The Witch And The Hut( Part 2)

" I don't know. 

"His magic circuits are still under developed due to age so there is currently no way of telling." Isadora replied.

"You will simply have to wait till he comes of age."

Looking at Rumius swaying her arms as she gently cradled him, Reverie's lips pressed into a thin line as her eyes filled with worry.

Rumius didn't consider himself a very people person, but he felt like he should do something to ease his mother's obvious discomfort. He reached up and touched his Maman's arms, giving her a small: " Wah!" .

It worked and a smile blossomed on Reverie's face amidst all her fretting. 

' Oh Primachs what am I worrying about?'

' My baby is still fine, he's still happy! There's no reason for me to get so worked up like this.' She berated herself. ' I'm just going to make him worried.' 

Reverie remained silent, thinking.

' But if I do that, then would I not be simply running away from my problems? Then why did I come here?'

She dismissed the thought promptly. She didn't want to think about it. 

' No. it's still too early to tell.'

' And if there's ever trouble in the future, I can just cross that bridge when I come to it.'

Reverie reached out and gently caught hold of Rumius's hands and tickled his fingers, eliciting a small burst of laughter from him.

Reverie thought about how much she loved her baby's laugh. She loved how his laugh almost instantly made things better, like it was reassuring her that she was doing fine as a mother. This only helped strengthen her resolve.

With the knot in her chest loosening, Reverie looked up and faced Isadora." Thank you Isadora, I think I know what to do now."

The ginger haired woman was unmoved and simply raised an eyebrow in question.

" What do you mean by that?"

" I will let my son lead his life the way he wants. I will make sure to teach him well and give him a good childhood." Reverie said with a firm voice.

" Well I suppose that is good but it has nothing to do with the matter at hand." 

" What will you do about his elder speech?" She demanded.

" I will have him hide it." Reverie said firmly.

" Others won't know."

" Is that what you will tell the Preceptors when those Solarian dogs come knocking at your doorstep?"

The question hit a mark and Reverie clenched her teeth. But she had already steeled her resolve. She would hide this fact. She would protect her son. And it wasn't like she hadn't already considered this problem.

" Like I said, they won't know." Reverie growled.

" I will protect my son."

Isadora's anger melted away as she sat utterly stupefied. 

' How stupid can a person get?' She agonised. 

' What do you mean they won't find out? Are you stupid?'

' With such a gift, even the lowest ranking of those Solarian maniacs will be able to sense that something is amiss!'

' It would be such a waste!'

Isadora wasn't ready to let something like that happen and her mind raced to find a solution. 

'This kid was the golden egg! The research article of the century! Letting the Solarian church get their grubby hands on him and brainwash him into another one of their clones is unacceptable!' 

And then suddenly, it hit her. 

It wasn't the optimal solution, but it was still better than the alternative. Maybe her freedom might become a bit restricted but what was the payoff? It was a good profit. An excellent profit!

As such, a plan started forming in Isadora's mind,

" Reverie." Isadora began, her voice kept steady with practiced ease to hide the honey-dripping intent behind it.

" Can we talk in private, just for a while?"

Isadora had lived for a long time. The art of persuasion happened to be one of her fortés.

Reverie frowned but eventually handed Rumius to Rennie and instructed her to wait outside.

Isadora's hawk-like eyes trailed the young maid's frame until it disappeared from sight with a "Clack" as the door closed behind her. 

' Now, the quarry is all alone.' She gleefully thought.

" So? What is it that you want to say?" Reverie inquired.

" Just so you know, I will not be persuaded."

Reverie's determination was steadfast. 

" I am aware." Isadora nodded.

" But I don't think you understand what you're dealing with. Have you ever met a preceptor of the Solarian Church before?" Isadora asked. 

Reverie remained silent.

' As I thought.' Isadora smirked. 

' No worries if I go overboard a little then.'

" The Solarian Church is an organisation from the far north, they are the hands that manipulate the holy kingdom Solaria." 

" Their influence spreads far and wide, even to our Empire here in south. I suppose you do know what it is they seek?" Isadora probed.

Reverie still remained silent.

" Elder speech!" Isadora proclaimed triumphantly.

" To abolish all other types of Magic and make Elder speech the universal Magic system!"

Reverie finally spoke, interjecting angrily.

" Yes I know that! What's your point?!"

Isadora smirked:" That once they catch even a whiff of your child's abilities, they will descend here like Llinger ants to a carcass."

" And as I already said and will say for the last time, they will not find out!" Reverie shouted, veins bulging on her arms as her knuckles turned white, her mana exploding around her in the shape of a violent hurricane.

Yet in comparison, Isadora remained completely cool headed and unfazed, positing only a single question.

" But are you ready to risk it?"

Like a gentle spring breeze scattering stray leaves, Reverie's hurricane died down in an instant, her resolve toppling.

Reverie's head dropped as her fists clenched in frustration.

Isadora had hit a nerve and she knew it.

' She's taken the bait, now carefully, Ive got to reel her in. Don't pull too hard now, this is it…'

Isadora changed her tone, walking up to Reverie and putting a hand on her shoulder.

" I may not know the feeling of loving one's child Reverie but I've seen it countless times in my life before. I know of your love for your child and I feel it as well."

Isadora's voice was dripping honey but in such a situation, it worked for her perfectly.

" So trust me when I say that I know well also of how terrifying that church can be. You won't win this head-on, and you definitely won't win alone."

Reverie's last bastions of resistance broke down and she broke down sobbing.

Isadora paused, somewhat stunned before retrieving a small cloth from her back pocket and handing it to Reverie.

' Perhaps I went a bit too far.' Isadora's thought silently as Reverie wiped her tears.

" I have a solution."Isadora said, causing Reverie to look up, her eyes red.

" A s-solution?" She sniffed.

Isadora nodded her head and leaned in to deal the final blow.

" Give your son to me. I'll have him become my apprentice."