Will of a Prince

Lidia’s face dropped. Her hands were left helplessly reaching out to Maria.

"But... Maria. I’ve missed you all this time."

"You betrayed my trust, mom. How could you not trust your own daughter with her own power?! Also, my power seems it would greatly benefit you all. Why hide the truth from me?"

"I promise it had more to do with Jacob than you. We also didn’t know the extent of those curse marks and what they do."

Enny tightened up in her chair.

’Curse marks?’

Lidia looked into her own lap as tears fell down her cheeks.

"When Slimo first looked at you two with his glasses, your names weren’t even close to your real ones. They were your titles given to you by the Epigones Marking. That incentive alone almost made Slimo want to kill you and Jacob. He thought you were both replaced with fakes who were going to come after us."

She stared back at Maria desperately.

"But I talked him out of it! Please, you have to believe me!"

"Because of you two, Jacob is going off on his own killing conquest towards Monlo Empire! He could be killed, mom! And if you were really just trying to protect us, why did Slimo draw his blade on Jacob? Why did he attack us so desperately? Who do you take Jacob for?"

Lidia hesitated.

"Why did you even come back? How could Jacob let you come back here alone? Why isn’t he the one yelling in my face right now?"

Maria began to get angrier.

"That’s none of your business! Knowing Slimo and his stupid glasses, I’m sure you both already know why!"

Maria slammed her elbow on the table and pointed at her left eye.

"Look at what happened to us, mom. This... this is beyond a curse mark at this point. Where me and Jacob have gone, there is no going back. Your powers won’t be enough for this."

Lidia covered her mouth and gasped slightly.

"Your precious eye... what happened?!"

"Oh, so now you want to know what happened because you think it could be dangerous for everyone?!"

Lidia slammed her hand down on the table angrily.

"That’s not why I want to know!"

"Yah right! That’s the only reason you ever want to know anything because you’re afraid to lose another daughter!"

Enny covered her head with her arms and tried her absolute best to disappear right where she was sitting. This was, by far, the most awkward thing she had ever been forced to sit through in her entire life. She knew nothing about why these two were fighting. All she knew is that this lady was Lidia’s real daughter, and they both seemed to have left off on some rather unpleasant terms. Enny slowly inched herself further from the conversation as best she could until her entire side was pressed against the walls of the restaurant.

"Am I not allowed to show the slightest bit of concern for my own child?! I must be the worst mom in the world for thinking that way, huh?!"

"It’s overbearing! I’m tired of the things you try to control in my life! You need to learn that I am a grown woman who can make her own decisions!"

"I’m just trying to stop you from making mistakes!"

"Let me learn myself! Let me make my own mistakes! This is my life, mom. I want to get to choose how to live it without you breathing down my neck all the time!"

"Your life is different with that curse mark. This is a different case!"

"No, it’s not. You know nothing about the curse mark, yet you claim to have all the answers about avoiding its influence and dangerous effects!"

As much as Lidia didn’t want to admit it, Maria was right. There was simply too little either of them knew about what the curse mark was to try and start preventative actions.

"That still doesn’t mean I can’t try to be proactive to minimize the dangers of something that could happen."

"Oh yeah? And look where that got you. Our trust is in the dirt!"

Spectators around the restaurant were starting to chime in to the gossip. They were not only enjoying their delicious food, but now they had a show to watch while they ate.

Enny stuffed her head further into her cloak like a turtle.

"Well, I trusted you to come back sooner than you did. You left me hanging for months without so much as a letter to tell me where you went! Do you have any idea how that feels to me? You could have been dead, and I would have had no idea when or how it happened."

Maria choked on air hearing Lidia’s words. More tears streamed down Lidia’s cheeks, her composure breaking more by the second.

"Every war expedition, every scouting mission, every single trip outside this kingdom, I desperately hoped ’Maybe I will find her this time. Maybe she is close by the battle and will hear us.’ But you never were. I was losing hope day by day."

Lidia fell to her knees clasping her hands in front of her while bowing her head towards Maria.

"Please, Maria. I won’t ever do it again. I’m sorry for breaking your trust. You don’t have to worry about me controlling you anymore. Just please don’t leave me like that again. I... I don’t know how I can take it."

Maria, as well as all the spectators around them, was left speechless. The restaurant was dead silent, with the only sounds being Lidia’s soft sobs. Maria looked down at Lidia with fear painting her face.

"...What... did you say?"

"I-I don’t want you to leave me for months at a time anymore. At least send me a letter to let me know you’re okay next time."

"...Months?! Why do you keep saying months?!"

Maria’s heart began to pound heavily in her chest. Lidia’s expression turned less sad and more puzzled.

"Both you and Jacob have been gone for months, Maria."

Maria suddenly fell off her chair and grasped her head while panting heavily.

Lidia ran over to try and catch her.

"M-Maria!"

Maria continued staring at the floor trying to orient herself.

"That can’t be true. What you’re saying can’t possibly be true! It’s hardly been a few days! At max it’s been a week!"

Lidia helped Maria up slowly while holding on to her.

"It is true. We’ve fought dozens of battles and have trained for countless hours in both your absences."

Maria’s mind began to race.

’When was it? It had to be that dream in the forest! That would explain why the monsters looked so powerful and why our baby looked and acted so different once we got out! That would also explain how its indestructible scales managed to get damaged! Wait a moment... that baby was protecting us for months?! How is it not larger?! Unless...’

"I... don’t know what to say."

"I don’t care about where you were and what you were doing. I’m just glad you’re okay. Can that just be enough for today?"

Some people watching responding with a few "aw’s" and other comments.

"That can be enough."

Maria embraced Lidia tightly. Suddenly, the entire restaurant erupted into applause and whistles. Enny, meanwhile, had zero idea what to do or think.

’... what the hell just happened?’

Just then, Enki finally came out with mounds of pasta on multiple plates. There was even a plate for Maria ready. Lidia’s eyes widened seeing the food be placed on the table.

"Enki, did you know Maria was going to be here?!"

Enki rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I just happened to see you two... go at it and felt like I needed to step in with a bribe at some point if the fighting got to be too much."

Maria grabbed Enki’s head and started moving it around.

"H-Hey! What are you-?"

"Enki, when did you grow your head back?"

"W-Would you let go already! This is my restaurant!"

"No wonder it’s your restaurant. I knew I smelt something horrible coming from here."

"Words hurt, you know!"

Maria quickly began to devour her dish. She looked over at Enny who was still tucked against the wall hiding in her cloak.

"Oh. I forgot to ask. Who is that?"

Maria pointed at Enny with a fork.

Lidia slurped up a strand of pasta.

"Oh, her? She’s your new sister! Her name is Enny!"

Enny’s face dropped.

"I’m not your daughter though! We just met!"

Maria whispered over towards Enny, out of earshot of Lidia.

"Trust me. It will be easier for all of us if you simply go along with it."

Enny blinked dubiously at Maria.

Suddenly, Maria put her fork down and began to blush slightly.

"Hey, mom. I know it’s been a while, but I think I need to tell you something important. It’s about me and Jacob."

Lidia continued to gouge in her food while she spoke.

"Sure, honey! Anything at all! What do you need to tell me?"

Maria played with her fingers anxiously.

"Well, it just kind of... happened? We killed this massive dragon. It was the same one that attacked Slimo at the wall! It was not very happy to see us, so we had to fight it."

"Oh, really?! Good job!"

"Yeah, well, after the fight, Jacob and I... Um..."

"Yes?"

"Well, it’s a bit hard to put into words?"

"Just try your best!"

"Okay. I will."

Maria cleared her throat and puffed out her chest confidently.

"Jacob and I have a baby."

Enny was helping Maria carry out Lidia’s unconscious body from the restaurant back towards the palace.

"Did you really have to word it like that, Miss Maria?"

"I told her I didn’t know how to word it! I mean, how else was I supposed to say we found a baby dragon?!"

"Maybe just say it’s a dragon??"

’Who the hell are these people?! Is everyone like this?!’

After a few steps, Enny fell on her knees panting heavily. Maria looked at her concerningly.

"Are you okay?"

Enny grit her teeth and forced herself up.

"I’m fine. I’m just a little weak right now. The food helped me tremendously."

"You know, I don’t know you very well, but if my mom has taken a liking to you, that must mean you’re a good person. If you ever need help with anything, feel free to find me and ask!"

Enny was left speechless again, something that seemed quite common for her ever since Lidia had brought her in. She smiled wildly.

"Thank you."

In the depths of a dark alley, the shadow of a knife-wielding man watched the two women walk back towards the palace, only sheathing it once they were out of sight. He disappeared with a faint chuckle under his breath.