FLOWER REALM
"Your highness, your bath has been prepared" Maya said to the sleeping Elena and the latter stirred a little "your highness, you should have your bath now" Ava said and gently touched Elena who gently opened her eyes and looked at both of them with cute puppy-dog eyes "I want to sleep a little bit more, please" she said pouting "but your highness, your bath would become cold" Ava said "you can always prepare a new bath" Elena said and Ava shook her head in disbelief, first she lives with a naughty, annoying woman, now she has to serve a childish weird princess 'may the gods save me from these women' she thought to herself.
"Your highness, Princess Sophia sent a message; she said she wishes to take a walk and have a sisterly chat with you in a short while" Maya said "you're lying" Elena said pouting in her sleepy voice and both Maya and Ava couldn't help but smile "I dare not, your highness" she said bowing "is she telling the truth, Ava?" Elena asked Ava "yes, your highness" Ava replied and Elena frowned a little before getting out of bed. "We're sorry for disturbing your sleep, your highness" Ava said as she followed Elena to the bathroom so she can bathe her while Maya arranged a dress and ornaments and also ordered for Elena's breakfast.
.....
HEAVEN REALM
Riley appeared in front of the empyrean cloud palace, he approached the guards and they bowed the instant they saw him "your highness, the emperor has been searching for you in all realms" one of them said with fear evident in his eyes 'so, the Emperor doesn't know Dylan is with mother' Riley thought then he simply nodded at the guards who made way for him. He looked around trying to find hints of where the Emperor's chambers might be, when he got nothing, he decided to ask a maid.
"Where is father?" he asked calmly and the maid looked at him with astonishment 'when did his highness become so calm' she thought but quickly erased the thought and answered him "his majesty is in his study" she replied with head lowered "lead the way" he said and the maid stole a glance at him, wondering what could be wrong with him but did as he said quietly. Riley decided that he had to pretend to be Dylan till he got to the Emperor as much as he didn't want to.
"You can leave now" he said to the maid when they got to the study, "your highness, the King has gone to the throne hall" Jimmy said to him as he was about to push open the doors of the study and he realized the newcomer must be Dylan's guardian knight "is that so?" Riley asked with his ever calm voice, and Jimmy looked at him with wide eyed, wondering when his liege started talking so calm. "His majesty asked me to look for you in all the realms, I think you should go see him" Jimmy said "let's go, lead the way" Riley said and Jimmy started walking ahead of Riley and the latter followed behind.
"Wait here" Riley said the moment they arrived in front of the throne hall and he went in alone. Richard spotted him walking in with slow steady strides and stood up to approach his son, but stopped halfway "Riley?" he said and stepped forward towards Riley who instantly went down on his knees and kowtowed but Richard held him by the shoulders and raised him to a standing position, "greetings, your majesty" he said bowing "son, you don't need to act formal with me" Richard said then Riley raised his head to look into his father's eyes, he noticed the resemblance between them and concluded that both he and Dylan took after Richard in the looks department.
"It's a pleasure meeting you father" Riley said and his father hugged him for a short while, after disengaging from the hug, Richard looked at his son for a while before speaking up "how is Sarah" he asked "mother is doing perfectly fine, she's currently with Dylan" Riley replied "so that son of mine finally found his mother" Richard said "I wonder how he managed that" he added "mother lifted the seal she placed on herself, releasing her trace and aura" "I can't sense her still" "maybe she lifted it for just him to sense her" Riley said "I understand".
"Son, I hope you can forgive me for not being able to protect you even as Heavenly Emperor" Richard said "because of my incapability, I have robbed you of your title" he added "you don't need to apologize father, I am not bothered by that" Riley said "I am glad you understand" the Emperor said "let's have a drink, to celebrate our reunion" he suggested and Riley nodded. Richard then ordered the standby maid to get them wine, which she served a short while later.
...…
"Mother, I also have to leave now, I promise to return soon" Dylan said to Sarah and she hugged him tightly, not willing to let go "father must be eager to know if I found you" he added "send my regards to his majesty" she said and disengaged from him "why don't you pay him a visit yourself" he suggested "I might, but not yet" she replied him "I don't understand why you don't want to meet him yet" he said and she just smiled "mother, do you still love father?" he asked her and she became lost for words for a few minutes.
"I'm not sure how I feel for the emperor anymore, it's been a hundred years since we separated" she said "it's okay mother, it's only a matter of time before you realize your true feelings" Dylan said and she smiled sweetly at him "I should leave now mother, so I can return early" he added and pulled her close to himself "I love you, Dylan" she said and inhaled his scent before withdrawing from him. "Bye for now, mother" he said smiling then teleported to the empyrean cloud palace.
"I hope the emperor can make these boys understand that they are meant to be allies and not rivals" Sarah said to herself after Dylan left, then sighed deeply before sitting on her rocking chair in front of the lake.
.....
"Why an orange dress, Maya" Elena asked Maya when she saw the dress the latter had arranged for her "it's because the day is bright and sunny, so I thought a bright dress would make your highness more beautiful" she replied with heads down "I can change it if you don't want it" she added "you don't need to change it if you're sure, then I believe you since you are my stylist" Elena said and Maya dressed her up, "I want my hair let down today" Elena said when Maya started to comb her hair "as you wish, your highness" she said and let Elena's hair fall back in a wavy manner.
After getting fully dressed and having her breakfast, Elena left for her sister's chamber with her handmaids walking silently behind her. "You wanted to see me sister" Elena said the moment she entered her sister's bedchamber "yes Elena, I want to take a walk with you" Sophia said to her sister "greetings, Princess Sophia" Ava and Maya greeted the first princess who simply nodded to accept their greetings.
"You've been looking more beautiful these days Elena, I can see Maya's been working wonders with styling your hair and dressing you up" Sophia said studying her sister's looks "and your skin has been glowing brighter" she added "of course sister, Maya is an excellent stylist and Ava gives the best massages and baths, she also rubs my skin with extracts from flowers" Elena replied by praising the girls while smiling "I guess you really deserve to serve the second princess" Sophia said and the girls curtsied. "Let's go for the walk now that the weather is beautiful" she added then left the room with Elena walking beside her and both hers and Elena's maids tailed behind them.