Chapter 21 - Wish (1)

Fairy are the kindest of all. Creatures who value peace above everything. However, the minute their peace is broken, their mind could be clouded with hatred. 

So better stay away, because humans can't hold their tongue and humans have the ability to break peace with a single word of hatred.

-Excerpt from 'The Essential Book of Human Survival'.

Jonathan Lorth.

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Estalle emerald gaze gradually shifts, those pairs of eyes that are filled with melancholy slowly glimmer with hope. Tears continue to pour down her cheek but a smile replaces her bitter expression, cheeks turn rosy from uncontrollable emotion.

She turns her head, eyes lingering for a while longer at her beautiful child, the child she had promised to protect with her own life. Along with renewed strength, Estalle asked Ruby, her eyes filled with courage never seen before. 

"Who?" 

Her once frail grip tightened around Ruby's arm, the strength intensified as her eyes turned desperate, "Tell me, I'll do anything for her."

Ruby's eyes wander off into the distance, despite the creeping pain that she felt from the meagre strength of the human before her, she doesn't let out a sound. Deep inside Ruby is aware this weak being is standing on a cliff, ready to jump on cue for the sake of her newborn daughter.

Contemplating hard inside her mind, Ruby closed her eyes. Unsure whether she had made the right decision by informing this particular piece of information. However, she will end up blaming herself, if she didn't do anything and let Estalle be tortured by having to witness her child slowly dying before her eyes.

That will be too cruel for her.

"First, hear me out," Ruby took a seat beside Estalle, grabbed her soft hand and grip it tight, trying hard to assure her, with a deep breath she began to explain.

"Land of Qye is a small territory compared to Suttern, but never being attacked by others despite its size and abundant source of herbs and plants. It is known among others because the first daughter of the royal descendant possessed powerful and limitless abilities," Ruby bit her lips.

She seems hesitant before continuing, "If she is willing, she can bring destruction to countless lands and creatures. If she is allowed, she can revive the dead. However, each ability she uses will cause damage to her body."

Estalle listened with close attention, her eyes looking immersed with each word Ruby managed to utter, "Moon Cursed after all is a type of curse inflicted by other creatures. As the powerful one among others, I'm sure she can help your child," Ruby said.

"Really?"

Estalle eyes turned wide in instant, like a tiny droplet of ink fallen on pale parchment, its stain spread gradually and absolute. Just like the tiny possibilities of curing her precious baby.

"I should go now and find her," Estalle was about to stand up, when Ruby stopped her by pointing her index finger at Estalle, making her glued to her seat. Confused, Estalle stares at Ruby. Questioning her action.

"She's not in Qye," Estalle's body deflated. Ruby sighs, her fiery orbs glimmering within the dimly lit room.

"She's the Queen of Suttern now."

• • ⊱∘────·☽༓☾·────∘⊰ • •

"Three crows, five rabbits, and…" the butcher's greasy face lit up upon catching the sight of a big hunt, "a deer… you got heaps today, Lin!"

Alin remained silent, it was her regular visit to this one particular butcher house at the end of the day, offering the animals that she managed to hunt during the day. Some other time, she would at least save one rabbit or deer to eat, but Ruby had come and she decided to sell everything.

"Five silver," he offered.

Alin faced him with an eyebrow pulled up, irritation clear on her face,  she was about to reach for her bag when the man shouted in desperation.

"Okay! Ten silver! I'll give you ten!"

He snatched the bag filled to the brim with clean cut up wild meat, he dashed back to retrieve his money to pay Alin.

Alin stood silently by the side of the road, examining the bustling town filled with different kinds of creatures. She was about to close her eyes when she heard a heated conversation beside her.

"It's been four years, do you think Queen Suttern will ever wake up?"

The taller one of them scoffed, "don't you remember? Right after White War, the Queen sacrificed herself and ended up sleeping. Words had spread around that she could only wake up after twenty years, but in the end she woke up after six months."

"That's because they are Pair Blood."

"That's what makes it odd. She has slept for four years now, everyone had speculated she wouldn't wake up."

One of them sighs, finding reality quite regretful, "just because of a human."

"Yeah! No one really knows of the actual reason why the Queen would help a stranger to that extent."

"Fairy are the kindest and selfless after all."

"That's ignorant. She left her kids. The Crown Prince is feared, the Prince and Princess have turned lunatic," one of them shouted after blowing thick strings of smoke, agitated while shaking his head in disappointment, "that's the price she has to pay for helping a human. Does that human worth more than her children?"

The taller one with the red horn shakes his head in pity, eyes turn solemn, "now we can only wait. The King can only wait," he elaborated, "everyone inside the palace is aware, the fact that he never leaves the East Tower just like before."

The shorter one nods in agreement, eyes full of understanding, "Scared that if he leaves, without the strength of Pair Blood, she will truly be gone. Forever"

"Ah… that's the reason his brother replaced him."

"Which one? Didn't he have a twin brother?"

"The Advisor one. Prince Aevin. Prince Ahron is widely known not involved in politics and had long travelled the country."

"Well. One can never know the future."

Alin shakes her head in annoyance, she can't plug her ear with something to prevent hearing this conversation. She had been bothered with this repeated conversation among creatures which started in recent years. The talk about what the future may hold, circles of groups dwindling away in gossip and doubts.

Turning around, she retrieved the small leather bag from the butcher's hand, supposedly with ten silver he had promised. With quick response, Alin grabbed the bag and sauntered away within the crowds of creatures to Black Hill.