Chapter 14

PRESENT

"Cedric we can't have this kind of relationship." Arya said pained on that balcony that night. "I'm sorry, I don't want to get hurt again." The light from the sky illuminated her part of face.

"I-I understand." Cedric slowly said. Accepting her decision.

*********

Cedric stayed at the balcony a little longer after Arya left reflecting on everything. It had been 6 years since the whole debacle with Jasmine had occurred. He had hoped Arya had now healed and was ready to move forward. But she still needed more time.

When he thought about it he realized he had been too selfish asking her to come back to him, considering how the situation had affected her. Arya was poisoned to become infertile, publicly humiliated as a dethroned empress and had her child taken away from her shortly after giving birth. That was a lot to deal with. Not to mention he had been so cold and mean to Arya for so long leading up to all that happened. He had to understand why Arya was so reluctant and pe patient with her. He only hoped she didn't hate him now.

Despite having feelings for Arya and wanting her back he was also thinking of Aston and the kind of life he wanted for him. He took pity of the fact that Aston was lonely in the castle with him constantly working and dealing with the continental wars. He thought it would be easier if Arya was with him. He didn't want Aston to have a childhood like the one he had. A childhood full of loneliness and resentment.

Growing up Cedrics' mother never cared for him. For as long as he remembered she acted like he didn't exist. He never knew what the love of a mother was like.

Cedrics' mother was in an arranged marriage with Cedrics' father and the two did not love each other. Once she gave birth to Cedric, she considered her job of giving bi done and began to only focus on enjoying herself. The former empress only focused on spending money frivolously and living lavishly. Nothing else mattered to her even her own child.

Then there was Cedrics' father who was often busy with work and out of the castle. Not to mention when he was in the castle he had lovers of his own that he entartained more than he spent time with Cedric. So Cedric truly was alone for most of his childhood.

He sometimes saw multiple maids bring their children to the castle as they worked, they treated their children with so much love and care. He wanted that too. He tried getting his mothers attention by asking her to play with him or eat with him however she would always say she was busy and didn't have time to play with him.

In the end Cedric came to believe it was normal, that it was just what the life of royalty was like. He put up with it and acted like he was fine But deep down inside he did want to be loved. However, Cedrics' way of acting like he was fine was him being cold to others In the end, Cedric's wish of being loved by his mother would never come as she would pass away when he turned 15.

This just hardened Cedric even more. He had so many mixed feelings. He didn't know anything about his mother to be able to mourn her loss. He also resented her for neglecting him right to the end.

When his fiance was decided at 16 and he met Arya for the first time he immediately resented her. She, like his mother came from a well known noble family. She was pampered, pretty and wore extremely expensive clothing and jewelery that seemed a little too over the top. Not mention she seemed too over confident and arrogant. It all reminded him so much of his mother. So based of that he came to the conclusion that Arya would most probabaly be like his cold unaffectionate mother.

So whenever Arya would try to talk to him and spend time with him he would evade and ignore her. He wanted nothing to do with her. He would go through with the arranged marriage because he had no choice but he wasn't going to love her. Instead he focused on his knight training and becoming a warrior like his father.

A few years later when he met Jasmine at the military base he opened up to someone for the first time. He'd heard of the herbalist who had been that was becoming who was openly sweet and gentle he thought he'd finally found someone that would give him love he'd secretly wanted.

When he came back from the war and to Jasmine and the crown prince, he was disappointed. The woman he'd thought was kind and sweet never once took an interest in Aston. He wasn't sure what he expected perhaps all women in royalty were like this.

Only to find out Jasmine had lied to him and stolen the child from Arya.

Arya was brought to the castle and for the Cedric bag concluded he was done messing around with women clearly he wasn't a good judge of character as he thought. The scandal

He was going to ask Arya to be empress once more and they would Whether she only enjoyed the luxuries and didn't care about ammunition else or didn't matter. She was the true mother of the Crown Prince. This scandal was already big enough as it is he didn't want to create any new drama. So regardless of his preconceived notions of her he would have to accept it.

However, when Arya was brought to him and he told she'd been proven innocent and wanted her to reprise her position as empress. However, when the maid handed over the prince to her eyes were on him.

She had an expression he'd never seen before

Her arms were shaking as she held Aston then tears began to stream down her face.

Cedric wasn't sure what was happening was she happy to be back at the castle and that she'd been proven innocent?

Then Arya began to hug the child and whisper I love you, I love you. I'm sorry shh

I was just so happy to see you. Arya spoke with such a sweet and soft voice and soon enough the prince began quiet down. The Emperor was shocked; Arya genuinely... loved our child? He thought.

From the way his mother looked at him when he was younger he was sure she never did anything like this when he was so à baby.

After having a moment with the prince she then turned to the emperor.

He stood ready at a

Your majesty

No, I'm not a tyrant. This doesn't have to be the last time you see him.

She looked at him full of tears and in confusion.

A child will always need his mother.

We stared at each other for a moment I realized I may have made the biggest mistake of my life. If so I had to correct it immediately.