It was only suppose to be a month and yet it felt so much longer. Salem had lived more lifetimes then most but waiting for her sons return felt like an eternity of worry. The first few days she was happy for the peace and quiet that came from not having the kids running around, but like all good things they eventually came to an end. She first felt the creeping worry when she would ask alec where jaune had run off to, only to be told that he hadn't returned from his month long training.
During meetings with her minions they'd explain the happenings within the kingdoms, only for their queens mind to wander off before they could finish. The days dragged on, and when she had free time she'd find herself sitting in jaunes room looking over the book he loved so much. She turned the pages and look through the art work drawn within before tracing the outline of the young knight character. Salem hadn't noticed it at the time but the black marks that covered her body had all but receded to the point that her face had become as clear as the days she was with ozma.
The growing concern of whether jaune was ok or not and if he was eating properly began to weigh on her mind to the point that it kept her up at night. On those nights when she couldn't sleep she'd find herself standing outside on the balcony of her room thinking about the simpler times where there was no training and her son would sit in her lap as she read books to him in the library.
The grimm within reacted to the sudden flow of negativity and began to slowly cover a small bit of her face in black marks that effected her emotional state even further. There'd be days where the apathy overwhelmed her and salem found herself laying in bed all day without eating. But none were as terribly as the days she found herself alone in the dark within her bedroom, thinking of the four beautiful daughters she lost in her fight against the man she loved. On those nights she held her pillow tightly to her chest and cried tears that felt like they would never end.
That deep sadness that could cripple an army turned to rage and the grimm within grew even stronger, which led to the marks spreading even further down to her chin. And then without warning, alec returned to the castle one day with three kids covered in muck. Cinders hair was sticking up in odd places and tangled, while vernal had dirt covering her skin in places she didn't even know were possible. Then in the center of the group smiling without a care in the world stood her little boy. His hair had dirt stuck to some strands and he was in desperate need of a shower but the moment he saw her, he raced over and threw himself at the grimm queen without a care for appearances.
Salems body moved on instinct and caught the small boy the moment he was close enough. "I'm back mom" jaune announced happily. The rage and sadness that had been boiling under the surface vanished instantly as she squeeze the young boy tightly. She wore a watery smile as she spoke "welcome back sweetie, I missed you".
"I missed you too" he whispered for only her to hear.
And with those few words, everything felt right again