Fatima: The Slave Princess-Chapter 82 - 81

"Aside from a mild concussion, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the young lord, your grace. However, he may break into frequent fevers and become extremely fussy throughout the night because of the pain."

Cadhiel, my poor child. It hurts a lot, doesn't it?

"I'll prescribe some sedative to help him fall asleep, but unfortunately the dosage must be reduced because of his age. Young lord Cadhiel will have to rely on her grace's care and support more than the medicine."

"I thank you for coming, despite your busy schedule, Doctor Hayden."

"I am always at your service, your grace. Though I highly doubt it, but should there be any emergency, please do not hesitate to summon me. I'll come running no matter what."

I only caught wind of his arrival in the capital thanks to one of my men at Glorio. The timing couldn't have been better.

"Do visit Nathan when time permits. I have no doubt he will be delighted to hear that you are in town."

Delighted? I don't think I've ever seen him portray such emotions before.

"I shall bear that in mind, your grace." He replied with a bow.

"One of you escort Doctor Hayden to his carriage."

"Yes, your grace."

~Moments Later

"Emilia!" exclaimed Dimitriu, rushing into Cadhiel's room in haste.

"Ngh! Mama... *hic*"

"Shhhhh! We just managed to put him to sleep." I whispered, my palm pressed against his lips.

"I just ran into Doctor Hayden in the halls. What happened to Cadhiel?" he whispered quietly, glancing at our ailing child wincing and whimpering in his sleep.

Under normal circumstances, I would keep this incident to myself, however...I'm afraid I've finally reached my limit.

+++

It's her fault for not keeping a proper leash on that rambunctious child of hers. Why would she let him waltz into a room with glass shards scattered everywhere and teacups flying all over the place? *sigh* Dimitriu will be furious once he catches wind of this.

"You could stand to stop pacing like this, Gwen. It's making me dizzy."

"This is all your fault! Why are you still here?" she seethed, clenching the top frame of the sofa.

"It's the least I could do after witnessing such a horrendous ordeal. The boy's head was hit so hard that it bled." I teased with a smirk, leisurely browsing through the magazine in my hands.

"You know what they say-sometimes it's your own kin who seek your destruction. For a young boy to experience such misfortunes at the hands of his own grandmother, of all people...is just so...heartbreaking."

"Enough with your nonsensical blabbering and get out! Now!" she yelled angrily, pointing her index finger towards the door.

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Your ill temper is still at large, I see. It's a good thing you're in the capital these days."

...otherwise, I'd be too busy cleaning up after you. How many corpses have I buried on account of her nefarious habit? I've kept a record just in case my sweet sister's inflated ego gets out of hand in the future. Then again, as long as I get paid and remain a useful dog, I'll obediently forsake my pride and wag my tail for her.

"Oh, greet-"

How scary was that sidelong glare? I couldn't even greet him properly. I should leave before I get caught up in whatever's about to unfold in that drawing room.

~Meanwhile...

He barged in without even sparing a knock. What did that wench tell him to make him so furious?

"D-Dimitriu...w-when did you return from the palace? Did the council meeting go well, my dear?"

My legs won't stop shaking.

"Mother..." he spoke in a threatening tone, his towering figure ominously looming over me.

His face contorted with anger; his brow furrowed deep; fists clenched so hard his knuckles shone white. Dimitriu was glaring at me as though he wanted to tear me into shreds right here and now. In all my years acting as his mother, I have repeatedly tried to provoke him, yet he has never shown me this side of himself. 'If only I could transform that filial piety of his into something more useful, something less... dutiful' I often thought. To witness him baring such raw emotions is truly a sight that makes me feel...

"D-Dimitriu, my son. It was all an accident...p-please you must-"

"I've known for a while now, mother...that you'd rather have nothing to do with my wife and children. However, must you truly take your resentment this far? I understand that you may not get along with Emilia, but how dare you hurt my son?"

"S-son...please listen to me, I-I can explain. It was an accident and-"

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

"Regardless of whether it was an accident, as you claim, Mother, where's your apology? Your concern! Your worry! How can you stand there, so indifferently trying to defend yourself, after a child was hurt because of your reckless behavior?!"

He's right. I should have at least feigned worry, even if it was a mere act. Perhaps sitting by his bedside in his room, anxiously inquiring about his well-being with teary eyes would have done the trick. What should I do now? How do I appease him when he's already this agitated? That woman's presence was a considerable problem; if she hadn't witnessed everything, it would've been easy to blame Dietrich.

"Please forgive this wretched mother, my dearest Dimitriu!" I cried out, pitifully slumping to the floor while sobbing.

If it's you, I'll even grovel to the point of scraping my knees. I will move heaven and earth, Dimitriu, to ensure you remain loyal to me and no one else.

"What do you think you're doing right now?" he said with a menacing glower.

H-he's not falling for it?

"I've done wrong, and I deserve to be punished. However, if you could overlook this incident just this-"

"Guards!" he suddenly shouted towards the door behind him, which startled me.

"You called, my lord?"

They came in haste, as though they were just nearby, waiting for his call. Our knights in the capital aren't entirely under my thumb, which means if something were to happen right now, I'll be at a great disadvantage.

"Prepare for my mother's departure to Siecrest with the minimum number of staff. She will remain there pending my instructions."

N-no!

East of the Kartier duchy lies Siecrest, a tiny, windswept island where the only sounds are the shrieks of gulls and the constant roar of the ocean. This was the place where the late duchess spent most of her time before she eventually passed away. Following her death, the remaining residents of Siecrest gradually abandoned their homes, the silence growing with each departure, until the town was nearly deserted. To this day, I often hear discussions amongst people who claim that her spectral presence still lingers within the walls of the mansion.

"I am not going anywhere near that decrepit mansion. How dare you disrespect your own mother this way?"

I must stand my ground, otherwise that wretched princess of his will seize this opportunity to walk all over me.

"What are you all doing?!" he roared loudly, his voice echoed all throughout the halls.

"Escort my mother to her carriage immediately!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Don't you dare put your hands on me, you filthy peasants! Stay back, I say! Unhand me, you fools!"

"Mother? Brother? What's going on here?"

+++

Nathan's sudden kindness to Ivy and Clover left me completely dumbfounded; it's so unlike him to do something so drastic. Though he insists he's exploiting them for his own profit, the minimal advantages of their arrangement suggest otherwise. Could it be that he's after something else? If so, what could it be? *sigh* Let's not think negatively, Fati. Nathan is a good person...sure he may look cold and unfriendly on the outside but still-he's very...gentle, thoughtful, and overall, strikingly...handsome.

"Oh, no! No, no, no."

Lost in thought, I completely forgot I was standing on a twenty-feet tall library ladder in the archives room. I was told it was safe and secured but...w-why is it suddenly falling backwards?

"Help meeee!"

Suddenly, before I even had a chance to register what was occurring, I found myself in an unexpected predicament, heading in a rapid descent towards the library's floor far below. Anticipating the imminent, dreadful pain, I clenched my teeth and shut my eyes, bracing myself for what was about to happen.

"Got you!" a familiar voice exclaimed, catching me midair.

The shock was so intense that my heart pounded in my chest with such force that I thought I would lose consciousness. With a loud thud, we hit the floor as the ladder came crashing down, its impact creating a tremor beneath us and sending a thick cloud of dust billowing into the air. While struggling to regain my composure amidst coughing and panting fits, my panicked gaze wildly searched our surroundings, and it wasn't until the dust cleared that I noticed I was sitting on top of Sir Leonardo. He saved me from what could have been a crushing and fatal accident.

"S-sir Leonardo?"

The view gradually became clearer as the cloud of dust settled, and so did the silhouette beneath me as the mystery behind Sir Leonardo's shattered mask slowly unraveled before my very eyes. Severe burn scars marred a significant portion of his face, extending from his head down to his neck. The gravity of the skin damage is so significant that it has resulted in the complete cessation of hair growth, including his eyebrows, eyelashes, and a portion of his hair. Although much of his face was damaged, his lips, surprisingly, were the only part that remained completely unscathed. The lumpy scar tissues appear quite old, yet the area surrounding them is bright red and covered in fresh scratch marks. The image before me causes an inexplicable ache in my chest as my heartstrings play a sorrowful song so profound it brought tears to my eyes. I'd like nothing more than to heal him, but I can't do so without his consent.

"It must have hurt a ton."

Involuntarily, my hands twitched and moved as if possessed by a force beyond my control. A tremor ran through my fingers, each muscle jumping and twitching as if driven by an urgent need to touch his scars. What is happening to me?

"Princess..." he groaned softly, a subtle cough escaping his lips.

"...you're crushing my chest."

"Oh! My apologies, Sir Leonardo." I replied, promptly moving away from him.

"That could have been fatal, miss Lottie. You should be careful next...why are you crying?"

"I-I...I don't know."

"You must have been terrified." He said with a sigh while sitting up.

His gaze met mine as I raised my head; Sir Leonardo's smile was oddly reassuring, a comforting warmth, as he delicately brushed the tears from my face. His eyes, a captivating blue, held a similar intensity to Carlisle's, reminding me of him instantly. Even the way they glint when his gaze shifts downward is the same.

"Could I trouble you to keep my face a secret from everyone, Miss Lottie?"

"O-of course, sir. Rest assured, I won't tell anyone."

"Aside from his majesty, his highness and princess Emilia, no one else knows what I look like."

He's saying it as though I'm supposed to feel honored. Huh? Where was he keeping the spare? In his vest? No, it would've been impossible not to notice it earlier.

"Shall we get going? I came here to fetch you because I had something to give you."

"What about the mess we just- huh?"

He's all spruced up like nothing happened. Am I seeing things now? Where did all the books go that were scattered on the floor when we fell? Even the broken ladder was neatly put back into place. What's going on? Was it all just a dream?

"What are you looking for, Miss Lottie? You're scanning the place as though you've lost something precious. Shall I help you look for it?"

"N-no, it's nothing, haha, I'm coming, Sir."

I'm starting to think I might be losing my mind.