Being conceived on a day an eclipse occurs could result in two things, Either the birth of a legend which rarely happens or the birth of a monster." Irina began immediately Velaine gave the command. They had camped for the night at almost midnight yet Velaine insisted she gave the report to enable them start thinking up a solution early. For the first time today, she felt she had an upper hand over Aveedah as she watched her sit on the mat, listening to her with rapt attention, clinging to every word she utters but that was not the only satisfying thing about this situation. As she spoke, she could see the look in Velaine's eyes as he watched her too. He looked proud of her, his smile was not on his lips but in his eyes and his head was held high so she found herself eager to please him more.
" An eclipse frees the souls of monsters just for the duration it's lasts. Some of them tend to run away and try to come back to earth by possessing a fertilized egg so they grow with the child. That way, the child's life is connected to theirs and they can not be separated without killing the child.These monsters make the child immortal and begin to take over the body slowly until they completely unify with the child making the child a monster too. Unlike the glamorous story the royal family allows to be circulated, the reality is Noelle's unification is almost complete and they are looking for a way to claim back the only heir of the air nation's throne." Irina stopped to observe her spectators. They were listening to the same thing with totally different reactions.
Eric maintained his stance, his eyes looking far ahead in full alertness, yet she could tell he was listening from the slight darting of his eyes in her direction upon her sudden pause.
Velaine just sat quietly, his eyes on her and his body at ease, telling her she could go through it at her own pace.
Aveedah had the most interesting reaction. Her eyes were eager and they held the question every other person would have asked yet being the graceful queen she is, she held it in hoping her answer will come along the way.
Irina smiled before she continued.
"I was supposed to be appointed the sorceress of the air nation, the primary assignment of every sorcerer since the discovery of the crown prince's ailment is to find a cure. My father had continued the search he had taken over from his mother for many years until he had died and I had taken over. Noelle like I said is immortal and he is currently about 400 years old just five years younger than the current king, his older brother." This took even Velaine by surprise.
400 years?
They were born on the same day, the same eclipse!!
Noelle is his pair.
"The people who know about this are mostly dead and the others were forced to keep their mouth shut. Owing to his lack of ageing and the current king state of infertility, they came up with the idea of him adopting his own brother. That would erase suspicions about him, keep King Lewis's dignity and allow the brother ascend the throne after king Lewis without obstacles."
"Yet, you know all of it and you are alive?" Aveedah asked, when she deemed it polite enough to.
"The secrets of the royal palace lies in the hand of the royal sorcerer. I was my father's heir until I showed no magical ability even years after attaining puberty, then I became a traitor because I had "deceived" the king and was sent on an exile. Normally, I would be allowed to go back home to my mother but because of the things I knew, I lost my chance at life. After so much deliberation and begging by my mother and my bedridden father, the king was merciful and Instead of beheading me, sent me on an exile where they were pretty sure I would still end up dying." Irina swallowed to keep her voice from shaking as the memories of the torture she had endured while on exile surfaced.
Aveedah looked at Velaine, but his eyes were on Irina.
At first glance, he looked just like he always did. Nonchalant and unperturbed but there was his smallest finger that seemed restless. It kept tapping the mat, slowly and rhythmically.
Without much digging, it was obvious what had occured. He had somehow stumbled upon her, saved her life and took her in. Then karma like always strikes with full force and the magical abilities they had supposed she lacks surfaced and now, she is a living weapon against their Kingdom.
Aveedah thought of what to say to ease both of them but her thoughts were cut short by Irina's voice. It was no longer shaky and her eyes were no longer drifting. She now sounded confident and rightfully proud. She had outlived that and had grown into the woman she is now, that pride is rightfully hers to relish in
"Noelle is an introvert, can be quite mischievous but he was kind and soft spoken. The first appearance of the monster was on the day the previous prime minister had accused him of killing his own mother. The young Noelle was traumatized and had cried himself to sleep for days while being locked up in his room. Three days later, he had opened the door and unlike his normal behavior was talkative, temperamental and the more alarming behavior was his sudden ruthlessness. There was no obvious change in his physical features except the periodic flashing of red orbs. Needless to say, the prime minister's body was found hung in front of his house, badly mutilated with only his head intact. His ailment was confirmed when the same thing happened twice and he was caught cutting up a maid that had spilled soup on the drawing he had been working on for months, yet he claimed innocence and had even claimed to not remember the events of the previous days. His father locked him up away from the world while he tried to understand his ailment and possibly acquire a cure.
My grandmother had discovered the existence of the monster in him and was tasked to look for a way to get rid of it, which she was not able to throughout her remaining life span. Then my father's had taken over and had found a temporary way to suppress it and to tame it if it emerges.
"Soon, Noelle attained puberty, stopped ageing and began to notice the opposite sex. He had fallen in love with a minister's daughter and when he had tried to bed the girl, he spun out of control. The monster took over and ended up murdering her. After waking up next to the love of his life in a pool of blood, Noelle swore never to fall in love again but the monster had just began. He was more powerful and had adapted to the suppressants my father made. He began to emerge more often mostly when he was aggravated or was lusting over a girl. He would woo them then kill them during intercourse yet they still fell for his charms. Rumours say once he speaks to a girl, she becomes bewitched and forgets she is walking to her death. My father had then found out during one of his observations that the monster is most vulnerable when he has emerged and could be separated from his body only then before the unification."
"Then what happens to the host?" Velaine asked, though it was the least of his concerns.
He just needed to be able to convince king Lewis and if his brother or son dies during the process, then their efforts will be futile.
"The host dies mainly because he has outlived his lifespan and the monster had incorporated himself in him. So loosing the monster would mean losing a significant part of himself." She answered.
"Except..?" Aveedah asked, eager to hear the main point.
"That would have not been accepted by the air nation so what is the way to keep him alive?"
Irina nodded in response, a smile on her face before she replied.
"The blood of a monster of the same species. With the help of some spells, it would make the Noelle an immortal being, so even if the monster is out of him, he lives."
Velaine frowned as he deciphered the plan of the Air nation.
"Though the monster emerges other times, they chose to remove it after Intercourse because they need a woman to conceive his child so they are able to get the blood from the monster's offspring irrespective of the fact that the woman will not live to bear the monster's child." He completed and Irina affirmed much to Aveedah's horror.
'This can not, should not be the only way.'
"You have done well, you may take your leave." Velaine said to Irina who simply smiled, then bowed and took her leave.
"There must be another way. Nothing is impossible." Velaine said, looking at a perturbed Aveedah.
Some of the guards were awake, so was Eric but none was within hearing range. The look on her face bore the state of her mind and he had thought she was scared of the choices she has to make.
"But Yvonne will." She whispered.
"Because that is the plan. Kebarah wants to get rid of her and this is his opportunity, I am very sure he knows of this." She continued staring into space.
Velaine was genuinely taken aback. So she was not scared for herself but for Yvonne, the woman she wished to kill?
"Do you sympathize with her?" Velaine asked
"We could stop him if we are able to come up with a different solution." She said, purposely ignoring his question. This made him almost chuckle in disbelief.
So she really is sympathizing with her!
"Yvonne is ruthless and power hungry but being used as sacrifice to a goblin may be a little undeserving." She explained, knowing fully well he would not agree with her.
"You should take a rest. We have a long journey ahead of us and as it is, you will not be able to come up with anything this night." Velaine said, standing up from where he sat. He did not want to argue about their difference in opinion.
If it was upto him, he would wait for Yvonne to give herself before he offers whatever solution he had come up with. As it is, he doubts any woman could live through an intercourse with the monster which means Yvonne will probably die before she conceives the baby, sparing them of the trouble.
He gave her his hand which she reluctantly took and stood up too.
"Have a good sleep." He said, looking at her.
"You too, king Velaine." She replied and just when she thought he would be on his way, she heard him click his tongue and say.
"I doubt that. I may have gotten accustomed to the pillow I used earlier." He replied, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Despite herself, Aveedah could feel colour rush to her neck as the memories of earlier flooded her brain.
How did he even switch from a serious conversation to flirting?
Velaine found her distress amusing and what he intended to be a little distraction was turning into full blown flirting as he quickly covered the distance between them.
Aveedah widened her eyes at his closeness and she raised her hand to push him when he caught it mid-air.
"King Velaine, this is inappropriate." She whispered narrowing her eyes at him.
"Is it?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Aveedah allowed herself to observe him and she realized he was a bit dazed.
She smiled to herself as a wicked thought creeped into her mind.
He is enjoying this because he knows she feels uncomfortable.
She wonder what would happen if she retaliated.
Bracing herself, she covered the little breathing space he had left and looked up at him
She then rose on the tip of her toes so she could reach his height.
"Your lips.." She whispered.
Velaine was completely in a trance as he asked, eager to hear what she had to say.
"My lips?" He asked, his heart racing in his chest.
Aveedah almost chuckled at his response.
"Your eyes....." She tried again allowing her eyes to stare directly in his and he mimicked her.
That was a mistake she had realised too late.
She was no longer in control as she felt his breath on her face.
Suddenly, she felt a blast of cold and she realized he had moved away.
Her eyes searched frantically much to her dismay and she found him at least a meter a way from her.
"You should not play in the rain if you are not ready to get drenched." As he said so, she saw his eyes dart to her hand and he quickly looked back up.
"Rest well, Queen Aveedah." He said and hurried away.
When she looked at her hand, it was tightly fisted.