Inheritance

Chapter 30: Good Mother

Kori went to her own quarters after she showed Eory and Pollyanna to theirs.

Hers were located on the second floor of the Great Hall near to the king's. She climbed the stairs leading up to her room--hoisting her long skirts up in her tiny hands so she wouldn't trip on her way up.

It was silent this time of night, and the only sound being made was her echoing footsteps on the spiral staircase.

She panted the whole way up--she was exhausted from her long journey, both physically and emotionally. Being drained of magic, and therefore spirit, her heart nearly beat out of her chest with exertion. She reminded herself again,

Tomorrow, I must find a butterfly.

Once she finished climbing the stairs, she arrived at a hall with a checkered black and white floor. At the end of the giant hall was a circular arch from which a blue curtain hung that led to the private quarters of the king and his closest friends--including Kori.

Even for an adult, it was frightening passing through such a dark, shadowy place at night in silence. Kori could only imagine how scared a child might be.

The waif continued on through the curtained arch and arrived at a circular hallway. There was an ornate door right in front of her which led to the king's quarters, and five doors down was where her own room was located.

She hiked up her skirts once again and headed there. Her muscles were extremely sore and pushed to their limits as they ached with every step.

Thankfully, however, she soon arrived at her door and she placed her hand on the knob of it with a deep breath and a smile. A voice from the darkness made her jump, however.

"Kori, come with me."

Her heart nearly burst from her chest as she looked about the hall which was seemingly vacant this time of night.

Her eyes locked onto a silhouette standing in the shadow of a nearby pillar, and her heart beat slowed. It was only Laurence. "You should be in bed, Laurence."

"My wife still prefers her own bed while she's pregnant..." Laurence said coyly.

Kori's grip tightened on the knob. She knew the right choice was to twist the door knob, lock the door behind her, and hop into bed, but...

She leaned her forehead against her door with nausea and desire overtaking every good sense she had. She just couldn't say no to him.

"Would you like some company, then?"

__

She rolled on her side later that night, unable to sleep as dozens of things seemed to weigh on her conscience.

The king had asked her to find out whether Eory knew Pollyanna had any weaknesses, and it tore her apart to do so. She didn't even know why she did it. She should have known by now how good and sweet her boy was, but there would always be that niggling doubt about him because of his family history. She also couldn't deny that she had seen him in a dark and scary mood from time-to-time before. Not as dark as he had been earlier, but dark nonetheless.

He's such a sweet, innocent boy. He deserves so much better than to be unjustly accused. Kori thought to herself as she stared into the dark recesses of the lightless room. Her mind was cloaked in a mist of unwanted sadness and extreme paranoia and fear about what would happen at the ball tomorrow.

Have I been a good mother to you, Eory? She had tried her best, but sometimes she doubted she had been. She often had to remind herself that she was not truly his parent at all and she shouldn't have ever become so entangled in the well-being of a child who had such a high chance of becoming a criminal, but she couldn't help it. She wanted a child, and she had made him her child for her own selfish desires.