"Happy Birthday!"

It was a loud cheer of voices from the maids, along with my family.

"Geez, you should've been pregnant at the same time as me."

It's my sister who said that. She was smiling ear to ear at me while caressing my belly.

"How nostalgic, it was me who used to have this big belly, now I got this." She played with her daughter that's being carried by her husband.

She named her daughter Aneisha Laia Eldenbourg. The child doesn't have that much hair but it seems like she's got our family's hair. Platinum Blonde.

"It is such a relief that she looks exactly like me. And she didn't get anything features from my husband except for the eyes."

I heard how the Marquis sulks, it is because the Marquis have a common black hair but he has a very unique color eyes.

Mountbatten Pink. It's a trait that an Eldenbourg must have to inherit the house. It is also a tradition in their family to only have one heir, so it is possible that Aneisha will never have a sibling.

"How cute, I wish I could say that my child would look exactly the same as me."

No! It's already impossible! Derrick looks exactly like Regan! I have no chance to see a Derrick-Me like.

"Don't lose hope sister, don't you know that during my pregnancy, I almost spend all of my time watching myself in front of the mirror just to avoid my lovely baby from having the same face as my husband?"

"Honey, how cruel."

I laughed, they are so funny that it feels like my soul is at peace. How nice.

I'm so happy for my sister, she seem and sound like she's happy with her marriage. And for that I am thankful, because I know that all this time she blames herself.

I told them that I will go and greet the other guests.

Although I clearly said to never invite nobles, but somehow they found their way to my birthday party...

"Mom..."

"My daughter! Be careful and watch your melons!"

Ughh

That is right, it is my mother who brought her friends with her...

"Oh my! May the Goddess protect you from any harm! Especially that you're carrying the heir of the Duke." It was an old lady with a fade-ish violet hair, I can also see white streaks.

"Thank you for worrying Baroness Helen, but it was already announced that my son Calix would be the heir, it sounded so rude to me that you cannot remember an information as such."

The old lady raised her eyebrows at me before smirking.

"My Lady, you're a woman with a noble background and you're the second most powerful woman in the Empire! How could you allow such thing to happen to your biological child?"

I felt a rope, slowly losing it's fibers and finally cutting into two. Just like that my patience for this woman ended.

"As you said I am the second most powerful woman in the Empire just below Her Majesty the Empress and above Princess Calixia. But how come you're commanding me and forcing your opinions to me? As far as I am concerned this is a discussion between and inside my family, I cannot remember that Baroness Helen had become one of the Duchy's family member?"

I saw how my mother's face turned sour, I don't know if it's because of me or if it's because of her friend's foul mouth.

"I would appreciate and love it if the Baroness keeps her mouth in check. You could lose your tongue in a blink of an eye if my husband heard what you said. I may be a little bit lenient, but my husband is not."

With that, I turned and walked away from them. Great! My mood is cracked now!

Regan was here in the party earlier, but then His Majesty called for him...

Tsk, it's my birthday! How dare His Majesty takes someone else's man...

Calix had gone back to his room, he said that he'll prepare my gift, but then it's been such a long time!

Because of this pregnancy it's making me salty and temperamental.

I excused myself from the party and I went to the garden. As I walk pass the rose bushes, I saw a tiny head slowly walking away.

It's Calix... It's definitely Calix.

I thought that he's playing hide and seek, not until I saw him went inside a hole attached to the wall.

I felt my world shaking.

Calix is escaping?

I wanted to shout and call his name, to tell him to come back because it's dangerous. But then curiosity gets the best of me.

I can't fit inside that tiny hole that Calix used, but he wall he went to is connected to the warehouse where the tools for the gardening is located.

Looking around I saw the door connected to the warehouse, there must be a door inside there to get out of.

There is only one way to found out.

I hurried to the door and entered it. As expected it is indeed the warehouse. Then at the side, the door to the Duchy's private Willow forest.

Why is he going to the forest?

I stopped myself from overthinking, what I need to do now is to follow him and to protect him.

I opened the door, and the willow forest greeted me with it's majestic leaves. I looked around to see where Calix went, and then I saw him already far away from me.

Because of the Archpriest and the Physician's words that I cannot run or else I might lose Derrick, I got scared. But that did made me lose the goal of following my son.

Although I am not running, I am not walking either, I call it, Fast Walking.

I was about a few meters away from Calix, thank god I was able to catch up to him.

He's walking on the bridge towards the Pavilion in the center of the lake. It's as if he's waiting.... For someone?

Suddenly the side of my stomach ached. I winced but I didn't make a sound even though I doubt that Calix would hear me from this distance.

I was breathing heavily when something from my left appeared...

June 20 2022

LizzannaWrites