Ocular to the Dying Sun

Distracted Night Light’s; part 2

With another soft clink of the teacup on its saucer, Lady Tethea looked at her with a somber face. Eyebrows creased in the middle and completely dour. “One mishap from your last pregnancy is enough to be a mar to your name. Good thing you coincidentally found young Mitt during that time to cover for your first child’s death.”

Yphemu’s pregnancy isn’t something she explicitly spoke about, and it’s not something she is proud of especially if the concern of her conception isn’t the fact that the man was someone deplorable or hated by but the idea that she couldn’t remember who the man was. Beyond the imagination and the assumption of many, one simple fact remains, she does not know who the father is and will never want to know who.

The old woman could remember the way Yphemu handled this situation, moving forward and proving her worth to the world a second time. Masking over her unwanted pregnancy with her resolve to be the Prime Magician.

People spoke ill rumors about the Saturni family during the year before the Dire-eater incident that she almost felt herself, a woman so old and almost worn, become spiteful of the world. Especially to Yphemu, but her resolve didn’t become malicious.

She only saw herself watching her daughter and opening her eyes to Yphemu’s potential, amazed by her actions after. Facing only in front and squaring her shoulders after being painted as a girl of eager personality and friendliness to the societal world.

Lady Tethea stopped as she closed her eyes, opening them with the same sullen expression tinged with sorrow. “Forgive me, Yphemu, Coni is my dear granddaughter. I want her to have a good time and protection from all things that could turn sour for her. As well as a warning for Mitt, he is of unknown origin still to us. I believe he is a good child, especially under your care as you’ve proven yourself partially every time you serve the Saturni name.

“However, we do not know if he belonged to any family with psychotic history. Unlike you who is the long-lost child of a noble family with a notable reputation and many of the previous Prime Magicians from notably strong families both aristocratic or noble. Mitt could belong to a lineage of criminals for all we know.” The woman’s face was stoic, but you could see that she was not jesting.

Though harsh in her words, Yphemu knew the mindset of all the people in the capital. They still believe in the stability of a good blood reputation running in a person’s veins. Whether you live solely for the sake of serving others with good intentions but have people around you doing deeds untoward, it will be forever in your life.

Even if she heard this sentiment from a person she respects, Yphemu knew they meant well. Rather it isn’t just about a bloodline of problematic genes Lady Tethea was about, but she knew the unspoken prejudice of those allied to people from the Kabay faction. Claiming to accept them as much but truly doubting and putting their negative assumptions firsthand, is not something Yphemu can control.

Few may not see, but the Saturni family members are most prejudiced against the Kabay. Except for the main family that fosters the Prime Magician, it has been customary for them to support the Sagan with everything they have without fail compared to the Kabay.

“Somehow it feels nostalgic hearing you say that, to me,” Yphemu said as she looked at her foster mother. No hints of pain or annoyance at the insinuation, nothing but utter surrender. “Nevertheless, it is still a code of ethics for my position, all is well. I’m sure Mitt would love to spend time with Coni, they’re fairly acquainted before. At least on the occasions that they could meet during her stay and the Academy.”

Smiling at her words, Lady Tethea nodded, “Tina has always been fond of you, she is the only one you’ve warmed up in our family. Remember, Mitt is a Saturni and not just a Prime Magician. I wouldn’t want a child of our family to act unbecoming just because he was adopted by us.”

In the same way, as the old woman nodded, Yphemu nodded but kept her silence. Comments about the upbringing of the children within the family have always been tight-lipped. Making sure that there are no words of abuse coming from within.

Mitt may not experience it the same way, but Yphemu experienced all forms of malice from her master’s children. Even to the point of loathing, at least when they were younger. As they grew older, this hate did not continue as prominent, more so for Yphemu’s rise to strength.

Any form of conversation to marry her to any of her master’s children had gone to the window even before they could insist on her integration into the family, full fledge. Lady Tethea supported her adoption, which to many was a surprise. Perhaps she wanted to change their tradition or the like? To this day, no one questioned the head of the family, at least to this day.

“Thinking of it, do you ever plan to marry yourself?” Lady Tethea asked, her face with a small smile but the palpable anticipation of slight excitement could be sensed from her. “Today, I didn’t stress it because of the coming Occular, but I see that you’ve recently sent letters to the candidates I’ve given you. Five of five to be exact. Is this a sign that you’re finally considering it?

“Did you see that one of them is your work colleague?” Lady Tethea asked, then continued to speak with a lilt of upbeat. “Let me tell you how much of a fine young man he is to contribute to the establishment of the naval forces, and even use his intelligence to help with the parliament.”

Yphemu noted the change in Lady Tethea’s voice from somber to something high-toned and peppy. Thinking about those candidates made her slightly frown, more so of her adoptive mother’s insistence that she marry. Not even for the sake of affection or moral affirmation for a stable family. Suggesting in an untoward manner that she should settle down between the names of aristocrats that could help their family gain further.

“There were only cordial letters exchanged between us mother, nothing more,” Yphemu assured.

Breathing in, Lady Tethea watched Yphemu and then collectively halted. Her thoughts of disappointment were curbed from within her, not because of any respectful regard for her but of her deceased husband. Yet, she insisted in words, “no matter. I will let this batch slip through. But I will not stop Yphemu.”

Putting her cup down as the hollow sound of the cup could be heard, indicating its emptiness. “Listen to me very carefully, and I mean it in every sense. When you marry a person, it must be to benefit yourself and all aspects of your life. Those people I presented are good candidates for you as partners for the Prime Magician. Alone, you are stable, sure. But can you truthfully say that you are satisfied with just that? Estring can only survive and last as he is because we had each other.

“Those before him had made sure that they could come to terms with their responsibilities equipped with the best, both mental and social. That’s why we didn’t have any problem not having you marry any of the Saturni relatives because we knew you’d be better off inheriting it by name, thus from now on making a good legacy within the family and the Prime Magician.” Lady Tethea straightforwardly said.

“I’ve never doubted your decision nor of the master, mother. Still,” as if to give great importance. Yphemu held her breath for a pause.

Her mind knew what she was going to say next, and this one is nothing but pure sugar coating.

“Mother has always been the best teacher in life that I’ve had, both in learning my value as a person within the family and society.” Yphemu slowly said. Her eyes looked down to imitate an impression of contemplation. “Remember when I said that I would be strong enough to uphold our family name along with my life and work as a Prime Magician?”

The tinge of somberness mixed in with the question, filled with something akin to sorrow. An evoking sadness seems to have crossed Lady Tethea’s mind, more so for the memory, Yphemu intended to trigger.

She didn’t need to do this as Yphemu could simply deny her requests like her usual reasons, but this time she couldn’t be bothered to say that she’s handled all those proposals with business-like solutions. All of them are people she had acquainted through her friends from the Academy days.

Counter-measures left and right, even if she had the power as Prime Magician to let others respect her, nothing is a guarantee. Especially for her current family, she knows letting them down with a level of appeasement using counter-deals higher or fairer than what Lady Tethea has presented is Yphemu’s only option.

To bury these actions, she just hid her actions as if she sent letters of interest but in truth, they were proposals sent by her messengers. Loyal to her plights, and whims, and financed by her pocket.

The next actions she had to take are those of triggering the formed mother and daughter bond Yphemu grew inside of her and Lady Tethea. This connection is strong because of how Lady Tethea treats her as if she was her most favored child.

“Mother, I’m not strong enough,” she said. Yphemu’s face was completely still, and a determination holding on as if she was expressing how stern the issue was. “Being better isn’t enough, and all other aspects of life must follow this path I should take. Having a partner for others is something that could prove useful for them, but I don’t see it that way. I still need to bear the burden of my father, and the legacy he left, and I cannot stray enough than this. Anchoring myself into a life where I’m expected to be conventional there might not be the best answer as of now.”

Mother figure as she seem and held a candle of expectation, Lady Tethea listened to her words but completely covered her mind with the impression of the same sturdy hardiness she’s seen from her husband. Lord Estring is as stubborn in terms of his life decisions and path as a Prime Magician as Yhpemu shows, with being married to her as a benefit and a consciously free-willed decision her husband wanted not because he could rise in position but because he loved her.

That was right, Lady Tethea couldn’t miss the fact that if he did not fall in love with her, they would not continue with the marriage. Previous Prime Magicians may have married into their family to become a part of the Saturni family that took care of all previous Prime Magicians according to the first one, but this tradition was beginning to wane in her husband’s generation.

She would have honestly accepted him as a cousin or a sibling, if not for the words he spoke to the head of the family then, Lady Tethea’s mother. Added to the soft heart she bears for the position of Prime Magician, the pride of their family, and her grown affection for the then-young Lord Estring.

One could say she believed in miracles that could come from seeds of hesitation or born from nothing but rotten mustard seeds. Her memory of their bonding was nothing short of impossibly clinical to a point, at least to how the world would objectively see them. Only behind the veil of their privacy was she certain their bond and paths were true and one.

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