Acrasia

Blank Slate.

           As expected, everyone left as soon as I went to pack. Going as far as even to take Barima's body. No matter, I will be shortly behind them. It only takes moments to appear inside grandfather's home, in his study. I am stealthy as I slink through the house to find him ordering around human servants to fix a room for Sera while she protests and tries to stop him. She's in a pair of jogging pants and a snug sweatshirt, a sliver of belly poking out. I lick my lips. I notice her room is beside his, and that he has scratched a square in the wall big enough for a door. No doubt conjoining the rooms.

          "This will be cut out and left open for now. The nursery will be in there. I'll send one of you out for clothing and necessities for both of them. Other guests can pick rooms down the hall. Leave at least one spare room between our three and theirs. Nobody across from them."

          "Grandfather!" I greet as I enter the room. Sera stiffens and moves behind him. "I see you are already accommodating for your new pets. Glad to see you enjoying yourself. One person's trash is another's treasure, as mortals would say." He raise my chin smugly.

           "Cheer up, boy! That means that soon someone will come along and cherish you." He shoves me playfully. "Of course you'll have a hard time finding such a jewel as this one. Perhaps Livienne would take you now?" He laughs and winks as I borderline lose my temper. He knows how to cut me to the bone. Seraphine giggles lightly. "Now if you'll have a seat and get out of my staff's way, I'll finish up here and we can talk. I know you want something." I lean into the wall as the crew works moving things around to his liking. He dismisses Seraphine to join the others after telling her to retrieve pastries from the kitchen.

           "What will you do with that child if it's not mine?"

            "It is yours. Everyone but you is intelligent enough to comprehend that." He looks up at me. "You have let Yeomorah too far into your head. Do you not think him smart enough to orchestrate her memories by triggering responses and activities around her. Seraphine has no control, no knowledge how to use her given strengths. She told me Yeomorah threw her into a bath of salts and holy water, that people chanted and laughed around her. It was some sort of spell. He has used this before. She is not the type of woman to be promiscuous, strange considering her species. She wouldn't be far enough along for others to note if it were his."

          "Then why didn't she tell me?"

          "She lived life as a human. Pregnancy among our kind and hybrids is vastly different. Why didn't you notice this?"

           "I don't know."

           "Well you know now, and still you disgrace your family by denying your child. If harm comes to this child, we are denying you. You'll have no ties to us. It'll be like you never existed." I shiver at this and I look him over to check how serious he is, but I can feel it.

           "I'm here now. I intend to stay as long as she's here."

           "Good. It'll be the most responsibility you've showed so far. Hard to believe this was the same man who begged and pleaded for help for this woman. In the end, only to wipe his ass with her the moment she bestowed upon him an heir."

           After leaving, I go into the entertainment room to see everyone gathered on the couch. Axar and Seraphine are in the center, a platter of pastries between them. I'm envious as I watch Sera smile and talk to her newly found family. I remember making her smile. I remember our conversations about Gods, monsters, seasons, and random nonsense that would amuse her till her eyes watered. I hadn't made her laugh in so long. She was miserable. Her mothers words echo. I decide to go to her and try to strike a conversation.