"Then I shall start with the day when Arlan was born, or maybe from the day when Helena ca to and said she wouldn’t be losing our child this ti, and we would definitely have it," the King began, his thoughts drifting back to mories from the past. "After failing to conceive a child a few tis, I never insisted on it, but she was adamant. She was trying everything she could. That day, she was especially happy, saying Amaya had helped her with sothing and that the child in her womb was healthy."
Oriana knew what her mother and the previous Queen had done.
"At that mont, I didn’t understand what she ant or how Amaya had helped her. I was just content to see Helena happy when the Royal physician confird that the child inside her was absolutely fine. But then the day arrived when Helena was going to give birth, and that day, I understood exactly what she ant by ’Amaya had helped her.’"
"What happened?" Oriana asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
"As per Helena’s instructions, only Amaya and a single midwife were allowed to witness the birth of the child, while no one else was even allowed to be present around. Even after Arlan was born, only Amaya and the midwife remained. As a father, I went to see my child, ignoring anything unusual and rely accepting my wife’s wishes to not let anyone else see her child."
The king’s voice grew heavier. "When I entered the room and approached the cradle to see my son sleeping, I was shocked. The baby, the half of his face on the left side was covered in golden scale-like patterns and it was shining brightly even in the dark. That newborn even opened his eyes upon sensing my presence. His left eye was red, while the other one was blue. I was shocked... and utterly speechless."
Oriana was stunned. "No one ntioned it. Not my grandpa, Queen Julien, or even Arlan," she said. "Has no one seen the baby after that?"
"Because other than the four of us in the room, no one knew about it. Your mother found a solution and restored Arlan’s appearance like any other child," the King explained.
"What did she do?" Oriana asked, in her mind her mother was becoming the source of many mysteries.
"When I was shocked, Helena tried to calm . Like any other mother, her child was precious to her, despite his appearance. I regained my senses and listened to what Amaya and Helena had to say," the King continued. "They explained how Arlan was born and what exactly Amaya and Helena did to save him. It was unbelievable, but the proof was right in front of . I didn’t know what to say or even do."
"But then, your mother lifted Arlan in her arms, and the next mont, the scales on his body disappeared. It was another shock for . Both of them concluded that since what saved Arlan was ant to be protected by Amaya, her presence close to him was necessary for him to appear normal. But as she was not his mother, she could not always be with him, and they couldn’t hide Arlan forever. So, they devised a solution using the blood of your family," the King explained further.
"What solution?" Oriana inquired, her curiosity growing.
"In front of , your mother put him on the bed, and the scales on his body reapeared the mont he separated from Amaya. She cut her finger and fed the child a drop of her blood," the King’s expression grew serious as he looked at Oriana. "The solution was, Amaya would feed him a drop of her blood every day."
There was silence in the room as the king spoke. It must have been difficult for him to accept this truth, but he stood by his wife and son’s side, not showing any disdain towards them. The King truly loved his son, despite who or what he was.
"As Arlan started to grow up, your mother created sothing for him to help suppress his unusual appearance. She prepared an amulet with petals from that lotus which had lost its divinity and added her blood to it. Helena made Arlan wear it always."
"Is it that tiny charm he still wears on his wrist?" Oriana asked.
The King nodded. "As he grew up, he understood the importance of that amulet and never let it separate from him. Later, when you were born, both of them decided on your betrothal. The reasons you must already understand."
"I do," Oriana affird.
"What I had witnessed at that ti and understood the seriousness of why my son needs soone from your bloodline with him, I agreed to my wife’s wishes," he added. "About why I stick to it even after Helena died and Arlan claid that Philip had killed his mother, it was because before taking her last breath in my arms, Helena said sothing to ."
Finally, what Oriana had been waiting for was about to be revealed. "What was it, Your Majesty?" she asked, sensing the weight of the mont in the air.
Ailwin’s eyes turned moist as the mories of that painful night when he lost his beloved flashed in front of his eyes like vivid pictures.
That night, upon receiving the news, Ailwin hurried to his wife, who was carried to the room in a hurt condition. She lay in bed, as if waiting for him before taking her last breath. The royal physician had already inford him to prepare for the worst.
With tears in his eyes, Ailwin sat at the edge of the bed, grasping his dying wife’s hand. "Helena..." he choked on his words. The pain of seeing her like this pierced his heart like a deadly thorn.
"Ailwin... listen to ... carefully..." She managed to speak, despite being in imnse pain and her body losing its strength.
"I am here," he spoke, gently holding her trembling hands in his.
"Protect... the Verner family... Ailwin..." she said, struggling to breathe. "Arlan... must marry... his betrothed... Promise ... my dying wish... fulfill it..."
"I will, Helena."
"Promise... ..."
"I give you my word. Arlan will marry that girl," he managed to speak, fearing he would lose her at any mont and she wouldn’t hear him. "I will... I promise..."
"Philip... forgive him... Not his fault..." Helena’s words echoed in the room.
"I will, Helena," the king cried out, his voice choked with emotion. "I will do everything you say."
"Arlan... my son...."
Those were the last words she uttered with her final breath.
Oriana looked at the King, who couldn’t hold back his tears. She felt guilty for making him rember those painful monts of his life. There was a profound silence in the King’s study as Oriana allowed him to collect himself while she wiped her own tears.
anwhile, outside the study, a figure stood listening to the conversation. A pair of sea-blue eyes glistened with tears as he recalled the mories he shared with his mother.
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