Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

"Who was she? From what I can understand, she was not an ordinary human being," Cian asked.

"Sierra! Her name was Sierra," King Armen informed. "Even after one month of returning back to the palace, I couldn't forget her. I went back to the forest where I had spent a week with her while she was taking care of me with the help of Physician Erich Winfield and Celia."

"That's how father knows him," Cian concluded.

King Armen nodded, "And the Celia I mentioned is the one who looked after Seren."

"Martha?" Cian asked, surprised.

King Armen nodded again, "She is one more person who had to sacrifice her life because of my recklessness."

Cian had nothing to say about it as he stood there silently to hear further.

"When I went to that hut, no one was there as if no one ever lived there after I left. I didn't wish to give up and kept going there once a week. I searched for Erich and found him but he too didn't know who that woman was and where she had gone. He said she disappeared after I returned to the Palace. As if my wish was granted, during one of my visits, I saw her standing outside of the hut and looking around as if just like me she was also there to see that place. After that, I didn't allow her to disappear and kept visiting her once a week. I didn't know who she was or from where she came but she used to be there every time as per the schedule we had decided to meet."

"Those frequent meetings slowly converted into love and affection for each other. I liked to be with her and the same was the case with her. Though she never told me who she was, I didn't care and ended up falling for her. When I thought we would always be together, everything changed. She disappeared suddenly, never to return again. I kept visiting that place for months but she never appeared and never did she say that she would never come back. The last time I saw her was when she came to the palace that night and handed me our daughter, Seren."

"She left after telling me what had happened and disappeared never to return again. All I had in my hand was the baby whose face was covered with a veil and I was not allowed to see her face."

Cian thought about something and asked, "Then the rumored woman who came to the palace that night carrying Seren, was really her mother?"

King Armen nodded.

"Then was she really the way they had described?" Cian asked, referring to everyone calling her ugly and scary witch.

"When she came to hand over Seren to me, she was changed. She was not the one I used to meet but I could recognize her. Through the warmth in her eyes and her soul, I knew it was her," King Armen replied.

"Where is she now? Who are the people chasing Seren?" Cian asked.

"Even I don't know where she went. And about the ones who are chasing Seren, it's better for us to not mention them," King Armen replied.

Cian didn't insist and asked, "Didn't you search for her, father?"

"I had to break all the connections with her for the sake of Seren's safety. Before leaving Seren to me, she had instructed me to never search for her or it will put Seren in grave danger."

Cian exhaled as this all seemed so messed up to him and knowing it all at once, was surreal and a lot to take.

"Father, I wish to know something."

King Armen gave him an approving nod.

"Last time father said Seren holds a power that someone is after and can bring disaster if they get their hold on it. Then why didn't you train or have someone train her to use those powers properly to protect herself? If the power she holds is that strong and Seren could have learned to use it, she wouldn't have to live like this."

"She can not use those powers," King Armen replied.

It surprised Cian as he had seen what Seren could do when there are drastic changes in her emotions. Little did he know it was the power of curses she bears and not the actual power residing inside her which King Armen was talking about.

"And why is it like this?" Cian asked, curiously.

"Seren is nothing but an empty vessel to carry that main, dangerous power. She can never use it. That's why we needed to protect her. If she had fallen into their hands, she would have only suffered. Keeping her locked inside the tower was far better than what she must have suffered."

"But that power where she could burn something, creating rainfall and that flower blooming, what is it?" Cian asked.

"Those are not the powers I mentioned, those are curses which are meant to put her to suffering. Flowers are blooming everywhere with her happiness, she has inherited it from her mother."

"Father, I don't understand all of this. Why is it like this?" Cian asked, feeling sad for his little sister.

King Armen explained, "Her mother was not supposed to fall for me and let alone have a child with me. She was being punished for this sin and therefore they were meant to kill her child. Sierra wanted to protect her daughter at all costs and she had therefore passed the power she holds to her daughter. The one who possesses that power, cannot be harmed by them. So all they did was put curses on Seren to let her suffer. They can kill Seren only if she uses this power but Seren being a child, how could she use it and they, therefore, had no chance or the means to kill her."

"As a child, she couldn't use it but now she is an adult…"

"Her mother herself locked those powers inside Seren to protect her and to not let her use them. Because the day Seren would use it, they will be able to find her and it will give them a reason to kill her. That's why currently she is nothing but a vessel who is carrying that power inside to save her own life. Her mother never intended anyone to be a master of such strong power and she was not sure if her daughter could ever handle it being a half-human. By this means of locking the power and hiding Seren, who holds it, Sierra is protecting her daughter as well as this world by not letting them get hold of that power."

"So it was never about Seren or her mother but it was always about that power inside Seren?" Cian concluded.

"Yes, they wanted to covet that power which Sierra was protecting. Acquiring it from her when she was at her lowest and had something to lose, was the best opportunity for them."

"Now what will happen, father?" Cian asked, feeling worried for Seren.

"Everything went opposite to what her mother had decided. No one thought she would end up getting married," King Armen commented.

"But father you said you don't know what her mother is…."

"Martha knew and she was the only way of communication. Martha once told me that they planned to take Seren away to some other place before she comes of age and before they will track the powers inside her. I could not object to any decision made by her mother and followed what was needed for Seren's safety. Hiding her inside the tower was not enough. She was needed to be hidden in a more secured place"

"I hope now that she is with King Drayce, as per what we have decided and what he had promised, he would protect her being her husband," Cian commented. "I hope she will get all the happiness and love she could never get here. She will be loved and will learn to love."

"She cannot," King Armen said, which startled Cian.

"What do you mean, father?"

"She is cursed to never fall in love. She would never understand such emotions."

"This is ridiculous," Cian exclaimed and then realized he had behaved inappropriately in front of his father. "Apologies, father."

King Armen didn't mind it and said, "It is indeed ridiculous."

"Why did they have to do this. Were all those curses she had not enough to add this another cruel curse?"

"It is to stop her from using those powers and be a master of it," King Armen replied.

It was getting so confusing for Cian. "What does it have to do with her feeling those emotions?"

"She can use those powers only to protect someone whom she truly loves. If that day ever comes, she will become the master of that power. That curse is to stop it from happening as they don't wish her to master it. They want it for themselves."

Cian was so upset with it. "But she is married now and what about King Drayce? Does he even know that she can never love him?"

King Armen shook his head, "He was the one to insist on marrying her despite knowing lots of things about her. I couldn't come up to tell him about what I just told you. I can only hope he will be understanding of her. I needed to protect her and I did what I am supposed to do. You can call me selfish but I won't mind it."

For the first time, Cian saw the image of a father of one daughter inside King Armen, where one father wouldn't hesitate to be selfish for his daughter's sake.

Cian could do nothing about it and asked, "But why did father keep her away from himself and never showed that he loved and cared for her? It had nothing to do with protecting her secretly."

"When she arrived in the palace and her mother left, I wanted to keep Seren with me, but…."

"But what father?"

"Your mother, Queen Niobe's approval was necessary to let it happen without any hurdles. Afterall she was the Queen but moreover, she was my wife, who must have been gravely hurt after seeing I have a daughter with another woman when she was being patient with me for all those years and in spite of having two daughters with me, I didn't show her any affection. When I talked to her, though she and her pride were hurt, she said nothing but requested something that I had to obey."

"What was it, father?" Cian asked.

"I should never show any fatherly love to Seren and should never treat her like my daughter. She should be no one but only the third princess of this kingdom in the name. She allowed Seren to stay here only till she became an adult."

"And father easily agreed to it?" Cian asked in disbelief.

"I did?" King Armen replied, "It was not just because she asked me to but I did it as we all, this entire kingdom, owes her a lot. I did it considering the sacrifices she had made and the pain she had to go through because of me. I could do at least this much for her sake. Moreover, it was not a good idea to let Seren mingle with others so agreeing to it was not a big deal. She was meant to be hidden inside the tower under the protective spell."

Cian sighed and said after a long pause, "I only know that between all the actions of adults, one child has suffered."

King Armen could say nothing but be quiet as what his son said was the truth.

"But I am glad that despite all of this, you never treated her like others and always cared for her like a true elder brother. You are kind like your mother."

"How can I not? She is my sister," Cian commented. He remembered what he was there for. "Father, I had heard we got a wedding invitation from Megaris."

King Armen nodded, "You have to go there to attend the wedding."

"And father?"

"It's not the right time to face her," King Armen commented and returned to his chair as he instructed, "Make all the preparations to leave for Megaris."

"Yes, father."

After discussing attending the wedding in Megaris, Cian left while King Armen continued to sit in his chair as he remembered Seren writing her name on each page of her books. He closed his eyes in pain and mumbled.

"Seren. Such a beautiful name my daughter has."