Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

After returning from the market, Seren talked to Drayce.

"Something is not right between Prince Arlan and Oriana. She was unusually quiet and was not interested in anything as if she wanted to go away from us all," Seren said, "I tried to make her feel better but…"

"It's normal for her to feel left out when the one she followed was ignoring her," Drayce replied.

"Prince Arlan, why would he do this? That poor girl," Seren commented, "Even when brother Cian tried to offer her a simple sugar candy, Prince Arlan used his power to make it fall on the ground. He didn't even let her touch it."

"He was jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Of your brother," Drayce explained, "How can a man accept someone else pampering his woman."

"Then why doesn't he pamper Oriana himself instead of keeping distance with her?" Seren was clearly displeased, "If Prince Arlan acts this way, I won't mind my brother taking care of her or instead take interest in her. She is a lovely girl."

"Calm down, my Queen. Arlan is dealing with his own issues and it's not easy for him either," Drayce comforted, "but I can solve at least something for her as you are feeling that bad for her."

"What?"

"She saved you from those wizards so she deserves to get a reward."

"What if she asks you to help her go away and then she leaves Prince Arlan?" Seren voiced her concern.

"Then, I have to help her. Saving my wife deserves whatever reward she wants."

"But she is Prince Arlan's mate…she…"

"That's between him and her and me rewarding her is about us," he interrupted her. "Now rest for a while. You must be tired."

Putting her to rest, Drayce left to go to his study.

"Your Majesty, Orian will be here soon."

Drayce offered him a nod and entered his study.

After a while Slayer informed Oriana's arrival to Drayce. Drayce lifted his gaze and watched Oriana enter his study. Under his gaze she sure looked wary of him.

She bowed, "This servant pays his respects to His Majesty the King of Megaris."

Drayce accepted her greeting with a nod. "Dispense formalities. Have a seat."

Though in her eyes she was a servant, Drayce knew the truth. This woman in front of him was of higher status, she was the queen of the witch clan. Drayce was a wizard so she was his Queen as well.

"I am honored, but doing so is disrespectful to you, Your Majesty." She preferred to stand.

Drayce didn't insist and got to the point. "You must be wondering why I called you here."

She kept her head lowered. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I have called you here to grant you a reward for protecting my wife when those wizards attacked her inside the Ancient Citadel of Nefer," Drayce replied, his gaze trying to see through her true thoughts.

"I need no reward for it, Your Majesty. I admire and respect Her Majesty. It was an honor to be able to protect her. Even if it happens again, I will do the same, without expecting any reward."

"Do not be so quick to refuse. If not for you, they would have succeeded in their scheme."

"I cannot take credit for what happened. Those wizards aimed to hurt all of us, and what happened next was an accident out of sheer desperation."

"That desperation is the key to unleash that power so credit definitely goes to you."

Oriana remained unyielding.

"Still, I will accept no reward."

Drayce stared at her for a while, and a ghost of a smile lifted the corner of his lips. He had no real understanding of this young witch's personality, but it appeared that once she made up her mind, she was not someone to be swayed easily.

This kind of stubbornness, why did it remind him of a certain prince?

"Don't you think refusing my goodwill is more disrespectful than sitting down?" he asked. "Though you do not want anything now, if you ever feel you need something from me, say a word and it will be granted."

Oriana was about to open her mouth to reject again but Drayce beat her to it.

"I am speaking to you not as the King of Megaris, but as the husband of the woman you saved. I owe you a debt of gratitude, and I do not like owing people. Take your time to think of your reward. If you reject it for the third time, I will think of it as if the debt has been repaid."

Oriana shut her mouth and didn't know what to say.

"You may leave," he told her.

"Have a pleasant evening, Your Majesty. This servant will take his leave."

Oriana bowed and left. Yorian appeared in the study and sat in the chair, "How did it go, King Drayce."

"She seemed to not realize the power of royal favor," Drayce replied.

"She is a simple minded person, but soon she will realize what can ask from you," Yorian said, "Let her struggle on her own for now."

Drayce nodded only to hear Yorian again, "King Drayce, do you really plan to give her black nightshade if she asks as her reward?"

"Should I not?"

"It's a banned herb and as every other human ruler, you are against its use."

"Not when it can help save someone's life," Drayce replied.

"I do not think Prince Arlan thinks the same as you?"

"Arlan is not wrong either," Drayce spoke, "If we spare one person then everyone will come up with an excuse and ask for it. It's always better to let one person die than put entire humanity in danger. I agree to give it to Oriana because we have verified she has no malicious intentions and she can keep it a secret."

Yorian chuckled, "To me it's more like you are sparing your friend from having more headache if his mate ends up pulling out more dangerous stunts to get her hands over that herb."

"That's not wrong either," Drayce agreed.

-----

In the quiet of the night, Drayce returned to the chamber to rest alongside his wife. As he entered, Seren's attendants departed, informing him of Seren's already secured slumber.

"She must have exhausted herself at the market," he mused silently, proceeding to exchange his attire while thoughts of Seren lingered in his mind.

'She is still weak. It's good that last night nothing happened. I have to be careful and not be blinded by my desires until we return Megaris. She deserves the utmost care and attention.. I will ensure she receives it and that our intimacy is a cherished experience for her.'

Once dressed, Drayce returned to the bed, slipping in beside Seren, who lay with her back turned to him. He moved with care, his motions deliberate to avoid disturbing her rest.

However, as he settled beside her, a sense of distress emanated from Seren's sleeping form. Drawing closer, Drayce gently placed his hand over hers, only to find her skin unnaturally warm to the touch.

Alarmed, he sat up, turning her onto her back. In the soft glow of the lamps, he noticed beads of sweat glistening on her brow, her body radiating an unusual heat.

"Seren," he called out, his voice laced with concern, "Seren, wake up."

There was no response from Seren, as if she was lost in the depths of her slumber. It brought back memories of a similar experience she endured after her abduction, when Drayce had to immerse her in cold water to wake her up.

'Seems like the same thing is happening with her.'

Summoning a servant, Drayce instructed her to gather the household staff and procure more water for the bath.

Carrying Seren in his arms, Drayce guided her into the bath, but to his dismay, the water rapidly heated. Anticipating the urgency of the situation, Drayce had already dispatched a message to Yorian.

Yorian materialized in the chamber to find Drayce carrying Seren, her body and garments soaked from the water. "What has happened?" Yorian inquired.

"Follow me," Drayce responded tersely.

In the interim, Marie returned with news, "Your Majesty, the servants are bringing more water."

"No need," Drayce replied briskly before vanishing from the chamber, Yorian trailing behind.

They materialized at the lake behind the guest mansion. Drayce gently lowered Seren into the cool waters, holding her close as the lake embraced her.

"Is this the same phenomenon affecting Queen Seren as before?" Yorian questioned.

Drayce nodded gravely. "The owner of the fire element must be facing turmoil as well. Whenever she suffers, Seren endures the same."

The water surrounding Seren's body began to heat up, mirroring the intensity of her fevered state. Drayce swiftly shielded himself with his powers, ensuring the scorching temperature wouldn't harm him.

"Seren, can you hear me? You must wake up," Drayce pleaded, his voice filled with urgency as he continued to call out to her.

Yorian, who had ventured into the water, felt the rising temperature and hastily shielded himself as well. Approaching Seren, he carefully examined her, probing her body while holding her wrist. After a tense moment, he opened his eyes and delivered his assessment.

"The other power within her is unstable, causing this turmoil. We must awaken her quickly, or it may inflict lasting harm upon her."

Drayce sighed inwardly, knowing what he must do, though it pained him deeply. With a heavy heart, he made the agonizing decision to resort to the same method that had roused Seren from her previous affliction.

Gently, he allowed Seren's face to be submerged in the water, while Yorian stepped back, ready to assist. As Seren's body began to struggle against the lack of oxygen, Drayce held her steadfastly beneath the surface, refusing to relent until her eyes fluttered open, her consciousness returning.

True to expectations, Seren's eyes blinked open, her complexion pallid with exhaustion. Without hesitation, Drayce lifted her from the water, cradling her close as she coughed violently. He soothed her, patting her back gently to aid in expelling the water from her lungs.

In a swift teleportation, they returned to the chamber, with Yorian in tow. Drayce tenderly laid Seren upon the bed, wrapping her in a thick blanket to ward off the chill that now gripped her weakened frame.

"Dray," Seren's voice trembled, her eyes glistening with tears. Drayce enveloped her in his arms, offering solace. "Everything is alright, Seren," he reassured her.

"I saw that terrifying fire again," she confessed, her face still drained of color.

"I know," he murmured soothingly, holding her close. "Try to calm down. We need to change your clothes before you catch a chill. We can talk about it later."

She nodded in agreement, and Drayce entrusted her to the care of her attendants while he sought out Yorian.

"What have you discovered?" Drayce inquired, his expression grave.

Yorian's demeanor was somber as he responded, "The other power within her is becoming increasingly unstable and fiery with each passing day. I suspect it's linked to the awakening of the deity of fire, who must be grappling with her own uncontrollable powers. If this trend continues..."

"What?" Drayce pressed, a sense of urgency gripping him.

"It could inflict significant harm upon Queen Seren's body," Yorian explained. "We are fortunate she possesses the body of a demigod, which affords her some resilience. However, the nature of the hellfire element she harbors raises concerns about her ability to withstand it over time."

"What should I do?" Drayce asked, his concern evident.

"We must await Evanthe and Sierra's intervention with the deity. Once they locate her, I'm confident they will assist both her and Queen Seren. In the meantime, we must be prepared for these recurring incidents. Ensure you remain by her side as much as possible."

"I will," Drayce affirmed.

"Your power of darkness could provide some protection against the effects of hellfire," Yorian suggested. "Similar to how you once used it to suppress the hellfire when Queen Seren wielded her own power of the earth element to survey the land."

Drayce understood the task ahead, but he knew it was far from a simple solution. The ultimate challenge remained in purging Seren's body of the dangerous hellfire, a task that seemed daunting in its complexity.