372 [Wedding By Blood] [24] [Mother]
Just as her hand t mine.
"Are you having a good ti?"
Siersha's voice interrupted us.
I let out a tired sigh.
Siersha gulped down her wine as her eyes t mine.
I forced a smile. "I am indeed having a good ti."
She replied imdiately.
Her crimson eyes locked with mine.
"You can go first if you want to," Yennefer replied, looking at Siersha. "I won't mind."
Siersha turned to look at Yennefer. "Well, it looks like he would mind."
"...."
I would.
And I made it clear by not letting go of Yennefer's hand.
"You should go," Siersha said, looking at . "We will have our dance one night."
I stared down at her for a while.
Without replying, I gently pressed on Yennefer's hand.
She stood up, walking down with onto the dance floor.
[]
'....I don't know.'
Honestly, it would be better if I just kept on ignoring her.
The problem with her is... she lets do anything I want.
And I don't know how long I would be able to control myself.
'Worse, she might be the only one who can help fully awaken my bloodline.'
[]
'...Hm, why do you say so?'
[]
'As much as I want to keep on believing it... I don't think it's the reason.'
Sothing else is going on with her, but she is hiding it way too well.
[]
'Now that you ntion it.....'
This might really be true.
"Hello, mister."
My train of thought snapped as I heard Yennefer's voice.
"You have so guts to blank out after calling for a dance."
I chuckled softly, finally focusing on her.
Yennefer wore a traditional old-style violet gown that didn't show much skin.
The gown hugged her body gently, showing her beautiful curves despite having a child.
Her white hair, tinged with a pink undertone, was braided on the side just like her daughter's.
"You look great," I replied, smiling at her.
She looked at from head to toe before replying, "You look great as well."
I softly placed my hand on her waist, trying not to act weird.
She also placed her hand on my shoulder as we both started to move.
We moved in sync, her steps light yet confident.
She wasn't soone easily swayed, having much more experience than her daughter.
"I wonder..." she began, adorning a small smile, "what others might be thinking."
"About what?" I asked, leading her.
"How a boy is dancing with daughter and mother."
She let out a chuckle. "Yes."
"They might be thinking I am trying my luck on both of them," I replied simply.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you now?"
"It depends," I replied as we twirled across the dance floor. "Would I be beaten? Then no; otherwise, yes."
She narrowed her eyes at my cheeky response but didn't say anything else.
"What about you? What do you think?" I asked, glancing at Aimar, who was still dancing with Elise.
Did he dance for two rounds?
"I don't care," she replied, her voice calm.
"Why?" I asked, leaning in towards her. "Because you see as your child?"
Her movents almost broke at my words, but she controlled herself at the last minute.
"...."
Her ember eyes t mine, filled with sothing that I didn't quite like.
"You got your mories back?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
I shook my head in response. "....I just got so hints."
Yennefer nodded gently, not eting my eyes.
A silence lingered between us as we both focused on our dance.
Finally, she whispered, "Christina... she was a really nice girl."
"....."
I tried to keep my calm as she continued. "She used to live with us for so ti... It was heartbreaking to hear—"
"Christina isn't dead," I interrupted, and her eyes widened.
"What!?"
I nodded. "She is safe, so don't feel sad about her."
It won't be too long before I can start my preparation to bring her back.
[]
'We will see about that.'
"...I see," she replied, her expression blank. "That's a relief."
But as if sothing clicked in her mind, her eyes snapped toward .
"Wait, so you were flirting with when you are already engaged?" she asked, and I could clearly catch irritation in her voice.
So she was aware but always acted oblivious?
I shrugged. "Can't help it. You are way too charming."
Yennefer sighed, looking at . "Himl, you should stop—."
"Let make one thing clear first," I once again cut into her words.
She looked at curiously as I took a long pause.
Taking a deep breath, I continued. "I don't see you as my mother and never will, even when my mories are back."
Her expression morphed into that of sadness.
I an, she did take care of .
Saying I don't see her as my mother would definitely hurt.
"Why are you acting like this?" she whispered softly as I inched her closer. "Don't you want a family?"
"I never had a good relationship with my family mbers," I replied, giving her a small smile. "So I don't want to risk it by making you one."
Her ember eyes stared at as she caught up to my words.
And I wasn't lying.
Is there any family mber with whom I have a good relationship except maybe Elijah?
'All of them are worthless.'
Yennefer sighed again, squeezing my hand.
"Then let make sothing clear as well," she said, staring into my eyes. "I see you as my son, and it will never change."
[]
'Shut up.'
I smiled at Yennefer.
"Alright."
Surprise flickered in her eyes as I didn't try to argue.
And I don't plan to.
'I still have a lot of ti.'
She isn't going anywhere as well.
Instead, I want to talk about sothing else.
Taking a deep breath, I asked,
"Who else took care of ?"
Siersha gulped down another glass of wine as she stared at the dance floor.
Yennefer and Himl continued to dance even when the music had already stopped.
And as more and more people started to notice them, murmurs started to fill the second floor.
Siersha grabbed another glass of wine from a passing waiter.
"Slow down," Zenith's voice scolded her, trying to take the glass away from her. "Why are you drinking so much anyway?"
Siersha glanced at her best friend.
The one who she wasn't supposed to be wary of.
But—.
'She likes Himl.'
Was she blind before?
How could she not notice their growing relationship?
A weird sense of uneasiness crept all over her body that made her uncomfortable.
But she didn't let it show on her face.
Instead, she smiled. "Your mother is a better dancer than you."
Zenith puffed her chest proudly. "Of course, she is my mother, after all."
Siersha nodded gently. "She might also be a better wife than you."
Zenith's shoulders dropped the very next instant.
She turned silent for a while, her face showed a myriad of expressions.
"Urgh. You are right," she grumbled, looking at her mother. "I can't find anything that I am better at than her."
Siersha chuckled as well.
Not at her words but at the absurdity of the situation.
Everything she had planned out was still going smoothly, but she didn't feel like she was winning.
—Worrying about so old hag, you sure are pessimistic, mother.
Suddenly a voice echoed in her mind.
An all-too-familiar voice.
'Your father's fault for having such a weird fetish.'
—You shouldn't talk about that.
Siersha scoffed, sitting back straight.
'Are you here to taunt , or do you have sothing else to say?'
—Didn't I warn you about the poison in the drinks?
'Yes?'
—Then why are you drinking so much?
'....'
Siersha didn't reply. Instead, she gulped down another one when Zenith wasn't looking.
"Hey! I told you not to drink."
Siersha ignored her.
'I can detoxify it. Don't worry.'
—Did you check who is behind it?
'Yes, my pet is trying to find them as we speak.'
—Great, inform so I can tell Father everything.
'....'
Siersha felt her annoyance spike.
Even though she sees Olivia as her daughter, sotis she couldn't help but be annoyed by her.
—Are you done with your work?
'Not now.'
'I still need to work around the Vampire part.'
—When will you be done with it?
'....Tomorrow.'
—On the day of the wedding?
A sudden round of applause made her look down.
She looked at Himl and Yennefer, who had just stopped dancing.
Everyone who had witnessed their dance nodded in acknowledgnt.
Siersha leaned back on her chair as she looked at Himl.
A smile crept onto her face.
One that matched that of a predator.
'It will be tomorrow.....'
She mused in delight.
'.....A Wedding By Blood.'
****
On the outskirts of the Davana Palace, a lone lady walked on the empty road.
Her long, beautiful red hair fell behind her like waves, complenting her face.
She wore a tail-cut gown that showed little glimpses of her long legs.
Her golden eyes, filled with spirals, stared at the scenery in front of her.
"It's beautiful."
Nyria whispered softly as she took in the symtry of the place.
Every tree, street lamp, and bench was placed equally on either side.
Even though it was nothing short of extraordinary.... Nyria still found it pleasing to look at.
"I wish she was alive right now," she grumbled to herself. "But no. She had to go ahead and die."
She still rembered when she got the news.
About her death at the hands of her fiancé.
The one she couldn't stop talking about.
"What a stupid girl she was...." she whispered softly.
Nyria continued to walk aimlessly on the road.
She let out a sigh, knowing full well that soone should already be trying to find her.
Trying to cherish the ti when she didn't have her OCD kick in, she sat down on one of the benches.
"...."
Raising her hand, she looked at the star mark at the center of her palm.
Just as she willed.
The mark pulsed to life before it started engulfing her hand in golden markings.
But—.
Crack!
The next instant, her skin began to crack.
"..."
Nyria willed it back.
She had accepted 'Anastasia's' offer to be her Avatar at quite a young age to get stronger faster.
Yet....
That decision of hers is what is slowly killing her now.
"My rank can't keep up with her divinity," she mumbled, her voice bitter.
That was her estimate.
In six months, her body would crumble.
She had to form her Kingdom before then.
Or she would die.
Her lips trembled slightly, a rare crack in her usual composure.
She hadn't even proven herself yet, and she was already running out of ti.
Nyria sighed, feeling the weight of defeat settling over her.
Just as she was about to stand—
[Do you wish to live?]
A voice echoed in her mind.
Nyria froze.
She recognized that voice instantly.
How could she not?
It was her goddess.
"Finally rembered you have an Avatar, huh?"
Her voice was laced with mockery.
[Do you wish to live?]
The voice remained cold. Unbothered. Emotionless.
Nyria hesitated for only a mont.
Then, softly, she whispered—
"Yes."
There was a brief silence.
Then, Anastasia spoke again.
[Then—]
Her words rang like a tender request.
[—Just for a while, lend your body.]
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