CHAPTER 25

Date: March 10th through March 13th, 111 P.A. / 2115 C.E.

The Priests all gazed at Arei coldly, and with Mewtwo behind her, she was unphased, though inside of her fear prickled. These men had, like the other few people that had heard Doctor Zered's conclusion, had not responded terribly well to the news. Arei and Mewtwo had decided it was in their and their child's best interest to keep the fact that Mewtwo had sired it a secret. As Arei's bastard child to the public, it would be of no concern, save that it would undoubtedly lead to murmurings of scandals and that Arei had reverted to being someone's slut. But Arei could deal with this, and Mewtwo intended that the damage her reputation was sure to suffer was not too great, compared to the trouble that would arise if he claimed the child, it was the lesser of two evils.

If the child was viewed by the world as Mewtwo's heir, it was to invite attack from all sides, save for the always amused chimeras, who would appreciate that irony of it. But pokémon, at least those loyal to Mew, would shun the child, and the humans would be caught between targeting the babe to strike at the God, or using it to further their own ambitions. Mewtwo had always known that if he were to sire a child, then that child would doubtlessly be taught by the humans who would seek to glorify it, and make it see their "ways" as accurate and good. The idea repulsed him, and he refused that to be allowed to happen with his and Arei's baby. His and her only child, special to them both in how miraculously it had been conceived. Indeed, during the nights they spoke for long hours about any matter concerning it, both musing what it would mean to them both when it was born. They refused to think of it as an "if."

So now they stood before the Priests, and Mewtwo began the conversation. "As you are aware, my High Priestess is with child. I am here to make it clear to you personally the circumstances of such." Rather, the story he and his lover had agreed on. It wasn't even a lie. Arei sat down, and he continued, "Firstly, you should be aware that the man who sired her child is in this room."

No one moved. But eyes glanced around at one another. Good. Casting suspicion was what they intended. Turning the Priests on one another could only give them more time turned away from them as they fought against one another.

"Secondly, I do not disapprove of this union or the life created by it. I support this child fully, and will not have it ridiculed or its mother scandalized just because the father will not claim it."

The men searched for the one among them who relaxed. More suspicion.

"Thirdly, you shall treat this child as what it is—a holy being spawned from a hallowed woman. When you announce it to the public, as you must do, you shall express these points, though it you choose to convey who the father is, is purely up to you. That is all, gentlemen."

He glanced at Arei, and now calmly, she followed him out of the room, smiling in satisfaction at hearing the bickering that arose at her lover's words. It seemed they had succeeded in their goal. Good…that was very good….

At any rate, the Priests ceased their arguing after the two had distanced themselves out of hearing, their discussion turning somber. They knew that this had in its entirety had been a lie in how the god had presented it. Delilah and Craven had both proven valuable assets to their information feeds, and the Council and the Rebels alike were well aware of the relationship between the God and Priestess, and both had their ideas of what should be done with the child. Inevitably due to their theological differences and end goals, they bashed heads on numerous matters, but they also agreed on two things: Arei needed to go, least she take control over the empire and seize the power they possessed, rendering them without the ability to maintain the country as they saw fit. And no matter the likelihood of Arei caring about this, the possibility frightened them…and so they sought to make that chance into nothing. The Rebels, in turn, wished her gone for her loyalty to the God, and knew that depriving him of her would weaken his strength.

The second matter that they agreed in what that the child was to be left unharmed. As the Priests understood it, the Rebels believed that the false prophecy of the Seer Sabrina was being fulfilled through the heir…but as far as the Priests were concerned, the heir would be a continuation of their empire. So, while the groups varied on what the child was to be used for, both agreed to have a silent truce until after the child was born. For the next eight months, Arei would be safe from assassination. But that did not mean that they would refrain from conspiring against her. It only meant that her demise would be postponed, for a time….

"You all notice how he lies for her? She had to say nothing, and he lied for her sake. He truly is becoming smitten with her."

"Perhaps not smitten…enchanted, perhaps, but not smitten."

It had potential. Witch. Whore. Two marks were against her. They had the weight to them to drag her down, but hanging her with them might prove difficult. But one more mark might do the trick…yes, it just might….

A few days later, they stood on the dais, and announced to the people, "The High Priestess Arei, it had been brought to our attention, is with child. Her lover's name we will omit, but our god expressed his earnest approval of the holy child that she bears…he approves…this should be a cause for much celebration…!"

Mewtwo and Arei were content with their words, and all the while unsuspecting that the forces around them had given them a reprieve. But it could not last forever. It could not last….