𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝟎𝟔

     "How come you aren't our mom," an eleven-year-old Nesta questions with genuine curiosity.

With a furrowed brows, "What do you mean, little one?"

"You take care of us, teach us, bathe us, play with us, read to us, and cuddle us when we have nightmares. But you aren't our momma?" Arya's heart breaks a little at Nesta's confusion and it breaks a little more when she reads in between the lines of what Nesta had said. How come our mom doesn't love and care for us as much as you?

"You didn't come from my tummy my little Nessie."

Nesta watches Arya's face in contemplation before replying, "Does that mean you'll love us less when you have your babe in your tummy?"

Arya crouches down to be at eye level with the curious child. With determination on her face and tenderness in her voice, she explains, "You, Elain, and Feyre will always be my little ones. I will not love you three any less if I have a babe in my tummy. I treat you like you are my children and nothing will change that. If you see me as your mom that's okay, if you see me as an older sister that's okay too."

Now it was Nesta's turn to furrow her eyebrows, "We see you as our mom, even Elain and babe Feyre agree."

"Then I can be that for you," Arya confirms.

"But is that weird? We already have a mom."

Arya pauses, knowing that this conversation was too mature for an eleven year old but the questions were warranted. She didn't want to overstep her position in this household, Elvina wasn't like her mom. Vera trusted and welcomed Amren's acting as Arya's second mom, they both loved her and only wanted the best for her.

Here, Elvina only saw Arya as a nanny and governess. The Lady Archeron didn't see her as a friend, confidant, or anything remotely close which makes this conversation with Nesta tricky. Arya didn't want to bad mouth Elvina but she also didn't want to lie to the little girl, though still a child, she deserved better than that.

"You can have two moms and that's okay. Did you know that I also had two moms growing up? They both loved me and took care of me."

"But it's only you who takes care of us," Nesta pouts.

"Your mom takes care of you in a different way. She shows her love differently than I do and that's okay too." Arya prayed to the mother that the girl would take her explanation and put the topic to rest.

"Yeah, I guess," the little girl pauses for a second before continuing, "Can I call you momma then?"

Arya chuckled lightly and tried to joke, "Maybe not when your mom is around. We don't want her thinking you're replacing her."

Nesta wasn't having it though, "When she's not around then?" she pushes.

"It's a deal, little one."

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

A year later, Feyre comes barging into Arya's room crying frantically and her words coming out a jumbled mess.

Arya calms Feyre down, guiding her to slow her breathing down before calmly asking what the problem was. "Mom is sick," she sobs out. Arya scoops her up in her arms, rubbing her back in comfort before heading to Elvina's chamber.

Elain looks up at her in horror, "Will she be alright?"

Arya forms a reassuring smile for the kids, "I still have to assess her to see what's wrong and then we'll take care of her." She then turns to the oldest, "Nes, take your sisters downstairs and stay with Ms.Lorna. And I'll come down to see you all in a bit okay?"