Yuli retired back to coast forest, she laid down in a mat spread about beside a tree as her eyelids came together in a warm embrace seemingly asleep but the distance between her and sleep was as far as the sky to land. She couldn't shake off the dread she was feeling and what happened earlier with Abel lingered in her mind.
From what she heard of the crown prince before she entered the palace, he was an upright prince who fought along with the royal guards for the kingdom protection so she was very surprised when he first proposed to kill her and he had got scalded by touching her which means he had evil intentions towards her.
But.. something was definitely off about him, like two different being in one person, one moment he just gets on her nerves and taunt her to no end, the next moment he is looking so ready to snap out her life. Like today, she held his hand on purpose to confirm and was surprised he wasn't scalded.
That means, he didn't have any I'll intentions, probably whatever evil spirit that possessed him wasn't around then?
She had planned to heal him if he gets burned eventually but it actually didn't happen, Yuli could even count how many times she'd seen him in recent years. It was funny hearing him call her a wanderer when he himself was never home. So many thoughts erode her mind, snapping rest off her eyes, looking at her now closed eyes you would think she was in a deep peaceful slumber and would be careful not to even breath loudly as she also looked like even the slightest noise would jolt her awake.
But her thoughts were turbulent storms in her mind. She looked calm on the surface but her mind was going berserk.
Unable to take it anymore she decided to find Abel, before she used the dust she got where he stood she decided to try sensing him again, she heightened her senses to every nook and cranny of Winter Universe but she couldn't still find him in Winter Universe.
Well this had just gotten interesting, he was definitely somewhere and she was going to find him and she had a feeling this was going to lead to the root of the chaos in Winter Universe.
Suddenly, her brows pulled together in a slight frown as she stared towards a certain direction, someone was here and it was.. Zeke??
In a whisp, the fifteen year old young prince Zeke, her second brother appeared from where Yuli had been staring at looking quite displeased, as he drew nearer Yuli saw he was on his sleep wear, his short side slicked dark hair was disheveled and his silver eyes were dull. Yuli face palmed, this magot would trade nothing for his sleep.
Zeke had been sleeping when his mother queen Lina had asked him to go in search of a twenty years old adult, and a strong one at that, who could take care of herself alone, he was sent to bring her home like she was some lost five year old girl. The queen had been worried about not seeing Yuli for a long time and had sent him.. no she didn't send him, he would have simply refused if he was just sent but no! She pissed him off to no end! made sure he knew no peace until he finally agreed.
It took him quite an effort and power to find her at the coast forest and didn't understand why she was even there.
"How are you here?" She asked him
"You think I want to be here? Yuli you're going back with me, mom is worried" he was straight to the point.
Yuli gazed at him and decided not to make things difficult for him.
"Alright, but how did you find me?"
He didn't respond.
This prince loves to sleep and may appear lazy but Yuli knew he was not to be underestimated, she knew better than to believe his deceiving facade because his strength was quite massive for a boy his age.
...
To the dismay of Zeke, before Yuli went back to the palace with him she had insisted on going home to wash up first and..oh heavens! She was taking such a long-suffering time to do so
"Can't you do this when we get back? Why here?"
"Are you meeting your husband today?" Zeke asked in frustration, he needed to get back to sleep!
"None that I know of but who knows? I might get lucky today" she shrugged casually before continuing
"And you also, you shouldn't come out looking like a .." she glanced at him sidely
"A what?" Zeke had a do I look like I care look on his face
"Are you sure you want me to complete it?" He rolled his eyes
"You know there might just be some pretty girl crushing on you out there and you'd just show up as a total turn off"
"All girls crush on me, do I have to turn on to all of them?" He said with an almost groggy voice.
Yuli was in loss for words, unwilling to let him have the last word she said again.
"At least don't be a sore loser and win one over, I need newphews and nieces. Stop scaring potential in-laws with your grumpy face"
Zeke who looked like he can't be bothered to reply her anymore just parted his lips and mouth six words he sure regretted for the rest his remaining life with her.
"Fine! Just tell me when you're done" and Yuli made sure she wasn't done until a week later and Zeke of course stayed with her as he wasn't supposed to return to the palace without her. He felt like crying as his stay also included killing off random beasts that popped out from thin air.
Yuli went to see her supposed mother now, queen Lina and the king, she had learned to accept them as her parents as they had taken care of her since death forcibly separated her from her mom.
The king had wrapped her in a warm embrace upon sight which she didn't quite expect and she returned the hug with a smile "missed me pretty much?"
"This old man isn't dead yet you kids already forgot about him" he said in a faked sad tone trying to look pitiful.
Yuli chuckled "the king is very young and his graceful handsomeness precedes the universe"
"Flattery, will get you no where my princess" they were already smiling and she went to greet her mom.
Meanwhile, Zeke was still standing at the entrance yet to take even an inch step in.
"Can you get this restriction off me first? I won't stand here just watching. Shouldn't I join the family reunion in there?"
"You know you're part of the family?" Sarcasm was evident in the queen's voice as she spoke "What is it you do except sleep??"
She had placed a restriction on him so he won't be back until he came with Yuli, shouldn't Abel be the one to be sent something like this? Zeke looked like he had aged five years more just being with Yuli for a week.
The king lifted the restriction and he was already striding in fast steps to his room.
"Weren't you going to join the reunion?" That was Yuli's voice and his response was to increased his steps towards his room.
They sitted and Yuli raised up an issue
"Mom, dad something is wrong with Abel, I can't sense him in Winter Universe but I'm going to find him today"
"I knew something was off about him but why is he not in winter universe?" The queen wasn't looking very good hearing this
"And the random disappear of people, Yuli you have to be careful today" the king said
"I will but I'm sorry I have to leave now" she stood up.
"Yuli please be safe, and... Abel also" the king touched her shoulder.
Yuli appeared outside the palace and suddenly felt a slight sensation on her heart, someone had attacked her.. no her clone at coast forest. She her eyes glittered as the vision appeared before her.
A man had entered coast forest in a flash, moving straight to a girl who laid beside a tree on the floor with obvious purpose, there was no atom of warmth in his extremely dark eyes. She recognized this person, it was.. Abel??
He drew closer to the girl, picking up the two double edged swords placed side by side her he showed no hesitation as his hand moved and the sword pierced right into the girl's heart the next instant making her sprout blood from her mouth beforehand she slumped back and he disappeared with a vicious smile taking the swords with him.
Yuli smirked, no one knows but the coast forest was clouded with illusions, she had mastered the art of it there. The withered tree she lays beside has the power of illusion and she always had a clone of herself there whenever she was away.
And this person, whoever it was because it wasn't the crown prince Abel thinks she's dead? It was going to take more than that to end her.
Zeke was suddenly in front of her, almost scaring her as she wasn't expecting him
"Weren't you going to sleep?"
"That wasn't Abel" he said ignoring the question about sleep.
Yuli was quite surprised "You knew? How did you get a hang of what happened at coast forest just now?"
His response was a smirk, she looked at him and smiled.
Yuli merged her swords together with a far away look in her eyes. The day was already wrapping off it's shift as it made way for the darkness of the night to settle in. That golden flame could be seen at the center of her eyes again as she eyed Zeke with a questioning gaze and he nodded his head.
She gave out a smile colder than the bottom of the deepest trenches.
This was going to be one hell of a long night.