A thrive….
It took me quite a while, but I was finally able to get over the loss of my daughter. One thing George did that I found very helpful for the healing of my soul was ensuring that the whole situation didn’t escalate with the people or even the domestic workers in the house. He did this by instructing all the midwives not to share the fact that we had three children, with serious punishments attached to anyone who disobeyed this order. As a result, only the midwives, George, and I knew that we had actually given birth to three children, while everyone else, including the domestic workers, believed that we had only two boys.
As days passed, although it was really hard for me, especially as a new mom, I still managed to at least make myself happy and strong for the sake of my twin boys, as everyone had started calling them. It was hard for me to forget about my princess, but over time, not having anyone talk about her or her death made my healing process much faster than it originally would have been. I found joy in being a boy mom to the twins, taking pride in caring for my sons as each day passed. For the first few days after they were born, there was non-stop rain that lasted about six whole days. Obviously, this affected us, but it wasn’t much of a problem since we were able to share the provisions meant for one child between the two of them. We had originally prepared the house and provisions for one baby, but now that we had two, we just had to manage what we had. We were relieved when the rain finally stopped.
“This rain, there’s something about it,” George said one night while I was breastfeeding one of the boys, and the other was already asleep.
“What do you mean?” I asked, looking at him as I gently patted my baby, who weakly started raising his hands to grab my chest. He struggled for a short while, making an abrupt grunt before lowering his hand. George had been paying attention, waiting to see what would happen before responding.
“Well, normally in this part of the kingdom, the rain starts from the west side. However, this time it started here, in the north. Not to mention that we’ve never had such an outpouring. It’s been three days already, and it’s crazy because we can’t tell when it’s going to stop. A lot of traders and farmers will be affected for sure.”
“Well, yes, that’s true, but I’m sure it will stop soon, right?”
“I hope so, but let’s see how it goes.” George went silent for a while, which made me look up, expecting him to say something more.
“Maybe the moon goddess has decided to favor us this season, who knows?”
“Well, maybe, but I have a feeling it has something to do with the kids.”
“What? How is that possible? No, it obviously can’t be.”
“Oh really? What do you think, Ashley? We’re talking about the sons of both Kings Lucas and Simon, who carry royal blood in their veins. These are their own flesh and blood. In fact, I’m convinced this rain has everything to do with them.” I turned my gaze down at the baby on my chest and then looked back at George as he spoke. If I’m being honest, he wasn’t entirely wrong. There was something about the royal blood that was very prevalent, but I hadn’t thought much about it. He mentioned that such rain had never happened before in the history of the pack-at least until now! It had to be the kids.
Days passed, and the rain finally stopped, much to the relief of everyone in the Sun Blood pack. We thought we had it bad with the constant rain, but it soon became clear that it had rained in every single pack territory in the lycanthrope. Specific areas were reported to have experienced even worse rainfall, and I hadn’t paid attention until those particular places were mentioned.
“What?” I exclaimed upon hearing that the Royal house and my pack were both mentioned. It didn’t make sense at first, but it brought back terrible memories I had of both palaces until I finally traced things back to George’s words:
“We’re talking about the sons of both Kings Lucas and Simon, who carry royal blood in their veins. These are their own flesh and blood. I’m convinced this rain has everything to do with them.”
If I wasn’t fully convinced before, this certainly confirmed that it had everything to do with the children and their birth. I couldn’t control my thoughts anymore, and all my worries returned, this time a hundredfold. What if Simon and Lucas decide to investigate the cause of the rain and discover the birth of our children? They have so much influence, far beyond what one could imagine, and if they find out about the children, it’s certain they would take my sons from me forcefully, leaving me broken and empty.
“No, I can’t let that happen! I already lost my daughter to the cold hands of death. Letting both my sons fall into the wicked hands of Simon and Lucas, with that witch living in their house, would be the same as giving my kids to death itself!” I muttered, looking at the peaceful faces of my sleeping sons.
We were already doing such an amazing job keeping my location, identity, and even my existence hidden from everyone associated with my past. However, if I had to lay down my life to prevent my children from falling into the hands of Simon and Lucas-their fathers-I would do it a million times over. I kept my fingers crossed, living my life with the new addition of my twin boys. Before I knew it, the years had flown by.
Six years later…
It almost felt like mere days, but really it had been six years that passed so quickly in my eyes. Every waking moment I spent watching my sons grow through the stages of childhood-from the time they couldn’t even sit on their own, to crawling, walking, talking, and finally running-it all felt surreal. Six years passed by quickly for me as a mother, but when it came to my work, legacy, and building a name for myself, it was a long, tumultuous, and transformative process.
I spent six long years learning new things, unlearning others, growing, smiling, crying, laboring, and much more. It was just six years later, but I could hardly recognize the woman I had once been. The fear, the uncertainty, the grief-they still lingered in the corners of my mind, but they no longer defined me. I had built a life that I never thought possible in those early days. The small, hidden life George and I had once shared had transformed into something much bigger, much brighter. I stood in the center of it all, a successful businesswoman, known throughout the kingdom not just for my work but for the way I had built myself up from the ashes.
The estate I now called home was a world away from the modest house we’d once lived in. It sprawled over acres of lush land, the gardens meticulously maintained, the halls filled with the sounds of life and laughter. My business had flourished beyond my wildest dreams. I had started small-just a few investments here and there, quiet trades no one paid attention to-but before long, I had amassed enough wealth and influence that I no longer had to hide.
But it wasn’t the success or the wealth that brought me the most joy. It was my boys. Luke and Simeon, they had grown into such remarkable children. Strong, curious, and so full of life. Every day, they reminded me why I had fought so hard to keep them safe. Watching them run through the gardens, their laughter filling the air, made every sacrifice worth it. I could never replace my daughter, but my sons had given me a purpose, a reason to move forward.
As I stood on the balcony of my estate, looking out at the horizon, I felt a strange sense of peace. For so long, I had been haunted by the fear that Simon and Lucas-their fathers-would one day come for them. I had spent years hiding, making sure no one could trace us back to the royal bloodline that ran through their veins. But now, I feel stronger. I had built an empire, one that even they would think twice about challenging.
Still, the thought of them lingered. What would happen if they ever learned the truth about their sons? I couldn’t shake the feeling that our safety was temporary, like a glass castle just waiting to shatter. But I pushed those thoughts aside for now. I had built something here-something strong. I had fought to give my boys the life they deserved, and I wasn’t going to let fear dictate my actions anymore.
“Mommy!” I heard Luke call from the garden below. I leaned over the railing and saw him waving up at me, his messy hair bouncing in the wind. Simeon stood next to him, looking up with a grin. “Come down mommy, we want to show you something!”
I smiled, my heart swelling with pride and love, but then again , they could be up to something mischievous again “and what exactly do you have for me boys?”
“Mom please just come down and find out yourself ” Luke responded and I shook my head as I laughed softly
“I’m sure this is another one of your pranks, so no” they both shook their head, pleading for me to come down as they insisted it wasn’t a prank after all
“Fine, I’ll be right down,” I finally agreed, and they smiled at each other coyly.
As I made my way downstairs, I thought of how far we had come. There was a time when I couldn’t have imagined this life-when every day felt like a battle just to survive. But now, I had something real, something tangible. My boys were happy, we were safe, and for the first time in years, I wasn’t constantly looking over my shoulder.
When I reached the garden, Luke and Simeon were standing by the small pond, their excitement palpable. “Look!” Luke exclaimed, pointing at the water. “We found a frog! And it’s huge!”
I laughed, kneeling down beside them. “That’s a good find,” I said, ruffling his hair. “But be gentle with it, okay?”
Simon nodded seriously. “We know, we just wanted to show you.”
Watching them, I felt a warmth spread through me. These were the moments I lived for now. The simple everyday joys of motherhood. No amount of success in business could compare to this. I had built a wonderful life for my sons, and I planned on building one even much better the more they would get older. A life where they could thrive without the suffocating shadows of a past hanging over them
But as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the garden, I couldn’t help but feel that our peace, though earned, was still fragile.
I had prepared for this moment, for the possibility that one day, Simon and Lucas-their fathers-might come looking for them. But despite my precautions, the thought gnawed at me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was looming, something inevitable. The rain all those years ago, the strange way the weather had shifted-it wasn’t just coincidence. There was a connection between my sons and the forces around them. I could feel it.
Still, I refused to let that fear rule me. Not anymore. I’d built a fortress of strength around us, and even if their fathers eventually discovered the truth, I wouldn’t give up without a fight. The Ashley of six years ago would have crumbled under that fear. But now, I am ready.