Leila entered Reyna’s art room in her usual maid uniform.

She knew this was her day off, but just sitting still in her room felt excruciating. When she heard there was a letter for Lady Reyna, she took the chance to put on her maid uniform, even if it was just for a little bit.

Standing before Lady Reyna, she gave the small envelope to her who received it with a slight smile.

“Ah, yesterday’s report has arrived. Thank you, Leila.”

Reyna opened the envelope with a small knife. Placing the knife down, Reyna carefully unfolded the letter inside.

“I wonder what sort of things my dears were doing there?” she asked herself with a hint of curiosity.

Leila herself was curious about Carine’s activities in that village. As far as she recalled, this was the first time Carine had ever visited a place outside of the duchy and the capital.

Was she having fun? Was she struggling with anything? Leila even pondered if Carine missed her.

Of course, nothing could prepare her for the actual news.

Leila watched as Reyna began reading the first few lines. At first, she widened her eyes in confusion. Then, she began frantically reading it up and down, as if trying to confirm what she had read was right.

Then, it was as if something had snapped. Despite being properly lit by sunlight, the room felt even colder than a blizzard.

Her Lady glared at the letter as if it were her worst enemy. Then, she crumpled the letter and threw it with extreme precision onto Leila’s hands.

She abruptly stood up and left the room. But the thick atmosphere stayed within the room and with Leila.

Leila stood frozen in place, the crumpled letter resting in her hand. She looked down on it with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Her eyes drifted toward the door Reyna had just stormed out of. It was wide open, but there was no sight of Reyna returning.

She knew she shouldn’t, this was Lady Reyna’s private matter. But then, she remembered how her hands had trembled when she read it.

The look of sheer rage, it was something Leila hadn’t seen in a while on Reyna's face.

What could have happened there to cause such a reaction?

Leila bit her lip, her mind fearing the worst. As Carine’s personal maid, Leila felt a deep worry seeing Reyna’s reaction to the letter. She had to know, she wouldn’t be able to sleep if she didn’t, that was what she convinced herself.

If something happened to Lady Carine…

Her hands, still holding the crumbled letter, slowly uncrumpled it. She smoothed out the creases as she began reading the lines.

“Dear Reyna,

It pains me to write this, but I am a terrible husband and father.

I will deliver it to you straight. Carine was kidnapped by bandits the moment we stepped foot into the village.

I don’t have any excuses. I underestimated them and fell to the oldest trick in the book, a paralyzing agent. I couldn’t do a thing as I watched Carine be dragged away by horseback by those bandits.

But do not worry. She is safe now. She is resting inside the village’s clinic as I write this, being cared for by the greatest doctors this village has to offer.

There is one more thing. I believe I have found a potential student, but seeing how dire this situation was, we should talk about it when both I and Carine return safely.

I hope this news won’t burden your heart so, forgive me.”

Leila’s eyes were frozen wide, not a single sound escaping her mouth. Despite her calm exterior, her mind was racing.

How had this happened? Why hadn’t she been there to protect her?

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

She lowered the letter, her hands trembling. She could hardly believe what she had just read, and yet the reality of it was undeniable. Her gaze drifted back to the door, where Reyna had vanished moments ago, her Lady’s fury now making perfect sense.

She had been forcefully given the day off, true, but what if she had insisted on accompanying Carine? Would things have turned out differently?

At the very least, her Lady was safe and sound. But she grew worried the moment she read that she needed to heal first before heading back.

She wanted to issue a request for a visit to the village directly to help care for Carine, she wouldn’t dare imagine anyone other than her providing the best of care towards her Lady.

She wanted to, at least. But there was someone also in need of care first in the mansion.

Lady Reyna…

Growing up in this mansion ever since she was a child, Leila knew what kind of mother Reyna was. Out of everyone in this world to learn of Carine’s kidnapping, she had to be the one affected the most.

Leila left the art room, closing the doors behind her gently. The letter was safely stored within her pocket, what should happen with it she would ask Reyna once she had calmed down.

—

Leila found Reyna sitting alone in her private retreat, a small room overlooking the expansive garden on the ground floor.

The early noon sun filtered through the windows, but the warmth of the sun did little to thaw the coldness of the atmosphere.

She held a glass of wine, swirling it slowly as she took occasional sips.

Leila entered the room quietly, using her Talent to her advantage. As she neared, Reyna didn’t look up, but she spoke with the measured calm of someone trying to regain control. “You read the letter.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement. Leila hesitated for a moment before responding, ready to grovel for an apology. “I did, Lady Reyna. I apologize… I—”

Reyna cut her off with a slight wave of her hand. “It’s fine, Leila. I suppose it was inevitable. I was going to tell you, anyway.”

There was a pause as Reyna took a slow sip from her glass, the wine providing little comfort. She placed the glass back on the table with a quiet clink, her gaze never leaving the view outside the window.

Leila, sensing that Reyna wanted company but not conversation, moved closer and stood beside the small table. She waited, her hands clasped in front of her, prepared to fill the glass again when it was needed.

Minutes passed in silence. The only sound was the occasional clink of the glass as Reyna took a sip and the sound of flowing wine when Leila poured her a new glass.

After a while, Reyna placed an empty glass on the small table. As Leila was about to refill it, Reyna spoke up.

“You’ve been with us for so long, Leila,” Reyna said with a quiet voice. “You’ve been there since I got married to Kyrat, you were there when I was pregnant, you were there when I gave birth to Carine…”

Leila nodded, what Reyna had said was all true. Sure, she was very young during those events, but the fact remained that she had always been with them her entire life.

“I’m sure you understand better than anyone… This is all my fault.”

Leila’s mind raced, what did she mean by that? Leila theorized that she would probably blame the bandits, the village, Leila herself, or even Kyrat. But she blamed herself?

Leila hesitated, unsure how to respond. Reyna rarely admitted to any sort of failure, but the way she spoke now, it was calm, almost as if mocking someone distant.

“I was the one who insisted on advancing the schedule,” Reyna continued, her eyes fixed on the garden. “I thought, ‘the faster she gets this tradition done, the better.’ Had I been a little more careful, had I not rushed things, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Leila understood Reyna’s point, but she didn’t agree. There should only be minimal effect on the date of the visit, there was no big correlation between the kidnapping and the schedule.

Yet try as she might, she wouldn’t dare to speak up against Reyna, even when she’s blaming herself for something so small.

“I was the one who chose that village, as well,” Reyna continued. “I was convinced by a small, foolish rumor that there were no bandits around. And yet…” She let out a bitter laugh, low and humorless. “Clearly, I was wrong.”

Again, she found it nonsensical. Bandits were a constant source of worry for every village. The fact that Reyna researched and learned of a small rumor just to find a village that might be safe from that threat, proved to Leila that Reyna made the right decision. Luck was just not on her side.

“Truly, I’m a failure as a mother,” Reyna said with a calm tone. Her expression looked calm, yet Leila noticed her nails digging into her palm.

Leila wanted to say something, anything, to ease that pain, but the words seemed stuck in her throat. But realizing that Reyna truly has no one by her side except her at the moment, she slowly gathered the courage to speak.

“Lady Reyna… if I may,” Leila began carefully, choosing her words with care. “Carine… she managed to escape the bandits because of the training you gave her. The skills you had her learned saved her life.”

The silence continued and Leila wondered if she had stepped too far. She was prepared to apologize when she realized, the air wasn't as thick as it was before.

Reyna seemed to have loosened her grip on her palm. Her eyes were no longer calm, but rather, on the verge of tears as she stared at the lush garden before her.

The two spent some time in silence, broken by the occasional chirping of birds and the laughs of the maid tending the garden.

There was no doubt inside Leila’s mind. Reyna was a caring mother, but the method she showed her love was a bit different.

Seeing Reina caring so much for Carine, Leila’s mind wandered into her past, to her own mother.

A faint smile appeared on her face as she remembered all those happy moments. She wished for Carine to have those memories with Reyna as well, as her memories with her mother were the ones that kept her going.

Leila wanted Carine to know this side of her mother, but she debated in her mind whether she already knew or not. But that question could be asked later, for now, only one wish was clear inside her mind.

Lady Carine, please return home safely.

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image [https://i.imgur.com/RdC5Gde.png]