Chapter 9

Sebastian was to be made the next King but the whole kingdom refused because he was a rapist. It had been leaked to the Kingdom that Sebastian slept with Astra and didn't marry her which was against the country rules, unbeknowst to everyone Marah was the one that leaked the news with the help of her personal maid in order to ruin Astra's reputation and make sure no man marries her but who knew her plan would backfire and Astra would be made the Victim while Sebastian would be stopped from becoming the King of the Kingdom.

All the Chiefs, the Royal Mother as well as the Chieftains tried to convince the Kingdom but they weren't ready to accept there only condition was for Sebastian to marry Astra if he wanted to be King. Astra herself tried to convince the Kingdom but they weren't ready to listen. She knew better than anyone how much Sebastian wanted to be King and how much he loved his Kingdom so she agreed to marry Sebastian to enable him become the next King of Lexan.

Astra and Sebastian got married and Sebastian became King but the relationship between Astra and him was worse than that between strangers, Astra still loved him and Sebastian still felt guilty about everything that happened, a month after their marriage Lexan kingdom was thrown into war with the neighbouring Kingdom and Astra and Sebastian led the Lexan army Marah couldn't come since the Kingdom couldn't be left empty without an head.

On the battlefield a poisoned sword was aimed at Sebastian by the enemies and Astra quickly pushed him away in the nick of time but the sword hit her intead, she was on the verge of death for a month because after that and it was a miracle she didn't even die on the spot. After she woke up Sebastian was so grateful to her and they mended their relationship they couldn't behave as a husband and wife but they were back to their old friendship. Marah started feeling threatened the last thing she wanted was to lose Sebastian to Astra but she couldn't separate them no matter how much she tried.

A few months later Astrid was born and Sebastian became very busy with the Kingdom matters and the Royal mother had left the Kingdom on a two years pilgrimage as well so Astra volunteered to take care of Marah and the new born baby. During those two years Marah maltreated Astra and insulted her upon every single chance but Astra didn't say a word against her. The day Sebastian found out about how Marah had been treating Astra he raised his voice at her for the first time and they had a serious fight, after which Sebastian went to apologize to Astra, he cried on her lap for hours as he felt bad about everything Marah did to her, one thing led to another and the both of them consummated their marriage.

From the next morning onwards Astra got the same respect Marah had and she was treated like the kings wife. Sebastian became strict with Marah and stopped tolerating her wickedness both his wives had the same respect and care. Two months later Astra fell pregnant and the whole kingdom was thrown into jubilation everyone wanted Astra to give birth to the Crown Prince, the rumors that Astra was pregnant with the Crown Prince drove Marah mad and she made a plan, she started behaving nicely to Astra but Astra still didn't trust her. On the day of Water ritual, all the wives of the King have to go pray for the wellbeing of the Kingdom at the Largest Ocean in the Kingdom and they have to come back with enough fishes to feed the whole Kingdom.

It was during this prayer that Marah and her personal maid pushed Astra into the ocean and she was washed by the waves to Elainor village. Sebastian and the Royal Mother were devastated when they found out that Astra was dead and the Royal mother blamed Sebastian for her death, she blamed him for sending Astra to the ocean in her condition and why he had to send her with Marah.

Sebastian used all his private army and resources to find out the truth after all the people that accompanied Marah and Astra to the Ocean that started dying one by one due to various reasons. That was when he found out that Marah was the one that pushed Astra into the ocean that day, He was appalled by the wickedness of his wife and since then the love he had for her started to dwindle but getting the Queen of the Kingdom jailed for murder will cause disharmony in the Kingdom so he never even let her have any idea that he knew the truth about what she did let alone punish her for it.

He also blamed himself for Astra's death until his army notified him that they had spotted Astra in Elainor village while tracing the Villages the Ocean led to. Sebastian left the Kingdom in disguise to Elainor Village and through to what he heard Astra was in Elainor, he apologized to her and they reconciled but Astra refused to come back to Lexan at least until she put to bed, Sebastian agreed and he would always send her gifts and products, he would also go see her whenever he was free. His plan was to bring her back to the palace after her delivery then have Marah arrested for attempted murder and make Astra the next Queen of Lexan, those few months in their lives was peaceful.

Who knew fate had different plans when one day one of the people he had positioned to take care of Astra called to inform him that Astra was in labour. He left Lexan as soon as possible to Elainor and he was with Astra through out her delivery disguised as a physician because he didn't want Saman and Sarah to see him Astra put to bed after a few hours of immense pain and he held his children in his hands, Hazel and Razil his daughter and son.

In order to protect the kids they had to be kept apart, Hazel was left in Elainor village to be raised by Sarah and Saman while Razil was taken somewhere else.

Astra was devastated at the thought of separating her children but that was how they could protect them, He told her to tell the couple to never hand over Hazel to the Royal family at least not until she was eighteen because he had a plan to bring them to the palace at that time. After Astra passed away he secretly left Elainor to a place no one but he knew about and handed over the boy to an old couple over there. Hazel and Razil were meant to come back to the palace at the age of eighteen but his mother finding Hazel ruined the plans and Hazel came back earlier.

But that's good he had more time to spend with his daughter, Hazel looked exactly like his mother but Razil looked more like him the only features he had from his mother was his skin color which was porcelain white just like Hazel's. Razil knew the whole truth already and he wanted to meet his older twin sister but it wasn't the right time yet he had to do something first.

............

Hazel went to her bedroom and demanded to be left alone. She knew that the King really didn't love her but she didn't know he hated her

"I miss you so much Mom and dad", "please come take me away from here, no one loves me here. I want to be back with you in Elainor", "please come take me away", Hazel sobbed until she heard a knock on her door

"Your Highness, The Royal mother is here" Oliver informed, Hazel quickly cleaned her face and said

"Let her in", the door pushed open and the Royal mother walked in gracefully.

"Yes Grandma", Hazel said standing in front of her and the Royal mother held her hand and wiped her face

"You didn't clean it properly", "are you hiding your tears from me my dear", she said and Hazel hugged her bursting into tears again

"Grandma", "cry my dear, cry it all out. I overheard you and his Majesty". "I understand so cry", The Royal mother comforted patting her back gently.