Rebirth (A Remington Leith AU)

Chapter 26

The night felt long but it was more bearable while I had my mother to take care of me and provide her old remedies for curing me of my illness. When I woke up the next morning, I found myself feeling much better and my energy restored as if I was never sick. I sat up to find my mother, but she wasn't anywhere around. I wondered if she left back to her home or if I might have imagined her being here. The door opened and one of the maids entered before greeting me with a warm smile, "Good morning, Your Highness! Prince Remington is waiting for your presence down in the dining hall once you're ready and well." Remington was here now? Maybe I can ask him how he got my mother to come here and if she really left. I told the maid that I would be down in a short while and she exited to send the message. I climbed out of bed and didn't collapse this time before I went to freshen up and get dressed for the day.

I walked downstairs and as I approached the dining hall, I spotted Remington sitting at the table and contemplating to himself as he ate some toast on his plate. I realized how nervous I was to see him again after I learned the full scale of his love and devotion to me, and I hope not to stumble too much as I stepped closer to him and greeted him, "Hello, Remington." He turned to me when he heard my voice and as soon as he saw my face, he let out a breath as if he had been worried and then stood up from his seat to pull me into a tight hug. I was in shock of how fast he pulled me in like that, and he whispered to me while still hugging my body, "I'm so relieved you're okay now. I was so worried about you even when you said you were fine. If anything happened to you, I'd be so..." He seemed to be shaking as he stopped mid-sentence, so I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him back, reassuring him that his concern for me were valid.

I told him, "I'm sorry I lied about being okay. I didn't want to be a burden to you." He pulled away from our hug and gripped my arms as he asserted himself, "Don't you get it already, Lulu? You aren't a burden to me and you could never be! To me, you are a blessing and I would do whatever it takes to make sure you are okay and you are happy. You mean the world to me because you are my world." The tears streaming from his face caused me to tear up a bit and I pulled him in for a desperate kiss, letting him know that I felt the same way about him even as I didn't realize it before. He kissed back gratefully and after pulling away, I said to him, "I'm grateful you're in my life, Remington. Nothing can ever change that." He smiled and kissed my cheek sweetly before I asked him, "Remington?" He replied, "Yes, my princess?" "Was I dreaming or did you have my mother brought here to take care of me while I was ill last night?"

He grinned as he answered my question, "It wasn't a dream, my love. Your mother was here because of me. But I've decided something." I was curious then, "What did you decide?" He smiled grew bigger as he placed a gentle hand on my cheek and told me, "I'm having her stay here from now on as your personal nurse maid." I gasped so loud, I was afraid the staff would hear me as I backed away in shock, "You...you mean...?" Remington giggled as he held my hands in his and explained to me, "Yes, my love, you deserve to have her stay close to you. She knows you better than I probably ever will and I don't ever want you to be worried you won't ever see her again." Before he continued, he led us back to the table where we sat close to each other and he continued to hold my hands securely, "When I brought her here to help take good care of you, I talked with her and understood why you were so close to her. She's a very kind-hearted soul that makes anyone feel at home. I can see much of her in you and understand how you came out to be such an amazing and beautiful individual I ended up falling in love with."

I listened in awe of Remington praising my mother for the amazing person I always believed her to be, and was flattered when he praised me in having similar qualities to those of my mother. He continued, "I'm going to have her stay in the main maid house here on the castle grounds where she can teach the other maids how to properly care for you should something like this happen again, and if anyone asks about her, just tell them she's your old nurse maid from your childhood who you happened to move to here after our marriage. It doesn't matter what anyone says because at least you have her with you. Okay, my princess?" I nodded in appreciation of everything he's done and kissed him once more. When we were done eating breakfast, he led me to where my mother would be staying and as soon as we got to the maid house, I attacked my mother with a hug as she was happy to see me well and filled with joy. When she had some free time, I took time to converse with her about my new life and she was satisfied to know I was happy and content with everything that seemed unfamiliar at first, but now feels like home, especially now that she's here with me.