” She is as powerful as her mother. ”
The mer-queen exclaimed as she sat with her inner circle, in their inner lair.
” Don’t forget she even has a wolf’s traits. ”
Observed another.
” What about the child? ”
Asked one.
” What about it? ”
” Isn’t it supposed to be most powerful of the lot? ”
” What do you mean? ”
” The little fox that is about to born, has the blood of the three most powerful clans on land, running down it’s vein. ”
” But it’s cursed. We don’t even know if it will be able to live to see the sun. ”
” We now know the source of the curse Lana. ”
The queen retorted. ” It’s just tied with dark sorcery and blood. ”
” What do you mean by that my queen? Are you implying there must be a way to turn things around? ”
” I am still contemplating. I haven’t come to any particular decision. ”
” What about Mia? ”
” What about her? ”
” How long do you plan on sheltering her here? ”
” This is technically her home Bushra. What do you mean by sheltering? ”
The queen had a smile on her face that was difficult explaining.
” Pardon my queen. What I meant was the evil spirit of the creature is still lurking outside. Will we not be jeopardizing the lives of our people by entangling ourselves in meaningless tights ? As you used to say, isn’t every life precious that we have? ”
” Precisely. Every life is important. So is Mia’s and her child’s. They are part of this ocean too. Besides, the distorted wolf spirit will not be able to enter these waters. That is it’s parameters. We don’t really have much to worry. You all can calm down. ”
The queen motioned.
” But there is one important ritual that needs to be taken care of. ”
” What is it my queen? ”
“We need to summon the forces to determine the sex of Mia’s child. It is of utter importance for us to know if it is a boy or a girl. ”
The queen finished with the wave of her hand.
Mia was collecting some rainbow shells from the eastern side of the ocean. She hated being home alone all by herself. It had been quite a few days since Lin was gone. And it was difficult for her to even get news from the surface above.
” There she is. Mia! ”
A pair of young mer-maids swam towards her.
” Her majesty calls for you? ”
” Right now? ”
“Yes. They said it was about some ritual. They said you needed to hurry. ”
The girls started pulling Mia by her hand.
” Ok. Ok. I am coming.” Mia said. The shells fell from her in their tug of war.
” Come Mia darling. Sit comfortably here. ”
The queen called her.
She was taken to what looked a place situated at the very heart of the Queen’s palace. Yet it was the gloomiest place in tthe entire mer-world.
The walls seemed covered in black moss. The weeds covering the floor was the shade of thr darkest blue. The place seemed like an old, abandoned kitchen or camp site. It reeked of burning charcoal.
But how could anything burn under water. Mia seemed deeply puzzled. She looked here and there. There were some huge cauldrons at the side indeed.
” Those are for our brews and concoctions, ” The queen said following Mia’s curious gaze.
” Your mother might not have had the chance, since you were born away from here but as a mother figure in your life I called you here to perform a very important mer-ritual.
As you know Mia, we have an amazing and legendary wizardry heritage But due to some mishaps in the past, we have been living in the shadows of the regret of our fore-fathers.
I wish Crystal was here. She used to be the best amongst us in brewing and potion making. She could use the blue flame before she had learnt to walk. ”
It felt different. It was the first for Mia to ever listen about her mother’s childhood
This queen didn’t seem that cruel and evil, after all. They were in fact trapped in their vicious cycle of struggle for survival.
Mia sincerely wished she could come to their aid when she finally returned to the Tree of knowledge.
“Mia, do you know what this ritual is about? ”
She asked, making Mia sit down
Mia had no clue. She shook her head.
” Well, it is to determine the child’s gender in the mother’s womb. ”
Mia touched her belly.
It had grown quite a bit . It was prominent under her gown.
” I thought it was not possible to tell a child’s gender before it is born. ”
” Well, for the surface folks it’s true. But not for us. We have the power to summon the spirits at our will. We can harness the spirit energy and also channelise at will. They call us the mer-witches not for nothing. ”
The queen smiled.
Mia could not help but smile back.
” Shall we begin? ”
Mia nodded.
” Alright Mia. You need to lay down on your side. ”
Mia followed instructions without any hesitation. No matter what she knew about them. Their dark secret, their cult. Nothing could change thr fact that she was one of them, their own. And she was genuinely feeling there, at home.
” This might twitch around you lower abdomen a little, but you should not move. Alright? ”
Mia gave them the go.
The Queen raised her left hand towards thr surface. A blue light in the shape of a string appeared and circled around. She carefully held it at one end and the other end he let slide on Mia’s abdomen.
What Mia felt was more like a tingling. It was ticklish to some extent. It wondered there a few seconds, when Mia felt the Queen’s grip around her hand tighten.
Mia turned.
The Queen’s eyes we’re glistening.
” Are they tears? “, Mia thought.
” It’s a boy. Mia. IT’S A BOY. ”
Then Mia heard the Queen proclaim aloud.