/
Elven Forest (10)
Lucia rolled over. She rubbed her eyes and greeted the sunlight. Her angelic daughter was asleep next to her. She couldn’t resist the urge to caress her daughter and kiss the latter’s cheek. She sat up and slid her thin blanket slid off. The tip on her breast bounced ever so slightly. In truth, ever since she began breastfeeding, Lucia began to gradually feel aroused in spite of not craving it before. However, she felt too embarrassed to explicate it, for she never thought about it. Plus, her husband was in the elven lands specifically to recuperate, so she didn’t think about it.
Lucia picked up her clothes from the side and took her time getting dressed. She pulled the curtain open. It was noon. Lucia still slept at dawn and woke up in the afternoon. Her daughters, however, were probably having an afternoon nap. The maids took care of the girls in the morning, since Lucia struggled to adjust her sleep hours. Lucia wore on her dress then flicked her short hair. She didn’t wake her daughter up; instead, she called for a maid.
After applying her make-up, Lucia left the room to have lunch. After lunch, she returned to her bedroom. Her daughters had just woken up and were happily playing with the maids. After breastfeeding her girls, she cheerfully played with them for a while. Afterwards, she went to afternoon tea with children from noble families after the daughter of a noble elder invited her. Under normal circumstances, the children of noble families weren’t permitted entry into the flower garden in the backyard. Thanks to Lucia, though, they were allowed to enter Vyvyan’s personal flower garden.
The girls were delighted. They loved the new and peculiar plants. Lucia nostalgically scanned the flower garden. The flower garden was where her life of bliss began. It was back then when she was young that she received the most beautiful birthday present in her life, her Prince.
“If I may be honest, Lucia, you’ve dramatically changed compared to your former self back then.”
“Hmm?” With her cup in her hand, Lucia she smiled and touched her face: “How exactly have I changed? If you’re saying that I’m more mature, I’m quite confident about that.”
“Not just that. Lucia, you’re now different to the impression you gave us in the past. After all, you were a tomboy who was always with His Highness,” stated a young girl. She had a sip of tea then scanned Lucia: “You used to be as energetic as a boy would be, yet now you are so gentle and motherly. We never expected you to have this side to you. Moreover, you were able to marry His Highness, which was something we didn’t expect.”
“Really?”
“Sina once really liked His Highness; but unfortunately, His Highness didn’t seem to be interested in her. We were curious who he liked. We never imagined you’d be able to marry His Highness. Not to mention that you even have children now. How shall I put it? You looked so ordinary back then when you ran around all over the place. We never expected His Highness would choose you, but you two look as though you’re enjoying a life of bliss.”
“Ah, that was a very long time ago…” Sina helplessly smiled and sprawled down onto the table.
Lucia pursed her lips. She was in a good mood. She looked at the girls around her: “Indeed, I do really love His Highness. To be frank, there was a point in time that I never thought I’d be able to be with His Highness. It’s just as you said: I’m just an ordinary elf. That said, I’ve always done my best. I suppose I’m able to have what I have today thanks to His Highness loving me.”
Sina heaved a breath. She then shifted her gaze to the garden: “You sound as though you’re bragging. What you’re saying is torment to a woman such as me, who failed in love. I guess it’s a true blessing to be able to marry His Highness… It’s been so many years, yet I have never seen another elf like His Highness. There really is just one Prince.”
Lucia proudly nodded: “That is a fact. How could there be a second Prince in this world?”
Suddenly, rustling sounds came from inside the flower garden. The girls looked in the direction of the sound. A white deer charged out. After looking at the girls, it turned and vanished into the flower garden again. It didn’t seem to be afraid of the girls whatsoever. Lucia observed it with her curiosity piqued: “I never realised that there was a white deer here? Was it brought in at some point?”
“Ah, a white deer? I haven’t seen one in a long time.”
“Speaking of white deer, His Highness’ steed is the White Deer King. While it has a poor personality, it’s friendly with my husband.”
The girls nodded and then turned back to resume their original discussion. Lucia was right about one thing, though, and that was that white deer didn’t live in the rear flower garden. Never in the past and not now.
=========
Current time in the Eastern forest.
I sneezed. Mommy Vyvyan asked, “What’s the matter, Son? Are you not feeling well?”
“Ah… No, I don’t think I’d catch a cold when I’m an elf, would I…?”
“True…” remarked Mom, touching my head: “There’s no problem with your mana, either. Son, take care of yourself. Could the cold air from before affected you?”
“No, Mom. I think I’m all right. The real question at hand is, ‘is the girl really inside this cave?’”
“Ah, the last trace of mana was here.”
I looked at the small opening. The hole looked as though some animal dug it. I had no idea how she got in there. Mommy Vyvyan formed a flame on her hand: “We’ll send a flame in, and blow it up from the inside. Water will do, too. I don’t think we should go in.”
“You’re right, Mom. Even so, I think using water and smoke would be better. We shouldn’t blow her up. After all, we still don’t know if she deserves the death penalty.”
“Let’s use water, then.”
Mom extended forth her hand. Mom ushered the water from the creek nearby toward her hand. She sniggered: “Whoever you may be, I can forgive you if you sincerely admit your wrongdoings. However, since you’ve decided to hole up, I have no choice but to resort to this. Whether or not you die is not on us.”