“Shall we go now?” Aldwynne asked. He extended his hand to Arianne. The two were about to leave for the Imperial Palace—Aldwynne for his routine council meeting, while Arianne tagged along to visit the Imperial Library. It was a promise he had made to her in the garden back then.

“Mother! Father!” The twins’ voices echoed down the hallway, halting their parents in their tracks. Aldwynne and Arianne turned around. They exchanged a confused glance as the twins ran toward them.

“Careful, you’ll fall if you run like that,” Arianne said, gently placing her hands on the twins’ shoulders when they stopped right in front of them. “What is it, dear?” She asked, carefully crouching down so that her eyes met theirs despite how heavy her dress was—she had to dress up even more than usual for their visit to the Imperial Palace. It was a habit that went against etiquette. Aldwynne once questioned it, not to interrogate her but purely out of curiosity. He had been taught to uphold etiquette, even amongst family members. He knew that the other nobles were taught the same thing, including the Primwells. Yet, Arianne, the youngest of the Primwells seemed to have a whole different view.

“Mother, Father? Do you really have to go?” Jaydenn asked.

“We do.” It was not Arianne who answered the eldest, but Aldwynne. “Do you need us for something, Jaydenn?”

“Can’t Mother stay with us, Father?” Jaydenn glanced up at his father. There was a slight hesitation in his voice. Jaylenn stayed silent beside his older twin, his hands clasped together. It was clear that the two shared the same request.

The request surprised both Aldwynne and Arianne. The two exchanged a glance, confusion clearly written on their faces. It was the first time the twins made such a request. Even though they were not strict with them, the twins never demanded things unreasonably. They might complain, especially Jaydenn, but they certainly were not spoiled kids. So, they might have had their reasons for asking Arianne to stay.

“Dear, what’s your reason?” Arianne asked, clearly flustered at the twins’ request.

The twins’ eyes darted around, refusing to look at their parents. Their small hands reached for Arianne’s dress, gripping the fabric as if to keep her from leaving with all their might. Aldwynne immediately understood what they meant. The twins were anxious. The previous visit to the Imperial Palace had fueled that anxiety. They were afraid, afraid that Arianne would not wake up for days—or worse, that she might even suddenly leave them. It was not an unreasonable demand.

And that made Aldwynne’s guilt return.

It was not like the guilt had faded in the first place. He was simply clever enough to tuck it away in the corner of his mind without revisiting it even once. Yet this time, the guilt came knocking without warning, as if it was protesting the abandonment he had once chosen.

“Do you want to come with us, then?” Aldwynne asked spontaneously. If the Aldwynne in the past witnessed what he had become, he would probably frown in disagreement. He was not one to bend his plans for others, yet ever since he married Arianne and had the twins, he found himself be more accommodating to others. The emperor even once told him that he had mellowed out, although Aldwynne merely stared blankly, it was clear that he did not share the sentiment.

The twins looked at each other. Their eyes widened, a clear sign of surprise apparent in their faces. Arianne was equally surprised, too. “Are you sure it’d be okay to bring the children to the Imperial Palace?” she asked. Her hazel eyes flickered to Aldwynne’s amethyst.

“I am,” Aldwynne answered shortly. He did not offer any explanation as to why he suggested to bring the children, which confused Arianne even more.

“Why? Because they wanted us to not leave?” Arianne asked.

Before Aldwynne could answer, the twins’ voice rang in barrage of questions. They seemed to have finished processing their father’s proposal.

“Really? Father, really? We can follow you both to the Imperial Palace?” Jaydenn asked. His voice beamed with excitement.

“Are you sure, Father?” Jaylenn followed. Although he appeared calmer, those who knew him close would not miss the layer of excitement hidden underneath.

“Just make sure to stick with your mother and don’t go around causing trouble. Both of you can do that, right?” Aldwynne leaned down to the twins, patting their heads gently. “Now, go and ask the maids to get you ready if you agree to go. We won’t delay our departure any longer.”

“Okaay!!” The twins responded. The two then scrambled on their feet to go to their rooms, leaving their parents behind.

Arianne was bewildered. She took Aldwynne’s offered hand to help her get up, brushing the dust on her skirt. “Are you really sure about this, Aldwynne? I found it odd enough that you agreed to let me follow you, yet now you even asked the children to join us as well,” Arianne remarked curiously. “Why? Aren’t they still too young to be exposed to the palace?”

“Is there any reason why we should leave the children behind?” Aldwynne asked, smoothly evading the question. “I also followed my father to the palace when I was young. It will be a good learning experience for them too. They also won’t wander around as they’d be following you.”

Arianne nodded hesitantly. She still was not fully convinced by the answer Aldwynne gave, for she sensed he was holding back his answer despite how reasonable it sounded. Yet, she did not press further.

“You don’t need to worry,” Aldwynne reassured, having sensed Arianne’s hesitation. “I’ll make sure their visit to the palace won’t bring any political interpretations.”

“Alright…” In the end, Arianne gave in. The two then waited for the twins before they boarded the carriage. The visit somehow had turned into a family trip—although labeling it as a trip was a rather casual way of addressing it.