Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 232: Past Regrets (2)

Chapter 232: Past Regrets (2)

One day the youngest was chasing the eldest. Sitting in the garden he watched two grown up boys, one seventeen and another thirteen year old, messing up the garden, ruining the spring flowers. The eldest had a photograph in his hand and the youngest with his face red was chasing his brother.

’See great grandma... Berty wants to marry this girl!’ Louis jumped over a hedge and ran towards her, escaping his little brother. ’She’s a Princess too. Princess Polaris!’

When she saw the picture of the thirteen year old girl, her heart squeezed. Wearing an amethyst earring, the purple in her eyes were brought out and her smile...

Her chest hurt... She fainted.

Her first heart attack.

At almost eighty years old, she thought there aren’t a lot that could surprise her. She thought she was saturated by the wonders of the world and the curve balls life throws at you, enough to get not surprised.

But she was amazed when she learnt that that girl who bore close resemblance to her daughter and had the same eyes as her husband was the little girl who she can’t take her eyes off, a decade ago.

But how is this possible? My child and my grandchild didn’t survive... Unless... I was lied to.

She investigated secretly. It was hard to gather evidences since most of the records were destroyed and not well kept during the war. Also having Rosandale people investigating around in Esteria made it harder. They had to be very discreet in investigating. Months went by with no results. But she was not willing to give up.

As a couple of their well-trained spies were ordered not to return home without results, she the Dowager Queen, like a mad woman, gathered every picture of that girl she could find. Her mother, her father... If her intuition is right, her father is her grandchild. The child that wasn’t actually dead, but was kept away from her.

He wasn’t that impressive. Grew up in a Foster home, took the name of his foster parents - Whiteford. Worked in his father-in-law’s company and an alcoholic; just like her brother.

But he was dead too... This time for real. At least he had a child... He left a legacy!

She felt like that little girl is her last hope. Last hope for what? She didn’t know or understand. Her heart clenched thinking about that girl who carries the blood of her daughter. She wanted to see her immediately. She wanted to do what she failed to do with her daughter.

To stand up for her and announce her as her great granddaughter.

She searched for her pictures. There weren’t many. But there was enough to get an idea about her. She felt like she watched her grow up. There was a slight indifference in her attitude and haughtiness when she was little - she was entitled to that. But in her later years she perfectly grew out of it and it was replaced with perfect politeness. There would be slight signs of haughtiness popping up here and there... And at times there it will be... That angelic smile...

She is my great granddaughter.

But as if they were helped by heavens, trey found someone who lived with and found out that her daughter’s husband lied and kept the child away from her since it was her daughter’s last wish as she died giving birth to a healthy son. That her daughter didn’t want the child she bore to grow up in ’that awful place’ - The Palace.

Oh, my sweet child! Why did you ever feel that way? I never knew you felt awful! Did you not think of me for a moment before deciding to keep your son from me? A little... A teeny bit? Did you even consider that I might want to meet my grandchild? And you? You know what... This hurts me more than when you left me or when I learnt that you died... A lot!

As this piece of information was gathered, she wanted to announce that she is her great granddaughter immediately and bring her great granddaughter to her country. She belongs in Rosandale, the motherland of her grandmother.

But the courtiers differed in opinion. They wanted proof.

Of all the wonders of the world, what most fascinated her was the scientific advancements. They told her that she could be sure if that’s her great grandchild by taking a DNA test. It was a long shot those scientists said, but she didn’t care and ordered to get her DNA somehow. ’Check it with everyone in the family’, she ordered. That way they will prove it without doubt.

In fact, she was sure of her conviction - that girl is my Lillian’s granddaughter. But for that girl to let back in her family, she needed proof. One would think that adding a new family member would be easy, considering how wealthy they are. But reality is far from that. The more rich and prominent the family is, the more difficult it is for them to accept a new member. That too, their family that is entitled to one of the most coveted titles and the wealth that came with it... There are many restrictions.

And the court...

That girl - Talia Mary Ann, she belonged to another prominent family with status not that lower to her Royal family. And with the Lockhart family’s heir around her, it was not easy to get close to her.

The court wanted to confirm her identity first before talking to her grandfather - the biggest blunder they made. Jerome Brunton - kindly called by his peers as ’The Elephant’. Not only he was so involved in elephant conservation which he involved in after his daughter’s interest in it, but also because of his character. He looked majestic and polite, right to the name of a prominent name of the aristocratic family he carried. He is said to have a very good memory of who did good to him and who hurt him. Loyal, benevolent to his friends, and ruthless to his enemies. He can build and he can destroy. He had too much power.

The Royal Courtiers thought that they were above Jerome and they can pull wool over Jerome’s eyes and get close his granddaughter. Talia was in S-Country back then and they thought it would be a piece of cake. But... The spies they sent got caught by that guy - her Knight. Everything had to be explained to Jerome and Jerome threw a fuzzy fit refusing to cooperate with them. Thankfully, they got a vial of her blood somehow before she was called back to Esteria. That attempt in her life in S-Country, her spies gave some information beforehand to Jerome’s people and that limited the damage caused by that incident. Even then, Jerome was livid by their sneak tactics.

They confirmed that Talia was her great granddaughter. And she wanted to announce but Jerome was not pleased by the decision. Their royal court too.

I’m going to bring her back one way or another!

She tried her best to convince Jerome to let her announce as a Princess of Rosandale. He wasn’t pleased. And he had his reasons.

Talia is his only granddaughter - the last thread that connects him to his daughter while she has other great grandchildren.

Her son, seeing his mother’s suffering asked her permission. He said he’d bring her back by any means necessary. His eyes looked sinister when he said that. But she sternly refused. She could understand Jerome. He raised that little girl, carrying her in his heart. She won’t rip off that child from his chest.

In the past... She might have. But now... No! She wanted to do it her way. Like what her heart said.

Oh, Jerome... How will I make you understand she is the last thread that connects me to my daughter too?

When will you realise that?

But at those times, she never felt the need to beg. She still had her pride and she even felt angry at times talking to Jerome. He wasn’t easy to deal with. All her life, she had never met a person as tricky and adamant as Jerome.

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