I didn't like how things were turning out here, but I sure as hell couldn't do anything about it… I guess I could burst out in tears, but I had a feeling that they would still bring me in to be dowsed. After all, there were babies other than me and Millie, and most of them had cried.
They had still been dowsed.
Light clapping flooded the room like the pitter-patter of rain drumming against a window, though I saw straight through the steellike, cold faces of the elves. I knew these types of people. They were nobles. My father and I, as humans, would have to be the object of their ridicule.
Sigh.
On the other hand…
I turned towards Sara, who stared at Aldeous apprehensively. Sighing, she clicked her teeth while patting Cidris on the back. I saw a slight tremble in her legs and realized something.
Sara…
Sara Alpin?
That could be a coincidence, but…
No. No, it couldn't be.
Tilting my head, I stared at Sara, unknowingly narrowing my gaze as I looked. The truth shadowed upon me as I cleared any doubts that had been left in my mind.
Sara was a royal.
Although I didn't know what position she held, she shared the surname of the royal family. That would be enough to declare her position. So why did nobody look surprised? The elves had ceased movement, murmuring expectantly as they stared at Cidris, who wore a knowing, thin smile as usual. Sara took in a few deep breaths before wrapping her arms around Cidris.
Blushing slightly, she smiled as she rubbed her face on his back.
Breaking character, Cidris tussled her hair a little bit.
Though his face was still cold.
Psshh….
A sickening silence.
"Does it surprise you that I have the same last name as the royal family?" Sara winced slightly as she spoke to my father, who harumphed a little, shaking his head while grinning lightly.
"I've known all along, and you know that." He responded gently.
"... Yes." Sara said, trying to stop an expression of relief from blooming onto her face. Taking Millie in her arms, she rocked her back and forth slightly as she realized that it was about time to get going.
Hah… it was time.
The veins of bright lights hummed slightly louder, blurring and flickering as they pulsated, casting trapezing shadows upon the entire room. The walls of the space still seemed engulfed in shadow as my father patted me on the back, walking forward without saying a thing.
Clack! Click.
I held my breath as I felt my father's fingers tighten upon my skin. Cooing slightly into his ear, I tried to help him calm down while the sound of boots echoed throughout the room, loud and booming. Sara was just beside us, while Cidris had chosen to stay back.
His arms were crossed.
"Shall we put Millie in first?" Aldeous asked as he gestured to Cuswoth, who lowered his head slightly, extending his arms in a cupped position. I glared at him with my two infant eyes, though I didn't want to provoke him. There seemed to be an awkward atmosphere between Aldeous and Sara, since they didn't make any moves to speak to each other. Rather, it was the opposite.
Even though they came from the same family?
Hmm… interesting…
Hell, I shouldn't get any other thoughts!
In just a minute, Cuswoth would be holding me!
At that time, I have to be prepared.
Originally, I would have tried to alert my father, but that was going to get me nowhere. I was sure that Cuswoth didn't mean to kill me or harm me— it was evident from his words to me. So anything he did would be beneficial!
Opening her wide eyes, Millie stared at Cuswoth.
She hissed slightly, clenching her fists. How perceptive…
Laughing, Cuswoth took her into his arms as she scratched relentlessly at his body. Just like all the other times, he closed his eyes and muttered a prayer under his breath, exhaling gradually onto Millie's head. The light in the statue's eyes seemed to shine brighter— maybe it was my vision playing tricks on me?
Hahh… he was going to do it.
My throat ached, and my lungs screamed for air.
Why did I feel so nauseous?
Groaning and trembling slightly, I looked in pain at my father, who didn't have his eyes on me. I noticed that his fingers were entwined together as he stared worriedly at Millie. Ordinarily, I would have been mad, but maybe not now…
Yes, not now!
Watching Millie descend through the air felt like an eternity. I stared at her so intently that my eyes could have pierced her. As my short hair fluttered behind me, I watched her small body move through the air as if it were a liquid. Slowly, patiently, with dedication and discipline.
The sound of the fountain.
Closer… Closer…. Tap.
The water's surface stilled. For a heartbeat, Millie sank like a fleeting shadow— until everything burst into pure chaos.
Without pause, the water began to tremble and burble around her as froth rose to quickly cover her body. I watched Sara and Cidris twitch slightly as Millie's body was engulfed in water. Letting out a scream from my mouth, I reached towards her with my hand as all the light progressively shone brighter to the point where it was beginning to blind me. Gasping, I opened my eyelids to see the vines and moss snaking their way up the walls, and the elves stepping back in fear.
Sara looked at Millie in awe as the fountain began to overflow, sending its gushing waves of glowing white water cascading over the feet of Aldeous, Remi (whose head was down), my father, and Sara. Spikes of water fashioned themselves into ropes, and then into pure white porcelain hands that grabbed at her body as she flailed wildly. My cries were drowned out, just a phantom voice in the air.
WHY?
WHY DID NOBODY MOVE?
WHAT WAS GOING ON?!
Fuck, damnit! Couldn't they see that something was going horribly wrong here?! Hell, damn these useless fucking elves! Clawing at my father's skin, I drew blood that quickly ran down his body, but he had no reaction as I watched…
…
What?
Millie's body shone, her eyes full with unbridled, pure radiant light. The fountain had morphed into tens of hands all in the shape of the first, lifting her up higher and higher in the sky as the entire room flashed white. The smell of roses, cherries, and fresh mountain grass swept through the room, feeling like a blanket of ethereal heaven for me as I took it in greedily, mouth agape in awe. The statues all crumbled to ash, piles of soot that lay bare as Millie's body descended with the utmost care from the hands, placing her in Sara's arms.
"Sara… Sara, yes. L-lift her… please…" Remi stared at the ground further as she knelt, beginning to tear up. I snapped my head to the left, watching Sara's tears spill from her eyes, fresh and new, as she sniffled, mouth breaking into a wide smile as she handed Millie over to Remi, who handed her to Aldeous.
It was unmistakable.
That grin on Cuswoth's face.
THAT DAMN CUSWOTH!
What the fuck did he have to do with this?
I didn't know… FUCK, I DON'T KNOW!
Stop it… stop it… I'm overreacting…
Nnghh… My head hurts.
A soft warmth seemed to emanate from Millie's body as Aldeous held her in his arms. All the elves, who had broken out into shouts of anger, joy, frustration, sadness, and everything in between stumbled over each other, the children crying, the adults seething as they struggled to push into the center of the room. I felt the presence of several elves greaten to the point where I knew…
They were manipulating that mysterious energy.
Shouts and gasps of "It can't be!" and "Not her!"
What did that mean?!
"CEASE!" Aldeous roared, his voice tearing through the air as even the stone bent away from him. I felt his energy, rabid and unforgiving— this must be his "true self". I'm not unfamiliar with it... I think. All the masses immediately stopped as my father smiled as if he knew… on that thought, what did he know?
Sara was already on the ground, breaking down.
I saw Cidris clench his fists tightly, horns trembling— but he didn't move.
Why? Why? Why… Why indeed.
"I PRESENT TO YOU, OUR SAVIOR!" Aldeous shook with pure ecstasy.
"THE MOTHER SERYNTH HAS TAKEN OUR SUFFERING AND SWALLOWED IT, DIGESTED IT TO GIVE TO US A NEW LIFE!" I saw Cidris visibly cringe and click his teeth as he glared in Aldeous' direction, bleeding with killing intent.
"I PRESENT TO YOU HER REINCARNATION!"
"THE REINCARNATION OF HER APOSTLE OF LIFE!"
"PRAISE HER! PRAISE HER WITH ALL YOUR HEART! PRAISE MILLIE ALPIN!"