The New Addition

"Alright ladies, I'll leave our small guest and preparing the lounge for tea to the both of you. In the meantime, I'll be attending our lovely lady to her bedroom."

Lucy announced after letting go of both their little hands and clapped her palms together when the five of them made it inside.

Shortly, the older maid, approached the thin boy standing beside Lucy's left and gave him a friendly smile.

"My name is Merith. I'll be the one responsible for your bath, along with two more splendid maids."

The older woman gestured towards herself as she briefly bowed at the boy.

The black-haired boy stayed quiet, but nodded his head at her. His minor actions caused joy on all their faces and hearts seeing him being a bit responsive than before.

"Then, we should go on ahead."

Merith advised, speaking to the ladies in courtesy then taking the male child toward their destination.

"This must be my cue to go and arrange the lounge for tea as well. I'll make sure to reach your expectations, My Lady."

The younger maid smiled at Inanna then at Lucy, who began to tease her.

"Very well. However, if you don't meet our lovely lady's expectations, you'll hear a good scolding out of me, Diana."

"I'll keep that in mind, Lucy."

They both laughed before going their separate ways where their duty awaits.

Despite the light ambience, Inanna could only remain silent. Her thoughts were filled about the child they took in and the aftermath of their kindness for doing so.

'Things can turn out for the better or for the worst. Regardless, I must remain positive.'

Soon, they made it to her bedroom and the awaiting for tea time with the boy began.

The new addition of the Duke Bessa's residence.

• • •

(The Lounge)

In a speed of light, almost an hour flew by since Inanna waited for the maids to attend to the boy for a nice bath. The very child her father, the Duke, decided to take in.

The utter opposite of what her father did in her previous life.

It was quite the relief and worry. A relief the boy was safe, but a worry because she didn't want there to be consequences for taking in the exact man, who becomes the right hand and knight of the Crown Prince.

She was positive the boy taking a refreshing and warm bath in their residence was Knox Hakken. There was no doubt in her mind that he wasn't him.

Now, all that was left to confirm his identity was his amber colored eyes. The beautiful and clear orbs that the ladies in the empire were mesmerized by certain social gatherings held at the palace.

Although, she couldn't blame them.

At some point, Inanna was also mesmerized by those stunning amber iris of his, but only the first time she saw them and never again.

At the time, her heart and love belonged to a handsome silver-haired man with golden orbs. The man who hated her very guts.

"My Lady."

"Yes, Lucy?"

Inanna replied and turned to look at Lucy. The woman seemed worried about something.

"It seems there's going to be a delay with their arrival, My Lady. We'll have to wait a bit longer until then."

Inanna raised an eyebrow at the news.

"A delay? Why so? Is there a problem?"

She asked, concerned.

"There seems to be a problem with the boy, My Lady."

Before Inanna could ask more questions, a maid came inside the lounge in a rush. Her appearance was oddly disheveled.

"L-Lucy! The boy.. he.. he refuses to leave the guest room! He won't leave no matter what we do or try! He only scratches us when we near him!"

The maid shouts, showing the fresh wounds on her arms. Clearly, she was in distress.

"Did something happen for him to react in such a manner?"

It was then, the maid took notice of Inanna's presence and felt ashamed for her behavior.

"M-My Lady! My apologies for abruptly showing you an unsightly and negligent appearance."

She apologized and bowed. However, Inanna wasn't offended or upset by it.

"Do not worry, please. I'd like for you to take me to him. Perhaps, I can be of some assistance and calm him down."

She spoke and gave the maid a kind smile of understanding and goodwill.

'I can possibly help with the situation since I'm now a child just like him. He may let down his guard if I'm the one to do it.'

Inanna could only hope that'd be the case and not be the opposite outcome.

The anxious maid paused for a slight moment before processing the poised girl's offer to help with the mild commotion and responded back.

"Yes, My Lady. Right this way."

The maid said as her nerves faltered at her master's calm demeanor. A sense of relief consuming her emotional state.

Inanna got up from the lounge sofa and followed the maid with Lucy behind her.

They walked for minutes until they arrived at a guest room, but they soon realized someone else had arrived. Inanna recognized the familiar faces.

The faithful maids who dedicated themselves to serving the wife of the Duke with loyalty and respect, her mother, the Duchess of the Bessa residence.

'Mother? She's here? Why?'

At the knowledge of seeing her mother, Inanna's heart wavered, but she remained calm and collected regardless of the fact.

As much as she wanted to burst into tears and run inside the room into her mother's warm arms, she couldn't. She must handle other important affairs first before doing so.

"It seems like the Duchess has arrived before us, My Lady."

Lucy announces as her mother's maids turn around and notice her presence.

"We greet the youngest daughter of the Duke Bessa Household, My Lady"

They greet her properly with a courtesy gesture of a bent knee toward her direction.

Inanna smiled at them before speaking.

"Where's my mother?"

"The Duchess is inside the room, My Lady."

A particular maid in the center of the rest advised. The head maid of them all.

"I wish to go inside and see her."

The woman was about to disagree, but she saw the look of adulthood upon the child's gaze. Her eyes were oddly unfamiliar for the look of a young and innocent child.

The opposite impression the girl gave off the day before today. She didn't understand what could've caused such maturity on their lady's face. Not even her older siblings held such a remarkable impression at a young age.

The woman was in awe at the sight and sudden change. Feeling the need to let the girl in without a single question or doubt in her mind.

"Of course, My Lady."

The head maid granted to let her in regardless of what the circumstances would look like once they went inside the room.

However, what they saw before them was not what they had imagined. The Duchess, who they thought would be struggling to calm the hostile boy down as he refuses her advances of comfort.

If anything, they witnessed a tender and wholesome moment between the two particular figures. The Duchess who was holding the unapproachable boy in between her slender arms as he was laying soundly in her gentle embrace.

The boy was almost unrecognizable. Both his appearance and way of acting. It was amazing.

Hearing the door open, the Duchess put a finger against her pink tinted lips and smiled at them gently. Her aura was calm and soothing.

Inanna could only stare at the beautiful and dazzling woman. Lost in her glory.

Her mother looked much younger and full of life. No longer colorless and drawn. Goodness, how she missed her mother so terribly.

'Mother... I.. I'm back.'