CHAPTER#30:The cat is out of the bag

"Have you been growing these plants, Mister Derran?"She inquired about the botanical species that were evading the entire place from every corner.

She was about to touch the plant that had purple leaves climbing over the wall.

"Madame please refrain from touching it!"The old man was almost out of breath when Luciana stopped midway under his instruction.

"Forgive my impertinence. Those vines... They are the scorpion's teeth." he told her.

"Scorpion's teeth?" she looked at him confused.

"Are these not Harpies' claws?"

"Unfortunately madame... If you take a slightly closer look, they have extremely small needles pointing out at the borders of the leaf blades. These blades are poisonous. The leaves of Harpies' claws are darker with a hint of pale green at their base and only the tips of the leaves are coated with poison."

"You know so much about plants. I'm astonished by the vast amount of knowledge you hold."She complimented the old man who stood speechless by hearing her gentle words.

"I'd like to learn more from you... "she beamed in excitement.

"Mister Derran?"She looked at the speechless old man.

"I'm flattered by your gracious words madame. No one ever appreciated this old man's work. Since I was associated with a dark cult in my youth, I was stoned almost to death. I was a poor lad at that time y'know...some group o'people took me with them and I learned knowledge of plants and made medicine. I decided to enter this barren land in search of food. This place would not accept me... But I begged the lord here to keep me at his service without pay if only I be earning a meal or two for myself. He still refused... Until I did him a good deed for the first time in my life of treating his wounds in an alley. He happened to bring me back to this place and give me decent meals in exchange for my services."

"Did... You not have anyone to return to?"

"I'm afraid I be an orphan milady. No one to look for me or take me."He smiled.

"Ahh~! I apologize for crossing the line."She apologized for her supposed rudeness.

"There be nothing for ye to apologize about. You are an angel descended to us who forsake salvation from God. This is a blessing I see for the first time in my life."

She remained silent. She was no angel. She had never seen one herself her entire life. Angels only relayed the oracles to the appointed prophets. Their species were often mistaken for angels. They were the only humans who evolved because of the blessing.

"Please Sir Derran, I am but a mere human like you."She rejected his acknowledgment with sheer respect deserving of an elder.

Jafar remained silent and only heard of their conversation.

They spotted Mina beaming with a bright face.

"Milady! I brought the young lord as you asked me to." She was carrying little Nemesis in her arms.

The young boy squirmed free from her arms and rushed towards Luciana as she carefully let him on the grassy floor.

"Mama~!"He cried out with big teary eyes.

"Oh dear me."She instinctively opened her arms and hugged him.

He cried out loud as Luciana wiped his tears and runny nose with her handkerchief.

"There now. Don't cry."She gently kissed him on his soft chubby cheeks that flushed red.

"Thank goodness he stopped crying milady. He only stopped crying when he slept."Mina shrugged. Nemesis climbed his way up to her lap clinging onto her.

"He will be a fine young lord madame."The old man extended his hand to shake his little hand. But he turned away and buried his face into her chest clinging onto her dress more tightly than before.

"Nemesis?! That's not a nice way to behave with your elders."Luciana placed her hand on his head. His hair was a mass of silky hair combed and swept sideways.

He looked up at her face. She was concerned about him.

"Come now greet him nicely."She took his hand and put it on the old man's wrinkled bony hand.

He shook his hand for a brief moment and immediately withdrew to his previous position.

"Ohohoho~He's a shy lil fella." he chuckled showing his half rotten teeth. Two from his upper and lower jaw went missing.

"I'm sorry about his rudeness."She apologized on his behalf.

"No, no madame! How could you apologize to a mere servant like me? The Lord would not be pleased."He glanced at Jafar who showed a hint of dark air around him.

Nemesis looked at Jafar and smiled. He forgot for an instant why he was displeased with the old man.

"Do you want to play hide and seek?" she asked the child. Mina had been playing with him whenever Luciana had to deal with her portion of troubles in the fortress. He nodded shyly and got off her lap.

"Mina, Sir Jafar if you could please look after Nemesis for some time."

"Surely as milady wishes."He bowed courteously and held the young child's soft hand.

"Mama?"He looked at the young attendant and back at her.

"I will join you shortly sweetling," she reassured him with a smile.

"Let's go, young Lord! Brother Jafar will find us and we will hide." she chimed enthusiastically.

"Yes yes, this uncle will find you." he began to count to ten.

"One... Two...three... "He went on.

"They have changed a lil.... Those two... "he chuckled.

"Mister Derran... I'm glad I got to meet you today."She turned around after Jafar went looking for them.

"You seem more troubled lately madame. What makes you worry like this?"He inquired patiently.

-"Where do I even start with?"She pondered if she should ask about her husband's wounds or herself.

"Do you happen to have ointments that can instantly cure demons?"

"Hmm~is this about the lord?" he raised a question rubbing his chin.

"Yes... He is... A little hard to get with... He bathed himself in ice-cold water this morning with those wounds... I fear they continue to lacerate and will end up being infected."

"The Lord is indeed hard to play with when it comes to his treatment. He has a habit of neglecting his body and he ends up breaking down in worse condition.Since he is a demon he usually needs fresh blood. You don't have to worry madame. I can fix this up in no time."He beamed with confidence.

"I'm relieved to hear about it." She thanked him.

-"But fresh blood?How will he retrieve such large amounts of fresh blood?"

"There is something that you still want to ask from me don't ya... "He looked at her eyes this time. He could barely lift his neck because of his hunched back.

"Yes... But I never said anything yet."She was surprised by his guess.

"This old man knows what eyes say."He smiled.

She took a quick glance around and lowered her voice.

"Do you know of a medicine that can change the appearance of a person?"