Chapter 120 An Heir
In one week, Lord Eves ordered men to search for the mines. In two weeks, House Eves was the third richest human household, rising from their spot in the tenths. In under a month, the Young Lord Aaron Eves married a woman of unknown origin and background before a holy priest in a small wedding where only his parents and family friends were present. No one knew who exactly was in attendance, but there were whispers here and there.
"Did you hear? Lord Eves' only son had a child with a woman out of wedlock! Now, they're rushing the wedding…"
"Well, I heard that she was some magnificent beauty that bewitched the Eves' heir. Heaven knows he can't be swayed by looks alone! Just last season, so many desperate Mamas shoved their daughters in his face and he didn't even falter."
"What kind of unworldly wh*re or beauty must she have been to seduce that Eves' heir?! Quite impossible I tell you, we all thought he was celibate! And to think, he has a wife and child now… poor Lady Eves."
In just a few months, word reached the world that Young Master Aaron Eves welcomed his newborn daughter. A healthy baby girl with a crown of golden hair against Aaron Eves' dark strands. She slid into the world without a hitch. A miracle, people would say, had they not seen how peculiar the mother appeared. "Lady Eves, would you do the honors of naming the baby girl?" Selene whispered, watching with tears in her eyes as Lady Eves snatched the baby from the crib. Selene knew the risks she'd put herself in if the baby didn't curry the favor of the reluctant granddaughter. From her paled expression and exhausted sigh, she had given up her firstborn to secure her future.
"Looks like a baby golden retriever," Lady Eves snorted despite cocooning the baby in priceless white silk, almost impossible to find these days. She peered upon the blond creature, her lips curling. "I've always wanted a daughter… pity, I could only give birth to Aaron."
Aaron knew where this was going. Selene gripped his hand tightly, almost begging him to say something. Lady Eves hated their marriage the most. She sneered at the sight of them together and scoffed at any marital gestures. Lord Eves had busied himself dealing with the new mine that was filled to the brim with ores. He could hardly find a place to store his newfound wealth! He'd leave early in the morning, pockets stuffed with money, and return with even more gold in his possession than the day before. House Eves' wealth had doubled, if not, tripled! All thanks to the arrival of a stranger. The miners suspected the mine wouldn't dry up for months, as the more they dug, the deeper they went, and the more ores there were! It was a miracle that none could suspect, and Lord Eves was eager to treat Selene as a new member of his family.
"I can name her," Aaron said against his wife's soft frown.
"No!" Lady Eves instantly objected. "I've decided this child's name is Roselind," she continued.
The baby peered up at her and instantly, Lady Eves smiled. "Hello there, Roselind." Her voice was the softest that the couple had heard in months. "Sounds so similar to your name, mother," Aaron dryly remarked. Rose-Anne. Roselind. Could she have been any more obvious?
Selene turned her head away, lips trembling. Roselind had gripped Lady Eves' fingers tightly. In response, Aaron bent and pressed a fond kiss upon his wife's cheeks, in the hopes of soothing her. His lips tasted of salt and regret.
"Her name shall be Roselind," Lady Eves decided, pleased with herself. She embraced the baby closer to her chest. The wet nurses glanced at each other knowingly. Some would've assumed Lady Rose-Anne Eves was the mother, and not the frail woman who's just given birth.
- - - - -
Selene never bonded with her firstborn daughter. Some servants suspected it was out of respect to Aaron for birthing the baby of an unknown man, whilst others assumed Roselind was a sacrifice to Lady Eves so Selene could remain in this household. No one asked questions when Lady Eves would whisk the baby away after feeding, or when the child slept in the grandparent's room more than the wetnurses.
Selene never voiced a complaint or concern. She'd always smile fondly upon Lady Eves and rarely reached for her baby. Soon, as the months went by, and Roselind clung to her grandmother, the Matriarch returned the smile.
"Buttered biscuits with clotted cream and wild strawberry jam," Lady Eves stated, quietly placing the plate in front of Selene. "Your favorite."
Aaron didn't even raise his head from his book. A year and a half had gone by now. He grew accustomed to his mother's doting on Selene. Whenever Roselind clung to Lady Eves, Selene was almost rewarded. Aaron didn't dare to pry the girl from his mother's grasp. Now that their father was almost always away on business, his mother had grown lonely. With nothing to do, but waste away in high society, Roselind was a blessing to the household.
"Did you knit this for her?" Selene softly asked, glancing coldly at the scarf wrapped around her daughter's neck. The material was soft and luxurious, almost like air in her fingers, but still warm. Cashmere, they called it.
"Yes, lovely isn't it?" Lady Eves gushed. "Red suits her. She is as lovely as the flower I named her after."
Roselind held tightly onto Lady Eve's skirts in an attempt to stand. Lady Eves was quick to guide her. Selene didn't even react, as her daughter tried to walk in her direction. Instead, Selene returned her attention to the food.
"I think it's wonderful," Selene responded. She smiled, but it never reached her eyes. Aaron placed his book down and rose to his feet, growing tired of the sight. The loss of his "daughter" didn't pain him. He didn't hate Roselind for not sharing his blood. He just disliked the idea that well… he wasn't the one to impregnate Selene.
Aaron brushed back Roselind, only rubbing the top of her head in acknowledgment. The baby tilted her head as if recognizing the touch, but not the man. "Why the sullen faces again? From both of you?" Lady Eves huffed, picking up her granddaughter and kissing the young creature on the cheeks. Roselind gigged in response, poking at her grandmother's face, earning a soft chuckle from the aging woman.
"You should laugh!" Lady Eves continued. "Look at how lovely your daughter is right now."
"Selene hasn't been feeling well lately," Aaron excused with a tight smile. "Pardon us, Mother." He took his wife's hand and guided her to stand, whilst taking the plate of dessert with him.
Lady Eves frowned as the couple brisked past her. "I hope you're not pregnant again, Selene."
Selene froze. She peered over her shoulders, her lips quivering. Aaron grasped her hips, turning her attention back to him.
"You've just given birth," Lady Eves continued in worry. "Best to let your body recover. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself birthing heirs for us."
A chill went down Selene's spine. She froze, her lips parting. Her face gave everything away. She was stricken with fear. Whether at the idea of another baby, or, trapped in this household to do nothing, but produce children. Aaron calmly ran his palm up and down her back in comfort.
"Don't be silly, mother," Aaron chided. "A woman can do much more than just birth."
"Huh," Lady Eves clicked her tongue, glancing at her daughter-in-law. "Yes, well, I suppose she could do nothing, but read and eat all day."
Aaron's face grew rigid. He cast his mother a glower and escorted his wife out of the room. They barely made it back to their shared room before Selene broke down in tears.
"Shhh, it's alright," Aaron soothed, wrapping her tightly in his arms. She clutched onto his shirt, burying her face in the familiar material as her entire body shook from the impact of her heartbreak.
"I'm a failure," Selene bit out. "Not only did I fail in raising my own, but she's… she's nothing like me! Nothing like what I wanted from this world!"
Aaron, at the time, wished he understood what she had truly meant all along. Nothing like her. Not in appearance or anything. At the moment, Aaron thought Selene was referring to Roselind's aloofness towards her own mother. "I thought it'd work," Selene choked, shaking her head in dismay. "I thought… anyone would've worked…"
"I don't understand," Aaron softly reassured her in the comfort of their own home. He gathered her in his embrace and lovingly ran his hand through her beautiful, silvery hair. Now that winter was here, the strands were pure as gold.
Was Selene referring to who took care of Roselind? Aaron couldn't fathom what Selene was babbling about. At times when Selene's emotions were all over the place, she always rambled about the silliest thing. The color of Roselind's hair. Her eyes. How little Roselind resembled her expectations. Something about descendants? Often, Aaron would find her awake in the middle of the night, sleepwalking and muttering to the moon. Doctor Farne said it was nothing, so Aaron excused it as such, and would warmly guide her back into bed. She'd curl into his arms and the rest was always history.
"I want another one," Selene decided, her words catching them both off-guard and snapping him back to reality. "It should work with you, I just know it!"
Aaron clasped his hands on her shoulders. "My wife, think of Roselind first. It would be unfair upon your daughter if you give birth to another so quickly. Your attention wouldn't be on Roselind and—"
"I don't care!" Selene cried out, her entire face crumbling as the rug was pulled from under Aaron.
Aaron's heart ached and stung, as if stabbed by swords. He could barely breathe, or think whenever she showed her broken expression to him. The universe glistened in her moistened eyes reflecting his softened features. Her purple abyss was the window to her soul. She was a shattered woman.
"Please," Selene whispered, sliding her palms upon his hard chest. She reached upwards, clutching his jaw and bringing him down. She captured his mouth, as if by second nature. He caved. He always did. Whatever she wanted, he'd give.
"I don't want another girl," Selene dared to say whilst tugging her husband to bed. Selene straddled his waist, catching Aaron by surprise. The two often slept like strangers with the occasional cuddling. They seldom touched each other in places that'd let them see stars. Not because Aaron was unwilling. God, he'd do anything to experience his wedding night again. But because Aaron was patient. He knew she wasn't ready to talk about her past, or even remembered anything of it.
"Are you certain?" Aaron asked, despite his entire core shouting with need. He was burning up at the sight of her on top of him, her ethereal body a temple to worship. Selene responded by unbuttoning his tunic with ease as if she had done it before. Slowly and boldly, she bent and kissed him again, just as Aaron tugged at the ribbons holding her skirts together.
"It should work with you, Aaron," Selene said against his mouth. His darkened gaze met her confident one. "You're an Eves… I just know it will work."
"What will?" Aaron asked, just as he pulled her dress down, revealing her naked, creamy flesh to him.
"I want a son," Selene stated, smiling down at her husband as she lifted her hips and allowed him to throw her gown to the floor. "A boy who looks just like me."
Aaron laughed. The idea of the child appearing like him never crossed her mind. "And what if it's a girl?"
Selene lost all interest. She climbed off of him and sat on the bed, her lips twisted into a deep frown. Aaron was alarmed, sitting upright. Was the idea so bad?
"If it's a girl," Aaron continued. "I wish to name her Ophelia."
Selene blinked, almost dazed. "A girl…?"
"Yes, as beautiful as you!" Aaron praised, like a madman. He lifted strands of her hair in between his fingertips, pressing his mouth upon the silvery ends. "With hair as white as snow and eyes as lovely as lavender."
Selene paled. "I'd like a boy," she confirmed as if it was possible to pick genders. "I must have an heir… you must have one too."
Aaron's brows shot up. A woman having an heir? What was she? Some goddess? Aaron let out a snort and pulled her back on top of him.
"And what'd you do if you birthed another girl?" Aaron teased, running his hands through her creamy hair.
Selene didn't respond. Instead, she rested her cheeks upon his broad and lean body. She closed her eyes, sinking into his soft, gentle caress.
"Then I'd have failed twice," Selene responded, just as she pulled down his trousers. "Failed twice to birth an heir for you… for us."
Aaron narrowed his eyes. "I do not care for heirs," he stated.
Selene slid lower against his body. "I never wish for another girl, Aaron. And I'd be damned if an Ophelia walks this earth in nine months."
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