"A 'nobody', you called her." Ingrid's eyes looked out of Theodore's window, into the garden, where she could see Brynn laughing hard at Aurora's jokes.
"But she seemed to be having a great time with your father, one would think that she is the favourite child." She said, with an underlying angry tone.
She hadn't gotten over the fact that Brynn had embarrassed her in front of a human.
"How long have you been standing there?" Theodore said, coming out of the bathroom, with his bare chest and a towel around his waist.
"She isn't worth your time." He held Ingrid from behind.
"You think so?"
"Don't tell me you feel threatened by her." He bent his head to meet Ingrid's eyes.
She looked at him, "I'm not threatened by her." She lifted her brows, "But when she is giving the father of my soon-to-be mate, the best laughs of his life," She looked back at them, "I feel worried."
Theodore kissed her neck from the side,
"Aren't you bothered about this?" Ingrid asked with a curious look.
"I stopped bothering a long time ago, I'm used to being unseen," He said, resting his jaw on her head, "I am not bothered at all."
"With what I'm seeing, I don't think she is leaving anytime soon."
"She," Theodore turned Ingrid around to meet his eyes, "would be out of here in no time." He pecked her lips.
Ingrid breathed out heavily and looked at them once more.
"Enough 'them' time," He closed the window curtains, and Ingrid looked at him, and twitched the side of her lips, "Now, let's have some 'us' time."
He bit his lower lip, and Ingrid looked him in the eyes, feeling the heat.
"You are not going to believe this, Mum." Aurora beamed with joy as she entered her mother's room.
"We need to talk, Aurora." Moira's voice came out, still and without emotion.
She sat on the chair in front of the mirror stand, staring right at Aurora. One would think that she was expecting to see Aurora come through the door in no time.
"Is everything okay, Mum?" Aurora asked, slowly walking towards her mother.
"It all depends on you."
"How do you mean?" Aurora asked, and she sat down on the bed, looking at her mother. "Did I do anything wrong?"
"Not really, but the master's wife thinks otherwise." Moira said, "I was summoned today."
"I don't understand."
"Aurora," Moira stood and slowly walked towards Aurora, "I love you, my child, and I will never do anything to hurt you."
She bent down to meet Aurora's eyes, "But within the walls of this mansion, my hands are tied, I am nothing but a worker. I could be punished in ways that you can never imagine if you go against the high authorities in this mansion."
"I don't know why she despises me, but I promise, I have been very careful."
"I believe you," Moira said, "But you can never be too careful."
Aurora's eyes fell.
"That's why I have decided that you will leave the mansion as early as tomorrow."
Aurora's eyes widened, "What?!"
"I know," Moira said, holding Aurora's hands, "But it's the best I can do to protect you."
"You can't do that," She retorted, "I have waited years to see you, mum, please don't send me away. I still need to spend more time with you."
"Please," Moira bowed her head, hiding her emotions, "don't make this harder than it already is for me."
She lifted her head. "You just have to go, please."
"You stay away from me for nineteen years," Aurora said, with teary eyes, "And you send me away after seeing you for just two days?"
"Do you think it is easy for me?" Moira shot to her feet, bursting out her emotions. "You have no idea what I am going through. Sending you to your grandmother, staying away from you all these years," She sniffed, holding her emotions back.
She turned her back, "Neither were done willingly, I had no choice," her head fell in defeat. "Every night I cry, holding on to the first dress you ever wore. I remember the laughter, the sound of your tiny voice echoing through the hallway as you played and laughed."
She turned around, tears trickled down her eyes, "I felt like dying. I still hate myself for making that decision; I had missed out on the major parts of my baby's life. I wish the situation were different, but unfortunately, it isn't."
Aurora was silent; she had never seen her mother like this before, and it broke something within her.
"Please, my child," Moira bent down again, "It's hard for both of us, but it would be so much harder for me if you remained here."
Aurora saw the sheer terror in her mother's eyes; she didn't understand why, she felt there was something her mother wasn't saying.
"Are they evil?" Aurora asked.
"What?" Moira's eyes widened.
"Do they hurt you?" Aurora's eyes widened curiously. "Do they hurt you? What are you hiding?"
Moira gave her child a surprised look.
"Do you need help?" She added, "I can't help you if you don't tell me what is going on."
Moira noticed that she was frightening her daughter; she didn't want that.
If Aurora were suspicious, it might escalate the whole issue and increase the danger around her. Ignorance would be total bliss for Aurora right now.
"No," Moira said, caressing Aurora's cheek. "Nothing is wrong, it's not what you think. I want you to get back to your elderly grandmother, that's all." She gave a false grin.
After a moment of silence, Aurora took a deep breath. "Okay." She said, with a sad face, "I'll leave first thing tomorrow."
Moira heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she said, smiling. "My sweet child."
But as Moira turned away, her smile melted, and a glint of fear settled in her eyes.