[]
Inna's voice echoed in my head as I moved through the hallway of the elven royal palace.
'….Yeah.'
I replied, keeping my calm as I rubbed my hand.
[]
'Yeah, yeah. I am fine.'
Honestly, I am not really fine.
The things that I saw and those that I have been through.
I have no way to accept all that as I am right now.
I…I ca running as fast as I can back to the place where I grew up.
'Inna.'
[]
'Can you check my subconscious and see if Esray has planted any other part of herself in or not?'
It has been bugging for a while.
I only could found out about the one in my past mories because of her distinct form.
She stood out in my childhood mories more than Nerissa and Yennefer.
And that was absolutely ridiculous to for that.
'I don't want any part of my brain associated with her.'
[]
I bit my lips as I walked closer to the garden.
Ah, what type of fucking mother experints on an undeveloped child!?
Taking in a deep breath, I suppressed my chaotic thoughts…now isn't the ti.
I drew in a deep breath as I walked inside the garden.
…It was a lot different from my mories.
A lot has changed since my younger self used to play here.
One thing that hasn't changed was the reclining chair under the shade of the pavilion.
A woman lay on the chair with her eyes closed.
Nerissa seems to be lost in her own thoughts as I walked towards her.
When I was close enough she finally opened her eyes to look at .
I held my breath as her almond eyes stared back at .
Gone was the love that I saw while growing it.
Now, there was only hatred and contempt in her eyes.
"What do you want?" Nerissa asked, looking on the other direction.
I froze for a mont, unable to respond.
And I don't know how to actually respond.
…How am I supposed to say anything after all that happened?
I ca all the way here but…I wasn't prepared for anything.
"…I just wanted to see you," I said quietly.
Nerissa let out a humorless laugh, low and bitter. "See ? For what?"
She turned her face slightly, her long hair slipping over her shoulder as if to shield herself from . "You shouldn't be here."
"…I saw my past." I replied and she froze for a second. "…The mories of my childhood that was sealed."
Nerissa turned silent as she slowly stood up from her chair.
"So what?" She asked, walking towards . "Are you here to mock —."
"I would never do such thing." I cut her off firmly. "Not with soone who is like a mother to —."
"I am not your mother!" She snapped, her face inches away. "I don't want a son like you! I never wanted to…."
Her voice broke before she could finish, but the fury in her eyes didn't waver.
"…Nerissa…" I whispered, but the rest wouldn't co out.
She trembled, her fists clenched at her sides, as if holding herself together with sheer will.
"Every ti I see you, Azariah, all I can think about is him." Her lips curled, and her voice cracked like glass.
"Liam's face. Liam's laugh. Liam's death. And then I see you breathing, walking—"
She shoved lightly in the chest with both hands, though there was no real force behind it "….and I can't forgive it."
"…I didn't want to live that day either," I said quietly, my voice rough. "If it had been my choice, he would have lived instead of —."
"Don't! Don't give that crap!" She snapped once again. "What matters is that you are here and my son isn't!"
I let out a long deep sigh as I rubbed my eyes softly.
"So, you hate ?"
She flinched, as though the words were too raw when spoken aloud.
Then, slowly, she looked away. "…I don't know what I feel anymore."
I wanted to argue.
To tell her that Liam's death wasn't my fault, that Ragnar, Jones, all of them had orchestrated that tragedy.
But what is the point?
Hate has consud what motherhood she had left inside of her.
"I only ca here to see you," I said, forcing myself to et her eyes.
Her lips parted, as if she wanted to respond, but nothing ca out.
She stood there, trembling, her nails digging into her palms.
Finally, she turned her back to . "…Then you've seen enough."
I grabbed her arm before she could move away.
She turned back to glare at . "Let go, Azariah."
"Give half a day." I said, looking into her eyes. "Just half a day and I will never bother you again."
Nerissa stared back for a long while without replying.
---
---
The situation between the three friends have been tense.
It's been more than two hours since Himl crashed their eting and yet they haven't overco it.
Siersha was giving Pasithea the suspicious look for her unusual stamring in front of him.
While Zenith was in her own different world.
They were moving through the bleak crowd of the capital city.
With all three of them changing their appearance to not gather unwanted attention.
With a light cough, Siersha broke the silence between them. "Himl seems to change a bit."
"Change…?" Pasithea repeated, her tone even, but the faint tremor in her voice betrayed her.
Zenith snapped out of her daze, her head jerking up. "He did, didn't he?!" Her eyes lit up. "He must have understood how aweso I am."
No one laughed at her joke which made the situation even more awkward.
"…You're imagining things," Pasithea said at last, her smile calm, carefully painted. "He has grown, yes. But we all change with ti."
"…I see." Siersha mumbled but she didn't seem convinced. "But still, I am his fiance why hug Zenith?"
Finally her real intentions leaked out as she grumbled silently.
Zenith blinked and quickly looked away as if she doesn't want to say anything.
"…He does have a tendency of being around many won." Pasithea comnted softly. "It's just how things are with him."
Siersha nodded her head as she knew him more than the other two.
It would be wrong to say that she wasn't aware of every woman who Himl likes.
She was keen and was much more knowledgeable for her world.
Thinking so, she glanced at Zenith who was mumbling sothing to herself.
"Zenny." She said, her voice careful. "Are you alright?"
Zenith blinked. "Yeah." She nodded. "What would happen to ?"
"Nothing." Siersha replied though she doesn't seem herself. "…. Just tell if you feel uncomfortable."
Confused as she may be Zenith could tell she was worried about her, so she nodded.
"What are you guys planning?" Pasithea asked, changing the topic. "Anything planned?"
"Nothing for ." Zenith replied. "I will complete my studies for now."
Pasithea glanced at Siersha.
Siersha smiled shyly as she cleared her throat.
"Ahem, I just plan to marry Himl." She said, with a straight face. "And be a housewife."
That made the other two's mood sour but they forced themselves to smile.
Siersha looked at Pasithea who was staring at the World Tree.
"What about you?" She asked. "What do you plan for the future?"
"Well, this is my future." Pasithea said with a small smile. "To live and die for this kingdom."
Zenith frowned. "What do you an?"
"It's simple as that." She replied. "My future is look after this kingdom."
She waited for a while before she continued.
"I would most probably married to another elf." She smiled sadly. "And provide kingdom with a male heir."
Zenith blinked in disbelief, her mouth falling open.
"That's it? That's your big plan for life? To marry so random elf just because of… politics?"
Pasithea chuckled softly, though the sound carried no joy.
"That's not just politics, Zenith. It's my duty. The weight of this throne isn't sothing I chose, but it's what I inherited."
She tilted her head toward the ruined skyline.
"And right now, this kingdom has no luxury for selfishness. Not mine, not anyone's."
Her words were harsh, but there was concern buried beneath them.
"Himl took the revenge by killing my parents' murderers." She said softly. "My only wish is to repay him sohow."
Zenith let out a sigh but she didn't said anything.
Siersha however was looking at the woman intently.
Just then all three of them stopped in their track.
"Pasithea…" Siersha mumbled softly her voice echoing even though they were in main street.
"I know." Pasithea mumbled. "We are surrounded."
Zenith took her staff as the world around them blurred.
Soon a group dressed in pure black appeared all around them.
A man who stood in the forefront pointed at them.
"Capture the target." He spoke coldly. "Kill the other two."
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