FLOWER REALM
"Honestly Maya, you'd be the end of me someday" Ava said to Maya when they got to the kitchen "I can never be the end of my best friend" the latter replied pouting "just stop that already, it's so disgusting" Ava said to her "do all sunflowers consider cute things disgusting?" Maya asked and raised a brow but Ava ignored the question "I hope you haven't forgotten about you revitalization process?" Ava asked "no, I haven't" Maya replied and smiled "I think I'll go once we serve her highness" she added "better" Ava said and Maya rolled her eyes.
"Ava, do you think Princess Sophia's maids are right, that her highness would change towards us?" Maya asked in a more serious tone "I don't think so, her highness's behaviors towards us are genuine" Ava replied not looking away from what she was doing "have you forgotten sunflowers can tell if a person's behaviors are genuine or not, and I am a sunflower" she added and Maya nodded "that's right, I knew Princess Elena treats us genuinely" she said with a satisfied smile and they hastened up preparing Elena's food before taking it to her bedchamber.
....
HEAVEN REALM
"This is meant to be the Empress's chambers, why have you both brought me here" Sarah asked and stopped in her tracks as they approached the front of the chambers which were guarded by guards meant to serve the Empress "yes mother, it's the Empress's chambers and father ordered us to bring you here" Dylan replied her and she looked at him surprised "mother, father insisted that you reside here, and that nothing is going to change that" Riley added and she shook her head in disbelief 'his majesty clearly still loves me so much' she thought 'I'm not even sure how I feel, I don't know if I still love him as he's expecting' she sighed deeply then nodded to her sons who took her into the chamber.
Sarah looked around the chamber, from the curtains to the portraits on the wall and the fire lamps, everything was arranged according to her taste and preference 'did the emperor do all this for me' she thought and smiled 'so, he still remembers all those things I said to him about likes and dislikes" she thought and smiled to herself "wow, this chamber really does fit mother a lot" Dylan said and winked at her "father really does know how to get mother's attention and make her smile" Riley said and she pinched his arm "ouch, it's the truth mother" he said holding his arm.
"Admit it mother, father is adorable" Dylan said with a teasing smile and she slapped his arm "Arrgh, both of you, leave me alone" she said and hastened up her pace, leaving them behind "mother, come back" Riley said and they tried to catch up with her, "promise we wouldn't tease you mother" he said and she slowed down "mother, we're sorry" Dylan said like a little kid, with a smile and she simply shook her head at him.
When they got to the bedchamber, Sarah collected her flower pot from Jimmy and placed it on the bedside table before turning to her sons "I want you two naughty boys to leave me alone right now" she said firmly and the both smiled "as you wish, my lady" they chorused bowing "hmph, just leave" she said turning her face away from them and they giggled like little boys before leaving the chamber with their guardian knights.
.....
"I need to meet Maya again, it's been a while since I've seen her and I already miss her so much" Riley said to himself the moment he entered his bedchamber "I hope to find her in the peace garden when I go there" he said cracking his neck then placed his sheathed sword in its stand. He sat down on his bed, one leg atop the other thinking of how he could keep Maya by his side at all times when an idea popped in his mind and he smiled satisfactorily.
"Justin!" he called out to his guardian knight who was standing right out of his door "you called for me, your highness?" Justin asked as he entered the bedchamber, kneeling on one knee "yes, I need you to urgently arrange the bedchamber next to mine" he said "are you expecting a guest, my liege?" Justin asked "yes, but this guest would be occupying the bedchamber forever" Riley replied "you can go and make the arrangements now" he added and the knight stood up to leave "and yes" he said the moment Justin turned his back to exit the bedchamber, "anything else, my prince?" "Make sure the ornaments are completely feminine and pink" he said "and also, make sure the bedchamber looks like a peaceful garden" he ordered and the knight bowed before leaving.
"Maya, you're mine alone and I'm going to make sure nothing tears us apart" Riley said to himself "I would give and show you the world you've always dreamed of, I promise" he added with a smile. "Now, I have to think of a way to bring you here without any problems" he said then sat on the sofa which was at the right side of the bed and shut his eyes tightly so he could think without distractions.
.....
FLOWER REALM
Maya arrived at the peace garden and stretched out her arms and also closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze "I'm so tired from the playing around today" she said and yawned " I really do need to start revitalizing my energy" she said then transformed into her true form and rooted herself to the ground before dancing to wind.
After completely revitalizing her energy, Maya transformed back into her human form and sat on the same spot she had rooted herself to. "Now I feel so much better" she said to herself and cracked her neck in a dramatic manner "I wish Riley shows up sometime soon so he can take me to the mortal realm" she said and instantly felt a sharp pain in her heart just at the thought of him "why do I always feel pain in my chest anytime I think of Riley" she said rubbing her burning chest and frowned.
She stood up and tried to ease her aching heart, and after the first try, the pain subsided and she took a deep breath. "I have to get back to the palace" she said to herself and instantly teleported back to the palace.
.....
HEAVEN REALM
_the next day_
"Justin, I need you to stay behind and keep watch on my chambers" Riley said to his guardian knight as he was preparing to go somewhere "if father seeks my attention, tell him I am already because I am seriously weak from all the work today" he added "understood your highness, but what do I say to her highness if she asks after you?" Justin asked "if mother asks after me, tell her the same thing and if she insists on seeing me, tell I would come to her chambers once I'm awake" Riley replied "yes, your highness" the knight replied and bowed down "be careful, your highness" he added and Riley nodded then teleported out of the bedchamber.
Riley reappeared in front of a cottage in the flower realm and knocked on the door, after a few seconds, the door opened and Ava stepped out of it "Mister Riley, what are you doing here at this time of the night?" she asked yawning "I'm sorry for disturbing you at this late hour, I'm here to see Maya" he replied her "you can come in" she said and made way for him. He entered the main room of the cottage which was a little spacious than expected and Ava went to get Maya.
"What are you doing here Riley" Maya asked amused "I came here to talk to you" he said to her with a smile "really, what about?" she asked and hurriedly sat beside him. He explained everything about himself being a prince and how he has started living in the empyrean cloud palace, "really" she exclaimed cupping her face in her hands "yes, and I want you to go with me" he said and both she and Ava stared at him wide eyed "what do mean go with you" Ava asked. "Maya if you go with me, I can show you the things you've always wanted to see, I can take you to the mortal realm everyday" he said to Maya and her lips curled up into a smile and she looked at Ava.
"You can also tour the heaven realm without needing to bother about any disturbances because you are the prince's special guest" he added and Maya nodded "I'll go with you" Maya said "no, you're not going anywhere" Ava said and Maya frowned "please Ava" the latter pleaded "this will be a dream come true for me, you've always said my dream would come true someday and now it has" she said "please don't take it away from me" she added and Ava sighed.
"What do you plan to do about her highness and the Queen" Ava said and Maya's face lit up before she looked at Riley "when you go to the palace tomorrow Ava, you can tell them Maya hasn't been revitalizing her energy for a while now and you didn't know about it" he said and Ava waited patiently for what was coming next "then you'll tell them she withered away for good overnight, and she's never coming back because her particles dissipated before you could find her" he added and Ava sighed then looked at Maya "please Ava" the latter pleaded with large eyes.
"How would she revitalize her energy if she goes with you?" Ava asked Riley "I've prepared a makeshift peace garden in the balcony of her bedchamber so she can revitalize her energy there" he replied her question calmly "you better remember to come back here to visit me once a while" she said to Maya and hugged her friend with tears in her eyes "I promise I'll come, I'll even invite you over" Maya said and the disengaged from the hug before Ava nodded at Riley, who then held Maya in his embrace then teleported them both to his chambers.