Maskli (Legacy Of Bluebloods 1#)

32

Sixteen years ago, Bellagria.

The death of Adelia Macrantha.

(Delvin)

Delvin was unable to sleep that night. Despite the downpour outside and his wifes even breathing beside him, he was worried for what??

He lifted himself from the bed, flipped on his shoes, and went downstairs. He was in search of his cigarette. She wouldn't be too happy if she found out he was smoking again, yet what could she understand? Cigarettes calmed his nerves. It was not that he was addicted to it, he kept convincing himself. After that, he opened the door to have a smoke outside, yet stopped.

Not because he wanted to. It's because he saw a bundle below the entrance of his door.

He placed the packet back, his hand on his mouth, "What the world..."

Unsure what to do, he called her "Tanya!"

The first few minutes weren't heard. Then the next he heard footsteps approaching him, Tanya rubbed her eyes and yawned, "You better have a damn good reason to wake me in this ungodly hour here."

"Look." Tanya saw the bundle in his arm, cried softly "Oh my goodness!" She folded the head of the bundle gently, revealing a small head underneath, she was bewildered "It's a girl. Where did she come from?"

He carried the baby gently, whispered, "I don't know. I found her at our doorstep."

He found the baby familiar, however, the moment he laid his hand on the baby, he found himself irrevocably love her, as if he was bound to her. The baby blinked her adorably teary eyes at him, yawned tiredly. She fell asleep on his arm.

The man and the woman had been a childless couple for years, and yet here they are, Sieyen blessed them with a beautiful child. Where did she come from? The man felt angry for the parents who abandoned such a beautiful child. His attention fell to the locket around the babys neck. His heart skipped a beat. This is the royal crest of Bellagria. The husband replied slowly, mostly to himself as examined the rose that symbolized the locket "She is from the castle."

How did it get here?

Just then, a villager passed by and stood in front of their cottage. He was obviously out of breath, of his voluminous sweats. He looked as pale as a ghost. He panted, "Chief, there is something I think you should know and see this." He pointed to Delvin.

Perplexed, he gave the baby to Tanya, who the villager was eyeing suspiciously because he knew that the woman is a barren.

Delvin answered "The infant's father went away for the mission," It was normal for warriors that serve Eldas to leave their residence for mission in Bellagria, the villager nodded along as he finished "So he let us care for his infant. You were saying?" The answer came just as naturally. Even Delvin was shocked by his answer. Not a minute went by and Delvin had to lie for the baby. They were no longer safe here.

The villager gestured him to follow "You should see this for yourself."

Still perplexed, he and the villager went through a path behind Delvins cottage. They passed in a jungle. Lots of soldiers laid dead there. He kneeled beside a soldier as though he recognized him or them.

"What in the Sieyen-" exclaimed Delvin, but the villager cut across him.

"Thats not the point, there is more you should see." He gestured to him to follow.

As they were going, Delvin wondered what the worse could be. The villager stopped walking abruptly. They must be here, Delvin thought. His heart skipped another frantic beat as he saw what lies ahead. Their Elda, with her eyelids closed, laid pale and lifeless on the ground. Their protector of Bellagria is dead.