Chapter 17 – The Memories of Past
Felicia’s POV
It has been several years since I last saw our eldest daughter Astoria. We never forget our eldest daughter. Even when Diasspro came into our lives. Ever since I gave birth to her we did not let our second child feel that we lacked her as we did to our eldest child. We poured out our attention to her that we have never given to our eldest daughter.
I looked at the door because it suddenly opened.
“My love? What’s wrong? The castle servants said you haven’t been out of our room since yesterday. You also don’t eat the food brought to you. Is there a problem?” worried my husband Ashton asked.
“It’s nothing dear … It’s just …” I sighed before continuing what I was going to say. “It’s just I miss our dear Astoria.” sad I said.
He approached me and held my hand then kissed my forehead.
“Oh darling, Even I … I miss our daughter. But don’t worry. I know someday Astoria will be back too.” he explained and kissed the back of my hand.
“I can’t get it out of my mind that … is she all right? How is she? If those who adopted her kind? If there are those who bully her? If she is loved by those who adopted her or they were just hurting our dear Astoria?” I said while tears started to flow.
“My love … don’t think like that. I’m sure they take good care of our dearest Astoria.” Ashton said as he immediately hugged me and stroked my back.
“What if… if… if that’s what our daughter is going through? Ashton! I can’t forgive myself if that’s what our daughter is going through.” crying I said as I hugged her.
“My love…”
I’m getting paranoid… What am I thinking about our beloved Astoria? I have been missing our child for several years … I just want to hug her again like when I gave birth to her.
“I hope she still remembers us Ashton … I hope so.” almost raspy I said.
Ashton just silently calmed me down. I know that even my husband is having a hard time with what is happening …
“My Dear … don’t think like that. Okay? Now calm yourself down.” he said and kissed me on my lips. “I’ll be going now… I love you my Queen.” he said then left our room.
I grabbed my chest and there my tears flowed again. I can’t be bothered … I want to see my child again. Which mother wants to be separated from her child? Nothing, right?
“Astoria Flare… M-My child…” I whispered loudly while crying.
I will never forget what those three evil sorcerers did to us.
Flashback
“Run Your Majesties!” said our royal head knight.
“W-What’s going on out there?” my brother asked.
“The witches! they trying to attack our kingdom!” answered our royal castle steward Tyranio.Content is © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.
“Follow me Your Majesties!” Matilda ordered and we immediately obeyed.
We ran to the lower part of our palace. I feel my contractions gradually. I feel that I almost can’t walk nor speak.
My husband seems to have noticed this so he lifted me up.
“I-It hurts.” I stammered as I cried and held my stomach.
“Be patient my dear queen … we are close.” my husband whispered.
“We are close to the secret dungeon.” said Matilda.
My brother Andreas carried their one-year-old daughter while running behind us.
“Matilda! Hurry up!” my brother shouted.
When my brother said that, suddenly a mirror appeared to us.
“Come on!”
We immediately entered there and upon entering we reached another place. It was 2 minutes before my contractions disappeared. I breathed a sigh of relief as the pain disappeared.
“Here we will hide until those three wicked witches are defeated.” said Matilda.
“How? How can those three be defeated?” Ashton asked while holding my hand tightly.
Andreas stared at me.
“My king… our father told us something about our grandfather.” Andreas said seriously.
“What is it, Duke Andreas?” Ashton asked.
But before Andreas could speak, my stomach ached immediately.
“A-Ashton! I-It hurts A-Ahh! It really hurts!” I cried while crying and holding my stomach.
Matilda came over and touched my wrist.
“She’s going to give birth.” said Matilda. “Andreas get some warm water and clean two towels. Hurry up!” Matilda shouted at Andreas.
“Okay!” Andreas replied and hurried to get what Matilda needed.
I almost writhed at the pain I was feeling and it also seemed difficult for my husband to see me struggling.
“My love … you can handle that.” said Ashton holding my hand tightly.
When Andreas came back with the things that Matilda needed, Matilda has already started helping me with the birth of our child.
“The baby is coming out! Andreas gives me the towel here!” Matilda shouted again. “Her Majesty, Give me a hard push! Now push … a little more … ahh the baby! I can see the baby’s head!” said Matilda.
I cried not with pain but with joy when I heard that my daughter was about to come out. So I poured all my energy to push hard to get our baby out.
I remember what our father told us. “The heir will be born on an unexpected day.” And this is it … today is when we are attacked by evil creatures. and this an unexpected day.
I almost lost consciousness when I released our baby. I smiled when I heard her little cry.
“Ashton … here.” Matilda handed my daughter to my husband.
I remember what our father told us. The heir will be born on an unexpected day. And this is it … today is when evil creatures attack us.
I almost lost consciousness when I released our baby. I smiled when I heard her little cry.
“Ashton … here.” Matilda handed my daughter to my husband.
Ashton tearfully stared at our daughter as he picked it up.
“Our daughter is beautiful.” Ashton whispered and kissed me on the cheek.
“What name do you want us to name her?” I asked him while smiling a little.
“I don’t know but … my mom once told me that, if I have a child, she says she wants us to name our eldest daughter Astoria and if it is a boy, Florian.” Ashton explained as he burst into tears of joy.
“Then why… why don’t we name her Astoria Flare then?” smiling I said and held our daughter’s hand.
“T-That’s a great name fit for our little princess. Isn’t that right baby? Do you like your name? Astoria Flare?” Ashton asked our daughter happily.
I burst into tears of joy when I saw our daughter smile while her eyes are closed.
“See? She agrees with the name you gave, my love!” said Ashton and kissed me on the forehead.
Matilda picked up her crystal ball and saw what was happening in our kingdom.
“Our troops are dwindling. I have also asked for help from our neighboring kingdom. I have also called Radagast and the others to help us.” said Matilda as she focused on her crystal ball.
“I will help defend our kingdom. We must stop the aggression of those witches!” said my husband while holding our daughter.
“How am I? And our daughter?” I said worriedly.
“We need to hide the heir so that those evil witches do not see her.” my brother said. “because she is the only one who can defeat those witches…” my brother added.
Aston first stared at me and our precious little angel… he looked depressed… his reaction darkened and he began to sigh deeply.
“The princess needs to be hidden.” Ashton’s serious ordered my brother.
“But… Where else?” Andreas asked.
“In the world of people.” Matilda replied while carrying their daughter Stheno.
“What?! We can’t!” Andreas objected.
“We can’t do anything if we can’t hide the princess in the far… Those three witches will take and take her!” Matilda explained.
I just listened quietly. While staring at our baby.
“Felicia …” my husband called to me.
“Y-yes my king?” I stammered.
“Is what Tillie thought okay with you?” Ashton asked me while holding my hand and our baby.
Felicia looked down and wonders if they will keep the child in the world of people or if it’ll stay with them.
‘If she will stay here with us the three witches would take her… I don’t want to lose my daughter but the only good reason I think of for her is to hide her in the world of people. In the other dimension’ I thought to myself as I looked down and held on tightly to the bedsheets.
I sighed and smiled bitterly.
“I want my daughter to be fine, I don’t want her to be separated from me and my husband… But I also don’t want those three witches to take her…” my tears started to flow but I still tried to smile for my daughter and my king. “… But if that’s the only good way to keep the princess hidden… I won’t mind.” and then finally I sobbed and Ashton immediately approached me while carrying our little angel.
“Then I will start opening the portal from the other dimension.” Matilda said seriously as she handed Stheno to my brother
I, on the other hand, carried my little princess in my arms and held my daughter’s hand.
“My daughter, you are the only heiress of me and your father, I hope you take care of yourself in the other dimension …”
I was surprised when my daughter’s right palm glowed in yellowish light and the left one glowed in a reddish light.
“Dear … Her right and left hands!” my husband whispered.
“That’s the seal of the next heiress!” said my brother Andreas as he was carrying their daughter Stheno.
Matilda was silent as she opened the portal from the other dimension.
“Tillie …” my brother called her.
“I’m done.” Matilda replied immediately.
I immediately stood up while carrying the baby. I kissed my daughter’s forehead and then Ashton put a necklace with a round pendant and a golden dragon design that emits fire to our daughter.
“We only have five minutes before the portal closes.” said Andreas.
“Give me the princess.” Matilda’s said.
I immediately handed our baby to Matilda. while crying and said.
“… your father and I love you dearly, my dear Astoria Flare.”
And Matilda entered the portal while carrying our daughter in her arms.
I hugged my husband tightly as I continued to cry. I do not regret anything… because I know we made the right decision. For her and for her safety…
“Come on Duke Andreas we need to get back upstairs to help our colleagues defend Lunaria!” commanded my husband while holding my hand.
“A-Ashton! Don’t go there… I don’t want to lose you too.” I said while looking down.
“I’ll be back… that’s a promise.” he said and kissed me and then went with Andreas to come out.
A few minutes after Ashton and Andreas left, Matilda was able to return safely… and… alone.
“Don’t worry … I talked to some animals to watch over the little princess.” Matilda explained as she smiled and sat down next to me. “Don’t cry and be sad. She’ll be back in time.” she added and held my hand.
“Tillie … thank you … thank you for doing everything to keep everything in order … especially the princess.” almost in a whisper I said while also holding her hand.
“That is my duty as a sister-in-law of you and Duchess of this kingdom.” smiling she said. “Take a rest, I promise … I will not leave you.” she added.
I just nodded and then rested.
The next day I woke up like nothing happened… that everything was back to normal. Except for my daughter. Astoria Flare.
End of flashback
Every time I remember those events, I keep wishing even more that our daughter would have returned … I can no longer bear that she is not with us … I know that Diasspro will be angry and will and her heart shall depart from us
when she finds out that she is not just our only daughter … and she will know the fact that she is not the heir of this all.
I will do everything to make our second child understand everything … what my and their father’s reason. I will do the same when our eldest daughter returns to us.
I peeked out the window and sighed.
‘I hope you come back to us our princess. So that you may know that your father and I did not leave you. Sweetie, your father and I miss you so much. God knows you will never be lost in our minds. when you return we will give you our negligences to you as your parents. Hope you understand what our reason is. We love you so much dearest Astoria and we miss you so much.’
-The Heiress Mage