Casiane had just finished helping her mistress with her bath. She gently helped her dress, then led her to the bed, where Alvora sat on the edge, sighing softly.

"Ah, please forgive me!" The maid exclaimed. "Did I hit you by accident? I'm so sorry!" She bowed low.

The woman shook her head, smiling faintly.

"No, Casiane. Nothing happened." She replied gently. "But tell me, how is your family doing?"

The maid was speechless for a moment, not sure how to behave.

"What about your father?" Alvora asked.

"He... " Casiane hesitated. "He died last winter, my lady."

The older one was surprised at these words. She knew her parent was sick, but she realized he had abandoned his daughters so quickly.

"How so...?"

"It was during that dinner." She said, putting the clothes back in their proper places. "Dad's condition worsened while I was at work, that's why my younger sister came to your house in such fear..." She said with great regret. "I couldn't do anything, not even say goodbye to him, because... I had to stay at work as my masters told me."

Alvora completely froze at these words, remembering that incident. Only now did the emotions of that moment hit her, only now did she become aware of them. She remembered how, during the prayers, a girl suddenly ran into their house, in old, snow-covered clothes, with flushed cheeks and a voice hoarse after running. With tears in her eyes, she threw herself into her older sister's arms, which caused her to drop expensive plates. The girl cried and begged to go with her to her father, but Casiane was forbidden to leave her post.

"If you leave now, you have no reason to come back," Alvora said sternly.

"I will make sure you don't get any job," Fashan said.

Scared Casiane wanted to run immediately to the family that needed her, but she was perfectly aware that her master Fashan was capable of anything. If she loses her job and doesn't get another job, how will she take care of her younger sister?

Alvora had that scene in front of her eyes at that moment. She raised a hand to her chest as if it would stop the pain emanating from within. She pursed her lips, holding back her words. She wanted so much to apologize to her maid for all this, but she knew that these simple words "forgive me" would not bring back her father, whom she loved so much. Due to her selfish behavior, this poor creature didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to him. Alvora felt shame and guilt wash over her. She always did her best to push these thoughts aside, but she realized that the day would finally come when it would all hit her and she wouldn't be able to get up because of it. And now it happened.

She looked at Casiane, who had finished arranging her things.

"If that's all, I'll go prepare dinner." She said, then bowed and left Alvora's room, leaving her alone. The woman didn't even have the heart to stop her. She couldn't find words to express what she felt at that moment.

Did she regret her words and actions? Of course. But would she be able to survive all this if she hadn't become such a harsh person? She doubted it.

She never wanted to become like her mother. She never imagined that she would've no choice but to follow in her footsteps. She knew deep in her heart that if she had stayed with the sweet and innocent Alvora from her youth, she wouldn't have survived what she encountered on her path. She would've given up long ago and might even lose all her senses. Despite everything, she decided to find the strength to survive the next days, months and years. She was surprised that she had managed to survive it all until now. What was her motivation? Or maybe she hasn't lost all hope after all? Maybe there was still a tiny flame of faith burning in her? But if so, where was that flame now?

Deron.

It was her son who was her last light, her last hope.

Thinking about it some more, another thought came to her mind, did her mother have the same life as her? Did she, too, have to leave her former self in the shadows just to survive?

No matter how much she thought about her past, now she couldn't change anything or fix her mistakes. Shame and self-pity will remain with her until the end.

"Mother?" Deron's voice woke her up from her thoughts. "Something happened?" He was worried seeing her in this state.

The woman was silent for a short moment, then shook her head and patted the space next to her. So the man sat down next to her and looked at his mother.

"Something on your mind?" He asked.

Alvora looked at the window thoughtfully.

"Old age has finally caught up with me." She said, making Deron laugh. "Yes, yes, go on, laugh." She shook her head, not hiding the smile at the corner of her mouth. "Are you going somewhere?" She looked at him again.

"Yes." He straightened his clothes again.

"Whe..." She hesitated, then stopped herself from saying the question. She felt she had no right to ask him about his plans. He was a grown man who was rejected by his mother. So why should she now have the right to ask about her son's intentions? She lost that power a long time ago.

"I'm going to get a doctor." He said, seeing her hesitation. His words immediately caught her attention.

"A doctor?"

"For you." He said, which surprised her even more. "I know that man sent them away from you." He said, reminding Fashan. "But I'll change it. I'll find a medic for you, and if not in Rednce... then in another Tribe for sure. A Medic.. one of the best ones." He nodded confidently. "You'll get better, mother." He looked at her.

The woman looked at him in disbelief. The words caught in her throat and her heart tightened. Why was Deron still with her? She thought he would leave just a day after he arrived in Rednce, but she was wrong and her son was still with her. More than that, he cared for her, wanting the best for her. Why? After all, he should hate her, right?

And did she herself hate her mother?

"You'll get better, mother."

She remembered the time when Deron was little and she lay in bed with a cold. After training and long lessons, the boy looked at her every day, even for a short moment, giving her a small flower that he found. He wanted to talk about what he had learned, but not wanting to bother his parent, he left only a small gift, straightened the blanket, seeing that his mother was sleeping and left. What he didn't know was that Alvora was awake and she always knew that he was visiting her.Seeing also how little Ishat is always waiting for him at the doorstep. The flowers she received she hid the flowers in her book and kept them dried as souvenirs. She never threw them away, she kept them, always.

"You'll get better, mother." At that time he said exactly the same thing.

"Mother, are you crying?"

"N-no, it's just..." She wiped her eyes with her hand. "Some dust got into my eye."

"I see..." He said, examining her carefully. He knew the truth perfectly well, but decided not to tease her. "I'll be back soon." He stood up and looked at her again. "I'll bring you a gift."

"A gift?"

"Mhm, a gift." He nodded. "Back then, I used to bring you wildflowers, now I'll bring you your favorite one."

"My favorite?"

"Glory lily," He said. "flame lily." He added with a smile. "Your favorite flower, have you forgotten?"

"No. Not me, I did not." She replied uncertainly.

"Neither did I." he smiled and then headed towards the exit.

"Deron?" She called him gently, so he stopped. "You should hate me..." She said with her head down. "You hate me, don't you? So why..."

"Mother." He interrupted her, looking at her over his shoulder. "You are my mother." He said to even remind her. "Should I hate you? How could I...? And do you... hate your mother?"

Alovra felt that he had learned to read her like an open book. Even though she was surprised by his answer, she was happy to hear his words. Deep down she hoped...yes, she hoped that was, what she would hear. That she hadn't yet lost her chance with her only son, Deron.

The woman smiled shyly, nodding her head, which he reciprocated and after a while left her room. A single tear rolled down her cheek, which she decided not to wipe away this time. She didn't want to hide it anymore. However, when she calmed down after a long time, she asked her maid.

"Forgive me for not running so quickly, but the dinner could burn and... I mean, no! Dinner wouldn't burn because I'm there! No worries!" She bowed low, feeling extremely embarrassed, and Alvora chuckled quietly.

"It's okay, Casiane." She said gently.

"Ma'am... do you need anything?"

"You stayed alone with your sister, yes?" She asked, surprising the maid even more.

"Yes, ma'am..."

"Does your sister go to school?"

"N-no, ma'am..." She replied shyly. "We can't afford schools in Rednce..."

"I see..." She nodded, still smiling gently. "Casiane, please come."

The maid dusted off her long skirt and then slowly approached her, standing at the right distance, to which Alvora laughed and took her gently by her tired hands.

"You can look at me." She said confidently.

After hearing this consent, Casiane shyly looked into her mistress's eyes.

"Casiane. Thank you." Alvora smiled sincerely.