Then Layla said in a joking tone as she placed her hand on her forehead in a dramatic fashion:
"Don't tell me this is part of your plan to get close to me and do bad things while I'm asleep! Oh, world, save me from this evil boy!"
Arthur replied with a frustrated sigh, waving the air with his palm:
"Tch... what a wild imagination you have. If you used that intelligence for strategic planning, you'd be one of the greatest fighters in history.
But unfortunately, it seems all your power only appears when you're bullying me."
Layla put her hands behind her back with a slight bow, tilted her head a bit, made a "cute" expression and an innocent smile, then said in a soft voice:
"Do you want me to stop doing that?"
Arthur looked at her with a tired gaze, raising his eyebrow suspiciously, then said:
"You little fox, stop that. If you have all this power in talking, then why am I carrying all these things for you?"
She replied while pretending to be exhausted, placing her hand on her forehead as if she were about to faint:
"Ah... I'm tired. It seems the bags are really heavy."
Arthur muttered as he turned his face away sarcastically:
"Tch... what a stupid excuse."
While Layla was bullying Arthur as usual, Zela sat next to Victoria and asked her calmly while observing the interaction between the two:
"Is that girl... his lover? Or fiancée?"
Victoria smiled slyly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then said:
"What do you think? Does she look like his lover? Or fiancée?"
Zela thought for a moment, placing her finger on her chin, then said:
"Hmmm... she looks like his lover."
Victoria laughed gently and said:
"She's not his lover, nor his fiancée... she's his maid."
Zela raised her eyebrows in surprise and said in a shocked voice:
"What?! Are you sure? How can a maid talk to her master so boldly? And even bully him too?!"
Victoria laughed again, then said in a calm voice while looking at Arthur and Layla:
"It's not that simple. Layla has been with him since he was young... they've known each other since he was three years old.
That's why their bond is very strong... Do you understand now?"
Zela nodded, showing understanding:
"Ah... now I understand everything."
Victoria replied with a small smile:
"Yes, that's how it is."
While Arthur and Layla were playing on the bed and laughing innocently, Sasha turned to Zela and asked her in a childish tone:
"Sis, when will Daddy come back from his trip? Will he be late like usual?"
Her face was innocent, and her wide eyes sparkled with hope.
Zela responded with a fake smile, hiding her sadness behind a cheerful tone:
"Yes... he might be a little late, but he'll definitely come back, and he'll bring you lots of candy."
Sasha jumped in joy and shouted:
"Yay! I love candy!"
Victoria looked at Sasha and Misha as they played happily, unaware of what was really happening...
They thought their father went on a "trip"...
...But the truth is, he's in prison.
Victoria approached Zela and whispered to her:
"I know you're hiding your sadness... but it's okay, don't be afraid. Your father is a great man, and nothing will happen to him."
Then she added, while giving Zela a soft scrutinizing look:
"If it's not too rude of me to ask... where is your mother? Why don't I see her with you?"
She said it quietly so the little girls wouldn't hear.
Zela lowered her gaze to the ground, her lips tightened, then she said sadly:
"My mom... died when she gave birth to my twin sister.
She was sick, and couldn't bear the pain of childbirth... and she died."
A moment of silence fell. It was as if Zela had gone back in her memory to that night...
The sky was cloudy, and frost covered the village.
Elara Fernes, her mother, was lying on the bed, sweating heavily, her body burning with fever.
Zela was young then, crying silently in the corner of the tent as she watched her mother moaning and writhing in pain.
Suddenly, the pain grew intense, and Zela ran out crying and shouting:
"Daddy! Daddy! Mommy is in a lot of pain! Come quickly!"
Her father, Lucian – known as "Speed" – was in an important meeting with the tribe men.
But when he heard his daughter's voice, he realized the critical moment had come. He feared for his wife, as her condition was already weak.
He shouted loudly:
"Bring the old lady immediately!"
He rushed with Zela to the tent, and there... he found his wife drenched in sweat and groaning in agony.
He held her hand and whispered:
"Don't worry... I'm here."
Zela was clutching the edge of his cloak, crying, while an old woman entered the tent and asked everyone to leave.
The old woman examined Elara's condition and muttered sadly:
"Her condition is bad... it'll be a miracle if she survives this night."
Then she shouted:
"Call for Ivara immediately! The birth has begun!"
Speed ran like an arrow and shouted toward Ivara's house. She came out startled and said:
"What's going on?!"
He said, panting:
"The birth has started... the old lady sent me to get you!"
Ivara sensed something serious was happening... the old lady only asked for her help in critical cases.
She said quickly:
"Wait for me a moment!"
She prepared her tools and came out. Speed rushed her to the tent with incredible speed.
Inside the tent, Elara was screaming, her temperature rising...
The old lady asked for a sharp knife, boiling water, and bandages... Ivara realized the matter was more dangerous than she thought.
Outside the tent, Speed was hugging his trembling daughter and saying to her:
"Don't be scared... your mother is strong."
And after what felt like an eternity, the screaming stopped...
And the sound of two babies crying was heard.
Joy spread, and the soldiers rushed to congratulate Speed... but he didn't smile.
He entered the tent and saw two small twins resembling their mother...
Their eyes were honey-colored, and their ears bore a warm, honey-like hue.
Tears welled in his eyes as he hugged them, while his wife smiled at him weakly...
But... the old lady looked at him sadly. He approached her and asked with worry:
"What is it? Why are you looking like that?"
Then, Elara whispered to him in a trembling voice:
"Come closer..."