Chapter 273 - Call Me... Mother
"And you look lovely," said Adrianna. She brushed her hair with her fingers. "I am sure if Iona was with us, she would have looked just as lovely as you…" she said in a voice that trailed off with heavy emotions underlying it.
Anastasia lowered her eyes. If Adrianna had lost her daughter that day, she ended up losing her parents. The two women shared similar emotions. She looked up at her and said, "Your Highness—"
"Call me "Mother"," Adrianna said with a tender expression on her face.
Surprise flickered through her eyes as she stared at the queen for a long moment. The surprise gave way to warmth. The word mother was filled with too many emotions. A lump formed in her throat and tears stung her eyes. Despite the whole world turning against her, Adrianna and Ileus were standing with her. She pushed the lump down her throat and said, "Mother— I, I—" she couldn"t speak further.
Adrianna"s lips tugged up in a warm smile. "Let"s get in the portal. I don"t like to see the gold of the kingdom being wasted like this."
The portal collapsed as soon as they were in the gardens of the manor at Silver Vales. Anastasia tucked her wings tightly at the back and filled her lungs with the fragrance of the night-blooming flowers. It reminded her of her day at the creek with Ileus. It was such a wonderful remembrance and she hoped that she would be able to spend more such carefree days with him. A tendril of agreeing to her wishes entered her mind and she stopped herself from giggling because Adrianna was holding her hand, and not Ileus. She loved it a lot and just holding hands with her filled her with a sense of security.
Dmitri was standing on the entrance looking impatient. He stared at his wife, cutting off everyone else from the vision. When she reached him, Anastasia left her hand and Adrianna walked right into the arms of her husband. "Missed you…" she murmured.
"My Adri…" Dmitri hugged her tightly and then kissed her on her lips. When he pulled away, he looked at Anastasia and Ileus and smiled at them. Adrianna curled her arms around his with pride and walked inside. Anastasia and Ileus followed.
Ileus leaned down and whispered in her ear, "See that"s how you walk with your husband. Learn, girl!"
Anastasia exhaled heavily. "For G.o.d"s sake they are our parents. Have you heard of the word "respect"?"
Dmitri turned to look at Anastasia and remarked, "Sorry Anastasia, that word doesn"t exist in his dictionary when it comes to you." He looked at his wife who let out a chuckle. "Not that I am complaining."
Adrianna slapped him lightly on his arm. "You were the most shameless man and still are!"
Dmitri shrugged. "I am not guilty. I love you and, in a heartbeat, would become as brazen as I can… for you…"
Anastasia"s eyes widened with surprise when for the first time she saw the queen blushing to the roots of her hair. No wonder Ileus" public display of affection came from his parents. But it was so lovely to see the king and queen in a light mood. It felt like… family. A grin appeared on her face.
Dmitri led all of them to the main hall where Pierre was sitting with Ed. They got up and Adrianna almost squealed. She pulled her arm out of Dmitri"s and rushed to meet her grandfather. "You look so old, Grandfather," she said as she hugged him tightly. "When are you going to come to Draoidh? I want to take care of you!"
Ed closed his eyes as he embraced his granddaughter. Over the years he had been in the Mountains of Tibris, he had grown aged. Wrinkles appeared on his face and his hair was white. "I am doing just fine, Adri," he said in a hoa.r.s.e voice. "Mun takes care of me. Howard is also there. Together we are managing pretty well."
Mun, the magical beast of the Mountains of Tibris, had become Adrianna"s wand and Jun, his girlfriend, had volunteered to be Ileus" wand. Another one of their species had joined Ed and Howard after Jun had become Ileus" wand. And Ed had named him Mun.
Ed"s eyes went to Ileus who was waiting for his grandfather. "Come here," he said and Ileus walked in his bear hug. "How are you doing lad?" he asked. Ileus couldn"t answer his question as he savored his grandfather"s hug. When he finally pulled away, Ed looked at Anastasia.
She was standing a bit away from all of them, watching the family meeting. When Ed gazed at her, a smile wormed on his lips. Anastasia"s wings rustled involuntarily out of nervousness. Ed walked to her and lifted her hand. "I think my grandson is very lucky to have a mate like you."
Anastasia bowed, as warmth filled her chest. She liked the old man instantly. "I am luckier than him." Ed patted her head.
"Dinner is ready!" Cora"s sharp voice distracted all of them.
The dining table was laden with a variety of breads, meats, sliced fruits, cold salads and a variety of cheese. Pierre sat on the head of the table, flanked by Cora and his son. Adrianna sat right next to Dmitri and Ed was sitting opposite to her. Ileus and Anastasia sat next to Adrianna.
When Anastasia opened her wings slightly to adjust in the chair and Ileus helped her, Cora watched her. Anastasia could feel her eyes on her and sense the acerbic aura off her. Cora hadn"t greeted her or Adrianna or Ileus. She simply came into the main hall and announced that the dinner was ready. Obviously, her mood was sour. She focused on others because Adrianna had asked her to be patient for the evening.
Over the dinner, Ed started talking about Mun and how he behaves possessively whenever Ed has to leave him. He talked to Anastasia about her experiences in the wizard kingdom and before she could speak anything, Cora spoke.
"Don"t ask about her experiences in Draoidh and Silver Vales, Ed!"
Anastasia snapped her mouth shut as she jerked back her head.
"Ever since she has arrived, there"s not a day that we haven"t seen despair!" said Cora.
"Cora!" Pierre snapped at her. "Stop ranting."
"Stop ranting?" she snapped back. "If Adrianna and Dmitri hadn"t let their son go astray, he wouldn"t have met this fae princess. But they were just too invested in finding Iona and sent him away. Oh, incidentally, they couldn"t find Iona either."
Ed was taken aback. "Cora you are talking all wrong!"
Cora threw the fork in her plate and growled, "I am not. Had Ileus, our only grandchild, the only heir of Silver Vales and Draoidh, taken his job of being the crown prince seriously, and felt that he had a duty towards the two kingdoms, he would have never married Anastasia! The fae whose people have attacked us time and again." She turned to look at Ileus with a face red with anger. "Don"t you have an ounce of shame?"
Anastasia"s wings rustled as anger from her heart pumped into her veins. Adrianna placed her hand on hers as Ileus watched his grandmother with a clenched jaw.