360 : Worry


    I was nning to take a nap since I still feel weak, but after hearing what Prince Fraser said to me, my mind couldn''t stop thinking about it. Prince Fraser had already left the room, and I still couldn''t get over with what happened. Brother Pascal, who decided to stay with me, put down the book he was reading just to ask me why do I look preupied.


    I stare at him and sigh. How am I supposed to answer his question? Should I be honest and just tell him what I heard from Prince Fraser? But if I do, wouldn''t thatplicate things? After all, my family expects my engagement with Prince Fraser is still valid. I just smile reassuringly at him and shake my head. "Nothing, Brother. I just couldn''t help but worry about the man who got stabbed. Is his condition already stable?


    I don''t want to disappoint them. That''s why I just lied. It''s better this way. To stay them away from all theseplications.


    Brother Pascal takes my hand and gently squeezes it. "Csille, don''t you trust me?" I shake my head as a response. "Brother, how can I not trust you? You are one of the most skillful Doctors in the capital. But you cannot me me if I still get worried about him."


    I heard him sigh. "You can have my word, Csille. I will do my best to save that man. So, don''t stress yourself over such matters and get some rest. Let the Doctor do his job while you take your rest."


    I nod my head at him and try to calm myself down. However, no matter how many times I did the breathing exercises, my mind couldn''t stop recalling what happened today.


    Everything is in total chaos. Everything that happened today shouldn''t have happened. But does it mean something bad will happen after? Should I prepare myself for the worst? Will this world end after?


    "Csille, what are you thinking about? I know something is bothering you, and I know it''s not about the man. So, can you tell me what happened?"


    I look at Brother Pascal and sigh. I know Brother Pascal won''t stop asking me unless I give him something. I look at the ceiling and heave a sigh. "Brother, why did you allow Prince Fraser to donate blood to me? You know the Royalties have strict rules when ites to sharing their blood or receiving blood. What will her majesty and his majesty say when they hear what happened?"


    Brother Pascal got silent for a few seconds before he answered me. "Csille, I tried. I tried to stop his highness. I know how it will implicate you if I allow his highness to donate blood to you. Trust me, I tried to talk sense to his highness, but he was just so worried about you. That no matter how much I ask him to just wait for Aunt and Uncle, he still keeps insisting on donating his blood to you. He even uses his authority just so I can allow him to donate blood. How can I disobey his highness'' order? Even if I disagree with what he wants, I don''t have much power here, Csille. So, I apologize."


    I already know that. I know Prince Fraser''s personality. Once he decides on things, he will do everything just to make theme true. So, I know Brother Pascal has no other choice but to agree with Prince Fraser.


    However, I still couldn''t help but feel frustrated every time I will remember what are the consequences of this.


    "I know that, Brother, and I am not ming you. I''m just worried about the reaction of the people and the Royalties about this." I shake my head. I probably should brace myself for the worst. Aside from the criticism of people, I am more worried about Princess Paislee. How can she fall in love with Prince Fraser if she has seen Prince Fraser donating his blood to Csille? I hope she wouldn''t use this to not fall in love with Prince Fraser.


    I close my eyes and try to calm myself. As much as I want to roll on my bed, I know I couldn''t do that. I couldn''t let Brother Pascal see how frustrated I was right now.


    "I''m sure the people will understand what happened. And about the royalties, what are you worried about? You are engaged with Prince Fraser. Sooner orter, you will also be part of the Astalieus. That means you will be a Royalty too. So, stop worrying. I''m also sure his highness won''t let other people say anything to you. After all, you didn''t force his highness to share his blood with you. Instead, it was him who forced his way to donate blood to you."


    I feel Brother Pascal gently caress my head. I open my eyes and just smile at him. I just wish things would be that easy. But I know it is impossible. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    How can the Viiness have an easy life?


    ________________________________


    The moment I stepped inside the Lauretré residence, Mother immediately rushed toward me. "My dear, are you okay now? Look how pale you look like." She then looks at Brother Pascal, who is helping me walk. I still feel weak. That''s why I need some assistance when I am walking. "Pascal, how is the condition of Csille?"


    After making sure that my condition is already stable, he asks me to stay in the house instead of staying in the Foundation. He wants to make sure that I will be taken care of. Although he knows Li and Mairenn wouldn''t neglect me too if I decided to stay in the Foundation.


    "Aunt, let us bring Csille into her room first. She is still weak, and she needs to rest first. I will exin things to youter."


    Mother immediately held my other arm and guided me to my room. After I settled in, Mother immediately bombarded Brother Pascal with questions.


    "Pascal, how is your cousin? Is she okay now? Does she still need blood? You can take my blood. Take all the blood needed—"


    Brother Pascal tries to calm down Mother, who is now panicking right now. "Aunt, calm down. Everything is okay already. Although Csille still feels weak, she is in good condition now. She just needs to rest and take medicine I prescribed to her. I will also make a meal n to make her regain her strength. So, you don''t have to worry, Aunt."


    Mother leans on Brother Pascal and cries. A moment after, she rushes toward my side and holds my hand tightly. "Csille, why do you always love to put yourself in a risky condition. Do you know how worried I was when I heard the news? I know you only want to help, but you should leave something for yourself. What if something happened to you? What will happen to your Father and me?"


    I hug Mother and lean on her shoulder. "Mother, I am sorry. I don''t mean to make you worried. I just couldn''t stand and watch on the sidelines. I didn''t know it would turn out like this."


    Mother gently caresses my back. "My dear, please don''t do it again, or else we wouldn''t have a choice but to prohibit you from working in the Foundation."


    My eyes widened when I heard what she said. I immediately break from her hug and stare at her worriedly. "Mother, please don''t do that. You know the reason why I decided to open the Foundation, right? Because I want to help other people. If you prohibit me from working in the Foundation, who will handle the Foundation then?"


    Mother gently caresses my face. "If you really want to keep working in the Foundation, then you should stop doing things that will risk your life. Do you understand, Csille?"


    Do things that wouldn''t risk my life? I don''t think I can follow that. After all, this is nothingpared to what I will do in the future. So, how can I say yes? Knowing that I will not just endanger my own life but also the lives of people around me? "Csille?"


    I smile reassuringly at Mother and nod my head. "I understand, Mother. I will not do things that will worry you again."


    "Good. Good." Mother nods her head in satisfaction. "About your Father, he is currently busy right now, so he can''t see you now. But he is really worried about you. He initially nned to skip his meeting this afternoon, but I just stopped him because this meeting is important, and he cannot skip it."


    I nod my head. I am actually not mad why he isn''t here. I understand that he has a reason and work to do. I stare at Mother and sigh. There is something that is bothering me right now, and I need to ask her about it.


    "Mother, are you mad at me?"


    Mother gently caress my head. "My dear, I admit I felt disappointed when I heard the news. However, I would never be mad at you. Even if you did something wrong in the future, I will still be at your back and support you."


    I shake my head. I think Mother misunderstood my question. "Mother, that is not what I mean. I mean to ask if you are mad at me for what I did. For donating my blood to amoner? I apologize for not asking for your permission first before I did that."


    Mother stares into my eyes for a couple of seconds before she heaves a deep sigh. Then she gently caresses my head. "My dear, why would I be mad at you for doing such a noble thing? I know you are worried that your Father and I will be mad at what you did. But my dear, you shouldn''t worry about what we say. As long as you think you are doing something good, then do it. As your parents, we are just here to support you."


    I immediately wipe my tear when I feel something wet touch my cheeks. "Mother, are you really not mad at me? I just shared my blood with amoner? Wouldn''t that be an insult for the Lauretré''s?"


    Mother smiled reassuringly at me. "My dear, do you think our ancestors are close minded like how the other nobles are? That all they ever think about is how their reputation and nothing else?" I shake my head as a response. I have heard stories not just from my parents but also from schools. They have been teaching how much the Lauretré''s helped the Vrawyth Kingdom ever since. So, I know what Mother said is true. I even heard from Father that Great-Great-Grandmother was close to amoner that she even adopted her daughter when her friend died. However, the daughter,ter on, decided to live a simple life because of the bullying she experienced being an adopted daughter of a Lauretré.


    "You know that our ancestors never care about their reputation. Instead, they all care about helping other people and the royalties. So, if our ancestors didn''t care what the nobles thought, why would your Father and I care? In fact, your Father is proud of what you did. If you are worried about what the nobles will think about you, I am telling you, you shouldn''t worry about them. You did the right thing, Csille."


    I heaved a sigh of relief when I heard what Mother said. So, all my worries are all baseless. I should have known better. Mother and Father are good people. They wouldn''t think like that.


    "But my dear, I heard what his highness did."


    I frown and look at Mother. Prince Fraser did? Is she talking about how Prince Fraser shares his royal blood with me? I look at Brother Pascal, who is currently standing behind Mother, before I look at Mother again. "Mother, are you talking about his highness donating his blood to me?"


    Mother held my hand tightly. "My dear, your Father and I are worried about what will happen. The Royalties have strict rules when ites to their blood. We''re worried about you."


    I understand why they are worried because I am also worried.