I A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1****
"We greet the merciful Third Lady of Heart and His Imperial Highness the Third Prince, Prince Maximilien," Emperor Maxism greeted while on his knee, head low.
"Don't waste my time and get straight to the point. What do you want from me?"
"Mommy!" Prince Maximilien scowled, "Kill them! I don't like them! Especially that! THAT! I HATE THAT!" He pointed Prince Maxigaufeas. He knew that the Prince was talking about him. He wanted to raise his head and defend himself, but the Emperor kept his head down.
"It will be boring. I told you, we're going to play. We will make him suffer," Azarese said with a sweet voice. She crossed her leg and made herself comfortable on the throne.
"Then, I want him to lick my ice cream on the floor!"
Azarese's sweet smile turned into a smirk.
"You heard your Prince. What are you waiting for, Maxigaufeas? Lick it."
Prince Maxigaufeas punched the floor with his fists. Emperor Maxism made sure that he won't get to raise his head. Otherwise, his son will blow it all up.
"Stop stalling and do it! It's an order! If not, I'm gonna kill your Mom!" Prince Maximilien giggled, then he gasped.
"Ah, Mommy, you said she's pregnant, right? Can I do what he did to us to her?"
Their eyes widened.
Prince Maximilien opened his hands and began picking which gun in miniatures he will use to do the evil deed.
"I think it's best to use a shotgun, Mommy! I will blow her up!"
Azarese clapped her hands proudly. "What a very good idea, Maximilien. Since he refused to do something so simple, let's just kill his mother. BRING HER TO ME."
Emperor Maxism tightly closed his eyes. The Princes looked at him. They are anxious, fear is choking their hearts. What is he gonna do? They thought he can do it?
"Please don't do such thing," Emperor Maxism finally speak up, calmly at that despite hearing revolting threats with his wife as the subject.
Finally, he looked up and fearlessly met Azarese's stares.
"We're a family. So, let's not hurt each other."
His words wiped the smiles off their faces. It ignited Prince Maximilien's fury so much that he hopped off his throne with a gun in his hands. Instead of shooting the Emperor with it, he hit him with it instead. On his head.
"Say that again one more time and I will make you regret it. SAY IT!"
Emperor Maxism let his sons go so he could wipe the blood flowing from his head.
"How could you tolerate such behavior, Mi'zaar? Tell the Prince to stop. It's an awful thing to do," the Ki'zaar shared his thoughts who was startled. Prince Valerian seemed to be accustomed to his brother's violence.
"Let him be. He's angry. You should understand," Azarese said with a smirk. She's proud. Very proud.
"If you're gonna do it, then I will make you!"
Prince Maximilien grabbed Prince Maxigaufeas by his hair and dragged him to the stage where the thrones are.
"Let me go, you psycho!"
Prince Maxigaufeas grabbed the Prince's wrist and forcefully pulled it away from it. His head hurt when his hair was pulled out. And when he was about to throw the kid away, Emperor Maxism stopped him and shook his head.
Prince Maximilien changed his gun into a knife and stabbed Prince Maxigaufeas while he's still distracted.
"How dare you touch me! How dare you!? Die! Die! DIE! I HATE YOU! DON'T TOUCH ME! FUCK YOU!"
"Aahh!" Prince Maxigaufeas cried out when the Prince dealt multiple stab and slices on his body.
Emperor Maxism lost it and pulled the Prince away from his son to face him. Azarese's eyes widened and raged after Emperor Maxism slapped the Prince right in front of her and everyone.
"I understand that you're angry. You're mad. I know why you're being like a little bitch right now. They may have the same name and face, but they're not entirely the same. My son in this lifetime is different! He won't shoulder the sins of your father!"
Prince Maximilien touched his cheek. His eyes watered, and he ran to his mother to cry.
"Mommy, he hit me! It's ouchie! Mommy! It hurts so much!"
It was too late for the Emperor to undo what he's done. He cursed and clenched his fists in regret.
"Claxiord, send your brother to the hospital NOW." The Emperor ordered and the Crown Prince immediately do it. He left as fast as he could with the writhing Prince in his arms. He's scared.
What is he fell into a deep sleep too just like their father? Prince Maximilien's weapons were lethal. They're laced, poisoned. The blade, is it poisoned? Just like his bullets, was it with poison and curse, too?
Azarese couldn't understand but she suddenly felt light and cool. Prince Valerian found Prince Zodiac beside his father. He smiled at him, so the Prince smiled, too.
Azarese massaged her temples and sighed. What just happened? She was so close in putting up a show with his wife as the main character when she suddenly calmed down. Her body was relieved of such burdensome wrath. She felt...peaceful.
"Just...what the fuck do you want from me, Maxism?"
Prince Maximilien was dumbfounded. He looked up to his mother with expecting stare. Why...is she not doing anything? He's hurt! The Emperor hit him, and she's not angry!?
When he caught Prince Valerian giggling silently, his red eyes flared up and went to push him by pushing the Ki'zaar.
"What did you do!? You ugly, stupid motherfucker! What did you do to---"
He held a step back when he felt and saw how dark the Ki'zaar's aura is. The scales around his shrinking eyes became visible and the veins on his neck and face were popping. His hand is right in front of his face, prepared to do a snap.
"You. I had enough of your disrespectful and rude character. If you think you can pull such attitude on me however you want, then you're wrong."
He was about to snap his fingers when Azarese called him, "Valtyremius Lavyreian Zin Draji Teivel. Put that hand down or I will displace your head from your neck."
But the Ki'zaar didn't and stood against her, "My son is not a lesser being like him! My son is my heir! My son is a dragon, the Anulu Ecliss, heir to the Zin Draji Teivel descent! And that! That is just a human. You may break your promise, I dare you. But I will not stand watch as that rat call my son names and abuse him!"
Azarese's lips gaped open.
The Ki'zaar calmed down and became soft.
"I don't understand. You, of all people, should be the first to know how it's like. How come you tolerate abuse, violence, and bullying between them? If this is your definition of parenting, then you're not fit to be a mother at all. You're just a wife. A wife and not a mother!"
It hit her hard more than it should. And since he spit the truth, it fueled her anger. Prince Maximilien went back to his mother and hugged her legs while stealing glances of the Ki'zaar. The day turned into night, and the sky is red and the moons were black.
"Take it back."
"NO." The Ki'zaar firmly refused and stepped away once from her. Prince Valerian didn't know where to look.
"Valtyremius Lavyreian, I said take that back!"
"STOP FIGHTING!" The Prince finally had it. Tears were leaking from his eyes.
He freed himself from the Ki'zaar's clutch and faced his brother.
He grabbed Prince Maximilien's wrist and pulled him. Then he pushed him hard, shocking everyone.
"N-Now I did it! I fought back! Now, we're even! Are you happy now!?"
The Ki'zaar calmed down within a second.
"And Maximilien! How dare you not respect me! I'm your Kuya! I'm older! If... If you do that again, y-you will see! I don't want to hurt you because your my baby brother, but if you fight me again, I will make you regret it! You're just jealous because your Dad is not nice like our Dads! You're pathetic!"
Prince Maximilien's eyes flared up again and went back to his feet.
"What did you say!? Why would I be jealous of you!? Zodiac's dad is a monster! Your dad is a twink! Ivailo's dad is an idiot, and Ambren's dad is a loser!"
"AND YOUR DAD KILLED YOU!"
Prince Maximilien was taken aback. His hands trembled as his jaw clench tight; his teeth gritting and seething. He's so angry that it mad him cry.
Prince Valerian realized his mistake and softened.
"I-I'm sorry! M-Maximilien, I... I didn't mean to---! I'm sorry---"
"SHUT UP!"
The ground quaked.
Their eyes bulged when his fists were set on fire. At first, it was sparking, igniting. The fire was small, and then it grew as his feelings became more bitter and hotter.
Prince Valerian stepped back, afraid of what he will do to him. The Ki'zaar picked him up and protected him.
Emperor Maxism knelt beside the hyperventilating Prince Maximilien. And though his fists were ablaze, he touched them. It burned him, but he gently put out the fire by encasing his little hands in his palms.
"My grandchild," he said softly and gave the Prince a soothing smile. He kissed the Prince's fists.
"I know. Believe me, I know. And I'm sorry. You didn't deserve it. But you see, your Dad lost everything and everyone he ever loved. And when a person falls into despair, they take it out on others. Wrath is a cardinal sin, and his wrath drove him mad. Hurt people hurt people. Just like who you are now, he was like that, too. You're angry. My son shouldn't have done that, but I was not there to control him. I was not there to calm him down anymore."
Prince Maximilien was stunned. Emperor Maxism looked deeply in his red eyes. Indeed, he is his grandson. Behind his wrathful eyes lies jealousy, loneliness, and pain. He's so little but his system is filling him up with lust for revenge.
But the Prince is just a kid. He was never exposed to love. He never knew what it's like. He was never loved. Even when his mother was there, not even once did he felt loved.
Because she loves Prince Zodiac more than anything else.
"I believe that we were given this chance to change everything. To make things right. When I was as little as you, I was always sick. My sister is the opposite. She's very healthy and strong, that's why our parents loved her more. In the end, they threw me away. See, aren't we quite the same? We were not loved. They always have favorites."
Emperor Maxism smiled but his tears were streaming down his face.
Prince Maximilien's fists loosened. He turned his head to look at his mother. And he looked down because he knew. His lips trembled.
"She only loves Zodiac. I hate Mommy sometimes. I-I hate her! She only sees that thing!"
He vent out while bursting into tears. Emperor Maxism pat his head. He pulled him close until they just found him swaying the Prince while in his arms.
"She only loves Zodiac. I hate her. She have favorites. She don't love me. She only love me because I died. She pity me. She didn't love me. Her love is fake. I hate Mommy. I hate her so much. She don't love Maximilien. She only sees that stupid, stupid Zodiac Astrophel!" The Prince blubbered.
"Uh-huh. I hear you. I understand. I understand, my grandchild. I hate my Mommy, too. She's a bitch."
"My Mommy is not."
Emperor Maxism smiled and nodded, "Yes. She's not. Only mine is. I'm glad she's dead. I never like her and my Dad. I only liked my sister."
Prince Maximilien struggled to keep his eyes open. He's feeling...sleepy.
"But she...stole everything from you..."
"No. No, she didn't, my grandchild," the Emperor muttered sincerely, "No. No, she didn't. It was not her fault why she was loved. She deserved it all and so much more. She's very sweet and kind. She deserved everything that's pretty and nice. I didn't hate her. I never did. I love her. Because she's my baby sister. And you, you're a baby brother, too, that's why your Kuyas loves you. Prince Zodiac loves you. Prince Valerian loves you, too. You just can't see it because you were blinded by anger. Believe me. If you will let me, then I will promise you---in this lifetime, you will be loved."
Prince Maximilien's lips trembled and buried his face on the Emperor's neck.
"Okay..."
Emperor Maxism pat his back. He felt how the Prince's breathing became calm and deep, therefore he's now asleep. The Prince let his guard down and fell asleep in his arms! They couldn't believe it!
"Phew. Raising a child is challenging, isn't it? They're so simple," the Emperor laughed while swaying the Prince side by side.
"What did you do?" Azarese glared, so he faced her. But instead of answering her, he took the different turn.
"I'll drop the nauseating formalities now and get straight to the point with you. As his mother, I ask you to allow me to oversee the Prince's nurturing,"
"What?"
Emperor Maxism adjusted the Prince's head. He laid it to the side of his face so he could breathe properly.
"I said, we will nurture the Prince. I will change the Prince. I will change his attitude, his behavior, and everything he believed to this day. I will change his views of us. He is my grandson. First life, second life, HE IS A VERNIGNAC."
Azarese certainly didn't like it.
"MY SON. You're not taking my son away from me AGAIN!"
Her shadow expanded, but Emperor Maxism stood in his place. He didn't budge. He's not scared.
"I won't. Rather, you're the one who's pushing him away. You heard the boy. He hates you because you have favorites. You only shower them attention when it's convenient for you. I get why Prince Zodiac is your favorite. He's your first son with your first husband. You love both the most, so much that it drove you mad. My grandchild and I will get along, so entrust his education to me. You will thank me once you see his new self."
The shadow stopped from crawling to the Emperor. Azarese lean back to think about it. She snickered, "You, change my son? He's like me. No way an ounce of the pathetic bullshit you called love will change him. We will destroy you. We will ruin everything that hurt us."
Emperor Maxism gave her a challenging smirk.
"Then, let's make a deal. Three months. Leave the Prince with us for three months. If we failed to change him, I will gladly surrender my life to you. My lineage will cease to perish. They will die with me. But if I won,"
Azarese's gaze turn colder and serious, but her smile is wicked.
"Say it. What kind of reward do you want it to be?"
Emperor Maxism almost threw his hands in the air for the early celebration. She bit. She bit the poisoned treat. Even if she tries to get away, she's already poisoned.
"My soul. I want my first self's soul be returned to me."
Azarese's smile dropped. Emperor Maxism tightened his embrace on the Prince a little bit when he felt her bloodlust.
"That's so strange. I don't know what you're talking about, Maxism Ford Lee. Your soul? Why would I have your pathetic soul?"
Was it Celia? Did Celia tell him that? No. That's impossible. Celia loathe them quite the same. Her desire to kill Prince Maxigaufeas might be even stronger than hers and the Prince. Celia was there. A witness to his abuse and violence. A mad dog, he is. But she can't do anything. He's the Emperor at that time and her Empress lost herself after losing the first Emperor. That became the leeway for Maxigaufeas Vernignac to hurt her as he see fit.
"I might be the way to get Prince Ivailo and Prince Ambren back. I know. I know what happened."
Azarese's pupils shrinked. Her grip on the armrests of the throne tightened so much that she crushed it..
"Your vile mouth shan't speak the sacred names of my sons! You, the way? You have no idea. I can do it myself. I will go there myself and take them back. They will pay the price of taking my sons from me!"
As he thought, convincing her will not be easy. She's close minded and too proud. It's given since her capabilities can go through impossible lengths. She can turn myths into realities, the impossible to possible.
"No, you can't. The Creator banished God and forbid him access in our universe. The only reason he managed to send the Archangel here because the despairing Princess Aurora, a human, his child, called for him. Certain requirements must be met for that to happen again. But I, I can do it as easy as one, two, three. You know that, Azarese. You know I am the only and fastest way."
The Ki'zaar instilled in his mind the expression Azarese had on her face just now before she switched her personality like turning a fuse. She's smirking and looked so mischievous and haughty. She's not taking the Emperor seriously when in fact, she should.
"How gullible, Maxism Ford Lee. You don't know anything. I pity you."
The Emperor's brows formed a straight line.
She crossed her legs again, and rest her chin over her knuckles.
"I grant you power to, then. Two months. You're the one who set the consequences, not me. If you're too confident, then I will be, too. You will begin NOW."
Emperor Maxism gasped, "W-What!? Now!? But I'm not prepared yet!"
"My, you'd be more surprise if I were to give a fuck about that. Why would I give you time to prepare?"
Emperor Maxism measured her with stares. He looked to the aside. He's agitated. He's not fully prepared yet. But he can cheat, right?
He smirked, "Very well. Deal. I will have the time I need to prepare inside Watts's office."
And he wished he never mentioned it.