“Jaylenn, look! The streets are bustling!” Jaydenn exclaimed as he looked out the window of the carriage. They had just made their way to the busy streets in the royal city, finding rows of various stores bustling with customers.

“I know,” Jaylenn responded curtly. Despite his short answer, he held equal excitement just as his older twin had.

“It’s impressive! We got to leave the manor!” the eldest blurted out. Eyes never leaving the sight outside the window.

Their excitement made Arianne feel guilty for ever hesitating to let them follow their visit. Indeed, Aldwynne had been right to let them join. That was the part where she thought the two of them complemented each other as parents. They balanced each other, did they not? The twins should not grow up too sheltered, nor should they grow up under strict pressure.

Speaking of Aldwynne…

Arianne glanced at the man sitting across from her, finding him smiling as they watched the twins’ excitement. The sight dazed her for a brief moment. He rarely showed a smile that one could see without squinting their eyes. She did not get it.

Why did he act differently than he usually did?

Her mind kept repeating the question, yet no matter how hard she asked herself, she could not come to a conclusive answer. Did something happen when she collapsed? They never brought it up in the first place. They just went on with their lives as usual, as if she was just sleeping. Although she had to admit that Aldwynne had been more attentive to their little family than he usually did. She knew him well enough to realize he would not change without a reason. But what could be the reason?

The guilt, perhaps? But it was not like he knew she heard the whole thing, did he? There was no way Cassiander would snitch on her. She felt bad for thinking this way, but she knew that man could not turn away from his guilt.

She frowned, lost in her thoughts, not realizing that the three pairs of eyes were on her—one grown-up and two mini versions of him.

“Mother, you seem to be in deep thought,” Jaylenn’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned her eyes to the youngest, finding him gripping her dress as he did back in the manor.

“Oh,” Arianne paused. She could feel Aldwynne’s gaze resting on her, although she only addressed him with a small smile and mouthed to him to not worry. She felt strangely calmer having met with the Great Kryndelia. She had accepted the fact that she, indeed, was not supposed to be born. Although she had to admit that it stung a little whenever she remembered what she had overheard. “Mhm, more than alright.”

“Are you sure, mother? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?” Jaydenn, who sat across from the youngest, chimed in. His eyes, which were once full of excitement, now turned to worry as he looked at his mother.

“Of course, dear,” she patted the eldest’s head to reassure him. “Look, we’re almost at the palace,” she added, as the sight of the palace grew clearer.

“Really?” Jaydenn’s eyes widened as his gaze turned back to the window. Indeed, he could see the palace already. “Whoaaa, impressive. It’s even bigger than our castle!”

“Of course,” Jaylenn snorted, rolling his eyes at Jaydenn’s words. “It’s where the royal family lives.”

Despite his words, Jaylenn could not resist gazing at the magnificent scene passing through the window. Their carriage had just passed through the palace gate after confirming their identity—though they weren't questioned, as the four dukes had the privilege of visiting the palace freely as long as they were accompanied by the head of the family.

***

There was a gentle knock on the window, signaling that the family could step out of the carriage. As the door was opened, the footmen from the Imperial Palace were already on standby to welcome them. Yet, Aldwynne politely turned them down, choosing to step out first to escort his wife and children instead.

Really, he was the epitome of a perfect husband.

Arianne did not think much of it at first, because she never really knew how married aristocratic couples acted in public, let alone how parents were supposed to treat their children. Her mother died giving birth to her, while her father rarely paid her any mind—but that was not the point. As a noble lady herself, she was taught etiquette from a young age. She merely categorized them as lessons unless it was proven that the other aristocrats used those stifling etiquettes, and she got herself scolded for it. She only later realized that what Aldwynne always did was not proper etiquette for a man of his standing when the other ladies gazed at her with envy, thinking it was a romantic gesture from her husband.

It was what she initially thought as well.

She had thought that their marriage somehow bloomed into something deeper than a mere arrangement. She lived her married life with that mindset until only recently, when her imagination was shattered into pieces. She did not blame him; no, it was more accurate to say that she would not blame him. She created the image herself, trusting her own judgment, which was off by miles. He was never hers to begin with.

“Mother,” Jaylenn tugged on Arianne’s sleeve. Having been separated from Aldwynne, the three were currently on their way to the Imperial Library. “Are you okay?” Jaylenn asked, gazing up at his mother with worried eyes.

“Huh? What happened to Mother?” Jaydenn asked curiously. He had been scanning their surroundings, clearly fascinated by the well-tended garden they had to walk across to get to the library. There was a fountain with a huge statue that he noticed resembled a swallow, the symbol of Kryndelia Empire. It appeared in history books multiple times; he could even name its distinctive features.

“I’m alright,” Arianne answered, smiling fondly at her two children as she finally realized why they stopped her from leaving. “Why wouldn’t Mother be alright when she has her two little guardian angels by her side?”

The two exchanged a glance before they beamed. Their small hands held their Mother’s tightly. “Right! We are Mother’s guardian angels.”

“Don’t worry, Mother, we won’t let anything harm you!” Jaydenn said.

It was adorable that even the servants escorting them could not help but smile.

“Alright then, angels. Good angels follow the rules, so let’s keep quiet once we’re in the library, okay?” Arianne chided them, which was immediately answered by nods.

The three of them then spent their afternoon in the library, reading the books they found interesting—with Arianne sparing herself to find books about Kryndelia and the Empire.