Shae never kept Joe a secret to everyone. He even introduce him in the training grounds as his son. The knights, maids, everyone else in his place rejoiced. They know Shae have always wanted to have a son. And now he took the chance.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZfKlJQos8
Though, Joe was still scared of everyone that approached him. Only Sloan and Shae was the only one who can get near him without flinching.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncEC5rTB8W
With that, the day before she will be sent to the palace came.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBl37wUHsI
She woke up late. The first she saw was the vintage ceiling of hers, the angels were painted. When she sat, the hem of her long nightgown was reaching the floor. Sloan rubbed her eyes and stretched.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKQVZQTAob
She bathe and change her dress, she took the fuschia one and braid her own hair.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oJ2gu0yQM
When she went downstairs, no one wasn't around. She shakes her head, having a clue where they were.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxoTmY00Hu
Training ground.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPleewAHZkE
Joe had gone to like it there to watch Shae and the others train.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U3mh7gHAe
No one took notice of Sloan when she came, the knights were too focused to train.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0T2IuFJws
There, she saw Joe standing near the tree. When she called her name, Joe's face lighted up and run toward her.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQojjJNn25
"M'lady!"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYOeN3cv3O
Sloan didn't let him call her that, she always says he have to call her 'Sloan' and not 'm'lady'. But God, this child was more stubborn than her. Whatever he call her, what's important is he's here.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVU0KmPyYv
"Yeah...I'm m'lady..." Just call me Sloan, please.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaqr4eEnuV
She was so done. She smiled.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxB44uf0RJ
"Have you eaten breakfast?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsRq0hFXYH
Joe nodded. "Have you eaten, m'lady?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FBPzMv9E1
Sloan shakes her head.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3YhdxzVna
Joe blinked. "Father said we must always eat our breakfast, m'lady."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyrzzDWc6Y
Sloan chuckled. "You're calling our father 'father', why won't you call me 'Sloan'?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObl7eLXFCK
"...Because you're m'lady,"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFWNaFVw8i
Sloan stopped, then she laughed. She covered his mouth using her palm. It's been a while since she laughed, the knights and the maids in the training ground stopped and looked at their direction.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmNftZu5dd
That moment, Sloan felt her laughed so genuine herself. It was the first time she felt so overwhelmed again.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLonfpuwuNW
"..."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYefKWlWz0
All the other ones in the training ground were speechless.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIkAwwhSPK
Joe smiled, hearing her laugh.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwn3WP0X8i
When Sloan took notice of it, she stopped.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyITODh4ub
"Oh, you smiled."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDo2lLC3QC
"And you laugh, m'lady!"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetaAf6f5Fk
"..."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiFaGR43kA
Is this what they call having a sibling? She wondered.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9yWvyKMry
The next moment, they saw Shae walking towards them. All the knights too weren't focused in their training anymore.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBhkLiQVN6
Lady Sloan just laughed!!! They only saw her smiled to them, most of the time she has this displeased face.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSduuWAGLjW
"Father?" Joe.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ514i0sRI3Y
As Sloan turned around, she saw Shae. She raised her brows.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYtpmjXXjz
"Father!" Joe called. "Are you finished...training?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLfKNVjAdG
"I'm not, I heard you two was having fun here. Your sister was laughing."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyL6AB79fB
"..."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexb0Plqp1w
Sloan face-palmed. "Stop it, Father."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaK2GJCF5Nb
Shae nod and gave both of them a little smile.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVM6w2olvr
Joe spoke. "Father, m'lady hasn't eaten yet."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbq4QWA4QBV
"Hmm," Shae nod.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLujih751G
The three of them entered the kitchen inside the house to eat. Joe ate biscuits. The maids were so happy that there's a new one on the house. It made the house more lively. But now that Sloan will have to go to the palace to marry the prince, they just can't do anything but to be happy for her. They wanted everything to stay to were they were, but they know that can't be possible. Time exist. The people on the house sometimes don't like the change, but they could only accept it.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFD56fnKcAE
Sloan asked. "Does mother know...about Joe? Did you tell her?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpLN4Z46x0
Shae stopped. Then he answered, "Gale still doesn't. But...I'll send her a letter one of these days. The procession of adoption is still on the go. I need to put her name on it,"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKB61mkiP5t
But mother would be glad to know if you tell her right away.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Rrk5NacUF
Sloan looked down at Joe.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AvpKN0BPg
"Joe, do you want to go with me?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTSxILJfOi
"Sloan, what are you---" Shae interrupted.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9SleJqdu8
"Come with us, Father." She raised her brows. "The day of my departure will be tomorrow. My last day here. I want mother to know Joe, and you must introduce him to her. Mother was never gone, she's still your wife, remember?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WFox41nrf
Sloan achieved convincing her father to go. At the carriage, Joe was amazed, and it looks like his body will be strangled because of his thinned skin that her bones were showing.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmudmeJV6t
Seeing that, both of them turned pity for him.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcZGFZ8VgC
Joe hide behind Sloan when they arrived at her mother's place. Shae was trembling, having to look at Gale's face after six months. Her beauty was timeless. It seemed to never fade throughout these years, in his eyes. Sloan really took after her mother.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4cARw0YE0
"Shae?" Gale felt an extremes mixed emotions looking at Shae. It's been months.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRRL4ghtpJ
"Gale...how...how are you?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7EHE9qeYY
"Good. It's good. D...Do you want tea?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMfHX1l5z1
It seemed that Sloan had been completely ignored by her parents. When she cleared throat, that's when only Gale took noticed of her.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvBbSqXdtt
"Sloan! Shae, you're with her! You two, why didn't you send me a letter that you're coming today? Come, Sloan,"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7IDozEhW1
"Uh, mother,"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvHhEEsydj
Gale stopped. Sloan seemed to have something to say. "Yes, Sloan?" Gale's soft voice sweep through her. Sloan lifted the both corner of her lips, then he turned to Shae.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtUZGa70YL
Shae gulped. "Gale, I have something to say to you. I...I have adopted a kid, I brought him here for you to know, I just..."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWra1yAzQJ
Gale stopped, again, processing the question. It was a shocked. But then it took her a moment to realize. That's right, she's still his wife. On the papers, when he adopted a kid, it will be her kid too. But she never felt disappointment or any kind of anger, rather, she's happy. She know that Shae have always wanted to have a son with her. She's happy for him, but she felt a little sad too. She's sorry that she can't give what Shae wants because she was never prepared for everything. Still now, she doesn't know. Deep inside, she still feel this fondness for him. She herself was just contradicting it. And she still doesn't know what to do.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPEWrOIuf7
"Then...where is the child?" Gale asked, smiling.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GKhOWMzkH
Slowly, Joe appeared, tightly holding the dress of Sloan.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMEvJt2khW
Joe's eyes widened and twinkled.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHqjwSa6wS
"Ah! M'lady!"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuTRldi7xw
Joe turned his head back and forth from Gale and Sloan, the resemblance was too strong.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpQQAQyxkd
Sloan chuckled. "No, Joe, that is mother. She is mother, alright?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBVMXm88Q6
Gale was amazed, but worried at the same time when he saw what Joe looked like. She turned to Shae, and with that, she understand.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFyHLM2Bwa
For her, he's always been a hero to everyone. He always takes consideration, and makes the best decision. But in the past, even though that wasn't the case, his kindness never did fade.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K4wuIyjTo
"Joe...is it?"
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzxu9w9nOS
Shae nodded. "Sloan was the first to saw him, she named him." Then he smiled.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPZlpcqtHz
Gale smiled too, and turned her head. "Joe, I'm mother...come here."
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wgUU01BAD
Joe slowly walked towards her, trembling. This time, he wasn't scared. He's just overwhelming with happiness. He felt that this person will also accept him like m'lady and father. In his little age, he knew that this will be his new family. A new beginning for him.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPm0wELzfd
He stopped, turn to look at Sloan, his m'lady, who had come to save him from the torment of being unwanted and neglected by the people who raised him and made him a slave that time.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6HJK9nNgU
It will all be gone now. It's okay. Forget about the past, child.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoy57mJHj0
Someone whispered on his mind, that someone who has always been there in his mind to comfort him.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsqOSsokpF
'Will it really be gone?' He asked, again, afraid if the voice said was the opposite of it and he hear wrong.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8lTPKfTAs
Your suffering ends now, child. You're free now. And I'll be gone now, too. You don't need me anymore.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgi6LAGFJb
'I know, you said it to me once...'
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6hZ5PZadv
I'll leave now, child.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlTiYdzSWW
'T...Thank you, voice in my head.'
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2QrCaXArv
Goodbye, Joe...
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwtGqLGh5F
Joe's tears come out staring at Sloan momentarily.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCEsRBN1ye
I'm really thankful for you, m'lady. I want to be brave like you too. I will save people too like you do. I will do everything.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWXPTbEvUW
And then Joe run towards Gale and hug her.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4I1k15YWrx
This will be his first life.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2QMrZc991
And he will be great for anyone who have come to care for him. From today on.
ns18.116.15.98da2
然後按「加至主畫面」