190 Hello, Mother (1/2)
Tilly smiled when she saw Isabelle.
She just sent Wong to get her carriage because she wanted to go somewhere. When she returned to the house, Isabelle who just came out of the kitchen greeted her.
Now that her memories as Tilly were back, she appreciated the young maid even more. But she couldn't understand one thing though. ”Isabelle, I thought I asked you to go with the Black Serpents Knights five years ago?”
Isabelle gasped, then she suddenly became emotional. ”Lady Nystrom, are your memories back?”
She smiled and nodded. ”Yes, I remember everything about my life in this era.”
The young maid wiped her tears using her hands as she explained what happened in the past. ”The carriage I was during that night was at the back of the line. Just before we reached the border, a messenger from the Black Serpent Knights squad came and told me to follow Miss Luna's group instead. He said they needed back-up. Apparently, Captain Blake noticed that there was a trap waiting for us at the border. The captain also said that since I was riding an ordinary carriage without a Black Serpent Knight escort, the enemies wouldn't suspect me of being a part of the troupe. So they sent me instead to call for help.”
That's so Captain Blake.
”I asked Bert, the coachman of my ride that night, to follow Miss Luna's group,” Isabelle continued in a cracked voice. ”When we were close to their carriage, we were suddenly attacked by knights from House Hayward.”
Her brows furrowed in confusion. ”House Hayward?”
Wasn't that the family that Lady Alisa belonged to?
”I am sure that it was knights from House Hayward, my lady,” the young maid said firmly, anger crossing her eyes. She definitely remembered that events of that tragic knight. ”I saw the carriage that went past us. It has the crest of House Hayward.”
She kind of remembered Luna telling her how Isabelle survived before. But since she didn't have her memories yet, she didn't really understand the importance of that detail.
Things were different now.
According to Luna, the White Snake attacked them and abducted Kiho that time. If House Hayward was there, it only means that the two are related.
Why were b*tches hard to kill?
”Bert protected me,” Isabelle continued between sobs. ”I was able to run away because he fought the knights to buy me time. Luckily, I stumbled upon Lord Roarke then. He took care of the knights who went after me.”
”Do you know what happened to Bert?”
Bert was the coachman who fell into a coma after she was attacked during the Hunt where she found out that she was a Fire Mage. They took care of his family after that. She remembered that he volunteered to help them the night that they tried to escape the Royal Capital.
She was glad that Isabelle survived but her heart felt heavy.
Bert, it looks like we owe your family again.
”I'm so sorry, Lady Nystrom,” Isabelle said while crying hard. ”If only I found Lord Roarke earlier…”
”Shh. It's okay, Isabelle,” Tilly said. ”I'm glad that you survived. We'll make it up to Bert and his family by winning this war.” She gently tapped the young maid's back. ”Thank you for being a part of our family despite everything, Isabelle.”
***
”MOMMY, I'M home.”
Tilly's heart was broken when she saw Winter's terrible state when he returned to their home. He was escorted by Jameson, Braxton, and Roarke. The three looked guilty. She knew her Keepers well so they probably felt bad that Winter was punished by Solaris.
Well, she felt the same.
It's hard for me to let other people punish my son but he has to learn his lesson.
Spying on the Keepers to get confidential information was very wrong.
”Isabelle, give Winter a bath,” Tilly told the young maid standing behind her. ”Make sure that he won't leave the house.”
”Y-Yes, my lady,” Isabelle answered and the young maid sounded nervous.
Well, Isabelle can tell when I'm angry.
”M-Mommy, are you angry?” Winter asked, fear evident on his face.
”No, I'm not angry. But I'm disappointed in you, Winter,” she said indifferently. ”Winter, my memories are back now. I know that you have the memories of your past life.”
His son looked shocked.
When she discussed the possibility of Winter having his past memories with Luna, they concluded that there must be a reason why Winter couldn't talk about it with them openly.
I mean, before Winter was born, he saved me several times. And during those moments, he spoke to me as if he knew everything that has happened in the past after I died. But if he's keeping his mouth shut right now, then he must have his reasons.
”You don't have to confirm or deny it,” she continued. ”But I want you to know that if you're really an adult inside, then why are you being so immature?”
It hurt her heart to scold her baby but she didn't want him to grow up selfish.
”Of course, I want you to have a normal childhood that I failed to give you in the past,” she said, her voice calmer now. ”But you can't act this way, Winter. Please think of the consequences of your actions.”
Winter, in his past life, became a ruthless murderer because of his split personality.
That split of personality was caused by his cruel upbringing. He relieved the pressure of being the crown prince and the loneliness he must have felt for having a villainous mother like her by hurting other people.
She couldn't really blame Winter for turning out that way in the past.
But right, her son didn't have a reason to be cruel.