The Kind of Evil

Chapter 605 - 605: Motherly Love.

‎Zayn was taking a stroll in the garden of his palace's backyard, he couldn't stop staring at the sky, fearing and worrying that something like last night would happen again. His mind was occupied by a lot of things, about his father that hadn't left Natia's castle, about his father inviting Rasmus for tea, about Rasmus' words during the banquet, and about his succession.‎"Young Master, the two Young Masters came to visit. What's your order?" The butler appeared without any presence.

‎"Zeke and Zoran? Send them to the parlor and tell them to wait because I want to be alone for a few more minutes," Zayn said calmly, his gaze never leaving the two moons that were next to each other. "They want to speak about their alliance against Ana. They will wait no matter what," he pointed out.

‎"As you wish, Young Master," The butler bowed his head and disappeared into the night.

‎Zayn walked into the garden maze, his eyes closed as he felt the wind flick either on his left ear or right ear. He was guided by those flicks as to whether to turn left or right and he would keep moving forward if he didn't feel anything. When he felt the wind flicker on both ears, he stopped and he slowly opened his eyes. He saw a pale skin woman wearing North Eastern Neva's traditional gown and hair pins that decorated her long blonde hair that sprawled and pooled around the chair where she sat.

"Mother, you wants to see me?" Zayn lowered his head.

The women slowly tilted her head to the side as she turned her head to look at Zayn, revealing her light gray eyes and her lazy gaze. The breeze of refreshing wind began to circle around the center of the maze and Zayn felt his body was as light as a feather and his worries that had been weighting his shoulders were blown away.

"Sit with your mother, Zayn," The woman spoke in a lazy and soothing voice.

Zayn walked toward the table and when he was about to pull the chair, the chair slid until it stopped right beside her mother's chair. He put on a bit of a smile and slowly approached the chair and sat beside his mother. The scent of morning dew on a fresh grass hit his nostrils, a scent that always reminded him of his mother. He then watched his mother's right hand reach out to him, and he instinctively put the back of his hand on the table with his palm wide open.

"You're tired..." The woman muttered as she rested her hand on top of Zayn's. "Humans tend to keep up with the world that keeps moving, unaware that the world doesn't care. Those who keep chasing the world will leave and miss a lot of things behind them. They believe they are ahead when in truth the ones that are left behind receive the most," she added with a lazy smile on her face.

"But that's not my reality, mother. If I stayed behind, I would lose everything. Staying behind leaves me nothing," Zayn turned to look at his mother.

"That's not your reality, that's the reality you chose to chase, my child. You'll lose everything because the reality you're walking on isn't yours to begin with. Nothing is yours in that reality," The woman muttered as she brushed her fingers on Zayn's calloused fingers and palm.

"Mother..." Zayn exhaled deeply as he closed his eyes, feeling the weight coming back to burden his shoulders. He was too tired to argue, and it was too late to walk away.

"I understand," The woman muttered as she intertwined her fingers in between Zayn's, holding her son's hand gently. "I know you because I made you. You're at a crossroads, being pulled from all directions at the same time. You want to meet my expectations, your father's expectations, your people's expectations, and your enemies' expectations. The more you walk this path, the more branches that appear that will bind you and sooner or later you'll lose everything eventually," she pointed out.

Zayn put on a weary smile as he leaned back and looked up at the sky with every blink that showed weariness and acceptance. He could see the concern in his mother's gaze from the corner of his eyes, and he didn't care, he didn't care if he looked weak or tired because he knew that his mother loved him more than anything.

"What do you think of Count Blackheart and Ana, mother? You said this reality isn't mine, and yet both of them seem fine and can walk ahead of others without losing anything behind?" Zayn turned his head and stared into her mother's eyes.

"Natia's child is just like her. Anastasha doesn't care about what she's left behind because in the end she wants to make sure what's left behind is worthless. Not only in Anastasha's eyes but to the people that chased that reality," The woman answered as she caressed Zayn's arm with her left hand. "I don't know much about Count Blackheart, but from what I have seen so far, he never looks at anything and just keeps walking. He has no attachment whether he choose to or if he has to," she pointed out.

"So they're not pretentious like me?" Zayn asked with a mockery smirk but toward himself rather than outward.

"Every living beings are pretentious, my child. Wanting to be a better of themselves can be called pretentious. Nobody in this world is pure, everyone to become a better version of themselves. That doesn't mean pretentious is a bad thing, it's bad when you keep pretending knowing you know you'll never become what you want to be," The woman shook her head slowly and held Zayn's arm firmly.

"Then what am I, mother?" Zayn turned his whole body to face his mother, his weariness in his eyes becoming more dominant.

"That's for you to find the answer, and if you already know the answer... your mother is always be here by your side," The woman smiled softly as her hands slowly cupped Zayn's cheeks. "Stay here for a little longer, you're tired and you need to rest."

Zayn succumbed to his exhaustion and slowly leaned his head on his mother's shoulder. He could feel his mother's fingers brushed the back of his hair, hugging his head in the most loving and caring way possible.

Zeke and Zoran were sitting patiently waiting for their eldest brother to come, and they had been so anxious about the fact their father had visited Rasmus and had a tea time with him. When they heard the door opening, they all looked at Zayn respectfully, the man that they had looked up to since they were kids. They both stood up and lowered their heads to Zayn as they watched Zayn sit across from them.

"I know the reason why you're here. You want me to join your alliance to get rid of Ana," Zayn said as he stared at both of them with an impassive expression. "My answer is no, I will not join your alliance. I don't want to hear anything about this anymore from both of you. So, is there anything else you want to say?" He asked as he crossed his legs and leaned back.

Zeke and Zoran expected their eldest brother might decline their offer for an alliance, but they didn't expect to be rejected before they could even open their mouths.

"Then does that mean you're planning to fight all of us on your own, eldest brother?" Zeke asked with his brows furrowed.

"Yes, anything else?" Zayn responded without hesitation.

Zeke and Zoran looked at each other for a moment before they looked at Zayn as they nodded with understanding.

"No, eldest brother. We will excuse ourselves," Zoran answered as he and Zeke stood up.

Zayn didn't bother to look at either of them as they left the parlor, and the moment he was alone in the room, he let out a long sigh with his eyes closed. He turned his head toward the window and watched the trees move by the gentle wind.

"I will not abandon this reality, mother," Zayn muttered as he watched the trees move. "But I will create my own branch of that reality," he added as he slowly stood up and walked toward the door. "Please watch over me..." he said under his breath as he opened the door and then left the parlor.