Skul nodded, bowed to the two and flew away, sparing not another second there.
"I should have assigned someone else. Always knew he was unreliable," Kral muttered.
"No, Kral. I always knew Skul would make a small mistake. That is why I asked you to appoint him." the man walked to the edge of terrace.
"What do you mean you always knew? Did you want him to make a mistake then?" Kral looked surprised.
"In a manner of saying, yes."
"But-but why?"
"So we'll have our chance to show 'him' what we want to. It would be easier to believe if he saw evidence in wakefulness than while slumbering."
Kral understood and did not question further.
"I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Lord Noralle. Skul called urgently and I thought there was something wrong with the boy. So I sent a voice immediately."
"It was no trouble. No trouble at all. I'm grateful to Skul. He gave us the chance sooner than expected." Noralle smiled.
Six people peered at the sleeping baby in the carriage. The room they stood in was a dark hazy background, the only light in the room coming from the baby itself, throwing the surrounding faces in a soft yellow glow. An old lady stood to the right of the carriage. Extremely beautiful for her age, she had golden eyes and hair, her face full of warmth. To her side stood a middle aged man, almost invisible wings closed along his back. A handsome young man stood across the baby, his short dark hair, parting at his eyes, barely revealing its pointing tip. Beside him stood a dwarf on a stool, his long beard reaching his little feet and beside him stood an old man, with long white beard and wings like vapor on his back too, looking the most troubled of all, his face covered by his wrinkled hands. All were dressed differently, but each looking more royal than the next.
"Don’t think so much, Evod. It is for the boy's good." a dark figure spoke behind the old man, his voice a hoarse whisper.
"Kral is right. It is the only thing we can do." said the old lady, her voice melodiously sweet.
"But- but he is so young. So tiny," said the old man named Evod. He took the baby's hand and stroked his tiny fingers with his large thumb. The baby curled them around the large finger. "How will he survive?"
"Being born in a time and land like ours and still sleeping peacefully is survival itself," said the young man.
"He is right. Be grateful to the Lone Rub that the boy is still alive and with us," said the old lady. "Had his presence been aware of, he would be in the clutched of-"
"Don't take that wretched, unchaste betrayer's name!" roared the dwarf, his voice full of contempt. Everyone looked at him in silence except Evod.
"Can I not keep him with me?" he said, voice filled with hope.
"You would be calling death upon yourself and slavery upon the boy, neither of which we can afford," said the young man.
"The boy and you are too precious to lose. We can't take such risks," said the old lady.
"Enough thinking!" the dark figure said, outraged. He stepped in front with the rest, his pale skin and white hair coming into view. He looked at Evod angrily.
"Do you wish for the boy to be safe or not?!"
"Yes. But I doubt the human world is safe enough for him"
"It is far safer than Gardenia at present." the middle aged man spoke for the first time. "It is the truth and I do accept it myself."
"Noralle, you too?" the final traces of hope vanished from Evod's old fading eyes.
Chapter 3
Start from the beginning
