Under a Dimmed Sun [UNCENSORED]

SII: Chapter L: A Promise Kept

After the flurry of the banquet weeks finally subsided, Albert and Alice found themselves preparing to return home. The journey back was a quiet one, with Alice maintaining a stoic silence since their passionate encounter. The tension between them was palpable, and Albert could feel the weight of the unspoken words hanging heavily in the air. He tried to reach out to her, to bridge the growing gap between them, but her silence remained unwavering. Though she spoke, it was in a distant and detached manner, avoiding any real emotional connection with Albert. The usual warmth and openness that were characteristic of her had vanished, leaving only a cold and guarded exterior in its place.

After their long journey with horses and carriages, Alice and Albert finally arrived back home. Sir Richaud and Madam Mohn were waiting in the estate's grand foyer when Alice and Albert arrived home from their travels at Navarre Court. They began to recount the details of their business dealings at the court. They discussed the various trade agreements they heard, the important merchants and officials they had met with, and the challenges they heard in the political landscape of the Navarre court. Their detailed report impressed Sir Richaud and Madam Mohn, who complimented their thoroughness and efficiency in handling affairs on behalf of the estate.

After they had concluded their report to Sir Richaud and Madam Mohn, Alice quickly excused herself and rushed upstairs to Cateline's room. There she met her daughter, Isabel, at eight months old, had grown into a beautiful child with her mother's gentle eyes and Peter's soft brunette hair.

Cateline, her trusted friend, and the wet nurse were present in the room, each carrying out their duties to care for little Isabel. Cateline greeted Alice with a warm smile, while the wet nurse held Isabel in her arms, feeding her a cup of creamy milk. As Alice cradled Isabel in her arms, the nurse explained that Isabel had been well-behaved and had recently started trying soft solids such as mashed fruits.

As Alice held her beautiful daughter in her arms, she couldn't help but notice how Isabel resembled her former love, Peter of Wode. The child's button nose and round cheeks were a spitting image of her father's, and Alice's heart ached as she was reminded of the man she had once loved so deeply. Though time had passed and she had built a new life with House of Mohn, a part of her heart still longed for Peter and the life they could have had together.

Alice was well aware that she needed to keep the identity of Isabel's true father a secret in order to provide her daughter with a good life as a Mohn. She knew that a bastard child born out of wedlock could suffer immensely in the conservative society they lived in, facing discrimination and prejudice from birth. And so, Alice resolved to never reveal the truth of Isabel's parentage, no matter what. She would carry the secret with her to the grave.

On top of the social stigma and prejudice that a bastard child faced, another major reason Alice had to keep Isabel's true parentage a secret was because of the practicalities of her own situation. As someone without any title or wealth of her own, she relied heavily on the support and financial security provided by the Mohn family. And so, keeping the secret was not just a matter of protecting Isabel, but also a matter of self-preservation and survival.

As she carried Isabel back to her own room, Alice took the time to express her gratitude to Cateline and the wetnurse for taking care of her daughter in her absence. She thanked them both profusely for their hard work and dedication, expressing her relief that her daughter had been well looked after during her time away. Cateline and the wetnurse both smiled at the praise, knowing that their efforts had been appreciated by the young mother.

...

In her cozy chamber, Alice sat by the bed, watching her little daughter sleep peacefully after she had breastfed her. She could not help but feel a deep love and adoration for the tiny bundle in front of her, and she stayed there for hours, simply watching her baby and reveling in the joy that motherhood had brought to her life.