195 Goodbye, Mother (1/2)
Marianne smiled and sat beside Maverick on the sofa in their room. Then, she hugged his arm and laid her head on the shoulder. ”I just visited the Fire Tree in the garden. It looks so beautiful to me.”
To be honest, she went to the fire tree to leave her message to her daughter. She was able to do that using the magic spell that Lord Wixx taught her. She had to memorize the incantation that he told her again and again until she finally got it right. The language that she used was very foreign to her so she was praying that she didn't fail.
Anyway, she chose that fire tree because that was the resting place that she decided on. When she dies, she wanted to be buried here in Oakes instead of the Royal Capital.
”Maverick?”
”Hmm?”
”When I die, I want to be buried under the Fire Tree in your garden.”
”Marianne, you know that I don't like talking about things like that.”
”I'm just saying it,” she said with a pout. ”All humans will die anyway. I just want to be prepared once that happens.”
”I don't want to imagine the day where I'd lose you,” Maverick said while shaking his head. Then, he turned to her. ”But you're right– we will all die in the end so it's better if we prepare as early as now. Especially now that we have a child.”
She nodded in agreement. ”Like I said, I want to be buried under the oldest Fire Tree in the garden here. How about you?”
”Well, House Prescott has a private burial ground for all the heads of the family,” he said, then he paused for a second before he continued. ”But if you want to be buried here, then I'd like to be buried next to you.”
That got her instantly emotional. ”You'll break your family tradition for me?”
”Always.”
That was true.
Marrying her, a ”fake” noblewoman, was already very unlikely for the head of House Prescott. And now, he was hiding her identity as a Fire Mage even though it was considered treason for a pro-royal family household like theirs.
But maybe House Prescott has already stopped being a part of the Royal Faction now.
”When I'm gone, I'll divide all my wealth and properties to you and our daughter,” Maverick continued. ”I'll work harder to make sure that you and our daughter will have a luxurious life even when I'm no longer around.”
”You're already that wealthy, Maverick,” Marianne said with a soft laugh. Then, she realized that they were yet to name their baby. ”What should we call our daughter?”
To be honest, the Red Phoenix had a ”suggestion…”
***
”CALL HER Soleil Rosenberg,” Lord Wixx told her before they parted ways the last time they met. ”That was the name of the Supreme in her previous lives. Since her soul is special, she's going to be reborn as a Supreme again and again.”
”How did the Supreme's life end during those two lifetimes?”
”I won't name my baby Soleil Rosenberg,” she declared.
The god obviously didn't like her decision because he glared at her. ”You insolent child–”
”I don't care about my baby's past lives,” she said firmly, then she put her hands on her stomach carefully. ”Our baby is our baby– she's not your ”foolish little sister” anymore. Her blood might say that she's the Supreme Fire Mage, but I'd still like to think that she's different from your precious Soleil Rosenberg.” She gave the Red Phoenix an apologetic smile because the next things she was about to say would definitely sound insensitive. ”I don't want my daughter to be miserable like your sister, my lord. And I don't want her to live the way the Supreme lived in the past. That would be unfair to my daughter. She is her own person and I don't want her to be defined by the past that she might not even remember. Is it wrong for me to give my daughter the chance to live as if it's her first life?”
”To live as if it's her first life…” Lord Wixx whispered to himself. ”I never considered that before but I like the way it sounds,” he said while nodding. ”Do what you want then.”
Marianne bowed to him. ”Thank you, Lord Wixx.”
***
”MATILDA,” Marianne muttered to herself while hugging her favorite children's book close to her chest. ”Maverick, what do you think about naming our daughter 'Matilda?'”
Every night, she would read the story 'Matilda's Temperament' to her baby.
It was an old story about a little girl that would always get in trouble because of her nasty temper. Although the story was funny, it had an underlying message that she didn't miss: it was okay for girls to be angry without being called ”crazy” or ”hysterical.” In their society where women were expected to be always ”calm” and ”mature,” the book was a breath of fresh air.
She hoped that her daughter would get to live her life freely like Matilda in the story.
Break all the rules that you deem unnecessary, my daughter.
”I like it,” Maverick, who sat beside her on the bed, said. ”I like the main character of that book, too.”
She smiled and nodded in agreement. ”Let's call her 'Tilly' as a pet name. I heard that children these days don't like names that sound too old for them. 'Tilly' sounds adorable, isn't it?”
”You can make anything sound adorable, Marianne,” he said. ”Your voice is always music to my ears.”
She giggled at that.
But hearing those sweet words also made her sad.
To be honest, she wanted to tell Maverick that she had already given up her own life to protect their daughter. But she couldn't gather the courage to confess to her husband. That was why she was just trying to make the most of their remaining time together.
Maverick, please forgive me.
She prayed and hoped that unlike her, her daughter would grow up as a very honest person. That if one day their little Tilly gets married, she'd always have the courage to open up to her husband. For that to happen, she wished that their baby would find a decent man to marry.
Please don't be a coward like me, my beautiful Tilly.
”Maverick, take care of our Tilly, okay?”
Her husband gave her a confused look. ”We will take care of our Tilly, Marianne.”
She smiled and nodded, then she swallowed the lump in her throat. ”Of course.”
”Are you okay?” he asked worriedly. ”You seem down.”
”I'm just tired.”
”Do you want me to make some milk for you?”
She smiled at his thoughtfulness. ”Maverick, I love you.”
As expected, her dear husband blushed. ”What has gotten into you?”
”Come on, say that you love me.”
”You already know that I do.”