In the dark of night, the unnamed baby smiled as he looked up at Julius. Even though it was raining, not even a single drop touched the two, as they exited the kingdom, slowly, into the great forest.
"I cannot bring myself to kill you," Julius said as he chuckled.
"How soft I have become," He thought as they entered into the forest. It was pitch black, with the exception of faint moonlight creeping through the small gaps in between leaves. The forest was particularly silent, but Julius could sense them; monsters lurking in the shadows, slowly surrounding them.
"Now then, what should I do? I cannot take the child anywhere else.."
Julius stopped for a second, sensing someone approaching them from the front.
"I thought we were being trailed, but it seems like this person is just minding their own business.. Wait.. This energy signature, it's a woman?"
Then, an idea struck Julius. He placed the baby down on a soft patch of undergrowth, ensuring the baby wouldn't get wet, then he erased his presence and sat on a branch of a high tree.
******
A woman was walking in the dark forest. On her hand was a basket, full of mushrooms and other kinds of plants. She was humming peacefully, thinking about the delicious soup she was going to prepare.
"Lastly, I need the Curleater leaves... Hmm I can't seem to find them, I guess I will just go further outside," She thought as she continued humming. She suddenly stopped and placed her basket down, listening carefully.
"Was that a baby crying?" She wondered. Once more, she heard a baby's cry, this time, more vividly.
"A baby in the forest... Don't tell me.."
She picked up her basket and started running towards the sound. Despite having donned a dress and heavy clothing, she rushed past the trees, covering large distances in mere seconds, until she reached where the baby was. She looked around, trying to look for the person who left the baby there. After looking around for several minutes, she picked him up, adoring his features.
"Such a beautiful baby.... Why would someone throw him away.."
Suddenly, the baby started crying loudly, startling her. She tried singing a song, but that made the baby even cry more.
"What should I do?? I thought songs make them sleepy! Er... There, there.." She said as she gently rocked him in her hands, yet, the baby still cried.
"That too?! I have never handled a baby before... What should I do..."
As her last resort, a green flame appeared in front of her, shifting into a small tiger like figure, jumping up and down. To her surprise, the baby stopped crying and looked at the figure as he giggled, enjoying what he was seeing.
The woman smiled as she continued adding more and more figures of different flames.
"It seems, he is satisfied with this," She thought, as a warm feeling enveloped her heart; a sort of motherly love.
Julius appeared back at the entrance of the forest, smiling.
"It seems like he will be in somehow good hands. That woman seems to be used to the forest, so she's strong enough to fight off the monsters, I assume... Either way, I wish you the best of luck,...."
Julius sighed.
"Damn, he didn't even have a name.."
"You're the one who brought him here, right?" He heard.
"Telepathy?" he wondered.
"So, you did sense me.." He replied.
"Back then, no I didn't. I just opened this telepathy link to reach the person closest to the forest." The woman replied.
"Oh, I see."
"Judging by your tone and composure, I can assume that you are some kind of butler, right?"
"Impressive.. Yes indeed, I am one."
"Which means, this baby...."
"Yes, the baby is a noble. Not any noble, but the child- uh, the former child of the King. He failed a test known as Regium Pertento, so he was to be killed."
"That's unfortunate.."
"Will you take care of him?" Julius asked.
"Yes, I intend to do so.. So does he have a name?"
The woman's voice seemed to be full of sadness and sorrow.
"Unfortunately, no. I will leave his naming to you.. I pray that Lord Oriel will never forget your act of kindness, lady. Farewell." Julius said as he cut off the link, leaving the child in her arms. He walked in back into the castle, towards the king's chambers.
"Julius.. You're back..." He heard.
He opened the door to his left and saw the queen, seated along with her three children.
"Yes my queen, everything has been done." He replied.
"I... See."
She didn't cry, but she simply looked down, wearing a brave face for the sake of the children beside her.
"If you will excuse me, I shall now head to the King's chambers."
******
After some few minutes, the baby had fallen asleep in her arms. She covered him with a shoal, leaving behind her basket after drawing a strange marking on the ground under the basket. She rushed past the trees, noticing that beasts were trailing her. After she reached a certain point, a green symbol that looked like a swirl appeared in front of her. She placed her hand on it, causing it to glow faintly. After that, she seemed to vanish into the symbol, appearing outside a house.
"It looks like it will rain over here too." She thought as she quickly went into the house. As she entered, the house lit itself and a fire lit up at the fireplace. She headed straight into a room and placed the baby on a bed, covering him well. After that, she headed into the kitchen. Once again, all the fireplaces lit up. She snapped her fingers, making the basket she left in the forest to appear in front of her.
"Now, let's make soup quickly, the baby might wake up soon," she said as she quickly prepared everything, adding all the ingredients she wanted and stirring it gently.
"Hmm, its sweet.." She said as she tasted it after tasting it half an hour later.
"Now I just need to feed the bab- Wait..."
She sighed as she sat on a seat, resting her head between her palms.
"Babies only ingest milk for their first few months... Was it three months? Five months?"
She scratched her head, then pinched herself.
"How stupid am I! I almost even fed him soup! The baby needs milk... Milk... Breast milk....." She muttered as she looked at her chest.
"Naah, I don't have that..."
Then, her true fears happened; the baby started crying.
She started walking around the kitchen in circles.
"Crap crap crap... What should I do!"
"Go buy some milk for goodness sake." A voice said. A black wolf appeared, seated at the furthest end of the kitchen.
"Ah! Furla! But leaving the baby here.... Are there even stalls that are open right now...."
" The baby has been crying for ten minutes." The wolf, Furla, said.
"I might have some milk here...." The woman said as she searched her draws.
"Yes! Found some!" She exclaimed as she took out a magical jar.
"You bought that two years ago, when we came here." The wolf said.
"Fine.. Let me rush to the kingdom then, take care of the baby." She said as she headed straight for the door.
"Are you sure you want to take care of him?" Furla asked.
"Yes, you remember the feeling we both had when we were....."
The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat.
"Don't worry, Lyssa. I remember quite well. Now hurry up will you? The baby has been crying for twenty minutes now!"
"Oh crap! Off I go!" she said as she rushed off in a great speed.
"Jeez, that girl.." Furla said as he went towards the room where the baby was.
*****
"Lyssana! What brings you to my shop this late? I just opened to replace my stock and I find you here, panting!"
"You won't believe me much, Mardan... A lot happened.. Might you have some milk?"
"Milk? Y- yes I do, but the cheaper ones are not here yet, I only have the Merlin grade holy jar of milk and it's expensive..." She replied.
"How much is it?"
"Three Grand coins... No one has even ever bought it anyway.."
"How long does its spell last before the milk goes bad?"
"Besides having enough milk to feed a family of five for three months, the holy jar will purify it, so the milk remains fresh for up to eight months."
"Eight months....."
"Yes! Isn't it incredible! It can feed a baby for its first six moths of breastfeeding and you are left with two months! I actually got gifted this by the duke of the Nothern plains and.."
"Bring it."
"Wait... Have you heard the price?! You can't just be having grand....."
Lyssana put three diamond shaped coins on Mardan's palm."
"Give it to me.." She said.
Mardan's head went blank as she headed inside her stall and removed a gigantic jar that was pretty detailed with gold beads and several colors.
"Thanks for the info too! Bye bye!" Lyssana shouted as she dashed again at a high speed, leaving Mardan there, staring at the grand coins; a currency she had never touched with her bare hands.