Bloom 828

Nanette weaved her way through the crowds of people in the marketplace as she curiously surveyed the inventory of each vendor she passed. The sour taste of the candied lylup fruit she had bought made her scrunch her face as she licked it. As she passed by a book vendor the cover of one of the books caught her eye. The picture of a pair of wings impaled by four blades was imprinted on its cover. It matched a symbol she noticed in her grandmother's old study. "Excuse me sir but what is that book?" She asked the vendor while pointing at the book. The vendor looked at her and the book and smiled. "Why that is the story of the hero Aeolus and how he slayed the great eel." Nanette rummaged through her pocket and pulled out an obsidian coin. "I'll take it she said." Tossing the coin to the vendor and excitingly snatching the book. The man caught the coin and his eyes grew wide. "I can't accept this. The book isn't worth this much." He said looking around but Nanette was already gone.

Nanette, completely engrossed in her book flipped through the pages as she continued to weave her way through the crowd until she finally bumped into someone. "Oh I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention." She said before she noticed the woman's pregnant belly. "Woah are you having a baby?" The woman nervously looked at her husband who was standing next to her and then back down at Nanette. "Y-yes we are." She said shakily. Nanette's eyes lit up. "I love babies. I wish I had a little sister or brother. Is it a boy or girl? Did you pick a name?" The woman's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry we have to go." Her husband said hurrying his wife along. Nanette watched as the two disappeared into the crowd. "Oh...Good luck!" She called out. "Princess, it's time to head back." Nanette turned around to find Kay standing there holding two full bags. "Okay." She said taking one of the bags from her attendant. "Oh no Princess I can carry that." Kay said, reaching to take the bag back. Nanette pulled away from her. "Being princess doesn't mean I can't help out Kay." Kay smiled, "Very well."

Back at the palace Nanette’s voice echoed through the dining hall "But mother it's the biggest school in all the territories and the world government fell so they don't even run Uraeus anymore. I don't understand why I can't go." The attendants stood off to the side silent as they braced themselves for Queen Xtabay's rebuttal. Xtabay finished chewing and took a deep breath. "I just don't feel comfortable with you being so far away from home all alone." The attendants relaxed in surprise at how calm the Queen's answer was. Nanette however wasn't pleased with her mother's answer. "Then send someone with me." Nanette said in protest. "Someone like who?" Xtabay's voice was flat. "I don't know Kay or even Jerry." Nanette replied pointing over at Jerry who was one of the attendants standing off to the side while they ate. Xtabay shot a piercing look at him. "I must go check the desert." Jerry said nervously as he quickly exited the dining hall. "You're too young so no and I don't want to hear anymore about it, Now finish eating." Nanette remained silent and refused to eat as she glared at her mother. Xtabay took another bite off her fork as the rain slammed against the dining hall windows. A pulse shot through the atmosphere causing the rain to stop for a moment before it resumed its assault on the windows. Xtabay felt this and stood from her seat. "Kay have them ready my carriage." "Yes ma'am at once." Kay turned and hurried out of the hall. "What's going on mother, where are you going?" Nanette stood up from her chair as well. "Finish your dinner and then go to bed." "But mom..." "Nanette!" Xtabay yelled. Startled by her mother Nanette promptly sat back down as her mother left the hall.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

In a small cabin a few miles south of the marketplace.

"Why? You can't, that wasn't the deal!" The woman Nanette had met in the marketplace earlier that day pleaded. She held her newborn baby cradled in her arms. Piasa sat in a chair in front of the fireplace, her back to the new parents. "The deal was you get pregnant and I name my price at a later date." Piasa answered while her finger traced the seam of the chair's arm. "But why?" The woman asked. "Why give us a child if you were only going to take him away?" The man asked. Piasa laughed and appeared behind the man and whispered in his ear. "Maybe instead of making one sided deals with strangers, you should have been content with the infertile meat sacks nature provided you with." Piasa wrapped her hands around the man's head and snapped his neck. "Thashied!" His wife screamed, startling the baby. Piasa appeared behind her and also whispered in her ear. "Give me the infant Nemph." Nemph, holding back her sobs, shook her head in defiance. Piasa laughed and slowly pushed her hand through Nemph's back. As she screamed her blood splashed over her baby.

Xtabay's carriage pulled up in front of the cottage. It was quiet. The rain wasn't falling on the cottage, like something was pushing it away. Xtabay cautiously approached the small home with its front door wide open. The first thing she noticed as she passed through the threshold was Thashied's limp body sprawled out on the ground. The baby boy lay silent on the floor covered in his mother's blood. "You're going to be okay little one. You're going to be okay." Xtabay whispered as she held the boy and wiped the blood off his face. "You saved me a trip little Xtabay." Piasa was back sitting in the chair in front of the fireplace. "Did you do this?" Xtabay growled. "Guilty." Piasa replied cheerfully. "I was trying to think of a way to get him to you because apparently I can't touch the little brat." Xtabay frowned. "Get him to me, why?" Piasa appeared by Thashied's body and began poking it with her foot as she spoke. "Your dear mother skipped out on the bill little snake. Sooooo you get hit with the check." Xtabay didn't answer. She just gazed at the sleeping child in her arms. Piasa's back was towards Xtabay. She licked the blood that was still on her hand before she continued. "All you have to do is keep an eye on him, and when he's old enough I'll come pick him up easy peasy." Xtabay's eyes shifted. "If I ever see you again I'll send you to my mother." Xtabay's threat hung in the air as Piasa contemplated her response in silence. "We'll see." Was all she said before vanishing. Xtabay held the boy close and sent out a small spark from her finger that ignited into flames when it made contact with the boy's mother. The fire quickly spread throughout the cottage as Xtabay carried the boy back to her carriage.