“I know that you are joking, but it’s still highly disrespectful of you to talk about the future of my turf like I’m not even here.” Tyris said.
“It was just a silly prank.” Salaark shrugged. “I would never kill Leggy’s apprentice and we all know that Lith would never waste his time taking care of people he doesn’t like.”
“Leggy?” Tyris echoed, making the Dragon blush.
“Kids, you have our permission to turn around. We are going to stand guard until you are done.” Leegaain promptly said to change the topic.
Tyris took care of the fainted rulers, Salaark moved at the entrance, and the guards could finally look at Elysia and take turns holding her. The amount of laughter, joy, and tears in the room was disturbing to Lith.
“I thought Phoenixes were creatures of passion, not Dragons.” He asked Salaark while giving the honor guard space. “Yet they are making a big fuss of it and crying like the baby is their own.”
Dragons and Phoenixes both would hug and congratulate Kamila the moment they were done examining Elysia, hugging Kamila like a long-lost sister. She didn’t understand them much, but receiving such heartfelt gratitude and compliments did wonders for her depression.
“They are.” The Overlord nodded. “They just have a weak spot for newborns, especially those of a new bloodline. It means hope, rebirth, and infinite future possibilities.
“Also, those who cry are the weak ones. It’s the quiet ones that the rest of Mogar must be afraid of.” She pointed at Surtr and Retia who were treating the issue like it was perfectly normal. “Because if something happens, you don’t want to be anywhere near him when he snaps.”
“What about the Phoenixes?”
“Oh, they are just holding themselves back until we go back to the Desert.” Salaark shrugged. “They know we are your guests and they would never ruin the Gala.”
Lith noticed that the honor guard on the Phoenix side had a high turnover rate. Those who held Elysia and congratulated Kamila would soon leave via Call of the Blood and be replaced by another Phoenix.
At the same time, a much louder, joyous, and flaming celebration was taking place in the Desert but that’s a story for another day.
“Congratulations, little brother.” Surtr the Dragon of Light patted Lith’s back before offering him a scaled hand. “Your baby is amazing. She inherited everything you have and some more. You have no idea how envious I am of you.”
Surtr’s voice was calm and his heartbeat clockwork. If not for his eyes being slightly misted, Lith would have thought that his white-cored cousin was mocking him.
At least until Lith shook Surtr’s hand and the contact between their scales told him everything the Dragon of Light felt. The deep regret for leaving Lith high and dry after Phloria’s kidnapping, the sadness for their relationship going sour, and the immense joy Surtr felt for Elysia’s birth.
There was indeed envy tainting that joy, but not the kind that people like Orpal would have experienced. Surtr didn’t feel belittled by the event nor did he feel the need to one-up Lith to restore his wounded pride.
It was envy born out of the realization that Lith’s children would take everything their father had to offer and maybe build something even greater from it whereas Surtr’s descendants were all his lesser.
The power of the white core couldn’t be inherited so none of his and Retia’s bloodline abilities could be inherited. Their offspring were cursed to quickly learn how different they were from their parents and that the white core represented a wall they couldn’t overcome.
It was an envy that pushed Surtr to strive to be a better parent and find a way to not let his children feel trapped by their bloodline.
“Thanks.” Lith replied, understanding now why no Guardian regretted not having achieved the white core. Their condition strengthened the bond with their descendants whereas a white core nearly severed it.
“I know we have our differences and that I’ve never done anything to earn your forgiveness but if you ever need a sitter, just give us a call.” Surtr said.
“I am kind of spoilt for choice already, but thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.” Lith nodded.
While the guests lined up in front of Elysia’s room to take a look at the baby, Elina and Raaz sighed deeply.
“I’m really happy for Elysia but I’m also as worried about Surin.” Raaz said. “The two of them are going to grow together like sisters yet their lives couldn’t be more different.
“One is going to be a Divine Beast envied by the whole Mogar and the other one dismissed as the daughter of farmers.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing.” Elina furrowed her brows.
“We may not care but Surin will.” Raaz tried to explain. “She will live her whole life comparing herself with Elysia and no matter how much everyone loves her, she will find it hard to love herself.
“Do you remember how things went the last time something like this happened?”
“Nonsense.” Elina shook her head. “It pains me to admit it, but Meln was rotten from birth. The only moment he was truly happy was when we had just him and Rena. She and Tista, instead, never envied Lith.”
“But Trion did.” Raaz pointed out. “Sibling rivalry is a thing and it’s much worse between the same sex. Boys hate being shorter and weaker than their brothers just like girls hate being less pretty and graceful than their sisters. No one wants to be the nice/smart one.”
“Damn if you are right.” Elina sighed, thinking back at the family drama of her friends and households. “The only thing that can smother envy is the age gap since you don’t see someone much younger as competition.”
“Indeed.” Raaz nodded. “Elysia and Surin instead have the same age and will face the same choices at the same time. The problem is that Mogar will treat them like heaven and earth.
“The moment Surin gets old enough to notice, her struggle will begin and we must be ready to help her. I don’t think she’ll grow into another Meln but I would like to spare her from becoming like Trion.”
Elina looked at her husband with eyes filled with pride and admiration. Amid all that luxury and joy Raaz could already see the struggles that waited for them in the future and was preparing to face them.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve-” A patting on her shoulder broke the tenderness of the moment and almost made her flare up in annoyance.
“Yes?” Elina turned around with an amiable voice and a glare that could kill a Dragon.
“Where’s the other baby?” A burly blonde man over 2 meters (6’7″) tall with golden wings coming out of his back asked while taking a step back, shocked by her fury. “I heard there are two of them.”
“Do you mean Surin?” Raaz asked, obtaining a nod in reply. “I’m sorry, sir, you must have been misinformed. Magus Verhen only had one daughter. The other baby girl is ours and she’s not Elysia’s twin.”
