SOPHIA’S POV
It was all like a dream to me, I did not believe that I would be allowed to step feet into the palace. I had already given up hope and was going to turn back before she surfaced just like the moon goddess. Now my faith is strong. Seeing her was all the answers that I had been in search of.
“We may not need to get our hopes too high yet,” Athena said and I drifted back to the present.
“They took us in, Athena, and see how comfortable they have made us feel. The queen is too nice” I replied and my eyes shined brightly in delight.
“The Pixies are known for their extreme hospital, dear. It is rumoured that even their condemned prisoners are treated like kings before they are finally hanged” Athena retorted with a note of sadness.
“We are not their prisoners, and it is only rumours. When did you start listening to rumours, Athena?” I asked with a little disappointment.
“I don’t want to get your hopes too high. We have to wait until after the court. Only then would we know our fate” Athena replied.
“We have nothing to give in return. We can’t even pay for the hospitality that we have received so far. Now I don’t think the queen would want to spend an extra second listening to us” Leon who had been unusually quiet all along lamented.
“But we are here, we should not give up hope too soon” I begged.
I know what they are saying, I am not naive when it comes to the Pixies and their modus operandi. But then hope is all we have, and I have enough of it for my son, Lalic. I must keep pushing until I see him hale and healthy once again.
Athena came over to the bed and sat by my side. “I appreciate your effort dear, believe me, I do. And I have even more hope than you could see” he paused and placed his hand on my shoulder. “The thing is I don’t want to see you disappointed. I am never going to forgive myself for that. I am supposed to protect you and fight all these battles for you, I should not let you suffer this way” a tear trailed down his cheek.
It hurts to see him this helpless. “It is okay, Athena, you have done even more for us. We are only alive to this day because of your numerous sacrifices. We owe you everything” I replied in consolation.
“Let’s go have dinner now, we will proceed to court from there,” he said and got up.
“And Lalic?” I asked and looked at his thin figure on the bed.
“I will bring him along, there is no need to leave him all to himself here. Moreover, we are not even sure if we would come back here after now” he replied and reached for Lalic.
“No, Athena, let me hold him,” I offered.
“I will hold him, please let me carry our son” he begged.
“Okay, but be careful” I replied and watched him lift Lalic up.
*
SCARLET’S POV
The court was filled up by the time I arrived with Chamlee. We took our seats and proceeded directly to business.
Chamlee began. “What are you doing in Pixolands?” he asked the strangers.
“We are here to…” one of the men began to speak. I think he is the woman’s husband.
“Hold on…” Chamlee cuts in. “Who are you and what brings you to Pixolands?” he asked.
The confused man continued. “I am Athena and this is my wife, Sophia, and the boy is my son, and this is my friend, Leon…”
Chamlee interjected again. “And what are you here for?” he yelled causing them to be unsettled.
“We came for help, Chamlee, please help us” the woman, Sophia prostrated and begged.
Chamlee grinned. “Where are you from?”
“We came all the way from Wild Cloak” Leon answered.
Chamlee chuckled and there were tiny murmurs in the background.
“We need your help. My son is dying” Sophia begged, ignoring the chatters.
“You came all the way from Wild Cloak to Pixolands with a dying boy?” Chamlee asked and narrowed his gaze to the boy.
I looked at the boy as well. He looked lean and very weak. I wondered how he was still able to still hold on to life at this point. I could not conveniently tell his age because of his deceptive stature caused by the sickness, but I could conveniently guess that he was up to seven years old even though he looked just five.
The boy was whimpering and coughing all through, and even his mother, Sophia coughed occasionally. The other men do not appear well at all. I heard there is a great plague in Wild Cloak that has claimed the lives of almost all the children and so many of the adults but I never knew it was this pathetic.
“I don’t want him to die please” Sophia wept and clung tightly to her son.
“Our land is in disarray. We are hysteric and don’t know what else to do. We die by the day and if we don’t get help, we may be completely wiped out in no time” Leon explained.
“We don’t have food or medicine. Our water is polluted and has become poisonous to our health. We die in our numbers on a daily basis” Athena lamented.
“I see…” Chamlee nodded.
Atoor stood up and yelled. “And what do you want us to do for you?” after saying this, she returned to her seat.
“We came for mercy” the frightened Sophia replied and hid her face in her boy curled-up body.
“Mercy…” Chamlee murmured.
“It is only the great queen that can have mercy on us. We are helpless without her. Please look with pity upon us” Leon went on his knees and begged profusely.
“But our queen owes you nothing” Atoor challenged.
“We came seeking mercy. Please help save my dying son” Sophia cried and narrowed her gaze to me. Her eyes were bloodshot.
I looked at the woman and I must admit that it was a pathetic sight. I have never had a cause to weep over a dying child and so might not truly understand her plight but coming all the way from Wild Cloak to this place for this was no child’s play. She is agonizing and truly, I know how that feels.
“Please save our son, don’t send us away. We might die even before we cross Pixolands” Athena begged as tears poured out freely from his red and swollen eyes.
Honestly, I have better things to do right at this moment. There is a war lurking and it must be prepared for. At times like this, I wish they would just carry on the meeting without me. What is the use of my presence anyway, when the result would always be the same? I yawned and shook my head.
“Are these all you have?” Moorso asked with his eyes penetrating their few belongings.
“Yes, sir. We don’t have any other thing anywhere” Leon replied looking a bit confused. He was not sure of the intent of the question.
“We have nothing hidden, sir, this is all we have” Athena added.
“And what do you bring to offer in exchange for the favour that you seek from Pixolands?” Atoor asked in disdain. I could feel the bitterness in her.
“We are poor and peasant. There is nothing else on our land but sickness and hunger. The noxious plague is about to finish us. We have become completely wolf-less.” Athena replied.
Sophia quickly puts in. “But we are prepared to do whatever you ask of us. We can be your slaves forever… or just anything. Please don’t let my son die”
“Obviously, you don’t have anything of benefit to us. I guess this should be it” Chamlee said and turned to me.
With a feeling of gladness and eagerness to finally get out of here, I made to stand.