When she walked out of the cave she had more or less adapted to her identity. Which was very strange. There was no sense of alienation when she looked at the three people busy by the stream considering she just met them today. 

Ayan rubbed her chest. It was as if she had always known them. 

The redhead boy is named Carmine, his temperament is quite naughty but sweet while the one with black hair just like his father is Raven. Raven is gentle and smart; he acts more like the eldest even though he came a minute late than his twin Carmine. 

As for their father, Clayton. Actually, Ayan felt ashamed for slandering him the first time. The poor guy has worked hard carrying three burdens during the escape plus curbing this kind of stubborn wife.

The proud son of a Grand Commander was reduced to this. Her eyes went to him secretly.

Wearing threadbare linen, an antique walking stick and rough coat. Weariness was etched in every contour of his body, however, his eyes remained firm. Like a man hanging on the precipice refusing to give up by tightly grasping the edge.

He is obviously tired, but he could not let go because if he does the other three lives hanging on to him will be dragged down to the abyss as well.  

He should be in the court leading rather than here struggling to clean some wild bird to feed his family. His achievements on the battlefield alone were enough to ensure a good retirement when he was injured. All these hardships, it was caused by her… 

In just a few words and a stroke of a pen, the proud family became a scourge that will bring the kingdom to perdition. 

Ayan felt her throat constrict.

"Mommy!" Carmine stood, patted his butt and ran to her like a cannonball. 

She sucked in her breath and tried to smile. "What do you have over there?"

"Daddy caught a grouse. We have meat tonight." 

"That's good," Ayan said softly. "You and Raven deserve it since you have been good babies." 

Carmine smiled, blushing. Mommy was willing to talk to him finally. 

"But daddy lost the flint yesterday." 

Clayton stopped his movements, Ayan felt his unusualness. Why? What happened? 

"Don't we have match sticks?" 

"Match-- what are those?"

She turned silent. Oh, she forgot. This is not the same as her old world. Though some things are the same as clothes, there are bound to be differences as well. 

"Wait here a moment." She hurriedly ran back to the cave and took out a ferro rod that got mixed up from the warehouse goods. She chose the one with a wooden handle to avoid suspicion. "Is this okay?"

She cautiously walked towards Clayton while holding out the fire starter about five inches long on her palm. 

Blue eyes looked at her intently. There was barely emotion in them, but at least the gaze was less hostile. 

Mom, this huge man intimidates her. 

"I'll go find some kindling." Ayan turned her back and fled gracefully.

Clayton looked at the 'flint' on his hand and frowned slightly. 

Ayan escaped his eyes as soon as possible and is now shrinking like a confused rabbit behind the foliage. She patted her throbbing chest and chided herself to be more stable.

Her task was to find something to eat to supplement their food, but looking around with all these giant leaves of every shade of green and yellow, her head felt fuzzy.

~sigh. 

Ayan extended her consciousness inside the fairy ring. Though the whole land is currently drowned in mist, the small orchard near the house is still clear. She hadn't paid much attention to this before. Seeing them teeming with ripe fruits, her sullen face stretched into a smile.  

The boys hadn't had much to eat since they ran away from home. Ayan noticed the cave only has two coarse blankets, a leather bag and a pot. That was all the things they have left and she doubts there are other supplies. 

Standing there spacing out, Ayan had a little problem on how to slowly bring the things she prepared.

A short while later she came back with a bunch of fruits, dried moss, grass and branches. Her instant husband was already done cleaning the grouse and skewered it with a sharpened stick. 

"Mommy, you're back!" Carmine raised his fluffy head when he heard the rustling behind. When he looked back, he saw his mother with a lot of finds and his eyes almost jumped out.

He trotted beside her to help carry her load. 

Ayan smiled at him and pinched his cheek. "Thank you. What were you doing?"

Carmine shyly looked at doodles he made and did not speak.  

They went to the front of the cave where the fire pit is located and arranged the kindling and firewood. The fruits were placed in a big leaf to be washed in the stream. 

"Mother, I'll go wash these," the sensible Raven said looking at the bunch of bananas and apples. 

She patted his head, then looked at Clayton. "You can rub the rod on the knife spine a few times to burn the moss and hay faster."

Clayton picked his cane and limped near her wordlessly. His height dwarfed her by several inches. She made a step back to give way when he was about to start the fire.  

"Uh, that… try not to touch too close to the rod. You might get burned."

"Okay." he said in a deep baritone voice. 

Nice voice. Ayan shivered involuntarily. 

As the sun disappeared in the west, the forest was dipped into an ink-like blackness. In a small corner, inside a cave, there was a faint glow from the fire and four heads can be seen sitting near it.

"I would like to apologize for what I did before," Ayan started awkwardly. "I know I was insensitive and wasn't sensible enough to consider our situation. But from here on, I will try to change."

The twins looked at her in disbelief. 

"I, I promise not to act rashly again." 

Clayton did not speak. He had been observing her, from the moment he returned from the capital until they fled here. She was making a racket of wanting to return to her family when she found out that the Diviner revealed an oracle against the Elford House. 

She cried for days and finally got herself ill.

Right now she had more or less calmed down. The change on the other hand was beyond his expectations. The troublesome woman admitted her fault? 

"I know… it's hard to believe," she said quietly. "There was no excuse for my behaviour. After some thought I realized a few things; our life may not return to the way it was before, but as long as we have each other it doesn't matter even if we live simply."  

Clayton played with the fire steel in his hand. His eyes lowered to it and the faint firelight didn't reveal much of his current expression. 

"You have one last chance," he said.   

"I'll do my best!" 

As long as he was open to forgiving, that was more than enough to Ayan. She knew her other self was headstrong and extravagant, but she was not a monster. She did not abuse or hurt her children even though she rarely talked to them. It can be seen by Carmine's dependence on her and Raven's worried eyes that she never crossed the line.

A person who treats a child harshly, even if it is their mother, there will be signs of repulsion, anxiety and fear. She doesn't see any of that from the kids. It was a good sign that they are still hopeful about their mother.

Ayan vowed silently to pick up the mantle and care for them to the best of her ability.