Celestial Realm

*Chapter 120*

"You almost finished that, huh?"

I closed the journal when Frederick entered our chamber and approached me so he could kiss my forehead. "Yes... I have fun reading Father's journal." That was all about me, I wanted to add.

I had been reading Father's journal for almost a week already since Father was so zealous and diligent to write more than a hundred journals which started from the time I was born until I was married to Reginald and got remarried to Frederick.

I left the journal on the nightstand and helped him remove his blazer and his tunic. I giggled when Frederick hugged me after that and kissed my nape. "Darling... Stop..."

"Perhaps, you might want to try to read the letters I hadn't sent you for years, hmm?" he said while he was slowly swaying me even though there was no music being played. "I kept the box in my study room, you know."

I clung my arms to his neck. "Hmm... You are really obsessed with me to think that you are still making letters," I teased. I planted some sensual kisses on his jaw down to the corner of his lips.

Frederick purred and sniffed my scent. "Well... I have loved you for more than 15 years so can you blame me, sweetheart?"

I bit my lower lip as I pulled down his head to kiss his lips. Frederick didn't hesitate to kiss me back. But before he could deepen it, I halted which earned him a frown.

"You are supposed to bestow me good news, Frederick. Where is it? Did Azarius agree?" I asked as I undressed him.

Frederick's eyes stirred, getting distracted but he answered my question. "Claude and Rachelle convinced Brother Azarius to lift up the probation. We can go for an expedition next week," he said excitedly. I squealed when he lifted me up and spun us around.

"I knew it!" I giggled and held his face. "I am excited, darling."

"Me, too, sweetheart." Frederick kissed my forehead. "We can go on an expedition. Finally, I can be with you. I do not need to be paranoid that I wanted to return to the palace so badly so I can watch you over..." He hugged me so tight which surprised me a little. I heard him sigh in relief. "You don't know how I endured those moments I had seen you fooling around with men, Novalie. I wanted to go there and beat them out so I could take you all by myself." My eyes widened at his confession again.

No matter how many times I had heard him with this kind of confession he had right now, my heart was still racing so fast. Even my wolf was squirming, trying to communicate with his wolf more.

I returned his hug. "I was hurt... Your words lingered in my head about why I ended up being like that, Frederick..." He nodded. He knew that. He was well aware that it was his fault why I was being like that. "But I hope you forgive me because I knew you and your wolf have been tortured by seeing me in those situations even from the time you were my slave," I said softly.

"Forgiven... You know how I would easily forgive you, Novalie. That is how much I love you."

"And I love you, too, Frederick. I love you so much I am willing to be against the odds and would kill anyone if someone dares to hurt you."

I heard his purr as he sniffed my scent again. "I wish to see the Moon Goddess. I want to express my intention to make you happy, Novalie." He looked at me with a softened gaze. "Please allow me to meet Her."

Nodding, I handed out my hand, opening a portal for the two of us. "Mother has been wanting to meet you, darling." I gently pulled his hand so he could inside with it. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by the large field of lavender.

"So... this is a celestial realm?" Frederick asked as his jaw was dropping. He came to see the two moons in the sky. "Am I right, Noblete?" He gasped as his eyes widened. He must have been surprised that he didn't get to say my name.

Chuckling, I calmed him down. "Remember that in here, you cannot utter my mundane name, darling. You can only utter my deity name," I explained carefully.

"I see... I understand now," Frederick said, nodding his head.

"I see... You have finally brought Atticus, my dearest."

My face brightened up upon hearing Mother's voice. "Mother!" I felt like I was a child as I ran inside Her arms. I already forgot Frederick because I was excited to meet my mother again. She chuckled.

"I see that your powers are developing nicely, too, Noblete." She caressed my hair when I looked at Her before She looked behind me. "Hmm... You are the man who sacrificed a lot and secretly loved my daughter."

Frederick looked surprised. Then he knelt before us. "I have hurt your daughter, Moon Goddess. Please forgive my insolence."

"Frederick..." I panicked and immediately shielded him when Mother was about to approach him. "Mother... Please say that you are not going to punish Frederick." I flinched when Frederick held my hand as if he was stopping me. "Don't halt me, Frederick..." I said when he shook his head at me.

"I shall receive any punishment," Frederick said, trying to be more stubborn than before. He knew that I was ready to protect him from those people who would dare to hurt him. He knew that since I already had almost killed Reginald before.

"Frederick!" I got frustrated and was about to help him stand up when Mother placed Her hand on my head.

"Calm down, Noblete." She slightly tilted Her head, having a gentle smile on Her lips.

"My apologies, Mother." I inhaled and exhaled before I nodded my head at Her, telling Her that I was calm now.

Mother nodded approval, turning at Frederick. "Stand up, young man." Frederick looked surprised and followed what my mother said. Then, She approached him and greeted him with a hug. "Thank you so much."

Frederick's forest green eyes widened. "Y-You are thanking me?" He blinked, not believing what he was hearing right now.

"Yes." Mother glanced at me before She returned Her gaze to him. "Because you have done so much. You protected Novalie from the early marriage she was supposed to enter with you and... despite all the things that happened, you still love my daughter. You even accepted her infertile condition."

I watched how Frederick shyly nodded. "I will love her forever. Please... if I am going to die in the future, allow me to be Noblete's mate again," he begged.

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands. "Frederick..." My wolf was nudging and teasing me because Frederick was being like this again.

Mother chuckled as She floated away from him and snapped Her fingers. She brought us to the field filled with red peonies. "This place is meant for Noblete."

I roamed my eyes around, remembering Rachelle said that each of us had our own place here in the celestial palace. It meant that our favorite flower was placed on most of it.

Just like Rachelle has a place full of stargazer lilies and Isabella has a place full of bellflowers. And mine, this place was full of red peonies.

She faced us. "Shall we talk here, hmm?" In an instant, we were sitting on a gazebo with chairs and a table. "I am glad that I fated you to Noblete, Atticus," She started. "You are really the best match for my third daughter." Mother turned at me. Her face, which was covered with blinding light, had a visible smile on Her face.

"Thank you, too, Moon Goddess." I gasped when Frederick spoke and held my hand. "I love your daughter so much I could die if she and I are not going to end up..." My heart leaped at his words. His expression softened as he looked at me lovingly. "Even if Noblete says that she doesn't want me, I would do anything in my power to make her want me..."

I purred. I could have sworn, I purred with his words. I squeezed his hand back as I looked at him lovingly as well. I wanted him to know that I love him so much. The noble things he did were enough for me to forgive him and start to love him more.

Mother cackled softly. "You are one of those men who would be so lucky not to get punished. Well, I hope Iseldis' mate would learn his lesson very well."

Ah, yes. Rachelle said that Cornelius, Isabella's mate, almost dared to kill her because of his anger that she coerced into breaking the bond between him and my older sister, Isabella.

As for Claude, though Rachelle said that he threatened her to separate her away from their son, Claude had a reason. Rachelle was a stubborn woman who went to the Auritaurie war even if she was pregnant with my nephew, Cloudy, by that time. Claude was really angry and took away the Luna Queen seal so Rachelle had no power to execute in the palace. She put the life of their first son in danger so it was understandable that he wanted to punish Rachelle.

"You only hurt my daughter since you think that shall be a good cause so she could avoid being married at such a young age. It is disheartening that you did that to my third daughter yet the idea is very clever, Atticus."

Frederick nodded. "Yes... I am also hurt when I hurt her, Moon Goddess. I never meant for those words but," he paused and looked at me. "If I didn't do that, Noblete wouldn't get to enjoy her youth. She would lose her will to enjoy things. And I do not wish for that to happen. I chose to hurt her in the end at the same time, I hurt myself, too throughout the process."

"Frederick..." I could feel that he was feeling melancholy right now.

"It was all worth it, my goddess." He smiled and brought my hand so he could kiss my wrist. "For years watching you from afar, it was hard that you were not inside my arms. But patience is a virtue."

Frederick didn't halt when he hugged me and buried his face in the crook of my neck. I smiled and hugged him back as I felt my eyes getting misty.

"Finally... You are mine. Those years... It was worth it."

My heart felt like being squeezed, pumping so wild. His flowery words really affected me so badly. This man... I kept falling for him every time he would say things that would make my heart go wild.

I looked up when Mother smiled more, nodding. She looked happy at my condition as our eyes met.

"He is so head over heels for you. At least he is more expressive than your father."

I chuckled as I gently caressed Frederick's hair. "Mother, Father changed. He is trying his best to work on that." Frederick separated from me and smiled. "Besides, he is even asking Frederick for some advice on how to be more vocal about his feelings. Right, darling?"

He nodded. "And he finally accepted me as his son-in-law," he said proudly. "Um... I hope this is also the time that you accept me as your son-in-law, *Mother*."

I pursed my lips into a thin line trying my best not to laugh. He already addressed Mother like that even though Mother didn't say anything yet.

Mother scoffed. "That confidence of yours..." She shook Her head. "Fine. I am welcoming you as one of my sons-in-law, Atticus."

Frederick smiled sheepishly. "My charm worked." He wiggled his eyebrows at me causing me to roll my eyes.

I playfully rolled my eyes at how hilarious he was. At the same time, I was happy that Mother accepted Frederick.

"I have heard that you two are going on an expedition soon."

Frederick and I nodded, smiling. "Indeed, we are."

"Great!" Mother said happily. "By then you two return, it shall also be the time Ragriel has found Sicilia."

I gasped. "Really?" She nodded. "Then I can meet her, too?"

Mother took my hand. "You will also play your big role as the Goddess of Marriage, Noblete. Soon. Also, to Iseldis as well."

I got excited about her news. I had been wanting to play a big role in the marriage of others however, I couldn't even execute my abilities yet. It was not yet announced that the daughters of the Moon Goddess were already here. "And to our other sisters?" Mother nodded. "How many are we, Mother?"

"Twelve. All in all."

My eyes widened. "So... Ragriel is still not halfway to finding us?" I blinked.

Mother nodded. Then She turned Her head at Frederick. "You want me not to take Noblete as soon as their mission is finished?"

I stiffened as I turned at Frederick who had an earnest expression right now. I remembered that Mother could read our minds. "Darling..." I knew that this had been bothering him. He already expressed that before and I told him that there was nothing I could do to change Mother's mind.

We were born as the witnesses of Her creations. We were bound to experience the hardships of this world and felt emotions so we could learn something from this mundane realm. When our missions were finished, we were going to return to Mother's side to be by Her side.

Rachelle and Isabella said that their mates were already against this but there was nothing that they could do to change Mother's mind as well. So, it was futile.

"I want to spend more time with her, Mother." Frederick's tone was smeared with politeness and earnestness. "I am certain that once we get to have our pups, our pups would also beg you not to take their mother away from us."

I watched as Her hair was floating in the air as Her hand was stroking Her chin. "Hmm..."

"Please just don't take her away from me... At least give us a warning..." Frederick pleaded. I held his hand and saw that he was struggling right now. "I don't want to wake up one day when Noblete is not with me anymore. Please don't be like that, Mother. I beg you."

Mother started chuckling. "You have the same words just like Claude. Unfortunately, I am not going to change my mind." Frederick looked helpless, having a dejected expression. "However, I have a feeling that once you are all complete," She paused and turned to me. "You and your sisters' mates will come to bargain with me for that."

"Of course! Who would even agree that You will suddenly take them from us?" Frederick stood up and slammed the table. "No one... Even I..." His voice croaked.

"Frederick..." I gently pulled him down so he could sit. He allowed himself to sit before I went inside his arms, understanding this shallow feeling he felt.

Frederick planted a kiss on my forehead so I looked at him seeing his softened expression. "If you suddenly take Noblete away from me, I would definitely kill myself in loneliness. I swear my name..." he said as he caressed my cheek with his knuckles.

I bit my lower lip and held his cheek. I used my thumb to caress it before I sighed, feeling melancholy all of a sudden.

Mother sighed. "Let's see if you are all complete," She said. "Persuade me with the best offer you can think of, Atticus. You can make an alliance with my daughters' mates."

He gasped at my mother's words. "I will definitely do that!" he said excitedly. Then he turned to me. "Did you hear that, my goddess?" I was surprised when he held my cheeks and squeezed them. "I have a feeling that we can win this."

I almost frowned at my state but I couldn't just ruin this mood right now. Frederick looked so happy about learning this. Then he hugged me. Chuckling, I gently tapped his back. "Of course, you will," I said before I looked at Mother. I smiled sadly at her.

We both knew that She wouldn't get easily persuaded. Her plans for us, Her daughters, must execute and She was just putting a false hope on Frederick. And I couldn't tell that to him.

Once Mother decides, no one could make Her change Her mind.

Even if that was Her twelve mates She had. And even us, Her daughters.

I embraced Frederick as I blocked my feelings so he couldn't feel them.

Don't worry, darling. I would cherish every moment with you. We would create memories before I would return to Mother's side.

And I would love you even if I become a spirit goddess, in my spirit form.