A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1****1"H-How's my Dad? Mom?"
The Princess asked while wiping her tears away when her biological mother arrived with Voltage Xirquit to the sitting room where she's with her twin sister, Selene, and Watts, Prince Maxigaufeas with his lady, Princess Eowyne, Spike, and Elektra. Emperor-to-be Claxiord refused to come and stayed with his mother and to look after his father. Prince Maxigaufeas wanted to stay, too, but the Emperor-to-be told him to go.
After the King lost his consciousness, Wattroid was quick to take action. He asked if he could call the Xirquits to see the King, since Franchetti Xerene and Voltage Xirquit are one of their best doctors. When he left, Skadi Eira sent Celia to hide Solana Gwyneira from the others' sight. She don't want them to see her, for they might mistake her as Zodiac.
Though they are in the Heart Palace where the Imperial Family resides, none of them were allowed to see the King, nor allowed to gossip what is happening. Additionally, Skadi Eira restore the destruction she brought to the world in a flick of her fingers. She was against it, but Princess Lorreign gaslighted---convinced her so good that she did so.
"He's---"
The Xirquits were hesitant to return to the Heart Palace at first. However, since they can't bring the King with them (none can touch him), they made up their minds as long as they won't see the Warlocks and Dragunovvs other than the twins.
Skadi Eira cut Franchetti Xerene short with, "He's gonna die."
Princess Lorreign gasped a shaky breath, and her uncontrollable sobs filled the room.
"O-Oh my god... M-My Dad is...? O-Oh my god---"
"Don't believe her! Sweetheart, your father is still alive!" Her mother console her before glaring at His Equal, but she just smirked and sat on the single couch. A servant is following her, a proxy of Celia while she's taking care of Solana. The servant is someone Skadi Eira randomly pointed out among the people in the Palace.
And it's Princess Aurora.
Her only job is to carry her foods.
"What is she doing here? I thought no other Warlock or Dragunovv is allowed?" Elektra tuned in with an arching brow, scanning the Princess from head to toe.
Skadi Eira crushed the grapes in her mouth and spit the seeds to Elektra's feet.
"My servant. If you have something to say, climb the rooftop and jump head first."
Spike covered his mouth to suppress his laugh. Elektra rolled her eyes and glared at her brother.
"It's difficult to check him up. We can't get close to him."
Duchess Selene gave her twin sister a glass of water. Princess Aurora is only looking down, keeping her head low. There's a butterfly on her shoulder, a familiar sent by Prince Izaac to protect her.
"What happened to him? He was fine when he left," Franchetti Xerene questioned, and the Princess looked at His Equal's way.
Skadi Eira feigned ignorance and loudly chomped her cheesecake.
"Not me," she denied, but it's obviously her.
Watts stared at His Equal, and she stared at him back while widening her eyes at him to scare him, chewing slowly.
He smiled.
"Your look very cute."
Their necks almost twisted for turning their heads to him.
"He's moved on already. Wow, he's flirting with me~"
Watts Xirquit shook his head, "N-No, that's not what I meant. It's a compliment. Please don't see it the other way."
"Really?"
Watts nodded and smiled kindly.
Skadi Eira grinned, a challenge got into her mind. She stand up and walked to him.
"I am better than Moon," she told him as she slowly push him back. She was about to sit on his lap when suddenly stand up and gently pushed her down the couch to sit.
"Please, don't even try. Your Divine Almighty, your beauty is divinely ethereal. You are the epitome of perfection, but the Princess is the soul of perfection itself. I will admit and be honest that you are beautiful, because you really are, but that doesn't mean that my love for Her wavered. No, that's not how it works, at least to me. Don't do it next time because it's offensive. I will get really, really angry at you if you tried to pull the same trick on me."
Elektra laughed right out loud in Skadi Eira's face mockingly while clapping her hands. Voltage Xirquit smiled in relief, very proud because he knew they raised their little boy to be the finest man alive. They deserve an award for being a good parent to him.
"Say that again."
Their smiled faded when she shapeshifted into her appearance.
That's when he lost his cool.
"I'm usually very patient. But it's not right to poke me like that using her," he stated while throwing disgusted glares at Skadi Eira, who's wearing Moon's appearance like it's a mask.
Skadi Eira stand up and closed the distance between them, "What do you mean, My Lord? Are you not happy to see me again?"
They gulped.
She's crossing a boundary she should never have.
Watts pulled his breath and turned his back from her.
"This is the last time you're going to disappoint and offend me, Skadi Eira. Let's not make an enemy of each other. Don't rub salt on my wound. It's still fresh."
Though he stated it do calmly, it didn't changed the fact that every word is like a sworn vow. His face may be relaxed, but his eyes are glaring with fury so ablaze that it could scorch them to ashes if met.
He silently left. Where to, they don't know, but his feet led him to where King Liorei might be.
Skadi Eira burst into laughter, still wearing Moon. They feel greatly disturbed and couldn't take a look at her. It haunts them. They're haunted.
"He's so cute. Must be why he's her favorite,"
She revert to her original appearance. When the people picked up what she said, it's like their ears clapped. A lead. A clue.
"Her favorite?" Spike repeated. He braved and dared to milk information from her.
Skadi Eira teleported back to her comfortable seat. She put her feet on the table, laid back, and gestured her servant to feed her.
"Uh-huh. I mean, if he's not, why would she have her first child with him?"
"Because their marriage probably was forced?" Duchess Selene guessed...then shrugged.
Skadi Eira pretended to think. She chew her cake loudly and swallowed it.
"Most of it are?" Skadi Eira winced.
She look into Her memories. Mostly her marriages came up. She hardly seen anything related to Watts Xirquit, though. The vision began with her wedding with Prince Maxigaufeas. Then her marriage with the last of his blood Prince, then a man with a red hair. Familiar hair color, but she didn't caught a glimpse of his face.
"Why would she force them to marry her?" Spike Xirquit again.
Skadi Eira rolled her eyes, "Oh, c'mon. At least try harder. Offer something equal to what you want to here. I ain't handing out info for free."
And they thought she was gullible. Must be from Gerson Liorei.
"Come, come! You can do it. Almost there... Yes! You made to Mommy, my heartbeat!"
The Young King Liorei, yet to be depraved of innocence, cuddled his mother whose face was blurred out by something he couldn't describe.
"Mommy, let's play with Daddy, please?" He asked of her with his puppy eyes, hoping they would work.
"Oh, you don't want to play with Mommy anymore? Mommy is so sad."
Young King Liorei gasped and shook his head, "No! That's not true!"
His mother kissed his head and he could see her smile through the blur on her face.
"I know it's know. How about we go drawing?"
His face light up and nodded excitedly.
"Story books, Mommy! I like your picture books!"
"Okay. We'll draw another story, then!"
They went to the table where his art materials are: everything is cost an arm and a leg. The crayons were wrapped in 24 karat gold. His papers were of the greatest and highest quality and they are all scented. His things were carefully selected by his mother, giving him nothing but the most comfortable luxuries.
"Once upon a time, the most beautiful god was born. His name is?"
She looked at her son who's sitting on her lap, fitting the crayons in his hands.
"Ral'zunr Liorei!"
"That's right! That's my baby's name. My heartbeat, Ral'zunr Liorei. The most beautiful god ever born."
The young King's laughter filled her ears and she's never been contented.
"But Mommy, why am I a god? And why is my name very weird? You never told me!" The young King pouted before drawing himself. A stick man. With a crown and rays around his head.
"Because you are a god, my love. See, Daddy is a god. And Mommy is a goddess. Are we not?"
But the young King sulk. He's so confused.
"But there's only one god. Our teacher told us. The one in the Bible."
"Oh, my sweet heartbeat. That's their god, not ours. In our world, people worship us, like how humans worship their God. We call our people Ancients."
"Eww, why Ancients? Are they very...old?"
The woman's laughter graced the room.
"Yes. Because they live very, very, very long. But I don't like Ancients. I like my Ral'zunr, though. My sweet heartbeat." She kissed his head again then his cheek.
The young King scribbled random images on his paper.
"But Mommy, I don't understand. Daddy said you're making things up. He said you're lying to me. Is it true?"
"Oh, no. Mommy will never lie to you, my baby. I can't bear the thought of ever lying to you. Mommy will only tell you the truth. Mommy will always be honest to my little heartbeat."
The young King smiled when she boop his nose.
"Really? Then what are we really, Mommy? Tell me more! Right, my classmates say my name 'Ral'zunr' is weird. They are bullies. I don't want to go to school anymore." He looked down with a sad expression on his face.
His mother paused for a second, then she straightened her back. When she turn to the shadows playing chase on the walls, they got her order and left by the window.
"Ral'zunr Liorei is the coolest name ever. Because Mommy named you. I named you after mine."
Her voice became sweeter and softer, and so the way she caress him. It's so loving and soothing, and the young King feel so protected and safe.
"Want to know what your name means?"
The young King nodded.
"It has two translations. In our tongue, it means 'the first light born from darkness, the first light who illuminated the darkness',"
"Mommy, that's scary! And very long!"
His mother laughed, "Is it? It is when you weren't born yet. Everything is so dark. But when you were born, my light, it wasn't scary anymore."
The young King's eyes sparkled in amusement.
"My name is very short, but its translation is very long!"
"Yes. That's how significant you are, because you are the first light. My sweet heartbeat, my warm light."
They cuddled and they melt each other's heart with joy.
"But what's the other one, Mommy?"
He kissed her cheek. He found her smile underneath the blur when he kissed her. He almost caught a glimpse of her face, only for it to be hidden again.
She combed his silky hair back, only to fall back on his face like dominoes. She opened her mouth, prepared to tell him, but the doors opened.
His mother immediately changed the color of his hair and his eyes. From the beautiful color of white, as pure as the fires from their sanctuary, to black. And his golden eyes like the brightest star, to shimmering black.
The Godfather entered the room with his men. The young King, intimidated by his father's immense and scary aura and presence, hugged his mother while looking at him. She kept her in her embrace, securing and promising him safety and protection.
Daro approached them and his men stopped from following him. He stopped in front of his wife. He caught the strand of her lustrous, shiny jet black hair. He bent over to kiss her hair, then her lips.
"How have you been, my dear?"
Young King Liorei looked up to his Mommy. He loves his father but he's just so scary.
"I've been well, my love. I love looking after our sweet boy. My heartbeat, why don't you tell Daddy your amazing achievement?"
He felt chills run down his spine when his father's cold gaze dropped to him.
His mother caressed his back to urge him, "Go on. Tell Daddy."
Young King Liorei looked at his mother and found her smiling. Thanks to her, he got the courage to share it.
"I won the Math Quiz Bee, Daddy. I got a gold medal. And I beat a grandmaster when we played chess. Mommy and trainer said I got better in horseback riding, too. And... I know how to use the spoon and fork now."
The Godfather straightened his back.
"Well done. As expected of my son. What do you like for a reward---"
"Amusement Park! Mommy, Daddy, let's go to an amusement park, please? My classmates told me they went to Disney Land during our summer break! I want to go, too!"
The Godfather hated it when something cut him off during his speech, but he will let this time pass.
"Oh, that makes Mommy excited, too. Should we go? What do you think, Daddy?"
At the end of the day, the last word will come from the Godfather.
They're waiting for his response, and his son is using his puppy eyes to him.
The Godfather hate that his son is very cute and so irresistible.
"Very well. Pack up your things. We'll leave by sunset---"
"YES! MOMMY, DISNEY LAND!"
The young King jumped off his mother's clutch to run away with his hands in the air. But he went back just to hug his father by the leg.
"Thank you, Daddy! You're the best scary Dad ever!" And after saying that, he left completely to go back to his room so he can start packing his things up. But he didn't really, because he chose to watch his Mommy and Daddy behind the ajar door.
"It's not an insult, is it?"
His wife chuckled and shook her head.
"Soften up a bit. Let's go just the three of us."
The Godfather shortened the distance between them and bent over once again to claim his wife's lips.
"As you wish, my Queen. I will rent the entire place for the both of you. Or do you want me to give out an order to kill everyone who got there first before us?"
She chuckled and answered his kisses.
"Hmm, no blood spill, my love. Come, take a rest. I know it's been a long day. And Liorei," she smiled at him who's peeking between the gaps of the doors, "Go to your room and pack your things. I see you."
"Hihihi. Okay, Mommy!"
"Dad...?"
King Liorei adjusted his vision and slowly moved his eyes to where the voice came from.
Princess Lorreign's heart almost gave out when she realized that she's not dreaming anymore.
It's real.
The King is awake.
"My... Lorreign..."
"Oh, Daddy! You're awake! I missed you so much! I missed you very much!" She carefully crawled on the bed and hugged him not-so-tightly.
King Liorei forced his lips to stretch a smile.
"What...happened?"
But the Princess couldn't answer her yet, so he let her cry the tears she held back all this time to his chest, relieving all her worries, anxiety, and fears from her heart and mind out.
He couldn't recognize the room he's in. Thankfully, he could still remember his daughter. What a dream it is. Or is it a memory? He couldn't wait to tell it to Watts.
But he couldn't believe what his daughter told him.
"You've been asleep for so long, Dad. You've been asleep for a year."