June 4th, X524 (2 PM)
Royal Study Room, King Palace of Royal Palace, Crocus, Sabertooth Kingdom

"Her Majesty has arrived!"

"Escort her in," The ruler of Sabertooth Kingdom, Weiss Eucliffe, demanded, with a stony expression at the news that his queen arrived to meet him, as if he knew the reason for her visit.

      He was in his study room in his palace, looking at his family picture framed by the golden frame on the wall. It was taken ten years ago, his children were still young at the time.

"Your Majesty!" The blond-haired woman wearing an indigo-colored gown greeted. Together with her light makeup and her golden hair in an updo pined by a golden pin showed her elegance. She was facing him, standing a few distances away from him. At the moments, the guards and servants left the imperial couple alone.

"Yes, Anna?"

"There is an interesting rumor circling around Crocus."

"Don't pay attention to these ridiculous gossips, Empress," he replied quickly like he didn't take her words seriously.

"About formally bringing the crown princess," Anna looked at him, "Will Lady Hisui become our crown princess?"

"If that so."

"Your Majesty, do you intentionally let these rumors spread?"

      Instead of being angry, he smiled, "My empress knows me well. I intend to bring her into Royal Family as Sting's wife. What do you think of Lady Hisui?"

     The woman looked at the man, and kept quiet. She knew him very well that he wasn't asking for her opinion. He was just telling her his decision.

"Lady Hisui is the best candidate for the crown princess position. She is also from one of the prestigious families, her father is the Duke of Southern Sabertooth."

"Lady Hisui is still young... only 15. She is not suitable for Sting."

"Then, my Queen, in your option, who is suitable for our son?"

*Silence*

"Don't say the name 'Levy McGarden', she is very arrogant and reckless. She shut down the public libraries just for her sake. She attacked Lady Flender at the banquet. I'll never accept that arrogant girl as my daughter-in-law."

"There're many decent young ladies from aristocratic families in Crocus although their statuses are not as noble as Lady Hisui. Let Sting choose the girl he likes."

"You say, those girls who are pestering Sting every time he is in the city?"

"Your Majesty, the young ladies who like Sting are better than Lady Hisui."

"ANNA!"

"Your Majesty, uou want Lady Hisui as your daughter-in-law because you want to make an alliance with them. You're afraid that Lord Blaise will overthrow you in the future."

"HOW ABSURD!" King Eucliffe shouted, "EMPRESS, YOU ARE DEGRADING ME."

"But, what I say is true, isn't it, Your Majesty? Lord Blaise isn't someone who is willing to be controlled."

"I'm not an idiot, Anna."

"You're making a rash decision, Your Majesty," every single reply of hers lacked her impatience. She didn't know how to persuade her stubborn husband.

"Anna, why're you worrying too much?"

      The queen sighed, "Your Majesty, I heard that you didn't discuss this matter with the Lords. If this engagement happened, Lady Hisui had to stay in Crocus. Then Duke Blaise's people will enter the capital, under the duty of protecting their Lady."

"Sting is my son, why do I have to discuss with them? Ha... In your eyes, am I this kind of person who will hurt my son? NEVER," he shouted in anger before giving her a guilty look. "As an empress, you have to obey what I decide. On the 10th day of July, the palace will hold a coming-of-age party for Lady Hisui in the palace. I'll announce to the Kingdom that she will be the fiancee of the Royal Prince."

      Accpeting Lady Hisui wasn't what was bothering her. Years ago, His Majesty rejected Lady Blaise because of her. She knew from the conversation that it was her husband who offered the proposal benefits since the start. But why... why was Lord Blaise willing to let the past go. Because of the embarassment the Blaise Family suffered two decades ago, they even refused step into Crocus... So how did her husband deal with that problem?

"Your Majesty, what did you do to make Lord Blaise agree to you?"

"I offered him a big price," Weiss smirked. She looked up at him with wide eyes. His good-looking face was now very icy.

"Hisui is a celestial spirit mage... just like Lucelia. I said I'll find the zodiac keys for her. Zodiac keys are hard to find for them, but not for me. Anna, help me persuade Lucelia to break the contracts with her zodiac spirits."

      Silence...

      Cold glares met her trembling eyes... Anna tried her best not to collapse. Disbelief rushed through her mind, as she stared at the man in front of her. This man... wasn't the same as the innocent young prince whom she fell in love with in the past... This man in front of her was very good at scheming and manipulative.

"Lucelia is our daughter," she shed tears and uttered her words, "Lucelia is the princess you officially adopted. She is your niece... my sister's daughter. She is the child we raise together," Her voice was filled with sorrow.

"That is why I give her crystal keys. Even if she gave her golden keys away, she still owns two crystal keys and all of her silver keys. Why're you making a scene?" he said heartlessly.

      Anna clenched her dress in her fists, anger boiling beneath the surface. At the moment, she despised him... she resented him. For the first time in her life, she regretted marrying him. 'Lucelia is not our real daughter.. but she is still our adopted daughter.' She realized that the reason why her husband kept Lucelia in the palace wasn't because he cared for her.. it was because she was still useful to him.

"The day Lucelia abandons her keys is the day I will divorce you," As soon as she said these words, she turned around and left the room. The door closed with a loud sound, as the queen exited the king's palace with anger.

• • • • •

      Hiding behind one of the corners outside the King's palace, a certain blond-haired young man was staring at the back of his mother.

      He was here to ask his royal father to clear these nonsense rumors because they might harm Lady Hisui. When he heard his queen mother greet royal father in his study room, he wanted to retreat. But what his father said next attracted him... so he hid behind a corner beside the building. The personal guards were guarding the entrance of the residence, so no one saw him.

     It was when he regretted not leaving immediately.

     His father's cold-hearted words... his mother's begging... he heard all of them clearly... he heard every single word.

"Hisui is a celestial spirit mage... just like Lucelia. I said I'll find the zodiac keys for her. Zodiac keys are hard to find for them, but not for me. Anna, help me persuade Lucelia to break the contracts with her zodiac spirits."

"That is why I give her crystal keys. Even if she sacrificed her golden keys, she still owns two crystal keys and all her silver keys. Why're you making a scene?"

     His expression darkened, as he left the place quickly, and returned to his room. To his father, his mother, his sister, and even him, were chess pieces to his gameplay. The moment he discovered that his father whom he admired most was such an evil man, his world became a deep shallow.

     It was his father who taught him the meanings of righteousness and kindness... It was his father who taught him how to be a good king to all citizens...

      He believed that his father was the greatest king in history.

     Sadly, it was also his father who broke his trust and took his belief away.

• • • • •

7 PM
Prince's residence

"Sting-sama, you're skipping your dinner," Sting's red exceed hit the door with his little fists. Since his master returned from the central palace, he had been staying inside his locked room... it was nearly six hours.

"Sting-sama..."

     There was no answer from the blond prince.

"Sting-sama.."

"Lector, please leave me alone... please."

     No more begging, as the poor red cat sat down on the floor, "I'll stay with you, Sting-sama."

• • • • •

9 PM
Princess's residence

"Lucelia-sama," Coco whispered softly as she knocked on the door, "His Highness is waiting for you in the yard. He wants to see you now. He says it is an urgent matter."

      The maid was sure that the blonde princess was still awake. She was worried for her princess. Her Lucelia-sama was not herself since two days ago when His Majesty talked to her in private. Lucelia-sama was zoned out most of the day... she barely ate, barely talled, and she didn't even have a proper sleep.

"Wait," Lucelia came and opened the door. She was letting her hair down, only attached it with a small pearl pin on one side. She was wearing a lightblue maxi dress, and a short cape over her dress.

     She walked outside, wondering why her brother wanted to see you at this late hour. "Royal brother," she called him.

"Sis, do you want to leave this palace?"

"-"

"Tell me if you want to leave this place. No, you have to leave this place."

"Royal brother, what're you talking about?"

"Lucelia, you've to leave this palace," he grabbed her hand, "If you stay here, you'll be in danger."

      She stared at his unstable eyes silently, not talking back to him.

"You should leave the place, Lucelia. Trust me," He grasped her hand, like a child who was clingy to his mother. Right now, what he was afraid most was Lucelia would commit suicide if she was forced to break the celestial contracts, "I don't deserve to be a crown prince if I can't even protect my sister."

      The moment she saw fear in his eyes, she realized that her brother also knew what His Majesty was thinking.

"How can I leave the palace, Royal Brother? By running away? Do you think your father will let me go easily if I run away?" Her words were very calm.

      Sting froze... because Lucelia used 'your father' instead of 'royal father.'

"Or by asking your father simply what I wanted? Everything has a price."

'Lucelia is right. Royal Father will surely ask for her zodiac keys in exchange for her freedom.' At this thought, he felt vulnerable.

"Even if I can successfully run away, I've to hide all the time."

"I can help you," Even though he promised his sister, he wasn't sure if he could protect her all the time.

      She smiled painfully, "Royal Brother, you should return to your place. I'm feeling unwell. Please I'll take a leave first." After saying these words, she left. Because... all she could do now was to avoid dragging her aunt and her cousin into this matter.

• • • • •

11 PM

     In a luxurious room, where no light was on, a blond-haired girl was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees while leaning against the door. Tears were spilling over her face. In her hands were two golden keys, and bi-colored gold and black keys; Pieces the Paired Fish, Libra the Heavenly Scales, and Ophiuchus the Snake Chamber.

     For two days, she didn't shed a single tear. She was heartbroken but she withstood it because she was taught to be strong since she was young.

     But, seeing her brother coming to her with his miserable look, and telling her to leave the palace, and that he could help her, her stone heart she had built for two days was melted within a few minutes. Not because of her brother, but because she pitied herself. She realized what she wanted, but she didn't dare to do as she wished. "She will never give her zodiac keys to anyone."

"Lucelia, give your zodiac keys to Lady Hisui. Do it for your brother... for your mother... for me... for your country." was what her father told her. She knew that it wasn't a request... It was an order.

     Since the time she was substituted by another girl, she was imprisoned in her palace and became a useless spawn. Her palace was banned from visiting... No one would listen to her words. She couldn't visit her mother and her brother as she wished. She could only see when they visited her secretly. She missed her best friend Levy.

     How many times did she want to run away for the past months? She canceled all of her thoughts because she was a coward.

     Tears kept rolling down as she cried out all of her sadness and pain... until tiredness took over her, sleepiness slowly hit her and she gradually fell asleep.

^_^