"Nozel, baby, where are you?"

Acier walked through the Silva Flower Garden, searching for her two year old son. Maybe she should have taken one of the nannies with her, but it was one of the rare occasions to have a day off and spend it with her baby boy, so she didn't deemed it necessary. It was so nice to spend time with her child in privacy.

Well, until Nozel went off somewhere again. Oh, Acier knew that her son wasn't one to wander off through the most dangerous and adventurous places like other children his age – like little Mereoleona Vermillion who scared the entirety of royalty when she fell asleep on two pet jaguars, belonging to some ambassador of a faraway foreign country – but Nozel was such a calm toddler. It was very difficult for most people to notice if he was there or if he went away.

Thank goodness the Silva Flower Garden wasn't that huge for a toddler to get lost. Okay, there were some ponds that were a bit too deep for such a small child and some vines and it happened that stray cats came up her and since animals didn't like Silvas for some tragic reason-

"Stop panicking, Acier Nereïda Silva!"

She got this. After all, she was a mother, she knew her son better than anyone and always noticed almost immediately when Nozel was here or when he was gone.

Okay, at the same time, she was also a very young mother, she was barely eighteen years old when she got Nozel and of course she lacked the parenthood or maternal experience. Not that many royals or nobles had that in the first place, letting their offspring being raised by nannies and gouvernantes until they were fifteen years old and considered old enough to be married off. But Acier have sworn herself to be a present mother for her children, for Nozel and the future babies she will hopefully have… once she convinces her husband to have more, but that shouldn't be so difficult.

But well, it didn't change the fact that she was a very young and inexperienced mother and that she lost her son for not even a minute and that she didn't know what to do in a panic and what if her sweet baby boy gets hurt by the thorns of the roses or falls into one of the ponds or-

"Again, stop this at once, Acier Nereïda Silva!"

Acier stopped as she reached the pond with the water lilies. The view immediately helped her to calm down at least a bit. This was her favourite place in the flower garden and probably also in the whole palace. Not to mention that water lilies were her favourite flowers. How much time has she spend here, be it as a little child or during her pregnancy, wondering if she should name her child Nozel, Nathanael, Nebra, Noelle or Nymphea.

There, she heard some ruffles nearby. And some toddler noises. Acier walked quickly over there and let out a deep sigh of relief as she found her son walking around the lavender bushes.

"Nozel Aquila Silva, what are you doing so away from mama?"

She was really unable to sound stern, wasn't she? Even when using her beloved son's full name.

It wasn't like anyone used the second names of royals often, but well, Acier liked the one she had and the one she gave Nozel, so she really couldn't help it.

Nozel turned towards her, looking so adorable with his slightly wild silver hair and his white wing-like cape. He even had a few lavender blossoms in his hands.

"Now, what are you doing with this lavender, my little hatchling?"

"For mama."

Acier couldn't help but being in awe as her baby boy handled her the lavender shyly. Wasn't he just the most adorable toddler in the whole Clover Kingdom? It started a few weeks ago, as he brought her some flowers in her office and she had been so happy about it that it motivated Nozel to do it again. Of course, the gardeners had to watch him, not only to stop him to pick flowers just like that, but also to make sure he wouldn't get hurt.

Nozel didn't got that yet, though. Her sweet baby had still such a simple train of thoughts. If flowers makes his mama happy, then he would give her some.

"Thank you, Nozel baby. I actually am quite fond of lavender. Why does flowers today, though?"

"Mama eyes."

This took Acier a bit aback. But not in a negative way. It just was the first time that someone described her eyes to have the colour of lavender.

Acier knew the colour of her eyes very well. She saw it every day in her mirror, she saw how they were filled with tears when she failed again to do one of those complicated hairstyles that were so cool or shining brightly with happiness when something wonderful was happening to her.

A cold and bright metallic lilac.

It was a beautiful colour and Acier knew that it was quite rare. She liked the shade of her eyes. But the coldness was sometimes so distant. While so very fitting for a captain of the Silver Eagles, it seemed rather unfitting for a loving mother.

Lavender purple, on the other hand, was lovely and close and fresh and warm.

It wasn't the shade of her eyes. But maybe, under some circumstances… and in the eyes of a two year old toddler…

Nozel got the same eyes as herself, but they never seemed cold and distant with him, despite how calm her son was. Acier hoped that it would never be the case.

But in a way, lavender also suited him.

Acier smiled fondly as she put the lavender at the beginning of her ponytail, before taking Nozel in her arms. Her sweet, precious baby boy…

"I'm so lucky to have you in my life, silver hatchling."

"Mama."

"Mama is here, Nozel. Thank you so much for the flowers. Now come, time to have some cake…"

Nozels eyes began to shine so brightly, looking more like lavender than metal. Like every Silva, her sweet son was sweettooth, it was practically a tradition at this point. Acier rubbed her nose against his before she walked towards the rose belvedere.

The servants had covered the small table with some of the most delicious cakes and pastries from the Silva chefs, as well as tea, milk and syrup. Acier giggled as she saw that there was also some lavender cake among the sweets, a Silva specialty since generations. Lavender seemed to follow her today.

It was a calm and fluffy afternoon, during which each little gesture was so precious as a diamond. How she put some milk in one of the porcelain cups and helped Nozel drinking it. How they shared a piece of lavender cake and laughed as there was bright purple cream around their mouths. How the birds were singing and the scents of the flowers flow around them.

Acier wished that they could have moments like this in the future, even when she won't be captain of the Silver Eagles anymore and even when Nozel would be an adult himself… maybe having a family on his own and having some younger siblings.

As her eyes fell again on lavender, a memory crossed Aciers mind. Her honeymoon on Lavender Island. South of Clover, facing Raque and a few miles on the see, where a bunch of islands, each more beautiful than the other and each having one flower blooming practically everywhere, more than others.

Acier and her husband had went on Lavender Island and it was a fond memory. Looking at her son, who was munching on an orange tartlet, she decided that one day maybe, she could go back there and show Nozel, as well as maybe his future younger siblings, one of the places in the world that meant a lot to her.

It would happen one day. Acier made that promise. Anything to share with her son and her future children. Two or three more would be great.

Maybe she could convince her husband to come along, it would be good to have him more present from time to time.

It was a promise.

But Acier was never able to achieve that promise…