The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 43: Teaching And Learning

Jerrick raised his brows and observed Bernard. The usual promptness in his reply was missing as he was thinking deeply.

"My intention toward Isadora is to make her smile a lot," Bernard said.

"That’s it? That’s so..." Jerrick swallowed the rest of his words. If it was someone else, he would have assumed they were going for deceptive courtship but it was Bernard he was talking to.

"Bernard, why do you like Isadora?" Jerrick asked. He was curious as to what Isadora did to make flowers bloom in an iron heart.

"Because she said she didn’t hate me," Bernard said, his face sparkling with happiness. It took a lot to nullify the effect of the mean-looking scars on his face, but that smile on his face was bright enough.

"She doesn’t hate you, is that it?" Jerrick chuckled. It might be a simple thing for others but he knew how big of a deal it was for Bernard. "It is nice to have a pretty girl who doesn’t hate you, isn’t it?"

Bernard smiled ear to ear as he nodded.

"Look at you grinning ear to ear... You’re handsome. Smile more. It suits you," Jerrick patted his head.

He remembered the feral boy he met years ago. His hair and entire body were unkept having lived in the woods; he even walked like an animal on all fours. He had forgotten human language and was dreadfully violent toward men and snarled at women.

Jerrick never thought he would see Bernard with a blissful smile on his face. He was pleased that Bernard could enjoy the bliss of first love.

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A couple of days passed and Jessamyn stayed mostly with the child. She taught some basic embroidery to Isadora and she spent most of the time in her room trying out the embroidery.

Jessamyn knew what she was up to and she didn’t disturb her. She spent her time with the boy.

They assumed he would be a two-year-old by his size. He had twelve teeth and they assumed him to be closer to two but he didn’t speak many words.

He rarely spoke or walked. All he wanted to do was eat. He was hungry, always.

"Little Bubble, you cannot eat that!" Jessamyn had to fly over to the bed to stop the boy from eating her embroidery needle.

She just got down the bed placing the pincushion down to get another set of strings and he managed to grab the one dangerous thing left on the bed.

"You just ate an apple. How are you hungry already?" Jessamyn asked safely getting the needle from his hand.

Leaning on the pillow, the boy pouted and his eyes reddened. Although he didn’t talk, he understood words enough to know that she was mocking him.

"Does it bother you? Then tell me your name," she said. That snobby boy didn’t like to be called a bubble.

The boy looked at her with a pitiful gaze. Jessamyn poked his round belly. "You are a little bubble. I’m afraid you’ll go ’pop’ if I poke you a little harder. Eat less, Little Bubble..."

"Thaat..." Little Bubble pointed at the fruit tray on the table beside the window. "Grapes..."

"Right," Jessamyn giggled. "You can’t say your name but can name all the fruits you like. Unbelievable!" she shook her head.

Her mocking tone seemed to have struck a nerve. The boy pouted and flailed his legs. He tried to grab Jessamyn’s hand. "Grapes!" he said, this time raising his voice.

"No," Jessamyn said. She would love to pamper the child but she couldn’t condone gluttony out of her care for him.

It angered the boy further. He started screaming at the top of his lungs as if he was getting beaten.

"Oh?" Jessamyn raised her brows. "Is this young lord unaccustomed to the word "no"?" she asked with a smile. She then bopped his nose. "You’ll have to, Little Bubble boy..."

She was not even slightly bothered by the boy’s tantrums. She gave in to his tantrums on the first day, but she wanted to teach the boy manners.

The boy then switched his tactics. He stopped screaming and sat quietly. Even the tears in his eyes dried up immediately.

"Please," he said pointing at the table. "Hungry," he rubbed his belly. "Grapes..." He blinked his pretty big eyes.

And with that, Jessamyn’s resolve was floored; so were her principles to be a good teacher.

Aww... He said ’please’... Isn’t that cute? Look how adorable he is...

She also learned one thing. She understood why they all liked Imogen better. Imogen could hide all her thoughts behind that polite smile and get whatever she wanted. Jessamyn, however, still didn’t consider herself that talented.

I should learn sycophancy and flattery!

She got some grapes and gave him. The boy with a prideful smile ate the grapes. Yesterday, he expected her to remove the pits of the grapes. Since she was not very interested in serving his needs, he learned to do it himself.

Staining his chubby little fingers, he savored the juicy grapes while smiling at her to make sure she didn’t change her mind.

That boy was not dumb at all. He just was pampered to the extent he didn’t bother to do anything himself.

After he finished, Jessamyn cleaned his hands. "Come on, let’s go," she said to the boy. "The weather is nice. Let’s take a walk in the garden."

The boy stared at her with his lips pouted and eyes wide. He surely didn’t expect that. He didn’t like to walk. He just ate!

Not minding his pouty face, Jessamyn carried him and walked out of the room. "I am going to carry you downstairs. From there, you’re walking on your own," she said in a strict tone.

Wouldn’t most infants his age love to run around? Why is he this lazy?

Her arms hurt. Lynae followed her. After the last message from the council, she didn’t receive any more messages. Jessamyn assumed they were waiting for the wedding to happen before giving her another mission.

She didn’t even know whether she could go to the garden but she wouldn’t know if she didn’t try, right?

She was no longer in Jerrick’s room. She was shifted to the room directly below his room. Lynae asked if she wanted a room with a view of the Sidera Ridge, but she preferred this view of the forest and that was settled.

After he informed her that they were getting married on Winter Solstice, she didn’t see Jerrick anywhere. He was in the castle, that much she knew. But he never called for her. They had their meals separately.

She was too busy looking after the boy, she didn’t think about it till then. She did have something to ask of him. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Just as she reached the first floor, she heard his voice.

"Going somewhere?"