Last Voyages

Chapter 3

"I'm sorry Isabella. I wish I could tell you something that could make this easier for you, but I honestly can't. Sometimes we just don't know the answers and it pains us to admit it...but we have to let time do it's work now, and wait to see what happens." she says and I let out a sigh, nodding my head before giving her a smile.

"Then I'll just wait. I can't just think about it forever." I say, trying to sound positive and she gives me a sad smile. "It amazes me the strength you have, Isabella. It's truly amazing to see you carry on." she says and I give her a smile. "Thank you." I whisper honestly and she pats my shoulder before getting up.

"Well, it's about time for us to head to bed. The meeting started at two and it's already seven by now, knowing how long we've been talking and how much it's taken them to clean up. Will you grab the kids to eat and then we'll head off to bed? I know you're travelling back home early tomorrow." she says and I smile, standing up and nodding to her.

"I'll go get them." I say, parting ways with her and heading up the stairs, hoping to find the three little munchkins not destroying anything. I opened up the office door and smiled, seeing all three of them playing with their toys together, laughing and having a good time.

"Who's ready for dinner?" I ask in an excited tone, all three heads snapping up with grins on their faces. "Me!!" they all three chorus, scampering over towards me and I laugh, leading them down towards the dining room where we were going to eat. 

"Aunt Bella! I'm growing again." Edward tells me with a bright smile, his green eyes shining and I smile down at him. "That's great! You sure are hitting a growth spurt!" I encourage and he beams at me, looking proud of himself. 

"I'm growing too!" Elizabeth says, her brown eyes looking for acceptance in my eyes and I smile. "I can tell! You're not that much shorter than Edward." I say and Edward still grins at her while she smiles. "You won't get me though." he teases and I roll my eyes. Sibling rivalry at it's best.

"Momma, am I growing?" Layla asks me and I smile. "Not yet, darling. But you aren't as old as your cousins. Just wait a little longer and I'm sure you'll grow just like them." I say encouragingly and she smiles, looking at her two cousins.

"One day I will catch you!" she promises, pointing at them and Edward laughs while Elizabeth grins. "We'll see!" Elizabeth says and the three begin to argue about who would be the tallest and the shortest. 

"My Dad was tall! So I'm going to be tall like him!" Edward says confidently and I smile sadly at him, while Layla frowns before looking at me. "Is Daddy tall?" she asks and I swallow hard before nodding my head. "He is. Tall and strong." I say lowly and she grins, turning back to the cousins. "I'll be just like my Daddy!!" she says and Elizabeth huffs.

"Well I'll be tall like my Dad too!" she whines and I let out a sigh, shaking my head as we reached the dining room. As Layla grew older, the more questions she asked about her father. I don't blame her, of course, I just wish it didn't bring me such grief to talk about him. 

But I guess that was one thing I just couldn't change. 

I open up the doors and let the three starving children run past me, Queen Phillipa smiling at them as they sit down in their spots, eagerly asking what they were about to eat. I continued to stay at the door, my mind brewing in thought. I needed to answer all of Layla's questions...I knew that. But at the same time...

I didn't want to.

***

"Layla get down from the carriage." I scold my child and she pouts. "I don't want to. I want to go back and play with Eddy and Lizzy." she whines and I let out a sigh. "We'll be going back soon, I promise. But for now we're going to go see Grandma, okay?" I ask and her eyes light up, despite the fact that she was trying to pout.