(From the point of view of King Vortigern Frostenden)

***

It's supposed to be a joke, but I guess I am not a good a jester, for she actually thought I was being serious. I don't want to ruin her moment, though, so I let her bask in the glory of being the first person to know the name of my first son, not knowing that I will change it later, maybe tomorrow. I find the thought euphoric, but I stopped myself from laughing at it. I don't want to ruin the fun of it yet.

It's good that I can make practical jokes like this again. One step at a time, Lara, and I'll show you I can be as joyful as I once was before you left my side. Baby steps, my queen, but allow me to feel the melancholy of your loss for most of the coming days first.

"...And Madame Violet," this took her by surprise. Perhaps she thought she offended me, the king, again. "The royal family is honored that you are willing to lend your aid to us in times like this."

I paused for a while to hear what she would reply. However, she's so overwhelmed with what I had said that all she can do is gaze at me while she shivers with tears in her eyes.

"As the king, I thank you and your family for your offer to help me raise my sons. As a father, and I believe this would also please my late wife, I would like to raise these boys on my own. Of course, knowing that I am foreign in parenting, I might need your assistance now and then." I said with a gentle smile whilst looking at my sons.

"Y-your majesty, your compliments are already enough to make my entire bloodline overjoyed for a million lifetimes! I am deeply honored to serve you, my king!" She said, her knees still on the ground.

"Rise, Violet. I don't want Lara to think that I'm making you shat your pants again."

She rises with a smile, and a chuckle escapes from her lips. "Lara must have already known by now that you will never stop oppressing me," She then made a burst of abrupt laughter, a sign of mockery, "your highness."

I chuckled once again, though my body seems to be failing me, for it is not giving me the luxury of laughter. I didn't ponder any more than this. I know how serious it gets when Violet and I banter with each other. I still need to think of another name, after all. I wouldn't want to give a lazy name like Second John.

I look at the sleeping faces of my sons, so sweet, so tender. Those innocent eyes with no sins to speak of melt my heart. This is their first time in this world, and they already have a great responsibility to bear. Being princes of our kingdom is no easy task—and there's that prophecy too. Explaining this to them will be the end of me.

I then looked at Violet with a bemused expression. "I see that you're not really pleased with this prophecy business, Madame Violet," I said, reverting into my formal way of speaking again.

Violet took the hint that it is not the time for jokes anymore; it's time to be a servant and return as the king's diplomat once again. That is, if one would think prophecies are part of diplomacy.

"Why, yes, my king, your boys are the living shreds of evidence of the fraud that is Edelom the Wise! Hah, cheeky that a man with a title of 'wise' is actually a storyteller! All these lies, damn dirty lies, I say, spouted by that senile buffoon! He said there would only be one boy who will be born on the day of the eclipse, and yet here they are! They're twins, your majesty! Twins!"

"It was never mentioned in the prophecy that there would only be one child, though. How can you be so sure?"

Violet turned pale and silent before she gave out her reply. "Forgive me, your majesty, but may I ask what is the cause of your sudden interest in this prophecy?"

I sighed. She's right. Why am I so invested in this?

"Well, I cannot shake my fear that Edelom's prophecy speaks of the destruction of our home. I'm no scholar, but I did hear the wise men of the academe interpret these passages as Edolom speaking of the doom of Izrecael."

"Interpret? Bah! Forgive me for being so frank, but I cannot believe someone of your stature would be afraid of lowly men's mere interpretations of a terrible piece of poetry."

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by her reaction. I remained quiet as I saw her slowly rise from the ground. Madame Violet ambled towards a silver pitcher filled with red wine and poured the drink into two silver goblets. She sipped from one of those two goblets while she walked back towards me. She then paused for a moment, her lips feeling her tongue for a few seconds before giving me the same goblet she sipped from earlier.

I drank the wine in a single gulp and placed the cup on top of the table beside me. Violet sat on the chair on the other side of the table.

"You are king Vortigern, your majesty. You must not concern yourself with the academe's fascination towards a lucky poet who somehow manages to make a few so-called prophecies when he made thousands of similar prophetic poetries that held no truth." Violet said, stripping her formalities away to show her frankness but not in an audacious fashion. "I bet my family's name that Izrecael would receive no attacks as long as you live here with us! Who's the fool that would dare defile you in the maelstrom of your territory? You've proven yourself worthy of all the gods and monsters in this land we live in! You've witnessed creatures who breathe fire living in wretched jungles, and you survived it! You've been thrown in a barren land, and you managed to escape from it! You went face to face with men hailing from the sea in their castles beneath the surface of the Cresca Sea! You've seen it all yet here you are, still breathing! No one will attack the empire, how can they? The king alone is enough to trample a thousand armies! Your kingdom will remain ever peaceful, this I swear!"

I paused for a moment before finally replying. "I see." I sighed, different people, different interpretations.

"I've read Edolom's work before. Decent man, but not at all a good poet—let alone a prophet! He made a prophecy that Nihilheim will seize the world of the living. I waited for that moment for so long in my days as a maid in waiting. It never happened! I was awfully disappointed."

"You were disappointed that the prophecy of the death of all living creatures is not true?"

"Why, of course! The death of everyone means the death of me. When I was a lass, I prayed to the gods for nothing but my death."

I chuckled, "So you will never believe in any of his prophecies again?"

"With all due respect, your majesty," Violet shrugs, retaining her usual composure, "nevermore!"

"Nevermore..." I whispered. "Indeed, nevermore," I mumbled behind my breath.

I looked at the window beside me and gazed upon the clear ocean that my wife always loved. The setting sun is so dazzling that the skies that were once blue now turned crimson gold.

"Nevermore," I mumbled again.

"Yes." Madame Violet murmured. "Nevermore."

"I have thought of a name for my youngest son." I uttered weakly as a refreshed smile crept upon my relaxed face. 

Violet's face shone brightly upon hearing my utterance. "I would love to hear it, my king!"

I looked at my second son, still sleeping peacefully as if the world has no problem, although his life is about to be filled with nothing but hardships. The second boy, my second son, the twin that none of us expected. 

"From this day forward, he'll be known as Nevermore," I said firmly.