Repeating Mahnu’s words in her head, Jaclyn still could not make out anything from it!

It simply did not make any sense!

Gods...They simply don’t exist! Only stories had God’s! In this present age, even stories with God’s in it were rare to find…Well, they were rare to find in Bena at least…

‘Well, I was a God for over a thousand years, then I turned mortal about two years ago.’

…I think I heard her wrong…No, I must have heard her wrong!

"You didn't hear me wrong." Mahnu stated, watching, hearing and waiting on Jaclyn’s reply, thoughts and actions.

Again, Jaclyn went quiet, still in shock.

"Mmm, too much of a shock, I believe...You've gone quiet. Both inside and out..." Mahnu sighed, and then said, "Do you think that any of that news will be bad for the baby?"

True and honest curiosity was asked in that question, as Mahnu hoped and hoped that this did not pose a problem. She knew how much Richard wanted a child and…Now that she was pregnant, she really did hope that this child would really come to be…

What if this child does not get born? What if I suddenly become a God again? Would this child then disappear!?

It was scary! It was…

 

Looking at Jaclyn, waiting for her answer and hoping for it to be a positive one, Mahnu felt her heart beating faster and faster, as the time went on…

Jaclyn looked back at her in bewilderment.

How...How should I know that?

Upset, because Mahnu didn’t get the answer she wanted, she rubbed her stomach gently and tried to calm herself down. "Then we will have to wait and see how it will go then."

Stammering, Jaclyn asked, "Is it true? You…You were a...God?"

Mahnu nodded. "I wasn't the only God. But they tried to take over Kralaide...Twice. So, now, there are no more God's left."

"Other...God's!?" Jaclyn gulped.

Mahnu nodded. "But, like I said, they are all gone now. As you see, even I am mortal now...I am telling you this because you have agreed to stay, so I will answer any questions that you have."

"How...How did you know? How did you know that…" Jaclyn asked falling to her knees, as her legs could no longer hold her up.

Mahnu chuckled, "I'm surprised you haven't noticed, Jaclyn! I've been answering your thoughts since we've met."

"…What?" Jaclyn really couldn’t comprehend the words Mahnu just said…

With wide eyes, she stared at Mahnu and she didn’t realize that seconds had turned into a minute that had passed…

 

Smiling, Mahnu said, "Don't speak. Think of something and I will show you."

Seeing that actions might bring Jaclyn out of her shock, Mahnu gave herself a small nod to see that it had worked…

Jaclyn closed her eyes and thought of her late brother, who had died a few years ago now. The reason she first dreamt of becoming a doctor, was because of him. He had a sickness that no one seemed to know how to cure and it had made her mad. Six doctors and having to pay them to state that they could do nothing!

They had not been rich, they had given so much just to hear that nothing could be done!

In the six months that her brother had been sick and stuck to the bed, Jaclyn had felt utterly hopeless and all that hopelessness turned into her want to become a doctor, a doctor that could treat an illness like that and save someone!

Because…In the end…She hadn’t been able to save her brother…

He had laid there, weaker by the day and she had to endure through saying goodbyes, feeling the body grow cold and unmoving!

"…I'm sorry." A voice broke her out of her memories and heartache.

Jaclyn opened her eyes, to see Mahnu looking back at her sadly. "What?"

"Your brother...The reason you dreamt of becoming a doctor."

Jaclyn stood up in shock, leaning across the bed, "…How…How did you know that!?"

Breathing out, Mahnu said back, "I can read minds that are close by..."

"…Uh?" Jaclyn fell to her knees and her eyes were wide opened once again…

Mahnu looked away and sighed.

 

Moments of silence went by, then Jaclyn got up.

Watching Jaclyn take the dishes and walk away silently, Mahnu did as Jaclyn did, and tried to calm herself down.

How can someone be that slow? Mahnu breathed out and put her head down. But she has a heart of gold, that girl.

Not sure on what to do, Mahnu closed her eyes and just listened to those nearby.

Story? Please, please, please. I know you're awake. Story time!

"Shut up, William!" Mahnu yelled, irritation clearly within her words.

"Come on, Mahnu. You have to stay in bed, but you might as well talk to me!" He had come inside now and had sparkles in his eyes.

"You rarely asked for anything when I first met you, you've changed!" Mahnu said, folding her arms across her chest.

William just rudely sat on a chair and stared at her in anticipation…

Mahnu laughed, covering her mouth when she didn't stop. "You're...A nasty little brother!" She said, trying to sound firm.

 

William smiled but continued to stare at her the exact same way.

"What do you want to hear this time?" Mahnu asked, shaking her head in defeat.

"The previous Kings and Queens!" He said, he had already thought about it and decided earlier.

Mahnu thought about it for a moment. "I didn't know all of them, but I'll try."

"Yes! Yes! Please do!" William said, nodding eagerly.

Mahnu could tell that the King was behind the door, as he had returned, and Jaclyn had entered the room again but Mahnu went on like it was only her and William. "King Maximus, on purposely left me here."

William didn't understand and Mahnu chuckled.

She continued to tell them about The Siege and how it had come to pass that she didn't go in The Chest of the God's with the other God's. Mahnu also included information that was in Richard's dreams, even though she hadn't been in Nowell, and with that, she was able to completely tell the story and finished in an hour.

During this time, the King had silently come in and sat on a chair and Jaclyn had sat on the floor…

 

 

"What about His Majesty's father?" William asked, after a few moments of silence.

Mahnu looked at Richard in the dark and asked if that was ok.

She knew that he was tired, as he had not slept yet and the sun would rise sometime soon. If he wanted her to stop, she would happily do as she was told…

He nodded quietly in reply. He knew a few things yes, but he was also curious to know that if there was perhaps something he did not know.

Only now, did Mahnu feel like she could continue, knowing the curiosity of Richard, "King Matthew, father of one son, formally...Two sons, informally."

The King stood up, standing still for a moment, before rushing to Mahnu, "I...Have a brother?"

Mahnu nodded, "You did have a brother."

The King sat on the bed, "Why...Why haven't I heard...Until now?"

It was a valid question…He should know more about his own family then Mahnu, yet here he was hearing something like this for the first time!

"I'm sorry, Richard. He came to the same fate as your father."

…Mahnu finally saw the problem of continuing to speak. For her, this was mostly a story, something of her past that became known to her, yet…For her man, the King, this might not be nice to hear…

 

To a certain degree, Mahnu regretted that they did not stop earlier. She hadn’t even thought of what this might do to Richard until now, and she felt terrible because of it…But…She had already started, and Richard was…

King Richard closed his eyes and then slumped forward when he realized what happened to his unknown brother. His feelings went straight into Mahnu and Mahnu swallowed, trying not to feel so much when this was already in the past…It wasn’t easy though…

She loved Richard and found that whenever he was hurt or upset, it hurt and upset her too…

"He had been only two years old…Formally, he died as nature taking its course but informally, he was poisoned. Your mother took it very hard and never wanted to talk about it, it become a taboo subject within Conrella...Also, King Matthew…Was a father of two daughters." King Richard looked at Mahnu again, and she nodded. "One you know of but the other was like your older brother. They took precautions with more safety and protection after that and then you were born. The King had then decided to stop having children then…It was a worry for a short while, as they had thought your sister might have to take the throne."

 

Pain showed on King Richard’s face to the news that he had never known about, even though it was about his very own family.

Mahnu had spoken quite quickly, now, she slowed down, thinking the worst of it had been said. "King Matthew adored Governor Valtac. Letting the Crowned Prince become engaged to one of Valtac's daughters. He also allowed the engagement of your sister to Valtac's future advisor Rick. King Matthew also treated Governor Gregory well and he never knew, until death, that his supposedly loyal Governor had been the one that had killed some of his family…I hadn't known that due to being nearby and reading his thoughts, I felt it through his suffering. He was greatly affected by the news and tried to survive by any means to claim retribution for his family, but he was stabbed by Gregory himself...With no chance of survival."

Mahnu really wanted to change the subject but she didn't, "…Your father was used, he let those he trusted to trample over him and Kralaide went backwards in his reign...But he dearly loved his family. I dare say that the deaths of his children was the reason why he did not become a better King."

 

Mahnu knew that what she had just said was harsh…Not having worried at all just a few minutes ago, she was now starting to panic, feeling Richard’s emotions wash over her…

Biting her lip, she looked away from King Richard, extremely sorry to have brought him pain. She was sure that anyone else’s family story, she wouldn’t have cared so much, but her heart ached for Richard as he felt not only deep regret but also anger.

He then suddenly put his hand in hers and squeezed it. "It's okay. I knew already that my father let Kralaide go backwards."

Mahnu squeezed back and took a deep breath in and out...Then continued, desperately wanting to finish this conversation, "Your mother decided to follow your father in death and so you ascended the throne at the young age of fifteen. Your father's mother has spent much of her time, after your father's death, in a temple, I believe...And you were left alone, to rule the entire nation of Kralaide."

Many mixed thoughts came into Mahnu's head but for others the room was ghastly silent.

In this silence, Mahnu held back from speaking further about Richard’s father. There had been more, of course, but she did not want to trouble Richard with anything else…

Now that she thought about it, perhaps it would have been better to speak of the other things that she held back on instead, because at least then he would not be so sad now…

As the silence dragged on, at first, William and Jaclyn were pitying the King, yet proud of his achievements. Then they thought of Gregory's nasty, devilish ploys against the throne and it had them both very angry! Afterwards, they wondered how it would be like if the royal family hadn't died at the hands of Gregory...It would be different now...A different past, a different future…

 

All the emotions flooded into Mahnu and she felt overwhelmed and was nearly about to cry, especially the Richard’s thoughts of loss.

For years, in his childhood, he had been watched and could not do much. He had been suffocated to the point of becoming angry at both of his parents for not letting him out beyond the palace walls.

…He had never understood!

Now knowing that they simply wanted him to be safe and not have a repeat to happen to him as to what happened to his elder brother and sister, he felt ashamed of his younger self.

Not once had he stopped to try and understand!

He had cursed his mother and father and even after they had died, he had only felt the normal sense of loneliness that he had already felt prior to their deaths. Why does he feel the loss now, years after their departure, and not then when he was younger?

…Why didn’t he question why his mother was so sad? Why hadn’t he asked why he was being detained as he was?

All he could do back then was learn, sleep and eat, so why didn’t he give himself time to question things!?

Putting his face in his hands, Richard shook his head in sadness. He had been such a fool!

All this time, he had felt like he was just a pawn in his father’s and mother’s eyes, not opening himself to what was really going on!

Perhaps…Marcus knows more of this…

 

Yet…Thinking of Marcus, Richard only got sadder because of the way Marcus had treated him when he had become the King.

Marcus…He was very patient and was by his side all the time!

Of course…Marcus probably knew of his elder brother and sister, he probably knew that he had been immature and didn’t use his head when it came to his parent’s behavior! But not once did he scold! Not once did Marcus get angry!

Remembering now, on a conversation that Marcus and he had one time, Richard could only conclude that Marcus was indeed more to him then he had ever realized!

When his son and daughter had been born, he had spoken to Marcus about giving his children more freedom then to what he had when he had been younger and Marcus had replied with, ‘Your Majesty, freedom and safety are two different things. If you are to give the Crowned Prince and Princess more freedom, then I, the leader of the Loyal Royal Knights will do my best to give them every bit of safety that they will need!’

…If Marcus had not put more effort into safety for my children…

Richard was speechless…Completely speechless to what he had just found out and thought about.

In the process of not wanting his children to grow up like himself, he probably put them more at risk to dying to Governor Gregory’s hands…But all this time, Marcus had done his best to dedicate so many of his knights just for their safety!

Yes, he was thankful, very thankful…He also felt like he treated Marcus poorly in return!

Feeling like he’d just worked out something very important, Richard finally put down his hands and opened his eyes. He was determined to state how grateful he was to Marcus!

Should he give him a gift as well? Some land or something else?

How could he…Show and let Marcus see how deeply grateful he was to have him by his side all this time?