W1.A1-1: A Mother’s Sacrifice – Coming Back Home

Neigh!

A horse-like beast suddenly halted in front of a huge gate.

As the light of the setting sun fell on his young face, the rider couldn't help but feel a little melancholic as he muttered.

"I'm finally back, huh?"

With a smile etched across his handsome face, the young rider urged the beast forward.

...

I couldn't help but sigh as I saw the home, which had always been a part of my memories for the past five years. But soon, a frown overcame my expression as I muttered while dismounting, "Where are the guards?"

Normally, someone should have shown up by now. After all, it was already nighttime, and the commotion that preceded my arrival was not small.

Just as I was taking my horse to the stable myself, I heard a flurry of footsteps coming from behind the closed doors of the mansion.

Three women wearing maid dresses came running with hurried steps as they stopped in front of me. They had tense expressions on their faces, which only relaxed after they realized my identity.

Surprise visible on their faces, the three ladies couldn't help but blurt out at the same time: "Young Master Daniel!?"

"You- you're back?"

"Yeah. I'm back." A light smile came over my face as I heard the familiar way the people here addressed me again after so many years.

Then I followed up with a question. "What's going on? Where are the guards?"

Two of the women had a slight look of worry in their eyes when I asked this question. Although it was quite concealed, I was sharp enough to detect it.

Before I could ask something, one of the maids, a middle-aged woman, smiled calmly and said, "Madam has ordered them to do something. They'll be back soon." She was Aunt Yena. She has been serving my family since before I was born.

"Leave this to us, Young Master Daniel." Aunt Yena said as she came forward to grab the leash from my hand. "Madam will be very happy to see you." She said. "She should still be in her room. Why don't you go in and give her a surprise?"

Neigh!

Just as her hand was about to touch the leash, my dear mount, Bert, began to show the pride of a black-horned colt.

Calming it with a pat, I said to Aunt Yena, who seemed a little intimidated, "Don't worry about it, Aunt Yena." I explained, "He's got a bad temper; it'll be better if I handle this myself.

Nodding slightly Aunt Yena backed off, but she didn't leave, as she followed me to the stable after giving orders to the other two maids.

Seeing me look at her, she smiled again and said, "Don't worry, young master. They won't inform Madam and ruin your surprise." Then a gentle expression came over her face as she said, "You've really grown up, Young Master."

I smiled. I realized that she had more to say. But maybe my unexpected visit surprised her, the overwhelming emotions left her a bit wordless.

Marching forward, we quickly arranged a place to stay and hay to eat for my mount before departing towards the mansion.

As I scanned through the familiar hallways, Aunt Yena suddenly smiled and asked, "How long will you be staying this time, Young Master?"

I thought for a moment before replying, "I have some work to do on this side of the kingdom, so I'll be staying till that is done. Around two days, three at the latest."

"Oh, that's too bad." Though she said so, a slightly relieved expression that flashed through her face didn't escape my notice.

Why are they all acting so suspicious?

Just as I was analyzing the whole matter, I realized that we had arrived in front of another familiar room—my mother's chamber.

"I'll take my leave now." Aunt Yena smiled as she saw the slight nervousness and anticipation on my face. "Young Master, please try to spend more time with her until you are here."

She left after giving her advice, leaving me in the dimly lit hallway.

Taking a deep breath, I gently knocked on the door.

Not hearing any response for a few moments, I knocked harder as I finally heard the charming and gentle voice I had been missing all these long years. For some reason, though, her voice seemed to be coming from a distance.

Not paying any mind to small details, I entered the room with a happy and childish smile covering my face, ready to surprise my mother.

But I found the room to be empty.

I scratched my head as I suddenly remembered that there was a small garden behind my mother's chamber. She had a large collection of various fragrant flowers and medicinal herbs that she tended herself.

Thinking of the beautiful smile her face carried as she cared for her flowers, my mind became invigorated at the idea of surprising her.

Quickening my steps, I arrived at the back of the room; the door to the garden was right in front of my eyes.

Calming my excitement, I pushed open the door as I entered with one large step.

"Mom, I'm back!" These were the words that I wanted to say. But they got stuck in my throat as the scene inside the garden entered my sight.

There was a stone tub of around six feet in diameter fixed to the garden floor. Steam filled the tall, woodenly fenced garden. A figure could be seen bathing inside.

It was my mother. She was leaning against the edge of the bath, her back facing me.

Just as the idea of bolting out of there formed inside my head, my mother suddenly stood up as her wet body emerged out of the hot water.

My feet felt heavy, and I suddenly couldn't move my eyes away from her enchanting figure. Water dripped from her waist-length black hair, flowing down her white back, followed by her firm, round, and soft-looking bottom, before finally going back to the source after jumping down her soft and supple thighs.

"Yena?" She asked softly. "Please come here for a moment."

Her voice brought me out of my reverie as I broke into a cold sweat, realizing what I was doing. But another problem cropped up, as my mother had clearly heard the sound of the door opening; now I couldn't even use the excuse of not having entered her bedroom before leaving. But still, it was the only choice I had now.

But reality seemed to make fun of me as my mother suddenly turned around.

Fortunately, she had covered her face with a napkin she had just picked up from the side. It was my chance to leave.

But my legs had failed me once again, and I didn't know whether to scold or praise them.

I stood there, wooden. My eyes once again are on the scene that'll be considered forbidden even as a thought.

My mother was using the white napkin to wipe her face, but the rest of her front side was in full view of my eyes. It was a sight that was normally covered by her loose dresses. It made her look elegant and authoritative. But the current spectacle of her ripe but toned body was sinful, to say the least.

Her big, perfectly firm breasts, which didn't seem to need any support, jiggled with the movement of my mother's arms, sending my heart quivering as well.

My sight couldn't help but go down as it passed her flat belly and followed her sinuous waist before arriving at her secret garden.

Even with the distance between us, my enhanced sight allowed me to notice the pink petals that were dripping with water. Right above them was a light patch of curly black pubic hair, which seemed to complement the pink petals.

I tried to swallow some saliva as my throat felt so dry that maybe not even the contents of the bath in front of me could satiate my thirst. Or maybe it could.

Just as my thoughts were turning more and more erratic, my luck finally gave out as my mother finally lowered the napkin off her face.

"Yena, why are you not—?" Her words seemed to be stuck just like mine as our eyes met after I had pulled them up with some reluctance.

Surprise, shock, and happiness arrived on her face one after another as my mother suddenly jumped slightly at her place and exclaimed, "Daniel?"

"You're back?!"

My eyes bulged as I saw her mounds rocking up and down. I lost the words of apology that had just formed on the tip of my tongue.

Just when I was about to faint from my heightened blood pressure, my mother finally realized her current situation, as her happiness quickly gave way to heavy embarrassment and mild anger.

"You—why are you here?" She quickly hid her body by submerging it back in the water as she chided me, "Daniel Marvson! Where are your manners? Did you forget them after leaving this house for a few years?"

Surprisingly, her words and her familiar way of getting angry made me feel calm instead.

The first words out of my mouth after meeting her after so many years were not the greeting I had prepared, nor were they regarding the apology I thought I would need after seeing my mother naked in the bath.

I asked, "Why is there a bath here in the first place, Mom?"

My words seemed to work more than I had imagined, as she was not just surprised but tongue-tied for a while.

"Mom?" I had to be the one to break the silence, as I couldn't stand the sight of my mother's mesmerizing figure—that she covered using the water with difficulty—anymore. I also realized that her behavior seemed to change, just like the maids, when I asked some questions.

My mother seemed to come out of her thoughts as she was once again reminded of the embarrassing reality.

"You little bastard! Why are you still here?" She asked furiously before ordering, "Go outside! I'm coming right up to kick your disrespectful ass!"

I smiled wryly.

Maybe I'm thinking too much. She's still the same as always.