Be My New Mom

NOWEL

When I felt like I had had enough of everything, I dropped the book I was reading and closed its pages. I thought reading books would relieve me of my present heartache. The pain of losing a father and a great king after three years of losing a mom.

I wanted to be strong during these past weeks of great tribulations but I broke like a cracked figurine. I've lost count of the number of times I've cried and felt like taking my own life because of the pain that threatens to choke the life out of my body.

It's a sad day for the whole kingdom, especially for me. Today marks the terrible fourteenth day of the passing of the late King Saron of Andromeda the V.

It's hard to believe that he is no more. It breaks my heart the most whenever I remember that faithful day. I ran without care. In an unladylike manner.

"My princess," They called out to me from different corners, "My princess, My princess! Please slow down or you'll hurt yourself!" They tried to keep me from reaching there on time, but they failed to slow my pace. I barged into the golden double doors of the king's room. All the chiefs, councilors, and royal physicians were present and by his side, as he lay on the bed; struggling to breathe his last breaths. The royal physicians clustered around him. Trying to do what they could to save his life. He held onto his chest as he struggled to draw in air into his weak lungs, and the pain was clear in his eyes.

"Nowel!" My eyes moved to the owner of that familiar voice. It was my seven-year-old sister. She ran toward me in tears and panic and I instantly caped her with my embrace. Her face is buried in my stomach to prevent her from seeing the condition her father is in. I don't want her to have any nightmares of this. Not now, when she's just too young.

"Ahh!" My eyes widened with fear at the sound of agony my father made next. I felt my heart throb anxiously at the situation.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" They all rushed toward him and tried their best to relieve him of his affliction.

What is going on here? How did my dad end up like this? From this morning I left him at the dining table for training till the afternoon I came back from it.

My sister struggled to break free from my embrace to have a peek at what was happening...but I held her close and tight to prevent her.

"Paul, please escort the princesses back to their wing, immediately," Illinois ordered one of the knights inside the room and that was the last time I saw my father...or should I say that was the last time we saw our father alive.

He kept on calling to my mom as if she could magically travel back from the undying lands to come and help him. I hoped that it could happen, but it didn't. Till my dad called out to her while he took in and breathed out his very last breaths... nothing of the extraordinary happened. I was disappointed.

I wiped out and tried my best to control the tears that were running down my cheeks. If only I could..."My Princess," I snapped back to reality. "Royal Consort Devi is here to see you." My maid called from outside. Royal Consort Devi? She's here to see me?

"Uhm...let her in!"

And she walked in. My father's first royal concubine and My Step Mom. She held my hands and gave me a tight hug. A comforting one. I remained in her wrap until she pulled back to look at my miserable self and held my torpid arms for support.

"I heard the news...is it true that he is dead?"

I swallowed the lump that choked my throat at the mention of the word dead.

I tried acting brave by nodding at her and she fell back at the shock.

"It's not true." She grabbed my hands tight, "Tell me, it's not true."

"It is true. He is dead." I confirmed.

She gasped and fell back completely but I was quick to hold her before she collapsed on the floor. I ushered her to sit on my bed and gave her a cup of water to drink.

"I thought you left us, Aunt Devi. It's been two weeks now since he is dead and you never reached out to us."

"I hope I'm forgiven. I never expected it to turn out this way. He had mild heart attacks but he always recovered from them...why now? When you and Iris needed him the most as a father that he left so suddenly..." She broke down into sobs, her palms pressed tightly against her mouth and her other hand fisted her royal gown.

The pain she is feeling within is inexpressible. Though she is nothing but a royal consort to the late King, she has feelings for him. I knelt in front of her as she sat down on my bed to weep. I held onto her trembling hands as I stared into her watery eyes.

This is what I call genuine feelings for someone. I could read it in her eyes and I felt it in her. I never thought that you could fall for someone you are destined to be nothing, but his whore. A royal whore.

She was my mom's best friend. And she generously extended her love to us. Even though she never bore any child for the king, she still accepted us with motherly arms. And she tutored, loved, and cared for us when my mom was never there.

"Aunt Devi," I began softly as I entwined my hands in hers, "Would you...like to be our mother?"

She inhaled sharply and blinked multiple times at my offer.

"I...I don't understand. How can I be your mother when I am nothing but a-"

"Royal Consort. Yes, you can be. You've done that before when our mom never had the time to do that for us. We need you. I need you. Most importantly, Iris needs a mother to teach her how to grow up to be a proper princess. It's not fair that she is an orphan at such a young age."

"Nowel, I-"

"Please. I'm begging you for the sake of the eye God, would you be our mother just until Iris reaches fifteen?"

She thought about it for a long moment and nodded. My words must have hit the softest part of her loving heart. I know that she is the best candidate to mother Iris. I trust no one else but her and I to take care of my little sister. She has proven herself worthy to be a mother for both of us even before things turned upside down for us.

I hugged her tightly and smiled, I will forever be grateful to this woman.

"My princess, you are being summoned to the Hall of Grace now." Caroline came in and announced. Being summoned to the Hall of Grace? What have I done this time?

I eased her out of my embrace and stood up to exit the room for the Hall of Grace.

"Nowel,"

I paused and, "Yes?"

"Can I come with you?" She asked. My heart warmed, of course. We could start bonding now and get to do things together to strengthen our relationship.

I nod.

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