Chapter 464 Cooking Together
The housewarming party went without a hitch. They just drank and talked and later Nicholas helped Sophie arrange her stuff in her new home. Sophie offered to host them for dinner which was gladly accepted by the king and his mother.
To celebrate their new home, Sophie insisted on cooking herself even though two cooks had already prepared to do it. She said she wanted to do it since it was a special occasion.
"I am only pregnant, not disabled," Sophie repeated her words to remind Nicholas when the king showed a worried expression at hearing Sophie's decision to cook. She added, "This is a family dinner. The first one and we are having it in my new home, the first home I ever own myself. I want to make it special."
Nicholas looked at Sophie deeply and finally nodded. His eyes were misty when he remembered many years ago he and Sophie stayed in her parents' humble hut by the Blackwoods Forest and they cleaned and cooked together.
He often thought about the simple life they had together back then and he was so damn happy about everything. Living with Sophie in all humility and simpleness made him feel much happier than the life of luxury he had at the royal palace.
If there was a time machine, he would gladly go back to that moment and leave everything behind for her. They both could live a simple and happy life together with their beloved children.
"Can I help?" He didn't know his mouth already uttered that question. He wanted to help her clean or cook when the opportunity presented itself. It would be like reminiscing the time they were together in Blackwoods again.
Sophie looked at the king and felt unease at his offer to help her cook. She knew it the man was talking to her as Nicholas, not the king, but how could she only think of him as Nicholas and forget about his status as the monarch of this kingdom?
"I promise I will not destroy your kitchen," said Nicholas with a smirk. His warmth and playful nature always managed to crack even the most rigid person. Sophie was no exception. She looked at Nicholas and realized everyone in the dining room also looked at her and there was this look in their eyes, hoping she would say yes to Nicholas' offer to help.
Sophie finally shook her head and chuckled. She said, "Well, okay. I think I can use a hand in the kitchen."
She got up from her chair and went to the kitchen. Nicholas immediately followed suit. When she stepped into the kitchen, Sophie took out two aprons from the closet and gave one to Nicholas, and she wore the other one.
Nicholas was all smiles when he took the apron and put it on. He looked around them and tried to find ways to make himself useful.
"What do you want to cook?" he asked.
"Grilled chicken," said Sophie. She pointed at the cage in the corner of the kitchen where her cooks kept two live chickens. "We need to kill them and cook from scratch."
Nicholas nodded. He went to the cage, took out the chicken one by one, and prepared the bucket to keep the blood when he killed them. With one hand, he held one chicken, and his free hand transformed into a wolf claw. He then easily sliced the chicken's throat and killed it.
Sophie watched the man working so diligently without her needing to give him any instruction. This sight reminded her of when she and Nicholas went to the woods when they were looking for wolfsbane. Nicholas also hunted for animals for them to eat and killed them himself. Then, both of them would cook together.
Ahh... how long ago was it?
This brought back a good memory to her mind and Sophie couldn't help but smile. She decided to start working with the herbs and spices to cook, while Nicholas killed and defeathered the chickens.
"This is really fun," Nicholas commented as they were standing together, watching the chickens being grilled over fire. He turned to Sophie and smiled in amusement. "We should do it often. What do you think if we had a family dinner once a week like this? I can come with food, I can also cook here."
He added, "You can also come to the palace once a week. I think it will be good for the kids."
Sophie was silent when she heard his suggestion. She had three children that were not Nicholas'. Would he be okay if she brought her children to the palace often? She could accept Luciel and Jan spending so much time at the royal palace with their grandmother and father, because they were the princes of Riga, the rightful heirs to the throne.
Her other children, however, were only commoners. Now that their father had abandoned them, there was nothing left for the little ones, not even their title.
Nicholas cleared his throat when he saw her doubt. He said, "I know our family is not conventional and it doesn't have to be. I would love to take on the father figure for Jack, Anne, and the youngest one after he is born, IF you would allow me...."
He spoke very carefully, so as not to offend Sophie. "I know this is quite new and Leland might change his mind, because only a stupid fool or mentally disturbed man doesn't regret leaving you. You can wait and see what will happen in the future, regarding your children's relationship with their father... and yours with him as well. However... life goes on. He might never come back. The children might lose the father they deserve. And I know it's going to be really hard."
Nicholas looked at Sophie deeply. His eyes looked sad when he continued his words. "My mother went through something similar but it was very mild compared to what you are experiencing now. She had to struggle and fight alone to raise me and keep me safe, because my father, even though he was physically there, mentally he was not. He never loved my mother nor I."
Sophie remembered a little bit about this fact because Nicholas mentioned his father in passing several times eight years ago when they were together. Nicholas hid his identity but he did say that his father and him did not get along because his father didn't have affection for him.
Only today did she finally understand the truth. She looked at Nicholas with pity.
"My father was not supposed to be king, his older brother was the crown prince back then," Nicholas started his explanation. "He was an outgoing man who loved adventure. He fell in love with a duke's daughter who turned out to be betrothed to his older brother and was prepared to be the queen."
Sophie looked at Nicholas and felt touched because the man trusted her with his life story, an intimate one that he never shared before. It was the secret of his family. She waited for him patiently to recount his story.
"My father was heartbroken, but he was a gentleman and he supported his brother to be the king and marry the woman he loved. He had decided to leave Riga and see the world." Nicholas took a deep breath and his voice started to sound sad. "Unfortunately, his older brother was killed in an attack by the werewolf tribe, I think it was led by a werewolf king called Malachi."
Sophie's heart skipped a beat. King Malachi was her grandfather from her mother's side.
Did her grandfather kill Nicholas' uncle?
This made her feel regretful. Leland was responsible for Nicholas' father's death, King William Hannenbergh, and now her grandfather caused the death of Nicholas' uncle?
Why must their lives be entangled in such a bloody web like this? Nicholas lost the people dear to him in the past war and confrontation between humans and lycans. It went to show how much he had such a big heart that he didn't keep the grudge preventing him from working on peace efforts between the two races.
Sophie looked at Nicholas with new appreciation. She thought he was so kingly and noble.
"My uncle died and my father was forced to take the crown to replace him. The woman he loved was heartbroken when her husband, my uncle died, and she died to follow him several weeks later," Nicholas continued his story. "I think it was the moment where my father was truly broken and he had never healed."
He looked down and remembered his father. The king was a tortured soul who was just trying to be a good king to his people and at the same let himself be consumed by the fire within him, he became so vengeful toward lycans and if he knew his own son had become one, he might not hesitate to kill him.
"My mother was married off to my father after he took the throne because a king needed a queen. However, my father never loved her. His love died with that woman."
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