CHAPTER 343: STEPPING BACK?

The rain fell in a soft, steady rhythm in a cleansing drizzle.

The scent of wet stone and earth filled the air as mist coiled around the edges of the courtyard below.

Brandon stood on the balcony with his arms loosely wrapped around Florence from behind.

She leaned into him, her hands resting over his forearms, feeling the slow rise and fall of his chest against her back.

For a long moment, the rain fell around them as they stood there silently.

Then she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest, breathing in the warmth of him against the cool air.

That was when the faint sound of footsteps echoed behind them.

"Mother..."

Florence blinked and turned her head slightly to look at Kiera, who was standing at the edge of the balcony, her long blond hair clinging to her shoulders.

"Kiera," Florence said gently, a small smile touching her lips as she turned within Brandon’s arms.

Kiera walked forward slowly, her eyes flickering briefly toward the embrace before returning to her mother.

"I picked this up earlier," she said softly, extending her hand toward Brandon.

He blinked in mild surprise and glanced at what she was holding; his watch and his storage ring.

A dry smile appeared on his lips "Thank you, Kiera..." he said, reaching out to take them. "I completely forgot about these."

Kiera nodded silently as he took the storage ring and the watch from her hand.

Florence’s fingers brushed over Kiera’s knuckles lightly as she spoke. "Thank you, dear."

Brandon fastened the watch back around his wrist, "You’ve got a good eye," he said in a half teasing voice, trying to ease the heaviness of the moment.

That earned him a faint curve of Kiera’s lips... not quite a smile, but something close.

Florence’s gaze softened as she watched them.

He reached into his storage ring and took his mobile and saw the dozens of missed calls from Elize.

A quiet sigh escaped him as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Florence, I’ll talk with Elize for a bit."

She looked at him with understanding in her eyes. "Mhm, she must be worried."

He nodded, slipping his phone into his pocket as he turned and walked out of the balcony, his figure fading slowly into the soft haze of the hallway beyond.

For a moment, silence settled between the two women.

Kiera stood by the stone railing with her arms crossed lightly as her gaze lingered where Brandon had disappeared.

Then, in a low and hesitant tone, she broke the silence "Mother..."

Florence turned her head with a gentle smile on her lips "Yes, dear?"

Kiera’s voice came quieter this time, carrying a note of uncertainty that was rare for her. "I wanted to ask this earlier but..." she hesitated, biting the inside of her cheek before continuing "isn’t he... Eira’s boyfriend?"

Florence blinked once, then twice, before letting out a slow, faint breath.

Kiera frowned slightly "Is it really... okay for him to have a relationship with you?"

Florence turned toward the open balcony again, resting her hands on the cold stone.

"It’s... okay, dear."

Kiera’s gaze narrowed further "But doesn’t it bother you? What people might say? What she might feel?"

Florence’s smile softened "The world will always have something to say, Kiera. People always will. But feelings... aren’t always something we can control."

She exhaled slowly, "When I was with him, I didn’t see him as Eira’s lover. I saw him as a man. Maybe that’s selfish of me... but maybe it’s human too."

Kiera lowered her gaze, processing her mother’s words in silence.

Florence turned to her then, stepping closer.

She reached out and gently brushed Kiera’s hair from her face, "What matters, dear, is that love in any form... doesn’t destroy what’s left of us."

Florence smiled faintly, her voice softening to a whisper "Someday, you’ll understand. Sometimes the heart does not choose who it loves. It simply... finds a place to rest."

The rain had stopped completely now, and a pale sunlight broke through the heavy clouds, spilling across the balcony in soft, golden hues.

The scent of wet stone and blooming lilies from the gardens below lingered in the air.

Florence stood there quietly for a long moment, her fingers tracing the railing absently, gathering her thoughts.

Then, in a voice softer than the breeze, Florence spoke "Kiera... there’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while."

Kiera tilted her head curiously "What is it, Mother?"

Florence’s gaze lowered to her hands "I’ve been thinking about stepping back... from being one of the heads of the Five Great Noble Houses."

Kiera blinked in surprise "What? Step back? You can’t mean-"

"I do," Florence interrupted gently "The Bleaufort name has stood for power and influence for generations... but lately, all I see in that name is the weight of blood and expectations."

Her fingers tightened on the railing. "Our family... my family has caused enough pain under the guise of nobility and duty. I no longer wish to sit on a throne built on ashes."

Kiera’s expression wavered, "But the House needs you, Mother. The council-"

"The council will adapt," Florence said softly.

"There will always be another noble ready to seize control and chase the influence. That cycle will never end. But me?"

"I’m tired of living for the expectations of others. I just want peace... for you, for Eira, for all of us."

Kiera looked away, struggling to find a response "If you step down... they’ll see it as weakness. Grandmother’s allies, the other houses... they’ll whisper, they’ll use it against us."

Florence turned her head toward her daughter, "Let them whisper. Power means nothing if it costs us our blood."

Kiera’s throat tightened, and she wanted to argue and remind her of the tradition and duty, but the quiet conviction in Florence’s voice silenced her.

Florence stepped closer, gently placing her hand on Kiera’s arm "You’ve carried enough of that burden already, my love. You shouldn’t have to live the same life anymore... constantly proving your worth, fighting shadows that don’t matter. You deserve the freedom to simply live."

Kiera’s eyes flickered "What will you do if you step down?"

Florence smiled faintly, her eyes softening as a gentle breeze lifted her hair "I want to spend my days with my children... with the people I care about. I want to make new memories with Kael and the others."

Kiera stared at her for a moment... the calm, unwavering strength in her mother’s face and realized just how different Florence had become since her return.

No... since Brandon’s entry into her life.

There was no longer the noblewoman driven by cold perfection molded by Henriette; there was simply a mother seeking peace after a lifetime of storms.

After a long silence, Kiera finally spoke, "You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?"

Florence just chuckled under her breath "I have."

Kiera looked down, and a conflicted smile tugged at her lips. "Then... I suppose I’ll just have to get used to seeing you as a normal person."

Florence laughed softly, her eyes glinting with affection "I’d like that very much."

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Meanwhile downstairs, Brandon blinked, looking at the women stepping out of the space tear used for teleportation "Elize, Rave..."