Surviving As A Cannon Fodder

CHAPTER 21

Maria Ashford had never felt entertained in her life. She became the commander of the Eagle Knights at the age of twenty-one. It was this unit that overthrew the enemy soldiers in the Calvan war against the invaders and turned the tide of the war. It was only after meeting her husband Reginald, former head mage of the magic tower, that spring had come to her barren life.

Reginald had a shy and clumsy temperament, the kind that Maria found troublesome and avoided the most. They were polar opposites by nature.

But as the saying goes, love can blossom between the most unexpected people.

Reginald and Maria married shortly after they started dating. And one year later they had a son, Lorenz whom they cherished.

Maria had retired after her husband's death and moved to the fief to spend time with her family. Ever since then she had been overlooking the territory governed by her only son.

Maria spent her days in gray the way her life had been before meeting Reginald. That was the case until the youngest child of the Ashford house was born.

At first glance, Angelica looked like a mini version of Maria. She was an active child stirring up trouble everywhere she went. Whether it was scaring her brother out of nowhere, exploding stuff, or helping the servants of the house. There was never a day without new surprises.

As always there she was looking at her granddaughter trying to get out of the new mess she had made by playing cute. The little girl had her parents wrapped around her finger in a matter of seconds. She was trying to escape disciplinary studies again by gaining pity from her parents. But this time Maria was not going to let that happen.

"No" Maria said looking at her granddaughter.

"What do you mean no mother?" asked Lorenz staring at Maria confused.

"No. She can't escape punishment again" Maria narrowed her eyes at her granddaughter, who was looking at her with teary eyes.

No matter how long Angelica persists in her tactics to convince Maria, it will not work for her.

"You need to own up to your mistakes and learn from them"

Angelica's jaw dropped at Maria's words. She did not see that coming.

"After your punishment is over I will take you to the mountain with me" Maria added with a small smile on her face.

After a long time, spring had come back to her life.

Meanwhile inside Angelica's head,

'What did grandma just say? Own up to my mistakes? The mistake I ever made was being a genius?... Wait wait hold your horses what did she just SAY?'

But when Angelica heard that Maria was taking her to the mountain, she heard explosives go off inside her head. This was because taking Maria taking Angelica to the mountain equaled one-on-one training without any distractions.

"It is too early for that mother" Rosaline disagreed and took her daughter in her arms.

'Wha... No! don't say that to her!' Angelica exclaimed in silence, as could not go against her mother's definitive words.

"There is no such as too early to do anything, Rosaline. Why don't we leave the decision to the person herself"

Three sets of eyes turned towards Angelica when she was in the middle of panicking. If she were to let go of this opportunity she knew it would take a very long time for her grandmother to offer again.

"But mother...." Angelica pleaded placing a hand on Rosaline's cheek,

"I want to learn from grandma. I want to get stronger so I can protect our family"

"But I don't want to see you get hurt baby"

Worried, Rosaline covered Angelica's small hand with hers. The last thing she wanted was for her children to be hurt when they were separated from her however small the duration may be.

"Can't I?" Angelica requested, her eyes glistening with tears at her anxious parents.

Unable to win against his lovable daughter, Lorenz was the first to break as he hugged Angelica with Rosaline following suit.

"Whatever you wish for Angelica

"Yes. Whatever you wish"

'Easy peasy lemon squeezy. He he' Angelica winked at Maria, making her triumphant victory.