A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
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TIMELINE: Present, Diamond Palace
"Watch me, Good Azarese. I will destroy them for you," Azarese promised as she organize the miniatures of the people she will punish in order.
They're of porcelain material, smooth and fragile.
Hands helped her built a copy of Heart Palace. Like a doll house, she can open its half and its interior are perfectly the same like the real one. The doll house is as tall as her and as wide as two spans of her. The entire doll house sits on a flat, glass frame with wheels and a long handle, like a trolley, giving her the freedom to bring it wherever she will go.
The ones outside will be the firsts, and the important ones are in the tower: by levels, only two at the very top.
Completing the doll house took her a week. But it's all worth it. She redeemed herself with it after failing miserably on the first one. Thanks to Hands, she's feeling better. Things just gets better as long as Hands is there. Her bestest friend.
"Where in hell could that stupid mountain girl be?" she wondered. She just remembered about her other friend. She completely forgot about Skadi Eira.
Who is with her Eggo, making her cry.
"Mommy, please! I want to play, too! Uwaaah!" Solana sobbed as she tiptoe to reach the tablet over her.
Skadi Eira giggled evilly.
"Mom, stop! Just lend her the tablet, please? She's been a very good girl. Reward her with a little playtime," Princess Lorreign gently convinced and lessoned, feeling so sorry for her little sister.
"I'm rewarding her with a little playtime,"
"By making her cry?" The Princess returned with sarcasm.
Solana gave up and went to a corner. She stood there, sobbing pitifully.
"I hate Mommy."
Skadi Eira chewed her food while looking so victorious. She don't know but it somehow made her feel bad. Solana never did that before. And to tell her that she hates her? She hates it.
"Fine, come here. One,"
But Solana stayed in the corner.
Princess Lorreign sighed and gave her a look, saying, "See what you've done?"
"If you don't like and want me, just say it, Mommy. Solana feel hurt, too. I hate you. I love Daddy. I love sister. Go away. Solana don't want to see you again!"
Skadi Eira's mouth gaped open a little.
"How dare you sulk, Eggo? You're so dramatic---"
"I AM NOT! I HATE YOU SO MUCH!"
Solana shouted. After that, she ran away, bolting out of the room. But she returned to bring her pet duck with her. She gave her mother a glare, eyes welling with tears and hurt and sadness. She ran away again and even slammed the door shut loud.
"Celia, please run after her," the Princess asked Celia, but she hesitated to leave His Equal's side. Princess Lorreign gave her a pleading look, so she left and went after Solana.
Princess Lorreign tied her hair into a messy bun and began to clean, first by picking up Solana's toys.
"Mom, if you truly want to experience what it's like to be a mother, you should be nice to her," she said and pulled the storage of Solana's toys.
"I am being nice. I'm teaching her the basics of cruelty at a very young age."
The Princess gave her a hopeless look.
"Don't give me a lesson. You mothered no child, too, as well."
"My choice not to. But this is not about me. Are you struggling because you don't have Dad by your side?"
Skadi Eira raised her eyebrow.
"I know you know how great he is as a father. He's the best. You needed his guidance as a parent, not as your partner. I don't know what got into you suddenly that you created a child out of a 'whim', but I'm glad that you're being responsible now. Solana... She's very sweet. So thoughtful and pure, so very innocent. She's also a very good girl. Those qualities she possess, you just can't help but love her. She loves you, Mom. Solana, even though you're always teasing and making her cry, loves you very much."
Skadi Eira pouted and turned her chair around to look at the scenery past the windows.
"You made her. It's impossible that no affinity is bonding you together. You're so mean to her. It's not her fault that she's here. You brought her here, so the least you can do is make her happy and feel loved. I shouldn't be talking like this. I hope Dad wakes up soon and scold you. We will tell everything to Dad. He will knock some sense into you."
"Shut up. He will never wake up again. I made you feed him poison." It's a lie. The syrup is truly a medicine. Barely potent though, so the King won't get better any time soon. Because if she made it so, then she won't be having the best days in her life where she bullies Solana.
"I knew it is. Must be why it took me a year to recover."
Skadi Eira's eyes widened at first. She lost her grip around the bowl she's holding that's why it slipped and crashed against the floor. When she turned her head around, she found King Liorei leaning against the door frame. He's still pale and weak. His knees are shaking even though he's still not ready to stand up and walk around.
"Dad!" The Princess stand up from kneeling on the carpet and ran to her father to support his bad posture and stance.
The King kept his eyes fixated on Skadi Eira, who hasn't blinked since she laid her eyes on him just now. Oh, her amusement and surprise. She's wondering about the change in his appearance. She hate to admit it but it made him twice as hot and sexy.
"Can't get enough of my visuals?" The King teased and smirked to get on her nerves.
He expected an insult from her, but Skadi Eira warmly smiled to play his game. His hair is a gradient of white and black, as if the light is overpowering the darkness.
"Did I do that? That syrup must be something. You should be jailed for illegally flashing that face everywhere."
Even the Princess was astounded. And on behalf of her father, a prominent casanova during his prime, she blushed.
The first and only woman who ever made the King blush was Aloisia. But what it this ticklish feeling he's getting inside?
"I should get a credit from that. You wouldn't dare say that if you were as stupid as you were before,"
King Liorei sat on the sofa and let out a soft groan when he felt his joins clicking.
"Old man."
"I was unconscious for a whole damn year because of you. It's to be expected."
Skadi Eira rolled her eyes, "Nah, you're dumb for tasting my tears. You're an idiot."
King Liorei let his body fall down to the couch and closed his eyes, submitting to his fatigue.
"Well, looked nice. I eat everything nice."
"Eat your daughter."
"I'll eat you."
Princess Lorreign chuckled at their little bickering and continued cleaning the room.
"Dad, she's been bullying us. Especially Solana. She always makes our baby cry," the Princess said. Now's the right time.
The King opened his eyes.
"What?"
"That's not true," Skadi Eira feigned ignorance and wore the most innocent and harmless mask she have, "I will never do that."
"She's lying!"
"Why would you do that to a child?"
Skadi Eira huffed and glared at the Princess, but the Princess stuck her tongue out and carried the storage of Solana's toys.
"I'll go after Solana and console her. Dad, knock some sense into Mom. Make sure she'll make up with my sister! Hmmp!"
She stormed out of the room, leaving the adults behind.
"Why would you do that to her?" King Liorei asked now that it's just the both of them.
Skadi Eira hissed and didn't answer.
King Liorei get up, "Tell me the truth: do you want her or not?"
"Where is this coming from?"
She hates being questioned.
"Just answer me. Yes or no. That's all you have to say. Do you want Solana or not?"
Skadi Eira grunted at him and frustratedly chewed the biscuits she stuffed in her mouth. The King patiently waited for her answer.
"Who would like that brat? I don't like her...at all."
Her eyes reflected the orange hues in the sky as the sun set.
King Liorei then stand up. She looked back at him to see where he's going. She flinched when she saw the knife he summoned in his hand.
"W-Where are you going?"
But the King did not reply and followed the steps Solana took. He could see her footprints on the floor. He tightened his grip on the knife and made it ourside. He continued until he found her on the swing, being pushed by his daughter while Celia just returned with snacks on her hands.
"LIOREI!" His Equal shouted with her widening eyes.
She couldn't read him. She couldn't hear his mind. What is he going to do? Why is he suddenly holding a knife?
The Princess, Solana, and Celia turned to their way. Solana instantly scrunched her nose when she saw her mother.
"I don't wanna play anymore! Hmmp!" Solana jumped off the swing and ran to King Liorei who is standing still, gazing at Skadi Eira who's trying to see what he's about to do.
"Daddy! Let's play! Are you okay---"
The basket His Equal brought with her fell when he did it.
Solana's body tripped. When it landed on the ground... Her head rolled down to his feet.
"SOLANA!"
Skadi Eira flinched wide awake, hoarding the air for herself through aggressive gasps. Then she looked around the room. She was about to leap off the bed and find the King to kill him, when she just noticed that something was weighing her leg down. When she looked down, she found Solana sleeping on her leg, hugging it and biting her gently.
"Nom, nom. Shimken... Mommy, shimken..." She's drooling.
"Good evening. A nice dream, is it not?"
She sent icicles to his way as soon as she heard his voice, only for him to stop it using his forearm. The icicles pierced through his flesh and it's like nothing for him.
"You care for your daughter."
"I do, but that's the ugliest fucking way to make me realize it, Gerson fucking Liorei!"
Solana's eyes fluttered. She lifted her head to look at her mother.
"Hmm? Mommy? Morning? Shim...shimken..." Solana's head fell back to her mother's leg and continued her dream with a smile on her face.
Skadi Eira's expression softened. She could see Solana's dream. What that dream is? Both of them, together, venturing in the world of food. Lots of food. Eating together, feeding each other, and then playing.
Solana loves her.
"Eggo."
She hissed and combed Solana's hair using her fingers.
King Liorei sat by the foot of the bed, watching Solana sleep while giggling preciously. In her dream, she's swimming in a pool of smoothie, using a donut as her lifebuoy ring. Her Mommy is beside her; they're holding hands and padding their feet to move.
"How did you do it?" Skadi Eira asked and smiled down on her daughter.
She liked Solana from the beginning. She's just denying it, because she doesn't want to look so easy and soft. She still don't know what to do in life. And maybe, the King is right. She's irresponsible. She shouldn't have created Solana right in the midst of complications. She should've erased Solana when she didn't get the child she wanted, but she couldn't bring herself to, because Solana has already been given life.
Solana is just another creation of her, but much closer unlike the White Phoenix.
"They told me you've never slept a wink, that all you've ever done was eat and fuck around. You should be thanking me. I helped you."
Skadi Eira scoffed. What bullshit, she thinks.
"I was asleep for more than I know. I don't need sleep."
King Liorei lean back, putting his arms on his sides for support. From Skadi Eira's view, she found his side profile so godly. The moonlight is reaching out for him like some holy light from the heavens. She could see things most cannot, for the Deities took their privilege of that long ago. If only he knew, there are black fairies all over him.
"I'm gonna kill those flies," she said, a bit annoyed and pointed her fingers to the King. He looked at her, clueless.
When she flicked her finger, the black fairies hovering around him like bees were sent away and got crushed when they hit against the walls.
"Mommy? Hnngh... Mommy!"
Solana stole her attention. She's having a nightmare. A bad unicorn ate her Mommy. She gently placed her hand on Solana's head to change her dream.
Into something more scary and terrifying.
She laughed evilly when Solana began crying. King Liorei already knew what she did and moved to get Solana.
"You're a bitch," he told her. Doesn't mateer if she's the Highest Being. She's a bad parent.
"You eat bitches," she returned with a sly grin, but it changed when she realized what she said.
"Other bitches, I mean. I'm not one. I'm a goddess. I'm a higher being."
But King Liorei was already smirking.
"Sounds like someone wants to be eaten."
Skadi Eira pretended to puke.
"Anyone but Daro's son."
"Oh, really?"
"Oh, really?" Skadi Eira mocked and made a face. King Liorei laughed.
Then there was silence between them, only the crickets outside making noises, and the moaning Solana who's now fighting the bad unicorn to save her Mommy.
The King's intrusive and naughty thoughts won.
"Do you want to kiss?"
Skadi Eira faked a gasp and hugged her body, "Oh, no. I'm pure. I'm just a girl," she cowered in a tiny voice. He rolled his eyes.
"Sick from going through abstinence?" she teased.
King Liorei hissed and didn't respond.
"Boo. You're ambitious if you think you can pull a higher being."
"But I can?"
They looked at each other with blank stares.
"No, you can't."
"Yes, I can."
Skadi Eira scrunched her nose. She's annoyed but she's liking the thrill.
"Fine. Let's kiss," she agreed. Her curiosity kicked in; she's never been kissed. The King is a lot wilder than he is now. Probably because he's on the process of changing himself and his ways, only for people to test him every day.
"Wait here. I'll bring Solana to her room."
When he left with Solana in his arms, Skadi Eira waited until he's gone and far before hopping off the bed. She opened a portal for her and Celia, sending themselves back to Diamond Palace.
She wickedly laughed like an evil witch. Celia couldn't understand the sudden change in her environment until she realized she's in her chambers in the Diamond Palace.
King Liorei opened the door of his room, only to find the bed empty.
He run his fingers through his hair and laughed with irritation.
His Equal made him look after nothing. She got him excited for nothing.