Invitation

He took out the envelope and suddenly Luciana had to go through occasional throwing up.

She felt nauseous,unable to bear the pain for long.

Erebus hurried to summon the servants for her aid when Blake just arrived with the refreshments that Jafar asked him to bring in for them.

The butler ordered the servants to bring in warm water and clay pots and other essentials.

She threw up twice as he witnessed her dire condition.

He felt his guilt increase everytime he saw her go through the pain.

Derran had to be summoned urgently as she was carried back to her chambers.

After she was examined the old physician gave them good news that she wasn't in danger.

"These are symptoms of pregnancy my lord. Madame will be fine. It may be hard on her but please stay by her side." He advised him and told him to give her a potion he made with herbs and spices to calm her.

"She still has a long road ahead of her my lord. It is not an easy task for her to birth a child of a demon."

He looked at her peacefully dozing off I'm the bed. She had exerted too much energy.

"Alright. I will visit the west market. The merchants will flock around the end of winter there. I will see what I can do."

He dismissed them and sat beside her on a chair.

He felt something rustle in his pocket.

He took out the letter and frowned breaking the seal at the same time.

As he read the contents his face went blue in despair.

"He really wants his hands on my wife. That bloody bastard."

He cursed and crumpled the parchment into a ball and threw it into the fire.

His troubles kept piling up before the past ones could be solved.

His domain was nearly drowning with poverty.

The locals slowly started to migrate to the more developed areas of Wahrheit.

The manpower was declining each passing month.

The disasters would add fuel to the fire and so did the border wars.

And now he had a family of his own to feed and protect.

No matter how much he tried by risking himself in the battles he couldn't make enough to spare for the rundown territory.

He covered his face with his hands and inhaled and then let it out slowly.

He was distracted by her occasional moaning.

His attention diverted to her. He recalled the proposal she made about the income for he territory moments ago.

Judging her by her words he had accepted that she was much more talented and wiser than he was in terms of handling the domain affairs.

He left the chambers and found Jafar with Mina and Nemesis.

"Master...what about milady?" They asked him about her.

"She's asleep... don't go there unless she summons you."

"Yes master." Mina obeyed with Nemesis who was half asleep.

"Young master has played a lot my lord! He's very good at playing hide and seek that it took me ages for him to find out where he was hiding. Leo sniffed him out." Mina complained.

Erebus ruffled his ash grey hair as the boy smiled while dozing off gradually.

"It's time for his afternoon nap. So I will be taking him to his chambers."

Erebus nodded as she left with the sleeping toddler humming a holy tune.

"Master." Jafar brought Erebus to his attention.

"A letter has arrived again today at dawn..."

"Again?" He groaned.

"It seems like the Emperor has invited you to attend the festivities in the imperial palace. Unfortunately every noble will have to participate in the sacred festival."

Even Jafar was concerned about it. The last time Erebus attentmded the festival was five years ago. It was a humiliating experience even if he didn't care if nobles gossiped about him and slandered him for his unknown origins.

But this year was different. He couldn't agree on taking his pregnant wife and toddler son all the way to the capital city just to attend a festival he didn't have anything to do with.

Going alone was the only option he was left with. But if he left he feared Zavaikal or some other foe would make an attempt to harm them in his absence.

He couldn't refuse the imperial command.

He fretted half of the day trying to figure out the solution to another walkin trouble.

At twilight he went to get chambers where he saw Luciana feeding Nemesis dinner.

He seemed picky with the leeks that he disliked particularly.

Erebus felt that he was looking at his past self. He hated leeks and was not a fan of vegetables. Although his domain grew little if them like Brussels sprouts, leeks, sweet potatoes and even celery root.

"Young lord! The chef has prepared wild berry pie with warm milk. Let's have them after dinner." Mina succeeded in persuading the young child though he still was hesitant to go for another bite.

"You won't grow up a strong man if you leave them on your plate." Luciana told him.

"If you eat them you'll grow up strong and protect people."

"Like dada?" He asked eagerly.

"Yes just like your father." She giggled and nodded.

Nemesis had become the very first admirer of Erebus when he saw him training.

Erebus did not accept the suggestion to train a young toddler who barely knew how to help himself.

But he admitted that the boy had wits and was a fast learner.

"Master you're back early." Mina noted as she saw Erebus stand beside the bedpost.

Nemesis suddenly got off the chair and ran to him asking to be lifted.

"Nemesis leaving the table with unfinished food is bad manners." Luciana scolded him.

The father and son stood in a shock that she was frustrated. He was given heads up that she would have drastic changes in mood swings.

Derran had been working on his side by asking woman about their pregnancy experiences.

Some females he interrogated claimed that things were far worse than he anticipated.

Nemesis began to wail that both Erebus and Luciana had no choice but to put him to sleep.

Mina had left them alone under the pretext to fetch the pie.

After Nemesis slept soundly both of them let a sigh of relief.

He could only think about one thing.

-"I never knew parenting could be such a messed up task."