"The land experiences four seasons for a reason—the land could not always bear abundant harvest for eternity. It needs to breathe and rest as well. The Kingdom of Abetha's situation was a special case, a land blessed by healthy crops all year round. Things cannot remain like this after those foolish mortals hurt the Deity of Earth who gave them this blessing. They need to learn to respect her, but not only did they forget her grace, they even spurned her child. This is a punishment they deserve."
"Is there a need for this? I don't want the land and the people to suffer—"
Sierra explained, "Queen Seren, I understand you have a kind heart, but good intentions do not always yield the best results.
"You are a demigod, daughter of the Deity of Earth, and the inheritor of her divine throne. Your need to think of consequences first before you act, since your identity is no longer that of a simple human king's daughter. This is not only for your sake, but for those humans to understand that their actions can hurt them in the end and it's not good to be ungrateful towards the one who provides for you.
"The humans of this kingdom had taken the blessing of this land for granted just because it was always flourishing due to the presence of god residing here. It is your presence that ensured the lands would remain forever fertile. Since they spurned you away, it is only proper the blessing on this land goes away as well. Besides, it will also allow the land that had tirelessly worked hard for the past decades to breathe and rest.
"As long as the humans learn the value of the earth and take care of it, come the season of spring, the lands will regain their vitality once more. This too is part of nature."
The joy that Seren was feeling faded away. They didn't want her to revive those barren farms? Didn't that mean that her training was for nothing?
Seren found herself asking, "Lady Sierra, I have a question. I have stayed in Abetha for seventeen years, and from what I recall, this land has been flourishing for four decades already. How come you are saying I am the reason for this land to lose its blessing?"
Sierra stayed quiet for a moment but then replied, "The grace of the previous Deity of Earth was on this land."
"You mean my mother?"
Sierra nodded but only to be faced by another question, "Didn't King Armen meet my mother after the death of his first queen, that means hardly a year or two before my birth? Are you suggesting my mother knew King Armen way before then?"
There was a sudden silence as Sierra didn't know how to answer it. The unspeakable truth, the twisted destiny of her past, how could she voice them out to her daughter?
"Queen Seren, you have outdid our expectations on today's training. Why don't you rest for the meantime?" Evanthe intervened, casting a glance at Drayce, as if asking him to convince his wife.
"Seren, you look tired."
"Once again, I am getting silence in return," Seren chuckled. "Do not tell me that the King Armen who claimed to love his first wife the most and was devastated after her death, was having an affair with my mother, the Deity of Earth, which killed that poor woman? No wonder Queen Niobe hates me that much—I am a constant reminder that that man loved another woman who was not the first queen."
"King Armen has always been loyal to his first wife and he still is," Sierra finally said, only to be mocked by Seren. "Oh, he had a daughter with my mother out of wedlock but he is still loyal to his first wife? Am I getting the meaning of loyalty wrong here?"
Seren's words were turning bitter and anger started to rise inside her.
"Seren, calm down." Drayce caressed her hand. "We can talk about it later. How about we go for a stroll?"
Seren took a deep breath to calm herself and walked away with her husband.
Sensing their need for privacy, Yorian also excused himself, leaving the two robed women by themselves.
Evanthe put hand on Sierra's shoulder. "Things will be easier if you tell your daughter the truth."
Faint sobs could be heard from under the hood. "I-I... just want her to know that her father has always been loyal. He never did anything wrong. I was the one in the wrong. He has made countless silent sacrifices all these years, but misunderstandings have piled up and I...I don't know...He doesn't deserve this..."
"Look at you, protecting your man," Evanthe teased to ease the atmosphere. "This baggage, you do not have to carry all on your own. Your children might both be adults now, but in their hearts, they are still children longing for their mother."
"Evanthe, enough—"
"You cannot acknowledge your daughter but deny the existence of your son. That is not fair."
"No. I have already committed that sin of being greedy. What is not fair is to disturb his already peaceful life and put him in danger. Protecting Seren's life is already tough, and if I add him... Let him continue thinking his mother is dead."
"You have paid for those sins. There is no need to be stubborn—"
"I can not let him know I am his mother and let Armen know that I am...," she sighed helplessly in her heart, "I should not have been greedy and returned to the mortal world only to fall for the same man as I could not stop myself. I should not have, I was better off as a dead person in their lives."
A little time passed by before Seren returned to the glade. Drayce was by her side and was doing his best to not let her explode with anger. With the seal on hellfire undone, its effect on Seren was like seeing two people in one body, one having the temper of a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"Since we succeeded, shall we stop training and return to the palace now?" he asked.
Her purple eyes looked at him. "Was I too harsh earlier?"
"A little, but I believe Lady Sierra understands where you are coming from."
She looked in the direction of two women and began to feel bad. "Should I apologize? I am being ungrateful towards those who did nothing but protect me from my enemies. I am the same as the people of this land—I am taking my blessings for granted. I am not valuing their presence and help, only thinking about my side and my pain."
"It's normal."
"I think I need to apologize to them."
Drayce's squeezed her hand. "Do as you wish. As Lady Sierra said, 'Allow yourself to do what you feel is right'."
Seren squeezed his hand back before heading towards the two robed women.
"How are you feeling now, Seren?" Evanthe asked.
Seeing Evanthe's smile, Seren felt even worse. Even after her constant rude behavior towards them, they always forgave her.
"I am here to apologize, Lady Sierra. I should not have lashed out against you like that."
"It's alright, Seren," Sierra said, her expression unfathomable under her low hood. "Let's forget about those matters and focus on helping you properly use your powers."
"I will. Thank you for helping me."
"It's our duty."