The Fool Who Saved Me

"Mother…" Victor's voice softened, low enough that it barely carried through the quiet room. "Then how did you survive?"

Anna looked up at him — exhausted, frayed at the edges, the weight of old scars dragging at her posture — but still holding composure the way only someone who'd survived true devastation could.

Victor waited. Still. Breath locked. Eyes fixed on her like he could anchor her through the storm of memory she was about to step into again.

"Mother," he repeated, a tremor running beneath the words, a thread of fear twisted into fury, "tell me. How did you survive?"

Anna exhaled slowly.

And then she said something Victor never saw coming.

"I survived," she whispered, "because of your father's cowardice… and foolishness."

The room jolted.

Victor's eyes widened.

Ben — who had been standing silently to the side — froze like someone had smacked him across the soul. His entire face twisted in a confused, offended, what-did-I-do-now expression, his mouth opening and closing like a stranded fish trying to form a protest.

Ben lifted a hand. "Wait— what do you mean cowardice—"

Anna shot him a sharp look that cut him off mid-sentence.

"Don't," she said.

Ben's hand snapped back to his side. His lips sealed. His spine straightened like a soldier who'd been slapped back into line.

Victor watched the exchange, confusion circling through his expression.

He turned back to Anna. "Mother… I don't understand. How does Father's cowardice or foolishness have anything to do with you surviving? How… how does that even make sense?"

Anna's expression softened a little — a small, tired smile breaking through the lingering pain.

"Because back then," she said quietly, "your father wasn't the man you know now."

Ben squinted. "Hey— I matured— okay? People grow."

Anna ignored him entirely.

She reached out and brushed Victor's forearm with her fingertips, grounding herself.

"Back in those days, your father was a prince of the Lionheart Kingdom. His older brother — your uncle — was king. Their father ruled the kingdom with a heavy hand. And your father… at that time… was aloof. Detached from the world. Not because he was weak — but because he was a coward."

Ben gasped, hand pressed to his heart. "Woman— you wound me."

She flicked him a glare sharp enough to silence him instantly.

Victor blinked slowly, absorbing every word.

Anna continued.

"When my side thought I'd died, they retreated. And when this side thought the invaders had withdrawn, they left the battlefield too. Both sides believing the fight was over."

She paused, breath catching for a moment.

"But lying there… bleeding… broken… alone inside that cave… I wasn't dead yet."

Her voice cracked just a little.

Victor felt his chest tighten.

"And then," she said, "your father came wandering into that cave."

Ben raised a hand again. "I wasn't wandering. I was— searching for treasure."

Anna stared at him until he shut up.

Victor nearly snorted.

Anna continued, her tone calmer now, almost reflective.

"He came inside thinking he'd find something — an unclaimed treasure, an item tossed aside in the chaos. Maybe a space ring, maybe a weapon. Anything a lazy prince would consider a 'stroke of luck.'"

Ben sighed. "Not lazy… just economically hopeful."

This time, even Victor shot him a look.

Anna gently squeezed Victor's fingers.

"And then… he found me."

Ben straightened, ready to defend himself. "And I—I didn't wait for anything else. I didn't run because I didn't want to ruin my handsome—"

Anna flicked her fingers toward him in a quick, irritated snap. "Enough."

Ben fell silent again.

She returned her focus to Victor.

"Your father saw me lying there… dying… and instead of asking who I was, or what happened, or whether I wanted help…"

She shook her head with a laugh so soft it almost hurt.

"That fool picked me up. No questions. No hesitation. He just carried me out of the cave like a thief snatching a jewel."

Victor's eyebrows shot up.

Anna's smile grew a little. "And do you know why he said he saved me?"

Ben's face lit up, proud, like he already knew the answer.

Anna sighed. "Because he fell for me at first sight."

Ben nodded vigorously. "See? Straightforward. Efficient. Honest."

Victor stared at him.

"…You're too straightforward," he muttered under his breath.

Ben puffed his chest with pride. "Exactly."

The silence following that was almost comedic.

Anna chuckled faintly — a sound she rarely let escape — and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face.

"And that," she said softly, "is why I survived. Because your father was foolish enough to enter a dangerous cave alone… cowardly enough to avoid fighting… and stupid enough to carry a half-dead stranger out without thinking."

She leaned back, breath easing.

"But it saved my life. And because of him… I didn't die there."

Victor's shoulders relaxed, a small nod forming as he took in the strange, ridiculous, unexpectedly tender truth of it all.

Anna wasn't done.

"When your father carried me back to the Lionheart Kingdom, the rebels were at their peak. But you already know that story — how he suppressed them, how he proved himself. How we married. How I had you. And your little sister, Ania."

Victor smiled faintly — just a small curve of the lips, but full of warmth and understanding. He finally knew the missing part of his mother's story.

Anna exhaled, her expression shifting back to composed maturity.

"Now… no more talking," she said softly. "You should go cultivate. I have work to do. And your father needs to head to court."

Victor blinked.

She sounded distant again — like she didn't want him prying further, didn't want him digging into the parts she hadn't shared yet.

He noticed it instantly.

His eyes narrowed.

Anna stood, ready to walk away.

Victor reached out and caught her hand gently — firm enough to stop her, but soft enough not to frighten her.

"Mother… wait."

Her steps halted.

Her hand stilled in his.

She slowly turned back to him.

And the chapter ends right here.

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