Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

When he woke up in that underground chamber, his doubts resurfaced. That thing about her eyes changing colours didn't leave his mind, but he thought to give her the benefit of doubt. After all, she was his saviour…but then, just like the incident with his mother, only he received injuries back then.

The young lady was uninjured despite receiving the same attack and being thrown into the cold river during winter. Even a little child would have realized that Esther was special at that point. Not only that, during that short stay underground, she served him and treated his injuries like with the skills of a physician and an apothecary. How was she capable of so many things at a young age?

Wasn't it easy to guess if someone were to put together all the seemingly outrageous experiences they personally witnessed the 'specialness' of Esther?

If not for the fact that he had grown attached to her and could see she was not someone who would harm anyone, he would have felt fear, knowing someone not human was staying so close to him and his family.

But the one that truly opened his eyes was that time when he was on the verge of death.

Although he was going in and out of consciousness back then, he was somehow aware of the things happening around him. He could feel the concern of the physicians and the worry in the voices of his parents. He also was aware that death was reaching out to him, that anytime he would be possibly breathing his last breath.

Back then, his soul was wandering in the darkness, treading the boundary of life and death. He had accepted that the endless darkness would engulf him and take him away, but all of a sudden, light flooded that strange space and something, no, someone pulled him out of that darkness. Someone with glowing green eyes.

He felt warm energy comfortably embracing his body, easing all the pain he was feeling.

Although he could neither move nor say anything, he could feel someone's constant presence around him, a presence that felt equally comforting and familiar. When finally he regained enough strength to open his eyes, Esther was the one in front of him. For a moment, her eyes again flashed green. It was only for a split second but he knew he was not mistaken.

But seeing the shocked face of the shy woman, he could not help but mess with her. That night, his feelings for her had grown to the point he could recognize what it was. Love. He wasn't sure when it began, but he had already fallen in love with this mysterious woman. Yet despite his curiosity, he kept his questions deep in his heart, since he was aware that the young lady was trying to keep her identity hidden.

In his heart, he knew he was yearning for her and he wished for nothing else but her…and then he noticed something else—a pure and warm emotion that did not belong to him but somewhat mirrors his. To his surprise, he felt as if he was somehow connected to her and could feel her emotions.

When Esther was leaving that night, he noticed a mark on the back of her neck. It was an unfamiliar mark on her nape. As a servant working in the palace, she always tied or braided her long hair, and as someone who had been constantly watching her, he was confident it was a mark he had never seen on her skin before.

Once he got better, strong enough to step out of his bed-chamber, the first thing he did was to search for the mark that had suddenly appeared on her nape. It shouldn't be a simple birthmark or a decorative tattoo; Theron felt that it was a symbol that would lead him to her background. Though he wanted to ask her directly, his intuition told him the elusive young woman would not give him the answer he desired.

After days of searching through the ancient books and scrolls in the abandoned archive of the royal library, he finally found his answer.

[Monarch of the White Witches]

King Theron learned that mark can only belong to a single being, the most powerful white witch to walk the lands. Though there were not many tales about white witches, they were a race of supernatural beings that were able to wield spells aligned with the power of nature. From the bits and pieces, he found from lores, it seemed that this Monarch of the White Witches had been living on the continent for centuries, keeping a youthful appearance that never aged with time. Unlike the other white witches who only have twice the lifespan of humans, this so-called Monarch was made immortal by her incredible powers.

The pieces of the puzzle called Esther started to fit together and take shape in his mind.  This discovery was beyond anything he imagined, but after he was able to calm himself, he understood that this had to be the truth.

Esther was an immortal, a powerful existence much superior to him, a mere human, and it was out of pure kindness that she became part of his life. She was the reason he and his mother were alive. Knowing her reality, he realized that perhaps he shouldn't be greedy and aim for someone beyond his status, but…what could he do upon realizing that she too had feelings for him? What if being together could bring her happiness? Was it not a gamble he should take no matter what?

All his worries about her disappeared, and he wanted to dedicate himself to loving and protecting her with all his might.

However, circumstances proved that he was someone she protected, not the other way around. After that strange attack in his tent back when he joined the frontlines against Thevailes, he made a vow to himself that it would be the last time Esther would ever save him again.

A vow that was so easily broken because he was a weak good-for-nothing husband.

King Theron could not help but let out a bitter laugh. It made him wonder if his wife knew that he was aware of her secrets, would she have trusted him more? Would she at least have waited so that they could talk over things like a husband and wife should? Would things have changed? Perhaps not…but he could not help but think 'what if…?'

He remembered that there was a time when Esther wished to tell him about her identity, but he stopped her. When she told him that he didn't know everything about her and told him that she was older than him, he already knew what she was about to say.

He didn't let her finish and simply made fun out of it to stop her. All he wanted was to live a life like any other human husband and wife. Maybe it was a foolish move, but he simply wanted to relish in the happiness of the present, not caring what would happen in the future.

While King Theron remained as still as a statue by the window, he called for his personal servant. As his mother reminded him of his duty, he realized that he couldn't just abandon his kingdom for his own sorrow.

'Since I already failed my wife, I cannot fail my kingdom as well.'