FLOWER REALM
Elena ushered Riley to sit and she ordered both Ava and Maya to get them tea and biscuits and they left to immediately carry out the order. "Thanks for honoring my invitation Riley" Elena said smiling "it's my pleasure" he replied with a neutral expression "how did you meet Maya, she's never been out of the flower realm" she asked him "I met her in that garden the day I came here to find a particular specie of rose" he replied her "is part of your power sensing people's pain?" she asked "no it's not, it happens with people I consider friends and I don't have a lot of that, she just happens to be one of the few" he answered "do you consider me a friend" she asked and he hesitated before nodding slightly, then Maya walked in carry a tray with an teapot and two cups in it.
"Your highness, Ava would be here soon with the biscuits, may I serve the tea" she asked and Elena simply nodded then she went to serve Elena before serving Riley who looked at her admiringly while she served him "thank you" he said and smiled at her which made Elena frown a little 'why does he smile at her and wears a stern face when he's talking to me' she thought. "Maya, why don't you excuse us" she said to Maya "yes, your highness" Maya replied and left just when Ava came in with the biscuits. She also served Elena first then served Riley "thank you" he said simply with the same neutral expression then Ava left the duo alone.
'He speaks to Ava neutrally as well, could something be going on between him and Maya?' she thought again and silently ate the biscuits while looking at him. "Thank you for the snacks" Riley said a while later "you're welcome" she replied him and he stood up to leave "do you mind taking a stroll with me?" she asked "I'm sorry Princess, but I have something to do and I've got to go" he declined her offer politely "it's okay, I understand" she said "you owe me one in that case" she said and smiled hoping he would smile back, but he didn't "I'll think about that, bye" he said and teleported back home.
...…
"So, that is the Riley you told me about" Ava asked Maya when they were alone in the kitchen "yes, that's him" Maya replied her "I don't know why it has to be you who met such a handsome man first" Ava said causing Maya to grin "such a man needs not be friends with such a playful naughty woman like you" she added and Maya pouted cutely "I'm not naughty, I'm just adorable that's all" Maya said still pouting and Ava poked her head.
"If I had such a handsome friend, I wouldn't need to work for the second princess" Ava said "tsk, tsk, tsk, my smart friend is starting to have wild imaginations" Maya said "you look so cute when you fantasize" she added cupping Ava's face in her hand "let go of my face, you naughty" Ava said and stepped back, making Maya laugh loudly "let's go check on the princess" Ava said and they both left the kitchen.
.....
"I have to find a way to see my mother" Dylan said to himself as he approached the door of his bedchamber, "even if it means going through my so called twin brother" he said and pushed the door opened, scaring the guard that was stationed in front of his door. He sat down on the sofa which faced the window of the bedchamber and thought for a few minutes before closing his eyes and taking a picture of Riley in his mind, making sure every detail is similar but different from his, he tried to summon Riley but couldn't and he opened his eyes in frustration. 'I have to find my mother no matter what' he said in his mind with clenched fists then calmed down and took a deep breath before closing his eyes again, and luckily, some sort of mind link was created between him and Riley and he decided to talk to him.
'I'm not sure if you know who I am, but I am your twin brother; the man you met in the mortal realm' he said through the mind communication 'I know that already, is something wrong?' Riley replied 'I'd like to see our mother' Dylan said 'please tell me how to find her, I'm dying to meet her' he added 'she's dying to meet you too, but I have to ask her first if you don't mind' Riley replied calmly 'I don't mind as long as she wants to meet me too" he said and felt Riley cut off the communication.
...…
The moment Riley entered his bedchamber and was about to lay down, he felt like someone was about to reach out to him through his mind and he closed his eyes to understand the feeling more, just then, someone's voice popped up in his mind 'I'm not sure if you know who I am, but I am your twin brother; the man you met in the mortal realm' the voice which turned out to be his said twin brother's own said 'I know that already, is something wrong?' he asked 'I'd like to see our mother' Dylan said 'please tell me how to find her, I'm dying to meet her' he added 'She's dying to meet you too, but I have to ask her first if you don't mind' Riley said 'I don't mind as long as she wants to meet me too' Dylan replied from the other side and he opened his eyes, cutting off the communication.
"I don't know how mother would take this, but I have to tell her anyways" he said to himself and headed towards the garden where he found Sarah floating on the surface of their small lake, in her true form and he smiled to himself. "Mother, I have something to say to you" he said and she transformed into her human form, leaving the lake "what is it son" she asked him smiling "I had a mind communication with Dylan" he said "really, what did he say?" she asked him "he wants to meet with you, he said he's dying to meet you" he replied her and she started crying "I guess the Heavenly Emperor has told him the truth as well" she said and Riley hugged her.
"Mother, you don't need to cry. If he truly wishes to see you, he'd be sad if you're crying the first time he meets you" he said to her "and you don't want to make your son sad right" he added and she freed herself from his hold before spreading her arms wide on both sides, lifting off the seal she had put on herself so no one except Riley could sense her presence or trace her aura. "I have lifted the seal I placed on myself, now he can sense and find me" she said "I have to make some arrangements for my guest" she added and arranged tea and biscuits at a pace she had never done before, then she seated waiting eagerly for Dylan to arrive.
.....
A while later, a blue meteor landed in a corner of the garden then took form of a person who happened to be Dylan, the moment Sarah saw him, she stood up and couldn't hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. After so much deliberation, she couldn't hold back herself and she went to him and hugged him tightly "my son, I'm so sorry please forgive me" she said crying then felt Dylan wrap his arms around her "it is okay m…mother" he said calmly without pride or arrogance, but instead with emotions, and Sarah stopped crying when she heard him call her mother. She withdrew from the hug to look at his face then noticed his eyes were wet with tears.
"Don't cry son, come sit here" she said and took him to the table where she had set the snacks "Riley please can you heat the tea for us" she said to Riley "yes mother" he replied her and stretched his hands towards the tea warming it as Sarah sat Dylan on one side of the table before sitting opposite him. "Riley, please come join us" She said to Riley motioning towards the empty space beside Dylan and he sat on it. Sarah simply stared at both her sons and opened her mouth to speak but nothing happened "is something wrong, mother?" Dylan asked looking quite worried "no son, nothing. I am just so happy to simultaneously look at both my sons" she said.
"Mother, I'm sorry I didn't look for you earlier; father told me you died giving birth to me so as much as I want to meet you, I could only wish it" Dylan said "it's okay, his majesty did what he had to, just to keep you safe" Sarah said "I made tea and biscuits for you" she said and stood up to serve both her sons "I would love to have something made by my own mother" he said and for the first time in his life, smiled genuinely "you'd get to have a lot of that from now on" Sarah said and sat down after serving all of three of them.
"Thanks mother" Riley said "these are my favorites mother" Dylan said after tasting the biscuits "and these are the tastiest I've had" he added and Sarah smiled "they're Riley's favorite too" she said and both brothers stared at each other. A while later, Riley excused himself so Sarah could have some time alone with Dylan "you don't have to go" Sarah said "it's okay mother, there must be a lot you both want to catch up with together" he said then faced Dylan "feel at home, brother" he said and smiled before teleporting to his bedchamber.