As the minutes trickled by and I continued my talks with the girls the conversation suddenly turned to my son.
Bekka : "We heard about Exedra.."
Lailah : "How is he? How are you?"
Hearing the genuine concern in the voice of these young girls, I found myself truly touched yet again to have these two as part of my family.
Even if their road here was less than ideal, I was incredibly grateful they were here.
"He's fine, he's stable now so that's all that matters." I said trying to convince myself as much as them.
Bekka : "We should see him when he wakes up!"
Lailah: "I haven't seen him in a long time.. I think he avoids us."
We settled into silence before I uttered a single question that has always plagued my mind.
"Have you ever resented my son?"
I could tell my question took them by surprise. They both looked at eachother for a moment seemingly understanding what each was about to say.
Bekka: "Never!"
Lailah : "No."
As I smiled at both the girls it took all my willpower to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
Lailah seemingly noticed this and moved her chair next to mine and took my hand in a bold gesture.
"We only resent circumstance, but since we have been here we have been very happy." She squeezed my hand lightly before she continued. "Your son seems like a wonderful man from your stories I only wish we were a bit closer."
Bekka nodded from her seat and I couldn't help but sigh in my heart.
My son was well liked by all of the staff and the guards. Sometimes they doted on him more than I did.
But in front of his wives my sons bright and charming personality disappeared as if it were never there.
I knew how my son felt about them how could I not?
Yet it always seemed as though I lacked the words to convince him to let go of his self hatred and try to love the girls the best he could.
Before I could speak to try to explain my son's behavior I caught sight of Duke running towards us.
"Duke? What's the matter?" I feared that asking this question would bring me great pain.
"My lady, please pardon my unsightly arrival, but there has been terrible screaming coming from the Young Master's room. The medical team has been alerted and are on their way immediately."
I quickly stood up and prepared to leave. Turning my back to tell the girls we'd have to continue tea another time, I was shocked to find them standing as well, staring at me with resolve in their eyes.
Bekka / Lailah : "We're coming with you!"
I stood their slightly gobsmacked for a moment.
Seeing my son's wives so caring and resolute I found myself unbelievably touched.
I made up my mind then and there that as long as my son lived through this, I would punch him over his head and demand he treat these girls better!
"Mmh, alright girls let's go." And like that the three of us ran through the castle like mad toward my sons room.
Approaching my sons room I could hear the screaming I had been told about and it sounded like my baby was in the most terrible pain imaginable!
Slowly it began to die down and as we reached the door I could no longer hear anything and I immediately feared the worst.
I kicked in the door, sending it flying off the hinges and I could finally see inside.
My son's room was still tidy as always and nothing seemed to be out of place, and then I noticed something that did not belong, and my brain immediately stopped working.
A man slowly rose off of the ground and stood on his feet. He was about six foot three inches tall. He wore nothing but sleep pants that appeared to be much too small for him. His body was extremely well defined as if it had been chiseled from marble by gods themselves.
He wasn't overly muscular or terribly skinny his body was just… perfect.
He had long dark red hair the color of wine that hung all the way down to his waist. His bronze skin was flawless and without a single imperfection. On his head were four proud horns as black as obsidian.
Staring back at me were a pair of red reptilian eyes that glimmered like the finest of rubies.
Looking into those eyes I had the strangest feeling as if I'd seen them countless times before, yet I'd surely never.
Staring into the face of the stranger in my sons room I was immediately struck by his beauty. He was without a doubt the most handsome man I had ever seen.
He looked so much like…
"A-Asmodeus?" I meekly called out.
The man appeared to be confused before a glint of recognition shone in his eyes and he spoke.
"No… it's me mother." The man's voice was smooth as silk, as if merely listening to it could lull an unguarded soul into blissful sleep the likes of which they would never awaken from.
"Exedra?!"
The last thing I saw was the man nod with a smile that could enchant any woman before I passed out from shock.