Chapter VI
Bash looked dazed at the little boy. "This is Kenna's son?" he asked bewildered.
Mary nodded. "I'm so sorry! I should have told you. But I didn't know how. I know how much it still affects you."
"And you thought to withhold the information would make it better?" he asked wryly.
"I'm really sorry! I didn't think clearly. But now you know, and I hope you two communicate peacefully."
„What do you mean?" Bash looked at her puzzled.
Mary looked to the boy. "I think it's better, we're going back. Your mother is quite ill with worry."
Slowly, the three went back to the Castle.
Kenna saw them coming from afar, and her heart began to throb. It was already dusk, but she could see Bash next to Mary and beside him... Daniel.
"Daniel!" She started to run towards him.
"Mother!" The little boy freed his hand from Mary and ran towards his mother.
Kenna knelt down in front of her son, took him in her arms and held him pressed to her heart. "Don't do it ever again! I was worried sick!"
"I'm a big boy!" Daniel replied mortified. Carefully he freed himself from the embrace.
"It's a miracle! He can speak." Bash exclaimed and raised an eyebrow.
Mary gave him a bewildered look. "Of course he can speak. He is two and a half."
"May I?" Bash reached out to Kenna, who knelt still on the ground.
She looked up at him and felt her heart beat even faster, a nervous flutter in her stomach. She had known that a meeting was inevitable. But she hadn't expected such a strong physical reaction. She hesitated a moment before she put her hand in his and let him pull her up. But she immediately knew that it had been a mistake, because her knees felt weak.
"Th... thank you!" she stammered.
Although it was chilly outside, she felt the heat in her cheeks. Pull yourself together! she reminded herself. She was not a girl anymore but a grown woman. But it made hardly any difference, because she felt still the strong sexual attraction that emanated from him. Nothing had changed in all these years. She bowed her head, because she didn't know whether she was strong enough to bear his scrutinizing gaze. She wasn't able to resist those eyes. She looked questioningly to Mary who shook her head slightly.
"We should go. It's getting darker from minute to minute." Mary urged.
Kenna was grateful for the darkness that almost completely surrounded them. She feared the moment where it was light. Apparently, Mary hadn't told Bash about Daniel's parentage, otherwise he would have confronted her immediately. But the brightly-lit Castle came closer and closer and thus the moment where Bash would see his son clearly. She had to get there first.
A guard opened the door and they entered the Castle.
Kenna stepped inside first and turned to Mary.
"Can I have a word with Bash alone?"
Mary nodded and grabbed Daniel's hand. "Come with me! Let's find your nanny."
Confused, Bash gazed after them. He turned to Kenna.
"What...?" he began, but Kenna interrupted him.
"We need to talk..."