Ahh... Sweet vacation. Hopefully now that everything will be calmer, I'll be able to write more Chapters per week! Though since Christmas is closing in for me, I will probably only get two chapters out this week. Who knows, maybe more. *Blink*

Enjoy!

The Journey Begins!

“Wait a moment… Where has your bloody-lip gone?”

‘Oh shit…’ Xe’Reth simply thought while Malinda stares with such questioning eyes.

As if it’s Malinda’s own body, she takes ahold of Xe’Reth’s head while turning it in different directions to inspect his face closely. And as her eyes doesn’t see any bruises or wounds, she lets go while trying to speak, but her mouth can’t form the words because of the shocking surprise.

‘Dammit, I had hoped that she wouldn’t have detected the restored areas. But now that it has come to this, I better just reveal it,’ Xe’Reth thought as this will be the breaking point or the stabilization of their relationship.

“Yes Malinda, I regenerate faster than regular people,” Xe’Reth smilingly said to break away the ice inside Malinda’s worried heart. “You might think that I am a monster after telling you this, but I want no secrets between us. Malinda, I am not like an ordinary human being.”

As she stands there in a wide-eyed shock, Xe’Reth starts taking off his upper-armor pieces, one after the other. He drops them on the wooden floor as they make thudding noises. For every part removed, Malinda’s eyes become wider and her mouth more agape.

With the upper-armor lying on the floor, his masculine chest shows in front of Malinda’s eyes. Only the recent bolt wound glitters with scarlet dye while the rest of the wounds has vanished, completely mended. It makes Malinda breathe heavier and heavier the longer she stares at his torso. But a hand, her light skinned hand automatically reaches forth to touch him, to feel the smooth surface of a flawless skin complexion that’s too astonishing to be real.

“You see, Malinda? I am a monstrosity, a fiend that shouldn’t even exist. Not only do I have increased healing, I also have many other enhanced features,” Xe’Reth said while grasping ahold of Malinda’s hand; he guides it with his words. “My eyesight, my hearing, my smell, my strength, my speed, everything is better than a normal human being. And I don’t even know why… But my mother told me that I must keep it a secret at all cost… Otherwise… I would become targeted and experimented on.”

Malinda now looks with squinting teary eyes at their conjoined hands while feeling her own lips beginning to dry from not being touched by a stunned tongue that doesn’t dare to move an inch. What’s this feeling that has frozen her in place? Fear? Or just shear bafflement? Has she come this far in finding someone finally, to just run away? No, fear has nothing to do with it.

“This is your last chance to back out from our relationship, Malinda, for this is my most guarded secret which I hold in my possession,” Xe’Reth said with a motionless face, as if he has turned into stone. Only two pairs of shining black orbs gazes longingly to hear the verses of acceptance or total annihilation.

“Why do you… Why do you say such cruel things about yourself…?” Malinda silently said with dripping eyes. Her chin quakes as she grips tighter onto Xe’Reth’s hand while staring into those dark eyes. “It… It doesn’t matter, it just doesn’t matter what you are…! Please don’t say that it’s up to me to decide. I don’t care if you have such… such enhanced gifts. Maybe… Maybe you’re blessed by the Divine Sky? Yes, yes! That must be it! Then maybe you aren’t even human at all, but something else…?”

From such a sudden spark of an idea, Malinda becomes thrilled with life as she wipes off her tears. Her face brightens up with a broad smile and glowing eyes upon coming up with such a thought. Her one hand which isn’t holding tightly onto Xe’Reth’s, is now covering her mouth to hide that grin of hers.

“No, wait… Black hair… Black eyes… Black… Ebon! Xe’Reth!” Malinda shouted as her mouth-covering-hand grabs onto his uninjured shoulder. “Maybe you’re a descendant of Those Who Came Before! The Ancient Gods! It is said that they were beings of darkness that could take any shape if they willed it!”

“What? Ancient Gods? Not the Divine Queens, the Goddesses?” Xe’Reth asked with a raised eyebrow. He’s truly puzzled by this entirely new phrase, ‘There are actually Gods? I’ve never heard about Divinities other than the Goddesses.’

“Xe’Reth… What I will tell you now is only information Honored Ones gets,” Malinda said with a whispering voice as her head moves closer to Xe’Reth’s. “The Goddesses are human. The Divine Queens were all normal, or at least some of them were. There has been Queens with magic flowing through their veins, which was excellent. But our kingdom’s religion prays to dead human Queens and a selected alive one. Nothing more than that. And I’m more of a non-believer myself, so I can see what’s truly going on.”

“My sister-in-law, Celyssa, she’s still a fanatical believer even though she knows the truth about her Goddesses, and I’ve really tried to have faith. But I’m more interested in what was.”

“In what was?” Xe’Reth asked with a clueless frown. “You mean what has happened in the past?”

“Mm,” Malinda nods. “Did you know that Those Who Came Before, created all life on this planet? I’ve learnt all of this through a magician, for the reason that when an Honored One comes of age, they get information imprinted into their minds. The Royal Family do that because if an Honored One talks about the Ancient Gods to the common folk… they’ll be considered as traitors. And it’s somewhat simple to know which Honored family that revealed the secrets.”

“If the kingdom’s people starts talking about the… other Gods. The Royal Family only needs to inspect where the source came from. And if that ‘source’ is close to an Honored Family. It means it was most likely them who betrayed the kingdom by enlightening such secrets to the public.”

“Just telling you this counts as treason. But you’ll sooner or later be branded with those memories, too, so it doesn’t really matter,” Malinda said while letting go of Xe’Reth’s hand to caress his chest, to feel his warmth as her head lowers with narrowed eyes. “The Ancient Gods were the creators. They came from the stars to bless this planet with life. There were many different Gods, but one stood above them all. The information doesn’t know if it was a he or a she, though that God or Goddess was a benevolent being.”

“Every other God followed that being and began to shape the world, for this world was dead when they came to it. And they’re made of something we humans can’t even grasp with our minds. But it was tens of thousands of years ago since they lived. Though Xe’Reth, can you guess why they aren’t here on this planet anymore?” Malinda asked while raising her head to stare at him with a beaming smile.

“They had done their purpose in bringing salvation to this planet?” Xe’Reth replied with a scarred brow raised.

Malinda’s head shakes as she lowers her eyebrows with closed eyes while saying, “The various races that they created… killed them. Our creators, we killed them. No one knows how our ancestors could do it for it was eons ago, but, the creators became the enemy of their own created children. And they merely flowed out of existence.”

“Wait… The Gods who can aid a world to flourish were killed just like that?” Xe’Reth questionably asked with a deep imbedded scowl. “That is…—”

“The thing is. As it was so long ago, the records of those happenings were lost, or at least that’s what the Royal Family wants the Honored Ones to accept as true. Because the Divine Queens are the Goddesses, believing in something else than them can also be counted as heretic and treasonous thoughts,” Malinda said with a sigh as she withdrawals her hand from Xe’Reth’s chest. “I just know that there are other races than humans in the world, but as our kingdom has never ventured out to seek beyond the Ebon Wall, we can’t confirm if there’re more. And well, I don’t really want to find them because… How can we avoid hostilities? We’re already in war with the slave kingdoms that’re at our doorstep. Banging on our door.”

“But you, Xe’Reth, maybe you’re an ancient descendant of one of those lost races, or maybe even the Ancient Gods themselves, hehe,” Malinda chuckles with hands covering her mouth. “Oh… that’s just wishful thinking. Though, I wonder what you’re if you aren’t human… No, you’re most definitely a human, but with enhanced aptitudes.”

Malinda’s eyes narrow themselves while one hand holds her chin as the other hand places behind her back. She starts to thud one foot after the other as she strides around Xe’Reth in circles to inspect him thoroughly. And Xe’Reth straightens his back, pushes his chest out with a raised head, to stand in an elegant stance. His scarred eyebrow goes up as his dark eyes traces Malinda’s flowing movements; calm puckering lips shows on her mouth as those azure orbs scans him up and down to not miss a single body part.

“Indeed, you’re indeed a human from what I can see,” Malinda calmly said as she halts in front of Xe’Reth. Then with grabbing hands she takes his head to inspect it closer. His black natural slicked back hair with his scarred eyebrow, and Malinda boldly opens his mouth to inspect his white teeth that’re aligned perfectly. “Yes indeed, you’re a human.”

“What am I? Some kind of rare species?” Xe’Reth asked but gives out a smiling chuckle instead. “Heh, but I’m happy that you don’t see me as a monster. Normally when people knows this sort of secret, they wouldn’t be sticking around. Though thankfully you aren’t like most people, Malinda. Come my love.”

The room turns silent except for Theresa who dreams painstaking nightmares. A never-ending cycle of sleep, wake up, and after she has been tended to, she’ll falls into her dreams again.

Malinda and Xe’Reth hugs one another while their lips waters the skin of each other’s mouths. And once again scarlet smudges start to cover him. Xe’Reth’s hands descends as they caress her spine, making Malinda shiver in delight when he squeezes his arms around her; shackling bonds that doesn’t want to let go. But as they kiss, Xe’Reth opens his eyes to travel to the kitchen door…

*Knock, knock*

“Mm!” Malinda yelps as she becomes startled while their kissing mouths unlocks. “Uaah… I… I forgot where we were. Xe’Reth, let’s talk about this at some other time.”

“Honored Miss?” Recina asked with more knocks on the door, not daring to open because it would be ill-mannered.

As it opens, Malinda peeks out through the opened crack between the door while saying, “Yes, what’s the matter? Have you finished with the carrying?”

“Honored Miss, your mouth and eyes… What has happened?” Recina asked with a frown as her eyes stares intently at her smudged face of black eyeliner and widened red lips.

“Hmm? Oh. It, it’s nothing special. Xe’Reth just spoke about his past that made me a slight emotional. That’s all,” she replied while running her finger under her lip to look at the smudged scarlet color. Dark eyeliner has too run down, creating black ripples under her eyelids. “Well, are you finished?”

Recina tries to gaze over Malinda’s head to look past her, into the bedroom, but Malinda straighten herself so her height becomes the same. Which raises Recina’s eyebrows in surprise.

Her Honored Miss obviously hides something in there, but Recina’s duties dictates that whatever it may be, it doesn’t matter. With a slight bow of her upper body, she says, “Everything on the table has been carried out onto the wagons, though, aren’t any of the furniture coming along with us? Because the wagons can fit a lot more of his possessions.”

“No, it’s not needed,” Malinda replied with a flapping hand while she shakes her head. “Xe’Reth agreed to leave all of the unnecessary belongings. Isn’t that right, Xe’Reth?”

Malinda turns to look at Xe’Reth, he gives a silent nod to her while Recina can’t see him because of the slightly opened door covering him, which Malinda earnestly tries to keep opened as little as possible so Recina can’t catch a glimpse of his ill mother.

“Recina, tell everyone to wait outside, Taryna and you included. Xe’Reth and I will come out with the rest of his belongings soon enough. Go,” with an upward jerk of Malinda’s head, Recina bows again and turns to the front door. She then strides outside while closing the door behind her as a muffled voice resonated through the wooden walls.

…………

With everything loaded onto the wagons, Malinda and Xe’Reth comes out while he supports three large sacks on his uninjured shoulder and a quite big strongbox that both of them carries with one hand on each side of it where the handles protrudes, and Malinda looks down at the moist ground as her feet steps carefully to travel to one of the wagons.

Xe’Reth has put on his armor again while the wounded shoulder shows no more. Only a single hole in the leather displays. However, when the Tertin servants finally sees the man of the hour, they all gain various expressions. Gaping mouths, flickering eyes of bafflement, and hands covering their faces because Xe’Reth’s appearance comes across to be fairly vicious, but nonetheless he gazes at them with a mask of kindness as his lips curves upwards to reveal a gentle smile and eyes of utter calmness.

“That… Is that him? The man our Mistress has chosen?” - “It must be, but he doesn’t look like how we imagined. He looks more rugged, uncivilized, and poor.” - “Shh, he’ll hear you. Though I do agree with you of course.” - “I guess he does look somewhat okay… Still, I think she could’ve chosen bett—!!”

Recina gives the servants a sharp frowning stare as her head turns when she hears the whispering of their voices, and they immediately lower their heads in shame upon seeing those eyes which can make anyone tremble in fright. They now stand like statues, not daring to move a muscle, the penalty for misconduct in front of an Honored One can gain them heavy labor in the citadel. The jobs that they consider gross; cleaning the stables, empting the privies, and even cleaning them.

‘Such discipline they have,’ Xe’Reth thought smilingly as he walks towards the front wagon with Malinda closely behind him, carrying the coffer with a single hand. Malinda has once again fixed her face to not appear ghastly, though only her thin blouse, tight pants, and heeled shoes fits on her body, no fur garb. Because Xe’Reth’s mother will be wearing it when they’ll move her into the carriage, for it can cover Theresa’s whole body if the buttons are buttoned up, and the hood will shield her from unwanted eyes, even the all-seeing eye: the sun.

“Xe’Reth, you’re letting our Miss work way too much. Let me take over for her,” Taryna interjected as she strides with completely shameful eyes which stares at him intently.

But with a raised hand from Malinda, Taryna stops dead in her tracks, “You stay still and be silent, for I am not exhausted by this kind of light work. And Recina, how long do you think it’ll take to reach the east entryway of my wing?”

“Depending on how the traffic is… I would say about forty minutes with the wagons, but if you go ahead with the carriage, you’ll reach in about twenty minutes,” Recina responded as she turns away from the naughty servants with crossed arms.

When the sacks and chest lies in the front wagon neatly, Xe’Reth wipes his forehead to play the exhausted game while he gives a nod to Malinda and she responds also with a bob of her head as Xe’Reth goes inside the house again. They had spoken and prepared everything for the awaited departure; the blown out candles, the now unlit stove, and the empty rooms which has only the simple furniture that’ll remain for the people who’ll rent this house after some time has passed.

But before he doused the stove fire, he had prepared steaming water for his mother. This time he’ll give her a small amount of the drug, and because of her side-effect, Theresa will be awake throughout the journey to the citadel. Her mind will be in the clouds, no agony, nothing. Only the bumping of the carriage will cause slight discomfort. Xe’Reth’s mother’s body will suffer damage; the burnt skin will peel off, but thankfully she won’t feel a thing.

…

Xe’Reth stands beside his sleeping mother while a shouting voice resounds into the bedroom from the outside, for both of the front and the bedroom door stands widely open, to await Malinda. It will be the meeting of a lifetime. An ill mother meeting her son’s lover for the first time, and a lover that will be stared at with either contempt or bliss. How will Xe’Reth’s mother react to Malinda? Will she be glad or will she be angry or sad?

‘Mother… If you don’t approve of her, it will be all right, it doesn’t matter as long as you’re alive and well. I don’t ask for more. When you’ll wake up, you’ll be sent to a place of nobility,’ Xe’Reth thought while he now sits on the bed beside his mother. He removes a hair lock from her scarred face with one hand as his other one wipes off her teary eyes. Even in slumber she weeps.

Only a single candle lights up the bedroom in a soft and soothing luster. Then, footsteps thuds on the wooden floor in the kitchen, indicating that Malinda has ordered Recina to travel to the citadel without them. And the wagons’ horses’ neighs as the servants begins driving them away from the slums towards the citadel’s east side.

“Xe’Reth, they left. Shall we wake up your m-mother?” Malinda asked as she takes her first step into the bedroom, a hesitant step. Her whole face reveals the uneasiness growing ever so rapidly inside her beating chest. While clutching her hands together, she joins Xe’Reth by the bed as two azure globes seeks his comfort. “H-How do I look? Am I… am I adequately dressed? You don’t think she’ll mistake me for some petty charlatan dressed in this blouse?”

“Malinda, you look as dazzling as ever. Don’t worry, my mother has the kindest of hearts,” Xe’Reth said with the gentlest of smiles in his arsenal while forwarding a hand to the single chair beside him. “Come and sit.”

Xe’Reth leans forward to reach the table where the drug mixture lies, which’ll be the last his mother will ever drink in this rundown house. He grabs the pestle of steaming purple mush while his other hand takes the herb which’ll wake her from the dreaming nightmares. The heavy breaths of the nervous Malinda touches Xe’Reth’s eardrums as he leans back to be straight-backed.

“Will… will she scream when you wake her? Like she did yesterday night?” Malinda asked with fiddling hands as her body bends to gaze at Theresa’s branded body that riddles with red spots of blood showing through the bandages. It turns Malinda melancholy as both her eyebrows and mouth lowers, but as her eyes travels to Xe’Reth’s, she becomes mouth agape because the expression she shows at this moment proves that people would certainly pity her with peering eyes.

“Be brave, Malinda. Take a deep breath and collect yourself. After this herb’s scent goes into her nose, she’ll wake up,” Xe’Reth said as he shows two fingers holding onto a yellow bloated leaf with tiny pricking needles digging into Xe’Reth’s skin. “The Yer’Dean is thankfully not illegal. I buy it from a normal herbalist store, though they’re pretty pricy. Luckily I bought a couple of them the year before. And since they’re durable in both cold and heat, I’ve managed to keep them moist by dipping them in water. Ever heard of a fish that expands when it sucks in water? This flower’s leaves do exactly that. But its smell is utterly horrendous. Oh well. Time to wake her up, be ready Malinda. And try not to look so jittery, heh.”

“I, I can’t help it…” she said with pleading eyes as her hands grips ahold of her own pants to try to calm down. She breathes in and out with small shuddering puffs of air. Her eyes close to concentrate, then as her pulse slows to a more relaxed beat, she opens her eyes while putting on the most believable expression of tranquility; a gentle smile, soothing eyes, and eyebrows which neither raises nor lowers. “I am ready, Xe’Reth.”

So it begins again.

The slumbering mother awakens to her unending agony once more. With a shuddering agape gasp, her eyelids startlingly open to witness the ceiling as her eyes gazes at it; the wooden planks of rotting material, the spider webs with prey caught in their net of death, and the gaps between the planks where darkness hides.

A shivering sensation shoots through her, turning her whole body into a trembling creature. But her light, her only means of survival reveals above her, leaning forward, so her moist eyes can stare in awe at the black star, her son.

Theresa’s body has now a blanket over her, which hides her inflicted state from the collarbone and up. But with a shuddering smile, her hand comes forth from under the cover, to hold onto Xe’Reth’s hand while the blanket removes itself to display her bandaged upper body; the slender body of a sick woman who eats little, because most of her food comes from drinkable liquid which’s high in calories. Also the mixed herbs give her the necessary vitamins which the body needs.

“Thir-Thirsty…” Theresa said with a sore throat as dry lips cracks in small ripples on her mouth.

Xe’Reth leans to the table and takes a water cup which he had prepared while Malinda sits motionless on the chair next to the bed, waiting for Theresa’s eyes to travel to her, but Theresa lies on the bed with closed eyes as she awaits the liquid of salvation that’ll cure her throat. And since the Yran’Gilis still flows throughout her body, the pain inflicts no damage on her mind, only her body stings, yet she gains no torture of pain, just the recent awakening that clouds her mind.

He presses the mug onto her lips. She relishes the liquid as it flows down her throat with gulping noises coming from her, and when the whole mug empties, she licks the now watery lips while a scarred hand rubs away the welling tears covering her eyes to gaze around the room. But a scent, an aroma of perfume oozes into her nose as Theresa then sees the fiddling young woman sitting on a chair next to her son.

Only the single candle lights the room, making it somewhat dim, but for Theresa, her eyes have adjusted to the dark from her endless obscurity.

Another presence than her son in this bedroom? Theresa’s wide-eyed gaze scans Malinda up and down, but even in her clouded state, she manages to take a deep breath as a smile curves upwards while her eyes flickers in secret joy. Her arms try to push herself up so she can see this young woman more closely, but her strength succeeds to give in and she grimaces in shameful failure.

“Mother, let me help you sit straight, take my hands,” Xe’Reth said with outstretched hands while Malinda holds the warm pestle which Xe’Reth has now given her. Malinda, though, relaxes as she saw Theresa’s smile beaming at her, turning her calm while a silent sigh of relief escapes between her lips.

Xe’Reth aids his mother by placing a pair of pillows behind her back as the blanket hides her bandaged chest, to not show a disgraceful appearance. Theresa stares at her own patched-up arms as a pair of gloomy eyes shows the emptiness hiding inside her. The effect from the medicine does make her drowsy, but she hangs in there because this might be the most important meeting in her entire life.

With a shaking mouth, she asks while staring intently at Malinda, straight into her azure orbs, “W-who’s this… my son? Introduce me...”

Right when Xe’Reth’s mouth opens, Malinda taps his shoulder, making him turn to look at her with a raised eyebrow. She nods bravely while smiling with tight lips at him, wanting herself to do the introduction.

‘Well, well, taking the initiative. Though I hope she doesn’t speak of things I’ve kept a secret to myself,’ Xe’Reth nods silently to Malinda then turns to his mother to give her a reassuring expression to ease her worries while having his hand on her lap, which Theresa grabs onto for the incoming shock.

Malinda places the misty pestle on the table as she stands up from her seated position. She straightens her body while placing one foot behind the other, then with a bending of her knees, Malinda does a perfectly trained curtsy with hands moving outwards.

“With an absolute gratitude, I greet you, Theresa Quinery, my lover’s mother. I am Malinda Tertin, the woman who has fallen in love with your unflawed son. I will do my utmost to earn your blessing under the time we’ll spend together from now on. And I… And I… I think you’re the strongest woman in the world…!” with a wailing shout, Malinda’s eyes start dripping once more, because speaking and seeing Xe’Reth’s mother in this state reminds her only of the moments she spent with her own mother. But this woman has battled against a disease which slays its inflicted victims. She lives! “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout… But you’re someone who has survived the Fire-Brand disease, which my parents died of… and it gladdens me to witness that you have fought it for over four years. You’ve my full admiration and support.”

‘Oh, I didn’t expect that,’ Xe’Reth thought with widened eyes while he feels his mother’s grip tighten around his hand. ‘Though thankfully she didn’t utter any of my secrets.’

Theresa gulps with a painful grimace as if her sore throat has returned, but her whole face relaxes as a head begins to gently nod up and down with closed eyes. Then her mouth opens, “Thank you for your… kind words, Malinda… But, I would be nothing without my little Xe’Reth. Without him… I would’ve died long ago... Ah… forgive me, I… Ah, ahh—?!”

Theresa’s eyes widen in terror as she clenches her teeth together, because the Yran’Gilis’s effect begins to wear off. Her body tenses up and her hands digs into Xe’Reth’s. Trying to keep the incoming scream at bay, but this time, the pain turns unbearable. With tears welling from her eyes, she cries out for her son to help her. Which Xe’Reth does; he springs to action while letting go of her clutching grips to bring the hot pestle of the prepared drug.

However, Malinda had sprung faster. With shaking hands holding onto the pestle, Malinda moves and kneels down beside the bed while forwarding the mixture of medicine to Theresa’s lips, but before Malinda can give Xe’Reth’s mother the drug, he clutches ahold of her arm as he upsettingly says, “What’re you doing, Malinda?”

“P-please, Xe’Reth. I need to know how it feels to help a person, even if it’s by a tiny bit. Because I never had the chance to save my parents… but now, now I have that chance to help your dear mother,” she said with wide pleading azure globes as her mouth shakes. “Please let me give her the drug… And you know… I’m not really a believer of the Goddesses, though maybe this is truly a sign from them? That you and me found each other so I can repent for my naivety in not being able to save my parents…”

“Malinda…” Xe’Reth softly said with furrowed eyebrows. “You couldn’t have done anything but to spend time with them. Though sadly you weren’t given that time, and you know nothing about herbs and alchemy, so how could you possibly have helped them? But maybe it’s as you say, we’re fated to be together… To be blessed; go ahead, my mother needs a peaceful mind as we travel.”

While they talked, Theresa has been shaking violently; hands fisted with nails digging into her skin, toes curled up, and the sheer grimace on her agonizing face shows now on both Xe’Reth’s and Malinda’s expression.

Malinda’s pestle-gripping hands presses on Theresa’s mouth while saying, “Drink this… Mother. It’ll remove your pain. Drink… Ah yes, that’s right. Drink it up, all of it. Good girl… Good.”

‘Did she just say “Mother”?’ Xe’Reth thought as Malinda said it, but the word she uttered sprouted forth such a motherly love inside her, an affection that she misses and wants to embrace. A woman younger than her mother, yet still a mother nonetheless.

Malinda strokes Theresa’s unwashed hair with a smile on her rose petals. No longer stares Malinda at Xe’Reth’s mother with eyes of pity, but a gladness transforms her eyelids while Xe’Reth sits on the bed totally amazed at the flow of her combing hand, and the complete calmness on his mother’s expression.

Theresa drifts down the endless river yet again, into the depth of her own calming abyss, turning her serene as no pain runs through her veins.

……………

An exhausted yawn escapes from Taryna as she leans with her back onto the golden carriage while a hand tries to hide the gaping mouth.

When her lips come together, she opens them again to mutter words to herself, “What’s taking so damn long? It’ll take only a couple of minutes she said… Damn that boy, wasting my Miss’s time like this… She has better things to do than babysit you.”

Taryna lowers her shaking head with a sigh as footsteps thuds on the wooden floor inside the house. She looks up and sees Xe’Reth carrying a fur-hooded woman in his arms while Malinda holds onto a small box where supplies for his mother lies if something happens on the way to the citadel.

‘So that is his mother, huh? Can’t see through her hood—!’ Taryna’s eyes turn wide as she forms fists with her hands. ‘That piece of clothing belongs to Malinda! Why is she wearing it! If she really has that disgusting disease… it needs to be burnt after she removes it.’

Theresa’s arms coils around the neck of her son while being carried towards the carriage. She hangs on for her dear life, because years has gone by since she last stepped out into the light, but as she wears the long fur garb which goes even further than her legs, she needn’t worry about the scorching sun frying her skin.

For every step Xe’Reth takes, no noise emits, only the footsteps behind him resounds as Malinda follows closely while seeing to Xe’Reth’s mother so no light touches her feet or arms, because the Fire-Brand disease makes the skin sensitive to light, even more so to the brightly lit sun.

To aid her, they’ve tied cloth pieces to protect her.

“We’re leaving, now,” Malinda said with striding legs as she passes Xe’Reth, moving towards the carriage door to open it for him and his mother. But she lowers her eyebrows when Taryna doesn’t move a muscle, only Taryna’s two staring eyes looks at Theresa. “Taryna!”

“…Ah, yes at once,” she startlingly responded with a shake of her head. “To the east entrance of your wing was it?”

With a single light nod from her Miss, Taryna climbs onto the driver’s seat, and when the click of the closing door declares itself, she’ll begin whipping with her hands at full speed.

Since the front of the carriage still points towards the graveyard, Taryna needs to turn it around.

*Click*

“Hiiaa! Hiiaa!” the whipping has commenced and the beasts of darkness neighs with its drizzling mouths while nostrils flares.

Taryna turns the monstrosities around, then with the speed of purebred horses clanking on the cobblestone, they disappear on the boulevard heading eastward while Taryna yells at the people who stands in the way of an Honored One.

They pass through the west marketplace where Xe’Reth usually buys all of the food and merchandise he needs for his mother, which riddles with people who tends to their own businesses.

Shouts from the shopkeepers that offers special-deals and discounts if they buy today or purchase more than one item so the third would be free; folks trying to haggle with the store clerks to lower the prices, some achieves their skill in the speech and some empties their pockets in utter defeat; the festivities had also resounded as they passed by the market.

The citizens dance around the kingdom’s black and red flagpole, which had been put in the middle of the market for tradition. And the musicians play their tunes while people keeps up with the flow of the music, for it can go fast, slow, and even faster than fast. But as the rain had just died down, the ground splashes as people jumps around with arms locked to each other while they sing the favored songs.

Most people in the kingdom has no worries at all other than those who can’t work because of an injury or those who simply can’t find a profession since the employers’ pickiness can destroy the people’s motivation, namely the poor folk.

Xe’Reth’s rundown house stands widely open. He didn’t even bother locking the door. For he has said goodbye to that filth of a place, which he’ll never return to…

If someone tries to bring him down, he won’t just lay down and die, no.

Over his dead body!

The fight for power, the fight for wealth, and the fight for his life has begun; to climb the fierce ladder to NOBILITY!

Hmm, question. Is this where a new arc is supposed to begin? :P

Anyhow. Thanks for reading and happy holidays!

Sigh, and here I was hoping for a white Christmas here in Sweden. But oh boy, the weather can sure be sour.

Don't forget to voice your thoughts! I won't bite... *Grins*

Until next time!

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