Capítulo 117: Family Reunion pt.2
Alba Lupi, her aunt, was the living image of the family lineage. She was past forty and heading towards her fifties, but in her crystal blue eyes there was an indomitable brilliance, the same one that Marina knew well in her father. Since she had last seen her, the woman's hair had completely gone white, reflecting an even more marked resemblance to her twin. Being twin brothers was a common peculiarity in the Lupi family, Alba and Marina's father were among the most famous for their indissoluble union and the marked ability characteristic of their lineage. They were the first to abolish the matriarchy that had existed for millennia, in favor of a communion of power.
Across the room, Marina's stepmother stood up, and a look of surprise crossed her face, too strong to be genuine.
"Lady Alba, what a magnificent surprise."
"Spare me, Regina," she waved her hand away, "You know full well that I'm here because you asked me to meet you."
"I thought I specified the meeting time-"
"You did," the other replied almost immediately, "That's why I arrived early and, judging by what I see, I made the best choice."
Alba reached the armchair glancing at Marina. She gave her a gentle nod, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'm with you."
"How come my niece is here and I wasn't notified?"
Finally, the girl's stepmother also sat down. The discussion could resume.
"Marina and I needed to have a small chat of little importance. I haven't seen her for a long time and I was curious to know how her stay at Lilies Park was going."
Marina was annoyed by the way the woman had specified the word "stay", as if the years spent in the park had only been a temporary arrangement that they had chosen. It served to remind her how her world and her freedom were fictitious, just a choice made by her family.
She was just the latest arrival, a container of genes too defective to be exploited. They couldn't give it value, otherwise they would have risked destroying the legacy of the entire house.
A soft noise coming from the cradle distracted the attention of the women, who turned in unison towards the child. The demigoddess observed the small figure lying in the bed, surprised by how innocent he appeared in the contrast of that rigid environment. The baby gurgled, clenching his chubby hands as if he already knew the language of curiosity.
"Of course, then I wanted Arthur to spend time with her," Regina said, addressing Alba in a voice that tried to sound affectionate.
"Since he was born, they've only seen each other once."
The little stepbrother observed the people around him with a dreamy and serene gaze, his eyes a color that Marina knew all too well: they were identical to those of her stepmother, a deep wine color. The child's hair was instead a milky white, the same as Marina's father, a sign of that ancient and powerful heritage that also flowed in her.
She couldn't help but smile at the child, she hoped that he could have grown up differently and that he wouldn't have to become yet another scion of the Leiss family. Perhaps, at least utopically, his father would have intervened at the right time and saved him from the sad fate that awaited him. That little newborn was also a Lupi, after all.
The white-haired lady gently leaned on the chair beside her granddaughter and crossed her legs, "Enlighten me on the topic of the speech in detail."
Alba Lupi had always been on Marina's side, ever since she was born. Even when her father had decided to send her to the Lilies Park, she had confronted him in an attempt to make him give up. She had offered to intercede with the Daffodils Academy, she had proposed to let her stay there for a few months under the protective wing of her cousin, captain of the Silver Falcons, the second regiment of the army of demigods.
The plan was very good, but Marina knew it wouldn't work on her father. Alba's son, her cousin Albus, would let her be the whole time and, at the end of the probationary period, would say that Marina was more than fit to remain the heir of the Lupi. At that point, the girl would have been taken back to the villa and would have continued her life in peace.
Her father had rejected the offer and sent her to the Lilies Park, which she didn't mind at all in the end.
Marina was fine on her own, often wishing she was a simple teenager not tied to that family. She wanted to enjoy her life like a normal person.
Trying to avoid a final argument, she decided to immediately interrupt her father's sister, "Um, aunt, I don't think that..."
"Marina! Lady Alba must be treated with the utmost respect."
"But what should I call her, she's my aunt…"
Ien's daughter looked down. She couldn't help but wonder how the head of the house had ended up marrying such a woman. In fact, every time the topic was brought to the surface, Albert Lupi always tended to avoid it, even going so far as to listen to his wife's complaints and send his daughter to the other side of the country rather than give her an answer.
"Marina is my niece, her respect towards me should not be shown through the way she converses, but with the actions she takes."
The woman stood up and crossed her arms, before saying, "I need to finish this elsewhere… and in private."
Ien's daughter moved her head towards her stepmother, noticing a certain shiny reflection on her body.
Sweat, she thought, She can hardly hide the tension. She has control over her face, but the hormones will always show her real feelings.
"Of course, Marina, it pains me to push you into such a bad situation-"
"Marina is the person I need to talk to," Alba interrupted her, "I think you misunderstood. It is you, Regina, who must say goodbye."
The stepmother's smile became narrower, her gaze darkened for a moment by a shadow of irritation that she tried to hide behind a facade of false composure.
"Well… I beg your pardon for my misunderstanding, Lady Alba," she replied in a mellifluous voice. "I hoped Marina would enjoy spending time with her younger brother. Apparently, I was wrong."
The wolves of Alba approached the cradle, intrigued by the presence of the baby, and began to watch over him, waiting to be noticed. With a quick glance, Regina called out to the guards.
"Take the crib out of the room."
Two men approached, ready to carry little Arthur, who raised his head, looking at Marina with trusting and innocent eyes, as if he recognized her. Marina's heart sank as she saw the child walk away without having had time to interact with him. She could already feel the distance that was being created between them, that invisible barrier that her stepmother intended to maintain at all costs.
"No, mother, you're right," she said firmly. "When we're done, it will be a pleasure to spend some time watching over him."
Regina tilted her head, with a smile that now seemed more genuine, even if Marina sensed the subtle resentment that was hidden underneath. "I understand, Marina," the woman replied, almost satisfied with the answer. "So, see you later."
With one last triumphant look, Regina left the room, finally leaving the two Lupi alone, surrounded by a silence that now seemed reassuring.
"Thank goodness," the young woman sank back into the armchair, "Thanks for saving me, aunt."
"I agree with her, actually."
"What?" she exclaimed, confused.
"Don't think I didn't know why you are here and what she intended to tell you."
"You too? So dad knew?"
"Albert knew about the problem, but not that Regina wanted to call you here."
Alba settled better next to her, her gaze became serious. "Anyway, you know I'm on your side. You're the daughter I never had, but that's why I worry."
Marina shook her head, her heart pounding. "Shirei would never hurt me. Everyone should stop treating him like he's a monster."
She realized the tone, and the silence that followed was tense.
"I apologize," she admitted, lowering his gaze. "I didn't mean to answer you that way."
"It's okay," the woman reassured her, moving to sit next to her and gently stroking her hair. Her reassuring presence gave her some comfort, but the weight of worries remained.
"Both me and my brother trust your judgment," Alba continued, "but we want you to be careful with the children of Cragar, especially with…" She stopped, just at the last moment. The correction was immediate, and Marina noticed that small sign of hesitation that didn't escape her notice.
"What's the boy's name? Shirei, am I right?" She asked, her tone now more incisive.
"Yes…"
Alba looked at her, her blue eyes filled with deep concern.
"There are things you can't ignore, Marina. It's not just about you and Shirei. There's a past weighing on both of us, and I just want you to be safe."
The girl felt her heart sink.
"But I… I just want to get to know him better. I want to understand who he really is, you know I do it because of my curiosity."
"I don't doubt that you do this with good intentions in mind, but this is still too big a story for you," Alba retorted, her voice calm but firm. "Sometimes the truth is more complex than we can imagine. Please, you have to trust me and your father."
"Dad still thinks highly of me, even though he had no qualms about sending me across the country."
"Albert is stupid sometimes and makes many mistakes, I've always said he's the less intelligent of the duo," she managed to get a smile from her, "But he loves you and the little one more than anything in the world. There is nothing he wouldn't sacrifice for you, do you understand?"
Marina nodded, in her heart she knew that those words were the truth but her hatred for that family would not fade.
"You know something about him, don't you? Do you know that Shirei worked with…" the words died in her mouth.
The question had spiraled out of control due to a mixture of anxiety and hope. She longed for her to tell what she knew, but she was afraid she wouldn't like the answer.
It had to be that way, after all his cousin, Alba's son, had been at the Daffodils Academy for years. Shirei was from there according to Lyceum, and unless it was a lie told to hide his true origin, it meant Albus had information about him.
Even aunt Alba and dad know something, definitely more than me.
She waited a few seconds for a response from the woman.
"Exactly," she finally confirmed.
"Why keep me in the dark? If I knew the truth about everything, maybe I would change my point of view and follow your advice."
Alba looked conflicted, the words catching in her throat as she breathed deeply. The blonde wasn't used to seeing her react that way.
"We can't tell you," she finally declared.
Marina stiffened. "Can't you?"
"Exactly."
The demigoddess felt a wave of confusion overcome her.
Can't or don't want to? She wondered, frustration building inside her.
"Why?" She asked almost desperately, trying to understand the reason behind that justification. The Lupi were the most renowned family among the four semi-divine noble houses, the only one that was even older than the third era, according to the books even born at the dawn of the second.
There is no position more important than ours. Even the Celestials take into account the wishes of this family.
"Because your father and I swore an oath to Fate when we became heads of the family. We can't break it, under any circumstances."
Marina was shocked by her aunt's truly worried tone and expression. That revelation weighed on her heart like a boulder and the questions crowded even more in her mind.
What does this oath mean? What power does Shirei have to keep the Lupi silent? They did it by the will of the gods, so why does there have to be all this secrecy on their part? They are deities. Shirei is powerful, but he is only a demigod, Aena confirmed it.
Her mind ran in circles and the mystery surrounding Shirei's figure deepened more and more, leaving her with a disturbing feeling of helplessness.
It is now clear that there is also something else. Shirei isn't just a former enemy of the Celestials, he's done something beyond Rakion's return.
Alba looked at her, concern in her eyes. Marina understood that the conversation was over, but her questions remained unanswered, like an echo in the silence of the room.
Maybe she really was wrong about Cragar's son.
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