2. Sky-blue eyes and monsterous Queens

Song: lights down low by MAX

Enjooyyyyy

*****

Anthony

"You don't have to go back," I say. My voice, raw with emotion. "You could stay here..... With me."

She laughs and takes my hands in hers."As much as I would love that. I have to go back."

I look into her beautiful, sky-blue eyes. "But they'll-"

"Then, I'll die knowing she's safe." She squeezes my hands. Looking away from me she says, "you know she's the only thing that matters to me."

My heart sinks and envy courses through my veins. I smile. "Of course."

She smiles. "I'm glad you -"

Before she could finish, I closed the distance between us. Savouring her taste, her smell, the way she laced her fingers through my hair.

I kiss her hungrily, intensely. I don't know if I would ever see her again.

She breaks the kiss and whispers, "goodbye, Anthony," as she boards the ship. And as she does, I remember.... I didn't get to tell her I loved her.

***

I wake up sweating. Breathless. Again.

I saw her. Again. I felt her lips on mine. Again. I will forget her. Again.

I frown at the last thought. That's right. Because no matter how many times I dreamt of her. I always forgot her face when I woke up. Only being able to recollect her blue eyes.

That was it.

Mother said it was a curse she had put on me. To completely forget her. Like Aria had. But, because of my mother's power that coursed through my veins, I had remembered her. At least, some parts. Because no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't remember her face.

Only her eyes.

I look at the clock. Noon.

I sigh as my eyes land on my bed. Florence, my latest 'lover' still sleeps peacefully on it.

So this is what I was doing last night. I must have gotten drunk again.

I sigh again as I teleport her to her room on the other side of the castle, in the servant's quarters, along with her clothes.

As I dress, I wonder how many women I've now successfully bedded this month.

Five? Eight?

What did it matter? None of those women ever even came close to the way she had made me feel. Never.

I miss her, I already knew. But it didn't stop me from reminding myself every day.

¨Why was it like this?¨ I asked myself out loud, with tears brimming in my eyes. I loved her. But I didn't know her name. I wanted to touch her.

But I didn't know what she looked like. I wanted to be with her. But I didn't even know if she was alive.

Why was it like this? I wanted to scream in agony. It was so painful.

I had convinced everyone in the court and country that I moved on. I had too. But I never forgot her. Even my own mother forgot who I was truly in love with. But not me.

And then, there was my father. My repulsive, wretched father. Who was so desperate for power, he had struck a deal with the treacherous "flame" of Aresia. Or so they called her.

But, I knew the real story. The story of how she killed millions of people in a fit of rage. Compared to me...she was a complete monster. And I was the Prince of Darkness.

Or death. Or both.

And now, to fulfill the deal, I was being dragged to her court to marry her even more of a treacherous daughter.

The Jewel of Aresia.

The Crown Princess.

So beautiful, it is said her eyes shine like sapphires and that she had the body and power of a goddess.

Father also thought she had a heart of light. Hence, me marrying her. Only people with hearts of light could ever marry and love people like my father and I. Anyone else would be so consumed by the darkness that would inhabit them, they would either die or go insane.

So now I was being hauled to this foreign court; to fulfill my father's part of the treaty and unite the kingdoms of Aresia and Borelis; to marry a member of their royal house.

But unfortunately, or fortunately, however, you want to see it. The one living member of the royal house whom I could marry was also the heir.

Which meant that when we were married. The two kingdoms would become one under our rule. Like how it was before the war.

I could only hope that she would be a good queen for the Borelians. But then again, how could she? She was born and raised in a foreign country. It was her home. She had never even visited Borelis before.

Well, that was going to change.

Because she was going to spend her honeymoon in Borelis. With me.

I groaned at the last part. I hated the fact that she was to be my wife. This wasn't right. I didn't love her. She most likely didn't even know my name.

We had never met before so I didn't even know what to expect. But, from the rumours, she is said to be a brainless doll. Completely, under the obedience and mercy of her mother. Which, I didn't believe at all.

From what I heard from the multiple spies I'd planted in the Aresia court, the girl I was supposed to marry, graduated four years ahead of her class in military school. She was a prodigy in the arts and mathematics. And had multiple awards under her belt. From music, drama, and art to science and statistics.

And once again, I marvelled at how differently my mother and aunt (the queen of Aresia) had raised their children. Where my mother always told me to go at my own pace. The Aresian Queen had pressured her daughter into always being the best. They were supposed to be sisters. But, they were so different. . They don't even look alike. Where Mother had blue eyes and red hair. The Aresian Queen had red eyes with snow-white hair.

Rumour has it, they never got along either. That even as children, they would booby-trap the castle in order to scare each other.

As I walked out of my room and into my chambers. I noticed at least one and a half dozen servants packing my clothes, books and other items I might need on my two months stay in Aresia.

At this point of the day, the sun was high above the harbour and city of Amberlion. I walk out onto one of the many balconies that decorate the walls of my chambers. The sun hits my face and I relish the warmth it brings me. The smell of the ocean overwhelms my senses and a soft spring breeze sifts through my hair. I open my eyes to savour every last detail of my beloved city of Amberlion.

How beautiful....

She said that to me. Three years ago. Right here.

I clench my fists behind my back. She changed the way I saw the world. Before, she came. I hated this place. Now I loved it. When I was next to her. The world was perfect.

But she isn't here.....

Conscience, why do you make me want to cry?

"Your Highness," a maid comes in and curtsies. "Their Majesties are ready for you."

I nod and follow her. Well, at least Mother was going to Aresia with me. She had once lived there, though she never really called it her home. She would serve as my sort of guide throughout my stay in Aresia She also said she wanted to meet my bride-to-be as well as parade Aria, my adopted sister. The illegitimate daughter of the late Aresian crown prince, James.

Three years ago, a woman and child had come to Shorehaven. Begging us to take the child in.

The child was Aria, the woman -was my beloved. The reason they were here? To save Aria's life.

Three years ago, the Aresian had wanted to execute Aria because she was seen as inferior by the court. She was three-years-old. My beloved, who had loved Aria very much, somehow managed to get Aria out of the Kingdom. They travelled by ship to Amberlion. And the moment my parents had agreed to take her. The love of my life left me.

She didn't come back.

She was a noblewoman. I knew that. I could tell by her mannerisms. And since I was going to the Phoenix court at the same time as they were holding their summer Season. I was bound to run into her.

But what if she's moved on?

What if she never even loved you in the first place?

Stop.

I can't think about this right now. I need to think about the journey ahead.

Speaking of which, I wonder what ship Mother has chosen to take to Aresia.

Hopefully, it's not a warship. She knows how stiff tensions have been between Aresia and Borelis. Though, they've almost always been like this. Ever since the time of my father's father.

Even if the war between the two countries ended twenty years ago. By the wretched treaty that's dragging me to Aresia now. The tensions between the two bordering countries have always been high. And the Queen's continuous attempts to assassinate me after her own son's death, have only made those tensions worse.

I don't understand why I have to go to them. Just because the Queen can't come to the wedding because someone has to rule the kingdom while the heiress is away. So what?

My father wasn't going to the wedding and it's not like that was affecting me.

As we get close to my parents' chambers. My body becomes tense. I sigh. I'll think about this later. Right now, I have worse things to deal with.

As I walk into my parents' private chambers. I notice how empty it feels. Bookshelves, vanities and wardrobes lay barren. Instead, replaced with rows and rows of chests. All ready to be carried and shipped to a realm so foreign to them.

It was then, that I realized for the first time that, to my surprise, I was actually looking forward to this trip. I had never been to Aresia. And I suppose, I was excited to go somewhere I didn't know what to expect. Ever since I was a child I had wondered what it was like to live in the Cerulean sister court. Though I had never been given the opportunity to visit.

Well, I suppose this was it.

As we approach my parents' bedroom, the maid stops short and I see her body tense up as she approaches the door to knock.

I don't blame her. In fact, she should be afraid. Behind this door is two of the most powerful elementals in the country. Besides myself, of course.

In fact, one might say that I'm even more powerful than my father. But of course, only a handful of people knew that. Certainly not those wretched Aresians.

The same people who had now attempted to assassinate me eight times. Why? Because apparently, we had assassinated the late crown prince.

Did we? No. Did we want to? Yes.

The man was a complete prick. He had not only cheated on his wife and impregnated his mistress, but also took no blame for it. Instead, blaming the poor mother and saying she had forced herself on him.

Never, in my life had I ever heard of such an asswipe. If you were going to cheat on your wife and then get another woman pregnant, at least own up to your mistakes.

But, no.

And what was even more horrifying was that he got away with it. Completely. No precautions. Whatsoever.

I had to marry his sister.

Perhaps, it was cruel of me. To assume things like that about someone, based on someone else's actions. But can you blame me? They grew up in the same household, after all.

I must have not noticed the maid knock because, before I could process the situation, I was thrust into my parents' room.

Into my father's cold glare and my mother's warm arms. And of course, food.

"You know I can't breathe, right?"

She squeezed me tighter and I gasped. Damn, she was strong!

"Now you can't breath," she laughs.

I give her a playful glare as she lets go. She answers with a mischievous grin.

As she does, I turn and bow to my father. He says nothing.

Just pure, empty, tense, silence.

Well, I definitely won't miss you either, Father.

Another moment passes.

Two.

Three.

By the Mother of God, how long is he going to do this, my back is starting to hurt.

"Son."

Yes! Finally, he has graced me with an answer!

"Father."

"I trust you have made the necessary provisions for the trip?"

I gulp down the bile slowly rising in my throat as the temperature in the room drops. Whether it is my or my father's doing, I'm not sure. The tension builds inside me, once more. Threatening to flood out of me. Like the banks of the River Amun.(1)

*** River Amun: One of the largest known rivers in the southern kingdoms. Without it, all those kingdoms would be desolate wastelands.***

No matter. I know what I must do. Even if it means more blood on my hands.

Slowly, cautiously, I rise to meet my father's iron cold gaze. His face expectant.

Slowly. I nod. "Yes, my King."

He gives a curt nod as the tension slowly dispels from the room.

He shifts his gaze to my mother, who stands up to meet my father's gaze. He walks towards her and gathers her in his arms. They hold each other for a long time.

A very long time....

Cringing I turn on one heel and walk out of the room. After all, I have no business here.

My business was finished after I confirmed my loyalty to the King and that my mission would not be compromised.

*****

Anthony: Vote and comment to help me be less disgusted by my parent's undying love for each other.

His parents: *"good-bye kisses"*

*gags*