A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1***1Princess Eowyne found herself pushing herself away when her eyes locked on her nightmare, sitting on her high throne and looking down on her.
"Aaahh... Aaahhhh!" she screamed in a low tone as she try to get back inside the vault to hide, pulling the Prince's skeleton with her.
She's dry. She doesn't have much strength; but seeing the Wicked Empress made her realize that she still have enough to run away. She couldn't shed tears. The dreadful expression on her face said it all: fear. Great fear, intense fear.
Emperor Maxism found himself staggering on his way to his son. He fell down to his knees when he made it before the Prince's skeleton.
"My b-boy..." He closed his eyes and her tears leaked from them. His throat let out squeaks as he try to hold his sobs back.
"Em...ror... M-Ma---im... A-Ahhh... H-Help... Help... Maj---esty!" Princess Eowyne grovel before the Emperor and crawled to him.
"Please, help! She... Knight---Maxi! Please! Emperor! Help me!" She cried without tears and held on the Emperor's wrist tight.
Emperor Maxism finally burst into tears, shaking as he collect his son's remains.
Prince Maximilien stood in front of the Emperor with wide, glaring eyes.
"It's him." His trembling hands summoned a sledgehammer, "That's my father."
"A-Apo---"
Prince Maximilien smashed the Prince's bones.
"You---! IT WAS YOU! IT WAS YOU! DIE! DIE AGAIN! IT WAS YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! AAAAHHHH! I WILL KILL YOU AGAIN! IT WAS YOU! IT WAS YOU!"
"Sto---STOP! STOP IT, MAXIMILIEN! STOP IT!"
Emperor Maxism covered his son's remains, so the Prince smashed his hands, too. He was hammering the bones relentlessly while screaming and crying.
"STOP IT!"
Princess Eowyne pushed the child away and gathered the Prince's parts.
"N-No, no, no. Maxi... Maxi!"
Prince Maximilien screamed again and raised his hands to hammer the woman, but he couldn't bring himself to. The hammer slipped from his hand. He slowly faced his mother, whom he found grinning.
"Why...aren't you doing...anything?" Prince Maximilien cried, "That's him, Mommy... My killer...here. Why aren't you doing anything? Why can't you do something for me...JUST ONCE?"
Azarese's face dropped. Prince Maximilien ran after his breath.
"Son---"
The Prince cut her by screaming powerfully, a way to let out all his rage.
"ALWAYS ZODIAC! ZODIAC THIS, ZODIAC THAT! Why can't you do anything for me!? You conquered their heaven for him! You killed them for him---but you only cried for me!? And replaced me instantly with that stupid, annoying Ivailo! WHY, MOM!? WHY CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING NICE FOR ME AT LEAST ONCE!?"
His red eyes flared up into blue. The glasses were blasted by the force of his wrath. His mother was speechless.
With everyone's attention on the mother and son, Princess Lorreign stole something from Azarese without anyone knowing.
Azarese rose from her seat and walked to her son. She reached out for his cheek and caressed it lovingly.
"Why must you compare yourself to your brother every time you could get?"
Prince Maximilien gulped. Then he looks down.
"I delivered my vengeance differently. Zodiac... He was my first boy. I can't even remember how I lost him and his father, but every time I will held him in my arms, it breaks me apart, Maximilien. I could feel it in my flesh. It tears my flesh. Must I explain to you how losing each of you made me insane? Must you really make me remember what he did? Do you want to see me suffer for you more than I despaired for your eldest brother?"
"N-No! That's not what I meant---"
"Then, what do you want me to do?"
The Prince looked up, only to pull his breath when he saw the grim expression on his mother's face.
"What do you want me to, Maximilien? Tell me. Do you want me to kill them just like that? Did I not leave their lives to you? Or do you really want me to despair and cry for you?"
"NO!" The terrified Prince cried and stepped back, stepping on his father's bones.
"That's not it! You don't understand! You don't care about me at all!"
"SHUT UP!"
Startled, the Prince lost a footing and fell on his father's bones.
"You're the one who couldn't understand, Maximilien! You don't know me! What do you know about me other than my unfortunate fate? NOTHING! Because you're selfish! You only care about yourself and your revenge! You want to know what I did? Fine. I will show it to you. I will show it to you!"
She grabbed the Prince by his wrist and forcefully dragged him. The Prince screamed and tried to break free from her grasp.
"Take that fucking television out, Watts Xirquit. This child wants to shame me! If that's what will make him happy, I will show it to him!"
"No! No, I don't want to, Mommy! I'm sorry! I'm sorry---!"
"QUIT IT!"
The Ki'zaar stand up and tried to mediate the fire between them, but Azarese is stern about showing the Prince what she went through.
Then she felt a pang of hurt in her stomach that made her falter. Her heart skipped a beat, knowing that her son might be hurt.
"M-My baby---"
Her husbands gathered around her to support her. Emperor Maxism immediately pulled his grandson and secured him in his arms. The husbands led their wife to her throne as she hold on them tight, scared.
"My b-baby... Why... I-It's hurting---Aaahh!"
"Calm down, Mi'zaar. Breathe. I-I got you. Feryzen, call our archmages!"
"Yes, Ki'zaar!"
The Ki'zaar went down to his knees and gently placed his shaking hand on her belly. He calmed himself and used his magic to relieve her pain, but it couldn't penetrate the barrier around the shell of their child. It's not the barrier he put on it. The shell is protecting itself.
"Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down, wife. Don't panic or it will, too. Calm down," Emperor Ohms helped. Azarese look into his eyes, breathing in, breathing out.
She cursed out loud when she became more sensitive to the unknown pain. She's becoming breathless, so Watts pulled out an oxygen tank from his office. Azarese deeply gasped for air, each heave was quick.
In the midst of their panic, Lorreign laughed.
"I hope it dies, so you will know what it feels like to lose a child like I do!"
In one swift move, Emperor Ohms had beheaded her with his own knife. He went back to his wife's side.
"Brother, here! Take him!"
Prince Valor, who just arrived, handed their youngest dragon brother to the Ki'zaar. Until now, the youngest Prince is still sleeping. The light in his body is pulsing in the rhythm of his heartbeat.
The Ki'zaar carried his brother. He was heavy. He's grown.
"H-He's heavy. I can't put him on her," he wavered.
"Just do it, Ki'zaar! The Prince will absorb the anomaly, so please, just do it before it gets worse!" Watts urged. Azarese is so close to crying. The pain is very different. Otherwise, she wouldn't be writhing if it's the usual.
When their Uncle arrived, the Archmages were with him. They told them what they were about to do, so the Archmages only groomed the young Prince's talons before the Ki'zaar place him on her belly.
Prince Vyldread moved and curled on her belly. He covered himself with his wing and began purring. Little by little, it relieved her pain. She can finally breathe.
The Ki'zaar collapsed. Prince Valor and Lord Feryzen assisted him.
"My child..."
"It's fine, brother. The Prince is fine now."
All eyes went to Prince Maximilien. The boy flinched in fear. He feel blamed. Emperor Maxism hid him in his arms and covered his eyes.
The Ki'zaar went back on his feet and composed himself. This time, he was firmer, much stern.
"I had enough of this, Mi'zaar. Our child is our top priority. Anything that may cause you stress, I will handle it. Priedo, bring the Mi'zaar to her chambers---"
"No, Valtyremius! How dare you---"
The Ki'zaar widened his eyes on her and though he didn't mean to, his aura spread to overwhelm them all.
"Mi'zaar, I beg you, stop being stubborn."
Azarese clenched her jaw and turned to her other husband, Emperor Ohms. He's smiling to himself: he found the Ki'zaar very unique. How does he do it? Is it because he's a dragon or a higher that's why he could go against their wife?
"She will stay," the Emperor said. Azarese's face light up, thinking that she found an ally, only for it to drop when he continued, "But she will only listen. If I feel a sudden spike in her vitals, we will send her back. How about that? She can't be absent when this is about her."
That settles it.
"I thought you were on my side," Azarese gritted her teeth. Emperor Ohms chuckled and kissed the back of her hand.
"I am. But I can't risk the well-being of the child inside you. Wife, he will be the first son you will give birth to naturally. Think about it. It's what you had always wanted, so why are you being so stubborn? Or have you forgotten? Good thing I am here to remind you that."
Realized, Azarese looked away and flicked her hand away from his touch. Emperor Ohms only smiled and looked at her vault, then to Princess Lorreign. They looked at each other. The Emperor smirked.
He knew what she did, but he won't tell a soul. He will see what she will do to the thing she stole.
"Close the vault, Celia. This is not the time for a tour inside yet."
"Tsk." Azarese rolled her eyes then crossed her legs.
"Where is this attitude coming from, wife?" The Emperor teased.
"Shut up, Xirquit. Fuck you."
"Later, wife. We will later. But gently; I don't want to poke the Prince---"
The Emperor only laughed when Azarese sent hands to choke him.
The Ki'zaar went down beside her and kissed her belly tenderly.
"I'm sorry. I just... I care about you and our son. You suffered miscarriages all your life before, and this is your first pregnancy in this life. Please understand. I wish for our child to be healthy and strong."
Azarese did not reply and only rolled her eyes. Prince Vars, in his fancy stroller, walked to his mother and pulled her skirt.
"Mama, myik. Myik!"
Emperor Ohms smiled at the Prince's cuteness. Celia just closed the vault and went back to their side.
"I want to eat mangoes. And no, no milk."
Celia bowed to get what she wished for.
"Here, son. Milk." Emperor Ohms gave him his bottle but the Prince smacked it away with a pout.
"Yada! Mama, myik!"
"I'm not in the mood to breastfeed you. No."
Not getting what he wanted, the Prince threw tantrums and punches on his mother. When his hand grabbed onto Prince Vyldread's tail, he pulled it and threw him away, shocking them to their cores.
"P-PRINCE!" They called for him and Prince Vyldread. Prince Valor ran with his arms forward and caught his brother in his arms.
"MAMA! MYIK! Waaah! Myik!" Prince Vars was about to slam his hands against his mother's stomach when the Ki'zaar stopped his hands and picked him up.
"Shh, calm down, Prince. Mi'zaar, please feed the Prince. His fuss scares me."
Azarese sighed and took the Prince. She lightly pat his thighs.
"You're a bad boy. Bad."
The Prince smiled and even chuckled.
"Myik? Mama, wabwab."
He went upright and cupped his mother's face. Then he sucked her nose, so Azarese squealed a little and hugged him.
"Silly boy. Mommy wabwab you, too. You're so cute. So... So..." Suddenly, she was emotional.
"W-What's the matter?" The Ki'zaar panicked. Watts placed his hands on him and smiled.
"Nothing. She's just being emotional, Ki'zaar."
"How could my boy be so cute? And he told me he loves me. Son, do you really love this wicked mother of yours? Did I... Did I deserve you?"
"Mi'zaar, please don't cry---"
So, she became angry.
"Stay away from me! You stink!" Hands pushed the Ki'zaar gently away. Azarese buried her face on the Prince's chest to smell him.
"My baby smells nice. My baby is cute. My baby is silly."
"Siwwy, Mama!" The Prince mimicked while dancing, shaking his hips from side to side. The throne was filled with the Emperor's laughters. Even Watts, Voltage, Prince Valerian and Solana found it funny and very cute.
"You're so naughty! You must have taken after your father," and she glared at the Emperor nastily, "Don't be like him. He's an idiot."
"Eedyot?"
"Yes. Idiot. Your Daddy is an idiot."
"Dada, eedyot!"
The Emperor's eyes widened, "Excuse me, wife and son? You can't call me that. Boy, you can't call Daddy like that!"
Prince Vars smirked and covered his mouth with his hand as he giggle, "Eedyot, Dada."
Azarese joined the Prince in his merry laughters. The Emperor was offended, but upon seeing and hearing her have fun and laugh, he accepted it for it is the truth that he is her idiot.
When Celia came back, Azarese shared her mangoes with her sons, without Prince Maximilien. She's using a spoon to feed herself and Prince Vars who liked the sweet mango very much, while Prince Valerian and Solana were eating using their hands that's why they've gotten so messy.
"Clean his skeleton and put in back inside my vault, Celia."
"What about his mistress, Your Imperial Majesty?"
Azarese kissed Prince's Valerian's lips when he asked for it. He went back to eating the fruit happily.
"With him, of course. Together, forever," she smiled emptily and coldly. Celia bowed and walked to carry out her duties.
Princess Eowyne, hugging Prince Maxigaufeas's skeleton, screamed as she crawl away from Celia. She called for Emperor Maxism's help; when her eyes laid on the frozen Prince Maxigaufeas, she was confused and lost.
"M-Maxi... H-Help me! NO! LET ME GO---"
Celia kicked her around and stepped hard on her throat to silence her.
"Silence before the Emperor and Empress, artificial Princess."
Azarese was quite surprised by the sudden change in Celia, but she liked it very much. Especially when she forcefully dragged the Princess back inside her vault. Emperor Maxism tried to stop her; Emperor Maxism tried to protect the Princess and keep his son's remains but Celia, in just a kick, knocked him unconscious. When he regained consciousness again, Celia had closed the vault and it vanished. Not even a dust of his son's smashed skeleton remained. Celia cleaned everything and kept it inside the vault just as Azarese wanted.
Azarese licked her lips around to clean the juice of the mango on it while smirking at the Earthlings.
"No more distractions. Tell me about this Kris and Arone now."