Chapter Four

Mirial stared wide-eyed at the approaching demon.

No one could deny he was Kay 's son. He was magnificent. A perfect blend of both of his fathers.

A deep sense of loss enveloped him. So many dreams and hopes had crumbled with his birth. Now all that was left was this vicious creature before him.

The blue eyes that in Kay reflected love and a passion for life, in him reflected nothing but hate and contempt.

Mirial's gaze was riveted on his face, particularly on his third eye. The mark of a powerful demon. It was almost hypnotizing him.

Then Butraz extended his nether-wings. Mirial was engulfed by his shadow. The demon's clawed hand grasped his chin forcing him to look into his eyes.

He smiled, giving Mirial a full view of his exposed fangs.

" Such a pity that I must destroy one so beautiful as you " mother"!" He then proceeded to kiss Mirial. The later struggled against him, appalled that his own child should take advantage of him in such a manner.

Suddenly sharp claws pierced the skin above his heart.

This was it. He would die at the hands of the son he had wanted so desperately. How ironic!

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For nearly five months he had awakened feeling the most horrible nausea.

If all the symptoms gave him no clue: the nausea, the fainting, the tiredness, the constant mood swings; the sleepiness; the fast disappearing red mark on his tummy was a dead giveaway. It had turned pink, almost matching his skin tone. That meant only one thing , Mirial was carrying Kay's child, not getting fat as he once feared.

Soon he would not be able to hide it, but the palace was not a save place for him to bear his child.

A sudden knock on his door startled him out of his reverie. A servant had arrived with an urgent summons from the King.

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Kay Salgis sat at his throne. The whole council was gathered near him ,on a slightly lower level than he was. Before him, to the right, stood a small group of people. Mirial recognized them as Lady Elra, Lord Nias , the Royal Chamberlain Lord Corek and a maid. One of Mirial's personal attendants.

Why was she there?

A guard instructed him to stand before the King, not beside him as was the custom. Something was definitely wrong.

" Your Highness, you have requested my presence? "

" Indeed , my Ragghyr!" The intonation of his words send shivers down Mirial's spine. Kay actually sounded scared. " An accusation has been made against you."

" Who accuses me? What crime have I committed?" The maid had betrayed him.

Lord Nias stepped forward, his sister at his side. When he spoke it was with supreme haughtiness. He was as brash and insolent as his sister, if she was not worse.

" We accuse you, Mirial Nightson of the clan Nightshadow, of treason and heresy !

A loud murmur escaped from the crowd.

" Do you deny that, against the most ancient and sacred of our laws, you harbor within you a child, conceived from your unlawful union to Kay Salgis of Illuminaous?" A triumphant smile lit her face.

His foolish maid cowered from the withering stare he gave her. His secret had been exposed and the predators would ask for his blood. He had to stay a step ahead of them.

" Never will I deny the royal child within me! "

A collective murmur arose after my confession. Everyone was appalled and shocked by his attitude. Hhis father's disappointed gaze bored into him.

" You see! He does not deny it! He has no regrets for his actions! He has no qualms about bringing this demon-child into the world! " Nias stated as he turned to all those gathered in the throne room.

" That is not true! " Mirial cried, interrupting him. " The babe within me is no demon. He is the son of Kay Salgis, your King!"

" The son of a Nightshadow and an Illuminaous can be nothing more than a demon!" The High Priest of Shariar had joined in on the fray." It must not be allowed to be born!" He turned to face Mirial, his eyes full of hate. " Kill the demon and kill it's unchaste "mother"!"

Mirial was frightened this man would have no second thoughts in ripping the unborn child from Mirial's womb. His only hope was Kay's intervention.

" No! Kay listen to me! They are frightened. Frightened of our child; of the might he will wield! Do you not see that! They will slay your child, our child, and me; and when they are proven wrong , they will say they did it to save the world!" His whole body was trembling from the power of his emotions." It is their positions they worry about. If no demon is born it will undermine the very base of their religion. This is the only way they can keep a tight reign over our people and over you!"

" His very words are heresy! The Goddess will punish you , all of us if this creature is allowed to live!"

" By that, do you mean me, or my child? You will not kill my child!" He turned towards Kay and knelt before him. His green gaze held Kay's attention. " Do not give in to them! Do not follow tradition blindly like a fool. All I ask of you is a chance. If you love us..." He suggestively rubbed his belly. " Let him live, so that you might hold him in your arms and proclaim to the four corners of the world that I have given you a son worthy of the name Illuminaous! "

All eyes turned to the King.

He stood, his visage hard, unyielding to any emotion.

The priest moved ready to retaliate. One scorching look from the King sent him to the floor in prostration.

" I have had enough! Mirial... " He took Mirial's hands and lifted him into his arms." ... though I love you my decision shall be that which is for the good of my people." The look of defeat in Mirial's eyes pulled at his heart. In an instant he had witness the complete subjugation of his beloved's soul. Gently his fingers traced the path of Mirial's tears.

"Mirial..." He whispered. " Your sin is my sin! I was older and your lord, and yet I consented to our affair. For that I promise you that I will try my best to save our child !"

" This is my ruling : I will not have the blood of an innocent on my hands! The Ragghyr Mirial Nightson will remain my prisoner until such time as his child is proven innocent of demonic possession, or, if found guilty he will be summarily slain along with his unborn son! So I have decreed, so let it be done! "

He quickly made his exit followed by a throng of angry priests and politicians.

The Lord Chamberlain , plus a few guards ,escorted Mirial to his chambers for his imprisonment.

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A week passed by and Kay was no closer to finding the solution than he was before.

" My Lord, you must heed my advice! If you remain in the palace you will die! -Dreian pleaded with Mmirial for the fifth time in as many days.

" I can not run away , I am the Ragghyr! Besides, Kay will find a way to save our baby." He stubbornly hung on to that hope, unlikely as it was.

" There is no way to prove the pureness of your child, save by removing him from your body and you know it! Even if he somehow managed that, the priest would not accept it , they would get rid of you one way or another. Even now they are conspiring against you ! "

Unable to bear the strain any longer Mirial broke down. Dreian embraced him, whispering in his ear ." I will do my best to protect you , but even I am not infallible, this place is too hostile, full of enemies. Soon you will be too big to travel. You must choose now!"

Mirial felt odd being comforted by this creature he had created. In a way Dreian too was his son.

" How... where would we go?"

" I have taken care of everything. There is an old wagon hidden deep within the forest to the south of the palace. I will have to strain my powers since it is almost to the limit of my teleporting range, but the further away we are from the palace grounds the better. Say the word and we are gone! "

Mirial emitted a long, sad sigh as he gave one final gaze to his room. He was silently saying goodbye to all the memories and the dreams he was leaving behind.

"Very well... take me! Take me away from here!"

Every shadow in the room deepened and swirled about them. Total darkness engulfed them amids a soft murmur.When the shadows parted they were gone.