Riley and Dylan appeared in Sarah's garden alongside Justin and Jimmy and the twins smiled when they saw Sarah calmly swimming on the surface of her lake in her true form, she had her back turned to them so she didn't notice their presence. "Mother" Riley called out calmly with a soft smile plastered on his face and Sarah, in her true form turned to face them before turning back into her human form then walked towards them, smiling widely "what a surprise, I wasn't expecting you both" she said and hugged both her sons.
"I'm sure you like our surprise" Dylan said and Riley nodded "yes, what do you think about our surprise?" Riley asked "it's the best I've ever gotten" Sarah replied them then led them towards the chairs and made them sit side by side before sitting opposite them "I'm glad you both are getting along well" she added with a smile "mother, pardon us for not introducing you earlier, these are Jimmy and Justin, our guardian knights" Dylan said to her "greetings ma'am" the knights chorused "hello, it's a pleasure meeting you" she said to them and they bowed in response.
"Mother, we're here because we miss you and are worried about you" Dylan started "yes mother, we couldn't bear leaving you all alone here" Riley seconded "what are you insinuating by this?" Sarah asked them and they took in deep breaths before Riley spoke up "we want you to return with us to the empyrean cloud palace" he said and looked at her calmly waiting for her response "he's right mother, make us happy by coming with us" Dylan added and the guardian knights looked at each other wondering how the rival brothers could be in sync so perfectly.
"Please don't say no mother, we're not going to listen to any excuses" Dylan said and Sarah sighed deeply looking between her sons "do I have any other option?" she said "no you don't, mother" Riley said with a smile understanding that Sarah's question was a rhetorical one and that she had accepted to go to the palace with them. "Can I at least take a few things with me?" she asked them "you can take as much as you want mother, Justin and Jimmy are here to carry them for you" Dylan said and she smiled before standing up to where she placed her flowers and caressed them one after the other.
"I'm only taking this with me" she said and picked up the pot that housed the Vivory-like pink rose Riley had gotten her from the mortal realm "I'd like to leave everything else here so I can come over whenever I feel like watching them" she added "no problem mother, you can always come whenever you want to" Riley said and she nodded. Dylan then opened a portal for them to enter, and it led them straight to the throne hall's entrance.
.....
FLOWER REALM
"Shh, she'll find us if you make any sound" Elena said to Maya, hiding behind a large curtain where she had made herself as well as Maya invisible with her special power as a princess, when she saw Ava approaching them and Maya nodded. "Where are you both hiding, come out I'm tired of seeking" Ava called out frustrated, standing right in front of the curtain the duo were hiding behind but, she couldn't find them because they were invisible and that made both Elena and Maya giggle silently.
Elena held Maya's hand and they slowly tiptoed out of their hiding place towards the opposite direction of where Ava was facing, Elena unknowingly made them visible again the very moment Ava turned towards their direction "I've got you both" Ava yelled and they both took to their heels laughing loudly almost bumping into servants who were busy with their various works and Ava sighed in frustration before running after them. "Maya and Ava are so lucky, look how her highness is playing with them" one servant said to another "Princess Elena is so nice to them" the other one responded and they went on with their works.
Maya took Elena to the Kitchen where they hid behind a gigantic cabinet which hid them completely "are you sure she wouldn't find us?" Elena asked whispering and Maya nodded looking out for Ava, "I think we should sneak up on her" Elena suggested and Maya's face lit up at the idea "that's right your highness, Ava would be so startled" she said and Elena hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand because Ava had come to check them in the kitchen. She left when she couldn't find them after checking a few places which excluded the cabinet.
"Let's go now" Elena said to Maya the moment Ava left and they slowly walked out of the kitchen, hiding from time to time when they thought Ava was going to find them. They finally made their move when Ava stood in front of Elena's bedchamber and was about to open the door, they stood behind her and Elena gently tapped her shoulder "oh my!!" she screamed loudly and turned to see Elena and Maya laughing hysterically, she held her chest and pointed at them angrily "you…" she said angrily and folded back her index finger, forming a fist in front of their faces.
They all entered the bedchamber and Elena sat on her bed still laughing while holding her stomach and Maya gave her a glass of water to drink. "That was hilarious Maya, did you see her face?" Elena asked holding back the laugh that was threatening to burst out again "yes your highness, her face was so funny" Maya commented and Ava scoffed at them both with arms folded. "Don't be mad Ava, you were really adorable out there" Elena said pouting and Ava rolled her eyes "let's get something to eat" Elena said and both Maya and Ava went out to prepare her lunch "that was tiring" she said to herself then laid back on her bed waiting for her lunch.
.....
DEMON REALM
Stephanie sat on her bed and groaned for the umpteenth time, she's been trying to summon Riley for the past few days and she couldn't succeed even once, "maybe he's really busy as he said" she thought and sighed deeply. "Even at that, he seems so powerful and hard to summon" "there's something weird about him" she said to herself thinking deeply "his resemblance to Pretty boy prince and his strong aura, I can't lay my hand on what exactly is weird about him" she said and sighed again.
Stephanie tried to summon him one last time but it was to no avail, she rubbed her face fiercely then laid back on her bed "I think I'll just try again tomorrow, I wonder what exactly could be keeping him so busy for the past days" she said "I've never been so busy in my life even as a warrior princess" she added and sighed again.
.....
HEAVEN REALM
"Mother, we'll go in now" Riley said to Sarah as they were standing in front of the throne hall and took her hand in his which she squeezed tightly before taking a deep breath and nodded in approval, "it's okay mother, we're here with you" Dylan said and she nodded to him as well "why don't you let Jimmy carry your flower pot for you, you'll be meeting father after a long time" Dylan said and signaled Jimmy to take the pot from her. Riley nodded at Justin to open the door of the throne hall and he held Sarah's hand more tightly to comfort her, when she nodded at him, all three of them walked into the throne hall in slow regal strides, the walking mother-sons trio was a sight to behold.
In the throne hall, Richard stood up from his throne the moment the door opened, he calmly stood, praying deep inside that Sarah had returned with their sons. He let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding in and his heart skipped a few beats when he saw Sarah walk in with Riley and Dylan on either side of her, he rushed down the elevated platform and walked towards Sarah who instantly kneeled to kowtow to him when she saw him approaching.
"No Sarah, you don't have to" he said stopping her halfway "greetings, your majesty" she greeted respectfully, Richard studied her face intently hoping to find any hint that she's happy to return but to his disappointment, he found none. Unbeknownst to him, she was trying hard to keep a straight face and fight back tears that were threatening to fall; she was in ecstasy, seeing him after a hundred years of separation. "Welcome back home, Sarah" Richard said to her "thank you, your majesty" she replied and bowed slightly.
"You don't need to be so formal towards me Sarah, you're no longer my servant, just call me by my name" the emperor said to Sarah "I'm sorry your majesty, but I can't address you in such a disrespectful manner" she replied him, Richard sighed and had no other option than to make it an order "it's an order" he said firmly "yes, your majesty" she said and he cleared his throat "I mean, R…Richard" she said and he smiled.
"Good work sons" Richard said and patted the shoulders of each of his sons "I personally appoint you both to show her to her chambers" he added "yes, father" they both replied with a smile "feel at home, Sarah" Richard said to Sarah and she nodded. "Let's go mother" Dylan said to her with a smile and she bowed to the emperor one last time before she left the throne hall with both her sons.