King Alexander leaned on his golden scepter while his eyes looked intently at his son, Kaden. His fingers reached to softly stroke his son's brown hair and he let out an exasperated sigh.

His son had been in an unconscious state for the past three years since he returned from the invasion of Navar colony. His left hand reached to stroke his white beard as he sat on the bed, shooting a quick glance at his son's chambers.

His ears picked up the feets of his enunch, Isaiah approaching and he turned to look at him with desperation etching on his face.

"I have sent for sorcerers from all across the kingdom, your majesty." Isaiah spoke with his head bowed, "They would be here soon." 

"And would they be able to break my son's curse?" King Alexander stared at his enunch, "There were several others who tried but failed."

"I will not back down until I have found a way, your majesty. " Isaiah answered with a sad smile sweeping across his face. 

"Why did the moon goodness curse my son? He has done nothing wrong but fight wars and bring pride to our kingdom. I am afraid that one day, his heart might stop without him being able to produce an heir that can sit on the throne. " King Alexander spoke, his voice filled with pain and despair. 

"Have no fear, your majesty. Your son would be brought back to life and he will take his rightful place on the throne. " Isaiah responded slowly.

A seething fury swelled inside of King Alexander as he smashed his golden scepter onto the ground. He rose from the bed, nostrils flared and his eyes blazing with a burning fire. 

His icy stare bored into his enunch's eyes, making it easy for Isaiah to flinch suddenly in fear. 

"Your majesty…. "Isaiah began but was halted from uttering another word when the King's hands wrapped around his slender neck with his back hitting the hard wall. Isaiah's face began to turn into a sickening color, his sight started to close in on him as he clawed uselessly at the King's arm while begging for his dire life.

"You have been saying that for the past three years, Isaiah. How long will I wait for my son to open his eyes?" King Alexander bellowed. 

"Y-You must not lose hope, your majesty," Isaiah struggled to answer. 

"I am beginning to," King Alexander released his hard grip, dropping the enunch on the bare ground, "It's been three years. There is no future for Rivera without my only son. "

"I am aware, your majesty." Isaiah fondled his neck while rising to his feet.

King Alexander could no longer bear to look at his son anymore as his eyes began to turn glossy. He turned his back and began to make his way toward the door with swift movements. Isaiah followed behind him like a fool clinging to the grasp of his master. 

King Alexander turned to glance at his enunch, "You remember that a woman is forbidden from entering my son's chambers, don't you?"

"I do, your majesty." Isaiah answered with his hands by his sides.

King Alexander was then reminded of the day his son was brought from the war by his fleet of men in his lifeless state and Kiara, his queen proceeded to clean her son's feet In his chambers with tears running down her cheeks. He was dismayed and ridden with shock that night when he found his wife next to her female servants dead with blood dripping from their eyes and parted lips. 

He blamed himself each and every night, drowning himself in wine while romping with every woman who prepared his bed for that night. 

King Alexander adjusted his embellished tunic as he continued walking.

"Bring me another scepter. " he demanded while Isaiah bowed before racing to fetch one. 

King Alexander halted on his feet whole turning his eyes to gaze at the moon.

"Save my son. " he pleaded into the darkness of the night. 

"Do not slack around. Clean every nook and cranny, " Lily heard the head servant say as he walked in front of her with his hands behind his back, "And do not steal."

He then turned and Lily cleared her throat while bending her head. She made sure that her cloak was covering almost her entire face except for her lips.

"Why would a humble peasant like myself steal anything in this vast palace?" she tried her best to keep her voice low. 

"Every peasant says that anyway. If you steal, you will have one of your eyes and your arm plucked out. " he answered and Lily swallowed a ball of saliva in fear while she fiddled with her fingers.

He turned yet again and Lily waited with bated breath for him to speak.

"Are you sure you're a man, Theo?" he stepped closer to her, "You look so tiny like a little girl and can you remind me why you have a cloak over your face?"

"My face was burnt in a huge fire and I feel ashamed to show it." Lily responded in a haste.

"You should be ashamed. A man's looks are his pride." 

Lily let out an inaudible scoff as she stood, waiting for his next command. He then started walking and led her through a long flight of stairs before stopping at a large chamber.

"Here, you will clean, " he gestured toward the room, "And do nothing but clean, do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir. " Lily responded while clearing her throat.

"Now carry on and put your idle arms to use," he stated while walking away with a meancing look on his face. 

Lily stared at the retreating figure, waiting for him to leave before entering the chambers. Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she gazed at the silver sword taped to the hard wall. Her eyes moved on, staring at the golden bowls, animal wool, and oil lamps that lit the room.

Her hands tapped against the wall until her eyes landed on the figure that lay on the bed. His mountain peak cheekbones seemed carved into shape by a master craftsman. They were so sharply defined and so was his body. 

She moved closer to him as her eyes growing defiant.

"After years of searching for you, here you are. " Lily chuckled as she remembered the rumors she had heard of him while on her journey by boat. With her head bowed while biting into a loaf of bread, she heard a couple of women chatter about the crowned prince of Rivera and his dislike for female servants. With her head resting against a hard wooden stool, she pondered on what to do and in the darkness of the night, she picked up a blade and cut her hair. 

Her clenched fist revealed a dagger as she recalled her sole reason for being in Rivera. Her family was ambushed, brutally killed by him and his fleet of men while she listened with a thick quilt wrapped around her body. She recollected her father's last words before he kissed her on the forehead as he pressed a dagger into her small hands. 

"Live,my daughter. Make sure you live. "

The first thing she saw the moment she opened her eyes was her parent's blood, their heads removed from their bodies and with her knees kissing the hot sand, she wept as a great sob escaped her lips and she covered her face with shaking hands.

And now, she was standing before the man who destroyed her family and her life. She lived as a princess with her father's care but with her parents dead, she was sent out of her colony and now she begged and stole for bread to eat. On that day, with her hand wrapped tightly around the quilt, she heard him say;

"I am the crowned Prince of Rivera. "

Her lips tightened as a single tear spilled from her wild eyes. 

"You just made it easy for me to kill you. But I will avenge my family and do exactly what you did to them. An eye for an eye. " Lily whispered as she lifted up the dagger while approaching the bed. Her legs missed a step and while she struggled to regain her balance, she fell on his torso in an instant with her fingers spreading on the ripples of his chest.

Lily swallowed and with a sudden determination, she lifted the dagger and her head at the same time but she was overcome with shock when a large hand grasped the blade and pulled hard till crimson-red blood dripped around it.

Lily opened her mouth in shock when a pair of curious brown eyes looked at her oddly. 

"Who are you?" he growled. 

Lily felt her heart skip a beat as she stared into his enchanting eyes.