Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess-Chapter 168 - 167- Family time

Idris returned to his tent after a few hours of good chatting with Cedric.

They majorly talked about Austin, and despite how much the blond Prince wanted to disappear, a certain someone kept holding his hand until the end.

Seriously, she was exerting strength in her hold!

Now, the only ones in the tent were Austin, his parents and Sebastian.

Lord Corwon and his wife arrived just now and were looking for Valerie.

Austin also wanted to meet them, but Valerie told him to rest for the time being and meet them tomorrow morning.

Austin also didn't insist since right now, the two of them must be too worried for their daughter to have a conversation with him.

Austin's clothes were all burned, but fortunately, "I brought a few pairs of extra night wears, sir." Sebastian informed as he took out blue pajamas from his bag.

Call it instincts or habit, Sebastian packed a few sets of clothes for Austin before coming here.

"Thanks, Sebas." Austin said as he took the night wear, before saying, "Then...I will be going." Austin has already planned to stay in the same tent as his classmate.

Sebastian's expression changed, a hint of grief appearing in his eyes which didn't go unnoticed by Austin. However, he still turned around and just when he was about to walk,

"Won't you stay with us, today?" A voice that held hope and plea, reached Austin.

Austin sighed before turning towards the man, "I...am staying with my friends."

Cedric's shoulders slumped, the man appearing older than his age, as he smiled and was about to nod, when suddenly,

"I-I will go and stay somewhere else...so please be by your father's side." Sophie suddenly got up and suggested.

She knew all too well that Austin wasn't staying here because of her. He had always shared a strong bond with his father, and even when Aiden had manipulated their minds, Cedric's care for Austin had never wavered.

So the problem here was her.

"But Your Majesty where else will you stay?" Sebastian asked in astonishment. Not only were all the tents already full, the person in question here was the Queen.

Cedric also held a worried gaze and was ready to reject her suggestion, when he heard her saying,

"I can just sleep in the carriage. No one will know and-"

"Okay, I am staying. No one need to go anywhere." Austin declared followed by an exasperated sigh.

Seriously, this much drama just for a night?

°°°°°°°

Valerie was...being hugged. It w the same person who usually hugs her. And the grip around her body was quite firm as well.

The lady of the house and Valerie's mother—Corwon Anastasia—was weeping aloud as she embraced her daughter in worry.

"As I said, I am fine, mother." Valerie assured her as she patted her back.

However, it didn't lessen their worries at all.

For some reasons, they got to know from somewhere that Valerie was taken away by the Demon General and was cornered to fight him head on. That explains why they were so horrified.

"Mama was so worried!" The older one cried as she as detached from her daughter and cupped her cheeks, as she asked, "Did the doctor chek on you?"

Considering her daughter's nature to swallow the pain rather than depending on others, Anastasia believed she would have remained nonchalant this time as well.

However, "Austin brought a medic to check on me… so, yes."

That smile on her face helped the duo relax a little. Seeing their daughter unaffected by everything she had faced today brought them a sense of relief.

Anastasia hugged her daughter again, this time softly, as she whispered, "We are glad that he is by your side."

"Mm."

°°°°°°°

Austin had no clue how and why he was sleeping between his parents.

Sebastian left the tent under the pretense of going for a walk, and it was highly unlikely that the butler would return.

And now, Austin was sleeping between the couple for some reason...

"Uh...I could have slept separately you know..." Austin muttered. There was enough space in the tent to accommodate twenty people so he could have found himself a comfortable corner.

However, "It has been while since we united and have a chance to share a long conversation. Don't abandon your old father now." Cedric smilingly chided.

Austin surrendered, "What exactly do you want to talk about?"

"It has been a while since we had a leisure chat like this so how about you start with your trip to Drenovar?"

Austin exhaled a long breath. Guess, there was no helping it.

"After leaving the capital..."

Austin and Cedric continued to chat for an hour. However, it was mostly Austin speaking; telling his father about his experience in Drenovar and also about his match in the tournament.

Cedric couldn't stop smiling even once while hearing his stories.

It was like Austin has been all over the world and has fought varities of entity in so less time.

Cedric never questioned him about his unnatural growth, trusting his son to already have an answer to this peculiarity.

Around midnight, while talking to his father, Austin fell asleep.

Seeing his comfortable sleeping face, Cedric smiled warmly.

His eyes went to his wife and he found her looking at Austin as well.

"Dear?"

Sophie softly said, "Even though we saw each other about half a month ago, it feels like I am looking at him after years."

It felt like, all the anxiety built inside her after Aiden death. All the stress melted while she looked at her son's serene face.

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"Why didn't you talk to him?" Cedric asked. She had such a good opportunity to talk to Austin, and seeing how easy going he seemed a few moments ago, Cedric knew Austin wouldn't have ignored her.

However, "No, my Lord. As Valerie said...I can only hope to fill this gap between us, after I forgive myself for what I have done. And I...haven't forgiven myself yet."

Cedric sighed seeing the tears in her eyes.

After she returned to her senses, Sophie had been crying a lot...reminding Cedric of that time when Sophie initially got married to the family.

Because of strict rules and so many things she had to learn as a Queen, Sophie wept a lot. She really wasn't the best hardworker at that time.

And now, she had a different reason to cry.

She was guilty for hurting her child.

She regrets throwing away the boy who once was everything for her.

Sophie regrets it. Everything.

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.