Departure

He was shocked awake, opening his eyes wide and taking a few deep breaths. He looked around and discovered that he was still in the bedroom, while Amarta looked down at him with a worried expression. She buttoned up her silk clothes again, still showing the charm of those mounds before Alorian who rested on her thighs.

"You alright, sweetheart?" she uttered her voice like a whisper.

Alorian fixated his sight on that fat and shifted to her mother. "What happened, Mother?"

Amarta's face turned so worried about her child because he was unconscious all of a sudden. She even noticed that he was now so dull like ash. Perhaps it was his first time to experience such a matter, that he fell asleep when he reached his elevation. But that seems not true, considering the fear noticeable on his face.

"I don't think Mother knows what happened," her hands stroked his black hair and tried to comfort him. "You became unconscious after that. So I called a cleric to come here."

Alorian still manages to summarize what has happened to him. The dream, the vision he encountered, is it all true? Is it the events that will occur in the future? Alorian swallowed hard and his breath grew even more harsh. He notices that the sunlight penetrating the room now seems warm and reddish.

"Is it afternoon?" said the kid trying to rise.

Amarta supported him to sit on the bed, Alorian arose so weak that he might be wasted for a second time. "Yes, it's been hours."

"How do you feel, sweetheart?" the woman added, noticing that her son was not quite fit.

Alorian looked down to regain his composure before he turned to his mother with a slight smile. "I'm fine, Mother," said the kid in a whisper. "Sorry, we have to do that."

Amarta shifted her face to the other side and mumbled, "It's not like we have other options." She is more beautiful when the light of the sun bathes her face.

He smiled and tried to express what he felt. "But it's indeed an incredible experience. Your shape is wonderful, Mother!"

She was flustered and closed her eyes as she sighed. "You think so? I think otherwise." Amarta opens her lids and a self-insecure rises from her face. "Your father didn't like it at all."

His father, Artonius, has made Alorian freeze in apprehension as he remembers what he saw in his vision. He let down him, breaking the boundaries that he should not cross. Alorian knew what he did was unmanned, shameful as it is. "It's unfortunate, Mother. Because you are attractive to me."

Amarta isn't convinced, she still is stricken by doubt. "I should diet, I don't want everyone to talk bad about me."

"What? No!" The child came closer to her side, making an effort to reassure her. He caressed her mother's hand with love and consideration. "You don't need to change for everyone's sake. Let them be in the shadows."

"Besides, it's not about the outside right?" he added and they stared at each other. "What's inside, I see a remarkable mother that I ever knew!"

Amarta caught a little bit of a smile and she answered, "Sweet child, how could you become so mature in this state?" she held his hand.

"It's because I am," he said, there is a truth in his words but it seemed Amarta didn't know behind it. "I'm no mere kid. I'm the future leader of Caeloria, Mother. I have to be like this."

"What, a kid who dares to screw his own mother?" Amarta teased and neared her face toward him.

"You like it, right?" Alorian countered her words as he began to seduce her. "Admit it, Mother. You came a lot when I devoured you!"

"Is it, right? I don't remember!" She turned her head to the side with a cute face. Alorian noticed her age was not that old. She was still in her thirties!

But Alorian's mind is not in here right now, his head blurred with all the vision he had encountered. The destruction of Caeloria made him concerned too much and almost made a shiver down his spine. He is scared of what will come in the future. If all of that is true, he will do the best he can to prevent such events.

"Mother, what would you think about me moving to martial arts school?" he raised a question and Amarta concentrated her face on her son.

Of course, his mother will taken aback because it's so sudden. Her face turned sad in an instant. "Your uncle told me the same things. He would also recommend you to remain in that school."

"Uncle Herich?" he spoke as he assumed. Amarta nodded with hesitation, confirming what he had seen did look suspicious. The emperor and his uncle alone are unusual to converse together, even after he chooses his uncle to become regent, it makes everything doesn't feel right.

"It's fine if you want to stay in there for the trials to come," she continued but her voice was changed so soft, trembled. "I understand that you have to move there for better education."

"Because I'm not decent enough to teach you some essential knowledge," Amarta cannot bear her tears to not come out. "I'm miserable, sweetheart."

"Mother, no! It's not like that!" he hurried to hold her hand tighter and fondled her chin to look over him. "It's because of what Master Vedana said that in here, I will difficult to cultivate."

"You taught me so well, but I have to learn deeper into all aspects," Alorian smiled to calm his mother. "You do not owe me, I owe you my life. That is why I must be better."

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry to put you so much tension in this world," their eyes locked together. "I didn't want all of this to happen to you."

"It doesn't matter, I will face my faith!" Alorian brushed away the strands of her blonde hair that covered her face. "You don't have to blame yourself for all that happened to me."

Amarta's beautiful eyes, which were still swollen, seemed to trace Alorian's emerald irises. She was amazed by the words his son said, even so weird coming from such a small child. It looks like, she thought, her son was possessed by her husband.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she embraces her son so close that Alorian can feel her breast touch his skin. "It's still hard to let you go knowing you are the one left that fills my heart."

Alorian felt the same thing. At that school, he will most likely be there for a long time, maybe for two years or less. The trials will not be carried out in the castle, but instead in the school with all three aspects. Until when is over, all of that will be determined by the Obsidian Sage Order in their residence.

"But, Mother, did I succeed to come inside?" Alorian wanted to make sure when he let loose the embrace. "If not, we have to do it once more."

Amarta blushed further and averted her stare to elsewhere. "Is it not enough to ensure conception?" she said wondered and rubbed her abdomen.

"Just in case, Mother," he forced her complexion to come before him. "We don't want what we do to be worthless, right?."

She was so shocked that her child evolved bolder over time. She forced her smile, carried away by the current of desire that enveloped the situation. That afternoon, both of them once again do the bound connection until dinner comes out.

Other families are assembled and Fiona spreads her eyes to the hall, aware that someone beside her chair is absent. She then checked out her aunt Amarta who was also not present at this moment.

No one seems to care other than herself. But, the elegant hall doors opened all of a sudden, and they all could see Alorian coming in. He is in opulent attire and looks so handsome this time, at least for Fiona's eyes. He hurried himself to the banquet and sat beside her with a radiant smile.

"Apologies, I'm late," Alorian remarked and Herich nodded, let him be. "How was it, Fiona?"

"Where is Aunt Amarta?" she inquired as it was strange he came alone.

"She said she was not in good condition tonight," Alorian answered and took a drink of water. "She is exhausted."

Fiona still felt amiss as in the sunrise, she managed to interact with her aunt which is not that she had been sick. She then chose not to be in the depth of contemplation wondering what had happened to her aunt, altered to her feast. But in a moment when the banquet was about to disperse, Alorian stood on his chair.

"Uncle, I wanted to ask your authorization to depart to the martial arts school tomorrow!" Alorian speech has made the entire room focus on him.

"Tomorrow?" Herich cleans his hand with a tissue. "Why so sudden?"

"I don't want to waste time," the kid explained, his face rich with ambition. "Time was thickened, I have to succeed in the trials to continue the throne!"

Herich furrowed his brows. "Fair enough," he said and raised to his feet. "Brendant, escort our Young Master to the school. Make sure his save arrives."

"Yes, Lord Herich," Brendant turned his gaze to Alorian with a smile. "I'm sure he will be fine there."

The kid knew too well about him, he was like his brother, more "brother" than his actual brothers. It's at this moment that Alorian catches a mischievous grin from his uncle as he moves on from his seat like he is conniving something under his nose. This worried Alorian so much, his relation to the Emperor himself was dangerous.

Alorian strode through the corridor and some of the maids asked him. "Young Master, do you know where Lady Amarta is?" Her face looks so concerned as she holds an intricate tray that contains several medicines. "I heard from you that she is sick but I could not find her in her room."

Alorian took one of the medicines and exclaimed. "Thanks, I'll make sure to deliver this to her." with a faint smile Alorian resumed his walk.

When the child returned to his bedroom which was lit with beautiful lights and stunning interstellar decorations, there lay Amarta covered in a red blanket. She fell asleep on her side, letting her blonde hair drape over her chest.

Alorian locked the door and leaped onto the bed after putting the medicine on the nightstand, he stroked his mother's shoulder and whispered. "Wake up, Mother, we have things to do."