"What secret?" Islinda was so curious, her feet nearly took her to where Aurelia stood so she could hear better.
"Fae seed is very potent. Beware your relationship with a Fae male. As female mortal bodies are fruitful, their seeds impregnate easily. Why do you think we have numerous half-breeds in Astaria?"
While this piece of information was quite shocking, it would have scared the life out of Islinda if she was still together with Valerie. Good thing she had taken those herbs else she would not be able to fathom her state were she with a child.
A half-breed, Aurelia called it and Islinda found the title insulting and revolting. She would never let anyone refer to her child that way, but then, she wasn’t pregnant with a Fae child, right? No, It was quite a relief she wasn’t pregnant, to be honest. Her situation at the moment was complicated, imagine if she were to be with a child.
It made her begin to wonder if Aldric would still use her knowing that she was pregnant. Would he put her through all this trouble and harm her child?
As much as she thought about it, Islinda found out nothing could stand in the way of Aldric gaining the throne. Not even his brother’s pregnant lover who was now enslaved to him. Thankfully, she wasn’t pregnant and only had to deal with the enslaved matter.
"Tell me about the humans in Astaria. Aldric says there are some here," Nor has she gotten to see one. In the human realm, Fae’s was killed on sight or used for their cruel exhibitions. No, their fate was so miserable it wouldn’t surprise Islinda if humans were treated in the same manner.
"Most of the humans here in Astaria are those who brokered a deal with a Fae with no knowledge of our deceitful nature and couldn’t pay the price, hence ended up here as a slave till they fulfill the conditions of their deal. The others are humans stolen from their homes although such practices are being frowned upon ever since the truce and the last of them are the adventurous ones who crossed the divider only to be lawfully captured."
Islinda was speechless. She swallowed, knowing that she had broken two of those rules. She made a deal with Aldric without understanding the consequences and went through the divider. Well to be precise, Aldric dragged her through it and she ended up a prisoner in his castle.
"But we are not that heartless, humans are talented and provide certain services that the haughty Faeries would never lower their pride to do. In one word, they keep their heads down and we tolerate their presence. However, some humans are lucky enough to find love and end up being concubines and lovers to some Faeries. But I would advise you not to delude yourself with such fantasy, because even with the promotion, humans are still prejudiced and treated as second-class citizens of Astaria. Half-breed children don’t have it easy either."
A chill washed over Islinda at Aurelia’s revelation. In one word, should she be grateful for what she had and not be resentful about her situation at all? Aldric took her away but he treated her better compared to the impression she had gotten from Aurelia’s story.
She could only imagine the state of other humans in Astaria. Not that humans were any better when dealing with them. But If the Faeries were half as devious as Aldric, she wondered if they used humans as bloodsport for their entertainment. Were they being hunted down and tortured like prey?
Islinda recalled the way Aldric controlled her with his magic. Do the other Faeries use their magic on the humans without care, forcing them to do all manner of tasks? Islinda groaned, rubbing her temple as gory visions after the other flicked through her mind leaving her nauseous.
"My lady," Aurelia asked, "Are you alright?"
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