Traveling Through The Series

After the meeting was dismissed, Adal invited Rafiel to have a discussion with him, his wife and Nailah. At first Nailah disagreed with this, but due to both her father's and mother's eagerness, her vote was vetoed. Aurora desperately wanted to be formally introduced to Rafiel as a potential son-in-law.

Leaving the throne room, they all rendezvoused in the lounge, the place where the royal family was able to relax between their daily assignments. They were currently all sitting down on a sofa and comfy chairs.

Adal: "I'm apologize for asking you to come and meet us again after your lengthy speech, but we would like to hear more details of your journey without any curious listeners."

Rafiel: "You don't need to apologize to me since there is no harm done. In addition, your people and daughter have treated me quite nicely since we meet and came here, it would be rude of me not to answer any of your concerns to the best of my abilities."

Adal: "Please dispense with the formalities. Now that we're all here alone, there is no need for that so please speak comfortably."

Aurora: "Yes. Please don't be pressured and speak how you normally would."

Rafiel: "You don't have you worry about that Mr. Adal, Mrs. Aurora. The way I spoke in the hall just a moment ago is actually similar to how I casually speak."

Aurora: "Is that so?"

Nailah: "He's right mom. Trust me, I've been around him longer than you so I know."

Aurora giggled and replied in a weird tone.

Aurora: "Ho ho~."

Nailah had a confused look on her face, but it quickly turned back to normal. Bringing the group back on topic, Rafiel spoke up.

Rafiel: "So what more would you like to know about the other kingdoms? Although there are a few details I left out, I did cover the general situation there."

Adal: "I'm not as curious about that since what you have already told us and many of our people what you could remember. I am more curious about that child that you and Nailah found when you arrived at the other side."

While Rafiel hesitated a bit, both Nailah and Aurora were also paying close attention to what his response would be.

Rafiel: "... What is there to say? Although he might be a bit more special than others, he is still a very young baby that looks to be not even a year old."

Adal, Aurora, and Nailah all knew that this was not true and although they could kind of understand why someone of his nature would want to protect Ryan, they did not know why.

Adal responded to him in a more aggressive tone.

Adal: "Please do not lie to us, we three know that that child is much more than a bit special. Plus based on what my daughter saw and her intuition, we know that he probably was the cause for the wave that covered the world."

Nailah: "Hmph. Just because I'm a good fighter, doesn't mean that I do not have brains along with my strength."

Rafiel was speechless hearing their words. He also came to the same conclusion as Nailah when he first laid his eyes on Ryan. He wanted to protect this knowledge fearing that the boy's life would be endangered.

Rafiel: 'It seems like I will not be able to keep it a secret. I should have guessed that doing so would be wishful thinking.'

Rafiel sighed.

Rafiel: "What do you wish to know?"

Seeing him being more open with the truth, Adal calmed down his tone and specified his list of questions.

Adal: "First of all, we would like to know the origins of that boy and how does he currently possess the amount of power he has at such a young age. Second, we would like to know where are his parents. Although we have are own conclusions, we would like to match them with yours. Lastly, we wish to know what you are going to do hence forth with your and his life."

Rafiel: "Haaah~ … If you wish for me to answer that, please know that this might take a while. May I have a drink while I explain?"

Aurora replied to him while pouring him a cup of tea.

Aurora: "Of course dear. Here you go."

Rafiel: "Thank you Mrs. Aurora."

She nodded in response and he took a sip of the tea to ease the stress on his throat before he began.

Rafiel: "To answer your first question, I know almost nothing about the boy's origins, much less his own name. All I know comes from a legend that was passed down from my ancestors before the creation of today's kingdoms."

Nailah: "A legend?"

Rafiel: "It's actually more like a myth or a tale that my mother used to tell me before slumber to ward off nightmares. She told me that if the world should be shrouded in darkness and all life nearing the brink of destruction, the guardian of the races shall appear to guide the chosen few to all life's salvation."

Everyone was a bit shocked by what he said.

Aurora: "So you are saying that the child that you and Nailah saved is this so called 'guardian of the races'?"

Rafiel: "I do not know."

Now the three were confused.

Adal: "What do you mean you do not know?"

Rafiel: "It's exactly like I said, I do not know. I only came to remember that story after a few days after we had saved the child from the cold and starvation."

Nailah jumped up at his statement.

Nailah: "You mean that you wanted us to journey further than the desert just to satisfy your curiosity!?"

Rafiel: "No. I do not know what came over me, but something told me that we had to get to the source of the wave as fast possible. I could not think of anything else but that, it was like I was possessed."

Everyone became silent after he said that. They all had questions that could not be answered. Aurora broke the silence.

Aurora: "In any case he is still a baby. Although he possesses powerful magic at an extremely young age, we should not treat him anyway less than other baby. In time, I'm sure that all of our question, if not many of them, should be answered."

They all nodded in agreement.

Rafiel: "Continuing on to your second question, I believe that you have heard Nailah's conclusion and mines is no different from hers. I have already told you three and your people how the Laguz and Beorc are at odds against each other, maybe even nearing war. The Beorc treat themselves as superior and think of the Laguz as disgusting beasts, sometimes even as only their slaves. As a matter of fact, I was captured to be a slave for a Begnion noble before escaping."

Adal: "So given the fact on how much the Beorcs and Laguz hate each other, how the child is the descendant of both races, and what was deduced at the scene of interest. The Laguz father, likely the child of the boy, perished at the hands of Beorcs trying to protect him while the current whereabouts of the mother is unknown."

Rafiel: "Correct. That is my best guess."

Adal: "I see."

While Rafiel and Adal were talking about Ryan's parents with a depressed mood, Aurora was visibly trembling, holding in the immense rage inside of her.

Aurora: 'What kind of people kills the father of a newly born, kidnaps the mother, and leaves the child to fend for himself!? If I ever find out who's responsible I will skin them alive!!!'

Nailah could see this and went towards her mother and held her hand, trying to calm her down as much as she could. In fact, she was also angry when she first found out and hearing it for the second time did not lessen her rage.

After a moment of silence, Rafiel continued on with the last question.

Rafiel: "As for what I plan to do from now on, I wish to stay in this kingdom for at least a few years. In all honesty, I am still traumatized from escaping slavery and my home and family..."

Seeing him hesitate, the three can only imagine what he had been through. They knew that at the very least something terrible had happened to his home, at worst, his entire family was now dead.

Noticing how he brought the mood down to an extreme level, he moved the conversation forward in hopes of enlightening the mood.

Rafiel: "And if I am allowed to stay, I would like to watch over the young child and raise him, since it was my decision that led me and Nailah to him, I feel a bit responsible for his well being."

Without missing a beat, Aurora agreed.

Aurora: "Of course you can stay dear! In fact you shall stay here in the palace with him and we'll even help with his growth."

Adal stood up.

Adal: "The palace!? I'll agree to let him stay in the kingdom, but in the pa-"

Aurora: "You shut your mouth! This decision is final! I do not expect anything but agreement coming from your head pertaining to this matter. Now sit down!"

Adal quickly sat down and lowered his head. Like every husband, they could not win against their wives when they had a disagreement.

Even Nailah could not go against her mother when she's in this state. Although she is known for being one of the strongest in the kingdom, Aurora was actually the strongest of them all, even surpassing Adal. While Nailah would one day surpass her father, it was difficult to say that she will do the same against her mother.

Aurora turned her head back to Rafiel after just remembering something.

Aurora: "By the way, what shall we call him? We can't keep him baby or child."

Rafiel: "I was actually going to wait for him to speak and tell me what he wants to be named. Since he has no relatives currently, I thought this was the best course of action. Names are only for families to decide. This is what I believe."

Aurora smiled at what he said.

Aurora: 'My future son-in-law seems like quite the gentleman. Perfect'

Aurora: "Alright. Then we shall wait for him to choose his own name."