I Will Be the Greatest Knight
Chapter 125: Fleeting Warmth

Chapter 125: Fleeting Warmth

The mother relieved Irene of the packs she carried over her shoulders—undoubtedly saddlebags—and put them on the chair she had just been sitting on. They were heavier than they looked and she was almost horrified her daughter was holding them so easily.

It was then that she realized Irene was merely a few inches shorter than she was. They hadn’t gotten close enough to one another when she was at the Duke’s Tower to tell such a thing.

Rochelle then helped Irene out of her cloak, then her outer coat, belt, and even the warm tunic she wore underneath until all that was left was the girl’s undershirt. She then sat Irene on the edge of her bed and removed her boots, stockings, and pants.

It had been such a long time since her mother cared for her in such a way, but she was receptive to it.

The woman continued until she pulled back the thick blankets on her bed and guided her daughter underneath.

When Irene was finally tucked in all the way up to her shoulders, Rochelle then went to the fireplace where there were stones sitting in the ash along the bottom. They were taking in the heat of the fire but, of course, never being damaged by the flames.

She found a large metal poker leaning against the side of the fireplace that she used to push the stones out of the fire.

Hanging up on the metal cage next to the fire, there was a thick square of fabric. The woman crouched down and placed the cloth in her hands. From there she reached towards the hot stones and picked two of them up quickly. After that, she quickly wrapped the stones in the fabric multiple times until they were concealed and she could tie a knot that sealed everything together.

Rather than scorching hot stones, the soft fabric simply felt warm.

She only disturbed her daughter again to pull the blankets away and place the fabric pouch against her lower stomach.

"Are you hurting?" she asked. "This always helps me. Leave stones on the fire in your room. It will help you sleep at night during times like this."

"It’s much worse than you warned me," Irene half-joked, trying to lighten the situation as her mother put the blankets over her again.

Rochelle sat on the edge of the bed and fussed with Irene’s hair and felt her nose to see how cold she was.

"During your cycle, it’s important to keep yourself warm," she explained. "Perhaps it’s merely a wives’ tale, but I’ve always been told that it helps you restore the blood and energy you lose."

There was a heavy pause and Irene felt exhausted, but she couldn’t look past what was unfolding before her.

"Thank you," she uttered. "Things haven’t been—"

"That’s enough," Rochelle gently insisted. "What sort of mother would I be to turn you away or bring up things that aren’t particularly important right now?"

While Rochelle wished that Irene was someone who would just sit still and stay put so this whole thing would be much easier to handle, she had married a complicated man and Irene followed in his footsteps in that way.

"Will you be seeing your grandmother in the morning?" she asked, although the question implied more than that.

"Yes," Irene admitted. "I will let her place the protective pattern on my arm when I see her. She is the last person who can do it, after all."

Rochelle nodded.

"I will go with you," she decided. "I promised you I would a long time ago." She paused for a moment and then a small smile appeared on her face. "Now you ought to rest until your father brings you tea and we can heat your room for you to spend the night in. Will you be staying here for a while?"

Irene was settling deeper and deeper into the pillows, but thoughts about her arrangements roused her. The fact that she had somewhat lied to Sir Gunnar was horrifying. Would he be angry with her when she returned?

"Actually..." Irene trailed off guiltily and she placed a hand on her face. "I had someone else tell the knights that I had an emergency and had to leave. I’m not quite sure what will happen."

Rochelle laughed lightly.

"I can’t fault you for that," she admitted. "Now, please rest while we get things together in your room."

"Yes, mother," Irene uttered.

When her mother was out of the room, her head turned to the side and she rested heavily against a pillow that smelled like the soap her family used to wash their fabrics. A sense of nostalgia struck her and she decided to relish in the warmth while she could.

The knighthood was harsh and unforgiving. She was prepared to face that, but gentleness was so nice sometimes.

No one bothered Irene for a long while and the girl started dozing off. She hugged the fabric and stones against her stomach and felt immense relief for the first time in a couple of days.

Since it was already night, time felt immeasurable because there wasn’t the sun to guide them. If time was molasses-slow or lightning-fast, she was entirely unsure of anything.

When she was woken up again, her father walked into the room.

"Your room is warm and you should have everything you need there," he explained. "Water is heating up. Your mother insists on bathing you next to the fireplace."

Irene was about to stand up but she was soon scooped up by her father and he brought her all the way to her bedroom where a fire had been lit and her bedding had been warmed. If she wasn’t mistake, everything looked as if she had lived there only moments before. The whole room was dusted and not a cobweb littered the ceiling.

There were many events those days that made her realize she was neglecting her family and she started to understand why her mother was so resistant to her leading the life her father did. All anyone did who was forced to stay at their manor was miss them and wait for them.

Irene felt taken care of like a little girl until she was tucked in once more with warm stones of her own. There was tea placed on a table nearby that was a dark red color. Her mother insisted that it would soothe her and make her internally warm to combat the pain.

It was so wonderful to live as her true self for a little while. As she drifted off, she wasn’t sure what the future held, but she felt rejuvenated to face anything.