Chapter 158 I swear

Chapter 158 I swear
Irin looked at Koth, then at his father and brother. She knew he wouldn't hold it against her if she chose to end their lives. She hesitated. They had planned on taking Koth's and her lives; they had almost succeeded, and now they tried this. If anything, she needed to neutralise them. If she showed mercy and let them go, they would try something again. Koth's father couldn't help himself; he was obsessed with power. Irin was not about to risk the lives of her future children. Something needed to be done about it.
"The easiest thing would be to kill the two of you. That way I know we will be safe. But family ties are not something you should take lightly. I will give you a choice," she told them.
"A choice?" Mika echoed.
"Yes. The choice will be up to you. Either you choose death," she told them. Koth's father snorted.
"Who would choose that?" he asked. Irin just looked at him, a soft smile on her lips.
"The other choice is to make an oath to my goddess," she continued as if he hadn't interrupted.
"What kind of oath?" Mika asked, looking suspicious.
"You will give an oath in front of Alesseja never to harm, or plan to harm, Koth, me, or any of our descendants," she told them.
"And if we break it?" his father asked.
"Why don't we ask the one who will hold the oath?" Irin suggested. From between the trees, a young woman with wheat-blond hair and a green dress appeared. There was no mistaking her for anyone else; this was a goddess, and she smiled at Irin and Koth.
"It's nice to see you two again. That is a nasty thing; let me help you with it," Alesseja said, turning to Koth. She took a gentle grip on his arm, and the armband with the tiger's eye turned to dust.
"Thank you," he said. She smiled and patted his shoulder.
"Now, let's have a look at this mess," Alesseja said, walking closer to the wagon. The two men stared at her with wide eyes. "So this is the man calling himself Koth's father?" she asked and looked at him. It was like she was looking at a particularly irritating mosquito. With a sigh, she turned to Koth. "You don't have much luck with your fathers in this lifetime. I'm sorry," she told him. He shrugged.
"Y-you are the goddess Alesseja," Mika stuttered.
"So I am," Alesseja agreed. She studied him. "Not as bad, could have been better, corrupted," she finally said, as if it explained everything. "My beloved Irin has asked me to offer an oath for you. If you agree to give it to me, you will leave this place alive. If you break it, you will wish you had chosen death today. I will take your sight and hearing away. I will make sure that any weapon that touches your hand crumbles, and every lie you tell will be clear for all to see," the goddess told them.
"That would be the end of us!" Koth's father said.
"Do you think I take oath-breaking lightly? You small man, you plan to take the oath just to break it? Do, and you will feel the full force of my power. Be happy Irin has given you a choice." Alesseja's voice had changed; she was no longer the happy, relaxed goddess. Now she showed her darker side, and the two men trembled in her shadow. "Irin, if you would please do the needful," she said, changing back to her softer voice again. Irin stepped forward, her magical powers still amplified and her sword drawn.
"What is your decision?" she asked.
"You haven't given us a choice! You are asking us to choose between death and a more painful, prolonged death!" Koth's father accused her.
"That is your twisted logic. The choice is between dying and keeping the oath. Then no harm will fall on you," she pointed out.
"I'll take the oath," Mika said, not hesitating. Irin thought it was progress. At least he thought he could keep the oath he was giving. Irin nodded and walked closer to him. She lowered the sword with the dancing green light.
"Place your hand on the sword and repeat after me," she told him, turning the flat side of the sword upwards. "Before Alesseja, Keeper of Life and Witness of Truth, I shall speak and be bound. By blood given and blood yet to come, I shall raise no hand against Irin, Koth, or any child born of their line. I shall weave no scheme, speak no curse, nor call another to do them harm. I shall not betray them in shadow nor wound them in light. Let no anger, envy, or hatred guide my steps. Let Alesseja bear witness to this vow. If I keep it, may peace walk with me. If I break it, may her light turn from me and my betrayal become my burden. By her name, so shall it be."
"By her name, so shall it be," Mika ended his recital of the oath.
"The oath has been spoken; the promise has been made. I accept your oath," Alesseja said. Irin's sword glowed even more, and the green flames travelled up Mika's hand. His eyes grew bigger as he watched. When they reached his neck, he screamed and clutched his throat. Irin could see Alesseja's symbol, a five-petalled flower, appear on his neck in a faint green colour. "You have been marked as a sign of the promise you have given me. Priests, clerics and holy people will be able to see it," Alesseja explained.
"How about you?" Irin asked and looked at Koth's father. He looked at Mika, then at Irin, at Koth and lastly at the goddess.
"I'll do it. I don't have a choice," he said with a bitter tone.
"Of course you have a choice," Irin said.
"The other choice is death."
"Didn't say it was a good one." Irin heard Koth's chuckle behind her.
"I will take the oath," he said. Irin repeated the procedure, and just like Mika, he got a mark on his neck.
"Well, gentlemen. It was unpleasant meeting you, and don't forget that I'm always watching you. Don't do anything funny. I think it's time you start walking. It's quite far back home for you, and I need a word in private with these two," Alesseja said.
"Walk? But this is our wagon!" Mika said.
"It was, until you decided to kidnap my two favourite people. They have spent the night saving the world, and they don't need to walk all the way back to your camp. As you didn't contribute anything last night, you should be rested. As citizens of Behenoth, you should be well aware of the principle of the strongest getting what they want. Am I not the strongest here?" Alesseja asked.
"Let's get out of here, Mika," Koth's father said. They jumped down from the wagon and walked off. When Irin could no longer hear their footsteps, she put away her sword and rushed to Koth and hugged him. He hugged her right back and bent down and kissed her. Irin heard Alesseja giggle.
"The two of you are just darling together," she told them.
"Thank you for being with us, both last night and today," Irin said.
"Of course. I must say that all the gods are impressed with what the two of you have achieved. Even Neprim complimented me on snagging you to be my cleric. He can be quite pleasant when he wants." Koth helped Irin up onto the coach box of the wagon, and then he looked a little lost. "You don't need to help me, dear boy," Alesseja told him and floated up onto the back of the wagon. He looked relieved and climbed up to sit next to Irin as he took the reins.
"You said I had bad luck with my fathers in this lifetime. Does that mean you know who my first father was?" Koth asked the goddess after a while.
"I do. Have you never wondered why I have been keeping an eye on you?" she asked.
"Not really. I mostly assumed it had to do with Irin," he told her.
"No, dear Koth. I had my eyes on you long before you met my darling Irin," she said. "Do you want me to tell you about it?" she asked. Koth thought about it, and Irin wrapped her arms around his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. She would support whatever decision he made, and she was getting tired, really tired.
"Not now, can I ask you later?" he asked the goddess.
"Whenever you feel ready, just ask," she promised him. "Time for me to leave. I'm proud of the two of you, and it won't be long before we see each other again. I wouldn't miss your wedding for all the roses in the world," she said. Then she was gone.