A few days later, just as the sun began to set, Seraphina returned to Raven’s Crest Castle. The golden light of dusk bathed the ancient stone walls, casting long shadows as her carriage rolled to a stop. During her journey, she had diligently sifted through the documents given to her by the Matriarchs.
Tia came running to receive his mother, his small feet pattering against the cobblestones, with Emma and Alaric following closely behind. His face lit up with joy at the sight of his mother getting off the carriage. During these days he has been feeling very lonely without Vina and Sera. Even he did not realize that he would miss them so much.
“Welcome back, Mother…” Tia, who drew closer to Sera, suddenly stopped in his tracks, his face turned solemn.
“I’m back, Tia. Have you been a good girl? You didn’t give Emma any trouble, did you?” Sera hugged Tia with a warm smile.
Tia remained silent, his eyes scrutinizing Sera.
“Of course not. She is a very well behaved child. Unlike the devil spawns in my family, always up to no good.” Emma chuckled.
Sera turned to Emma and Alaric, “Thank you, both of you, for looking after her.”
“It was no trouble at all.” Alaric said.
“Don't mention it. It was a good break for me too.” added Emma. “So, how was your trip?”
“Hmm. It was drab. I am exhausted. Both of you should head home now.”
“Okay. The maids have prepared dinner. Get some rest tonight. We’ll catch up tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Sera nodded and moved to enter the castle, Tia quietly followed at her side.
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As they made their way back, Alaric glanced at Emma, with concern. “Is it just me, or does she seem a bit… depressed?”
Emma nodded thoughtfully. “She usually doesn’t allow much emotion to show on her face, but something’s clearly weighing on her now. She might not have slept properly too.”
“What do you think happened?”
“I’m not sure, Whatever it is, she doesn’t seem ready to talk about it. Maybe she heard some bad news from the Countess.”
“If she’s keeping it to herself, it must be personal,” Alaric mused.
“Hmm.”
“I like to think we’re good friends. Although she shares a lot of things with me, she hides a lot of things which truly matter,” Emma smiled deprecatingly.
“I just wish she’d share some of her burdens with us.”
“Yeah,” Alaric sighed. “We might not be able to do much but, at least her heart should feel a bit lighter. Her children are still too young for her to rely on them.”
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That night, Sera and Tia shared a quiet dinner. Neither spoke a word.
Afterward, they bathed and slipped into their chemises, heading straight to bed.
‘She seems really depressed. Something bad must have happened during her visit to Grandma’s place.’ Tia thought.
‘I’ve never seen her like this before. She looks…tired, maybe she hasn’t slept well. How can I make her feel better?’ Tia silently brainstormed for various ways to elevate Sera’s mood in vain.
Frustrated, he finally decided to do the only thing he could now—to silently stay by her side.
Without a word, Tia snuggled closer to Sera, wrapping his small arms around her.
From the long journey and lack of sleep due to the grim news, Sera is exhausted both physically and mentally.
But with Tia nestled against her, a sense of calm began to wash over her. Unknowingly, the warmth of his embrace alleviated the turmoil in her heart, allowing her to drift into a peaceful sleep after many days.
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A few days after Sera’s return, on a calm evening, Kevin and the group finally returned from the magic awakening ceremony.
Although still depressed, she had quickly recovered over the past few days. Her mental state stabilized, and she returned to her usual self.
Upon hearing the news of their arrival, Sera, Tia, Alaric, and Emma hurried to the shrine where the carriages had pulled in.
The courtyard was already bustling with parents eagerly reuniting with their children. After exchanging a few words with Kevin about the journey, many parents departed with their children.
As soon as Sera and Tia arrived, Vina rushed forward, throwing her arms around Sera in a tight embrace. “Mother, I missed you both so much!”
“We missed you too,” Sera and Tia returned the hug smiling, feeling fulfilled.
Vina clung to Sera like a little koala bear, her small hand gripping Tia’s, afraid of letting go.
Watching the reunion, Kevin approached with a warm smile. “She really missed you both.”
“She didn’t cause any trouble, did she?” Sera gently stroked Vina’s hair.
Kevin shook his head. “Not at all. She was good. She held up well. Throughout the journey, she was quieter than usual. Other than that, she was just fine.”
“Hmm, thank you for taking care of the children,” Sera expressed her gratitude as the baroness.
“No need to thank me. It was my duty.” Kevin smiled.
Sera nodded.
“So, what were the results?” Sera inquired solemnly.
Kevin sighed deeply, “Although Vina has awakened her aptitude for magic, she has also inherited a dead artifact, just like you.”
Listening to Kevin, Sera went pale aghast. Her heart sank, and a wave of despair washed over her. Fear and anxiety became extremely evident on her face, her mind reeling.
Kevin continued, trying to shift the mood.
“But there is good news too, Ron, Julian, and Olivia successfully awakened their magic aptitude, and they inherited artifacts from…the…Spire.”
But nothing Kevin said went through her ears anymore.
His voice trailed off as he caught sight of Sera’s stricken expression.
“Sera?” Kevin tried to bring sera out of her stupor.
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“Sera,” Emma gave her a soft nudge.
“Huh? Yes…” Sera blinked, slowly coming back to her senses. “You must be exhausted after such a long journey. Please, take some rest. We’ll discuss everything tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Kevin replied.
“Then we will take our leave now. Emma, you may go home too.” Without another word Sera turned abruptly, not waiting for Emma’s response, she left for the castle with Tia and Vina.
Vina felt like crying watching her mother go pale after listening about her not being able to use magic, feeling a pang of guilt.
Emma watched them go, worry etched on her face. Turning to Alaric, she spoke softly. “Alaric, escort Sera and the children to the castle.”
“Alright.” Alaric moved to follow them.
Copyright © [December] [2024] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
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After they left, Kevin turned to Emma, who stood lost in thought.
“Emma”
“Yes?” she replied, snapping out of her reverie.
“What are you thinking?”
“It’s just… in all these years I’ve known Sera, this is the first time I’ve seen her like that.”
“Like what?”
“Frightened,” Emma said quietly.
After a moment of silence, Kevin asked, “What could I have said to frighten her so much?”
“I believe it was the news about Vina not being able to use magic,” Emma speculated.
“Is it really that serious? It’s not uncommon for people to lack magical abilities. Magic users are rare as it is, and in this remote region, it’s remarkable that three children managed to awaken their magic and inherit ancient artifacts.”
“That’s true but I think Sera’s situation is a bit more complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is just my speculation, because Sera hasn’t shared much with me.”
Kevin nodded and waited for Emma to explain her theory.
“I believe Sera wants to train Vina to be the next baroness. She’s a strong child, after all. Tia, on the other hand, is too gentle to handle some of the harsher realities. To put it bluntly, she is too naive.”
Emma paused, for a moment. “A few days after you left for the magic awakening ceremony, Sera received a letter from the Countess. She left to meet her, and when she returned, she was deeply depressed. She didn’t say anything, but I think it had something to do with her status as baroness.
“Another letter came from Eleanor, wife of Baron Roland, in response to Sera’s request for information on bandits in various regions.”
‘Bandits? Why would she need information on that?’ Kevin wondered, his mind racing. ‘Could this be connected to what Sera discussed with the Countess? Can I somehow gain information on the context of their discussion?’ he thought.
“Lately, there have been a lot of marriage proposals for Sera, Tia, and Vina.” Emma continues.
“Since Sera doesn’t have strong backing, many people are eyeing her noble status. Some have even resorted to indirect threats and coercion. Luckily, Sera has the Countess’s support, so no one has dared to go overboard.”
“And then there’s the rule that noble families must have a magic user as the family head. If not, their status is demoted every three generations.”
Kevin’s thought internally ‘That rule might apply to others, but the empire wouldn’t dare enforce it on Raven’s Crest, because of the ancient pact in place. Not unless their brains got eaten by pigs. Even if they did, the churches will interfere. Not to mention, the current king will not allow such a brain dead act.
‘At worst, they might pressure Sera, Vina or Tia into marrying to a high-level mage, or force them into concubinage to ensure magical offspring. But the real issue isn’t aptitude—it’s the bad luck of inheriting dead artifacts.’
Kevin nodded in understanding.
After processing Emma’s concerns further, he asked, “are you saying the Countess might have warned Sera that high nobles, maybe those beyond her influence, are targeting Sera’s noble status for their descendants or allies?”
“Yes. I also believe that these things are weighing on her mind, making her anxious about various external and internal threats, especially about what they might face without the power of magic.”
“Perhaps she’s afraid that Vina and Tia could suffer the same fate she did under the rule of the previous Ravencrests,” Emma said softly.
Kevin fell silent, considering the situation.
After a few moments, he said “Hmm, it might be a problem, but there’s also a simple solution.”
“Oh? What is it?” Emma asked, intrigued.
“Well, it’s what most nobles do. They marry off their children to beget grandchildren with magical aptitude.
“In Sera’s case, she could look for a suitable son-in-law with magic aptitude and marry him to Vina or Tia, letting him inherit the baron title.
“Or she could have Vina become the next baroness, with her grandchildren—those with magic aptitude—becoming the heirs.” Kevin added, considering the Ravencrest’s pact.
Emma considered, “Hmm, That does sound reasonable.”
“How about Ron?” Kevin suggested.
“Ron?”
“Yes. I’ve heard from the other children that he’s quite fond of Vina. Not only has he awakened his magic aptitude, but he also inherited an ancient artifact. With the right education, his future could be limitless.”
“If Vina and Ron are agreeable, they could marry, and Ron could become the next baron.” Emma pondered.
“But given Ron’s aptitude and talent, he could also take Vina as his concubine, allowing her to be the baroness. Their children would have a higher chance of awakening magic aptitude.” Kevin added, trying to indirectly emphasize that vina should become the next Baroness instead of Ron.
“I see… I’ll suggest it to Sera sometime,” Emma said thoughtfully.
Seeing that Emma accepted his suggestion Kevin smiled.
----------------------------------------
As they made their way back to the castle, Sera’s mind went haywire.
‘Why is this happening? Isn’t it enough that I suffer alone? Why must Vina face the same fate as me?
‘For a long time I thought Tia and Vina might be similar to me, reluctant to have sex in the future, but I never imagined Vina would inherit a dead artifact like me.’
‘What about Tia? Would she also be the same?
‘They wouldn’t have given birth, if they thought of this possibility at that time.
‘If I don’t find a solution soon, Vina and I, maybe even Tia, all of us won’t survive beyond fifteen years unless we become breeding sows, just as the Matriarchs suggested.
‘I can accept my fate, but I will not let anything happen to Vina and Tia.
‘But what can I do?
‘With all their years of knowledge, experience, power and connections, even the Matriarchs couldn’t find a solution
‘Damn it’
‘Damn it’
‘Damn it’
….
….
….
She bit the thumbnail of her clenched fist in distress as her thoughts churned endlessly, a storm of anger and desperation raging within her.
The children and Alaric walked beside her in silence, slightly afraid of saying anything considering Sera’s unusual state.
As they passed through the square, Isabella, Julian’s mother, who was talking joyfully with others in tow with her son, spotted Sera, her children and Alaric walking in depression.
A sly smile appeared on her face. She started to chat in a loud voice, her tone dripping with condescension.
“Hey, Martha, did you hear? My son has awakened his magic aptitude and even inherited an artifact. His future prospects are bright.”
“Unlike some people who are incapable of using magic and have inherited some junk, true nobles like us are worlds apart from those born of unknown origin.
“This is the difference in our birth. No matter how high someone thinks of themselves because of a temporary stroke of luck, time will bring them down. They’ll have no choice but to grovel before nobles like us in the future.”
The implied insult was clear to everyone in the square, but no one dared to challenge Isabella, especially after considering her son’s new future prospects.
“This shrew. I’m going to give her a piece of my mind,” Alaric muttered, stepping forward.
Bristled with anger, he wanted to talk some sense into her.
“Leave her be,” Sera ordered in a cold and deep voice.
In an instant, a chill ran down Alaric’s spine, freezing him in his tracks.
She did not even turn to look at Isabella or the people in the square and kept walking away with Tia and vina.
Alaric hesitated, wanting to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
‘What was that chill I sensed? Was it my imagination?’ Alaric thought.
He finally sighed, and silently, escorted Sera and the children to the castle.
‘Harumph, Just wait. When my son grows up, See how I will take care of you and your daughter in the future.’ Isabella snorted.
Then she grinned ear to ear, satisfied that she finally took a small revenge against Sera not knowing how lucky she was that Sera still remained sane. As Sera’s mind instantly came up with untold ways to torture Isabella to vent her frustrations.
----------------------------------------
After dinner, Sera, Tia, and Vina quietly retreated to bed in their chemise. None of them spoke to each other.
As Sera lay with Tia and Vina nestled in each of her arms, she found herself lost in thought, her mind a storm of unresolved fears.
“Mother,” Vina called out to Sera meekly, pulling Sera back to her senses.
“What is it, dear?” Sera asked, gently.
“I’m sorry,” Vina whispered, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill over.
“Huh? What are you apologizing for?” Sera asked, puzzled.
“I disappointed you because I can’t use magic,” Vina confessed, her tears beginning to flow freely. “I’m sorry. Because of me, Aunt Isabella said all those things. I’m really sorry.”
Sera felt her heart ache seeing Vina in such a state.
She immediately pulled Vina closer, wiping away her tears with tender hands. “No, no, Vina, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not sad because of that.”
Vina looked up at her mother, her eyes still brimming with tears. “But Isabella—”
“Isabella is just a barking dog with no bite,” Sera interrupted softly. “You don’t have to listen to her. No matter what, I could never be disappointed in you or Tia. I’m always proud of both of you.”
“But... but...” Vina hiccuped.
“Now, now, Vina,” Sera soothed, reaching for the water beside the bed. “Drink some water first.”
Vina obediently took a sip, her hiccups gradually subsiding.
“Better?”
Vina nodded, sniffling.
“Vina, I’m just like you, I can’t use magic either. Does that make you disappointed in me?”
“No!” Vina shook her head vigorously.
“See? Just like you, I’m not disappointed in you. I’m thinking about other things. So, don’t be sad, okay?”
“Mmm” Vina nodded.
“Then, Mother, what are you sad about?” Tia, who had been silently listening, finally spoke up.
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Sera brushed off the question, tousling Tia’s hair.
“Mother, can’t you tell us about it? Maybe we can help you with something?” Tia did not relent.
Vina looked up too, nodding in agreement.
“It’s nothing. Don't worry about it. Both of you are still small. When you’re older, I’ll tell you everything.”
With that, she pulled them closer, wrapping her arms around them, “it’s already late, we need to sleep.”
Tia and Vina settled down reluctantly.
‘Sigh I can’t keep acting like this, Alaric and Emma are also worried, and now it’s affecting Tia and Vina too. I’m making everyone worry unnecessarily.
‘I have to get my act together.’
Sera sighed internally as she suppressed her anxiety, fears and burdens.
As the night deepened, Tia and Vina drifted into peaceful sleep, their breathing soft and even.
Sera, however, remained awake, staring into the darkness as tears began to slip silently from her eyes.
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Copyright © [December] [2024] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact the publisher at [[email protected]].
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.