I was sitting on a comfortable chair in the garden admiring the reddish sunset when I heard Heinleyâs lovely voice next to me.
When I turned, he was looking at me with warm eyes. One of his hands rested on the back of my chair. His purple eyes mixed with the reddish glow of the sunset created a more mysterious atmosphere than usual.
âYou donât look too pleased. Is it because you are still upset about the war stories?â
âNo.â
I smiled and stroked his cheek with my hand.
âI told you itâs fine to read the war stories to the baby, as long as you omit the violent parts that arenât good for a baby to hear.â
Heinley leaned over a little and rubbed his cheek against my hand. Then he kissed my palm lightly and spoke with concern.
âBut, My Queen, you donât seem very cheerful.â
âIâm confused⊠by the news from the Eastern Empire.â
âArenât you happy?â
âI have mixed feelings. Itâs not happy news, but it is satisfying.â
Sovieshu had boasted of his love with Rashta, and I had witnessed how someone changes when love arises. Now, I was witnessing how someone changes when love ends.
Of course, if the article was true, Rashta had done so many wrongs that even love couldnât cover them up.
But now that Sovieshu was pulling away from Rashta⊠the man who falsely accused my brother for Rashtaâs sake, and who believed her no matter what I said⊠it made me feel strange.
I wonder if my love with Heinley could end like this.
But I quickly dismissed that thought. Our love had just begun, there was no need to talk about the end.
Besides, our love didnât have to end, like Sovieshuâs. Our love could be long-lasting, like my parentsâ.
I shook my head, then I pulled Heinley by the neck and kissed his lips.
It was pleasant to hear him moan due to the kiss.
âQueen. Isnât this bad prenatal education? The little bird will hear it.â
âI donât think the little bird heard your moans.â
âBut I donât think I can stop myself.â
âDonât worry. The baby is asleep right now.â
â!â
***
The Isqua couple were sitting against the wall of their cell in shock. They looked haggard, as if their soul had left their body.
Viscount Isqua scratched the cold stone floor with his fingernails, while his wife tugged at her hair.
Both had sunken eyes and pale complexions, to the point that they looked like vagabonds, rather than a noble married couple.
âHave these two gone crazy?â
A guard made the comment when he saw them, but the Isqua couple werenât even hurt by his words. The truth Viscount Roteschu had revealed pained them more than a guardâs mockery. However, they still had doubts.
âCould it be true?â
After a long time, Viscountess Isqua asked with difficulty.
âIs that mage really⊠our daughter?â
âI donât know. Viscount Roteschu, of all people, was the one who told us.â
âBut weâve never had direct contact with Viscount Roteschu. Why would he lie to us?â
âThatâs true.â
âAlthough I know that the evidence provided by Viscount Roteschu is inconclusiveâŠâ
Viscountess Isqua sighed. The more she talked about it, the more it hurt her and the more she regretted it. Viscount Isqua also let out a deep sigh and covered his head with both hands.
âCome to think of it, she looks a little like us.â
âYes, her hair is the same color as yours, and her eyes are the same color as mine.â
âSheâs not a bad girl. We thought she was bad because we were on Rashtaâs side at the time.â
âThatâs right. She is the complete opposite. Sheâs a very smart and feisty girlâŠâ
The more they talked, the more they seemed to realize Evelyâs virtues. When they saw her as Rashtaâs enemy, Evelyâs actions seemed malicious and arrogant. But the prejudice that blinded them was now gone, and they struggled to understand how they ever viewed Evely in such a bad light.
It was painful now that they belatedly realized that Evely was a good girl.
âShouldnât we talk to her first?â
âWhat are you going to tell her?â
âWeââ
âDo you think sheâd like to know?â
âWe canât leave the relationship as it is.â
Even if the couple was convicted of attempting to murder a commoner, they would soon be released from prison, as nobles were rarely punished severely for such a crime.
If Evely really was their daughter, they had to mend their relationship somehow.
Just then, footsteps were heard coming down the prison stairs. The couple stopped talking and waited to see who was coming.
Unexpectedly, Evely appeared.
The couple looked at Evely in surprise, while she looked at them coldly. Their gazes intertwined intensely.
âMiss Evely, why did you come?â
Viscountess Isqua forced a smile. Her daughterâs coldness broke her heart. She wanted to touch her, look at her more closely, find out how she had been all these years. Although she tried to appear calm, her voice trembled.
âYou seem to be afraidâŠâ
Evely muttered as she stared at Viscountess Isqua with a stony expression. Her tone was indifferent and her gaze sharp. She felt utter contempt for the couple, who were saddened to feel it.
âMiss EvelyâŠâ
This time it was Viscount Isqua who carefully called out to Evely, but she asked coldly,
âWonât you treat me like a filthy commoner today?â
The couple were startled to remember everything that had been said to Evely. Their past words were now like daggers that stabbed into their chests.
Evely smiled nonchalantly,
âYou had a haughty attitude when you were free, now you are pitiful locked up here.â
âMiss Evely, we have something to tell you.â
âWhat is it?â
âWe want to apologize⊠for how badly we have treated youâŠâ
Viscountess Isqua spoke again in a trembling voice. However, Evely frowned and raised her hand for her to stop.
âOh, there is no need to apologize. Itâs not a sincere apology anyway.â
Before either could answer, Evely added, âAm I right?â
The coupleâs faces paled.
âIf youâre apologizing now, itâs because youâre afraid Iâll testify against you in court. And thatâs precisely what I will do.â
âThatâs not the reason, Miss Evely.â
âIt bothers me that now you want to pretend to be respectful. I would prefer that you act as you usually do, even if itâs rude.â
Evely took a step back, as if she couldnât stand the stench that emanated from the cell.
Her actions once again pained the couple.
âAnd you asked why Iâm here. You used to approach me to mock me. Now, Iâve come to do the same.â