Normally when Children can't sleep at night and tell their mother to tell them stories, what kind of Story do they tell ? stories of brave knights slaying dragons or cautionary horrors about forest spirits that snatch away disobedient toddlers.

Unfortunately, I never had that experience. Instead, my bedtime stories were composed of the intricate, romanticized chronicles of my mother’s youth. Specifically, her friendship with my aunt and her whirlwind romance with my father.

In our noble society, there is a non-mandatory but deeply rooted tradition of lower noble families sending their daughters to serve in higher noble households for a few years.

Usually, the girl acts as a personal handmaiden to gain "experience." 

What kind of experience? I have got zero idea, though I suspect it’s mostly a crash course in high-society etiquette, networking, and surviving the subtle warfare of the drawing room.

Somehow a mere Daughter of a Baronet was chosen as the princess's Handmaiden and During her time at the palace.

She became inseparable friends with the Princess and eventually caught the eye of the Princess’s brother. The man who she later came to love, who became her future husband, who is the current king.... Or, at least that's how the story goes from what I have heard from my mother and aunt.

The man i have heard from her stories is nothing like the man, i have seen with my own eyes. So, i gotta dig more. I left the library with mary and went straight to Arbutus palace.

"Good Morning, Your highness" The head butler of Arbutus Palace, Sebas greeted us upon entering.

"ah, yes. Morning, Sebas. Do you know where mother is ?" i asked him.

"hmm.. Madam should be at the garden" Sebas replied respectfully.

"okay" I marched towards the garden with Mary following behind me.

We reached the garden and there she was. A maid stood near the vibrant bushes, keeping a watchful eye on a Beautiful woman, standing with a parasol.

The woman's back was turned toward me and she seems to observing something near the bushes of flowers. 'A rare butterfly maybe ?' 

She suddenly seems to realize something and looked back, Her amber colored eyes looked right into my eyes.

'Does she have an presence Detecting antenna or something ?' 

This is how it has always been. Even when i tried give sneaky jump scare, she always realize and when i ask her why, she says 'A mother can always feel her child'.

"Ty! You're here, Son" she said, her voice a melody of excitement tempered by maternal gentleness.

She is my mother, Elizabeth Von Regulus.

As I looked at her, I felt a strange, dual tug in my chest. Because my current existence is a fusion of two souls, I can experience my emotions from both a first-person and a third-person viewpoint.

It is a surreal sensation, the "Nick" part of me observes the "Tyler" part with detachment, and yet, that observation only makes me realize the depth of my love for my mother. Shedding those complex, useless thoughts for a moment, I walked toward her.

"I heard you were out here, Mother," I said, stopping beside her in the shade of the Arbutus trees.

"I was just watching this little one," she said, gesturing to a silver-winged butterfly.

"It’s been trying to decide between the roses and the lilies for five minutes. It reminds me of someone I know... someone who thinks far too much for such a small head."

She reached out and pinched my cheek playfully. At that moment, a ghost of a memory from Earth flickered across my mind.

‘A mother can often read her child's thoughts, Nick. Especially someone as easy to read as you, my dear stupid son.’

....I suddenly remembered a phrase Nick had heard from a certain someone. 'Guess, i am always stuck with doting mothers' I thought with a smile.

In a way, it was the one constant, that I was truly grateful for in both of my lives.

"Don't just stand there. Lets go take a seat" She suggested and whisper something in her maid, Hilda's ears. Hilda then whispered something to mary and mary went back to the palace.

I and mother went to the middle of the garden where chairs, table and the entire tea setup was prepared for us. we took seat. Mary came back with a cake, pastries and other deserts.

Both Tyler and childhood nick loved sweets. But once knowing How harmful sugar is and hearing how not consuming sugar can slow down aging, Nick started to avoid sugar entirely and ate almost no sugar or sweets for years. 

But as a Six year old kid, I can't seem to control my craving.

Hilda served tea to both of us and deserts to me.

"Go on, Ty," Elizabeth said, her eyes twinkling as she poured the tea. "I know you’ve been working hard at the library. You need the energy."

I looked at the cake. Then at my mother. Then back at the cake.

'Life is short' the voice of the dead Nick seem to whisper in the back of my head. 'And apparently, being a prince means you get the good stuff.'

​I picked up a small silver fork, my hands trembling slightly with anticipation. "Thank you, Mother."

As I took my first bite

'Delicious'

It was good but... I looked at my mother, 'Let’s just get to the point. With how sharp she is, I am sure she’s already caught on that I’m up to something. The more I linger, the more room she has to maneuver.'

I put down my fork and called out to her. "Mother" I picked up my tea cup.

"Yes?" She stopped sipping her tea, setting the porcelain down with a soft clink. She didn't look surprised; she gave her response with a knowing glance, her amber eyes shimmering with an unreadable amusement.

A short, heavy silence stretched between us. The birds in the garden continued their chatter, but under the gazebo, the air felt stagnant.

"The bedtime stories you used to tell me... Was my father really like that ?" I finally asked her.

Mother didn't flinch. Instead, she let out a dramatic gasp and faked an expression of utter betrayal. "Is my son doubting his mother’s word?"

She began rubbing her eyes, sniffing theatrically as if wiping away fake tears. "Is my son entering puberty so soon? Has he already outgrown his mother’s tales? But I am not ready to let you go yet... my heart is breaking!"

I look at her with a blank emotionless expression. I didn't blink, didn't smile, just stared at her "I am serious, mother"

"I am serious too, though," she replied instantly, her voice dropping the theatrical tone but her eyes remaining playful.

I stare at her and she stares back at me. We kept this staring contest for a full one minute until she finally broke it.

"Okay, okay! Jeez," she laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "You were so much more fun when you were younger, Ty. Where did my cute, gullible son go?"

"That cute young son has grown up" i replied.

"You are Still young, son" she took a tea sip "so ? What do you want to know ?"

I said in the most serious voice, i could "I want to know about Father"