Release that Witch

Hearing what Olivia said, Roland could not help sighing with mixed emotions.

It was not a complicated story. When Gerald Wimbledon had served as the commander of the frontier guards, he had made his customary visits to Coldwind Ridge during each year’s Months of Demons to assist the church in fighting against demons. In one of his stays here, he had met a bar girl called Olivia in a tavern and fallen in love with her.

Given Olivia’s status, it had been impossible for Gerald to marry her or make public their relationship. In the end, he had secretly bought a residence in the town as their love nest. Roland could not judge from the story whether it was true love or not, but he knew from Prince Roland’s memories that Gerald had indeed refused marriage alliance with other nobles and had had no other lovers in King’s City. As what Gerald had done was quite incredible for an adult prince, there was even a rumor remembered by Prince Roland that Prince Gerald was a homo.

The content of the encrypted letter that was presented by Olivia was even more incredible. According to the bar girl, Gerald had determined to make her his queen, and instead of just paying lip service, he had even written it down. If the written evidence had leaked out, King Wimbledon III would have given Gerald a really hard time.

Good times had not lasted long for Olivia. Quickly after the news that Timothy had sentenced Gerald to death had reached the Northern Region, her quiet life had come to an end and miseries weighed on her life continuously. The guards left by Gerald had left without saying goodbye and then her house had been burgled. With no source of income, she had had to go back to work as a bar girl in the tavern again.

Yet her bad times was not over. The owner of the tavern was still bitter about her sudden leave before and started to paw her now and then. He even coerced her to sleep with him.

During the most recent six months, Olivia’s life was terrible. The owner’s wife did not dare to complain in the owner’s face, so she vented all her anger on Olivia. The owner often ignored what had happened, and sometimes even joined his wife in bullying and humiliating Olivia.

Roland would never criticize her for being weak-minded, as it was not surprising to him at all that she submitted to the unjust treatment. As a helpless ordinary woman, she had to face the biggest challenge in her life now, which was surviving. As for the disappearance of the guards and the following theft, Roland thought that it was not a coincidence. Given that the thief had been able to break into her house precisely when she had been away and had easily spotted the place where she had hidden her money, it must be an inside job.

”So what can I do for you?” Roland asked Olivia.

He decided to help her. It was not because of Gerald, a person who he had never met and could even be considered a half enemy based on Prince Roland’s memory, but because Roland just wanted to help this remarkable woman who had endured such a misfortune but still waited patiently for a chance to save herself.

Besides, for Roland now, helping her was a simple task.

He did not covet his elder brother’s wife as one would expect.

He swore!

”I want to leave the tavern... Your Majesty. Could you find a new job for me?” Olivia answered in a low voice.

”Are you sure you still want to stay in the Northern Region? If the owner of the tavern can’t forget about you, he won’t let you off easily. You can go to the Western Region by ship. You’ll get a job, food and even a house there,” Roland said while spreading out his hands. He did not want to degrade himself by getting involved in a civil dispute like this.

After a little hesitation, Olivia replied in an even lower voice, ”Your Majesty... I, I want to stay here.”

”I think she’s afraid of you. As an ordinary woman, she’s at least half as beautiful as Edith. It makes sense for the tavern owner to drool over her,” Nightingale whispered in Roland’s ear.

Roland said in silence, ”Nonsense.” After talking to Nightingale with the lip language, he nodded to Olivia and said, ”Alright, I’ll tell Duke Calvin to fetch you to City of Evernight. It’s getting late now, Sean can find a hotel for you to sleep tonight.”

”I shall never forget your kindness, Your Majesty.” She knelt down again and said, ”But... I have to go back tonight.”

”It’s up to you,” Roland raised his eyebrow and said. He turned to Sean and ordered. ”Give this lady a ride.”

When Olivia reached the door, Roland suddenly asked, ”By the way, do you have... any child with Gerald?”

She seemed startled and after a while answered, ”I’m sorry, Your Majesty... I didn’t have any child to carry on his family name.”

...

After she left with the guard, Nightingale stepped out of the Mist and said, ”Her last sentence is a lie.”

”Uhm, I know.” Roland twitched his mouth and said. ”She isn’t a good liar, and that explains why she was forced by the tavern owner.”

”For the kid?”

”The owner must know that it was Prince Gerald Wimbledon who took her away. He was also clear about what would happen to the kid if Timothy found out the truth. To protect the kid she had with Gerald, she had to do what the owner wanted. I’d guess that’s probably the case.”

”Do you need me to investigate it for you?” Nightingale asked.

Roland stared at Nightingale for a long time and then summoned up a meaningful smile gradually curl his lips. He said, ”Are you worried that I’m planning to bury this secret forever like Timothy? Relax, I won’t harm innocent people. Even the family members of Duke Ryan are still under a house arrest in City of Neverwinter.”

A feudal ruler would spare no one in his enemy’s family but Roland did not like this idea of collective punishment, let alone killing a bastard child of a civilian woman, who apparently was not a threat to the throne.

”No matter what you say, I’ll carry out your commands,” Nightingale said slowly.

”I see. Well... give me a massage now,” Roland took her hand and placed it on his shoulder and said.

*******************

Olivia went back to her wooden cabin which was built for immigrants. Her footsteps woke up the sleeping baby.

”Wah-wah-wah.”

The baby cried.

The tavern owner’s wife immediately started to shout in the next room. ”Damn it, make him shut up! Otherwise, I’ll put him down in the toilet and dump him into Soundless River!”

”I, I’m sorry. I’ll quiet him down right away.”

Neglecting the coolness of the night in Deepvalley Town, Olivia hurriedly took off her dirt-stained dress and held the baby in her arms. The baby instantly pressed close to her, skillfully searching for the nipple.

She finally let out a sigh of relief.

She felt lucky, as she was right about the tavern owner who had not come back yet.

Since they left Coldwind Ridge, he had become more and more ill-tempered. He spent most of his time in the local taverns and gambling houses, and seldom touched her. That was why Olivia had the chance to slip out of the cabin in the evening to ask Gerald’s younger brother for help.

She did not dare to tell Roland that she had a child with Gerald or to go to the Western Region which was under complete control of the king. She was afraid that His Majesty would not want this child to exist. When that happened, she would be unable to protect her child anymore.

Olivia gently touched the baby’s head. In the dim moonlight, she could see gray hair on his head, which was the feature of the Wimbledon family.

She felt it was a great pity that Gerald had not got the chance to meet his own child. She had not known that she was pregnant with the prince’s child until she had received his letter in Coldwind Ridge.

After being fed, the baby happily hummed and fell asleep again.

Olivia lowered her head to kiss the baby on his forehead.

She made up her mind to raise him up alone, no matter what she had to sacrifice.