Longing of souls

"Cold..!"

"This place..why does it look so familiar?" He wondered, while gazing at the red curtain, he felt that there was something hidden behind it.

The room was gloomy and cold, where the lone moon shone majestically like anything else on this lonely night, the broken glass of the window reflected the moonlights as it give a faint light to the dim room. as he took a step closer his mind becomes hazy and blurry. Until he placed his hand at the curtain, touching it with the tip of his fingertips.

A voice of a woman whispered into his ear, making his eyes dilated and swiftly turned where he heard it murmured." Was that a hum of a lullaby?" He thought, the woman's voice was familiar to him, but didn't know where from he heard it, as his hand slowly removed the curtain. His eyes dilated as he was stunned and mesmerized by what he saw.

Behind the red curtain was a portrait of his mother who was carrying him gently in her arms when he was a baby. Mesmerized by what he saw, his hands gently stroked the portrait with his fingertips, as he heard the humming voice of the woman again, he halt. The humming sound continued and lingered in his ears, but the moment he gaze up at his mother's face, his version suddenly became blurry as he call to her."Mom..!..why did you....!!!!" Gazing at her mother's portrait, the floor turned into an Abyss as he fell and drowned in the deep sea.

" Cold...so cold, I can't breathe.... hah. it's better to stay like this.." he thought despondent, as he stared at the moon's light reflecting on the ocean surface. His hands raised as he thought of Celine who looked like the beautiful moon. At that moment, Lucian closed his eyes as he enjoyed the serenity of the ocean bottom. Closing his eyes he heard the woman's voice again and now calling out his name repeatedly as its tonality was melancholic to hear. "That voice..why does it sound so familiar?" He thought inquisitively, slowly opens his eyes, and was shocked at what he saw.

An apparition of her deceased mother appeared in front of him, gently pulled his hand, and embraced him tightly into its arm. Seeing his mother, tears flowed through his eyes. As he thought all of this was real, for he only had seen her mother in those beautiful portraits and paintings since her mother died when he was only 3 years old. Lucian felt emotional and couldn't explain what he was feeling right now, as his mother spoke to him, but couldn't hear what her mother was saying.

A gentle kiss was left on his forehead as they part ways. That gentle kiss rouse him from his sleep, as the servants courteously informed him to get ready, as they wait. A light smile showed on his face and surprised everyone in his chamber. Seeing him smile lightly, the young maids couldn't help but fall in love with him, as they couldn't believe that the cold-hearted prince could smile like an angel and it was beautiful.

As they depart, the crescent moon along with the countless stars in the night sky accompanied them on their two weeks travel back to the Imperial Palace. Watching them from the above, Alucard didn't bid Lucian farewell as he can only watch him in his room. After their duel ended, Alucard didn't leave his room, until Lucian left.

"Reliance, Your son will avenge you soon. I'll make sure he'll succeed in avenging your death... And when that time comes, I can finally be at peace."

************

Meanwhile at the empress's royal chamber. Gnashing her teeth secretly, her tantrums strike fear in her servants as they were petrified by her hatred towards the crown prince, Lucian.

" I should've killed him like her mother." She thought anxiously.

"I gave them everything they wanted!!!!! yet, couldn't even kill a single child.!! They should've killed him on the battlefield!!"

"Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!" she screamed ferociously.

Venting out her anger, everyone outside in her chamber can hear her spiteful rant as her tantrums go wild. The royal head butler of the palace felt burdened and uneasy as he can hear her screams from afar. As that ' lady in waiting' swiftly walked towards him horrified, yet still able to maintain their grace as the royal maids of the empress. The head butler immediately knocks on the door as he politely asks her for him to come in.

*Knock!! Knock!! Knock!*

"Your Majesty, it's the head butler.. may I come in?"

"....…....…"

Waiting for her response, he sighed internally." Your Majesty, his majesty the emperor is requesting you to come to his royal chamber." the royal butler informed, as he wait for its response.

The creaking sound of the door slowly opens, A maidservant came out and slowly closed the door as her body was trembling in fear filling her with awe as she maintained her posture and grace as a maidservant.

The maidservant quickly delivered the empress's response and swiftly informed the 'ladies in waiting' of her majesty needed their assistance.

As the head butler escorted her and her ladies in waiting to the emperor's chamber. The sovereign empress of the empire is known for her beguiling beauty and angelic nature, for she was adored by the emperor and was able to become its empress.

Is now anxiously biting her lower lip as she walked gracefully with her 'ladies in waiting who were one step behind her. As her relentless mind become inquisitive, she queried.

" Head butler, Abraham.."

"Yes, your Majesty..."

" May I know the reason why his majesty wants to see my presence?" She asked inquisitively, as her relentless mind desperately waited for the head butler's response.

"His majesty did not mention any specific reason for his sudden request of your presence, your majesty...I am merely following his order." He responded calmly.

"What !!! " She exclaimed eternally, clenching her left hand secretly as they head to the emperor's chamber in several minutes.

As the head butler knocked three times he halt, presenting their presence to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, it's the head butler... I have brought the empress as you requested."

"Come in."

Hearing the emperor's response the head butler elegantly opened the door and gestured for the empress and her royal ladies in waiting to come in. But the emperor's aid immediately informed the head butler and her majesty's ladies in waiting to wait outside. "His majesty Is requesting everyone to leave and wait outside except for the empress," he announced, as the royal guards immediately blocked the door outside and told everyone to wait.

As the atmosphere became cold, staring at each other. both of them can feel the hatred and hostility they've felt towards each other as he spoke." The moment I saw you t night, I was enchanted by your wicked spell, am I right Verena?!"

"Even your name doesn't suit you...."

"Looks like you've finally got freed from it...But too bad you can't kill me right now." she teased looking at him coldly as she smirked.

"I wasn't planning on killing you though Because I know that I don't deserve to be the one who will end your life.."

"Even if I wanted to kill you mercilessly....." he remarked, as his rubied shade eyes fiercely looked at her filled with hatred and desire of killing her mercilessly.

"Can you just tell me why you want to see me?" She asked bluntly as her eyes full of greed never parted from him.

"I guess you've already known about my first son Lucian becoming an official crown prince of this empire."

"I will hold a grand banquet for his incoming 16th birthday this 27th day of April. Also on that day, he'll become an official heir to the throne, and no one nor you and your son will have the right to change that..."He declared looking at her teasingly as he let out a dry chuckle at her irritated expression.

"You!!" She mumbled infuriatingly, gazing at him asphyxiated.

"Don't be so greedy Verena, I already gave you everything you wanted... To the fact that I wasn't myself at that time, I even let you kill someone more precious to me than anything else..."

"Stop talking about love, Carsein ... Your love for her was weak to think that in a single spell you fell into me completely and that love of yours didn't even save her ... You and I are meant to be each other."

"Yes you are right about that, you and I are meant to be each other in hell..."

"Then I'll be waiting..." She remarked, leaving his chamber asphyxiated, as her royal maids followed her from behind.

Lucian's spy Kiara who's been assigned to the imperial Palace as a maid witnessed her distressed and irritated reaction as the empress walked by her. Bowing down her head to pay respect, she can feel the trembling bodies of those ladies in waiting as they calmed the empress down.

Seeing that outrageous behavior, she couldn't help but hold her laughter as she close her eyes for a moment and head towards the maid's quarter pleased with what she saw.

*************

Meanwhile, in the Emperor's chamber. His majesty the emperor, rejoiced as he ordered his aid to prepare a grand banquet for his son's success. But on the other hand, the empress was frustrated and displeased with his success.