The Misunderstanding

My mother was lying on bed still unconscious. The doctor who was also the one that looked at Derrick's injury was the one looking at mother right now. He was our family doctor and father's good friend.

"Tell me doctor, how is my wife?" My father was standing right beside the doctor. Worry is fully etched on his face.

The doctor had just finished checking up on mother. I saw him heave a huge sigh. "My lord, we need to talk in private."

My father flinched with the doctor's expression. "Yes, of course. Let us talk in my study."

Father and the doctor walked out of the room while Derrick, Eric and I remained inside. I walked towards my mother with a sad face. I sat down on the bedside and held her hand. She looked so pale compared to the first time I saw her, that was when I first woke up in this world.

The duchess might not be my real mother but the way she cared had for me, I cannot but help feel sadness seeing her like this. I have felt the real love of a mother from her. Not long I felt something trickle on my cheeks.

"My lady…" Derrick looked at me with worried eyes. He took the handkerchief that I gripped in my hand and wiped the tears gently off my cheeks.

"Thanks Derrick." I gave him a smile of gratitude.

"This is all my fault." I heard Eric said.

My eyes darted towards Eric who was standing at the corner of the room. He looked dejected, like a puppy that was abandoned. I know he was blaming himself because of what happened to my mother. He was still a young kid, not knowing that this was the cause of the adult's misunderstanding and not himself. My heart ached seeing his face in the verge of tears.

"This is not your fault big brother." I said in a mild tone.

I stood up and walked towards Eric. He was surprised with what I have just said and looked at me with shocked eyes.

"It is true Eric. This is not your fault." I said and held his hand. It felt cold to the touch, he might be nervous about what we would think of him after my mother's collapse. "Don't ever blame yourself for this. You are innocent. If there is someone to blame, then those were the adults. They never cleared such misunderstanding between them until now."

I squeezed Eric's hand gently, giving him needed confidence.

"A-Are you not mad at me?" Eric asked. His tears are now starting to trickle from his eyes.

I shook my head. "Of course not." I said. "I love you Eric. You are part of this family even though you are not my real brother." I gave him a warm smile.

Eric's eyes went wide in surprise for a second. He smiled, like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders.

"Thank you Ysa." Eric wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a warm embrace. "I love you too."

Our embraces lasted for some minutes until Eric released me. We smiled at each other with a renewed relationship. I am happy that we have reconciled, even though I am not yet finished with knitting the scarf I was to give him.

"I will go to father. Can you stay here and watch over mother for a while?" I asked Eric.

"Yes, of course." Eric smiled sweetly.

I walked towards father's study with Derrick following behind. He was my male servant for now until he becomes a full-fledged knight and so he will follow me wherever I go unless I tell him not to.

"Are you alright my lady?" Derrick asked me in a worried tone.

I looked at him and for a second, I thought he was a different person because of his newly dyed brown hair.

"I am fine, don't worry." I said. "By the way, how is your new hair style? I didn't recognize you for a second." I giggled.

"W-Well it is something new, so I still need to get used to it." Derrick said and I saw a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Well it looks good on you." I complimented. "But I kind of miss your crimson red hair. If it were not that eye catching, I wouldn't have let you dye your hair to a different color." I giggled.

"I-It's okay my lady. I kind of like this." Derrick was now beet red. He must be embarrassed with my teasing.

Not long we reached my father's study room. I was about to knock when I saw the door opened slightly and heard my father and the doctor speaking.

"My lord, the duchess' heart is weak. I am afraid that it cannot take another attack." The doctor said.

"What can I do doctor?" Father was seating with his face buried on his hands. "I have been very careful with my wife. I made sure that she is comfortable and at ease all the time. Doctor what should I do? I cannot lose her."

My father's face was in the verge of tears. I was surprised to see Duke Broderick so helpless, the duke that was always confident was now looking as if his world is crumbling in front of him.

The doctor sighed seeing my father that way. "You know you are my close friend Elessar. Can I talk to you as a friend rather than as your attending physician?"

The doctor called my father by name. That just means how close they are to each other.

"Of course, Christian. You know you can talk to me as friends." Father replied

"When have you last talked to Jenica? As in talked about the worries and problems between the both of you?" The doctor asked.

Father flinched with the doctor's question and looked down. His actions answered the doctor's questions.

The doctor shook his head in disappointment. "Elessar, you and Jenica are married for a long time now and you still can't communicate to one another?"

"I-I am sorry Christian." Father said with his head held low. "It's just I do not know how to approach Jenica. You know that our marriage was completely arrange by our families. I do not know if she…" My father held his words in despair.

"If she loves you?" The doctor finished my father's sentence. "Oh, come on Elessar. You could have at least asked her. You two are husband and wife."

"I am just afraid. Afraid that she would say that she doesn't love me Christian." Father looked at the doctor with despair. "If she says that she does not love me and loves another, I am afraid. I do not want to keep her locked up with me, but I do not have the courage to set her free if that is the case."

"Then let me tell you something. I have promised Jenica not to tell this to you, but I have to break that promise for her sake." The doctor said. "You know that all five of us were friends when we were still children. We all grew up together."

"Yes, I still remember." Father said. "The five of us, you, me, Jenica, Edemion, and Renatha."

"We all knew that you have fallen in love with Renatha. But the two of you were not meant to be. She was engaged to be wed to Edemion while you were engaged to Jenica." The doctor said. "I…I loved Jenica and asked her to elope with me before she was married to you."

"What?!" Father stood up with shock and anger.

"Calm down Elessar." The doctor said. "That time you were head over heels in love with Renatha."

Father sat down with despair once again. "I know, it's my fault."

"Elessar, did you know what Jenica replied to me?" The doctor asked and father looked at him curiously. "She didn't accept my offer. Even though she knew you loved another, she chose to marry you. That is because she loves you Elessar."

"Jenica…s-she loves me?" Father looked at the doctor with surprise.

"Yes." The doctor nodded. "She loves you and chose to marry you even though she knew that she would enter a loveless relationship with you."

"S-She loves me." Elessar was now beaming with happiness. His smile was so wide that it reached the corners of his face.

"I am happy that you have fallen in love with her over these years. But Elessar, have you ever told her that?" The doctor asked.

"I…" Elessar frowned once more.

The doctor frowned. "All of this because of a misunderstanding."

"Then I will tell her." Father said with conviction. "I will tell her once she wakes up. I will tell her that I love her so much."

"That is good, but there is one other thing." The doctor said. "Eric has been growing up more like you Elessar."

Elessar knew the doctor's meaning and became angry. "That rumors are false! Eric is the son of Renatha and Edemion."

"I know that, but have you told Jenica?" The doctor asked. "What if you put yourself in her shoes? What if Alyssa looks a lot like me, what would you think?"

Father's face was red with anger but then paled after the realization.

"The two of you never opened up to each other, hence all of these misunderstanding." The doctor said. "I guess it is time to tell Jenica the truth. The truth that Edemion is your half bother and a b*stard son of your father, the former Duke Broderick."

I was shocked after I heard this news. Because of that I lost balance and the door to the study opened and I fell. I was waiting for pain in my body but when I opened my eyes, I saw Derrick under me. He cushioned my fall with his own body.

"My lady, are you okay?" Derrick asked and groaned in pain.

"Oh no, I am sorry Derrick." I quickly stood up and saw his shirt stained with blood. "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" I panicked a bit.

"Alyssa, what are you doing here?" Father asked. That was when I realized I was found out eavesdropping on their conversation.

Edited by: nalyn