Hmm, what exactly was the dowsing that Cuswoth referred to? I pondered it for a few moments, but soon decided that it wasn't worth looking into. After all, that was probably where we were going right now. After looking at me for a moment with strange eyes, Cuswoth took custody of Angie and Darius. Taking a single look at them, he scoffed towards my father's direction.
"What did you do to them? It'll be days before they wake up… tch."
Indifferent, my father shrugged as he responded.
"Well, they ambushed us. Us. My son, and Cidris' daughter. They're both only four months old! After they wake up, make sure to punish them, I don't care what happened in their past." My father's eyes gleamed with malice, though the look quickly disappeared, replaced by the same stoic aura from before.
My father was a more mysterious person than I'd thought.
There were many unknowns stemming from his actions.
Especially about his origin.
The furthest back I have any idea of is that he used to be in the army as a soldier. What army he was deployed to, I have no idea. But with his amount of strength, I don't think he would have been a foot soldier.
Foot soldiers were expendable, as much as I denied it.
It was simply a fact!
"Right… then, let's get going." Sighing, Cuswoth snapped his fingers, letting energy pulsate from his fingertips, propagating onto the barrier. Shimmering, it sparkled slightly, though there wasn't really any qualitative change.
Huh?
What was the point of that?
My questions were answered as we walked through easily— my father had punched the "barrier" before, so I could only assume that this gigantic, kingdom-wide barrier could be deactivated or activated at will.
Cuswoth must be someone high up!
Heheh… I should get to know him…
I'll be pumped full of riches!
HAH!
Ah shit… nevermind.
Cuswoth was looking at me again.
Did I let my "cackle" out?
Well, I can't be blamed as a baby.
I realized that as we walked along the stone pathway, we must have seemed very strange to the elves here. All the people mingling about in the bright marketplace stopped to stare and point at us.
Although I couldn't hear their mumbles well, I could tell that they were probably saying some… apprehensive and inappropriate things. Why don't I put it that way? Still, they didn't take any action.
Was this because of Cuswoth?
Waving at the people with a smile, Cuswoth drifted by like a calm winter storm. His placid expression could easily erupt into a beaming smile, further alerting my sense of danger— I didn't like Cuswoth very much.
Hahh… don't judge a book by its damn cover!
Hmm… wait.
Listening closely to the hushed whispers, I caught a single word that resonated deeply within my innermost workings. Groaning slightly, I felt sick as the word slammed against my head, bashing against my skull. Gritting my teeth, tears began to drip from my eyes as my eyes began to roll back into my head.
It was only then that I noticed that there was no reaction.
Unfiltered pain filled my lungs as I gasped rapidly.
Archon. Archon. Archon. Archon…
Archon! Archon! ARCHON!
…
A slave.
"A slave to the throne." Cuswoth said smiling, as I almost lost myself. Finally, the terrifying thrumming of the word ended, replaced by something else entirely. I groaned as I looked at the surroundings— everything was frozen. People were hovering midair, my father's expression was solid like stone, and the familiar feeling of Millie's chest rising and falling as she breathed was gone.
A deep gray tone took the chromatic world, flipping it upside down.
Cuswoth…
"That is what I am… but it's a shame. If only your father hadn't sealed his power, preventing himself from rising above what he once was. But you.." Cuswoth's eyes, once mysterious, now haunting, grazed me as my breath tightened.
I pretended not to know anything, and he chuckled, seeing right through me.
"You can carry on his legacy, oh false son."
With that, color filled the surroundings again, and I could breathe.
… It was over.
Damnit, damnit! Four months, and I'd been found out! Fuck!
That power was unlike anything I've ever seen. To learn it and master it… I'm not sure I can even do that! Cuswoth knows… Cuswoth knows… he won't tell father, right? That would mess everything up! Gods, oh gods, save me!
While I was still a child, I lived by his mercy.
This was the bitter truth.
Hell!
Right then.
I can't afford to sit tight until I'm grown for this… I need to learn as soon as possible. If I stay this indecisive, I'll stay frozen as time ticks by! Fuck, as soon as we get home, I have to—
Calm down.
Calm down, I'm falling back into the same cycle again.
No, not this time.
I can't die like before.
That child… Yes, that child is watching me.
I must make my story worth it, that's what he said, right?
Gradually, my vision paled to black, with the last thing I saw being the bright colors of kites flying above me, dancing about, high in the sky where nobody could reach them. Except they were being pulled, pulled by the strings of those who stood below. Born to fly, forced to stay.
To stay a slave.
Groggily, I opened my eyes, withstanding the familiar attack of colors as I lifted my head. Shaking it left to right quickly, I let spit fly from my mouth as I burbled, suddenly very thirsty. My mouth opened automatically as I began to cry, wailing with tears falling down my cheeks.
How embarrassing.
"Yes, make sure he doesn't… oh! Am-Am, you've woken up!" My father, who seemed like he was talking to someone that I couldn't quite see through my hazy vision, called out to me as he picked me up like I was some kind of prize.
"Did you have a good nap? All energetic and ready to go, aren't you?" He chucked at his own joke, picking at the stubble of his beard as he peered at me curiously. He saw my mouth hanging open, unimpressed.
Give me the damn water!
Idiot father.
"Now, how does Amina ever deal with a little brat like you as her husband? It shouldn't be so hard to tell what the baby wants!" A high pitched voice chided as she gently put a bottle of milk— I suppose it was baby formula— to my mouth. Hungrily, my body moved on its own as my little fingers wrapped it round and hugged it tight to my chest. Sucking, I gulped down the sweet liquid nectar of the gods that was… a bottle of formula. It wasn't water— it was better.
"Energetic, isn't he?" That same voice giggled.
Hmm, where was I?
Well, wasn't this a scene!
A woman that looked like a slimmer version of Sara was dressed in formal dress, jewelry hanging from her neck, ears, and hair, next to my father, who was dressed in similar attire. I was currently lying down all comfy-like on a large bed; at least double the size of one I had at home at least, with my head resting on a creamy white pillowcase. I turned to my side to see Millie, eyes open, wide awake.
"Buh-da! Buh-da Awa!"
Should a baby of four months know how to babble coherently?
It gives me doubts about my own growth.
Sigh…
"Mahllaa!" I shouted, wriggling my arms around rapidly. She replied in kind, shouting "Buh-da", which I guess equated to "Brother" somewhat, though I didn't know what "Awa" meant. She pronounced it sort of like "awake", so maybe she meant "Brother, awake!", though that was a far stretch.
"Your majesty, are the preparations done yet? Has everyone arrived?" My father said with a tinge of nervousness in his trembling voice. He sat enrobed at the foot of the bed, various jewels hung around his body as well. His hair had been noticeably trimmed, and it was tied up into a proper man bun through the use of a golden hair tie. His eyes darted around from left to right as the seemingly royal figure patted him on the back.
Way to go, father!
But that raised a question.
If we had connections with a royal family, why live on the outskirts?
There shouldn't be many reasons to do so.
Maybe it's because of my father's apprehension of elves…
Well, it doesn't matter much.
Her majesty laughed lightly.
"Now there Iyad, I believe I told you to address me as Ma'am, there's no need
to go as formal as your majesty— there certainly isn't." Smiling, she walked to the bedside table, flashing me a smile as I cooed back. Millie watched her as well, all quiet-like. Usually, she was only like this while sleeping.
I'd forgotten about Cuswoth.
Why wasn't he here?
Agh… live in the present, live in the present..
He wasn't someone I could match now.
I was helpless.
"Right.. Ma'am." My father reaffirmed himself, voice stronger this time. Sighing, he gently removed her majesty's hand from his back. Her majesty took a bottle from the table— a small flask filled with a bubbling cyan liquid.
"... What production facility?" My father asked.
"It's from the second Axena branch situated in Ka'lahid… we've begun importing their trade items recently. It has my seal on it, just go ahead and drink it.." The woman pleaded slightly as my father nodded.
Closing his eyes, he downed the flask.
A light humming sound filled the room as I felt little pops conglomerate in the air around me, making it harder to breathe for just a second. Then, the sensation was gone as soon as it came.
Hell, another unknown.
Was this a potion of some sort?
"Much better." My father nodded.
"Isn't it?" The woman said, taking the vial from my father's hand and then returning it back to the desk. For a moment, we just sat there in peace, as I watched the amber candlelight flicker across the walls.
For a moment, I saw my shadow on the opposite wall.
Hah… I really was small, wasn't I?
Knock! Knock!
Small raps sounded on the wooden door.
"Come in, please." The woman's voice rang out delicately.
A lanky looking man dressed in full silver armor stepped into the room. I could clearly see that his ears were large, meaning that he was an elf— well, it only made sense, I guess.
The instant he saw the woman, he lowered his head, greeting her simply. I noticed that there were a few golden badges and medals pinned to his left breastplate. Was this man a soldier?
Then, his eyes flitted to my father.
Pausing for a moment, he stood unmoving.
Then, he cleared his throat and spoke.
"Ahem! I have a message prepared by Mr. Cuswoth, and am asking for your highness' permission to relay it to you." My eyes involuntarily narrowed as I heard Cuswoth's name. Millie looked at me curiously, sucking her thumb as she rolled to the left side, to the right side, and back again.
"Go ahead." The woman said.
Damn, why was nobody telling me her name?
Maybe she really was a queen!
My father knows the queen of Sherwood… hah…
"Ahem… alright." Standing straight, the man pulled out a roll of parchment paper attached to his waist. He unrolled it and began to read it out.
"Forgive the messenger for his lack of formality, since I told him to read everything out exactly as I said it. Everything has been prepared, and all the children and families of the higher and lower courts are there at the dowsing space. The fountain has been cleansed, so it should be about time for you to make your way down here. Aldeous is waiting to give judgement as well, and he's asking for your help with some things, so I suggest you hurry down there with Iyad, and the children. If Iyad shows any signs of nervousness, give him the calming potion… actually, you've probably already done that, haven't you? Well, that's about it. In honour of your grace, ma'am." The knight (or was he a messenger?) finished reading from the paper, bowing his head once again.
The queen— I'm calling her the queen from now on, waved her hand.
"Alright… tell him I'm coming. Dismissed."
"Yes, your majesty!" The messenger placed his hand on his chest, closed his eyes, and traced a symbol in the air that I couldn't quite pick up. He shut the door quietly and then left.
"Pff, damn Cuswoth…" My father leaned back slightly.
The queen chuckled.
"Well then, we should get going, shouldn't we?" She said lightly.
My father glanced at me as I blocked Millie's attempts at bashing my face in.
"I suppose we should," He said with a smile.