Cedric woke up from the noise, pressing closer to Mother's body.

"Cedric."

Something was calling him. He opened his eyes, feeling emptiness overwhelming his entire body like cold water. What a horrible feeling.

He just realized he was by himself inside the tent. His Mother wasn't there.

"Cedric," The voice called again. He stood up, glanced around, and grabbed his moon sword.

"Mother?" he said, leaving the tent and pointing the blade ahead.

The camp was deserted. The remnants of a dying fire glowed somewhere. He walked on, searching. No horses, no wagons, no signs of a fight. Nothing.

Everyone fled.

"Elowen? Mum? Sir Blunder? Eligh? Anybody?!" He panicked, looking around.

Why did they leave him?

At that moment, his eyes caught movement on the other side of the camp.

Elk emerged from the forest. The Sky Spirit. But this time it was much bigger.

Cedric's legs weakened as the red eyes of the beast locked onto him, straight into his soul. His horns intertwined, forming a twisted circle.

A faint voice reached Cedric's ears. "You are not ready."

A red shadow loomed over the camp. He looked up and saw the moon glowing a vivid red. In an instant, a raging fire began devouring the forest and the camp, obliterating everything in its path.

A chilling scream pierced the air -- a primal, horrifying sound.

"No!" Cedric jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.

"Sweetheart, what's it?" Seraphina knelt beside him, gently soothing his clammy forehead with her hand.

"I..." He could barely utter a word. "Nothing. Just a nightmare, Mum."

"It's okay, don't be afraid. I'm here with you," she pressed his head against her freckled neck and stroked his hair, kissing Cedric's cheeks. "My dear. It was just a nightmare."

He placed hands on the curves of her waist, feeling her skin, bones, warmth, and the scent of her lush brown warm hair. "I feel better now, Mum. Thank you."

He wanted to drown in her, but at that moment they were interrupted.

Elowen entered the tent and, upon seeing the entire scene, smiled at the corner of her mouth. "Well, well, well."

"What do you want, Elowen?" Seraphina kept stroking Cedric's head.

"Eligh is looking for our Great 18th descendant, Mum."

"Sometimes, waiting is the key. I've heard that if you pray and meditate long enough to connect with the spirits for a long time, sooner or later, even the king himself will fall at your feet," Riley sharpened his dagger, surveying soldiers sitting nearby.

At that moment, Cedric flopped down right at his feet.

"What do you think about that, Cedric?" Riley grinned. It was as if yesterday's lake incident never happened.

The soldiers chuckled.

"Screw you, psycho. We're not friends," Cedric stood up heavily and raised his sword. There were a few new bruises on his young face.

"You fell again. You haven't learned your lesson on balance," Eligh took another bite of an apple, lowering his sword.

"Maybe that's because you never taught me anything! You just keep hitting me like a punching bag. You're probably the worst teacher in all of Eldaria."

"If I have to teach you how to stand on your feet, then you don't deserve to wield a sword, kid," he said, pointing the blade's end at Cedric's hand and knocking the sword out, all while taking another bite of an apple.

"Damn old man," Cedric bent down to pick up the sword, but at that moment Eligh threw the apple right at his head. The prince turned away, narrowly avoiding the fruit. "Hey!"

"Well done. That was your first victory. Never take your eyes off the enemy and always be on guard, even in times of visible peace."

The soldiers behind Cedric clapped. Elowen, sitting among them, cheered, "Bravo, Prince. Your fighting skills are so impressive."

"No respect," Cedric sighed.

"Lift your sword. We've only just begun," Eligh stepped closer.

Cedric spotted Seraphina standing gracefully by the old oak tree. His mother, leaning casually against the trunk, had her arms crossed with a warm smile as she observed the scene with interest.

"I can't afford to embarrass myself, especially when she's watching," Cedric thought.

"Why are you standing like a stump? Scared?" Eligh took a step forward and swung the sword.

Cedric quickly moved out of the way and used his sword to stop the next move. Just then Eligh used his free hand to pull Prince down by grabbing his arm, but Cedric stood firm, spread legs, and pointed the sword at Eligh's chest.

"Not bad," Eligh pushed prince back.

The soldiers clapped, but not Elowen. Seraphina stood silently, smiling.

Relived, Cedric exhaled, only to be caught off guard as Eligh spat on his back. He tumbled face-first into the mud, with the thick muck invading his eyes, mouth and nose.

"But that's still not enough to defeat a real enemy. Don't get cocky, kid. See you tomorrow."

Struggling to the feet, Cedric grumbled, "He hit me in the back. I can't believe it."

Elowen clapped again, this time by herself. "I'm starting to like Eligh more and more."

Still wiping his eyes, Cedric looked towards the tree, but his mother vanished. He sighed, "I almost managed to make an impression on her."

The entire following day Cedric's body ached from the extensive journey and he couldn't shake off the unsettling thoughts from last night's nightmare. Was it merely a bad dream, or did it carry a message from the Spirit?

As he wearily continued walking, he yearned for the comfort of a warm home, his own cozy bed, and the taste of royal food. "I'm just not cut out for this kind of adventures. Funny, but at least I no longer dream of the pretty maids from the castle. Their bodies are no comparison to mother's hot body and beauty."

The memories of the previous evening spent by the lake and the intimate kiss they shared were the only things on his mind. It was only these thoughts that propelled him forward. "I can't let her think that I'm weak. It's all so wrong, but I can't help it."

"We'll reach the library in a few hours, Prince," Blunder walked beside him. All the horses were carrying supplies, so everyone proceeded on foot.

"I hope we'll deal with it as fast as we can, and return home. I'm so tired," Cedric adjusted the backpack, barely feeling his shoulders.

"Your mother mentioned you had a nightmare. Is it somehow related to our quest? What if spirits are trying to say something? Maybe we should ask Riley?"

"Riley?" Cedric glanced at the white-haired soldier up ahead. "No, it was just a nightmare. Can we even trust this guy, Lord Blunder?"

"Can we trust Riley?" Blunder stroked his beard, glancing at the white-haired soldier. "I found him in the woods many winters ago when he was just a kid. He couldn't explain why he was there or where his parents were. Since that time he has followed me everywhere. Riley has a good understanding of supernatural things. I don't know how, but he knows stuff. He might seem a bit odd, I understand that, but I trust him as much as I trust myself."

"I see," Cedric nodded, looking around for Seraphina. "Do you mind if I ask you how's my Mother? It seems like you catch up with her more than I do. She keeps avoiding me most of the time."

Blunder smiled. "She keeps asking about you the same all the time. Your mother is a strong woman. She can take care of herself in a camp filled mostly with men. Like you, she finds it challenging to be away from the castle for so long after years of royal life. She misses your father, but you should give her some time. She'll feel better."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Thank you, Lord. For everything."

Elias smiled through the bush beard and slightly bowed the head.

Cedric moved ahead and spotted Seraphina near one of the wagons, noticing how some soldiers were giving her admiring looks. It hadn't crossed his mind that others might find his Mother attractive, besides him.

"Mum?"

"Cedric? Why are you here?" She leaned, and he felt her warm breath on his neck. "Do you want Lord Blunder's people to see you walking alongside your Mother?"

"I don't care, Mum, about what they think of me or us. Is that why you've been avoiding me? Trying to make sure Blunder's people don't think less of me?"

"What? Me? Avoiding you? Nonsense. Of course, I'm not avoiding you!" she blushed. "I was at your training this morning, remember? You were fighting well."

"Not well enough. I still ended up face-down in the mud. Was Dad not good at fighting when he was young too?"

"No, he was the best fighter I ever knew," she smiled.

"Yeah, right. Of course, he was." Cedric frowned and then turned around.

He saw Elowen nearby, who was eavesdropping on their talk. She was hiding behind a wagon, and Cedric pretended not to see her.

"Are you still missing Dad, Mum?"

"No, I'm doing better now. We had a good time together yesterday; it cheered me up a bit. Thank you," she looked at the road, deep in thought. Red and black roses grew at the edge of the road. "But you know, it is the end of the summer. When we first met around this time of year, your dad gave me Black Briars flowers. Every year since then, he's given them to me to remember the day we met. Arik said I was like them--beautiful yet hard to approach." She smiled, remembering the past fondly.

"And where do these Briars grow?"

"Hmm? Honestly, I'm not sure. It's a secret only your Dad knows," she put her hand on Cedric's shoulder. "You can ask him by yourself when we return home. I hope when we stop the Eclipse, we'll be together again, and he'll give me one once again."

"Yeah... I hope so," Cedric frowned again and thought. "Would it comfort her if I gave her one of these flowers?"

They left the forest and saw a big old castle-like building on a hill in a valley. The Archi-Library looked like it reached the sky with its tall, slim towers. Big columns with pictures of symbols and runes stood near the entrance. There was a long staircase from the library down to a little village at the bottom of the hill.

"Looks majestic," Cedric said.

Seraphina gently stroked her son's head. "We are finally here, dear."

"Don't celebrate too soon," Elowen chimed in, appearing from behind. "What if the father has sent assassins? A few of them could have reached the library faster than our large group!"

"Your daughter is right, my queen," Blunder added. "Let's be cautious and keep an eye on the prince."

"Could my father really send assassins to kill me?"

"Of course not, Cedric. How can you even say this? Your father would never give such an order," Seraphina patted his shoulder.

"We can't be sure. Come on, we should be allowed through the valley," Blunder declared.

"I hope he did send assassins," Elowen chuckled.

When they got closer to the Library, Cedric saw lots of women talking quietly and looking at their group, especially at him. Some of the women were young, and some were older. All of them wore unique clothes with symbols he couldn't understand, and they were all really pretty, both the young and the older ones.

"Shut your mouth; bugs might fly in," Elowen teased.

"Very funny. Why are you so nosy, sis? Why are you spying on me and Mum?"

"Me? Spying? You're the funny one. You see what you want to see. Bye, dummy." She walked forward, going up to Sir Blunder, and hooked her arm through his. Blunder awkwardly went along, not sure how to handle the princess's teasing.

"We should have left her at the castle."

They kept walking, moving right through the village. There were more and more village women along the way.

He suddenly realized. "I don't see any men."

"That's because men aren't allowed here, as per the Library rules," Seraphina said. "Blunder sent a messenger ahead to announce the Eclipsian Prince's arrival. If he hadn't, their guards would have stopped us at the valley entrance. The last time someone of royal blood visited the Library happened 22 years ago when your father..." She stopped and coughed. "Well, It doesn't matter right now."

"So, the Library is led by women?"

"Not just any women, but the Exarchs of Wisdom. They're born in the valley; they don't marry men because they are responsible for maintaining the library's integrity and gathering new knowledge. All of them are descendants of this place's founders, Laurence and Eldoran."

"This is weird. How do new women show up here if they don't let men in? How do they have babies?" Cedric scratched his head.

"Seriously, Cedric? Out of all the wonderful things here, that's what you're curious about? Let's focus on our mission, shall we?" Seraphina sighed clearly disappointed. She pulled her hood and walked ahead, closer to Elowen and Blunder.

"What did I say wrong? I think that's a pretty important question," he mumbled, glancing at the village women. Some had tattoos on their faces, while others didn't.

The wagons and horses stopped near the village, on a big meadow by the river.

"They will settle in while we're inside. I've already entrusted everything to Riley. He knows what to do. Let's go," Blunder, Seraphina, and Cedric headed up the long staircase.

"And what about me?" Elowen stopped at the very bottom of the stairs.

"You stay here and help others settle the camp, get to know some of the village girls. Maybe that way, you'll refine your manners and present yourself more like a proper lady, Elowen," Seraphina turned gracefully and ascended the steps, delicately lifting her dress.

"What do you mean? Am I not ladylike enough for you, Mother?" Elowen retorted, kicking the grass in frustration.

"I agree, Mum. She looks and acts more like a street thief than a princess," Cedric giggled, but Seraphina shot him a disapproving glare, sniffing disdainfully.

The very moment they entered the valley, his Mum started acting odd. She visibly got more and more nervous as they got closer to the library.

"Sorry for my words. You okay, Mum?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Your sister can just be a pain in the neck sometimes. Sorry for that," Seraphina smiled, nervously rubbing the ends of the green road dress.

"So you wouldn't mind if I ask again how exactly do new women come to be here in the valley?"

Seraphina let out another sigh, her bosom subtly rising beneath the dress. "Really, you're interested in that?"

He nodded.

"Very well. Distinguished guests and important visitors often come to this valley, much like we are now. Exarchs women seize the opportunity when the guest is occupied in the library during the day -- they approach him, requesting permission for a couple of girls to conceive at night. The Supreme Exarchy herself selects these girls for this specific purpose."

"Oh, wow," Cedric stopped, eyes widening. "So, I could..." He turned back; from this height, there was a breathtaking view of the entire valley and village.

Seraphina grabbed his hand like a jealous girl and pulled her son along. "We're not here for that, Cedric! Don't forget about our mission! We have to prevent the Eclipse!"

"Okay, okay, Mum," Cedric relented, hearing a rough chuckle from Blunder, who was leading the way.

"Have you been here before, Lord?" Cedric looked at his wide back.

"Yes, I have," Cedric could tell by the voice that Blunder was smiling.

"Let's stay focused on our goal," his mother's frustration continued to mount.

"What if a boy is born in the process? " Cedric pressed on.

"Then he is sent to the outside world to father as many daughters as possible. End of discussion. I've forgotten how long these steps are. Ugh."

As they reached the summit, five women in elegant blue cloaks welcomed them. Each woman, around 30 years old, bore tattooed patterns on their faces. The cloaks, billowing in the breeze, hid their figures, though Cedric glimpsed the outline of swords hanging from their belts.

Good thing he had his own sword with him. He now always carried it.

"Welcome, Brother Blunder. Welcome, Sister Seraphina Astral Weaver. And of course, Welcome, Prince of the Eclipsian Dynasty. On behalf of the Exarchs of Wisdom - Welcome to the Arch-Library."

"Hello, Exarchs of Wisdom. We are here to enter Arch-Library to seek answers on how to stop the Cosmic Eclipse," Blunder stepped forward.

"I'm afraid that's impossible, Brother Blunder," the main one among them spoke. "A messenger from King Arik visited us a few days ago. Our ruler has forbidden the Prince from entering the library, as well as anyone accompanying him."

"Right. Why send assassins when, as a king, you can simply deny us access," Blunder turned to his companions.

Seraphina stood in contemplative silence, her hands folded as she gazed out over the picturesque valley. The breeze played with her voluminous brown hair.

She looked so beautiful.

"I wish I could kiss Mum again."

She turned around and moved toward the group of women, causing Blunder to take a step back.

"I am sister of the Exarchs, the sole descendant of Magister Leronse," she rolled up her sleeve to reveal a tattoo on her forearm. "I, along with my companions, possess the privilege to access the library without needing the king's will."

The women examined the tattoo closely. Two of them, positioned at the library entrance, promptly opened the door and vanished inside, leaving the others in thoughtful silence.

Seraphina lowered her sleeve. "Now, we wait."

Blunder, surprised, remarked, "Lady, I had no idea you were related to the Exarchs, especially that you were a descendant of Leronse."

"Now you know, and I trust you to keep it a secret, Lord Blunder," she said.

"Who is this Leronse?" Cedric thought and then said. "So you are one of them? Didn't you say that Exarchs don't marry men but live in the valley, guarding the library?"

"Yes. And as I told you on the road, I was hard to approach. I was a very elusive woman. Very elusive."

The doors finally opened. "Welcome to the Library, Sister Seraphina. You and your companions may enter," said one of the women. The others parted, allowing them inside.

"Well, it's about time," Blunder exclaimed as he entered first.

Inside, they encountered a vast vestibule with high ceilings and shimmering lights. Massive polished marble columns supported galleries on different levels, each adorned with shelves holding tens and hundreds of thousands of ancient scrolls, books, and manuscripts. Along the passages, glass display cases showcased artifacts, relics, and antique maps, providing a glimpse into the centuries of accumulated knowledge.

In the depths of the library, behind tall doors and arched doorways, were special areas: rooms with mirrored walls for meditation and laboratories for alchemical experiments.

In the middle of the vestibule, there was a black woman covered in tattoos on her face, arms, neck, and chest. She was sitting and writing in a book.

Seraphina whispered, "That's Supreme Exarchy. We will talk, you just listen."

"Welcome Home, Sister Seraphina. Wasn't expecting you here again so soon," said the woman with a mean smile as they got closer.

Cedric noticed that her eyes were coal black, as if tattoos had been applied directly to her eyeballs.

"Greetings, Supreme Exarchy. We are here to..." Blunder stepped forward.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"I don't want to talk about the past, Sister. We seek answers on how to stop the Cosmic Eclipse," Seraphina said.

"I'm aware of the prophecy, for we wrote it. But what assurance is there that the Eclipse can be prevented? Life and history show us that some things are meant to happen."

"With all due respect, I don't agree. Unlike you, we won't just wait around for the end of the world," Seraphina replied.

"You are as stubborn as always. Suit yourself," the Exarchy said, searching for something with ebony eyes. "And where is the 18th descendant?"

Seraphina turned around, and Cedric stood right behind her, avoiding the Exarchy's intimidating gaze.

"Don't be afraid, Cedric," she put her hands on his shoulders.

"I... I'm not afraid," he said nervously.

"Still a child," the Exarchy smirked. "You know where to seek for the answers, Grand-Grand-Granddaughter of Leronse. I only ask one thing: don't interfere with the priestesses in their work."

Seraphina bowed and pulled Cedric along by the hand.

"I'll go back to the camp, check if everything is under control," Blunder headed towards the exit, leaving the prince and queen alone.

"Why were you standing behind my back? You're our leader, you act like one."

"You told me to be quite. I've already said that I'm not fit for the role of leader, Mum. And I wasn't hiding behind your back. It's just... her eyes are scary."

"Maybe Arik was right. I've been too overprotective with you all these years after all."

They walked through several large halls. Seraphina knew exactly where they needed to go. They finally stopped in one of the halls. Seraphina let him inside and entered herself. It was a huge hall filled with bookshelves reaching up to the ceiling. Numerous rows of books, scrolls, various tables, and empty stands for writing were scattered everywhere.

"Let's start here. The history of the Dynasty, as well as information about the prophecy and the Eclipse, might be among these books and letters. But we'll have to work hard to find the answers. We have six months until the Eclipse arrives. Let's get started."

Cedric, engrossed in another book, glanced at Seraphina. It was insanely hot inside.

His Mother took off her green travel cloak, revealing a simple shirt with a graceful neckline. Sweat dripped down her neck and chest, making the snug shirt damp and outlining mum's sexy figure and boobs. It was hard to concentrate on the books when she was sitting like that right next to him, but he tried.

He saw a sentence that stood out: "The 18th descendant must marry the descendants of Laurence and Eldoran's only son."

"Only son of who again?" he was too tired to figure out the details and who he was supposed to marry.

He looked at her, watching her boobs jiggle, as she moved some books.

"Is there anything you want to tell me about what happened between you and this place, Mum? You've seemed uneasy since we got to the valley."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Are you sure? You never mentioned how you met dad either. So it happened here?"

"I said it doesn't matter now! And my past is not your concern," she said, burying herself in the books.

"You sound so much like Elowen now." He sighed and stood up. Thoughts were bulring in his mind. "Maybe a flower will help loosen her tongue."

Seraphina kept silent.

Cedric went to the door and left, passing through the halls and women, and making his way back to the vestibule. The Supreme Exarchy remained seated in the same spot, making notes in a book.

He approached closer, standing right in front of her. Her chest was at the level of his eyes. "Ahem."

"What do you want, child?" she continued writing, undistracted and with eyes as black as the night.

"Just looking for something. I need information about Black Briars. Where's the hall with the continent's herbs here?"

She finally looked at him, and from that look, shivers ran down Cedric's spine. "How interesting," she said, smiling. "What a surprising turn of events."

She was almost laughing, ready to jot down a note in her book, but her hand suddenly stopped. Pausing, she leaned back in her chair, enjoying the moment.

"What?" he swallowed.

"Go right, the fourth hall. Botany," she returned her gaze to her book, dipping the quill into the ink, still wide smiling.

"Okay. That was weird." He looked to the right but stayed put. "Can I ask why only women?"

She glanced at him again, this time with a mocking look, as if she found him amusing like he was a funny little creature. "Why only women?"

Cedric nodded.

"Because men are easy to figure out. They're easily influenced. Their minds revolve around mating... Sometimes they care so little about who they mate with that they even start showing interest in their own mothers."

Cedric composed himself, concealing any surprise. The Exarchy kept speaking.

"Don't fret; you're probably not the first intrigued by this forbidden idea. I've been around a long time, child. I've known your mother since she was a baby. I might seem blind, but I'm not. I've noticed how you look at her."

"I don't get what you're saying. My mother is just my mother," his throat went dry suddenly. "This is gross!"

"No need to explain, child. I don't feel emotions like disgust, contempt, or judgment. I'll just say this: you have a shot at what your male heart desires. If you push hard enough, she might be into it. But it's your call to decide how far you're willing to go. Are kisses enough for you? Maybe some affectionate touches from your mother will satisfy your lust? Or do you want to go all the way and explore more?"

"You're crazy!"

"Maybe. But I understand people well, like my ancestors who made prophecies." She dipped her quill again. "If you want to impress her, you don't have to possess the most stunning and rare flower or be the greatest warrior. You just have to be the best version of yourself, --the best you can be."

"I think we're done talking," Cedric turned back.

"You'll understand why I laughed if she tells you the whole story of what happened 22 years ago."

He passed through all the other halls and returned to Seraphina. His mother was peacefully asleep on one of the books. Her body barely moved with each breath.

Cedric approached with a clear intention to wake her up. Gently, he brushed the soft hair away from her face and neck, sensing a delicate fragrance. "This can't be," he whispered, running his hand over her beautiful cheeks, trailing down her neck, to her chest and shoulders.

"I got angry because the Exarchy voiced aloud what I've been feeling these past few days. She voiced what I was afraid to admit to myself. Me and Mother? That's not right. I have to fight this. I have to resist my desires. I'm not an animal."

He saw her lips trembling slightly as she breathed. Moving closer, her half-open mouth was almost within reach. It felt like he couldn't control himself; he just wanted another kiss. Is that wrong? To taste Mum again. Just one innocent kiss.

He moved his mouth closer but froze.

"No, I have to resist," he said, his lips just a few inches from hers. "I shouldn't. No," he whispered, his lips getting even closer. Closer.

Suddenly, Seraphina shifted and sighed, closing her mouth. He managed to pull his head away right in time.

"Cedric? Is that you?" She lifted the head from the book, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. "Did I fall asleep? Gosh,"

"It's late," he said, feeling his cheeks burn. "We need to go back to the camp."

"Yes, you are right." She yawned again. "I'm tired. Let's go."

The village and camp were shining brightly in the dark night. Cedric walked down the steps, supporting his sleepy mother. "We haven't even rested after the journey, have we?" she said.

Finally reaching the bottom, Cedric saw a bright red rose in the moonlight. "I don't need to be the greatest warrior." He picked it up. "Mum?"

"Yes, Cedric?"

"This is for you," he presented her the rose.

"A Rose? Why is that? Because I'm as ordinary as that?"

"No. Because you're strong, steady, and beautiful, just like this rose."

She smiled, almost teary-eyed, as she took the flower. "Thank you, sweetheart. My dear son. My Cedric," she hugged him tightly, pressing her breasts against his chest. He still could feel the scent of her sweat. Seraphina's damp shirt clung to his clothes.

He liked the smell so much. "I love you, Mum."

"I love you too, darling. I'm sorry I was mean to you." She leaned back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, a small secret gesture. "Just a little peck, since your sister can't see us," she said with a smile.

He couldn't believe she actually did it by herself. The sweet Mum's taste was left on Cedric's lips. The back of his head was tickling again.

"Thank you."

She gently ran her fingers through his hair, as she always did. Seraphina looked at him carefully, twirling a rose in her hand.

"22 years ago, your father came here to study some books. The Supreme Exarchy offered him a chance to conceive children with a couple of girls that night, but he was the first in history to refuse. He and I had already met, and all he wanted was to be with me. The Exarchy said no, but she knew I didn't want that life. I didn't want to have daughters just so they could have more daughters. I wanted a son. I wanted to raise a proper son with goals beyond reproducing, with real life. So, I left to start a family with your Dad. They thought I seduced your father to run away. They thought I was a coward, a traitor who abandoned them. It was humiliating for me, so I promised myself that I'd never come back here. I gave up my life here for you, Cedric. For my dear, perfect son."

She wrapped her arms around him, snuggling tightly against her son's chest.

"Because of me?" Cedric looked out over the valley, feeling the cold air rustling his hair. "What a surprising turn of events."

He murmured the Exarch's words.

Seraphina wanted a son, and now her long awaited son desires her as a woman.

He sat by the fire, wrapped in a cozy cloak. Cedric's body and bones ached from another morning's training with Eligh, and his face showed fresh wounds. They had been in the valley for weeks, but still hadn't figured out how to stop the Eclipse.

And he couldn't forget Excarchy's words about his love toward Seraphina.

"It's not safe to be alone in the tent with Mum. What a nonsense. Me and Mu... No, I can't even say it. I'll prove her wrong. I'm not an animal. I can control my urges. I love my mother like a mother. She's taken care of me all my life. These recent weeks have been tough for her, so now it's my turn to take care of her."

As he sat there, he listened to the night-- the camp sounds, the wind, and the crackling fire. Amidst the many voices, he recognized one familiar, soft, and wise voice.

"We might have to stay here for the winter," Blunder sighed.

"The Valley provides good defense against the king's soldiers," replied a soldier.

"I don't think it will come to that. We won't fight with the king. I brought my people with me to prevent bloodshed, not provoke If he decides to confront us directly, too many people will die. Arik understand that, he won't do that. I know him. No, it's not the king I'm concerned about."

"Are you talking about the Cult?" someone else chimed in.

"Yes, the Cult. The Exarchy has approved deploying our troops across the valley to secure the entrance. She, like me, is uneasy about Gargantua's men and his Cult. Exarchy just asked me to ensure that our people won't try to get closer to girls in the valley. We don't want unexpected pregnancies here."

"Cult?" Cedric wondered as a soldier plopped down beside him.

"Sorry if I interrupted, Your Majesty." Cedric was surrounded by other soldiers in gray cloaks and armor. "We've got an idea. There are lots of lovely ladies in the village. We've been here for a few weeks and are thinking of heading out, maybe meeting a few girls, you know, enjoying ourselves a bit. We've got a meeting set up, and the girls are on board."

"No one is allowed to sleep with girls from the valley," Cedric said.

"We get it, we get it. The Lord made it clear about the consequences if he catches us. We're aware we can't do that. The girls know it too. But, there's no rule against, you know, using their hands and mouths."

Cedric gulped, glancing at his mother's tent where a candle flickered. He thought he saw movement inside as she probably prepared to sleep. "These soldiers probably don't even know that, as a prince, I allowed to actually sleep with girls from the valley."

"Leave him alone. Maybe the prince isn't into women at all," remarked another soldier with a smile.

Cedric shot back, "It would be wise of me to execute you for saying something like that."

The soldiers backed off, all pale; the one who had spoken was the palest of all.

"He didn't mean it, Your Highness." The soldier stood up. "Let's just forget about it. We were only joking about the ladies. Just a silly joke."

"Where's the meeting place?"

"Well. It's in a big building with a red roof at the entrance to the village. Tomorrow night, we'll be meeting with the girls there."

"Why did you tell him, Matt?" The palest suddenly grabbed the soldier by the shoulder. "He's going to give it all away to the lord or Riley now, isn't he?"

"I'll come with you. I'll be right here, like always. Tomorrow." Cedric snuggled deeper into his cozy blanket. The chilly fall weather was getting even colder.

The soldiers nodded and vanished as fast as they came. "They think I'm a child. I need to earn respect. Just gotta make sure it's not a trap," he mumbled to himself.

At that moment, he thought something moved behind him; he heard a sound. Cedric turned around, snatching up the moon-sword. After so much training, he was doing it with no problem.

Among the tents, a person in a green cloak disappeared into the depths of the camp.

"Hey!" He hurried in pursuit, passing other tents and scattered cargo. The tiredness slowed him down, making it challenging to catch up. Cedric halted at a turn, finding himself blocked by two tents, with a horse directly in front of him.

"Trouble, prince?' Riley, with a grin, emerged from behind. He looked at Cedric's sword. "Getting ready for another round with Eligh? I doubt it'll spare you from more humiliation and bruises."

"Get out of my way," Cedric slowly walked past the white-haired soldier and headed toward the tent, bypassing the guards.

He stepped inside. "I think we're being watched, Mum."

Seraphina was getting ready for bed, already in her warm nightgown. Inside the tent, it smelled of flowers as she gently brushed her long brown braids with a royal comb.

"Lord Blunder's men are keeping an eye on our tent and camp all the time. I doubt any spies would stick around," she said calmly, adjusting her curls.

"You trust Blunder too much. Maybe Dad has spies that can sneak in here. Secret covert spies?"

She laughed, nibbling on her little finger. "Secret covert spices? You're so funny sometimes, sweetie." Seraphina stood up and then next moment placed a hand on her stomach, shrinking slightly as if in pain.

"Is everything okay?"

"Ohhh. Yeah, I'm good," she said, smoothing her hand over her hips and adjusting the nightie. "Ugh, it's just my body being all womanly, telling me it's ready for another baby."

He was a bit surprised, thoughts of the spy forgotten. "Another baby?" Cedric glanced at her belly.

"Don't worry, the pain will go away soon." She moved closer, hugged him, and gently kissed his cheek. Her plump lips stayed there for a moment, spreading warmth through her son's body. "Someday, when your wife goes through this, you'll do your duty and bring a new life into the world. The 19th descendant."

He blushed because of the kiss and the discussion of pregnancy. "And then the 19th one is supposed to bring the 20th, whose role in the prophecy is still mysterious," he said.

"You'll know about the 20th descendant later. His role is important, but not crucial for our mission. I told you that before, Cedric. Remember, we need to find a way to stop the Eclipse. Tomorrow, we'll keep looking."

He nodded.

"For now, let's rest. Don't worry about the spy; I'm sure you'll keep me safe with your big sword," she said playfully, pulling him onto the bed on the ground. "Come here, baby."

"We could use an extra pair of hands, Elowen," Seraphina said, standing at the bottom of the stairs with her arms folded, looking upset.

"I told you I'm not interested," Elowen replied, inspecting her nails.

"But you volunteered before."

"That was then. Now I've found something else to do. The library is just a bunch of books. What haven't I seen there?" She snorted, turning away toward the village.

"I can't believe it. You're my daughter, a descendant of Leronse, just like me. This is your home. Don't you feel anything special about this place?"

"All I feel is the scent of a thousand dissatisfied girls drawn into some weird community with no dicks. Zero dicks. And the only suitable dick, aside from Sir Blunder's, prefers the company of a books and, who could have thought, his own mother."

Cedric shot Elowen a mean look standing behind Seraphina's back.

"You're just like your father, Elowen. Can't see past your own nose," said Seraphina.

Elowen laughed. "Oh, believe me, Mum, I can see even past your big, crooked nose. You don't need my help; you're just scared to leave me alone with the soldiers in the camp," Elowen smirked.

"I'm done with this. We're done," Seraphina turned around sharply. She went upstairs.

"Go catch up with your girlfriend, sissy." Elowen grinned, looking at her brother.

"You know what?" Cedric made a step closer to Elowen. "You have no chance with Blunder. Why would the Lord pick someone as 'ugly' as you when he has the entire village to choose from, with the most gorgeous girls in Eldaria? Huh? Bye, sister."

Cedric hurried, and as he ran, he heard Elowen yelling, "You call me ugly? You're the ugliest one! I don't care what you say, jerk!"

"Of course you do, sissy."

He struggled to keep up with Seraphina, his legs burning from recent training.

"You have a nice nose, Mum. Don't listen to her," he reassured, catching up. "Elowen is just jealous of your beauty--your lips, eyes, delicate face."

"Thank you, dear," Seraphina said with a smile, wiping her eye.

"I bet she's envious of your curvy figure. Your..." He paused.

"My what?" She smirked, suppressing a laugh.

He peeked at her boobs, looked away, nearly stumbling. "Oh, nothing. Just your figure."

She wiped a tear from her other eye, chuckling, as they reached the door, passing the guards. The priestesses of the Library surrounded the Exarchy around the table.

"You're different from your father; he didn't enjoy doing compliments. I guess your sister took all of his..." Seraphina paused.

A painful scream reverberated through the library, originating from a far-off room in the vestibule, causing Cedric to shudder. The scream was heard for a few moments, and then abruptly ended.

The Exarchy remained unfazed, engrossed in her work. However, all the priestesses turned their attention toward them, silently conveying that they weren't meant to hear that.

"Let's go," Seraphina said, taking Cedric's hand and leading him into the right corridor.

"What was that?" He spun around, and the priestesses were still watching.

"I don't know, but, well, it's not our concern; we're just guests here. Let's let the hosts keep their secrets."

"Even if someone needs help? Did you hear that scream? Can't we do something?"

"We can't. We need to focus on our own business and avoid unnecessary questions. I don't want us to get kicked out of here, do you?" She closed the door behind them, breathing out.

From the corner of his eye, Cedric noticed another person in the room. For the first time during their stay, there was a priestess busy at the shelves, organizing some books.

"No more word about it," his mother whispered, taking a seat at the table.

It had gotten cooler than usual in the past few days, so he no longer had the chance to sneak a peek at her boobs. Still, she was wearing a nice brown warm shirt with a nice alluring neckline.

For the following hours, he had to focus on the books, shifting them from the pile right in front of him. "History of Eldaria and the First Civilizations."

No.

"Tales of the Great Journeys and the Rise of the Eclipsian Dynasty."

No.

"Starborne's Path to Power."

I've read this one already. More than once.

Cedric cautiously raised his eyes above another book in hands, glancing at Seraphina. She pushed back her chestnut hair to the side, revealing her neck and seductive collarbones. His Mum carefully tied her hair into a ponytail.

Meanwhile, he observed her arm movements, noticing Mum's bare armpits and the flexing of her neck and arm muscles. Interested, he watched, pretending to be engrossed in the book.

"I can see you watching, Cedric," she said calmly.

"Sorry, Mum." He shifted his gaze back to the books.

"Descendants of the Eclipsian Dynasty."

Descendants.

Suddenly, he recalled what he had recently read, that evening when they arrived at the library. He stood up and walked to the shelf, searching among the bindings.

"That's it. 'The Future of Starborne's Dynasty." He opened the book to a needed page.

"The 18th Eclipsian descendant must marry the descendants of Laurence and Eldoran's only son."

"Interesting. I'm the 18th, but who is the son of Laurence and Eldoran? I think I heard these names before." He glanced at Seraphina sitting in front of him.

"Remind me, Mum, who were the founders of the library?"

"Laurence and Eldoran." She turned to him, wearily resting her head on the hand.

"And who is their only son?"

Her expression changed. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious about the library's founders. After all, I'm your son, and this place is also my home. Maybe Elowen doesn't, but I feel something special about this place."

She smiled warmly. "I'm glad you're interested, my dear."

Seems like that's worked.

"Their only son was Leronse. He was a great master, the only male, besides Laurence, his father, who had access to the books and information gathering."

"Leronse?" It felt like the ground had slipped from under him. "Isn't Leronse your..."

"Yep, he is my great-grandfather." She sighed, evidently uneasy revisiting her own past. "His blood was highly valued, which is why the Supreme Exarchy didn't want to let me go and marry your father. I am his last and only descendant."

"Oh, no." He froze, almost dropping the book. Realization dawned on him gradually. "No, no, no. So, you're the last descendant of Leronse?"

"Yes. Didn't I just say that?" She giggled, "So, why do you ask? Did you find something?" Suddenly curious, she stood up, wanting to know what he had, but Cedric abruptly closed the book.

"It's nothing. It's nothing."

"You're really bad at lying, Cedric. Do you know that?" She placed her hands on her hips, and Seraphina's tense, angry gaze shot directly at him.

"I need to talk to the Supreme Excarchy," he wanted to walk past, but she stood right next to him, trying to grab the book. He almost buried his face in her boobs.

"Give me the book!" Her boobs brushed against his face, she wrapped her arms around Cedric.

"No, I can't, Mum." He held it behind his back. In a sort of fight, their bodies got tangled. She reached out, pressing her body against his, attempting to snatch the book from behind his back. He could once again smell her pleasant scent and feel the warmth emanating from Mum's soft body.

"You really think I can't grab that book from you? You don't know me very well, dear." With a swift move, she brought him down to the floor, keeping him pinned.

"Wow!"

She fell right onto Cedric, nearly jumped, collapsing with her whole body on him. "Almost!" Seraphina spread her legs and sat right on his groin.

"Ughhh, Mum. Stop it." His face turned red. He held the book, her fingers gripping the cover, trying to wrest the book from Cedric's firm grip.

Despite her efforts, he was still stronger, and she squirmed on his lap, causing him to have a hard-on. She rubbed her crotch right against his cock, and Cedric was burning with bliss. "Ohhh, Mum." She rubbed it even harder, resting her vagina directly on his tip.

He could swear he heard her moan. "Ohhh, so hard."

Through the fabric of her pants, he could feel her vagina cheeks. It felt too unreal to actually believe it was happening.

But then she froze, stopping the hip movements, and looked into his eyes with fear, her messy brown hair falling onto his blushed face. "Sorry, I..."

Seizing the moment, he quickly pushed her off, scrambling up and heading towards the door with the book.

"Sorry for the scene," he apologized to the priestess, who sat in the corner with an open mouth, and then closed the door.

"That was weird." Cedric said as he puffed up and ran to the vestibule, heading straight for the Exarchy with the book in hands. Standing before her, Cedric placed it on the table. "I have a few questions."

The Exarchy stopped writing and looked at him.

"So, you say that... huff just a moment," he took a couple of breaths, still trying to catch his breath after the fight. "My Mother is full of surprises, it turns out. And it seems she knows how to fight. You have a very clean floor here by the way. It's so white and marble."

She silently looked at him through empty tattooed ebony eyes. "In our library, we uphold sacred cleanliness. This place is preserved from defilement, like the soul and body of our women," she calmly stated.

"Yeah, right. So, here's the thing," Cedric began. "You say that the library priestesses write prophecies. I want to know how. Where do you get them? Do prophecies always come true? How does it happen? Are there ones that didn't come true?"

"The priestesses of the Library are gifted with the ability to see what others cannot."

"Enough of this nonsense, lady. Tell me something real. How? How do you know it?"

She looked at him again with an assessing gaze. It was hard to tell if she was staring at his face through her black eyes or not. Like the first time they met, he felt a little uneasy, but didn't break eye contact.

"Spirits share insights with us about what might happen in the future. Or what might not."

"Spirits? How can spirits know the future? How can the future be predetermined at all? And how you talk to them?"

"Too many questions, child. Spirits only predict what is likely to happen based on the past, present, and the facts of our universe. And so far, they have never been wrong."

"Never? So, I should marry my mother and tie our destinies because of the damn prophecy? Because some spirit said so?" he blurted out.

"Marry your mother?" Exarchy tilted her head to the side.

"Forget it," he sighed, dropping his head in disappointment.

Exarchy slowly ran her hand through the prince's hair. "Prophecies don't always unfold as we expect, child. Spirits come to those they wish to speak with in dreams, and sometimes their answers can be confusing, spoken in a sense we don't yet understand. You're seeking answers in the wrong place."

He looked at her perplexedly.

"This place, this library, holds answers not only to here," she pointed to his head, "but also answers to here." Her hand touched his chest, right where his heart was.

"I don't understand it," he whispered.

"You will, child. You are clever. You're her son, so you'll understand it," she said, looking towards the exit with a thoughtful expression. "Goodbye, Cedric."

"Riddles again," he picked up the book and headed back.

Cedric opened the door, stepping into the room with a flurry of thoughts. "Mum, there's something important I want to talk to you about." He reached for a book but noticed Seraphina was in tears. She sat at the table, crying over one of the books, her tears dropping onto the pages.

Turning around, he realized the priestess left. "Mum?" He approached, expecting her, as always, to pretend like nothing happened.

He expected her to wipe away the tears and say she was just tired.

He expected her to smile, and then they would forget about this little moment of weakness.

But she didn't do any of that; she kept crying over the book even after Cedric made it clear that he could see her.

"Mum? What's wrong?" He placed the book on the table and sat beside her, wrapping his arms around Mum's warm shoulders.

"We shouldn't have," she wiped her eyes. "Left the castle. I was so foolish. Neither you, nor I, nor Elowen are ready for all of this. What have I dragged us into?"

"Hush, Mum. This is not a reason to despair. We are saving the world. Did you forget?" He ran his hand up and down her warm, gentle back.

She turned, laying her head on his chest. "I found a book about the Eclipse, but there's nothing on how to stop it." She pointed to the book, its pages soaked with her tears. On the right side, it was evident that a large piece of the pages had been ripped out.

"We need to go back to your dad. I want to go back to my Arik, back to love of my life. He'll forgive us for my mistake, and everything will be as it was before."

Cedric closed the torn book. It was titled "Spirits and Kings."

"We've come too far to give up now. Everything will be okay, Mum. We'll find answers in another book. I know it. Can you hear me?"

She nodded, his arms holding her head.

Cedric wiped a tear from her cheek. She looked so fragile and lost at that moment. He had never seen her like that before.

He leaned in and kissed her, sensing the salty taste of tears on her plump lips.

Enjoying the kiss, he thought. "I'm not ready to give you up to father. I won't give you back. And we have a prophecy to fulfill--the 18th descendant and the last descendant of Leronse. But I'll tell you later about it."

Seraphina calmed down and fell asleep in the tent. Cedric covered her with a warm blanket, kissed on the forehead and went outside, warming himself by the fire.

"The 18th descendant and the last descendant of Leronse." He ran his hand through the hair, staring into the fire. "Didn't the prophecy suggest a connection through blood for these two? Maybe I'm just deep down scared of wanting this? Me and Mum..."

He heard a noise behind once more. A quick glimpse of green cloak caught his attention between the tents. He hurried after. "It's you again. Hey, stop!"

Cedric tried to keep pace. The person in the cloak reached the camp's edge, oddly avoiding any guards. The figure darted into the forest, vanishing among the trees, leaves, and bushes. He followed the Green Cloak.

"Where are you? Show yourself! I'm not scared! Were you sent by the king?"

Another sound reached him; the Cloak reappeared from behind a tree. Cedric immediately aimed his sword at him.

"Who are you!?"

Even in the dimlight, he saw that it was a girl with a mask covering her face, black locks spilling from the edges of the hood.

"Your cloak is not familiar to me." Cedric took a step forward, keeping his sword raised.

The girl inclined and knelt on one knee, lowering her head before Cedric.

"What the..." He moved closer, sword still raised. "Stand up and take off your mask. Who are you?"

As he got closer, she stood up and, moving the sword aside, rushed into his arms. She tried to kiss him through the mask; it was a strange, uncertain kiss through the mask's wet thin fabric. More like a mimicry of a kiss than a real one.

In the next second, her hand descended to his groin, slipping through the pants and gripping his cock.

"Ughhhh. Are you a girl from the village?" He said when she finally broke the kiss. He couldn't see her face through the mask. The girl pulled out his dick.

"I can't. No, we can't," he wanted to push her away, but the sensations were too good to resist. Her hand was so warm, she smiled through the mask and grabbed his dick harder, taut its skin back and forth.

"Ohhhh, yes, I don't know who you are, but you are so good at this."

She slowly sank to her knees, grasping his cock with both hands.

His vision darkened. The unknown girl increased the pressure, jerking harder and harder, trying to drain him. He reached out and revealed girl's breasts.

Initially, she resisted but then gave in. Her young, firm breasts with prominent nipples appeared before him. Her body was obviously at its peak. She looked up at him as he touched one of her boob. It was a strange, condemning look, which seemed so familiar.

Finally, he couldn't hold back. She was too good at this. "Ughhh, yes, yes, I'm almost," He grabbed her boobs, squeezed them, and yelled out. White sperm rushed on her boobs and her face beneath the hood. At that moment, he was willing to do anything for this girl. Waves of pleasure surged through his mind like bright flashes of light. He almost collapsed, feeling her hands still gripping him. She kept draining his balls until the very last drop.

After that she wiped her hand and tried to cover her boobs.

"Thank you. What's your name?"

He sensed she wanted to run away and grabbed her hand to prevent that. "Don't go, wait. I don't like secrets, dear. You choose a bad day for that. I want to see your face now. Please."

She resisted, trying to pull away. "Let me go!" She punched him right in the face. Though it hurt, it wasn't the worst blow he'd get in the last month, so he held onto her.

Her voice seemed familiar. "No way." With a swift motion, Cedric removed her mask.

"Oh, no. Fuck, no. Elowen?"

Now he clearly recognized her green eyes; she tried to pull the mask back, but it was too late.

"What are you doing? What have you done? What have We Done!?"

"You think I enjoyed it?" she said, apparently giving up and taking off the mask. Pretending made no sense anymore. "You should have just let me go; you wouldn't have known anything, idiot!"

"Oh, so is this my fault? Why did you do that?" He pushed her away with disgust hiding his flaccid cock. "How did this even happen? It can't be, it just can't. You and me. Why?"

"You weren't supposed to see me. I wanted you to go back to camp, exhausted, and tell the soldiers that you didn't want to go to the village because you had already spent time with a girl. That way, they would think you're a coward or that you don't like girls. They'd laugh at you and... and... no one would respect you then!"

"WHAT?! That was your plan!? You wanted them to laugh at me?"

"YES!"

"YOU IDIOT! Why? Just... Just why? Why would you want that?"

She wiped away the semen droplets that almost reached her mouth.

"Are you really so clueless, sissy?" He felt like she might cry at any moment. "Our parents have cared only about you their whole lives. They loved you, worshipped you. Mum always wanted a son and completely forgot about me when you were born. They didn't want a daughter; they wanted a son. I hate you, always have. Why does everyone think the 18th descendant is the boy? Maybe it's me? If no one respects you, then I'd finally have a chance to prove that I'm not just a stupid useless girl. The prophecies might be about me." She wiped away a tear along with a drop of semen from her face. "Disgusting. I'd finally be Someone and not just Someone's nasty sister. I just wanted Blunder's people to despise you."

"Elowen, I'm sorry."

She looked so vulnerable.

"Just go." She covered herself with the hood, hiding another tear. "I want to be alone. Don't you dare to tell anyone about what happened. I'll murder you and pull your guts out."

"You don't need to be the 18th descendant for Mum and Dad to love you, Elowen."

"Easy for you to say." She smacked him in the stomach, pushing away and disappearing into the woods. He crumpled from the blow and fell into the grass.

"Ugh... Can't believe I didn't recognize her," he slowly headed back to the camp. "I'll be haunted by this scene for a long time. I just can't believe she did that. Elowen jerked me off, and I came on her face and boobs. Shit!"

He returned to his tent, where a few soldiers gathered. In was already evening. "Here you are."

"We thought you changed your mind. We're going now," said Matt.

Cedric surveyed each one of them, still recovering from the incident. Elowen's firm, sexy beautiful breasts were still before his eyes.

"So?" Pale one asked. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, yes. Right. Let's go. I'm ready."

He walked behind, dragging his feet. A strange weight had settled on his heart, and it wasn't just because his sister had just jerked him off.

"She always appeared strong and stubborn. Did she really suffer because parents favored him over her? And now I'm also a hero tasked with saving the world. Maybe I can understand her. But that still doesn't mean its okay to do what she's doing, that still doesn't excuse what she did. Damn, I still can't believe it happened."

"Can't believe what?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Never mind," he raised his head, turning it toward the library. Several figures in dark cloaks were ascending the steps, illuminating their path with torches.

"I don't recall anyone in black cloaks in the camp. Must be some priestesses. Do they visit the library at night?"

"Hey, prince," the Pale one turned to him. "How many girls have you been with before?"

"Just leave him alone," Matt led the group.

"I had a few girls, but as a prince, it's hard to find free time."

Of course it was a lie. He was so over secured by his mother for his whole life that his only sexual experience was peeking after maids. No, that's not true anymore. His only sexual experience just happened with his own sister a few moments ago.

"That's rough, buddy," said Matt. "Finding a moment can be a real challenge. But hey, at least you're not a virgin like some of these guys."

"Hey, shut up!" someone yelled from behind.

"See? That's what I'm talking about."

The whole group laughed, and Cedric laughed right along with them. Suddenly, he felt a strong connection with these people.

He had spent many days with Blunder's soldiers on their journey, yet he had never even talked to one of them. These were the guys who had abandoned their lives to follow and protect him.

"We've arrived." They walked up to the house, hearing footsteps and people on the other side of the street. Despite the late hour, the village was bustling with activity.

At the back door, Matt knocked, and after a moment, a woman opened it. She appeared to be around 60, with weathered skin, tired eyes, and gray hair.

"I hope this isn't one of those man-hungry girls," Cedric whispered and someone pushed him in a back holding a laugh.

The woman let them in, grumbling maliciously, "You have an hour until midnight."

They found themselves in a large room with sofas and tables, trinkets scattered all over the walls. It seemed like this place was some kind of store before their arrival.

Only then did Cedric notice the girls sitting in the far corner at a low table. They were sipping tea in blue cloaks and chatting about something.

"Well, finally," said the red-haired girl sitting in the center of the table, appearing older than the others. "Did you get lost on the way or what?"

"No. Just had to wait for someone," Matthew glanced at Cedric, then back at the girls.

"I see. There's no point in introductions. We're not here to get married." The redhead smiled. "We'll just pick someone we like and the rest you know. Deal?"

Cedric stood by the door, wondering if it might be a trap after all. "What am I even doing here?"

He didn't realize the red-haired girl was suddenly beside him, placing her hand on his neck. "You're adorable. Why are you standing by the doors like you want to escape? Are you scared of us?" She playfully ran her finger across his face. "I like you. What's your name?"

"Guess they don't know I'm the prince," Cedric thought and said, "Riley. My name is Riley."

"Pleasure to meet you, Riley. I'm Cindy. Do you like me, Riley?" She then ran her hand over his lips. "Or maybe you fancy one of our girls?"

She turned his head to look at them, and his eyes quickly landed on the girl with brown hair who looked a lot like his Mother. They had the same eye color, face shape, and lips. Cindy, of course, noticed that he was looking at her.

"Do you like her? She's yours."

"What? No, she's just..."

"Hush, little one. Your look says it all," she pulled him forward, right to the girl. "Betty, meet Riley. Betty's mum owns this place."

Close up, Seraphina's look-alike resembled her even more. The girl checked him out like she was shopping and said, "Works for me, let's go."

"Don't forget, you're a guest here, kiddo. Behave appropriately. Keep an eye on my girl and keep her safe," Cindy stepped away, and Betty took Cedric by the hand, heading towards a door leading to another room. It was a space with a small bed and a window.

"Do I need to take off my sword first, or..." He didn't finish as she kissed him. Betty pushed Cedric onto the bed and joined in. She jumped on his lap and slipped her hand into his pants.

"Ohh. Seems like the girls really missed having men around here," thought Cedric. He enjoyed kissing her, running his fingers through her brown hair.

"Why are you not hard yet?" Her soft hand rubbed his dick.

He wondered how to tell her that his own sister just jerked him off.

She kept trying to make him hard, stroking it, and using all of her meager skills. It was more like she was trifling with it. "I can't believe I'm admitting this, but Elowen did it much better-- more skillfully and with greater finesse."

"Just give me some time," Cedric said and kissed the girl again, and this time he thought of Seraphina. He inadvertently thought he was kissing his own mother.

And, as a result, this time it was different. He felt a nice tingling in the back of his head and chose to welcome these new feelings instead of pushing them away. After all, there was a prophecy saying he had to marry Seraphina. He got a hard-on... "Mmm, Mum."

Betty pulled away, looking at him in surprise. "Mum? Really?"

"Darn it." He noticed how someone on the other side pulled the curtain in the window and peeked inside. After that, they quickly lowered the curtain back down. "Someone saw us."

"What? Who?" She turned around, but there was nothing there now. "Doesn't matter, my mum will sort it out. Just relax"

"Something's not right. I can feel it," he kept staring at the window, which swayed from the wind or someone's movement outside.

"Yeah. Calling me Mum, that's what's not right."

The curtain twitched, person in a dark cloak pulled the bowstring.

Cedric moved quickly,spontaneously. He grabbed the girl; the sound of shattered glass echoed as an arrow whizzed through the air. Cedric positioned Betty in front of him, shielding himself with her body. The arrow pierced her chest and exited on the other side, not far from Cedric's body. Blood surged at his face and chest. The girl barely had time to utter a scream; she gasped and went limp in his arms.

He hadn't yet realized what he had done, hadn't understood that he just used her body as a shield. The shock was overwhelming. Cedric pushed the dead body away and leaped towards the door, drawing his sword. Inside the house, cries, both female and men in pain, were already heard. He stepped into the hall room. The entrance door was smashed open, and several people in black cloaks stormed in. Meanwhile, Blunder's soldiers had emerged, drawing their swords.

"Cedric!" Matthew, wearing torn clothes, blocked a sword attack, and tried to reach him.

At that moment, one of the attackers lunged at Cedric, swinging a sword. Prince parried the blow, assuming a defensive stance. The opponent aimed for his leg, attempting to knock him down, but Cedric stood firm and counterattacked, injuring the assailant's hand.

Another person attacked him with a sword, but Pale arrived just in time. He blocked the attack, saving the prince. "Go back to camp and let the Lord know we're being attacked!"

He rushed toward the rear exit, bypassing Matthew's dead body. The clash of swords echoed in the room. Cedric forced open the rear door beside the old woman's body that had let them in.

The sounds of battle seemed to surround Cedric --coming from the forest, the village, resonating through the entire valley. The cries of women and the wounded filled the air.

"I need to find my Mum and Elowen." He dashed through the woods, careful not to harm himself with the sword. A strange noise reached his ears from the direction of the library, but the trees blocked the view. The noise resembled a humming, a guttural sound of some creature.

Finally, reaching the forest's edge, he looked up. Thick smoke billowed from the library, and a figure descended the steps. Or something human-like, with a dark mist trailing behind, leaving black marks on the stairs with each step. The creature was pale, paler than the moon.

He didn't stop to look but ran, finally getting close to the camp.

Some tents were ablaze, and there was a skirmish all around. He leaped down, hiding behind the random tent. A few soldiers in black cloaks hurried past him. Once they were out of sight, Cedric kept going, soon reaching Seraphina's tent. He hurried inside-- the tent was deserted, belongings strewn and torn. It was evident that a battle had taken place here. Elowen's tent showed the same scene.

"Where did they go? Where are they? Where's Blunder? I need to find the Lord if he's still alive." He headed deeper into the camp. A horse ran past him, nearly knocking him over, dragging a dead rider's body behind it.

Around the next turn, he encountered an adversary--a huge soldier in a black cloak, taller than Lord Blunder, with an armored mask. Cedric noticed a dark, red mist emanating from the brute's eyes.

This one was different; the way he moved sent shivers down Cedric's spine.

After dispatching another foe, the soldier turned toward Cedric, raising his sword. Prince dodged the first blow, a move he had done many times with Eligh, and managed to hit the brute's hand, leaving a small scratch. The man retaliated, tossing the prince backward. Cedric's head hit the ground hard and struggled to get back up.

The enemy swung again, and Cedric, attempting to dodge, presented his shoulder. The cold blade cut into his shoulder, slicing through the skin and reaching the bone. He yelped, and in the next moment, the brute struck him in the face with a glove, sending prince further back.

He fell, gazing at the dark smoky sky, feeling blood covering his entire face and mouth. Somewhere nearby, a horse neighed again.

Reluctant to stand again, Cedric knew he had to do it for his mother, for his sister. With determination, he pushed himself up, kneeling on one knee, disoriented.

Spotting the enemy close by, sword raised for a deadly strike, Cedric saw a horse racing by with a fallen dead rider. Gathering his remaining strength, he lunged forward, reaching out to snatch the fallen body. The sword whizzed past him, not too far away.

Horse dragged him along with the dead lion soldier, right into the middle of the camp. Trying to distance himself from the enemy, he collapsed near a tent, pretending to be unconscious. The wound on his left shoulder burned, but the headache was fading, becoming more bearable. He attempted to stand up again, still holding moon light sword, a gift from Lord Blunder.

"Finish this one!" He turned at the shout. There were more soldiers in black cloaks, he counted six.

"Out of the frying pan into the fire," Cedric stood up. Lord's tent was not far away.

The cloaks attacked, but at that moment, Blunder's soldiers appeared from the sides. They clashed with the cloaks, attacking fiercely. One of the cloaks closest to Cedric lunged at him, but someone from behind thrust a dagger straight into the enemy's throat.

"Prince?" Riley pulled his dagger out of the neck and rushed to the weakened Cedric. "We thought they got you."

"Where's my mum? Where's my sister?"

"They're in the library with Eligh and Lord. They're safe, Prince."

"I need to make sure. I have to go."

Riley pulled him aside, helping Cedric stay on his feet. "You can barely stand, friend."

"I don't care. I have to get there. That's an order."

"An order?" the white-haired soldier smirked. "Didn't think you'd be handing out orders so soon. Go. Just don't die."

Cedric marched straight towards the stairs, bodies scattered everywhere -- killed, wounded, butchered. Men in black cloaks and soldiers with lion emblems on their armor were all around. The scene was chaotic, with bodies and blood everywhere.

Riley lagged somewhere behind. All he could hear were the sounds of swords clashing and men in pain, but none of those cries belonged to Riley.

As he got closer, Cedric recognized the tracks leading right from the stairs to the village, hoof marks leaving behind black smoke.

Do these belong to the creature he saw earlier?

The tracks smelled of some strange decay, like a dead body. "It's not the right time to figure out who that is. I have to find Mum and Elowen."

Cedric climbed upward, noticing how cracked the steps were. In some places, the steps had collapsed under the weight of those who passed here before, so the prince had to maneuver carefully and navigate around where the rocks with steps had crumbled.

The distance was challenging for him; blood still filled his face and eyes, and his entire left hand was covered in blood, flowing from a wound on the shoulder.

As he ascended, the smell of blood and smoke intensified. At some point he stepped into a blood. Streams of crimson liquid flowed directly from the entrance of the library, cascading down the upper stairs.

He reached the very top, the entrance slightly ajar, and around laid the bodies of the guards.

Cedric turned, watching the valley engulfed in flames. A horrifying, chilling sight.

"So that's what the war looks like. I have to find my mother and sister as soon as possible," he declared and kicked one of the doors with all his left might, wielding moon-sword in his right hand.

The pure white sacred walls and marble floor of the Library were saturated with blood. Mutilated and mangled bodies of priestesses lay around in various poses, and in the center of the hall lay the lifeless Exarchy.

"Oh God." He lost too much blood. A vile stench filled his nostrils, his head spun, and Cedric collapsed. "Mum." He closed his eyes, drifting into unconsciousness.

Someone's voice called to him through the dream. He felt his arm being squeezed by someone's soft hand.

"Please, just don't die, sissy. Forgive me for all the times I've been rude, for all the times I insulted you. And when I said I hated you. Please forgive me, Cedric."

The voice was drowned in the vast darkness surrounding him.

He awoke to the rustling of wings, something walking across his chest, claws digging into his skin. Cedric opened swollen tired eyes.

A crow was perched on his chest -- a white raven with cloudy white eyes gazing into his soul. It looked at him, its chest moving up and down, and he stared back. The crow cawed and flew up, only to be blocked by the tent they were in.

It headed for the exit, vanishing into the bright sunlight. He felt dizzy from the light, and tried to move, but regretted it when a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. He looked down and realized he was lying bandaged on bed.

The tent had a mix of herb and blood smells, with clothes and medical supplies scattered around. The bandages on him smelled bad.

"So you are finally awake?" Eligh came into the tent, "You're lucky. Training's off today, prince."

Cedric let out a fake chuckle. "Where are my mum and sister?"

"They're fine. You should worry about yourself."

He touched his bandaged shoulder. "We were ambushed and... I wasn't ready."

"No, you weren't. But no one ever really is. You can't be ready for a fight; you can only prepare for it. That's something you gotta understand."

Before Cedric could say anything, his mother's voice called out from outside the tent.

"Cedric! Cedric, are you okay?"

Seraphina rushed into the tent, going straight to the bed. Blunder came in after her, taking a place beside Eligh.

"I told you he'd be fine, Your Majesty," Blunder chuckled.

"Cedric." Seraphina took her son's hand and kissed his forehead with her soft plump lips. "I was so worried about you."

He was happy to see her, to feel her soft kisses, to smell the scent of mommy's lush hair.

"I'm okay," he said languidly, closing his eyes under the barrage of mum's kisses.

While Blunder was talking to Eligh, Cedric took the opportunity and gently pulled her closer to him.

He dug into her plump lips. The taste of her mouth mingled with the scent of healing herbs. Seraphina's eyes widened in surprise, indicating she wasn't fond of such affection. She put her other hand on Cedric's chest, trying to push away and break the kiss, but he held her too tightly. He didn't care about anything. He needed that kiss.

Finally, she broke free of his grip and wiped her lips.

Eligh left the tent, and Blunder came closer, seeming not to notice.

"How are you feeling? We thought they got to you before we did, Cedric," said Blunder.

"They?" asked Cedric.

"Cult. They must have found a secret passage through the mountains and snuck into the valley. I took your mother and sister to the library as soon as the camp was attacked."

"What Cult?" asked Cedric. He could still feel the heat of the kiss on his lips.

Blunder looked at Seraphina judgmentally, her lips glowing with saliva as well.

"Didn't you tell him and Elowin about the Cult?"

He noticed Seraphina blushed. "We didn't want to scare him and his sister."

Blunder shifted his gaze to the prince. "The Cult. They serve the King of Solarion, though King Malachin rejects all ties. Their goal is to wipe out the descendants of the Eclipsian Dynasty, and they've come for you, Cedric."

He felt a little uneasy.

"When I didn't find you in the tent, I assumed they had already taken you, so I tried to rescue your sister and mother. The Exarchy found refuge for them in the library."

Cedric felt even worse at the mention of the Exarchy. He remembered the last thing he saw before he passed out.

"The Exarchy? She..."

Seraphina shook her head.

"She was killed by someone who was hiding in the library," said Blunder.

It seemed to Cedric that Blunder had turned pale. Was he talking about the creature he had seen that night?

"It wasn't a man, though it looked like one. It wore a cloak, moved like an animal, and didn't even need a sword to tear the Library guards apart. The way it butchered the Exarchy... It seemed to be personal."

"Lord Blunder!" exclaimed Seraphina.

"Your son saw it all by himself. Eligh gave the creature a fight and was the only survivor. I got there too late, it was as if the thing heard the call and headed away."

"I saw it leave the library when I was in the village. It left a trail behind it."

Blunder narrowed his eyes. "You were in the village? What were you doing there at night?" he asked angrily. It was the first time Cedric had ever seen him so upset.

His heart sank as he recalled what happened. His fellow soldiers were likely all dead, Matt, Pale one, and the girl--whose body he had used to shield himself from an arrow--came to his mind.

"What have I done," he thought.

His silence continued, and Seraphina took a moment to intervene. "My son needs peace, Lord. Does it matter how or why now? The important thing is that Cedric was not in the camp when the attack occurred. He's safe and I would like some alone time with my son now, if you don't mind."

The Lord's lower lip trembled in a sign of hidden anger, but he pulled himself together quickly. "Yes, of course, my lady. I'll leave you to it; I need to speak with the newly elected Exarchy. Let the prince rest." He bowed and stepped out.

Finally, they were left alone. Seraphina lowered the entrance canopy to the tent. As she recoiled, Cedric kept his eyes on her lush big ass under her dress.

He remembered their shared prophecy and pictured her in a beautiful wedding ceremony outfit. He bit his lip, holding back a rush of emotion at the thought of Seraphina leaving Arik and letting Cedric between her legs to fulfill the prophecy. And perhaps he could even conceive a child with her, 19th descendant.

No, this was too much. He's not crazy.

She returned to the bed with a frown. "That kiss was not the right time, Cedric! They could have seen us! What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't resist," he looked at her, observing Mum's neckline and curvy hips. Seraphina noticed his look, but he didn't care.

"You sound just like your dad, Cedric. You're scaring me." She lifted his chin to the level of her face. "My eyes are here. I was worried about you. I thought something happened like you got caught or even worse. What were you doing in the village?"

He was so tired he didn't even feel like lying. He didn't have the energy to make up a version. "I went out to spend time with some girls. Nothing big, just pampering. I have needs too, Mum."

"WHAT?" Her hands suddenly clutched at his neck, he thought she was going to strangle him. "You left the safety of the camp because you wanted to fulfill your animal needs?"

It was hard to tell from her expression whether she was trying to decide to strangle him or not. She looked very angry.

She quietly removed her hands, glided them over his chest, and stepped away. "You're so irresponsible. Sometimes I forget you're just a boy."

What happened next was their mutual mistake. Things took a turn for the worse due to a misunderstanding. Seraphina said sarcastically, "If you're struggling with your needs so much, maybe I should handle it."

Of course, she didn't mean it that way. She would never, ever. She just wanted to shame her son for his rash actions, but Cedric replied confidently.

"I wouldn't mind."

Seraphina, taken aback, covered her mouth in shock.

"Cedric! How can you... how can you say that?"

He realized too late what a foolish thing he just said. "Sorry, Mum. I..."

But Seraphina wasn't listening. She hurriedly left the tent.

"Good job, Cedric."

He dressed, not without a help, and went out from the tent, holding on to his walking stick.

Outside, the camp smelled of death and looked miserable. There were wounded soldiers everywhere, wrapped in bandages. Smoke still continued to billow from a few tents and the village. The library on the hill looked pathetic. Some female priests seemed to be trying to rebuild what was left of the steps.

Walking was tough. His entire body hurt a lot, and the stitches in his shoulder were coming undone. With each step, he felt like he might fall, but someone behind caught him.

"Don't fall here, Prince," Eligh said, guiding him toward. "I thought you already learned that lesson."

"Thanks."

"I'd like to escort you to the Lord's tent where an important meeting is taking place."

As Cedric walked, the soldiers turned to look at him. Some stopped and nodded, while others kneeled as he passed.

"Some soldiers witnessed your bravery in battle," said Eligh. "Others have seen you trying to summit to the Library, almost stumbling with each step. When they later saw you being carried out, everyone thought you might not make it. While you were resting there was a lot of talk, and it seems some people now think you're not as useless as they thought at first. "

He watched as more and more soldiers bowed their heads, but there were also those who passed on.

"I don't deserve it." Cedric heard a familiar cawing, a crow flew in circles right overhead. Making another circle, it disappeared behind the edge of the forest.

Eligh was silent, and then Cedric asked. "I heard you fought back the creature from the library."

"It wasn't a creature," Eligh said coldly when they almost reached Blunder's tent.

"A man? I saw hoofprints."

"It wasn't a man either."

"Then who?"

"I don't know." Eligh skipped forward, letting him into the lord's tent.

Cedric entered. There were people gathered inside, about ten captains and generals, Blunder was sitting at a small table with rolls of letters and candles. Everyone present bowed at the sight of the prince, even Riley, who stood behind Blunder.

Seraphina was sitting near the entrance on a chair with her legs crossed. She looked away when their gazes met, folding her arms across her chest.

"You're just in time," remarked Blunder.

He seemed to have entered a moment of heated negotiation.

Cedric cautiously sat down in the empty seat next to his mother. "Where is Elowin?"

But Seraphina didn't answer. She stood up, trying to get herself away from her son.

"We need to figure out our next steps. Staying in the valley is too risky," the Lord continued. "How's the search for a way to stop the Eclipse going? Are you close to a solution?"

Everyone's eyes went to Seraphina and Cedric. But they were both silent, having nothing to say, frankly.

"We..." Cedric spoke, but his mother suddenly interrupted him.

"We have almost found the answer, but we need a little more time to search."

"How much more do you need? We won't survive another attack," said one of the general who stood closer to Blunder.

"As long as it takes" replied Seraphina. "This is about saving the world. There can be no rush!"

"We can rush if our enemy has similar plans," added another captain. He had dark skin and a beard. "We interrogated a cultist and found out that Cult intends to use the Cosmic Eclipse's power to murder our king."

"Murder the king?" Shocked and pale Seraphina fell back; Cedric picked her up right in time and set her in a chair. He squeezed Mum's hand tightly before he said.

"Then perhaps their target was not only me, but the library as well."

Everyone looked at Cedric.

"The answer isn't there. Someone pre-destroyed some of the pages about the Cosmic Eclipse." He felt Seraphina squeeze his hand painfully. "But I know where to look for the answer."

"Where?" asked Blunder. The room fell silent as everyone focused on Cedric. Only Riley, with his white pupils, grinned mysteriously.

"I..." Cedric felt the weight of everyone's gaze, reminiscent of the day the Cosmic Eclipse was announced, when he first discovered the 18th descendant's special destiny.

The Exarchy had clearly hinted to him that he should look to the spirits for answers. Though he did not yet understand how to do so.

"Prince?" the bearded captain asked as the pause visibly lengthened.

"I can't really say. You'll just have to trust me."

This response was disappointing.

"Trust you?" said one of the generals, a short, broad man with gray hair, getting up from his chair. "You haven't earned that right, kid. Our best men died protecting you. And all you give us is secrets?"

"Rosco!" Blunder interjected.

The angry general approached. Eligh stepped forward, positioning himself between the general and the prince.

"It was madness to follow this insolent, useless child in the first place. We risked our loyalty to the king, and for what?" He turned angrily to Blunder. "That's your fault, Elias. We need to return to the king and settle this. Our boys deserve to be buried home."

"You know we can't do that. I'm sorry."

General Rosco clenched his fists angrily and was about to walk out, but stopped. "And you," he jabbed a finger at Eligh. "don't you ever dare stand in my way!"

After these words, he left the tent.

"He'll calm down, sooner or later," reassured the bearded captain.

Blunder slouched in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "Meeting is over. Disperse the troops; we don't know where Gargantua used the passage. Send scouts; maybe their camp is still outside the valley. Conrad." The lord turned to the bearded captain.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Send a messenger to the king. Report what we have seen - the creature."

All the captains and generals looked at the Lord. "We don't know who or what it is, or where it's headed next. Is it connected to the Cult? We don't know. The king needs to know this thing is roaming in his lands."

Conrad nodded and stepped out of the tent. Outside it was already getting dusk.

Seraphina hurried away as soon as the meeting was over.

"Seems like she's still angry at me," thought Cedric.

"Let's go." Eligh roughly grabbed the prince's arm and lifted him up. "I hope you have a good reason to keep your mouth shut, lad. The lord is already being eaten alive by everyone for dragging them into this adventure. And you're not helping him in any way."

"I understand."

Eligh walked away, Cedric glanced up into the sky, but no crow appeared in the dim twilight sky this time.

What if he was mistaken?

He went back to the tent, feeling the need for more rest and recovery. Cedric wanted to think how to win back his mother's favor.

By the way, where is Elowin?

Suddenly, someone entered the tent. Before Cedric could look up to see who it was, Seraphina's body quickly settled on top of him, trying not to crush her son.

"Uff...what are you doing, Mum?"

"Shh. Tell me something, dear. Why did you say that?" She ran her hand down his neck, in the same place where she'd clasped her hands together this morning.

"Said what?"

"That you wouldn't mind if I helped you with your man needs. You know it's a bad and inappropriate thing to say. Mums shouldn't deal with their son's needs. You know that."

He blushed thickly. "Well...You just caught me in a moment and I... I didn't mean it, Mum. I'm sorry."

"So you didn't mean it now, huh? I think I'm starting to realize what's behind all the kissing, the attention, the hugging. Isn't there anything you want to tell me, dear? I know I've been behaving very inappropriately as a mother for the last few weeks. Especially," she sighed, recalling the incident in the library. "when I saddled you that one time."

"Wow. Did you really just say 'saddled', Mum?"

"Be quiet and listen, Cedric! I was lonely, okay!? That's why I acted like that and did so many stupid things. After all, I've never been so far away from your father for so long. Don't judge me, and now tell me. Do you like me?"

"Like you? Well, yeah. You're my Mum."

"Not like that, dummy. Do you like me as a woman?"

"What? No, of course not, Mum. I just can't..." He attempted to come up with something believable as two lovely shapes, his mother's breasts, hung right in front of his face. "I can't like you as a woman because you are my Mum!"

"Are you sure?" She grabbed him by the neck again.

"Yeah. I'm sure!"

"Are you sure you are sure?"

"Mum, yes!"

She looked at him carefully, then exhaled in relief. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for this awkward conversation, dear." She removed her hands from his neck. "Elowin once said that you had a soft spot for me, but I didn't take her words seriously. She said if I cornered you, you'd confess right away. I decided, for the first time, to take my daughter's advice, and maybe I shouldn't have. It got a bit awkward."

"Screw you, Elowin. Whenever you are right now," Cedric thought.

"I'm sorry, dear." Seraphina was about to stand up when he firmly grabbed her thighs, gripping his fingers into her skin.

"Wait, don't go. Please."

"What? Why?"

"I... I like it when you sit on me like this. Just don't go."

He blushed even more.

She smiled. "You enjoy me sitting on you? It's a bit strange for a mother to hear that from her son. But okay, if that's what you want." She gently kissed his forehead and then lay down on him, keeping her thighs over his lap. She covered them both with a warm blanket.

"Why even start the conversation by jumping on me like that?" he could feel her warm breath and the beating of her heart. His mother smelled so nice.

"You probably forgot, but when you were a kid, I used to do this all the time when I needed to pry something out of you. But you weren't so big and strong before." She ran her hand over his bandaged chest. "Now you are so tall and full of energy."

"Yeah. I guess I forgot."

"Thank you for helping me at the meeting today. You were so brave. Just like your father."

"Could you not compare me to him every time I do something important please?"

She smiled. "It might be tough, but I'll do my best."

He loved the feel of her head on his chest, her hips on his groin. How had it come to this? How could he think of his mother in such a wrong way?

With her no longer angry, it was the right time to tell her something important.

"There's something I have to tell you, Mum. I found out about a prophecy that says about us."

"Us?" Seraphina slowly raised her head, her emerald eyes fixed on him.

"That day when you straddled me. Well, I came across a book that mentioned something about the 18th descendant of Starborne and the last descendant of Leronse having to get married. It's talking about you and me, Mum. We should be married."

"WHAT? That can't be true. Maybe you misunderstood something, sweetie." She tried to get up, but he hold her tight."It can't be us."

"I didn't believe it either. How can we be married? We're mother and son." He sat up more comfortably, letting his cock rest against her groin.

"There must be...a mistake, Cedric," she gasped, seeming to feel his cock on her vagina, but he held her too tightly for her to budge.

"There's no mistake, Mum. Maybe this is one way to stop the Eclipse. Maybe it's meant to happen? You and me, Mum. We have to embrace it."

He rubbed against her pussy, feeling her weaken in his arms.

"What are you saying? Don't, sweetheart. Let me go, please. We can't," Seraphina whispered.

"Maybe I do like you as a woman, Mum. I didn't know why, but maybe it's to fulfill this prophecy between us?"

He pulled his pants down slightly, resting his cock against her pussy through the fabric of her dress.

"That's enough, Cedric," she rested her head on his shoulder, barely breathing. "Please."

Without realizing what he was doing, Cedric gently pulled her underwear off and at that moment a wave rippled through his body. He realized that his tip touched the two halves of her drenched mother pussy. She was so wet.

They were so close to it. Just one more move and...

"I told you to stop!" Seraphina pulled away and scratched his face with her fingernails. Cedric suppressed a yelp, clutching his face in pain. Seraphina stepped back.

"You are out of your mind, Cedric. We almost made a terrible mistake. What is wrong with you? Are you out of your mind? From this day on I'll sleep in Elowin's tent. If you ever try to touch me or do anything inappropriate again, I will kill you. I won't care that you are my son, my child. No man has the right to treat me like that. What you just did is unforgivable, Cedric. And your father will know about it once we return home." She ran out of the tent as fast as she could.

His cheek was bleeding from a fresh wound. It hurt, but perhaps he well deserved it.

He almost fucked his own mother.

They come dangerously close. How he gone from indifference to lust for his Mum in just a couple of weeks?

His mother was an incredible woman. What else is there to say?

He found it hard to sleep, disturbed by memories of his unsuccessful interaction with his mother. It was a complete disaster, and he felt really embarrassed about it.

And also the Cosmic Eclipse. Many people had been murdered, and the solution to stopping the Eclipse remained elusive.

Feeling restless, he climbed out of bed. He needed to contact the spirits somehow. Exhausted, Cedric sat on the floor with crossed legs. Though he didn't fully understand his actions, it felt like the right thing to do at that moment. He remained in that position for some time until he realized it wasn't the thing.

"I want to get some air." He threw on his clothes and went out. The camp was awake, even though it was late afternoon.

Cedric stared silently at the sky, noticing a white dot in the night sky. It flew out of the forest and headed straight for the library on the hill.

"So the library it is."

The climb took a toll on him. The steps were partly broken, and his body resisted the effort. It was painful, but he had to do it.

As he got up, thoughts about the prophecy crossed his mind. After all, it says nothing about bonding or intercourse between mother and son. Maybe all they need is to get married and that's it. "I must put aside my vile thoughts. I love my mother, I cannot think of her in a bad way as a woman."

Finally, he reached the top. Once inside, the library still smelled of blood and death. The once-white marble columns and floors now appeared gray, not pristine.

A new woman sat at the Exarchy table. He couldn't see her face clearly but decided to get closer. It wasn't until he was near that he recognized her--the redhead from the village. Cindy.

"Welcome to the Library, Prince," she greeted coldly.

"Hi. I didn't expect it was you."

"Yes, our first meeting was a bit strange." She lowered her head and, like the previous Exarchy, began writing something in a book.

"I'm sorry," he sad.

"Me too."

That seemed enough. He sensed the conversation was over and slowly moved toward the hallway. Surprisingly, the library was almost empty.

He strolled down the halls, heading back to the very room where he and Seraphina had spent lots of time searching. Inside, the lights were on, and someone sat at a table with their face buried in books. Elowin was asleep, her dark braids scattered everywhere--a funny sight to Cedric, seeing his sister dozing off over an open book, something he'd never witnessed before.

Under Elowin's head in a book was the Eclipsian Dynasty tree. He noticed his name, but black dots grabbed his attention. It seemed like some names had been erased clumsily, leaving traces of the act still visible.

"That's odd."

A gentle moonlight streamed through the round window, casting a soft glow in the room. Cedric made sure his sister's dark curls were out of the candlelight, covered her with his traveling cloak, and settled down on a warm rug at the other end of the room.

Uncertain of the outcome, he mused, "I don't know what will come of this, but it's worth a try." He covered his eyes, letting the moonlight illuminate his face, silently listening and breathing slowly.

Abruptly, a sharp knock interrupted his thoughts. Opening his eyes, he found the room unchanged, Elowin still asleep over her book, and all was quiet. The knocking didn't belong here--it was a clue he was on the right track.

He closed his eyes again. Suddenly, distinct shapes emerged from the darkness. Cedric observed a man with a golden mask covering his whole head as he moved through the dim cave. He wore the same cloak as the men who had attacked the valley.

The Cult.

"Has it said anything?" the man asked another cult member.

"No, Lord Gargantua. It just eats."

It was only then that Cedric noticed a large iron door in front of them. The guard opened it, allowing the masked man to enter. Inside was dark, with animal bones scattered all around.

"It's been a while. I want some answers," Gargantua said. Suddenly, in the dark, something shifted. It looked like the ceiling was coming down, but it turned out to be a creature stretching all the way to the top of the cave.

"To find the answers, you first need to ask the right questions," said a voice from the darkness. It was a rough, tough voice, like metal hitting metal. Two red eyes glowed in the dark.

"Who are you? What were you doing in the Library? And what do you know about the Cosmic Eclipse?"

The creature took a step closer, and through holes in its cloak, Cedric saw skin as white as snow.

"Those are the wrong questions. The real question is - who is watching us now?" replied the voice.

"Enough with the riddles!"

Suddenly, the red eyes focused on Cedric. The monster moved toward him, and just as the prince was about to fall back, something pulled him out of the cave, and he found himself standing in the forest.

He stood under the trees and felt the warm wind. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he heard a familiar sound. A white crow flew by, circled in the sky, and landed on the shoulder of a man who was been standing by a tree this whole time. The person in the white veil was quietly picking berries from the branches.

"I love the flavor of the fruit during this season," said the person. With bony fingers, they brought the sweet fruit to their mouth, and it vanished before reaching the veil. "Want some?" They offered the berry to the crow, but the crow shook its head, cawed loudly, and started tapping at the person's shoulder, reminding them of the guest present.

"Absolutely, you're correct, Corvus. As always."

Cedric took a careful step closer. "Are you a Spirit?"

The person briefly looked at Cedric, and then returned his attention to the berries. "Starting a conversation with a question, without even a greeting, is rude."

The crow cawed in agreement.

"Apologies, I just... imagined things a bit differently."

"Did you think spirits are always wise and speak in lofty words and prophecies?"

The crow flew away and disappeared into the forest.

"I think I did. Are you the spirit of the forest? I don't remember your name, sorry, but you were the one reaching out to me in my dreams. You attacked me on the road."

The spirit moved to another tree. "You are talking about the Deer. Yes, some of my spirits like to take on the forms of animals and visit the world of mortals. Crow does too, but he follows my commands."

"Crow is a spirit?"

"A true one."

Cedric noticed they were in a valley but refrained from asking the spirit about their location. There were too many questions to ask.

"Who is that man I saw?"

"Does he look like a man to you? Just a lingering echo of a distant, terrible past. A dark shadow. Hmm, not ripe yet." The spirit tossed a berry into the grass. "He's from times before the Starborne, before the Eclipsian Dynasty."

"Is he a god?"

"God?" The spirit seemed like it wanted to laugh but couldn't. "Oh no, that would be an insult to him. He's the one who tried to overthrow the gods but failed."

"He tried to overthrow the gods? Who is he then?" asked Cedric, surprised, but the Spirit stayed silent, focusing on berries.

"I'm here to find out how to stop the Cosmic Eclipse. I need your help."

"Though I don't agree with Deer's ways, he's right in one thing. You're not ready for the truth and answers, Prince. The Spirits are watching. Prove you're ready to stop the Cosmic Eclipse. Your fate is tied to your mother and sister, Cedric."

"Are you talking about the prophecy? What does my sister have to do with it? She's not part of any prophecy."

The Spirit stayed silent. Cedric continued, "None of this adds up if Blunder's men just abandon me. You have to guide me to answers, tell me how to stop the Eclipse. Give me at least something. I need people to believe in me, please."

The Spirit moved away from the tree, gliding toward Cedric. "Unfortunately, our meeting is over. I regret it, but I must bid farewell to the berries. Look around, child; appreciate where you are while you can. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"What?" Cedric glanced around at the trees and the valley ahead. "Why should I appreciate it? Why not just give me a straight answer?"

Suddenly, he noticed a building on higher ground-- the Library, but from a different perspective. He hadn't seen it from this angle before; it was a part of the valley he hadn't explored yet.

Turning around, Cedric spotted a path through the mountains, a secret passage. "This is the passageway, the same secret route the Cult used! This is the passage!"

Alone now, the Spirit gone, a crow cawed overhead. In that moment, Cedric felt a strange sensation, as if everything had been turned inside out, sensing the warm room and the soft glow of a candle.

"What are you up to?" came a familiar voice. A figure loomed over him. "Are you allowed to leave the camp while you're wounded? And why were you yelling 'this is the passage,' 'this is the passage,' mama's boy?" Elowin asked.

"Elowin, you won't believe what I've seen."

Cedric quickly shared news about the hidden passage with everyone. They decided to wait until morning, and when morning came, Cedric's words turned out to be true. The place looked just like it did in the vision with the Spirit, confirming that the cult had indeed passed there.

Cedric became a local hero, and even the stern General Rosco stopped being upset. Blunder congratulated Cedric, patting him on the shoulder.

"Nice job, kid," said Blunder.

"Look at you. You're glowing with joy, I haven't seen you like this for a long time. But you're so wrong if you think I forgive you for what you tried to do in the tent," Seraphina said, sipping her wine.

Blunder set up a small feast in the camp to give everyone a break. And their prince turned out to be actually useful. So that was also a reason to celebrate.

"I don't know what you mean, Mum. We did nothing bad. By the way, the claw wound doesn't hurt anymore. Thanks for asking."

"I didn't ask. And you deserved it. By the way." Seraphina went back to her drink, staring thoughtfully into the distance.

"I'm sorry, Mum. I truly regret what happened." He carefully took her hand.

"Mommy's little boy. Are you going to cry now? Asking for forgiveness from your mommy? Ha-ha." Elowin, who was sitting not far away, heard his words.

"This conversation is not with you. And you know what? I preferred it when you sought forgiveness and cried like a baby while I was asleep. 'Please, don't die, Cedric,'" he mocked her.

"I don't understand what you're talking about, idiot." Elowin blushed, returning to her meal. But at least she finally fell silent.

"Did you have time to think about the prophecy, Mum? I know you don't like it, but our opinions don't matter."

Seraphina sighed heavily, speaking in a softer tone. "The prophecy doesn't exactly mention us, does it?"

"But it does mean us. Unless you know another Leronse's last descendant, Mum. Our destinies are linked in unexpected ways. And you know it! Don't deny it." He squeezed her hand, but she pulled it away.

"Not here. I don't want to talk about this horrible prophecy in public." She took a sip of her wine. "Let's take a walk."

Seraphina stood up and walked into the woods, with Cedric following her with his walking stick. "As you say."

"Good luck, mama's boy," Elowin chuckled, but Cedric didn't care.

They walked far enough away, weaving through trees and bushes. He wondered if the Spirits were watching them now.

"I'm sorry about the scratch," Seraphina said. "I got scared, and you wouldn't let me go. You tried to rape me, so you got off easy, honey. So... I'm sorry."

"I didn't try to rape you, Mum. The cut has healed already, like I said."

"I'm just scared, Cedric. This prophecy, it feels wrong, love. Why did the spirits create it? Why do they want us to be together? I don't understand and it makes me sick. I'm married to your father, I love your Dad. I already have a husband. I don't want another marriage."

"Forget about Dad. I believe our connection has a purpose we can't see yet."

"I'm not ready for that. Do you really want to cross that line in our relationship, honey?"

Cedric gulped. Does she really mean it? He gripped his cane tighter to keep from falling.

"Yes. We're going to have to cross that," he gulped, "line."

Whatever this 'line' meant.

She twirled the dress in her hands. "Fine, but I need time to accept the idea of marrying my own son. You should understand it. We'll get married when I say we will. No rush. Okay?"

He nodded.

"And tonight I think you deserved a reward, honey."

She suddenly reached for her bust and opened it, pulling her dress down. Right in front of Cedric appeared two beautiful lush breasts with nipples that hardened right before his eyes. They were beautiful breasts, his mother's breasts that had nurtured him.

"Wow, Mum. Can I, I mean, can I touch them?" asked Cedric.

"You may. If you wish, my future husband. But remember there's no turning back."

"I know." He took his cane under his armpit and reached out. His hands cautiously approached, his fingers recoiling from her breasts as if they touched fire as soon as he made contact. He had never touched a real woman's breasts before, and here was one in front of him, his mother's.

"I don't bite, Cedric. Don't be afraid." She smiled, noticing his reaction, and gasped as he wrapped two hands around her breasts and squeezed greedily. Those breasts belonged to him alone now.

"Easy, sweetheart." She bit her lip. "I'm not going anywhere. Be gentle please."

"I'm sorry, Mum." He could barely believe that this was really happening. It all seemed like a still distant dream, his mother letting him touch her breasts. How far he was willing to go?

He did the first thing that came to mind and moved closer bringing her nipple to his mouth.

"What are you... Ughhh, wow, sweetie." Seraphina gently touched the back of his head as he bit into her tender nipple. She looked around trying to make sure no one would interrupt them in this tender moment between mother and son.

"I can't believe we are doing that...Mmm, careful with your teeth, dear. Ugghhh. This feels nice." She closed her eyes, savoring the moment, letting her son enjoy her breasts.

For some reason he expected her boobs to be filled with milk, but it was empty. He eagerly sucked on her nipple, finding it amazing even without milk.

"Thank you, Mum," whispered Cedric taking his head away from her breast for a second.

"All for my husband's sake. These breasts belong to you. And I'll have to get used to being called Mum."

He wanted to go further, wanted all of her. He moved his hand to her belly moving lower and lower, but Seraphina intercepted his hand.

"No, love! I'm not ready yet. Just my breasts, nothing else."

"Whatever you say," he kissed her breasts and then brought his lips to hers and kissed his Mother, both hands squeezing her breasts. She squeaked in pain but didn't say anything.

She was the best Mother of all time for letting him do that.

"Should I keep going?" She asked when he was diverted from her lips to the breasts. "Maybe you need help with your, uh. "She looked at his hard-on. "I'm still not sure about this. Do you want it? Maybe that's still the line we shouldn't cross. I understand if you..."

"No. I mean yes. I want you to help me with that. I want you to touch me."

Seraphina tentatively pulled down his pants, letting his cock out. "Wow, it's... big."

She put her hand around his bare cock and squeezed it. Meanwhile, he continued to play with her breasts.

"You're so big now, my little mama's boy." She began to taut the skin on his cock and a bolt of lightning went through Cedric's body.

"Ughhh, yes, Mum."

"Don't be too loud. No one should hear us."

He continued to play with Seraphina's beautiful breasts, kissing them while she worked his cock.

"Mmmm. You kiss my nipples so sweetly. Just like when you were a kid, dear." With one hand she continued to jerk and with the other she rubbed his hair.

It was enough to make him cum. The warmth of her hand transferred to his cock, his balls clenched, and it was like lightning struck his body.

"Ughhh, Mum! I'm almost..."

"I know, dear. Let it go, don't hold it. Do it for your future wife."

"No, ughh... I will do it for my Mum."

She smiled and gently guided his cock to the side. He squeezed her breasts even harder and at that moment he finished, staining a couple of nearby bushes white.

"Ughhhh, yes, Mum, oooghhh."

"That's it. So much for Mommy... It's so weird to say it. Now get dressed." She hurriedly removed his hands from her breasts and slipped her dress back on. He clutched at her breasts so hard she had to tear his hands away.

"I'm gonna have your handprints on my breasts now. I hope it was worth it. Not a word to Elowin, Cedric. She shouldn't know about us and the prophecy."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Mum," he pulled up his pants, still heavy-lidded after his copious orgasm. Has it really happened?

She handed him his cane. "Let's go back to camp. We're lucky no one's been sent out to look for us yet. Let's go"

There was no doubt now. He would do it. He would fuck her at any cost. And there's nothing she can do about it.

He'll have her put on her sexiest outfit that she usually uses for his father, and he'll fuck her all day and all night.

The future didn't seem so dark now, but was full of color and life. The prophecy was the best thing that happened to him lately.

And yet he still had some questions.

What was the stain on his family tree? What was the role of the 20th descendant? What was that creature in the Cult's cave? What was it doing in the Library? And how could he prove to the Spirit that he was ready?

"Cedric, keep up." His mother smiled sweetly at him as if nothing had changed between them.