All Chapters of Too Late for Your Tears, Mother: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

With only three minutes left before I vanished, my spirit floated to my mother’s side.She sat by my younger brother Lycus's temple bed, praying anxiously, "Lycus, open your eyes. Don't scare me like this, please."My father stood nearby, his face twisted with rage. "If Aeolus had done his job and protected you, you wouldn't be suffering! Just wait. I'll beat him to death with my own hands!"I watched from the shadows, bitterness flooding my chest."Father, save your strength. I'm already dead. Not that you care."Around Lycus’s bed, the healers formed a tight circle.Once they confirmed his injuries were only minor scratches, an old healer finally found the courage to ask, "Lady Althea, shouldn't we check on Aeolus? "My mother's gentle expression instantly turned into disgust. She snarled, "What kind of act is he playing now? His body doesn't have a single scratch! Does he have no shame after what he did to his brother?"I stared at her, frozen. Even though my heart had already burne

Chapter 2

Predictably, my mother’s face turned icy. "What's the point of sending someone that selfish on a pilgrimage? Who knows how twisted he'd become while away."Lycus said softly, "Mother, don't be angry. I'm sure Aeolus had his reasons."The anger on her face instantly melted. "Lycus, you are too kind. That's why Aeolus always takes advantage of you."That was Lycus’s greatest talent—knowing exactly what to say to win our parents' hearts.I knew that even if I appeared right in front of them and exposed all the cruel things Lycus had done over the years, they would only slap me. They would call me a liar and accuse me of being jealous of him.After all these years, I had grown numb to it.While they were talking, my older sister, Callisto, burst into the room. She rushed straight to Lycus's side, her footsteps frantic.The moment she heard about the accident, she had abandoned her duties in another realm without a second thought. And just like our parents, she only cared about Lycus.Once

Chapter 3

A few days later, Lycus was discharged from the temple chambers.Mother packed his things, while Father parked a chariot right at the temple gates so Lycus wouldn't have to walk. Callisto even insisted on putting on his sandals for him.On the way back, Mother grumbled, "Aeolus is shameless. He hasn't offered a single prayer for his brother, let alone asked for forgiveness. I'm going to teach him a lesson the moment we get back."Father said coldly, "I told you keeping him in our palace was trouble. Sooner or later, he was bound to bring disaster."Hearing her words made my spirit feel a bitter ache. Old memories came flooding back.Mother had always favored Lycus and made me yield to him. It started the day he was born. I had accidentally startled a sacred owl, and its screech threw Mother into a sudden panic that triggered an early, dangerous labor.Seeing Lycus born so weak, barely breathing, broke everyone's hearts.Father struck me across the face with his heavy wooden staff, perm

Chapter 4

The moment they returned to the palace, Lycus sank lazily onto a soft lounger. When he mentioned he was hungry, Callisto eagerly hurried to the hearth, excited to prepare some food for him.She had never been good at cooking, but now she was carefully reading through old scrolls for healthy, nourishing recipes, terrified of causing Lycus any discomfort.Father presented him with a beautifully crafted golden lyre, calling it a welcome-home gift to celebrate his escape from death.Mother had already thoroughly cleaned Lycus's chambers and filled them with rare herbs, saying that the fresh scent would hasten his recovery.Lycus simply lounged on the cushions and plucked at his lyre. Yet, that was enough to move the entire family.Meanwhile, my soul trailed quietly behind them. This palace, once so familiar, now felt ice-cold.Suddenly, the heavy cedar doors creaked open. Standing there was someone I knew all too well—my betrothed, Chloe.She stepped inside and immediately fussed over Lycu

Chapter 5

Mother froze as she heard the handmaiden's words.Refusing to believe it, she tried to recall the day of the accident. Frowning, she said confidently, "That is impossible. He was right next to Lycus when the stray curse struck, and Lycus is already out of the temple. How could Aeolus have been so badly hurt?"Don't think I can't see through his little tricks. He is only trying to compete with Lycus for my attention, wanting me to worry about him."I am warning both of you—stop this ridiculous act! Otherwise, there will be severe consequences!"Seeing that Mother would not believe her, the handmaiden sighed helplessly. "Lady Althea, I am not lying. If you do not believe me, go to the temple's preparation chamber for the dead and see for yourself."Mother began to grow anxious. She paced the room back and forth, her footsteps heavy and frantic. "You useless servants are ganging up to deceive me. You really do not know your place!"Before the handmaiden could respond, Mother angrily cut o

Chapter 6

Before my parents could even begin to process the chilling silence of the morgue, the heavy cedar doors were thrown open. The frantic clatter of sandals echoed through the stone chamber as Lycus and Callisto rushed inside.Lycus, ever the master of reading the room, instantly sensed the heavy, grief-stricken atmosphere. The moment his eyes fell upon my pale, shrouded corpse on the slab, his face morphed into a mask of dramatic, terrifying shock. He didn't hesitate. He ran straight to my stone bed, threw himself onto his knees, and grabbed the edge of my cold shroud."Aeolus! No! This can't be real!" Lycus wailed, his voice echoing loudly off the high stone ceilings. Tears streamed down his cheeks with practiced ease. "Why were you so foolish, brother? Is it because the elders granted me the sacred pilgrimage instead of you? Do you hate me that much? Did you really choose to die like this just to make everyone resent me? Just to punish Mom and Dad?"He sobbed violently, burying his face

Chapter 7

A few days later, perhaps out of guilt, Mother held a somewhat decent funeral for me.The ritual took place in the sacred grove outside the temple. Apart from some relatives and family friends, several herbalists and high-ranking healers from Mother’s inner circle attended the ceremony.The young handmaiden who had once tried to save my life stood among the crowd. She walked up to my stone grave with a bouquet of pale asphodel flowers, placing them gently on the cold dirt. "I am so sorry, Aeolus," she whispered, her voice trembling with unshed tears. "If I had been just a little braver back then, if I had defied the High Priestess and called for the elders, maybe you would still be here today."Among all these people gathered here, she was the only one who had ever tried to help me. Yet, ironically, she was also the very first and only person who apologized.In sharp contrast, Mother showed no remorse at all. Instead of offering an apology to my memory, she stood before the guests and

Chapter 8

Knowing the truth, my parents and Callisto all looked at Lycus in disbelief. Everyone fell into a suffocating silence.Once Mother finally came to her senses, she lunged forward and grabbed Lycus's fine robes tightly. "Lycus, you murderer! How could you be so vicious as to kill your own blood brother?"The more she spoke, the more agitated she became. She raised her hand, wanting to strike his face, but was promptly stopped by the armored sanctuary guards.This was the first time in all these years that I saw Mother lay a hand on him.Father stumbled backward, his face turning an ash-gray as he stared at his favorite son. "You... you ruined the armor? You wanted him dead?" he choked out, his voice shaking violently as he looked from Lycus to my cold tomb. The heavy cane he always carried slipped from his numb fingers, clattering loudly against the stone. For the first time, a look of profound, sickening regret broke through his stern face.Callisto let out a sharp, horrified shriek, co

Chapter 9

Half a month later, the final verdict of the high court of Archons was announced to the entire realm.Lycus was sentenced to immediate execution.Mother was stripped of her title as High Priestess and sentenced to life imprisonment in the dark cells beneath the citadel.When the stone-faced magistrates read the decree, Lycus completely lost his mind. He refused to believe the words, thrashing against his chains and screaming toward the high balcony where our parents sat. "Father! Mother! Save me! It was an accident! Tell them I am innocent! You can't let them kill me!"Father sat frozen in the gallery, his face like carved marble. He slowly closed his eyes, refusing to look down at his favorite son, his hands trembling violently against his knees as he forced himself to remain silent. Mother, already half-broken, let out a piercing howl of despair, clawing at the wooden railing until her nails tore, desperately reaching out toward the guards dragging him away. Witnessing the absolute

Chapter 10

Before leaving this mortal world forever, I decided to return to her locked sanctuary to see her one last time. Mother was sitting quietly by the narrow window as usual, staring out at the grey sky.But this time, as I drifted into the room, her head snapped toward me, and her eyes focused directly on my form. Somehow, through the haze of her broken mind, she actually saw me.She gasped, reaching out her trembling, scarred hands and cupping the empty air where my face was. Tears of absolute joy flooded her wrinkled eyes. "Aeolus... you are back," she whispered, her voice shaking violently. "You came back from across the sea to see me. I am so sorry, my beautiful boy. Please, please forgive your mother, okay?"She quickly turned around and pulled two small, melted pieces of honey-candy from beneath her stained pillow. "Look," she said, her hands shaking as she held them out. "I remembered you loved these sweets when you were a little boy. I saved them just for you. Nobody else touched t

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