The King's Beloved

"Haaaaaahhh," Selena sighed as she stared at the view from their room's balcony. Her chin rested on both of her hands, and her mouth curled into a pout. "This sucks! It's been three days since I last saw my husband! I can't take this anymooooooreee".

Alas, she fell on her face on the table and threw a fit.

"I'm so lonely … I want some kiss - kyaa! What am I saying?! Argh, this boredom is killing me. Better go visit mother".

Selena stood up from her seat, went to the walk-in closet to change her clothes, and waved her goodbyes to the maids attending her in the room. But Clavis strictly told the maids to always follow Selena, to ensure nothing bad would happen to her. After the incident in the Grand Palace last time, he thought the same thing might happen any moment so it's best to stay alert and prepared at all times. For this reason, the maids insisted on following her. Selena felt happy after hearing the story of her protective fiancé so she allowed them to go with her.

Selena happily waltzed towards Mitis' quarters while humming. She brought some gifts as well, in the forms of sweets she baked, which the maids carried. On her way, she saw Illumináire, sitting on one of the benches in the garden, staring blankly at the water fountain. She never had the chance to talk to her before, so Selena thought this would be the best time to properly introduce herself.

"Ahm, hello!" Selena cheerfully greeted Illumináire. 

Distracted by her voice, Illumináire lost her trail of thought and turned to the woman who disturbed her.

"You are?" Illumináire asked, her face, expressionless.

"I'm Selena Fidelis, you're twin brother's fiancée," Selena politely introduced herself as she curtseyed. "We met once in his bedroom before but it was very quick since you had something urgent to do".

Illumináire nodded. "I remember. You're a peculiar human with half a core inside you, in which I could not bear to comprehend how such a thing could happen. Is there a chance that you are half Magi and half human? Hmm … No -  that is simply impossible. If a human and Magi copulates, the human genes would be overpowered by Magi's genes, therefore only producing Magi in return. And since there's no two spiritual cores and spiritual energy types that would try to dominate one another, a pure-blooded offspring would be produced, with a much higher spiritual capacity than its parents". Illumináire went on rambling on her own as she pressed on her chin, completely forgetting that she was talking to someone. 

Illumináire continued to ponder. She was too focused, she's not seeing Selena anymore.

"But then, how does she have half a core inside her? And how could that core even survive on its own? On a body that is neither compatible nor capable of storing it? And how could she survive, having that inside her? So many questions, with little to no answer".

"He-he-he," Selena smiled awkwardly. "Like brother, like sister. They're really twins, no doubt about that," she thought in her mind. "Well, at least she has a cool and calming voice - like one of those brilliant British women who sounds so smart with their accent and the way they speak".

Selena observed Illumináire as she continued thinking to herself. She was reminded of Clavis whenever they were talking and he would suddenly think of something then forget there's still a world that exists around him. She couldn't help but laugh at her.

Illumináire only returned to the real world when she heard Selena laugh.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I was lost in thought again".

"Ha-ha-ha! That's fine, I'm used to it," Selena smiled warmly at her. Afterwards, she took a box from the pile that the maids with her were carrying and gave it to Illumináire. "Here, have some of these. Nothing beats stress more than a pack of sweet treats!"

Illumináire raised one of her eyebrows and skeptically opened the box that was given her. "Sweet Treats?" her face spelled "puzzled" as if she never heard the term before.

When she opened the box, she found lots of different flavored tarts inside. There was chocolate, cheese, blueberry, strawberry, and many other random fruits. They all looked scrumptiously delicious, and their vibrant and unique colors just added to its delectability. 

"I see, you were referring to fruit tarts," Illumináire's curiosity died down. "I am not very fond of sweets  but -"

"Taste them!" Selena interrupted her before she could even say she didn't like anything sweet in the mouth. "They're so yummy! The fruits just melt in the mouth and it has a perfect combination with the cheese and cream on the tart. Uhhhmmm! really yummy!"

"Did you … make these?" Illumináire asked.

"Yes, I did!" 

Seeing her overly cheerful face, Illumináire couldn't possibly decline her request of tasting it. She thought that she mastered the art of being expressionless, so should the tart be too sweet or not to her liking, she could easily hide her disgust over it.

And so, Illumináire took one tart, the blueberry cheese flavored one, and took a small bite, enough to taste the crust, the cheese and the blueberry on top.

"Huh?" Illumináire was surprised. "This doesn't taste so bad. It's not overly sweet and she's right, the ingredients seemed to blend together perfectly," she thought in her mind. Turning to Selena, her eyes glittered in surprise and amazement, and like a child, she asked her enthusiastically, "Wow! How did you make these?" Her expressionless facade went away in an instant. Now her face reflected satisfaction from the tart she's eating.

Truly, food brings people closer.

Selena beamed with pleasure. "I'm glad you liked it! I have a talent in baking so I can teach you how to make it next time if you want! We can drag along mother as well".

"Yes!" Illumináire unconsciously smiled at her in response. She continued wolfing down on the rest of the tarts. 

"I'm actually going to see mother right now. Do you want to come as well?"

Illumináire simply nodded, the sweets were distracting her too much. Nonetheless, she followed Selena to Mitis' quarters. When they arrived, Mitis greeted them so happily and she was surprised that Illumináire came with Selena. Most of all, she noticed and loved the fact that she was seeing Illumináire smiling. It had been a long time since that last happened. Once again, she felt thankful to Selena.

"I brought some bribe, mother!" Selena greeted Mitis gleefully. "Now, tell me where my husband is and when is he coming back".

"Fu-fu-fu-fu! You're so funny my dear. Come inside first and let's have a nice, long, and fun, ladies talk. I have something important to teach you as well. Time to resume our lessons, if you know what I mean," Mitis naughtily waggled her eyebrows.

And so, everyone came inside and spent the whole afternoon blissfully chatting with each other.

[Music Recommendation: "Somnus" by Yoko Shimomura (instrumental only - FFXV OST) - available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in loop while you read this part to experience the true atmosphere of this scene T_T ~

While they were busy chatting, Clavis, who consecrated himself for three days straight in the Guardian's Temple, was finally reaching some answers to his questions about the interpretation of the Oracle's dreams.

The Supreme led Clavis to answers that were due for him to know. 

First was the identity of the Sun. It was indeed His Anointed One - a man he and his whole family knew very well. Ever since the beginning of the Age of Peace, their families had been close-knit brethrens. And when the family of Sortis was exalted above others, granted the holy power by the Supreme - all thanks to the great deeds of the very first oracle, which was their ancestor - they have served their family with utmost loyalty.

"It's him," Clavis smiled bitterly. His lips trembled in joy, "My childhood friend … my True King".

His heart was filled with both happiness and sadness at the same time. 

"I knew it! I knew the Supreme won't abandon you! He had plans for you! Plans to prosper you and not to harm you! Plans for hope and a future!" Clavis' eyes began to shed tears for his brethren whom he missed so much and never forgot despite the nineteen years they had been apart. "Thank you very much, Most High!"

Yes, he was the reason Clavis often visited the Forbidden Chamber. Every month, of every year, he would go and check on him. Though he could not enter the chamber, he would talk to the dragon that protected him and inquire of his current state. Like the dragon, he did his best to protect him in his own way.

Sniff … sniff … Clavis sobbed. Finally, the Supreme had granted him to know that his best friend had a bright future ahead of him - and not just a future of hiding and being forgotten.

"Elliot … I'm truly happy for you," he whispered to himself. "If the Lord allows, may we meet soon, my dear friend".

SWOOOOOSH …

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew inside the hidden archives, where Clavis was at. One of the old books fell open because of the wind. Clavis noticed it and gently picked it up. When he turned the pages towards him, he saw a torn page inside. The fonts were large enough to read easily but the middle part and a small part at the bottom were torn away - only the top and half of the end of the page were still intact.

On its torn page, it read:

"Oh king, oh king, why do you cry?

The king answered with tears in his eyes

'For the maiden lies lifeless in my arms'".

Upon reading it, Clavis froze in his position. He remembered the part of the oracle's vision where the maiden was engulfed in the light of the sun.

His hands trembled … Then slowly, he looked down, at the bottom of the page.

And there it said:

"When the king sit on his throne,

The maiden shall be no more."

Another small torn part. Then it continued:

"The king will have his queen,

With his righteous right hand,

He will rule the kingdom forevermore".

Alas, Clavis fell down on his knees.

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