"My lord, there's news," Callahan announced as he rushed into Lord Azul's bungalow. Lord Azul sighed, setting down his quill, and looked up at the young man with weary curiosity.
"What is it now, Callahan?" Azul asked.
Callahan hesitated, glancing over his shoulder as if he feared they were being overheard. "It's about Ysara," he said, voice low. "She's…with a child."
Lord Azul's eyes widened. "She's pregnant?" he exclaimed, disbelief edging his words. The idea was almost absurd—Ysara, the untamed nomad, a mother?
Callahan's face went pale at the intensity of Azul's reaction. "No, my lord," he stammered. "She has a son. A boy with her."
Azul's shock faded into a contemplative frown. "A son…" he murmured. Ysara, known for her fierce independence and legendary power, had returned to their enchanted forest village not alone, but with a child.
The council would need to discuss this. "Summon the council. And keep everyone else at bay—I don't want half the village in a frenzy."
"Yes, my lord." Callahan bowed deeply and hurried out to gather the seven council members.
On his way, he was stopped by Miriam, a tall, dark-skinned girl who could easily be mistaken for a boy with her short-cropped hair and wiry frame. She eyed him with curiosity, noting his urgency.
"What's going on, Callahan?" she asked, falling into step beside him.
"Ysara is with child," he muttered, too caught up in his task to fully consider the implications.
Miriam's eyes widened in shock, and before Callahan could correct her misunderstanding, she spun around and sprinted off, heading straight for a group of villagers gathered by the well. Word spread quickly, as it always did in Egasrae.
The news of Ysara's return, and the shocking detail of the child she carried, spread like wildfire. Soon, murmurs filled the air, and the village buzzed with anticipation and wonder.
Some of the elders spoke in hushed tones of ancient prophecies, recalling tales that foretold the coming of a child who would disrupt the delicate balance of their world.
Others murmured of omens and warnings, uncertain of what Ysara's return with a son might mean for their secluded, mystical society. After all, children in Egasrae were rare—especially ones brought back from the outside by a witch as renowned and unpredictable as Ysara.
The cottages and shacks that made up the village were soon alive with speculation. People peeked out from behind handwoven curtains, exchanging guesses about the boy's origin.
Children gathered in clusters, their eyes wide with excitement, while older villagers frowned, sensing the weight of what Ysara's return could mean.
For the people of Egasrae, the presence of this child was more than an unexpected arrival—it was the stirring of something ancient, a spark that could ignite the village's deepest mysteries.
V
The council meeting had barely commenced when Callahan ushered the head council members into the room—a mix of nine formidable witchers and witches seated around the large, dark-wood table.
There were four women and five men, each with their own unique and storied reputation in Egasrae.
The air crackled with a mix of curiosity and tension as Lord Azul leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Ysara.
"Who is he?" Lord Azul asked, his voice carefully controlled, but his question left little room for ambiguity.
Ysara arched a brow. "My son?" she replied, meeting his gaze with a defiant tilt to her chin. She had known this day would come—the news of her return, and more importantly, of her son, had likely spread through the village faster than a spell on the wind.
"It's a boy," Azul repeated, almost as if confirming it for himself.
Emily, a stout witch heavy with child herself, scoffed. "And a human boy, no less," she muttered, her tone laced with disdain. Ysara felt Sam tense beside her, his glare hardening at Emily's remark, but she ignored the woman.
Azul, his tone still unnervingly soft but his question sharp, continued, "Is he a witcher?"
Ysara's eyes narrowed. "He's my son. Of course, he's a witcher," she replied, her tone dismissive.
Azul let out a slow, relieved breath, and Ysara noticed, her irritation simmering.
Why was he so relieved?
Did he expect she'd brought a mere human child to their midst?
The truth, she knew, was that Victore was human, but she wasn't about to let them doubt that he belonged with her.
Azul cleared his throat. "We will… keep an eye on him," he declared, his voice echoing through the chamber.
The insult hit Ysara like a slap. Her lips twisted in anger. "What do you mean, you'll keep an eye on him?" she snapped, her voice edged with fury. "He's my son. Mine."
The murmurs around the table grew louder, only silencing when Azul banged his hand on the table.
His gaze held Ysara's, a hint of exasperation flickering in his blue eyes. "Ysara, you disappeared for over four hundred days. You return with a child and expect us to welcome him without question?" His voice held the authority of the council.
Sam scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Oh, please. Ysara has always been a nomad. It's who she is," she said, her voice laced with loyalty. Azul's gaze lingered a moment too long on Sam's lips, causing a faint blush to creep onto her cheeks.
Ysara's eyes flashed. "Yes, I'm a nomad. And I was here from the very beginning, helping build this place with my blood and strength. So yes, I expect to be welcomed—with my son!"
"Calm down," Emily muttered, looking flustered, her face reddening.
Ysara shot her a searing glare. "Do not tell me what to do, Emily. Not before, not now, and not ever!" she snapped, her voice like a whip.
A soft voice broke through the tension. "You have a child now, Ysara. Maybe… less cursing?" Agatha, a gentle, doe-eyed witch, suggested with a small, tentative smile.
For the first time since she'd arrived, Ysara's face softened, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, Agatha, you're too sweet," she said, and Agatha chuckled, clearly relieved to have lightened the mood.
"What's his name?" Agatha asked, her tone gentle.
"His name is Victore," Ysara replied, her voice filled with quiet pride.
She straightened, her voice taking on a deadly edge as she added, "And if I catch anyone snooping around my son and me, it won't end well."
With that, she rose, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Sam stood as well, and as they turned to leave, he met Azul's heated gaze with one of his own before following Ysara out.
The council members sat in silence as the door closed behind her, left with the memory of her parting words and the promise of repercussions for anyone who dared interfere.