Chapter 146: bask in the familial love

"A medicine '' I asked tilting my head, and the man nodded.

"What kind of medicine had she taken?" i asked, confused, as far as i knew she was not sick, or was she but hiding! The thought brought more anxiousness in me.

"I need to do further testing for that." he asked and I bit my lip, what if she took this as invading her privacy also. She had already punished the girl by dismissing her with a fraud warrant, now the girl would never be able to work anywhere. And i didn't even know how she had punished Ian, he didn't even tell me! He just left me at the very next moment he came after meeting her.

But what if the disease was serious, that was the reason she was hiding, "alright, then do your tests." I finally concluded.

"Bring a wet towel and clean her face." I ordered till then.

"Yes your highness"

"Call Killian, if he is awake."

"Yes, your highness" 

if he would also be here, then she would not feel that awkward or angry in the morning, hope so!

The physician checked a few more things and then left. I sighed as I sat on the bed again, running a hand in her hair, hoping to make her feel better.

"Why are you so stubborn Mari! If you were sick, you should have said so and taken a rest." but  then why did the palace physician not know about it!

I closed my eyes, and here I thought I knew her better these days.

The maid came and started cleaning her face, wet sheets were kept on her forehead. I sat there holding her hand when Killian entered the room.

"Father, you called me." he asked, biting his lip, he was looking guilty but then his eyes fell on Marianne, and he even forgot that he was hesitant.

His brows furrowed as he entered with hasty footsteps.

"What happened to mother?" he asked in an accusing tone. Both mother and son did not know anything else except looking at me with accusing gazes.

"She is sick '' and drunk,' I added in my heart. "Yet you were the one who requested her to have dinner with us, even when you had spent all the day with her, and surprisingly you did not even show up there." i added and his guilty face returned.

He bowed his head and whispered in a low voice, "i was giving you and mother a chance to talk, you would not have talked freely in front of me and she would not have come to have dinner with you, if i would not have requested family dinner." he said in an aggrieved tone as if he was blamed falsely.

"And what about the decorations, since when have you learnt about setting the table and using roses as carpet?" i asked, pensively, after all, he was just 12.

"Ian, left a few maids, to help me" he added biting his lips and I sighed, only god knows how both of their brains work! Could they not see, she did not even want to see my face.

"I apologise, father." he said, bowing his head and I sighed.

"It's alright, why don't you accompany your mother here, for tonight." i asked and his face bloomed, he nodded hard.

"Alright, if you instruct me to do so." he added, controlling his happiness, could he be any worse at acting than this!

But then he continued to stare at me as if he wanted something, 

"Do you need anything else?" I asked and his brows furrowed.

"I am waiting for you to leave, father." he said in a confused tone and I raised a brow.

"Why would i do that?" How did he even reached to that conclusion?

"Did you not ask me to stay here and take care of mother?" he asked standing behind me, as if waiting for me to stand up so that he could sit at my place and run a hand in her hair.

"I asked you to accompany her, yes! But i never said that i was leaving.'' I said in an amused tone and he bit his lips.

He walked to the other side and took strips of cold sheets from the maid and started putting it on her forehead gently. I saw Clara stifling a laughter, the boy was trying to take care of her or compete with me!

All night we both wiped her sweat and sang a lullaby to her, whenever she stirred we both would soothe her face and run hand in her hairs.

Her lips parted and I took the glass of water and used a spoon to slowly put it into her mouth.

"Killian, you are tired, why don't you sleep? I am here in case she needs anything,`` I offered but the stubborn boy shook his head.

"No, father, i am not feeling sleepy." he replied, even when his eyes were barely open.

"I know, but I want you to hug your mother, so that she would feel your warmth." I replied and a smile crept on his lips as if he had finally found a way to serve her mother better.

He nodded, "i had done that before too, father" and laid beside her, wrapping his tiny arms around her waist

It took him only a few minutes, when sleep embraced him in her arms. They both were sleeping so peacefully. I continued looking at them with mixed expressions.

If only this could have been possible! I shook my head as I realised, i was being selfish once again. Since the decision was already taken, I could only make sure that she could leave peacefully and Killian could understand our decision.

I closed my eyes and laid there beside her, i would think about the rest of the things tomorrow, but tonight, i would bask in the little warmth of familial love I could get, so I hugged her and closed my eyes, hoping my nightmares would leave me for tonight.