I Am The Evil Duchess

V

"This way My Lady."

I followed behind the guy who took Calix in an orphanage. I clutch the brown robe around me.

"Please wait here, I will get the child." I nodded. After a few moments, the door opened and the man who came out to get Calix returned with a child behind him.

A child with ash hair and an indigo colored eyes, he's wearing a white rugged shirt and a messed up pants. I stand up and walk towards him. The child seems to be cautious towards me so I didn't fully closed the gap between us.

"Hello, do you know me?" I asked.

"T-The..." He stutter.

"The?"

"The grimreaper?"

Gah!? The what?

Only then I remembered my hood, I look ominous with this on so I think that is the reason why he said that. I giggled.

"Take us in the garden." I commanded the man, he nodded and we followed him in the garden. I told the man to give us some privacy which he did and went away.

I turn towards the child and gently bent down. He take a step backwards. I took off the hood and smiled at him.

"Wow, a goddess." He muttered but I heard him.

"Starting today, I will be Calix's mother, is that alright?" I asked.

"M-My mother?" I nodded still smiling warmly at him.

"A-Are you going to beat me up like my previous mothers do?"

I felt a chill after he said that. What?

"N-No, I would never."

"Liar, one after another, all those people also said that, but in the end they will beat me up while smiling."

I can see the sadness in his eyes. I can't take it anymore. I hugged him, I feel his small body against mine, he's so thin. He doesn't look like a 4 years old.

"I won't. I won't be like those people you mention. I will be the only mother you will have who will give anything you wanted. I will be a mother who will put you to sleep after reading you a book, a mother who will cheer you during your lessons, a mother you will remember because she's been good to you."

I pull away and saw his tiny body shaking, I wipe away his tears.

"So, can you give me a chance to prove myself? To prove to you that I am better than those people who have abused you?"

He nodded and jumped on me, I hugged him and carried him.

After a few minutes I found him sleeping soundly.

Regan have been eyeing Calix the time he was 3 years old, it was when a lead told him that he might be the first Empress' lost son.

Empress Teyla, the current Empress is Regan's Aunt. She was the first Empress' lady in waiting, but when the Empress killed herself, Regan's Aunt was the one who's hurt by the news. Things go on and the Emperor fell for her.

The first Empress is the only daughter in Astaseul, Allesio's Aunt. She were arranged to marry the Emperor, a marriage of convenience, a political marriage. So I am thinking that she's not happy because the Emperor doesn't love her. Plus, when she lost her child. That may have caused her to take her own life, probably because she's been hurt too much.

Carrying the child while walking towards the carriage, Jennie was shocked when she saw me carrying a child, she offered to take him but I refused.

This child, I want to take good care of him. Even if it's for only a month or two. I want him to know that there's nothing to be afraid of.

We stopped at the Eldenbourg's, I told my sister that I will introduce her to Calix, and it looks like she's happy by the looks of it.

"Oh my? Is that the child?!" She quietly squeal, afraid to wake up the sleeping child and stepped closer to me.

"His hair is lovely, it looks like the first princess' hair."

I sighed and looked at her.

"Sister, I want you to keep this a secret." She looked at me with her sparkling emerald eyes.

"This child, is precious. He's been through a lot, I want you to be soft with him. Can I expect that from you?"

"Of course, this is a child that my beloved sister chose as her heir. And I also want my unborn child to have an older brother figure, even if she's/he's the first born on Eldenbourg." I smiled.

"And, this child." I said and caress Calix's hair. "Is a royalty." My sister's smile faded. "Pardon? I must've heard wrong?" I chuckled.

"You did not."

"Then this child is...!"

"Yes, he is the first Empress' lost son."

Her eyes sparkles and it looks like she's pitying Calix. "Then when must we return him with his older sister?"

The first princess, Princess Calixia is the child that the Empress had with the Emperor, although princesses appears to be useless in the imperial family. She's bound to be married off when she turns of right age.

"I don't think it's going to happen. As you know, if Grand Duke Alessio gets ahold of this child, he will use him to get the throne. Right now, it's good if the child will come to like Bizeviron duchy."

My sister nodded and strokes Calix's hair. Sooner, I saw the child's eyelashes flutter and then his eyes opened.

"Mother?"

Something in my heart jumped when I heard him call me.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

He smiled and snuggles into the crook of my neck. "Who is she?" He asked and pointed at my smiling sister.

"She is my sister, for now, you will have to live with her okay?" He pouted and then looked at me. "Why? I thought you'd be my mother, then you'd be my family, so why must I stay with Aunt?"

I hugged him tightly.

"It's because, I need to take care of some things so I can take you sooner in my home. For the mean time, I will give you a task, you must take care of Aunt okay?"

"Why?"

"Just look at that belly of hers." I pointed at my sister's huge belly.

"Aunt looks like she swallowed a whole watermelon." Me and my sister giggles.

"Your Aunt is pregnant, it means that soon, you will have a cousin."

"A cousin...." He muttered, his indigo eyes sparkled under the sun, it looks so beautiful.

He went down from me and approach my sister, he rubbed her huge belly and said.

"Grow up healthy, when you are born, I will protect you from the boys."

I was speechless, indeed, my sister's first child is a girl, but how did he know?

"How can you say that my child will be a girl, darling?" My sister asked affectionately.

"I don't know, I just felt that it's a girl when it's born. And I felt irritated just now for some reason when a picture of a girl that looks like Aunt being surrounded by noblemen."