[THIRD PARTY POV]
"Started it? Seriously? What are you? Five? Four? Or maybe three? Fuck, Gideon, what the hell am I missing here? We came for the fucking peace talks and here you are, angry as always, ready to burn the very ground the stupid lycan stands on!
"We need to sort out the issue of the beast, or should I remind you why we are here, huh? Maybe I should just spank your ass with my sandals so you can use your fucking brain! Think, child. Think. We can't solve anything if we keep adding on to more chaos!
"Goodness, one of these days, you will be the end of me you little brat," Criselda angrily ranted, but Gideon wasn't about to budge.
"Look at him, Criselda. He's just sitting there like he didn't just—" Gideon said angrily as he pointed back to the conference room.
The two witches of Greroth were currently outside the conference room and next to the guest rooms that had been slated for them to take a rest in. This was the farthest they could go without being suspicious.
Gideon was fuming, and clearly wasn't about to calm down anytime soon, though that would be for the benefit of everyone.
"I know. I know, son. But we can't achieve anything if your anger ruins everything now, can we?" Criselda said to Gideon, ignoring the fact that the little ingrate had called her using her name. That was never an issue though, besides, it wasn't like the world had pressed pause.
Having a raging witch with her was hectic and especially if that witch was always angry, but hey, she had already taken him in. This was her son, no matter what happened to him or what he did. She could only hope that he used his brain cells more often.
"I hate him, y'know. If I could, I would eliminate him here and now. He makes me want to stab him over and over just to see whether he always feels pain. Or maybe I can try the X-formula with him. This man pisses me off more than I piss myself off, and I do that, a lot.
"If only there weren't any stupid accords. One day I will get my hands on him, and not even the whole of Udrad kingdom will be enough to stop me," Gideon said, his tone so cold and murderous that even Criselda was worried and scared of him, not that she would show him that.
Gideon was dangerous right now, and it wasn't just to the people around him, but also to himself.
His anger and short temper were things that Criselda had learned to deal with over the years, but it would be hard making someone understand that as they stood out here, they were not fighting, instead, they were trying to resolve their issues as a family.
"Gideon—" Criselda called him defeatedly. She didn't know what else to calm him down, because the only things that could calm him down, weren't found at this time of the night. It didn't help that the moonlight made them look like spies.
They needed to get a hold of themselves before they became the source of new rumors. Everyone knew Criselda and Gideon were just like a mother and son, so there was nothing that could happen between them.
However, that didn't stop the rumors from spreading, about how the witches were suspicious.
But the witches in question didn't even seem bothered by the whole fiasco. it was like they were in their own world. A world that once used to be bright, a world that they had all grown to love, and yet, it was this very world that would make them villains to others. But such was life.
They had no control over so many things, and just had to live and adapt. After a while of staring at each other, Gideon finally broke his silence.
"I'm sorry," Gideon suddenly said, the sincerity in his voice making Criselda take a pause.
"What?" The high priestess wasn't sure she had heard Gideon well.
It wasn't because Gideon never apologized, no. It was because an angry Gideon was like a stone block, one that wouldn't respond to anything unless the person was important to them.
There had been instances when he had stonewalled Criselda and apparently, the high priestess thought that it was happening again. What she didn't expect was for him to be apologetic this early. maybe they needed to bring him to Acrod more often, right?
"I'm sorry I blew up like that. I shouldn't have done that with the foolish Lycan king, I'm sorry about that. I know I keep telling you I have control but he just pisses me off. He makes my blood boil so much. But I didn't intend to make you look bad in front of them.
"I can make it right, just tell me how. I could erase their memories of what happened. Everyone except the stupid lycan king. I would love to see him go crazy for thinking he was hallucinating.
"All you have to do is tell me what you want me to do to make it up to you, I—" Gideon ranted, making Criselda smile.
The young man always ranted whenever he was sure he was wrong. His rants were always an admission of his sins and a request for forgiveness and right now, even though he wasn't going to go deeper into his apology, Criselda understood him.
She knew there was just no way to keep the lycan king off of his mind so the least she could do, was let him learn to live with it. Maybe then, he would find solace and love what he did.
"Sleep, okay? I just need you to go get some sleep and rest. No more causing trouble tonight. I need to go back in there and hear what the lycan bastard has to say. And I can't do that if I have to worry about you breaking bones and out on a murdering spree.
"Promise me you will behave Gideon. I can't handle another chaotic appearance by you, and go take a fucking shower, you reek. Goodness!" Criselda scowled at the protege whose face lit up at her statement. It was as if he was planning something.
"I understand Mother, and I promise. No more trouble from me," Gideon said as he reached out to pull her into a hug, but she wasn't having it. She had seen how Gideon had been disappointed in the forest earlier, and she didn't want him to experience that again.
He shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place, but they would talk about that at length and at a later time.
"You try that and you will be taking the long road home," Criselda said and Gideon instantly pulled back. He knew Criselda wasn't kidding. The woman had the power to make him walk from Acrod to Greroth, and it was a really long distance that he didn't want to go through.
He would probably turn into a zombie before he reached Greroth, and the women wouldn't want him anymore. That was a risk he wasn't ready to take. So listening to Criselda was smart. A really smart idea.
He wasn't even in the mood to portal home, let alone walk.
'Ooh so he can be calm too,' Grant smiled to himself as he watched the mother and son. This was something for the history books, right? Oh, but he wanted to spend more time with the man in question, but would Gideon be open to the suggestion?
"Noted mother. And don't let them walk all over you there. If they try anything, just call me. I will be there no matter what state I am in. I will show up for you regardless. If they try to make you bow to them, remember you are my mother and you are not allowed to bow to anyone.
"I forbid that. If they insist, then I'm just a whisper away from you, never forget that," Gideon said sternly, his voice full of power. Criselda just smiled at the young witch, happy that he was finally calming down.