Emlyn was so relieved when she found out Mrs. Adler was still living well in the Bay of White Whales. In fact, the witch looked younger and healthier than the last ti Emlyn saw her.
"Oh... Your Majesty!!! You co to my humble abode...!" Mrs. Adler pressed her lips in shock when she saw Emlyn by the doorway when she ca out with a basket, ready to look for herbs.
The witch dropped the basket and almost wanted to drop to her knees, but Emlyn quickly held her arms. The beautiful woman shook her head and said, "Grandma... don't do that. Ahahah... I ca here to visit you and see how you are doing. No need for formalities with ."
Mrs. Adler looked up and saw their king was standing behind Emlyn and her expression was filled with curiosity. Seeing Mrs. Adler's doubt, Emlyn quickly introduced her husband and child.
"This is my husband, Mars Strongmoor. He ca to get to Sumria. We are now traveling to go ho to Draec." Emlyn smiled and pulled the man closer to her. "And this is our daughter, Harlow. Do you rember my baby girl? You helped deliver her."
Mrs. Adler's face bead and her eyes were now filled with tears. She bobbed her head enthusiastically.
Ah... how could she forget about Harlow? Those were the most difficult days where Mrs. Adler had to help Emlyn give birth to a premature baby. And then they had to fake her death so Emlyn could escape from her prison.
Ahh... look at this beautiful toddler. Harlow looked a lot like her father, but her rich expression and big personality seed to take after her mother. The old witch was very happy to see Harlow was now big and healthy.
"Your Majesty, it's an honor to et you," Mrs. Adler wiped her tears and then curtseyed awkwardly before the king.
She didn't know if what she did was correct. She was just a peasant who had never t royalties before and was not sure how to show her respect.
Normally, Mrs. Adler would just drop herself to the ground to show her respect and reverence to the noblen she t, but she realized Emmlyn wouldn't like her to do that now. So, Mrs. Adler chose to curtsey, albeit awkward.
"You may rise, Mrs. Adler," Mars said with a smile. "We ca here because I want to thank you in person for all the help you have given my wife during the toughest tis of her life."
"Ahh... No need to say thank you, Your Majesty. I was happy to help. Besides, I was doing that for too," Mrs. Adler replied. "Princess Emlyn and I traveled together so I could go ho to Winterre. Her Highness is a very resourceful woman. I believe she would be able to survive on her own if needed. It's actually an honor for to be a part of her journey."
"You shouldn't belittle your contribution," Emlyn said. "It is a fact that you did help a lot and, without you, I might have died during childbirth. For that, I will be forever grateful."
Emlyn hugged the old woman and cried on her shoulder. She said over and over, "Thank you."
Mrs. Adler was very touched and she cried too. Both won rembered what happened as if it was only yesterday. The sufferings they endured together during their escape from Draec to Winterre were carved in their hearts and the journey bound them in a deep friendship.
"I t Margueritte the White, by the way," Emlyn said after they let go of their embrace. "She lives in Mount Tempest, near Sumria. She said she missed you."
"You did? Oh my... how was she doing? I am so glad to know she is still alive." Mrs. Adler was very excited to hear news about her sister witch. She had not t Margueritte and Dolores for decades and had always wondered what happened to them. "Did she get married? Does she have a family?"
She asked Emlyn and Mars to sit on the terrace while she prepared so tea for them. When she ca out with a pot of tea and three cups, Mrs. Adler sat next to Emlyn to listen to her story about the eting with Margueritte.
"Well... I am not sure if she was married or not. Soone who knows her said that she went to the elven realm many decades ago and just returned recently," Emlyn explained. "She did however have a son."
"A son?" Mrs. Adler looked excited to know more. "Ohh...? that is really good news!"
"Yeah... her son's na is Raphael and he is called the ice prince, I think."
"Ice prince?" Mrs. Adler repeated her words. She looked intrigued.
"Yes. He is a young man, probably eighteen years old, but he was quite interesting," Emlyn said. "People who look into his eyes could turn into ice, that's why. Actually, a friend of mine, Kira was turned into an ice statue when she got to Mount Tempest first."
Mars furrowed his brows when he heard Emlyn's story. He and Emlyn had not talked much about the past and what she experienced during her journey from Draec to Sumria.
He realized what she endured must be quite intense that she preferred not to talk about it much. Mars assud for Emlyn to feel comfortable sharing all her sufferings in the past, she must be able to forgive and move on.
And it was not easy to just ask her to do that. Mars knew she was working on it. So, he was waiting until Emlyn was ready to share with him whatever happened to her on the road. Until then, he would be patient.
"Are you hurt by him?" Mars touched Emlyn's arm and looked her in the eye. "This ice prince guy, did he do anything bad to you?"
Emlyn shook her head. "No, he didn't hurt . In fact... he actually gave the magic scarf to revive Queen Mother."
"Oh... really?" Mars was surprised to hear this fact. "Why did he give it to you? Did he ask you for anything in return?"
Emlyn nodded. "Actually no, I offered him sothing because I wanted to ask for his help. I gave him my most precious possession in exchange for his help. Mrs. Adler gave a very valuable necklace so I gave it to him."
"Oh... you an, the snake pendant?" This ti, Mrs. Adler asked the question. "He was willing to revive the queen in exchange for a re pendant?"
"Huh? Why did you say 're pendant'?" Emlyn was confused. "Didn't you say the pendant is very precious? It can work as an antidote for all kinds of poison and..."
"No, I didn't an to say it's not valuable, Your Majesty..." Mrs. Adler knitted her brows and thought deeply about the scarf. "Usually, the rule in magic is sothing can only be traded if they have the sa value. Human lives and antidote for poison are not equal. So, they couldn't be exchanged."
"Human lives?" Emlyn didn't understand where Mrs. Adler's words were heading to. "Whose lives?"
"Well.. can I see the scarf?" Mrs. Adler asked again.
Mars and Emlyn exchanged glances. The king shook his head. "I am sorry, I don't bring such valuable artifacts everywhere."
"I understand." Mrs. Adler bit her lip and tapped the table with her bony fingers. "The thing is... if the scarf contained magic that could be used to revive soone or to heal them from illnesses that could cause death... that ans, the artifact is so valuable that it is worth a life."
Emlyn laughed nervously when she heard the old witch's explanation. "I am sure there must be an exception. Raphael didn't ask for a human sacrifice when he gave the scarf. He is not that kind of person."
Mrs. Adler was not convinced, but she didn't say anything. Maybe it was just her, she thought to herself.
Emlyn was a special woman and many people liked her.? So, maybe Raphael also liked Emlyn enough to give her a magical artifact that was worth a human life but didn't ask for one life in exchange.
.
.
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From Missrealitybites:
Ahahaha... I know this sounds so intense that Raphael wanted one life in exchange for the scarf, but please know that he is a good man and he would cherish the life he would demand from Emlyn 17 years later.
Uff... I can't wait to write about Harlow and Raphael. I wish I can skip the parts where we see Ellena punished, Edgar married Clara, and Gewen ended up with Kira.... ahaha.. and just go straight to seventeen years later.. Sigh.
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