女神归来的夏天

Chapter 296: The Festival I

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Sally is in the perfect gown. One that doesn\'t make her stand out, but one that looks great on her. We aren\'t taking our hoods, and that puts an edge of worry in me. It\'s going to be okay, though. We\'ll be looking like regular festival-goers, just like everyone else. "This is the first time I\'ll be going to a festival..." Sally and I are standing side by side in the bathroom, looking into the mirror. She tells me something, I figured. I reach over and wrap my arm around her shoulder and bring her in. "Cera..." A small blush spreads across her face.

I\'ve never been to anything even close to a festival. I\'m going to be a little lost at first. "We\'re going to remember this night forever. It\'ll be a date that regular people have... That\'s something that I want cause our journey together has been anything other than normal." There are moments when I think about having a normal journey. One where I\'m not this powerful, and I still meet Sally. That\'s a dangerous thing to think about, so I don\'t spend much time thinking about it. Those that know why it\'s dangerous won\'t need an explanation.

Sally\'s arm wraps around my abdomen and squeezes me in return. We look great together. There is a height difference, but people will be so caught up in the festivities that no one will pay attention to us. "I like that thought... I wonder what my mom would think if she could see me right now... I can only imagine how beautiful she\'d be in a dress or gown..." I stay silent and let her speak. Listening is one of my strong suits. "Do you think they ever regret what they did? What my family did to her?" That isn\'t something I can answer.

If they were so willing to go that far, I doubt that anyone with actual power in her family cares. Perhaps some branch members or servents. Not anyone that gave the order. "I don\'t know, Sally... I can\'t comprehend the cruelty needed to do that to one\'s own child..." In a way, I have answered. Not a direct one, but she can read into it. "It\'s on your mind a lot. Isn\'t it..." She slowly nods her head as we look into the mirror, holding each other. We\'ve gotten revenge on the James family, but the people who sent her mother and subsequently her there are still alive.

I have a question for Sally, one that I don\'t want to ask. It seems fitting with all the questions she asked me. "What do you intend to do once everything is done? I have to head back to the Kingdom of Pleer for a quest to free all the slaves in that Kingdom. I\'d understand if you didn\'t want to... But I\'d like you to help me. We can put an end to a lot of bad things together." She leans her head on my shoulder and smiles. I know she wouldn\'t leave me if I didn\'t give her a reason too. However, once we\'re done here. She might want to leave all this behind and start a new adventure with me.

She takes and breath and slowly rocks both of us in a slow, easy motion. "A part of me wants to do something else after we\'re all done here... But I know there are thousands out there suffering as I did... I intend to free the slaves alongside you cause this is where I belong..." It\'s nice to hear something like that. To hear the woman that you love tell you she belongs with you. I tilt my head down and to the side and kiss the side of her head. The festival should be starting soon, and that means we need to get a move on.

While Cera and Sally make their way out of the inn and towards the festival, the Elven Queen and her advisors are in a meeting at the moment. The Elven Queen and her spies have been keeping tabs on important targets. Namely, Cera and Sally, the discussion of this meeting are about everything the spies know and have come to figure out about the targets. The Elven Kingdom is known for its amazing spy network. The capital of the Elven Kingdom is only open to the noblest and rich of Gaia. It isn\'t an easy place to get to.

I look around the table and see the richest of my people. The ones connected to the world outside my land. Our main subject today is the findings my spies have come up with. "My Queen, I understand that you\'re watching certain people. But how do we play into this? We\'re all just riches traders and merchants. Only about 40% of your council is true nobility in these lands." One of the greatest merchants to ever live speaks up. His name is Zernael, and he\'s one of the eldest elves in the entire elven society. He was alive and making moves when my ancestors were on the throne.

I\'ve taken his advice many times, and I respect him a great deal. The wisdom he carries about the world is something that I desperately need. "Zernael, my spies can only do so much. I\'ve lost track of the targets near The City of James. I need to know if any of you could have any information on where Slayer Zern and Saliandra Orvello are located. You\'re all more connected to the world than any royal blood is. I need your guidance on this matter." Many old elven faces adopt thinking expressions. It made me mad when my spies lost a visual on Slayer Zern.

The only thing we know for certain is he headed in our direction. I can assume that he and Saliandra are on their way here. For revenge, most likely. The reports about what happened in The City of James are disturbing. Only a former female slave would induce injuries like that. "While many of us in this room are deeply connected, Slayer Zern isn\'t just a regular person we can find. Due to being able to fly, he\'s able to cover great distances, and it\'s unknown how fast he is." Zernael begins to bring up the very problems I\'ve been facing in this endeavor.

Slayer Zern is required if I want to secure the elven race as untouchable. I need him to secure the legacy of my people. "I know this isn\'t some target. Slayer Zern is, for all intense and purposes, a God. While he\'s still young and lacks that power, the potential for it is there." The royal elven family having offspring with Slayer Zern will grant us ultimate authority and rights. It\'s the only way for us. We\'ve come this far because we strive for such giant goals. The Gods must spit upon me and my actions, but this is the future. I know it.

All the people at this meeting are quiet, internally debating if they would join in my search. I don\'t blame them if they refuse. I\'m trying to mess with the fates and destiny of Gods I can\'t begin to comprehend. "I\'m sorry, My Queen... I\'m not brave enough to tangle with such powers. I\'d rather stick to my trade and leave the greater wills of our world to themselves." Zernael rejects the offer. I was hoping that he\'d be willing to help. In many ways, what I\'m doing is suicidal, but I\'ve come to terms this will cost me my life.

One of my daughters will bear the child of Slayer Zern, and a new bloodline will be born. We\'ll be a divine race in blood, not just in name. "I understand, Zernael... The future of the elven race is going to be something that no one will be able to affect if I can succeed... Many condemn my actions, but I want to secure the legacy of my people." Everyone in the room understands but begins to reject the idea one by one. Seeing that the risks far outweigh the benefits. Soon, no one I asked to come here has decided to help.

I look at my two daughters as we\'re the only ones left in the room. This is the challenge we\'re taking on, and now they see how alone we are in our quest. "Don\'t worry, daughters. We have time on our side, remember that." I\'m trying to secure this as fast as I can, and the fastest is to eliminate Saliandra. Once she\'s out of the picture, everything will be much easier. Hopefully, we pick up their trail again. And we don\'t lose it this time.