THE SECRET (The Power Of Love Conquers All)
CHAPTRE 8

The room was covered in darkness. A moist, moldy aroma wafted throughout the room. Jacelyn always felt herself pressed down whenever she entered the room. Now, he's feeling it. Immediately Jacelyn took a deep breath to calm herself down.

A candle lit on the table close to Uncle Oilbhries' bed. Jacelyn could barely see her uncle's face from behind the shadows. He was always worried that there would be a fire because the candle forgot to turn off. because of the habit of his uncle who would immediately fall asleep after drunk without having time to turn off the candle first.

Jacelyn tried to call her uncle. However, the man did not answer to the exclusion from her. Forcibly Jacelyn walked to the bed where the man was, until she realized Jacelyn was there.

The man's voice sounded hoarse. He gestured for Jacelyn to approach by waving his hand. And after Jacelyn sat on the bedside chair, Uncle Oilbhries reached out to hold Jacelyn's hand.

The man smiled weakly at Jacelyn. Jacelyn breathed a sigh of relief. Uncle Oilbhries is becoming a melancholic man tonight. Jacelyn hoped it would last long enough for her to explain as quickly as possible, then left the room as soon as possible.

"Sit beside me while I'll tell you the story I just remembered when I went to war with your father. Did I ever tell you that he always sings the same song every time the war bugle is blown? He also sang all the time."

"Uncle, before you start the story, I want to say something important first with you."

"Did hearing the story about your father not matter?" said.

Jacelyn did not respond to that question. "There's something I have to tell you," he said.

"What's that?"

"Can you promise, you'll try not to get angry after hearing my words?"

"When have I ever been angry at you?" oilbhries' uncle asked, unaware of the hundreds of nights in which he always vented his anger on Jacelyn. "Now, tell me what's bothering you, Jacelyn. I'll smile as long as you make a confession."

Jacelyn nodded by folding both her hands over her lap. "Every summer, your sister Aunt Olivia and her husband would take me to a festival on the border. Uncle Noriie has relatives there."

"I know it," refuted Uncle Oilbhries. "Give me my glass and continue your explanation. I wonder why you didn't tell me about this festival before."

Jacelyn observed in every gulp of wine flowing down her uncle's throat. Without feeling Jacelyn's stomach has begun to churn, even getting worse. "Aunt Olivia thought it would be better not to tell you or mom that. She thought it would upset you to know I was hanging out with Stewart's people."

"What you're saying is true" Uncle Oilbhries agreed. He sipped the drink inside his glass. "I don't usually have that much hate, but I'll tell you that your mother has a reason why she hates them. I can also understand why you didn't tell me. I know you must have gone through a lot of fun. I'm not so old that I can forget. But I still have to stop all this. You're not going to the border anymore."

Jacelyn tried to contain her anger. "At the first festival I visited, I met a girl named Ainsley Callista Chloe. He and I soon became good friends. Until Ainsley Callista got married and moved out of the border area, we made our friends every summer at the festival. And I promised him, and now it's time for me to fulfill it. I have to travel for a while," Jacelyn ended her explanation with a gentle whisper.

Jacelyn's explanation, made the Oilbhries uncle look at Jacelyn with red eyes glaring. It was clear that the man had difficulty following Jacelyn's explanation. "What does that explanation mean?" Demand uncle Oilbhries. "Where are you going?"

"I'll tell you first about the promise I made when I was a teenager."

Jacelyn waited for her uncle to nod before starting to explain. "Ainsley Callista's mother died in childbirth and her grandmother also died in the same way."

"That's not a strange thing" muttered the Oilbhries uncle. "Many women die while doing their job."

"Why does that give you hope?"

"Because that means his grandmother's death wasn't caused by a narrow waist."

Jacelyn realized that she was explaining too much, but the wrinkles on the face of Uncle Oilbhries disturbed her concentration.

Uncle Oilbhries shrugged both his shoulders indifferently. "It remains that she died from childbirth" she said. "And you shouldn't involve yourself to think of such an intimate matter."

"Ainsley Callista believes you she's going to die" Jacelyn said. "That made me think about this matter." Further.

"Tell me more about the promise you made" Uncle Oilbhries ordered. "But, pour a little sweet wine for me while you explain."

Jacelyn emptied the last wine from the second jug. "Ainsley Callista asked me to promise to visit her when she was about to give birth. He wanted me to be by his side when he died. It wasn't such a big thing to ask for, and I immediately agreed. I made that promise years ago, but every summer, I would tell him I hadn't changed my mind. I don't want my friend to die" Jacelyn said. "And for that reason, I learned as much as I could about the latest birthing methods. I've spent a lot of time studying this matter. Aunt Olivia really helped. For the past two years, he's been looking for a lot of experienced midwives for me to interview."

Uncle Oilbhries was very surprised by Jacelyn's confession. "Do you consider yourself a savior of this woman? If God wants your friend, then your involvement can stain your soul with sin. You're a nobody, and now you dare to consider yourself important enough to make a difference?" uncle Oilbhries said with a scornful tone.

Jacelyn refused to fight with her uncle. He was used to the insult of the uncle so that the insult did not feel painful.Jacelyn felt proud of the achievement, but still she was from now on, he was trying to find a way to get rid of the pain in his stomach. Jacelyn closed her eyes, took a deep breath and continued her story. "Ainsley Callista's time was getting narrower and her family was on their way to pick me up. I'll feel very safe. I'm sure there will be at least two women accompanying me and a number of men to keep me safe."

Uncle Oilbhries' head rested on a pillow. "For God's sake, are you asking me for permission so you can go to the border? And what should I tell your mother when she comes back and doesn't find you?"

Jacelyn was not asking permission, but she did not reveal it to her uncle. His uncle closed his eyes. He looks like he's going to sleep. Jacelyn knew she had to hurry up to tell her everything before her uncle fell asleep drunk.

"I'm not going to the border area" Jacelyn began. "I will go to a place called the Highlands, far North, in a remote area near Morey Firth."

His uncle's eyelids opened up "I don't want to hear any of this" he roared.

"Uncle..."

Uncle Oilbhries reached out to slap Jacelyn, but Jacelyn had already moved the chair she was sitting in far from the range of the man's punch.

"I've had enough to talk about this," the man looked so upset that the veins next to his neck stood out.

Jacelyn is seen venturing to face her uncle's anger. "But I'm not done talking yet" he urged.

Uncle Oilbhries. Jacelyn had always been a quiet and shy child. The girl had never opposed him before. What's getting into it? "Has Olivia implanted this bad idea into your brain?" sue uncle Oilbhries.

"I already know about my father."

...🍁...