“That was a bold move, Athung, but when Raagu learns that you have gone over her head, she’ll kill you.” Feela said the moment the dimensional corridors closed behind them.
“Only if she reminds blinded by the old ways.” The young woman replied. “This isn’t a petty squabble over territory or influence. This is a battle for survival and a true warrior leaves their pride off the battlefield.“
***
A few days after Quylla’s complete recovery, village of Lutia.
Lith was walking along the streets of Lutia, visiting one shop after another to check their goods. Now that the peace in his hometown had been restored, he was eager to check if he could get more provisions without the need of traveling all over the Kingdom.
Wherever he went, envious gazes and whispered curses followed him It wasn’t due to his tall and muscular body, his Archmage robe, or even the fact that bards all over the Country were writing songs about him.
Such matters would annoy nobles and those mages who thought of themselves as his rivals. The people of Lutia were much more simple-
minded and down to Mogar. What irked them to no end was the fact that he walked arm in arm with two women.
One was a bit older and much shorter than him, with long hair of a brown so light that it looked golden under the morning sun. The other woman seemed to be in her thirties, with shoulder-length light—brown hair with red shades all over that danced like flames every time she giggled.
They both had a wonderful figures and with each stride they took they lightly swayed their hips, making heads turn.
“Damn, Royals sure must be different from our regular folks.” One of the clerks of the fabric shop that Lith was visiting said.
“Yeah, I mean, clearly the King must have a harem of concubines as well, otherwise he wouldn’t let his future son—in—law hang out with other women in public.” The store owner replied.
“I don’t get why women swarm Verhen like flies with honey. He got himself a Princess yet the handmaid and that hot piece of ass are all over him. Man, what I’d give to bring her in the storeroom and restock her—”
“lt’s my mother you are talking about, jackass!” Lith’s enhanced hearing had allowed him to hear such comments all morning and they had ground on his nerves.
Most new citizens of Lutia had never seen the whole Verhen family assembled and still mistook Elina for Lith’s sister and sometimes even for his date.
The two men froze in panic when they realized that despite the considerable distance, Lith had overheard their words and was so pissed off that the violet light in his eyes was perfectly visible despite the sun.
“What were they saying to upset you so much, dear?” Elina asked.
“They were… making rude comments on your physical appearance and what would they do if you were to give them a moment of your time in private.” Lith replied while avoiding looking her in the eyes in embarrassment.
“They think that we’re together and that I’m hot?” Elina chuckled.
“Mom!” Like most sons, Lith didn’t like that word applied to his mother, let alone referring to her as such.
“There’s no need to be angry, sweetie.” She kissed his cheek,
embarrassing him even further. “lt’s flattering for a woman my age.”
Lith snarled in reply and brought a few rolls of fabric to the counter,
his eyes still alight.
“How much for this?” He asked while glaring at Elina’s suitor who was about his age.
“lt’s on the house, Archmage Verhen.” The owner said in a rush,
covered in a cold sweat.
“Do you think I need your charity?” Lith turned towards him, his voice a growling rumble that announced a storm.
“Yes, I mean, no. 1 mean twenty copper coins.” The merch actually cost twenty-seven, but the man was so scared that he had missed one roll.
A wave of Lith’s hand made the rolls of cloth disappear and replaced them with the sum required. Once the store owner realized his mistake, he considered seven copper coins a cheap price for keeping his skin.
“Mom, why did you want me to accompany you shopping? l was in the middle of an important breakthrough!” Lith said with a grumble.
“You always say that.” Elina sighed. “Besides, you need to get out of your lab more. You look terrible and you, Solus, should have dragged him into sunlight before he started to get pale.“
“I know, but we—”
“Were in the middle of an important breakthrough.“ Elina completed the phrase for her. “Gods if I miss Kamila.”
Solus blushed at that remark but she had no excuse to offer.
Mastering the Fury, discovering a breathing technique for herself, and crafting the equipment that Lith needed for the war were all matters that required lots of time.
Yet she knew that it wasn’t just because of that that she had let Lith hole himself up in the tower for so long. She had just been too happy having him all to herself and unwilling to share.
“Me too.” Lith said, shielding his eyes from the light of the day to which he was no longer used. Yet what pained him the most was the thought that it was l(amila’s birthday and that they wouldn’t spend it together.
“I’m still waiting for an answer, Mom.”
“l asked you to accompany me because you look sickly. Also, we both have gotten too used Warping around the Kingdom for our chores.
It’s no surprise that the people of Lutia treat us as strangers if they never see us.
“You are the only one they recognize and only because of your robe.
On top of that, I want you to witness the good that you are doing for the people of the Kingdom. You are fighting the war for the freedom and the happiness of us all, but ideals are just words.
“l want you to see what and who you are really fighting for. To remind you that you have a place to call home and where you have to return once the fight is over. l hope that during your darkest hour, it will give you the strength you need to win and come back to your old,
boring Mom.” Elina sniffled.
She always acted tough and pretended to be alright, but she suffered whenever she didn’t see Lith for days or weeks. If before the thought that he was in the safety of his lab was of consolation for her, now she felt dying inside every time he left for a mission.
She was terrified of not seeing him again, his corpse lost under the rubble of some ancient ruin.
“Mom, you are not boring and definitely you are not old.” Lith embraced her, giving her a handkerchief. “Not according to the horny jerks of Lutia, at least.”
Elina blew her nose and then chuckled at the memory of the embarrassed clerk.
“All these emotions and shopping made me work quite an appetite.“
She said while looking at the noon sun. “Where do we eat?”
“I‘ve reserved us a table in the best restaurant in Lutia, the Heavenly Wolf.” Lith replied.
