Currently, Lucian looked nothing like a reputable man, but a masked freak with a cloak and a hood. The only thing missing from his attire were the bells, and he would look like a jester.
Even the physician started to believe that Lucian came here to make jokes on him, not to receive treatment.
"Half a day?!" the physician exclaimed, "Nobody would be able to know that she's pregnant this early, not even the Gods can know!"
"She's not a normal woman, she's a special woman!" Lucian exclaimed back, "If she wants to be pregnant with my child, then she will be pregnant with my child! She's the most determined woman I know!"
The physician's expression changed from shock to horror, "What did you say?"
"She's pregnant with my child," Lucian repeated, "I'm the father. Can you give me advice on what to do?"
"No wonder she is annoyed and angry," the physician mumbled under his nose, "Having a child with the likes of you..."
As expected of the southern physicians. They were not afraid to speak their mind and lose a customer.
Lucian was offended by the physician's attitude, and the fact that he was not even trying to be subtle about it.
"Please, I really need help," he pleaded, "I don't know what to do. What kind of food should I get her? What kind of clothes should I get her? Is it safe for her to travel in her current state? Does she have special needs? Can she do physical exercises? Will the child die if I touch her? Will the child die if she touches me?" he listed the questions that came to his mind.
The physician waved his hand in front of Lucian's face, "It looks like she is the more mature one between you two. Just follow her lead and do whatever she says."
"..." Lucian didn't expect the physician to say something like that, "If she tells me to jump off a cliff, should I jump? I don't think she likes me at all now. What if she tells me to jump off a cliff?"
Lucian could tell that the physician was getting annoyed by his questions, and the way he kept asking them, but he couldn't stop himself.
"Listen, boy, the last thing she needs is a pest like you to annoy her. Go to the temple, pray for the child's safety, and then go home to sleep. My job is done."
The physician chased Lucian out, not even asking for payment for the consultation.
'Pfft...I'm not a boy,' Lucian grumbled to himself, 'What boys do you know have a pregnant wif..woman at this age?'
He mocked the physician under his breath, walking away.
The physician was right though. He should go and offer his prayers for the child's safety.
This city wasn't the most grandiose. The run down temple looked more like an old building, smaller than the size of a commoner's house. The walls were dirty, the floor covered in a thin layer of dust, and the ceiling was cracked, revealing the sky above.
There were no statues of the gods. Only symbols of the sun on the wall behind the altar.
The revolutinary's raids had left their mark on the temple, and the current King showed no interest in fixing it, busy with building his military and preparing for the next war.
There were believers, just not enough donations to keep the temple standing. They preferred to spend their money on their own needs and wants.
Lucian bought an offering of incense and flowers from a vendor, and made his way to the altar.
He placed the offerings in front of the statue and lit the incense, then knelt on the ground.
He clasped his hands together and started to pray.
'...I humbly request your blessing to protect my child and... and its mother....from any harm that may come their way.' he prayed in his thoughts, '...I beg for your forgiveness for any wrongdoing I have committed. And I ask you to bestow your mercy upon my child, for it has done no wrong.'
After a moment, he stood up, dusted off his knees, and walked out of the temple, feeling no different from before.
He still had to depend on himself to ensure his child's safety, not some unseen force who would only show its power if it wanted to.
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Lucian went to pick up some treats for Celine, no, the child inside her, and then headed back to her camp. But when he arrived, the place was deserted, the tents had been taken down and the supplies had been packed away.
"..."
He was not used to Celine leaving without notice, or at least telling him beforehand.
Their relationship had regressed to the point where he couldn't trust her, and she couldn't trust him.
He even planned about escaping her clutch if the opportunity presented itself to him. But now, he was just…
He was just...
...afraid.
Afraid of the uncertainty of what the future held. At least when with her, he knew that they were both going to be in the same boat together.
'She's too irresponsible!' he scolded Celine in his mind, riding to the canyon where his camp was set. 'What if something happens to them?'
He reached the canyon, his men were busy training in the open space, while others were busy with their chores. He spotted Jax and asked him about the newest development.
The Southern Alliance have been moving their troops towards the border, and they were probably trying to catch up on the progress of the military of the North.
It was a race to see who would get the most objectives first.
Lucian had a meeting with commandant Grim, who he bought Jax from, to secure a deal with him.
Commandant Grim was going to join the war efforts and help with the invasion, and spoke in Lucian's favor to Nareon King, securing his deal for the gold mine.
"How are their manners?" Lucian turned toward the feral army, watching them as his people tried to give them simple orders, "Any progress?"
"I wouldn't say progress," Jax replied, looking in the same direction as his boss, "More like, the opposite of that. The longer you are away, the harder it is to keep them in line."
"Did you track the time it takes for them to become hostile?" Lucian asked.
"It seems to take around five to seven days before they demand your presence," Jax answered.
Lucian thought for a moment, "Prepare to move out. We are heading to the Nareon's gold mines. We also have to prevent the ferals from acting out, their identity as ferals shouldn't be revealed to the enemy."