Forty-five minutes later,
Three couples had gathered in a room in the luxurious residence, two of which looked older than Tristian and his beloved lady. The atmosphere in the room became quiet, especially when the father-to-be told them everything that had happened, so things became awkward.
“So?”
A silver-haired man asked the host. His right hand still held the long shiny stick with the eagle’s head at the end. Sir Alex Martinus Keira gazed at the young couple sitting across from him. The pregnant young woman did not dare answer because she remembered her husband’s message to remain silent during a family meeting.
Meanwhile, there was a man who had a facial resemblance to the husband of Lavena Isolda Keira. He was sitting on the sofa next to Lavena’s parents. The stocky man could only stare at his son with a look of pity as well as surprise. Beside him sat his lovely spouse, who looked shocked but did not say it openly.
“So, I and my wife have made an agreement … that when our daughter is born into the world, we will throw her there, so that our extended family is still safe. We have already decided the location that is suitable for her.”
When she heard the answer from her husband, the young lady sitting with her mate could not hide her sadness, so it was clearly visible on her face. However, as a wife, Lavena remained obedient to what her beloved husband had said, so she remained silent until now, even though it hurt her. Meanwhile, the brunette-haired woman was watching over her son-in-law and her only daughter.
“Are you sure that you just going to throw the baby away? Why not just kill her?” asked the middle-aged man.
“We can’t kill the baby, father-in-law. If you are determined to do such an act, then Goddess Magia will destroy us all. She already warned me and my wife, so I do not want to let that situation happen,” replied the emerald-eyed man firmly.
The two in-laws, as soon as possible, flinched when they heard the goddess’s name had spoken to their son-in-law. In fact, they could say nothing, as if they knew about the horrors they faced if they dared to defy the orders of the Goddess Magia, who had become famous in Zlatav. After a few moments of silence, the fifty-two-year-old man felt it was time to say something to his middle son.
“Son.” This time the biological father of Tristian Varden Writh said something so that the gazes of everyone present were now on the middle-aged man.
“Yes, Dad?” said the burly man.
“Are you sure you want to dump your own daughter in an orphanage? What if she gets bullied with people there? Did you think about that? After all, she is our granddaughter. Apart from the matter that she is the chosen one mentioned in the ancient prophecy, we cannot ignore the poor girl. Every child who is born in this world cannot choose to be born with a pathetic condition, so I think it is unfair to hate your own blood and flesh by abandoning her.”
“But that baby can bring danger to Keira and Writh’s extended family. Sir Elmer, how can you defend her like that?” asked Sir Alex Martinus Keira. He disagreed with the opinion of the interlocutor.
The thin man did not believe Elmer’s words, so he needed to question. Meanwhile, the wives in the same room had not yet commented because they were still observing the discussion between the three adult men.
“Sir Alex, with all due respect, I would not dare to abandon my own son if, for example, it proved Tristian to be the messenger of The Goddess Magia. Moreover, if the goddess has commanded, which human can survive against her? Can the ordinary mortal like us survive?” The green-eyed man deliberately reversed the question so that the other person was speechless, as if at a loss for words.
On the other hand, Tristian and his beautiful wife were relieved because those still supported them; even if they disagreed if they threw the fetus in the womb into an orphanage when she was born later. At the same time, Sir Alex Martinus Keira felt the opposite. He wanted to argue but did not have a convincing answer yet, so he chose silence for a while.
“Is there no other way to save our granddaughter, Son? I know we are all afraid of the ancient prophecy because anyone in Zlatav would not want something like that. If everyone can choose a destiny, then I am sure if no human being asks to be given poverty, especially affected by bad luck in all aspects, especially regarding children who are the next generation.” A man who had a height of one hundred and eighty centimeters tall asked his second son. The tone of voice sounded severe, so Tristian believed he really meant it.
“Before making a decision, my wife and I had thought of all the possibilities, Dad. However, suppose our daughter is hidden somewhere else, especially in the castle of one of the big families. In that case, there will definitely be a scary risk, namely the emergence of a traitor. If later there was someone that badmouths our daughter to the emperor, then this could affect the whole family, including us as her parents. We can’t take such a big risk.” Tristian answered his biological father’s question while explaining why they had taken such action.
The atmosphere in the room became silent again. Sir Elmer, who could say nothing at the moment, now took a cup of tea on the table that separated himself and his son, then sipped it. The wife also followed the same action as her beloved husband, and a few moments later, followed by the parents of Lavena Isolda Keira. At the same time, the young couple did not do the same thing and observed the movements of their parents.
After a while, Elmer’s heart calmed down a bit. He also put the cup on the table while looking at his second son, who had opened no conversation. “Son. It is okay if you do not want to put her in one of the Writh family members. I can understand your reason. However, if indeed that baby is to be placed in an orphanage, I would suggested you to give the orphanage a bag full of gold coins, along with a letter stating that they used all of it for the baby’s needs. Do not let her go hungry or thirsty. I wish I could save my granddaughter in my own house.”
There was a note of regret at the end of the sentence, so the blonde woman sitting next to him spontaneously touched her husband’s left hand as if to give him support. Meanwhile, Lavena was grateful because she had perfect in-laws, both father-in-law and mother-in-law.
“Thank you for the suggestion, Dad. I will do it for sure. I do not want to do that either, but the goddess would give our daughter unusual physical characteristics, so she would attract much attention. It is better that our daughter will go to the orphanage. There are definitely many children in the orphanage, so the emperor’s envoy will not notice our little girl’s presence.”
The twenty-five-year-old man looked at his father with a restless heart because he was reluctant to part with his daughter, even though the fetus was still in the womb of his lovely lady. Meanwhile, the silver-haired man could only observe the conversation between Elmer and Tristian without giving them any comment.
“I understand, Son. It is a shame because Goddess Magia has chosen Lavena to contain her messenger. If I am not mistaken, I have heard a rumor that our emperor was always assisted by Goddess Asiles, especially during the great war at that time, so that the ancient prophecy emerged. Could it be that there is a grudge between the two goddesses so that its adherents become victims?” The husband of Madame Phoenix Lily Katira, again expressed his opinion, so both Tristian and Alex were surprised by him. The three women who had been listening all this time were also surprised by what Elmer had to say.
“Is that real? From whom did you hear the rumors from? I never heard that gossip before,” asked the young guy with emerald eyes, curious.
“I heard the rumors from-”
***