Chapter 3

After a walk of a short while, Anipe and Seutsui reached the cottage.

" It's dark, right? I couldn't find enough firewood." She looked at Seutsui with guilt on her face.

"Oh, it's all right. I was going to sleep a little earlier today anyway." she forced a yawn.

Her gaze wandered to the modest wooden table tucked in the corner of the kitchen, seeking sustenance for her ravenous hunger. Disappointingly, there was nothing to eat or drink. Aware of her mother's tireless efforts to make a living, she hesitated to burden her further. With a languid amble, she moved towards the bed, allowing her hands to dangle on either side and wearily settled onto the mattress.

Observing her, Anipe couldn't shake the sense of remorse and guilt over her inadequacy in nurturing the person before her.

"I know, sweetheart, you are hungry. Why don't you just tell me that you are, you don't need to feel sorry towards me." Anipe sat on the bed beside her while stroking her back.

"No, Mother, I'm not hungry at all. I ate plenty of food at Saitous's." she lied.

Sensing her artful facade, Anipe plucked a succulent peach from her sack and presented it with a touch of theatrical flair.

"Then why don't you have your dessert before you sleep?" she tapped Seutsui's nose with the peach. Seutsui sat up on the bed while giggling. She smelled the peach with desire and divided it into two.

"No, sweetheart, it's for you. I had one before. " she caressed Seutsui's head.

Dabbing her mouth, Seutsui abruptly widened her eyes, as though on the brink of divulging a profoundly significant revelation to Anipe. Witnessing Seutsui's burgeoning enthusiasm, Anipe responded with a subtle smile, tilting her head in anticipation.

"Why? What is it? " She asked flippantly.

Swallowing a large piece of peach in her mouth at once, Seutsui frowned at her.

"Mother, I'm not joking, I forgot to tell you earlier, but this is important," she stated earnestly. Placing her peach on the table beside the bed, the room dimmed rapidly, and visibility dwindled. The peach teetered, then tumbled to the ground.

Anipe retrieved the peach and gently placed it in Seutsui's hand. Cupping her hands around Seutsui's, she endeavored to soothe and reassure her.

"Slow down now. Tell me what happened." she chucked her under her chin.

"Saitous... His hand was scratched and when he held my hand I touched his blood by mistake, and I started having it. A vision. I saw him, younger, in what seemed like a palace or maybe a grand mansion, I suppose. Two women were there, wounded, blood staining their bodies," tears began to trace delicate paths down her cheeks, terror etched across her face.

"Then...Then..." She paused. Anipe cupped Seutsui around her arms and tried to soothe her.

"sh...sh... It's okay if it's hard to tell. We can stop talking about it for now. "She tenderly caressed Seutsui's head, drawing her closer to her chest. Seutsui leaned in, nudging her gently, and the overwhelming fear began to dissipate. Her gaze fixed on Anipe, Seutsui now looked more astonished than terrified.

"No, that's not it Mother, it's just that I can't remember what I saw anymore, even what I was telling you. Did I even tell you something?"

Anipe was puzzled by her daughter's behavior.

...

It was Not too long ago, Seutsui discovered the existence of magical abilities.

A mere year ago, when Seutsui attempted her inaugural flute performance, Anipe experienced a nosebleed accompanied by ringing ears, and to the bewilderment of the household, all their belongings began levitating in the air or spontaneously bursting into fragments.

Barely a week had passed since Seutsui's inaugural vision, an unexpected occurrence triggered by a playful encounter with a cat. The feline's inadvertent injury led to a moment where its blood made contact with Seutsui's exposed skin, unveiling a vision of an animal meat farm that prompted a profound shift, transforming her into a committed vegetarian. Anipe initially believed this to be the extent of the visions' impact, only to discover that it was far from the worst they could unfold.

Anipe decided to let that Saitous incident slide as she thought that Seutsui was imagining things because those abilities were only emerging little by little, but it was not just a mere imagination.

***

"You need to block her mind NOW," Saitous yelled dreadfully.

Edward's gaze darted towards Saitous suddenly, only to avert just as swiftly. Listening wasn't a forte for Edward; he embodied stubbornness and proved challenging to engage with. Action, in his world, required a valid rationale, even if the one suggesting was Saitous. His demeanor exuded an unyielding and icy aura, making him appear more adult than childlike.

"Why would I do that? and whose mind anyway? ," Edward mumbled in a cold tone.

"firstly you should do that because you are the one with the powers," he yelled.

"And secondly it's Seutsui," he uttered.

"Saitous, what do you take me for? First, you bring in a girl without a heads-up, and I find myself fumbling through my own mysteries in front of her, quite embarrassingly. And now, you expect me to play mind games, urging me to block her thoughts?" He rolled his eyes in blatant disagreement, the sound of his disapproval echoed with a dismissive click of his tongue.

"I would never do that to her," Edward declared, fury burning in his words.

"She saw those contraptions," Saitous barked, the words tumbling out in rapid succession.

On the day they commenced their training, Edward clandestinely shielded the equipment from prying eyes, selectively allowing access only to those gathering under their banner—loyal individuals who had lost their families to the tyranny of the ruthless king. It was a covert pact, shrouded in secrecy.

***

6 years ago

Edward, the firstborn of the late king's cousin, bore the noble lineage of royal blood in his veins. On the fateful day when the late queen faced an attack, Edward, alongside his mother and younger sister, found themselves within the confines of the royal residence.

Engaged in a game of hide and seek with his younger sister, Edward crouched beneath the bed, anticipating her search. However, the playful atmosphere swiftly morphed into a chilling tableau as unfamiliar feet barged in, extending towards the queen and his mother. What followed were agonizing screams and the macabre symphony of blood splattering across the room. Terrified and immobilized, Edward, hidden below, bore witness to the nightmarish scene, his every limb paralyzed by fear.

"What could this neonate possibly do to me? ," Edward heard a husky-chilling voice.

In a cold and detached manner, he swiftly raised his sword, to ruthlessly extinguish the tiny heartbeat nestled within the lifeless arms of the queen. At that moment, everything in that room, apart from Edward, seemed destined for lifelessness. Despite the awareness that he should do something to save the little princess, the weight of being a mere 10-year-old pressed heavily on Edward. He tightly shut his eyes, the anguished cries of the princess piercing through, yet he lacked the courage to confront the heartless assailant, even if he desired otherwise

Abruptly, a resounding clamor echoed from the outside, diverting the man's attention towards the exit before a disdainful click of his tongue. Seizing the moment, Edward attempted to reach the princess, but the approach of another figure halted his movements. Hands soiled with dirt gently lifted the princess and retreated from the chamber. Tears traced down Edward's face as he remained frozen, a silent plea for an end to his torment. Motionless, he hoped for someone to end his suffering. After a while, another set of footsteps approached. This time, he deliberately struck the wooden bed where he hid, yearning for an end to his internal torment and guilt toward the princess and his family

It was a king's knight. Edward saw him as he crouched.

"Sir Edward, I'm here to escort you to a safe place," the knight said hastily.

Edward regarded him skeptically, his gaze lingering on the sinewy hand extended towards him. The hand reached out, gently sweeping away his tears.

"I'm Saitous and we need to escape right now. We are running out of time and you need to trust me," he said with urgency.

Edward decided to follow him.

***

Present

"It can't be. My power won't let anyone see those," Edward declared.

"I don't know how, but it happened, and more importantly, I think she touched my blood earlier. What if she had a vision? After all, she could see through your power," Saitous uttered with a hint of concern.

"Ok, don't panic, I will see what I can do but I can't be certain because she even saw through my magic. ," Edward closed his eyes and focused.

He summoned all his magical prowess, attempting to fortify the barriers around Seutsui's mind. After a moment of intense concentration, he reluctantly opened his previously shut eyes.

"Did it work?" Saitous inquired.

He gazed at Saitous with bewilderment, shaking his head in uncertainty.

"I gave it my all, but she possesses some kind of power that eluded my grasp. So, I'm not sure,"

They exchanged glances, holding their breath with palpable tension etched across their faces, teetering on the precipice of uncertainty.