Chapter 67

Night had fallen and it was dinner time, it was very silent as no one as in the mood to speak to anyone. Octavia ate her dinner in silence and so did her husband and daughter. There were not even looking at each other. She had to admit she didn't like the atmosphere but what could she do?
She pushes the plate away and stands up from her feet, Xerxes looks at her and her plate and realized she hadn't even eaten up to half of her food which was very uncommon as she usually asked for seconds,
'I'm feeling very tired, goodnight Arcadia, don't be too long Xerxes." She leaves for the stairs, slowly climbing it, making sure to be careful with her feet,
'I do not appreciate what mother did, not one bit." Arcadia finally speaks up as she pushed away her plate in annoyance,
'I know she has challenged you and made you upset but she had a reason for what she did, she just hasn't told us yet. But she did mention something strange to me, I would get it out of her eventually." He places his hand on hers, 'please make sure you eat your food and go to bed early."
'But father! Why did she have to make Mace my slave? I never said I wanted him and he was staring at me secretly this afternoon." Her tone is hushed as she complained to her dad, but instead of him to be angry that Mace was peeping on his daughter, he was doing his best not to laugh at her. In fact his cheeks were puffing up so much it made him look like a clown, 'and what is tickling you?!"
'Nothing." He lets out the unnatural chortle out and takes in a deep breathe, 'I can't really blame him or punish him, I'm a man too, I can't tell you all the things I did to your mother." Arcadia cringes at his his words, he was truly disgusting, 'and I know you're not innocent either." And this makes her flushed, 'if he makes an advance on you without your permission then you're free to chop off his hands, but if he is looking then there is nothing I can do. And if you please you can pluck his eyes like some berries."
'Father you haven't solved the matter," she was displeased with his answer but he only gave her a kiss on the forehead and left for his room. He doesn't waste time going up the stairs but when he enters his room, he slows down his steps, slowly creeping behind her,
'What are you doing Octavia? What is your reason for all of this?" His arms were crossed over his chest as he demanded an answer. She turns back a bit surprised an a small smile forms on her lips,
'You're finally talking to me again," her eyes water a bit before they sadden, 'Loki took care of me even though I used him, I cannot let him die even after the good he has done. He is a good son Xerxes, he just happened to be under Mace."
'But then why did you let Mace live if Loki is the good person?" He takes off his clothes one by one and she assists him in doing so, 'you know very well how much Arcadia Hates him."
'I know, but if Mace doesn't live then Loki wouldn't, and if Loki doesn't then Sheila wouldn't have a reason to be alive any longer." She says the words in her heart and Xerxes wondered why Sheila was involved, 'Sheila is pregnant……with Loki's child…."
Silence. Only their breathing could be heard as her eyes fell to his chest, she places her hand on his heart and looks up into his eyes,
'She is in the same situation I was in almost two decades ago, when I realized I was pregnant with Arcadia. The only difference is that I loved you even more but Sheila completely despises Loki. He raised his blade at her but I took the hit for her. But she has not been able to stop crying, she even tried to kill the baby by drinking poison." She takes a breath, 'Loki cannot do without Mace, he would offer himself to be killed of Mace were to die, and though Sheila claims to hate him she doesn't; she's just angry."
Xerxes takes everything in and he could understand why she did what she did,
'I hope you understand me now my love? I never wanted to offend you or anyone, especially not Arcadia but we cannot ruin an innocent life." She places her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat,
'How is the child?" That was the most important question of the day, he prayed that the child that was growing on her womb was fine and still alive.
'It is perfectly fine, Azure and Conan were able to save her and the baby just in time." His hands slowly wraps around her nude body,
'And Arcadia? Does she know anything? And what about Loki? Does he know that he is going to be a father?" His questions receive a simple no and he is even more troubled, 'we would need to tell Arcadia about this, I don't know how he would react to this but it seems Sheila has known Loki for a long time."
'Indeed, he had a whole life time supply of love letters when he took me in, I was fortunate to read some of them and it has been years into the relationship now. The only difference is that he writes better than you but he still delivers the same sappy love lines." He laughs at her joke and he pulls her even closer,
'Do I still make your heart run circles my queen?" He breathes on her neck and it makes her shiver,
'Always, until I die." She is quickly accepting his touch, desire filling her until he stops suddenly, 'what is wrong love?" She was worried when his hands fell limp.
'How? How are you alive?" He takes a step back, his eyes held hurt but she didn't want him feeling that way, she draws him closer to her, 'I couldn't protect you." He felt he was a failure.
'Do not say that," she hushed him and sits him down on their bed, 'you're the bravest I know, and you're the reason why my soul refused to return to the goddess. After my supposed death, Beta Azeah saw me trying to crawl out of the fire, he took me and had his way with me, I couldn't fight back. He wanted to kill me but I managed to escape and I went back to my land, the very same place Magnus ruined my life."
Her eyes shift to his, 'I rested on a rose bush to die until I was found by sage Sativa, she nurses me back to health and told me everything that I needed to know…..that I think you need to know…." She didn't understand it still but she had accepted it, 'she gave me the ability to disguise myself as Orla and that is what I used to gain the trust of Loki and spy on everyone there."
'Then I believe you met Conan and you figured out the dumb plan he and Asher made?" She nods in affirmation, 'I see, it makes a lot of sense now. Beta Azeah was executed by the people when he tried to challenge her. Sheila helped me discover my birth right, I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you in the first place." A blush stains his cheek.
'To be frank Xerxes, you never listen to me, you always see me as a nagging mother." She pouts and her childishness makes him chuckle, he leans in to kiss her lips, drawing her body on top of his,
'I promise to listen to you till I die, you have control over me now." He jokes and she is happy with his decision.
'I accept your decision." She returns the kiss with even more passion.
It was too late but Sheila had not been able to sleep, she felt she needed to tell Arcadia everything that was wrong with her, as a sister should. She went around searching and finally finds her sitting outside as enjoying the scent of roses.
She takes two steps closer and it seemed she didn't notice her presence, 'sister, may I speak to you?" She swallowed her fears, Arcadia turns to her and she could sense something was wrong, she looked too pale and she was avoiding eye contact"
'What do you want to tell me?" She waits for her to speak up as she played with a rose, Sheila said a silent prayer to the goddess and opened her mouth to speak,
'I'm pregnant."