Chapter 285 - A Religion
Anastasia's wings stretched behind her, the dark gray clouds setting an ominous feel about them. White magical glow danced around them as the storm whirled above them. A few beats of the wings boomed and she shot in the air. She hovered a few meters from the ground and continued to stay there with wings still flapping encased in the silvery lights of her magic.
"Anastasia!" Ileus called her. He wanted her to come out of it. The magic consumed her energy to the extent that she could lose consciousness. He had to force her to withdraw her magic.
Focused on the haters, Anastasia's chest rose and fell. She wouldn't leave those who hated her for wrong reasons. She didn't even know them, had never personally talked to them, and yet they were against her? Why? Because of a rumor they heard from someone who didn't even belong to their kingdom? None of them bothered to ask her or let clear her name. They just started hating her? People were too mean. But she was done with mean people. They could go to hell as far as she was concerned. And they had to suffer her wrath.
"Ana! Please come back!" That voice… his voice… the only good thing left in the world… That was the only thing that tethered her to the world. She gulped the lump forming in her throat. She looked at him. Through the blurry images, she found his intense golden eyes. He was watching her with pain, with love, with desperation. "I want you to come back Anastasia," he called her again.
Her lips quivered. "Ileus," she said in a shaky voice. The magic in her weakened. It began dissipating. The crackles now reduced to a soft glow around her and the wings.
He extended his hand towards her and took a step closer. Afraid that he would get affected by her magic, Anastasia tried her best to pull her magic inside. Slowly the magic faded making her chest thrum and skin tingle. She took his hand and he pulled her down gently. When she was right in front of him, her gaze flitted to his warm golden eyes. "I— I couldn't control it," she rasped, trying to breathe.
"I understand," he replied and stroked her arms. "Breathe, baby, breathe."
Ileus hadn't come alone. Kaizan, Haldir and Darla were behind him. They were standing right in front of the crowd. She peeked over his shoulders and saw what she had done. And what she saw brought goosebumps to her skin. She stepped away from her husband and he turned with her. Several vokudlaks, witches and wizards had sunk down to one knee and dipped their heads in a bow. The rawness, the bitterness of the haters that she had experienced a while back had turned into awe and fear and something she couldn't understand.
The Shaman who was standing right in the front raised his hands up towards the skies, which were now less dense. "Thank you, great heavens! Thank you, Selene, for bringing forth the queen of the Lore, the goddess, the deity!"
Anastasia's breath lodged in her throat. What was the Shaman saying? Was he senile?
"Bow before the goddess, the one with the ancient blood of the faes. The only one who is our true goddess!"
Her gaze went to those who were kneeling in front of her and those who were lying still on the floor, their bodies twisted as if they had writhed in pain before dying.
Haldir walked and stood behind her like her guardian while Ileus stood right beside her. Kaizan and Darla joined the mass and sank to their knees.
Anastasia covered her mouth with her fingers as her lips trembled. There was silence in the air. Ileus circled his hand around her shoulders as his chest swelled with pride. She attempted to glean more information as she scanned the crowd, those who were kneeling before her. There was a tingling in her chest. Her stomach hardened. She licked her lips as she craned her neck to look at her husband. He gazed down at her and his firm, bow-shaped lips curved into a heart melting smile.
"You are their princess, their goddess," he said, his voice a lilt to her scorching emotions.
She pointed at the bodies out there, her heart not feeling anything for them. "I didn't mean to…"
"You don't have to explain yourself, Anastasia," he replied in a low voice. "They deserved it."
Her shoulders slumped and the anxiety flooding her body, ebbed. She felt drained. Her knees were wobbly. Sensing that he was about to fall, Ileus held her close to his chest. "Your body has become weak, honey," he chided. "Those are the repercussions of using your untrained magic." She chuckled. Her husband was annoyed at her.
The Shaman walked to the royal couple. He bowed and said, "If you like, you can take her back to the palace, but the queen's orders are that she has to stay here for one more day."
"She will stay," said Ileus.
The Shaman looked at her with reverence. "I am so honored to have you amongst us, Princess Anastasia. I think there is already a buzz going on amongst these people that they will construct a sanctum and install your statue."
"What? That is insane. I think everyone is mistaken here. I am no goddess."
"You don't know what you are, child," the Shaman replied kindly. He pointed to the still kneeling people who hadn't dared to look up. "They are your blind followers. You are like a religion to them now. They have answered your call."
Eyes wide with disbelief, she sucked in a sharp breath. "I don't understand. I didn't call anyone!"
"I will explain everything to you later, princess," said the Shaman. "You are very weak. I can see from the paleness of your face. And you have endured a lot. Take a rest and we will meet later." He turned to call Tamara, but the High Priestess wasn't there. "I would request the prince to take you to the chambers."
"B— but I didn't summon them," she said, turning her head to Ileus. The clouds above cleared, giving way to the sunshine.
"I know, Ana," he said in a soft voice. "Don't worry. Right now, you need to eat and rest." Saying that he picked her up in his arms. But as soon as he did that, some people got up and snarled at him, as if hating to see him take away their goddess.
The Shaman had to stop them. Haldir took his sword out. Ileus looked at them and then walked towards the corridor as Haldir followed them.
When they reached the room, he made her lie down gently. "You need rest, honey," he said.
"And answers." She saw that Haldir had positioned himself outside the room and that was something.
Ileus walked to the table and poured her a glass of water from a pitcher. "You will, but first drink this." He gave it to her. "The temple gates are opened much later. I don't know who opened them without permission."
She shrugged. "I don't know, but where did you go in the morning?" She drank the water.
He tilted his head and said, "Something weird happened in the paintings."