After a while of deep thinking, Riley took a deep breath and decided to venture into the city. He picked up his sheathed sword and hung it on his waist, he also picked the small pouch he filled with gold coins then left the cabin after turning off the lamps. He initially intended on going to a deserted place or the sea so he could just stare into space and decide on whether to return to the palace as per the emperor's order or not but he eventually decided to tour the city's landscape.
He first walked through the markets which were closest to the forest, and then he headed towards the mains streets of the kingdom which were occupied by rich merchants and nobles. Riley was taking in every detail of the place, mesmerized at how the rich spend and live lavishly and ignore the poor, when he saw a group of women chatting away under a pavilion right ahead of him. He recognized them as the ladies who admired and stopped him a few days back when he visited the mortal realm; he touched his face and cursed himself inside for forgetting his mask again.
He hurriedly turned towards the opposite direction and was about to walk away when he heard a very familiar voice "Riley?" the voice called and he turned to look at the caller, "Stephanie, what are you doing here" he asked her "I'm here to tour Selona" she replied him "what are you doing here" she asked "I come here often, so there's nothing special" he said and she smiled "it's okay" she said.
"Ella, it's that handsome man from the market" Kara said to Ella wide eyed "that's right" Anna also said surprised, "you know him, Stephanie?" Ella asked "yes he's my friend, Riley" Stephanie replied "Riley meet my friends; Ella, Anna, Kara and Mary" she said and he simply nodded "nice to meet you Riley" Ella said and stretched her hand out for a handshake but he ignored it and replied politely "nice to meet you too" he said.
"Excuse me ladies, I would leave now" he said and turned to leave and Stephanie hurriedly went to meet him "Riley, I would like to invite you to a game of chess and swords fighting in a few days" she said "I would summon you to my chambers back at home if you don't mind" she added in a low tone so the mortals wouldn't hear them "it'll be my pleasure, but I would be very busy in the next coming days" he said politely and her face dropped "but, I'll try my best to respond to your summon" he added then her face lit up "thank you, Riley" she said "you're welcome" he said then walked away from there and Stephanie went back to join the ladies.
...…
Sarah sat on her chair facing the ceiling of her bedchamber thinking of what both her sons had proposed to her, moving to the empyrean cloud palace. Sarah didn't know what to think, was she ready to face the emperor, and was she ready to deal with her past in the palace "honestly, I don't know if I'm ready to meet the emperor yet" "I'm not sure about how I feel anymore, I hope Dylan's right and I realize my true feeling early" she thought and sighed.
"For now, I'll stay here and gather my thoughts" "Riley can move to the palace, the emperor and my sons has to give me a little time to think" she said "I hope the emperor would be as calm with me as he had been back then" she added and went back to her silent state.
...….
HEAVEN REALM
_A few days later_
"Your highness, the emperor seeks your audience" a knight said to Riley who was staring out the window in his bedchamber "did he say what's wrong, Justin?" he asked the knight who was named Justin, "no your highness, but he also summed Prince Dylan" Justin replied "I wonder what could be wrong for father to summon both of us" Riley said to himself thoughtfully "let's go" he said to Justin who nodded then left the bedchamber with his guardian knight walking a step behind him.
Riley got to the entrance of the throne hall at the same time with Dylan and Jimmy but they both ignored each other "greetings, Prince Riley" Jimmy bowed to him and he nodded in response, "greetings, Prince Dylan" Justin also greeted Dylan who also responded with a nod. The guard at the entrance bowed to both of them then announced their presence to the emperor who asked them to come in.
They entered the throne hall and both went down on their knees then kowtowed to the emperor "Greetings, father" they chorused "rise" Richard said and they both rose to their feet. "I summon you both and you come in with your guardian knights" Richard said to them "do you think I only summon you for issues concerning the realm, can't I have a father-son discussion with my sons?" he asked "pardon us father, we were wrong to come with our guardian knights" Riley said and Richard nodded, then the twin princes nodded at their respective knights to excuse them.
"Good, I summoned you both here for something very important" Richard said "Riley has been here for a few days now, but Sarah hasn't shown up yet" he added "what do you want us to do" Dylan asked "I want you both to go to Sarah and bring her back with you" Richard said firmly and Riley sighed "but, what if she's not ready to come yet, we can't force her" he said an Richard frowned deeply "then, convince her, make up any excuses, you're her sons, she won't refuse you" he yelled angrily "forgive me for annoying his majesty" Riley said and Richard took a deep breath.
"I just want you both to bring back Sarah" Richard said "yes father, we would bring back mother" Dylan said then looked at Riley "I promise we would bring back mother" Riley said "you can move now" Richard said dismissing them and they both left the hall then teleported to meet Sarah with their guardian knights.
.....
FLOWER REALM
"Maya, have you heard anything from Riley in the past few days?" Elena asked Maya as she was combing her hair and Ava looked at the latter "no your highness, I haven't seen or heard from him in a while" Maya replied "if you don't mind, may I ask why you asked, your highness?" she asked "it's nothing much, it's just that he's a new friend and I would like to meet him again, but I couldn't sense him much less try to summon him" Elena replied "I just thought you might have seen him again or spoken to him" she added. "You highness, I think you couldn't sense him because you're a flower and he's from the heaven realm" Ava said "we flowers are the weakest amongst non-mortals so sensing an immortal from the heaven realm would be hard" she added and Elena sighed while Maya stopped combing her hair.
"I guess you're right Ava, this is one of the times I hate being a flower" Elena said "no matter from what realm you originate from your highness, your unique and perfect" Ava said as a form of consolation and the princess smiled "thank you so much, Ava" she said and turned away from her dressing mirror to face them "how about we play a game of hide and seek?" she asked them "that's great your highness, I'm in" Maya said loudly in a playful manner and Elena smiled widely "Ava, what about you?" she asked with expectant eyes "I'm sorry your highness, but I can't" Ava replied causing both Maya and Elena to pout.
"Please Ava, please" they both pleaded with cute puppy eyes and Ava shook her head wondering why she was the only mature person amongst them and she sighed, surrendering to their pleas "fine, I'll join" she said and the pouting duo's faces lit up "good, you'll seek and we'll hide" Elena said and she instantly ran out of the bedchamber with Maya before Ava could respond.
"Arrgh those two, why does it have to be me" she groaned in frustration and also left the bedchamber to start seeking for the naughty and childish duo.