CH 294

Chapter 294: Epilogue (4)

Rihannan realized only then. That Maia was taking after her propensity to prefer mostly outward apperances.

Even as Maia heard Rihannan make the embarrassing confession that she had only liked father for his handsome appearance, she didn’t look surprised at all. She only nodded heavily, sympathizing with Rihannan all the way.

“Well, I love father’s handsome face the most as well. I understand, mama.”

“Y-Yes. Thank you very much for understanding…”

Rihannan felt she should make Maia fall asleep as soon as she can right away.

“Maia, if you want to wake up early to play lots tomorrow, you have to sleep now.”

Rihannan pulled up the blanket upto Maia’s neck. However, Maia looked up to Rihannan with an expression that looked as if she still had something to say, with her deep purple eyes that looked exactly like Igor’s.

“Tomorrow is the last day then, right?”

“Yep.”

“So the time has come already… Sigh, that was fast.”

“Are you sad?”

“Yes.”

The short 3 day visit was nearly coming to an end. At first Maia was finding this place a little awkward, but quickly started enjoying the life in here as if she was a child born and raised in Chrichton all along. Rihannan studied her young daughter’s expression very carefully.

“Then shall we stay a bit longer before going back? For a few more days?”

“No! Anything but that!”

Hearing her strong disagreement, Rihannan’s eyes widened.

“Why? You said you are sad!”

“But father said that, if mother talks about staying any longer, I should do my best to cry and beg to go home as soon as… Ah!”

Maia covered her mouth with her two hands quickly. But she already had said most of what she shouldn’t have. Rihannan narrowed her eyes.

“Maia, what did you talk about with dad before we came over here?”

“Well…”

Maia soon spilt out all the truth. The day before they arrived at Chrichton, Igor secretly brought over Maia to tell her if her mother talks about wanting to stay longer, she should immediately whine and beg to go right back to Arundel, rolling around the floor if need be.

Rihannan couldn’t help but let out a laugh. She did wonder why Igor was so easily willing to let her go to Chrichton, and now the truth is out. Igor desperately wanted her to come back as soon as possible.

“Mother, but even though that’s the case, I still want to go back to Arundel. It’s not like I don’t like being here, but… I want to see father.”

Inside Maia’s eyes were filled with longing for her father. As Igor and Maia always met and played with each other everyday with the exception of traveling overseas, it was understandable.

“All right. I understand, now go to sleep.”

Maia smiled sheepishly and closed her eyes. Not long after, Maia fell asleep quickly. Watching her softly breathing as she sleeps, Rihannan reminsced about the time she had spent. The days really felt like they were a dream. The memories of her being able to give birth to her child and watch her grow was the most precious and happiest moments of her life. Sometimes it was unbelieveable to her that this was the reality that she was having.

“Maia.”

Hearing Rihannan’s small whisper, her young daughter reactively smiled like an angel. As if she had heard her words in her dream. Rihannan kissed her daughter on her forehead and whispered again.

“My daughter, Maiastra.”

The golden bird with the power of miracle. Its first part of the name directly became the daughter’s name. After giving birth to Maia, Igor confessed that he had already thought of Maia’s name long ago. He said that in that moment where there was no hope to be found at all in the relationship between them, he held on to the very last hope that he had, ending up with the name Maiastra.

She asked why he chose the name Maiastra when the bird’s name was Ataraxia in Arundel, and he replied that he did so in preparation for the worst possible outcome. He said that if he ended up having to send both his wife and child back to Chrichton, they would end up living there with her daughter’s name being after the golden bird’s name that was set in Arundel, while living in Chrichton, which would end up being uncomfortable and awkward for both Rihannan and Maiastra. Therefore hea*sumed that it would be a burden that he would leave behind for her, so he couldn’t confess the truth to her, which he said while laughing.

“He really is an idiot.”

With a mocking tone in her mumble, Rihannan pulled Maia into her embrace. It was difficult for them to arrange this visit to Chrichton. They originally thought of staying for a week, but because of Igor’s rejection, could only stay 3 days instead. She thought she would end up regretting because of the extremely short amount of time they would be spending in Chrichton, but just like Maia said, she ended up longing to see Igor much more instead. Rihannan closed her eyes as she her mind wondered about how she wanted to meet with him again as soon as possible.

On the day that they were to return to Arundel, Rihannan gave farewell to Dimitris and her uncle, who had came all the way to the port to see them off.

“Then we’ll be leaving. Uncle, brother. Please stay safe and healthy.”

“Okay, Rihannan. Next time, I’ll come visit.”

The Marquiss gestured with his hand telling them to hurry up on the boat, but it was way too easy to tell that there was sadness in Dimitris’s face. As he hugged Rihannan and gave his final farewell, he deliberately grumbled.

“Just 3 days. I really can’t forgive that guy…”

Seeing her uncle badmouth Igor in front of her unconciously, she began to furrow her brow at her, to which Dimitris immediately closed his mouth. To badmouth her father right in front of Maia! This was him practically digging his own grave.

“Ahem, Maia. It’s the last chance, could you please give your uncle a kiss on the cheek?”

Dimitris kept begging for her affection to the last minute, being way too clingy. Even as he turned his cheek towards Maia, he didn’t have any hope in receiving a kiss in his mind. That coy princess would definitely just ignore him and turn her back to him.

But a miracle occured. Maia came upto him, hugged and kissed him on the cheek.

“It was nice to see you, uncle. You should come to Arundel next time.”

Dimitris touched his cheek with a stunned expression. And with that final farewell, Rihannan and Maia got on the boat. Leaving behind the people waving goodbye to the boat for hours on end, the boat sailed off of the port and left across the horizon. The boat then went off at full speed towards the man that the two loved dearly.

When they arrived in Sallerno port after a long voyage, Igor was standing at the corner, waiting for their arrival. The moment Maia stepped off the boat, she ran into the arms of Igor.

“Father!”

Igor fully embraced Maia as she jumped into his arms. Maia wrapped her hands around Igor’s neck as she kissed Igor around the face multiple times.

“I missed you, father. I really really missed you!”

Igor also kissed Maia’s cheeks multiple times back to her. After all that chaotic greeting, he finally let Maia settle down onto the ground.

“Where’s Kaka?”

Maia immediately started looking for Kaka. The moment that the servant standing behind Igor holding the dog’s leash let go of it, the black dog that’s the size of a human adult ran directly into Maia’s embrace. It then frantically licked her face endlessly.

“Kaka! Eek! Stop it! It tickles!”

While Maia was receiving a enthusiastic greeting from Kaka, Igor went to Rihannan. With a smile he couldn’t hide, he grabbed Rihannan’s hand. Then quickly, he pulled Rihannan’s hips towards him as he let Rihannan fall into his embrace.

“Rihannan.”

Just that single word had many different meanings behind it. That he had been worrying the whole time since she had left, and that he had missed her terribly.

Rihannan buried her face within his chest. Only when she started hearing his beating heart, she felt that all the emptiness that was inside of her heart was completely filled up again.

“I missed you, Igor.”

In that moment, the hand that was wrapped around Rihannan’s hips suddenly gripped harder. A shivering sigh tickled the base of Rihannan’s neck. He held Rihannan’s face with both of his hand, and gave a light kiss on her lips. As her soft lips grazed on Igor, their eyes met together. Even though his expression looked quite calm and peaceful, his purple eyes were blazing with desire deep inside. Igor let out a laughter.

“I was worried about what I should do if by chance you didn’t take this boat to arrive, Rihannan.”

“Why? Were you planning to bring a fleet of boats to go threaten them again or something?”

He looked down at Rihannan giving a sideways glance at him, and calmly stroked her cheek with his fingers.

“You think I wouldn’t do such a thing?”

“You wouldn’t have needed to do that anyways. You already gave the instructions of your plan to Maia after all. Telling her if I start to want to stay in Chrichton any longer, that she should fall on the floor begging me to go back home.”

“…”

As his secret plan made together with his daughter behind his wife became completely revealed, Igor shut his lips tight immediately. In that moment, Maia who had completed her greeting to Kaka came over to them. The large beast also clung heavily onto Rihannan, greeting her happily. Only after Rihannan brushed Kaka’s fur enough they were able to finally get on the carriage to head off back home.

The carriage that ran straight for around 2 hours arrived at Count Alleshin’s territory. The employees all came outside of the mansion and greeted with courteousy the king and queen of the country that had visited for the first time after a long time.

“Welcome, your majesties. And princess.”

Jeffery stood right at the front and greeted them as they arrived. Wearing a monocle and a bright smile on his face, he had much more white hair on his head than they last saw her few years ago.

“Jeffery.”

Rihannan came upto him first and held his hand. Feeling the sensation of numerous wrinkles that increased since the last time she felt his hand, she felt just how much years had passed by quickly.

“I heard that your knee wasn’t well, how is it these days?”

“My lady. Its natural to have pains in several places when you grow old. You don’t need to worry about such things.”

His uptight presonality was still the same even after he grew many years older. A feint feeling of relief washed over Rihannan’s face. Even though 7 years had passed since she had become the queen, he still had called her a lady. She probably will be known only as the young esteemed daughter of the count to him forever in this mansion.

“Princess Maia, it is an honour for this Butler Jeffery to officially greet you, Princess Maia. Actually, you’ll be our master in the future.”

Maia’s eyes widened immediately. She turned and looked up to Rihannan with confused and curious expression.

“Mother, what did he mean by that?”

Rihannan held Maia’s small hand tightly.