Duty-Bound: Chapter 73
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Awkward was the best word to describe her relationship with her mother. Though, this time was much better than the last. After knowing her Lady Mother only did what she was expected to, she had forgiven her. To tell the truth, she had never hated her mother. Unlike the rest of their meetings, this was the first time she was going to speak with her Lady Mother without Natsume. He seemed to understand that she and her mother needed to talk alone.
"Say…" she muttered quietly. "If you have the chance, will you tell me the truth from the beginning?"
Her mother smiled ruefully at her. "No. You would not listen."
She closed her eyes with a smile on her lips. Both of them knew what she would do if her Lady Mother tell her the truth. Civil war would be unavoidable and the land would suffer through it for years. As much as she hated it, she knew duty always came first. Though she hated this duty-bound fate upon her, she would try to accept it. Otherwise, her sister would die in vain.
"I have said the same thing to Natsume; I will neither oppose nor support both of you in the future."
"…"
"I will honour your choice."
"Thank you… Hahaue," she said while looking at her mother in the eye.
She could see happiness enter her mother's tired eyes, and she felt slightly guilty for making her mother sad. Still, she couldn't help it for what she had gone through for many years; rejected by everyone and then abandoned by her own mother. Since she was young, they were not close. If she could be honest, she was closer to the head healer or Natsume's mother. Nevertheless, she would start mending her relationship with her mother now.