21 Redemption

As Victoria sipped the tea that Karyan prepared, he watched her closely, making sure she drank everything.

"I know I'm only five years old, but I understand your pain, Lady Victoria…" Karyan lowered his head.

Victoria slowly placed the cup back onto the small table near the chair she was sitting on. "To be honest with you, the baby wasn't supposed to survive even until now." Victoria looked down as well.

Karyan tilted his head, his eyebrow furrowed. "I also lost a brother just some time ago, and my powers. I believe you-" he was cut off.

"No. Long time ago, a shaman told me that I will have a strong name under me, but there will be no children." Her eyes filled with water; it started falling down like crystals.

"Shaman? Lady Victoria, my previous maid, told us to never trust shamans."

Victoria dismissed Karyan's statement and continued talking. "When my son was born, I knew the ending already. I knew I shouldn't get attached to him, but Maiko… oh, Maiko, he was so happy after all." She gasped for air and wiped her tears off.

"But Lady Victoria, wouldn't it be easier to just leave Maiko? He doesn't love you, and all the mansion's maids are always after him."

"It's not about love, but status. Even if Maiko cheats on me, it doesn't matter. Deep inside, I know still loves me, but he adores the attention from other women…and that, I cannot change."

'Delusions…' Karyan thought silently.

Seeing and observing Maiko's behavior, the word love meant nothing to him. It simply had zero value in his life; all he wanted was money and power, like Mateo.

"And if I'd leave, where would I go? To my father? He will beat me…" Victoria continued.

For a moment, Karyan thought that she and Barbara shared almost the same fate, but who was responsible for that?

Lady Victoria came from the house of Agton; they were also powerful fire wielders, and the name alone demanded respect.

However, like Barbara, Victoria was born with no element, but the chances of her giving birth to a fire wielder were still high. 

So Mateo thought that the wedding of his son and Lady Victoria would be a great idea to unite two families together.

But Maiko had different plans; he only wanted an heir from Victoria, and nothing else.

"So after all this time, you still want to be his wife?"

Victoria opened her eyes. "Yes… I have no choice."

"But what if he dies?"

Victoria turned to Karyan, her mouth opened and eyes widened. "Wh-why would he die? Do you know something?" She raised her voice, "If you do, tell me!" She grabbed Karyan by his shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry," Karyan stuttered, "but I don't know anything."

He put his hand into his pocket and took out some damaged leaves. "Please, put this near your nose; it will help you fall asleep."

"What is this?" Victoria looked at it as if it was some kind of child's toy.

"My mother always takes them to sleep better, just like the tea."

"Thank you, Karyan, but I prefer to stay awake for a bit."

"And cry even more?"

"Yes."

"But how will the crying help you? Just rest; tomorrow is the funeral."

"It doesn't help me in any way, but much like fire, once unleashed within, it spreads and cannot be stopped until water is splashed upon it. It's the same with tears; I need them to calm my inner fire before I burn everything around me."

"Very well. I will let you be, Lady Victoria."

"Thank you, Karyan. You're such a nice and kind child; I feel extremely sorry for you that no one here sees that."

Karyan forced a smile, a kind one at that.

She wouldn't be saying that if she knew that the cup of tea she was drinking had a fertilization poison in it.

"Goodnight, Lady Victoria."

He closed the door.

The minute Karyan reached his room, he looked through the window; the carriage wasn't here, meaning that Barbara was not back yet. "What could've taken her so long to come back? I need answers."

He placed his fingers near his lips and started biting it, slowly, until he heard a scream.

A child's voice.

"Stop it! Please, stop it! Mommy, mommy, help me!"

He ran to the window to see where the scream was coming from but couldn't see anything.

"Mommy, please! I beg you! I will be good; I will behave nicely, mommy!" The voice kept screaming.

It was a girl's voice, and probably about the same age as Karyan.

Without waiting for anything else, "Sera, show me!"

The white snake came out from the table, moving gently out of the room.

Karyan followed her out of the mansion, with a need for air; he continued forcing his legs to move.

"What could it be? Is it a kidnapping? But why?" He was thinking out loud.

Karyan walked out of the thick trees, leaving the big house and going into a dimly lit narrow street.

The stone road, covered in shadows, felt old and dirty, with a strong smell of dirt hitting his senses.

The dark alley reflected the unclear times of that period where people were getting murdered for no reason.

"Please, mommy! Mommy!"

Karyan finally saw the owner of the voice and was surprised.

Three big men were dragging her, and as they looked powerful and strong, that girl still managed to resist them.

To Karyan, she seemed around four or five years old, but he couldn't be certain. The girl had long, wavy, dark silver hair, and her eye colors were odd.

Her left eye was as black as a night that had forgotten the sun, and the right one was a deep red, hinting that she might have the ability to control fire.

"You freak, stop resisting!" One of the men shouted.

"Please, mommy, mommy!"

Deep inside, Karyan knew he had no business with this, and it would probably just waste his time for helping her, but she was a child and dragged by three strong adults, "what if they will rap-"

"Please! Help me!"

Her scream caught his attention, and their eyes locked.

He observed her fair and delicate skin, marred by blue bruises, a small scratched nose, and swollen lips stained with blood.

"Sigh, I guess I'll have no other choice… Sera!"