Chapter Seven
_ How will I endure the pain of this distance?!...
"Nela Harvey, choose a way for your death."
There was the usual cold look on Elion's face, which made Nela sigh softly..
"Did you dismiss Damian from here just to threaten me with death?!"
"No.."
"Your Grace the Grand Duke.. as long as I have been clear, please be clear with me.."
"How do you have such audacity?!"
"Because I am not guilty."
There was obvious astonishment on Elion's face; he had always thought this girl was crazy, but now he was truly certain.. so he spoke with a sarcastic expression:
"Then do you want me to reward you?!"
"I do not doubt the Archduke's generosity.."
She was speaking with a steady expression and defiant, stubborn eyes. He understood now why the child was like that, but he looked at her coldly and leaned his hand against his face:
"Shouldn't you first think of your punishment... Nela Harvey?"
"I will accept any punishment the Grand Duke imposes on me, but I will demand my reward..."
"And what is it that you want?!"
"Damian.."
"...?!"
"I want to remain close to him.."
Elion raised his eyebrow mockingly, then spoke nonchalantly:
"Let's see..."
Nela looked at him in confusion, and before she could utter a word, the bell rang for Hans to enter. Despite his outward calm, there was an anticipation within him for this woman's fate..
"You summoned me, Your Grace.."
Elion looked at Nela with strange glances, then looked at Hans and said:
"Transfer Nela Harvey... to the South Tower."
Elion had paused briefly before announcing the destination, and when he uttered the words 'South Tower', Hans's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and said:
"I follow Your Grace's orders..."
Elion looked at Nela for a moment and almost said something, but he withdrew and finally returned his gaze to a file in front of him..
* * *
"Did you see?!"
"I didn't recognize them for a moment..."
"Why do you think she hid the young prince?!"
"Perhaps her goal was the Archduke from the beginning..."
She was standing by the door and had heard the excited and curious gossip, so she entered with total arrogance, tossing her short golden hair haughtily....
"But she will certainly be punished, how dare she face the Grand Duke.."
"If you want to attract a man who has a child, you must make his child love you... and what of you all, when the child is so deeply attached to her.."
She felt that they were convinced by her words, but that did not diminish her rage toward the woman who had returned and seemed to be planning something. She tightened her hidden fist beneath her, so as not to show her effect on her...
'Nela Harvey... how I hate you...'
* * *
He had been directed to his room and was not satisfied at all. He looked at the large room, which was several times larger than their country house, but he also felt no desire even to look at the dazzling room.. He just sat on the comfortable bed, shaking his feet in waiting..
"Shall I bring something for you to eat... young master?!"
Amanda was trying to start a conversation with the child, who had not uttered a word throughout the way from the office on the first floor to his room on the third floor... but her attempt failed when he shook his head in refusal..
Amanda sighed and looked at the child, who was silent with sad and anxious features. After long minutes, he spoke in a worried tone...
"When will I see my mother?!"
"The Archduchess... has pas—"
"I don't mean her, I mean my own mother... my mother Nela Harvey."
Amanda swallowed hard in astonishment. She had expected that Nela had deceived the child with many lies, as word had reached her that she was living under a fake identity named Lucia Pons, but the child knew her identity. Not only that, but there was a sense of possession and pride in the child's words...
'She didn't seem like a person of tenderness or motherhood...'
"I cannot know when you will meet her, as I have no orders for anything currently..."
"The Archduke must let me see my mother.."
"He is not called the Archduke... the young master should call him father.."
"I don't care, I want to see my mother..."
He turned away and kept shaking his legs in boredom. He knew his mother would scold him, as shaking legs is an annoying thing and a sign of weakness, but he preferred her scolding... He had felt an ominous feeling when his mother cried 그 day; he had pretended to sleep, even though he wanted to hug his mother as she does when he cries... He knew that his mother loved him very much, but he recognized his mother's constant anxiety that he would leave her hands... When he learned of the matter on his seventh birthday, he remained a whole day without talking to his mother and had seen that same expression.. the fear of being away... He also did not want his mother to leave him, so he returned to her because he would not find a mother who loved him as much as she did; she would sacrifice everything for him...
Knock knock knock!!!
Finally, there was a knock on the door, and Damian looked expectantly at the door... but the one who opened the door was Victor Hans, who bowed to Damian and then spoke to Amanda in a sort of whisper..
"Nela Harvey has been imprisoned.."
"It's expected, most think she might be executed.."
"I don't think she will be executed, she has been transferred to the South Tower.."
"The South Tower?! Why?!"
"I don't know either..."
As they were whispering, Damian looked at them calmly; he is a De Walter after all, distinguished by sharp senses.. and he heard the entire conversation. He felt a lump in his heart and said in a sharp, loud tone:
"What will happen to my mother?!"
Both hesitated to answer, then Victor said in a formal, cold manner:
"She will be imprisoned for now in the South Tower..."
"My mother is not a criminal..."
"The South Tower is not where criminals are imprisoned, but rather a place of detention for noble individuals..."
"Will my mother be okay?!"
"She will be fine... so the young master must rest."
Victor felt truly surprised; Nela was more connected to the child than his family. She seemed more sad than afraid of a fate of death if the Archduke decided so...
* * *
Several days had passed since Damian's arrival at De Walter Castle... He had gone on a hunger strike and hadn't spoken a single word to anyone except the words "I want my mother" when he saw Amanda or Victor Hans...
The servants were in a state of tension; if the Archduke found out, he would accuse them of negligence. Then Hans had thought that the young master's lessons as the successor of De Walter should begin... but with the situation continuing for the fourth day in a row, he felt the crisis and decided to open a dialogue with his young master...
Knock knock knock!!!
When he opened the door, he saw an innocent face with indignant looks, but he decided to proceed. After centering himself in Damian's room, which was surprisingly clean despite Damian not allowing the servants to enter, an idea came to him, but he continued and said in a formal tone:
"Young master, your lessons will start tomorrow.."
"..."
He didn't answer with a word, but his piercing looks were enough of a response. He swallowed and smiled deviously:
"Let's make a deal, young master, but without His Grace's knowledge..."
"..."
Damian's features relaxed slightly, and it was clear that he was capable of listening to him, and even becoming obedient as well...
Hans knelt on his knees and met his little master's eyes and said with a gentle smile:
"If you behave well... I will allow you to leave the room, and I will even allow you to play in the southern garden of the castle.."
Victor winked at Damian, meaning 'what do you think?!' ... Damian clenched his small fists and said:
"Mr. Assistant... my mother will be sad if she hears that I misbehaved... please don't tell her..."
Victor Hans wanted to reply and say no one has the right to do that, but he retreated... and said:
"I promise you, little master, I won't tell anyone..."
"In fact, I had decided to behave well; I don't want anyone to criticize my mother's upbringing of me... I am her strong child..."
Hans felt that his young master was suppressing his tears. How could a child who lived in the care of a mother who looked after him accept her being taken from him...
"Young master... it will be a secret promise between us, I will try to let you see her... I swear to you."
"Really!!"
Damian looked with sparkling eyes into Hans's face and smiled with a bright face... As for Hans, he was in a state of astonishment; he had never seen the child smile since his arrival, and seeing this smile was a privilege, so he extended his pinky to confirm the promise... In truth, the Archduke's orders were somewhat ambiguous...
'Detain Nela Harvey... he did not issue an order preventing the young master from seeing her... the Archduke's anger is terrifying... but I can never break a promise.. ever..'
"Young master, you must eat your food now..."
Damian nodded his head with a smile, and Hans left the room and found Amanda in front of him, who had obviously heard everything. He smiled at her indicating that he had no choice... she nodded to him in understanding. As soon as he left, she gripped the food tray tightly and entered the room. When she saw her little master sitting on the bed reading a book boredly, she put on her gentle smile and said to him:
"I hope you will eat the food.."
Damian put the book down, got off the bed, and headed to the table. Calmly, he sat and took the cutlery, and before he put the food in his mouth...
"I'm sorry... I put Amanda in trouble."
"Young master... this is my job..."
Damian shook his head in refusal and said with a cute pout:
"My mother told me that Amanda was very kind to her and used to take care of me when I was much younger.. I will certainly be scolded a lot by my mother for misbehaving with you.."
Amanda looked at Damian with a complex feeling and said with a gentle smile:
"I am not annoyed with the young master at all.."
"Good.."
And he began eating with a bright face; indeed, he was very hungry. When he had eaten a reasonable amount of it, he said with a pout:
"Did my mother eat?!.."
"Certainly... she will not remain without food..."
"Then I must do my best to be like my mother... for my mother says I must eat to stay strong..."
Amanda looked at Damian with a sense of guilt. She had told him that Nela was eating and didn't care, perhaps so the child would think negatively of her, but the child who loved his mother didn't think ill of her...
She had heard that Nela hadn't touched her food at all, but was in a silent state just like this child...
* * *
"Do you think if you go on a hunger strike you will get out of here..."
"..."
It was a semi-luxurious room with a comfortable bed, high-quality furniture, a dining table, a small library, and a medium-sized window. It was a somewhat luxurious prison... She looked at her with cold eyes and didn't answer with a word, then returned to looking at the window in the room. The blonde tightened her grip and looked at her silent colleague with concern and said in a sharp tone and a moderate voice, but she could not hide the tone of hatred in it:
"Even if you die of hunger, no one will care about you... do not try in vain... Nela Harvey"
Nela looked at her, then sighed in boredom and said in a hollow voice without any tone:
"Lina... why did you take the task of delivering my food?! ... Do you wish to poison me?"
The other maid gasped and looked at Lina, while steam rose from Lina's head from the intensity of her rage, and she said in a loud tone:
"You!!..."
"You insist on me eating, are you afraid of something?!..."
Nela interrupted her coldly with sleepy eyes. She looked at the maid who was with her, then looked at her with a faint but provocative smile...
"I'll show you, Nela Harvey... you are trying in vain.."
She pulled the tray and began eating everything in it silently. She almost vomited from the food, for she had put a lot of salt, sugar, and spices in the wrong places, just to annoy Nela...
"Do you see now?!"
Lina was trying not to show her disgust with the food and faced Nela angrily, but it was Nela who stood up and approached Lina and said with a sharp whisper in her ear:
"I will let it pass by my own will, but if this happens again... your eyes will never see the light again... Lina Franz"
Nela's momentum was intense, which made Lina—who was taller than Nela and had a more beautifully full body—tremble...
Nela looked at the other maid and said with a gentle and elegant smile:
"Lina ate my portion... would you please bring me other food? I would prefer light food full of vegetables..."
The maid bowed unconsciously to Nela and left quickly, while Nela looked at Lina with a raised eyebrow as if asking her 'why are you still here?!' ... so Lina left in a huff..
As soon as Lina left, Nela returned to standing by the high window overlooking the sparkling lake surrounded by all kinds of flowers. This garden had not received proper care despite its beauty, and the reason was that it was very far from the center of the Marquis's castle..
Nela looked at the food crumbs that fell on the floor and cleaned them quietly. At first, she was refraining from food due to her lack of appetite for it, and although her appetite was still non-existent, she needed food to stay strong until she had the opportunity to see her dear child. And when she decided yesterday to eat some, she was surprised by the pungent and strange smells from it. She was not an expert, but she realized that the food had been tampered with; there was someone annoying her... and it was none other than Lina, who harbored these bad feelings for her and had a childish mind to act in this way...
'This girl will not miss any chance to annoy me... what is the reason?!'
She sighed and returned to forgetting about Lina and returned to thinking about her sweet child, whom she hadn't seen for a long time... Since the birth of this child, she hadn't been apart from him for more than a few hours, even during her service in this castle; she was beside him and saw him always... She gripped her heart in pain and looked at the necklace she had made him take off the day they arrived at De Walter Castle.. It was the remaining trace of the last moment with her child... Nela sat curled up next to the bed looking at the window, then lowered her head and allowed herself to cry again... for it had become a habit that accompanied her since her arrival at this castle... After thinking about Damian, her overwhelming desire to cry begins as she hugs herself tightly..
"How will I endure the pain of this distance?!..."
Nela was immersed in her sadness and did not realize the eyes that saw her...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . To be continued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .