CH 10

Elven Forest (2)

“Son, let Mommy explain!!” Mommy Vyvyan grabbed my cloak with one hand and worriedly shouted. “Let me explain. I can explain, Son. Mommy isn’t trying to pick on you, or give the White Deer King grief. Mommy just… just happened to give an unclear command… Mommy will kill them, okay? Mommy will kill them now. Son, don’t go; let Mommy explain… Please, don’t go…”

Mom waved her hand, summoning blades from thin air that amputated the frozen soldiers’ shoulders and beheaded them. I turned my head around to look at Mommy Vyvyan, who was about to cry, and sighed: “Mom, I wasn’t asking you to commit murder. I want to know what they mean by your orders. Also, what’s their issue? Why were they operating under your orders, yet didn’t recognise me and even attacked me? Additionally, what do you want with the white deer? What’s your reason for capturing white deer?’

“Mommy will explain… Mommy will explain… But come back first, okay? Come back first. Mommy will get you a cup of nice tea then we’ll calm down, and Mommy will explain to you.”

Lucia tossed the sword in her hand down then gave me a small nod when I looked to signal, albeit still feeling concerned. I knew she didn’t want to clash with Mommy Vyvyan, and she probably didn’t want to leave, either.

I shifted my attention Mom then the White Deer King. It was the first time the White Deer King was so scared that she glued itself to me and whimpered. I gently stroked her neck. Mommy Vyvyan’s presence incited fear, so I stroked her neck again: “It’s all right now. It’s all right now, White Deer King, it’s all right now. I will protect you. I will protect you. Don’t be scared. Don’t be scared.”

I wiped the White Deer King’s tears. Mommy Vyvyan quickly called for the imperial guards and demanded they protect the White Deer King around the clock. Still afraid, the White Deer King was reluctant to part with me, but I needed to listen to Mom’s explanation, while the White Deer King couldn’t enter the imperial palace. I caressed the White Deer King: “If you find yourself in danger again, just run. Don’t worry about anything and just run. Run to the North, and you’ll be safe. We’ll meet up again in the North. Make sure to stay safe. White Deer King, I don’t want to lose you.”

The White Deer King brushed her face against mine and then went off to the side. I then made my way to the imperial palace. Mommy Vyvyan walked by my side. She cautiously tried to hold my hand, but I pulled Lucia over before she could, cutting Mom off. Mom’s expression froze. Melancholic, she looked away. She tightly pursed her lips. She was afraid and trembling as you would see a child do after making a mistake.

Once we reached the guest room, Lucia shut the door and stood by the door to prevent anybody from eavesdropping. Mom grabbed a cup of tea and pot. She went out to boil the tea then came back with it. I sat on the sofa and didn’t mention a word. Mom placed the hot tea in front of me, and then sat in front of me in a reserved manner.

“Mom, I hope you provide me with a proper explanation.”

Mom nodded, albeit concerned. She seemed to be wrestling with how to word it in a way that wouldn’t aggravate me. She expounded, “Son, perhaps Mommy shouldn’t have hid this from you… However, this does indeed have nothing to do with you. Mommy wanted to let you rest at home and not know about this… The truth is… is that it’s to do with some mana flow problems in the eastern forest. After we investigated it, we found out that it was the white deer’s issue; there’s a problem with their mana. I don’t know where the mana came from. Although I can’t discern any abnormalities, you’re here. Therefore, I don’t want any potential hazards to exist. As a pre-emptive tactic, Mommy locked them up for the meantime. Mommy guarantees Mommy has only locked them up!! Mommy absolutely won’t kill them. It’s just… Let Mommy examine them for now. Mommy promises to not kill them.”

“What was with those soldiers, then? If they’re imperial guards, they must’ve been able to recognise me, right? If they did, would they really have dared to attack my White Deer King?” I grouchily asked, despite not being angry with Mom.

In all fairness, Mom’s method wasn’t unreasonable. Although we didn’t know what happened, there was nothing wrong with imprisoning the white deer for the meantime. It was normal for people to segregate the infected and those not infected before it was confirmed to be a contagious disease. What ticked me off most was why they would capture my white deer. The White Deer King was my steed, and I was the Prince. The imperial guards wouldn’t dare lay hands on my White Deer King as they were cognizant of that fact. That was why the most baffling thing to me was why those soldiers would dare to lay their hands on my White Deer King and even attack me.

I never heard of them or saw them before. They clearly weren’t ordinary elven warriors, but I didn’t have the foggiest idea as to where they came from.

“Those warriors are responsible for guarding the elven spring. They’re a team exclusive to our Galadriel Tribe… Mommy has never let you see them, as they fundamentally no longer possess any kindness. They will only follow my orders; or rather, the orders of the elven monarch. As you saw, they’ll show no exception to even you in spite of you being my son… Mommy sent them out to capture the white deer, for Mommy didn’t want you to know. That was beyond Mommy’s predictions, though. Mommy didn’t expect them to take the initiative to cause trouble in the palace, and treat the White Deer King as another white deer to capture.”

Mom leaned in toward me. Her speech continuously sped up. She was practically on the verge of getting down on her knees to beg for mercy: “Sorry, sorry, Son, sorry. It was Mommy’s fault. Mommy should’ve thought about it in advance… Mommy just didn’t expect it. What do you want, Son? What must Mommy do to have your forgiveness?”

I picked up the hot tea for a sip: “Nothing really. Mom, as long as the White Deer King is safe, I’m fine. I have dragon scales; they, therefore, can’t hurt me. The White Deer King is my steed, however. I don’t want her to get hurt. Thus, I hope you can organise people to protect it.”

“Sure, sure, Mommy shall do that. Mommy shall do that.”

“Great. Mom, I’m not angry. Actually, would you be willing to come with me to the eastern forest? I want to look into this matter.”