"Victoria!" Huxley exclaimed in a stern tone while he grasped onto the half conscious Kai tighter.
Victoria rolled her eyes and stepped away from the situation, not wanting to deal with any more problems then she needed to. She was a busy woman as it is.
Sighing, Huxley carried the light child in his arms back to the carriage. He felt as if the child was not held properly, it might just break into fragments.
"Father?" Kai managed out, reaching out his arms and putting it around his father's neck. He wanted to cry from the pain but knew it wasn't the right time.
Huxley smiled and hopped into the carriage, placing his son down beside him gently. Making sure Kai wasn't sitting directly opposite of Victoria.
Victoria leaned her face on the palm of her hands as she tilted her head in the direction of the bruised Kai. She kept staring and staring, the gears in her brain started turning viciously.
Feeling uncomfortable, Kai slowly inched closer to his father. He eventually buried his face into his father's warm arms. And fell asleep.
"Don't get too attached." Victoria said.
"You were fine a moment ago. You promised me you would calm down if we went out to the guild."
"Yeah I was calm before I came back."
"He's still our son. Even if he's not the right one.. we can leave him with other duties such as becoming a scholar or a magician. He may not be gifted in your eyes but he's hardworking."
"I only need a successor. I don't need other children who'll drag the family's reputation."
"He won't if you give him a chance. Get him a proper tutor and a maid!" Huxley paused and patted his son's head affectionately. "Victoria.. please."
"You knew what you were getting into when you said you'd marry me no matter the cost." Victoria snapped and turned her head away.
The conversation ended there with no other words to be said. Huxley was infatuated with Victoria for her calm and cool demeanor ever since he was a kid. Being married to her sounds like a dream but it is now a nightmare for him. Even if Victoria did not see the poor boy as her child, he did.
Huxley would protect the child the best he could. Seeing how Victoria was so stubborn in rejecting the boy, not even sparing him a penny. He figured that if Kai didn't awaken..he would separate himself from the child in order to protect him. Sending him away to an isolated village with a good sum of money under one of his trusted friends. It seemed like the most safe and suitable plan, he just needed to take the child before Victoria did something irreversible.
Just with a glance, Victoria knew Huxley was also coming up with a plan for the child after his 6th birthday. Instead of a direct confrontation, she kept quiet and decided to settle the matters secretly. Though she was cold, she still loved her husband no matter how much she denied it. She spotted a shop along the passing street and knew what she had to do.
The Whitlocks arrived back at their manor with all their servants and their butler greeting them. The atmosphere was tenser than usual once they spotted Kai in Huxley's arm. 'Not again..' they thought, getting mentally ready for a fight that night in their master's room.
It was not going to be a pleasant scene for the servants cleaning up their master's room the next day. With vases cracked and needed to be replaced, walls that were going to be broken needed another patching up and worst of all, the heavy dark atmosphere in the room. They glared at Kai behind Huxley's back for their misfortune. 'That dam wretched child. Just 2 more days.. then he's gonna finally vanish.'
Kai knew this feeling all too well. He shook it off and closed his eyes. He felt himself being placed on the bed by his father. He looked into his father's concerned eyes and felt guilty for being so useless.
His father touched his forehead gently and covered him up properly with the blanket, making sure he was warm and didn't get sick. It was winter after all. He healed his son in the process too.
"If..you were to be somewhere else far from here to survive. Would you accept it?" Huxley asked.
Stunned by the question, Kai stayed silent. He saw his father's eyes filling up with worry, yet again. He saw his father slowly walk away without an answer and he grabbed his arm desperately. "I..want to survive. I will be fine with anything you set up for me. As long as.. I still can send you letters at least once a mont- no a year." he compromised.
Huxley smiled and patted Kai's head and pecked his son's forehead. "Don't worry. I'll do my best for you. Just..work hard and pray hard for the next 2 days. I'll stop Victoria from coming near you as best as I can." he paused and went into a soft whisper. "If things don't go as planned, meet me at the garden water fountain at night time. I'll get you away from here. This might be our last proper long and heartfelt conversation actually..."
Kai nodded silently, not wanting to accept the cruel situation he was in now. He wanted to throw a tantrum and yell at his mother for being so heartless. He wanted to curse at god and fate. But he knew better. "Dad..I love you." he murmured.
Shocked, Huxley's brain process had just stopped. The child wasn't even crying, it was obvious he was holding in his tears. But the adult now wanted to cry. Why was fate so cruel to such a kind boy? Why..why..why? "Urgh." he started crying, tears flowing down from his face. It dripped down and wet the blanket.
"I'm sorry for putting you through all this." Huxley apologised holding his son's arm and rubbing his tears with it unconsciously.
Kai stayed silent and bit his tongue to hold back the tears, he looked away from his father. But felt guilty. If only he was strong, there wouldn't be such an ill-fated parting. Why was he born like this?
"I'm sorry too." Kai apologised.
"There's nothing you should apologise-" Huxley was stopped by his tears being wiped affectionately.
"For being weak." he stopped and retreated his hand. And his lips molded to a weak smile. "Well! I do hope we'll be able to keep in contact! I hope my younger sibling will be blessed with the luck of the heavens, I hope to see them one day! Okay? I'll have to sleep now, see you..soon." he said with extreme speed as he pushed his father away.
Huxley got the hint and walked away, looking back every time he was closer to the door. He was then shut away by a gust of wind and a smile. Kai was desperate to stop seeing his father's sad face, he was forced to use magic.
The door slammed shut and it all went silent again.
If Kai had seen his father's face any longer, he might just not want to leave anymore. He did not want to leave now but he had to hold onto the little fragment of survival that is left.