks her gently, the weight in her arms surprisingly hefty, real. To think the squirming mass inside her that had kicked at her bladder and organ it could reach would turn out this small. This delicate. It seems disproportionate. ¡°Lily...¡± Lord Luvien eyes attempt to burn a hole in the side of her face, ¡°Lily...why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Because I had not wanted you to know,¡± Lily answers honestly, gently, her attention still on her daughter. ¡°...why not?¡± She could easily hear the weight in his words, the frustration and anger that was barely contained. Even after so many years, the boy she once had teased relentlessly could still be found in the man standing before her today. He was still high strung and too serious for his own good, but if you know what to listen for. ¡°Because it would not have made a difference,¡± Lily says bluntly, finally looking up, ¡°This child is your, my lord. I will not deny it. By now, everyone in your household likely knows it, but, even so, that does not change how she came about.¡± It had happened over nine months ago. He had been attending to matters on the outskirts of his land and she had been traveling through. They happened to notice the other by pure accident. From there, they had decided to cut out a small portion of their busy day to catch up in a tavern. One drink had led to another and well... Lily hadn¡¯t intended to sleep with him. She had not wished to become that sort of woman. But as they had drunk, their tongues had gotten looser and they had begun to relax in each other''s presence, and let down their guards. For once in what had felt like forever, the two of them reverted back and traveled to the past, back when expectations and dreams were something to think lightly of. They admitted things to each other they would have never admitted to anyone else. It had been a very intimate moment and it only seemed right in their clouded judgment to take it a step further. Lily had left early in the morning, unable to look upon him in the face after the act. Luvien wasn¡¯t just anyone after all. He was a lord of very high standing with a wife and child. And Lily, well, she had just been his old friend from school. That night should have never happened. It had been a mistake. Soon after, Lily found out she was pregnant. It was as if the great goddess herself had deemed to scold her for her selfish actions. Lily had intended to keep the matter to herself. To keep mum about it, but then she fell sick during her late-stage and knew it could be very dangerous for the baby and herself. She tried seeking out the help of doctors and healers, but she had no means to pay them properly. Finally, after swallowing her own pride, she had contacted Lord Luvien. But still, she had held onto the truth and told the father of her child that the baby wasn¡¯t his. For his sake, his family, and her own. But then her daughter had been born with his mark. How could she forget about his mark? ¡°It does not matter how she was conceived,¡± Lord Luvien tells her, ¡°All that matters is that she is my daughter.¡± ¡°And what of your other daughter?¡± Lily asks dispassionately, ¡°What about your wife? My lord, you may be keen to forget their existence at times, but I am not.¡± Anyone besides the two of them would hear the words as a challenge. They would misunderstand and think she is asking for more without saying it outwardly. Lord Luvien mouth presses into a thin line, displeased that she even brought them up while it was just the two of them, alone in the privacy of her room. ¡°I will care for them,¡± He says after a while, ¡°As is my duty.¡± Lily laughs hollowly, ¡°It always comes back around to that, doesn¡¯t it? Your duty?¡± Lord Luvien is stubborn though. He leans forward and places a hand over her, squeezing it with a serious look in his beautiful but keen eyes, ¡°I will not abandon you, Lily. You and our daughter will be taken care of. Just as you have been these pays two months.¡± But Lily was already shaking her head, a sad smile on her lips, ¡°I did not come here to become your mistress, Luvien,¡± she says bluntly, almost chidingly. ¡°You have just given birth. The midwife said you will still need time to recovery,¡± he says in reply, not easily swayed, but also not saying what he really wants to. ¡°I am well aware of that,¡± Lily tells him, shifting slightly and grimacing. Her baby was steadily becoming heavier in her arms, but she stubbornly held her close, waiting. ¡°What will you name her,¡± Lord Luvien asks again, his purple eyes level with her pretty red ones. Lily looks down at her daughter, a second past, but no name comes to mind. ¡°Later,¡± She says, looking back up with a shadow of a smile, ¡°It does not need to be known right this minute, does it?¡± ¡°No, of course not,¡± Lord Luvien agrees, settling back and pulling his hand away. Lily pretends that she does not miss the warmth of it and settles heavily into her pillows, sighing. They were at another stalemate. It was always like this, between the two of them, always hitting the same wall, never getting anywhere. Something had to change. Because if not, at this rate, she would... Lily didn¡¯t even want to think about it. Couldn¡¯t. It was nothing but wishful thinking. A silly fantasy of a girl long gone. ¡°Livia was here,¡± she says, suddenly remembering. Lord Luvien blinks blankly at her, ¡°Was she?¡± Lily laughs as the blurry memory clears up, nodding, ¡°She was. She popped out of the closet, ran under some maids'' dresses, and shouted ¡®surprise!¡¯. That child, honestly. She is so tiny but filled with so much chaotic energy. She isn¡¯t at all as I expected. I mean, yes, she is clearly spoiled, but even so, she is endlessly entertaining.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lord Luvien hums, staring. Lily suddenly turns to him, her smile dropping, ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend more time with her? She clearly takes after you as much as she does her mother. She is so smart. A little too smart. I would be so pleased to have a child-like her.¡± ¡°You do have a child now,¡± Lord Luvien says in reply, his eyes falling to the snuffling bundle, ¡°Our daughter.¡± Lily blinks at him, her reaction a little delayed before she also looks down, her smile reappears on her face, but... Lord Luvien frowns when a second goes by, then another as their newborn daughter''s face scrunches up in distress in her mother''s arms, her small pudgy arms beginning to wave in the air. ¡°Lily?¡± He calls out. Lily startles a bit, her body flinching, but before he can say anything about her reaction, she pulls their daughter close with a soft gentle smile and begins to coo and rock her as he had thought she would. ¡°Our daughter,¡± Lily echoes before she begins to hum a soft tune. Lord Luvien stares at her a second longer, but her expression remains as it always had been. Maybe he had only imagined it. His worries are put to complete rest when Lily turns and offers up their daughter for him to hold for the first time.
Two days later, Lily Mildrop disappears from the Valentine Estate without a trace. The only thing left of her two-month stay at the Valentine Estate was the daughter she gave birth to and a small pendant of a red and white lily clutched in the palm of her newborn daughter''s hand.