章節 24: FALLEN KINGDOM
"How's the bite?" uncle asked as soon as I stepped down the staircase, while Mino was right behind me. I quickly glared at uncle, who grinned back.
"What? Are you still shy, Vreihya?" he teased, catching a huge plant thorn that I hurled at him. He promptly tossed it in front of the nearby window while continuing to chuckle teasingly.
Seriously? Why was I granted with an uncle who had a childish mind and shallow delight at times? "Sit down, Vreihya and Mino," mother remarked as she exited from the palace kitchen, which I quickly saw as she was holding a pot. From here, I can smell what she prepared. "Woah! Is that what I'm thinking?" I exclaimed excitedly, and mother smiled at me. We were seated at the table a few minutes later.
Uncle and Mino are next to each other, while mother and I are close to each other. I wanted to inquire why they came here and how our kingdom is doing, but mother doesn't like chatting while eating. In the middle of my bite, I looked at Mino, who seemed to be hiding the fact that he was staring at the fruit next to me.
I'm not sure, but I giggled at the way he stared because he reminded me of a child who wants to ask for food but is too bashful. I knew it! He loves my favorite fruit. I'm not sure why, but I still want to stare at him while he acts like that. I laughed even more because he sipped the hot soup that he had never blown into while staring at the fruit. Because of the burn, he hissed immediately.
Why is he so cute? I don't want to give him the fruit because I am pleased with his demeanor. "He might melt!" I quickly looked down and got serious after hearing uncle's mild tease to me. "Here Mino!" mother said as she offered Mino a loreka, which he received shyly. I pouted my lips because it appeared as if I wanted to scold mother for handing him the fruit since I still wanted to look at him, he's so adorable!
I returned my gaze to the mortal, who couldn't hide his delight as he chewed the loreka and some juice leaked into his lips. I'm not sure why, but I had a strong want to reach for him and wipe it myself, but I quickly stopped myself. Vreihya, what are you trying to do? Did that mortal seduce you and cause you to behave in this manner?
When he got a handkerchief to wipe it, he happily bit and chewed again, I began to regret that I had stopped myself. I can only see his genuine happiness by eating that fruit. I returned to my senses as a result of uncle's phony cough, which I knew was a sort of tease, and his silly grin flashed once more. Just one more and a spoon will fly!
After a few more minutes, our meal was over. Mother and uncle have gathered on the spacious lawn outside my palace, while Mino has said his farewell so he can rest. I really thought he was going to suck my blood, but I could sense his restraint. I couldn't help but wonder why he appeared too hesitant to bite me. He bit me for a few minutes before stopping, as if he was holding himself back.
I'm not sure, but I'll admit that I was unsatisfied, but what right do I have to be? We all sat on the grass, gazing up at the sky, our skin gleaming with the Goddess's rays. We all seem to desire to appreciate the solitude of our surroundings, apart from our actual kingdom. But my mind was compelled to inquire and to receive an answer.
"How is our kingdom, mother?" I asked hesitantly, fearful of her response. "It's gone, Vreihya," She said as my eyes widened in response to what she stated. "Gone?" I couldn't believe it, and mother just nodded and closed her eyes as if she was exhausted.
"Where are all the villagers?" I'm worried about their whereabouts because if our kingdom is destroyed, what would happen to the people under our control? I was going to ask another question when I heard what sounded like suppressed cries from my mother. As a result, uncle quickly consoled and hugged her while he stared at me with an expression I couldn't decipher. "A lot of them died because the other kingdoms joined forces against us, but there were a few who survived," uncle tried to mask his sorrow.
I didn't think further, as rage sprang in my chest as I remembered the villagers who had been slaughtered. "The rest are safe now, Vreihya, they were kept throughout the war," uncle reassured me. "No, Uncle! They need us! Where will they obtain food? Who will lead them? What about those who have lost relatives and children?" I got up from my grassy seat.
Entrante! What are they going to do now? What about the children who became my pals and kept me company? What about the babies I cared for, or the elderly villagers who are already frail?
"I was expecting chaos like this, but not this early and this horrible," mother sobbed as uncle kissed her on the forehead to calm her down. During the time I've been asleep, many of the villagers have been harmed, injured, or slaughtered. I tightened my fists causing the rumbling of the trees around us.
Their trunks suddenly grew larger and spiky. "Vreihya! Calm down, even nature would sympathize with your rage," uncle spoke forcefully, but I couldn't do what he said. "Those are lives, uncle! That is our kingdom! My entire life is there," I sneered, but mother slowly drew away from uncle's embrace and gripped my fists, which were still clinched.
Because of what mother did, my emotions seemed to subside quickly. "Don't worry, Macara was the one I appointed to give shelter for the survivors and heal them," mother said sadly, but it wasn't enough to make me feel better. "No! Bring them here! They're safer here!" I begged to my mother, and she consented.
"But you know that their target is Mino, don't you? They will be more harmed if the mortal and the village people are in the same place," uncle strongly objected. My uncle has a point and I seem to be losing my right mind as a result of my emotions. I was about to utter some words but immediately I heard faint footsteps behind us.
"Then we'll leave! Let the villagers dwell here since it's safer!" we quickly looked at the voice from behind us. Wasn't he supposed to be resting? He appears to have been listening to us for some time now. But what he said struck me because what about his safety.
"How about you?" mother asked, quickly stating that she disagreed with Mino's decision to depart. "You are a queen, madam! I know you seek the protection of your people, and it is no surprise to me that you have considered keeping them here," he added respectfully. His speech initially impressed me because he seemed to have thought about this matter immediately.
"I know I can't protect myself, especially the villagers, but you need a kingdom," he reasoned calmly. Why does he speak and think like a king, as if he has managed to run a kingdom? Is this another of your surprises, Mino?
"I agree with what he said Zaliah. If you're afraid he'll be harmed, teach him to fight! We can't leave the villagers in such a state, and it's also not possible for the mortal to stay here with them because what happened will only happen again," uncle explained in great detail, appearing to agree with Mino's stance.
"Then it's settled! Teach me how to fight!" I admired Mino's solemn response. Why does he wish to make a sacrifice for the sake of the villagers? I thought he despised us? He once wished that we would just die. Is he merely doing this to achieve his goal with the Goddess?
Is it simply because he wishes to follow the Goddess and return home?
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