Luckily, the king´s investigation about the stolen crown didn´t go in the right direction. Nobody suspected Mary at all, and as quite a few nobles retrieved their precious items after his crown was stolen, everyone of them could have done that as well.

Naturally, they also investigated how the crown of thorns could be stolen without its aura ever appearing, but didn´t get that far either as all the professor died in an unfortunate blast, taking all his research with him. We disguised it as a student uprising, which it really was to be honest. It was a few honest students who delivered an explosive substance into the faculty and a few others who set everything on fire.

Well, I was sure there was still some knowledge about what he researched out there, but the investigators were far away from finding the link anyway. And thus, I really had nothing to worry about as I spent every single second with Mary.

It was a beautiful time.

We played so many different board games and for once, I actually didn´t take them too seriously, enabling her to win about 49% of the games we played … I still won overall though. We also ate the best food there was, which was naturally done by me alone. It was nice not to be busy the whole time. I didn´t need to run around beheading people anymore and as I bid my farewell to those in the orphanage early, I had so much time during the day. Mary also didn´t do much paperwork during the day and those that she did, was mostly for my wedding. There was much to organize, but luckily, the king had a sheer endless amount of personnel to his disposal, which was the sole reason we could relax most of the day.

At night, I used her as my pillow … or did she use me as her blanket? I seriously couldn’t tell after some time who of us enjoyed this more. But I did enjoy it. And I knew I would miss her warmth, her life beating in her chest in particular.

On exactly one day before my wedding after trying on this horrible dress, Mary and I met in the study and had a rather serious conversation.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the orphanage one last time?” She asked concerned. And I really wanted to, but I stopped myself each time I even thought about it. It would only bring these kids more pain.

“The more I meet them now, the harder it will be to let go. And I want to spend as much time as possible with you, mum.” I explained and laid down on the sofa.

“I see.” She answered and pushed the letter she was writing away from her, focusing solely on me.

“And now that you started it, let’s talk about another important matter for me. What about your future?” I asked.

“I´m going to be fine.” She said, but even then, I was still incredibly worried about her.

“Mum, first of all, you will be alone. And I don’t want that.” I explained.

“Lucinda, I can take care of myself.” She said truculently.

“I don’t doubt that one second … but I don’t want you to be stuck in the past.” I said bitterly. I wasn’t entirely sure she could bear losing me at this point. Heck, I was pretty sure that I could only let go of her because I knew I would see her again and while she knew as well, it must be quite painful for her nonetheless.

“Honey, I will not forgive you if you ask a god or a dschinn to make me forget you.” She said, which was exactly not what I wanted. I didn´t want her to forget, I couldn’t bear doing such a thing. Still, I looked at the icy doggo statue in the corner of the room for quite some time before I answered.

“That’s not what I want either. But I don’t want you to waste your life in solitude because of me.” I told her bitterly.

“I hereby promise that I will find happiness, with, and without you. Leave the future to me, my dear.” Her promise was enough for me. I couldn’t help her anyway. Hannah was in the elven forest, and Tom … well, I certainly didn´t want him to support Mary in a way she would definitely dislike.

And so, there was only the choice of leaving her on her own, as bad as it sounded.

“Honey, let´s go to bed, shall we?” She said, and I nodded happily, knowing I had a great time ahead. But it would also be possibly my last time with her for a very long time, making laying on top of her a great, but also painful experience. Nesting my head at her shoulder I listened to every sound she made as she slept. Her slow breathing, her gentle heartbeat, the sounds whenever she tried to move in her sleep, simply everything.

Just so that I would never forget her. How she was in this life, a gentle person without any desire to hurt someone. She was the complete opposite of me, and yet, I still loved her, more than anything else in this world, more than all the children in the orphanage.

I loved her, even though she was not a child, for a single reason: She was my mother and she would always be.