279: 6.39 Blood Sacrifice

6.39 Blood Sacrifice

The bowl crashed to the ground in pieces, barely missing Maia's feet by an inch and the medicinal soup ended up seeping into the thick rug. Maia subconsciously wrinkled her nose, both from the thought of how much of a pain it would be to wash the stain out and also the pungent, distinct smell of medicine.2

"Get out!" Her father, Ernoul, hollered furiously from where he was slumping on the bed. His face was red from exertion and he was looking at Maia with so much hatred as if wanting to tear her apart. No matter how many times she had seen him like this, it didn't hurt less. "Get out, you ungrateful wench! Don't ever show yourself in front of me again!"

Clenching her fists, Maia silently crouched down to gather the ceramic pieces onto the tray. It's okay, she told herself. At least everyone could now eat their fill and no longer worry about food for the rest of the winter. No matter how much tantrum her father was throwing, it wouldn't change the fact that the deal had been struck. "Someone else will come by later to feed you medicine. Please excuse me, father," she said as calmly as she could.

"It's all because of you. I should have killed you…" Ernoul hissed in rage. "When that woman gave birth to you, I should have known not to raise you. Such a disgrace to our ancestors! Pathetic slut who can only lower her head and lick those man's shoes—" 

Ernoul's shouts and curses followed behind her as she stepped out of the tent.

"Miss!" Frey, who was pacing back and forth outside, hastily approached to take over the tray. Her face turned concerned when she saw Maia's face. "Miss…"

"It's okay, Frey." Maia wiped the tears on her face and sniffled, forcing a smile that seemed to make Frey get even more worried. "It's not uncommon for him to take it out on me when he's angry. Moreover, he must be so upset that his old illness relapses at a time like this."

Frey's eyes reddened and her shoulders shook indignantly. "I don't understand. Why… Why is he so fixated on wealth and power? Why does he keep insisting to go forth with the war? He's so selfish! His people are suffering and he can't even see that! Now he's blaming you when you are trying to save us…?!"

"Hush, Frey!" Maia huffed out a breath as she pulled Maia toward the direction of her own tent. As much as she agreed with Frey's words, there was no denying the fact that the elders who supported her father relentlessly were still around. If they were to hear Frey's insult toward him, who knew how they might react? "We agreed not to talk about this."

"But—"

Their conversation was cut short when a commotion was heard from the distance. Frey craned her neck to look and gasped when she noticed who it was. "Miss, they are the envoy who has gone to the country to negotiate the treaty!"

Maia's heart picked up its pace and she was suddenly flooded with inexplicable yearning when she recalled the tall, handsome man with a smile as blinding as a sun, who flushed so easily when Maia threw any flirting remarks toward him, who was everything she could have hoped for and even more. Her future fiance, Hayden. With the return of the envoys, did that mean that the deal had been completed? "Come on!" She told Frey excitedly before dashing to where the envoys were, ignoring Frey's surprised call behind her.

The crowd parted for her to show Elder Alain, and the smile on Maia's face abruptly froze when she noticed the elder's somber look. Just like that, the bubbling excitement she felt instantly withered, replaced with worry and dread. "Alain, did… something happen?"

Deep frown marred the elder's face as he gestured to the side. "Let's talk somewhere else."

What was happening…? Maia suddenly couldn't breathe as she trudged along Alain's back. Millions of conjectures popped up in her mind, one was worse than the other. She could still see Hayden's smile behind her eyelids and hear his laughter brushing past her ears. Please… please don't let it be what she feared the most. As soon as they got to a more desolate place, Maia instantly blurted out, unable to hold herself back any longer. "Tell me, Alain. Does the deal fall through?" Maia couldn't think of any other possibility than that. What could have made Elder Alain show such a heavy look?

"No, don't worry, Miss." Alain scoffed. "Do you think I will just stand still and let that happen?"

Maia almost cried out of relief. If it wasn't it, then what…?

"It's just that…" Alain sighed. "It seems like your engagement has to be postponed for a while, Miss. It's just a delay." He hastily added when Maia's expression fell. "In paper, you and Prince Hayden have already been betrothed but the official ceremony has to wait until later time."

Maia sucked in cold air. "W—Why?"

"A strange disease has broken out in the country." Alain informed her somberly. "It's nothing like what we have seen before. Even with our vast knowledge in medicine, I am ashamed to admit that I am totally clueless about this one. It's infectious and in just one night, more than ten citizens have fallen. The King is preoccupied with searching for a cure. Do not worry. Prince Hayden is safe. The disease has just infected a small area in the countryside. Still, it is already enough to spread panic among people."

"I see…" Maia offered a contemplative nod. "If that's the case, then it's reasonable to delay the ceremony. I understand but… Alain?"

"Yes, Miss?"

"Can you please keep this from Father?" Maia's heart felt heavy just by thinking about it. If Ernoul were to know about this matter, he would definitely rejoice and exclaim that it was all retribution, that those people were destined to die to begin with. Maia could picture it very well. His father was a man crazy enough to take advantage of the situation and declared another war in times of misfortunes. When that time came, this peace they had tried so hard to maintain would be shattered to pieces.

"Of course, Miss." Alain's eyes softened ever so slightly. "No one knows about this except those who have sworn their loyalty to me. I will make sure that they don't speak even one word about it." With a last bow, he excused himself.

Left on his own accord, Maia's arms came around herself, shivering. White wispy air puffed out of her mouth and she couldn't help looking up at the gray sky with a wistful look. When would winter end, she wondered. A future where the sun was shining brightly, the air was warm and sweet with the scent of spring and when she could finally stand by Hayden's side suddenly seemed so far away.

A sigh escaped her lips. Well, there was no use brooding over it. Maia had always been a woman of action and it was no exception this time. Tonight, she would sneak out of here. Maybe, she should seek General Jillian out and see if she could help with something. There was no way Maia could stand still when her future husband's country was in crisis. 

With a plan in mind, she returned to pack her bare necessities and also convinced — threatened — Frey not to sell her out. After that, she waited until nighttime arrived and people were resting in their tents to sneak out. Except before she could do it, a piercing scream suddenly echoed in the air. So shrill and sharp that she almost jumped out of her skin due to the shock. W—What happened?! Maia turned to the direction of the sound and a gasp escaped her lips when she pinpointed the source of the scream: her father's tent!

Forgoing her escape plan, Maia rushed straight toward the commotion, finding it louder and louder as she got close. A woman was crying on the floor outside Ernoul's tent and Maia realized with sickness in her stomach that it was one of her father's bed warmers who often flaunted herself in front of Maia for God-knows-why. "I—I don't know…!" She cried out with her face buried in her palms, blood staining the front of her clothes. "I was just peeling an apple for him when he… he suddenly snatched the knife from my hand to s–slice himself!"

Surprised exclamations resounded around the circle.

No way! Maia stood, shell shocked. She couldn't say that she understood her father well but she knew that he wasn't the kind of man who would kill himself without a reason! Maia didn't even think when she pushed her way through the crowd to get into the tent. "Make way. I'm sorry, please make way for me—" The words died down in her throat as she saw the scene in front of her.

Ernoul, gripping a bloody knife in his equally bloody hands, laughing like a madman and preventing anyone from getting close. "Scram!" He shouted, frenzied. "If you all can't do it, then I will do it myself." Once again, he slashed his own chest with the knife and the blood spurted out like a fountain. A sharp cry rang out around her and it took Maia more than a second to realize that the sound was coming from her own mouth.

Maia looked around in panic. Something… there must be something she could use! Her eyes landed on the rug on the floor, still stained with the blackish soup from this morning. With a lunge, she yanked it and held it in front of her like a shield as she rushed forward to her father and tried to disarm him. A few men who saw her also took off their thick coats and mimicked her action to stop Ernoul from flailing around and further injuring himself. 

"Father!" Maia yelled as she wrapped the tip of the knife with the rug and snatched it away. "Snap out of it! Where's the doctor?! Come here and stop the bleeding!"

"It's no use…!" Ernoul cackled darkly. Blood was oozing out of his wounds, staining his clothes and dripping to the ground. Maia was dizzy from the metallic scent that rushed to her nose. "Everything's too late! With this, I will offer myself as a sacrifice! O'God of Plague, please accept this humble one's life and in exchange, grant my wish!" 

Maia's eyes widened in shock. What the hell did he just say?!

As soon as Ernoul said the sentence, a hush silence descended amidst the buzzing crowd for a few seconds. The air seemed to freeze and a booming thunder struck overhead. Everyone witnessed as Ernoul's blood on the ground bubbled, gurgling and sizzling. The blood surged upward to gradually form a silhouette of a smiling man, with flowy long hair and elaborate robe. It was such a bizarre sight because the man's — God — body was entirely made of blood. His eyes opened and a voice which seemed to come from the depth of Hell spoke,

"Who has summoned me?"

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