Eliphas' POV:

"This meeting is adjourned."

The crowd of beings quickly disperse as a 19 year old guy starts to walk towards the door. Hm… My eyes narrow at his figure. Something is off about him but what is it?

"Astral," He freezes mid-step as I wave for the double doors to shut with a slam leaving the two of us in a room.

"May I be of assistance, Your Majesty?"

Here we go. I rub my eyes pursing my lips. "Must you use that tone with your father of all beings?"

"I do not understand. What tone do you speak of?"

This formality. It's like I'm a stranger to him or something. I get that he has a grudge against me but who treats their father like this? Should I tell him about the fated calamity? Should I reveal to him who she really was?

"You know what I am speaking of." I blink as he stands there motionless. "I do not appreciate this tone, young man."

"As I said, I have no clue what you are talking about."

Deny, deny, deny. That's how you're going to play it huh?

"Your stone is flashing more than usual. The more it glows, the closer your calamity is."

"I know. As I told you before, I will sort everything out."

"Hopefully that is the case." Or else… it would end up like last time.

An awkward silence fills the air as a thought flashes in my mind. "Oh yes. Before I forget," I clear my throat. "Carissa wants to speak to you."

"My mother-in-law?"

"Yes. I suggest you visit the Count's Estate if you have time."

"Ok."

I sigh as silence flows through once more. Gee… has it ever been so awkward before? Look like I have to take initiative.

"How have you been these couple of days?" I ask staring at his back. I've been purposefully avoiding him. Is that the right move though?"How has your wife been? The last time I spoken to her she was ill. Has that cleared up?"

"We have both been fine, Your Majesty. No need for your concern."

"Well, have you and her made up yet? I'm assuming you cleared the misunderstanding-"

"Yes. Everything has been peaceful between us. If they were not, mother would have told you about them." A cough rings out from his lips. "I am currently not in the mood for small talk so-"

"Are you sick?" My eyes widen as I approach him. "Did you catch a cold? The weather's been turning chilly recently so you'd better watch what you wear." Hm, is that warm enough? He's in his usual black clothes but his shirt is a bit thin for my liking. Not to mention it's short sleeved.

"I'm fine." Gold and silver eyes blink. "Nothing for you to concern yourself over."

He's fine? My eyes narrow staring at his figure. Hm… is it just me or does he seem paler than usual? And his dark circles… has he been staying up late? And he seems thinner… don't tell me he's been skipping meals again!

"Why do I feel like you're not telling me the truth?"

"Do you not believe me?"

"It's not I don't believe you but," There's something off although I can't seem to put my finger on it. The being in front of me shifts his head to avoid my gaze. Huh? His index finger and thumb rubs his eyes gently letting out a hiss. I got it! His eyes! During the meeting, he was rubbing them constantly. "Are your eyes okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just dry eyes."

"That's what you get for staying up late and not sleeping." My arms fold in front of my chest. "When are you going to learn your health comes first?"

He blinks blankly with a neutral expression. "Since when do you care about my wellbeing?"

What?

"Of course I care about your wellbeing! Why would you think otherwise?"

"Do you realize my psychological wellbeing is an extension of my health as well?"

"I…" Why does it always circle back to this? Just when I thought he was okay. Just when I thought we were finally going to have a decent conversation. I clench my hands into a fist. Why does he have to bring this up? "Son, it's been a few months now. How long are you going to keep this up?"

He stares at me with an emotionless demeanor as he turns towards the doors.

"Tell me," I gulp fixing my gaze onto his back. "What do you want? What do you want me to do?" A lump forms in my throat. "What do you want from me, Astral?" I can't keep doing this. "I have been very lenient with you these couple of months. I've been staying away from interacting with you any more than what is necessary. I thought if I did that, you would eventually come around and see I was sincerely trying to apologize but clearly, this isn't going to work. So tell me, what should I do? What do you want me to do?"

"You slapped me."

My eyes immediately widen. "I thought you were-"

"There was blood."

"Son, I-"

"It was swollen. There was a bruise. It turned purple." I look towards my hands. I really did hit my own son. "If I slapped you until you bled, would you forgive me?"

I…

"But I wasn't the only one who slapped you though. Your wife-"

"She didn't know my past." He interrupts with an icy tone. "She didn't know anything about how I was kidnapped and abused. She didn't know anything of that sort. Her slaps have little to no effect on me." My body goes rigid as he glares at me. "You on the other hand, you were supposed to be my protector growing up. You were supposed to provide me with the affection I needed. You knew everything I went through and saw how it was detrimental yet you chose to strike me anyway."

"That was for Raizel. If I knew it was you," I clench my teeth. "I would have never hit you."

"That doesn't change the fact you raised a hand against me." The being in front of me states. "You should consider yourself lucky you're even talking to me."

A chill travels down my spine as the double doors open and slams with a shut. His… tone…My hands grip each other as I bite my lips. What am I supposed to do now?

Liliana's POV:

"Mommy," Bright purple eyes look up as her little arms wrap around my legs. "Daddy can't see?"

Who told her that?! Honestly, who would be that nosy to tell a little kid-

"Auntie said his eyes hurt." Oh… it's Astrana. My anger disappears as I carry her into my arms. Well, if it's my sister-in-law then I guess I can't really say anything. After all, this thing will be noticed by her sooner or later. "Is he okay?"

"Of course he's okay." My lips curve upwards poking her nose with my index finger. "Don't worry, my precious daughter."

"Lily," A voice rings the through my ears as brown eyes meet mine. What's he doing here?

"Zach, what can I-"

"We need to talk."

I blink at his serious tone. Huh… My head turns to the girl I am carrying as I gently place her on the ground.

"Mommy?" Her head tilts furrowing her brows slightly.

"Sunshine," A hand lands on her shoulder. "Would you mind stepping out for a moment?"

"Why?"

I glance at the guy a few feet in front of me then back to her. "We need to discuss something important."

Brandon's POV:

"Say Star?"

"Hm?"

"When you first met Astral," The woman beside me stops walking turning her emerald green eyes to me. "How did you feel about him?"

A hand lays under her chin. "Are you talking about the day he saved me at the cliff?"

I nod as she stays silent. "Well, he was very distant. His face was like a mask not to mention his stare and tone."

"Yeah." That's how he normally is. "He's very intimidating to say the least."

"Mhm." Her eyes widen. "Why do you ask?"

"I was curious what your first impressions of him were." Intimidating is 100 percent correct. Even now, he's terrifying!

"You suck at lying."

"Hey!"

"It's true." A giggle escapes her lips. "You weren't curious in what I thought. You were just curious if I thought the same as you. Am I correct?"

How does she…

I fill my cheeks with air as her finger pokes it making me furrow my brows. "Am I really that bad at lying?"

"Hm, yes. However," A glint forms in her eyes as she pinches my cheeks. My eyes widen at the sudden touch. H-Huh? "That's what makes you so innocent."

Innocent? I'm innocent?

I blink as she removes her hands from my cheeks. "Yes. You don't lie or rather don't know how to lie."

"What? Of course I know how to lie!" My lips purse. "Remember when I kept that secret for him? I really wanted to tell Lily but I kept it hidden till the very end."

"And that's an achievement worth celebrating. Honestly, with the way you are, it makes me wonder sometimes."

"About what?"

Bright green eyes stares at me. "How is it that you are so emotional?"

Is she insulting me?

My eye twitches. "Oh? What's wrong with having emotions and expressing how you feel, Star?" There's no mistaking her tone. She was definitely insulting me. "Mind you, having emotions are normal and should not be criticized."

"Normal. If having emotions are normal," A mischievous smile curves on her lips as bells ring inside my head. What is she… "Are you saying the Prince isn't normal?"

"What?!" I shout as the beings in the hallway glance at me. Ah great. My face heats up as I force a cough. "Stop saying nonsense. Do you want me to get executed?" Although knowing him, he wouldn't really care if I or anyone thought that.

She waves a hand shaking her head. "Of course not. All I'm saying is I find it peculiar how a being so full of emotion and empathetic like you," Her index finger points at me. "Managed to become friends with the Prince who is… lacking in the emotional department."Good choice of words. I glance around at the servants roaming the halls. Better safe than sorry.

"Hahaha," A chuckle escapes my lips as I place a hand under my chin. "Well, if memory serves me right, it was at a party."

(Flash):

"Woah," I let out a breath as my eyes widen at the beautiful crystal walls. So this is the palace… it's so shiny compared to what I thought it would be. "So this is the palace."

"Remember," A hand lands on my shoulder as a soft smile appears on her lips. "Greet everyone with respect. Especially the King, Queen, and Prince."

"Of course, mommy." I wrap my arms around her shoulders pecking her cheek. "I'm always respectful because I'm your son!"

She giggles patting my cheek as a being clears their throat. Uh-oh… I freeze as a firm grip grabs my left shoulder.

"What did I say about using proper language when in public?"

Oh yeah…

I let out a laugh glancing back into his piercing blue eyes. "Dad… I mean, Father," I can never get used to that term. It just sounds so cold. "But we're not even in their presence yet."

"Still, it's a thing you should practice. You're getting older and that means you have to start watching what you say."

"I'm only 13!"

"That's basically a grownup."

Huh?

"Honey," A soothing voice interrupts our conversation holding onto his hand. "He's only 13."

"A 13 year old who still calls his parents 'mommy' and 'daddy'-"

"Hey!" My brows furrow. "What's that supposed to mean? Shouldn't you be glad I'm close you the two of you?"

"Of course I'm glad but you must learn there's a time and place to refer to us as such." He lets out a sigh. "Honestly, can't you be more like Lily?"

"Dad!"

"I know, I know you don't like to fight or hold a weapon but she's the same age as you yet she has many achievements in regards to-"

"That's because Count Luca is named General by the King. It makes sense how she learned how to fight." I cross my arms with a pout. "You on the other hand have no dueling experience whatsoever and tend to avoid conflicts-"

"Why you," A finger flicks my forehead as my eyes widen. "You dare speak to me that way?"

I beam hugging his arm tightly. "Ok, ok, daddy. I'm sorry. I was annoyed that's all. You know I don't like it when you compare me to others."

"Hey," His eyes glance around at the numerous of beings walking in and out of the room. "You're such a scatterbrain. Did you forget what I said?"

"Yeah, yeah," I still don't like that term.

The being beside us shakes her head. "Honestly, the two of you are like two peas in a pod."

"What? I'm nothing like him!"

"How am I like him?" I raise a brow. "He doesn't cry at movies or when sad things happen. It's like his heart is made of ice."

"Oh and crying over movies is a good thing according to you?"

"Yes," I nod shutting my eyes for a second. "Mommy said it's good to show emotions. It makes beings like you more and builds up a good reputation."

Blue eyes meet blue eyes as he sighs shaking his head. "Honey,"

"What? Emotions are a good thing. You should be grateful our son is the way he is."

He sighs yet again as I hold in my laughter. Hahahahaha! Mommy strikes again.

(Flash)

"Hold on," A confused expression appears on her face as she holds up a hand. "You met him at a ball when you were 13?"

I nod as green eyes blink at me. "Huh… and here I thought you two meet during childhood."

"Why would you consider that?"

She shrugs. "With the way you behave with him, you know the whole hugging him an hour straight when you watched that movie, I thought you known him longer."

I can see why she would think that way. In all honesty, becoming friends with him was a very difficult task considering he didn't trust beings and had a wall of ice between us at the time. Not to say this wall is completely demolished now but it has gotten a bit easier to know his true self.

"Haha, I have no problems expressing my emotions. In fact, I view it as an advantage." It's certainly better than being emotionless.

(Flash):

"Lily," Amethyst eyes widen as she runs over to me with a smile. "I never expected to see you here."

"About time you showed up." An arm swings around my shoulders as my lips curve upwards. "I was beginning to think you didn't want to see the palace."

I wave a hand as she removes her arm from my body. "The walls are made of crystal. It's so stunning and orderly. Of course I would come." There's no way I would miss this once in a lifetime chance. There are only so many times the King holds a ball. Plus," My eyes dart around to the noisy room as nobles mingle and make small talk. "I heard this time, His Highness will make an appearance."

"Yup! He normally comes up with an excuse to miss out on these but the King made it clear he was to attend this one." She shrugs. "I guess no matter how stubborn he is, he still has to listen to his father."

Oh yeah… she knows the Prince personally. How did she managed such a feat is beyond my knowledge. "Huh," My brows furrow at her outfit then I look at another girl's outfit then back to her. "Why aren't you wearing a dress?"

"I-"

"You do know the dress code, right?" There's no way she doesn't know the dress code. It's formal wear which means floor length dresses for females but she's wearing a skirt. "Are you trying to get in trouble?"

Her head shakes. "Nuh-uh. Brandon, you know how I don't like dresses."

"So you would rather wear a skirt?" Aren't dresses and skirts similar to each other? Why does she dislike one and not the other?

She shrugs. "My mother gave me a choice. A dress or a skirt so obviously, I chose a skirt plus," Her fingertips sways the skirt around lightly. "I think it's starting to grow on me."

Well, at least she's wearing something feminine. That's an improvement.

I poke her forehead as she scrunches up her nose. "Is it because dresses are too feminine?"

"Duh. You should know this by now."

"No offense but if you keep being like this, guys will get intimidated."

Purple eyes blink blankly at me. "Intimidated?"

"Yeah." Does she not know? "Many guys will get intimidated by a girl who knows how to wield a sword let alone fight. If you keep this up, you'll end up single."

She blows a raspberry as her eyes roll. "Who cares about that? Who cares if I don't find a guy?"

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yup! If guys get intimidated by a woman who knows how to fight, it proves two things about them. One, he's a coward and has an inferiority complex. Two, he probably wants a trophy wife who will obey his every command. Why would I want to marry such an individual like that?" A sigh escapes her lips as she places her hands on her hips. "If I were to marry someone, I want it to be someone who can rival me in martial arts and dueling skills."

Huh… she really likes sword fighting that much?

"I'm afraid to break it to you but there are only a few beings who can rival you, my friend. Your father is one of them. The King is another. And," Hm… does the Prince know how to fight? Come to think of it, why was so little information released about him over the years? "Say Lily, does the Prince-"

"Please give a warm welcome to the King and Queen of Astral World, King Eliphas and Queen Enna." The double doors open as all is silent. Two beings stand beside each other as everyone kneels to the ground.

"Greetings, Your Majesties."

I glance at the King and Queen as they glance at each other. A soft smile graces the Queen's lips as they start walking towards the throne. So regal. Every movement from them exudes grace and elegance. Truly amazing.

"Ahem," The butler clears his throat once more. "Please give a warm welcome to His Royal Highness, the one and only Crown Prince of this world, Prince Astral."

I gulp as my heart hammers in my chest. What the… Two luminous pair of eyes stare at the masses kneeling. Pale blue hair shines against the fluorescent lights making it look white as an overwhelming aura causes my body to tense. What on earth? My eyes widen as I glance at his face. His face… why does it look so…

Whispers circulate around the room as he interlocks his fingers bowing at the King and Queen. "Your Majesties."

Gold eyes give a nod at the being to her right as the King waves a hand motioning us to rise. "Please, all rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesties." They all said as they start chatting among themselves once more.

Why am I feeling right now? I place a hand on my chest rubbing it. Huh…

"Hey Lily, do you want to…" I turn to my left as I swerve my head around the room. She's gone? She was here a second ago and now she's gone? Did she really abandon me?!

"Kya!" A girl whispers jumping up and down. "Did you see His Royal Highness? I never knew he looked so handsome!"

"I know right? I wonder why he would never appear to these events. I mean with such a handsome and perfect face, he must have tons of women asking to be his companion."

"Do you think I have a chance?"

"What? No way! If anyone's asking, it's me!"

"No! I'm the one he's going to marry."

"Sorry to break it to you girls but I'm the one he will marry. I'm much better looking than you all combined."

"You? Hahaha, you're too shabby to fit in his perfect eyes. If there's anyone he's interested in, it's me."

I blink as a group of around fifty ladies argue over which one of them is worthy to be next to the Crown Prince. Wow… looks like he's quite popular with the ladies. Fifty ladies are arguing. That's basically all of the single women who are between the ages of 13 to 15.

A small gasp radiates from my lips as I can feel a piercing gaze in my direction. Who is staring at me so intensely? Gold and silver eyes lock into mine as I gulp. My whole body trembles as I clutch the wall to prevent myself from falling. My heart beats faster and faster as I clench my teeth. Why am I feeling like this? There's no reason for me to feel like I'm a deer in a forest. It's just the Crown Prince.

But… why does his eyes look so menacing? No. That's not it. It's almost as if there are no emotions radiating from his face. Especially his eyes.

Come on, Brandon. Break eye contact. Stop looking at him. Argh! Why can't I look away? Why do I feel like prey? He's like a predator analyzing his meal. Oh no… no. What am I thinking?! This is His Highness! A being of pure light and goodness. There's no way he can be what I described. But… I shudder once more. How can one explain his eyes looking so dead? Not to mention his face is like steel. It's even colder than ice!

"Brandon!" A force slaps my back as I jump to see my friend beaming. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"Where have you been?" I tear my eyes away from his piercing gaze and into her curious purple ones. "I thought you left me here all alone."

"Aw," A giggle radiates from her lips. "There's no way I'm going to leave you here by yourself."

You just did though.

"Here," She hands me a bowl. "You like sweets, right?"

"You remembered?" I take a piece of the cake in my mouth.

"Of course I remembered. Say, Astral likes sweets as well."

I blink at her furrowing my brows. Astral? Does she mean…! "Uh! Lily! How can you casually say His Highness's name like that?" I lower my tone to a whisper gripping her arm. "Do you have a death wish?!"

Amethyst eyes slowly blink at me as if I have two heads. "Aren't you being a tad dramatic?"

"Dramatic?! He's the Crown Prince!" I throw my hands in the air. "He's going to be the future King yet you refer to him by his name?" Doesn't that seem wrong in her eyes?

"Huh," Her head tilts a bit towards the left. "When you put it that way… yes but he allowed me to address him by his name."

He what?!

My jaw drops at her word. Oh my… I glance at the Prince who is currently chatting with a girl sporting a neutral expression then back at my friend. What exactly is her relationship with him for her to address him so casually? If I remember correctly, he has a reputation of being cold and emotionless.

"Brandon," A hand touches my shoulder as I snap from my thoughts. "He's not like the way you think. Sure, if you judge him by his looks solely, it makes sense." Huh? Am I that readable? "He looks really unapproachable not to mention his lack of facial expressions makes him look even more intimidating." She lets out a small smile as I blink. Why is she smiling like that? "But once you get to know him, you'll see there's a whole new side to him that he keeps hidden away. Locked up tight inside him."

A new side to him? Is that even possible? I raise a brow at my friend. "Are you sure? I mean…" It's unlikely for someone like him to express how he's feeling directly with his face and all.

"You doubt my words?" A pout crosses her lips. "I'm being serious here. I have known him all these years. You think I don't know how he really is by now?"

"It's not that I doubt your knowledge but rather," My eyes glance to the Prince once more. "If there is indeed a more… authentic… side to him, why doesn't he show it?" Authentic… is that the word for it?

"I honestly don't know." She responds after a minute. "Oh! I remember now. He said what's the use of showing your true self when you can adapt to every situation that comes your way. Yeah. That's what he said."

Ah… so he's one of those beings. Hm, beings like him are incredibly manipulative not to mention… I purse my lips as a thought flashes into my head. He won't show the world his true self. He hides behind a facade. It's beings like him my parents warned me about. Individuals such as His Highness are ruthless and manipulative. Since he hides his true self, it'll be easier for him to dispose of beings without feeling anything. I'd better be careful around him.

"Lily,"

"Hm?"

I stare into her eyes. "What's your relationship with His Highness?"

Her brows knit together in confusion. "Why do you ask that?"

"Just tell me. Are you two close?"

"Yes…"

"As in a couple or…"

Her eyes widen as she turns crimson. "A-A couple? No. We're friends. Best friends."

Oh thank goodness. I let out a breath. I thought I was going to have to break up a couple. That would have been messy.

My friend cups her red cheeks as my eyes narrow. Wait… does she like him more than a friend? This is not good.

"Lily," She jumps as I place a hand on her shoulder. "I want you to stay away from him for awhile."

Her eyes widen at my sentence. "What? Why?"

How should I explain this to her? No. I shouldn't explain it. Judging by the way she speaks about him, there's no way she would believe me.

"Just stay away from him." I respond after thinking things through. "He's not who you think he is."

"Not who I think he is?" A laugh escapes her lips. "Please, I known him since I was a child. If there's anyone who knows him, it's me." Ay ya! Can't you see he's manipulating you? He switches his personality according to the individual!

"I just think-"

"Do you have something against my bestie, Brandon?" Her fist clenches at her side as I gulp. Uh-oh… "I don't know why you would request such a thing when you don't even know what he's like."

"I…" No. She will never believe me if I say this. Not to mention, this is just a guess. Maybe he's not like what I think at all. But based on the experience I had with beings similar to him… "I don't have anything against His Highness. I just think it's beneficial for you to spend some time apart."

"Why?" Her arms fold across her chest as she shifts her weight to one leg. "Tell me why?"

What do I say now?

My lips curve downwards. Guess I have to employ this tactic. I grab her hand blinking at her. "We haven't hung out in ages. I miss you."

She blinks blankly. "You… want to hang out with me?"

I'm sorry mom and dad. You told me not to lie but what else am I supposed to do in this situation?

"Yeah. We're friends, aren't we? These days, I barely get to see you and I got to admit, it's awfully lonely being alone."

"Wait, don't you usually hang out with Zach or Derek?"

"Yes but they're busy and not particularly fun." A giggle rings through my ears. "You on the other hand, remember that time we ran from that store because we took too many free samples?"

The girl next to me burst out laughing. "Oh yeah! Fun times." She swings her arm around my shoulders. "Brandon, if you wanted to hang out with me you should've just said so. I can clear my schedule for you."

"You do that for me?"

"Of course!" She ruffles my hair as I fill my cheeks with air. "We're friends after all."

(Flash)

"Huh…" My friend places a hand under her chin. "So let me get this straight. You knew he was putting on a facade and was manipulative in the very beginning?"

"It was more of a guess but yeah."

"You lied to Lily to get her away from him fearing that she was being manipulated?"

My face heats up. "Yes. It was the best thing I could've done at the time. After all, I wasn't going to let an innocent woman like her be in close proximity with someone like him. Who knows what he might do."

"So," Her head tilts to the right. "You judged him based off appearance?"

Well…

"Not entirely." When she puts it like that, I feel so horrible. "I had a feeling that's all."

"Huh…"

"Hey! Give that back!"

"Catch me if you can!"

What the…

Astral's POV:

My eyes narrow as she holds a folder in her hands. "Give that back."

She sticks out a tongue rolling her eyes. Does she have nothing better to do than annoy me? "No."

"I'm working on something highly important." I cross my arms holding out a hand. "So please, give me back the file."

"Hm," She places a hand under her chin. "Let me think… nah."

"You-"

"I want you to accompany me to the mall."

I blink at her. What?! "Sis," She had me chasing her around the palace for 30 minutes just to say she wants to go to the mall?! "Once I finish with work, I'll take you, okay?"

"No!" Her cheeks full with air. "I want you to take me now!"

"What are you, a little kid?" My eye twitches as she folds her arms. "Unlike you, I'm quite busy-"

"I specifically remembered the physician said not to strain your eyes."

"What strain? My eyes are fine." Ah great. As soon as I said that, they're starting to burn again.

"Oh yeah?"

"I'm saying the truth. All I need is to-"

"Didn't he said to rest them as much as possible?"

"Yes but-"

"You staring at documents all day will not help them recover."

"I know my limit. Now," I hold out a hand. "Give it back."

She raises a brow. "If I give this back, will you get straight back to analyzing it?"

"Of course," I have to figure out who killed that guy. Not that he doesn't deserve it. I would kill him if I got my hands on him but it seems someone did it already.

"Then no way am I giving this back." She holds it close to her chest as I let out a sigh. Why is my twin sister like this? "Dad's right. You're turning into a workaholic."

"And when is being a workaholic a bad thing?"

"Only you would view a workaholic as a good thing." Her lips scoff waving a hand dismissively. "Honestly, we were born by the same parents yet we are so different. Why are you not more like me?"

More like… her? My lips involuntarily curve upwards as a laugh escapes my mouth. More like her? Hahahaha! I can't believe she just said that. My chest heaves up and down as I clutch my stomach. Oh man.

I wipe a tear from my right eye. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"What?"

Gold eyes blink as I stare at the woman across the table. "Why are you not more like me. Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"I-"

"We have different roles to play. I'm the Crown Prince which means the expectations will be significantly higher than you."

"But still, it's not like you have to work all the time." She responds after a minute. "You think I don't know you? Whenever something is bothering you, you tend to bury yourself under a pile of documents. You lock yourself in your office and-"

"I do not-"

"Don't communicate with anyone. Seriously, you've been in your office for at least a few hours now. How much work can a being have in a day?"

"Why does it matter to you?" I raise a brow as she blinks. "Besides, not everyone can be so carefree as you can." Especially because…

Gold eyes widen as I start to shake my head. "You know what? You wasted so much of my valuable time. You want the file? You can have it." Luckily, I made a duplicate of every one of them just in case.

"Astral Octavius Zexal!" A voice shouts as I stop mid-step. "I demand you to go outside with me."

Did she just…

I snap my head towards her as she glares at me. "Go to the mall with me."

My face defaults to its impassive demeanor. "Astrana Monica Zexal." She gulps as her eyes slightly widen at my tone. "How dare you speak to me that way?"

"I-I…"

"Did you forget who you are speaking to?"

"Of course not. I just-"

"Did you forget even though we are twins, I'm the older one?" My eyes narrow into hers as she flinches. "You have no authority or right to demand what I can and cannot do. You don't even have the right to demand me yet here you are using my full name."

"Brother, I," She purses her lips drifting her gaze downwards. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to use your full name or demand you." My sister whispers as I can see tears dripping from her eyes. Ah great. Just perfect. Well done, Astral.

"Astral," A feminine voice rings through my ears as my eyes widen. Uh-oh… Gold eyes narrow into mine with a subtle glare. "Room. Now."

In my parent's room:

"What were you thinking raising your voice and asserting your authority over your sister?"

"I-"

"Don't interrupt me when I am talking."

My gaze focuses on my lap as my fingers grip each other tightly. Great going. You made her angry.

"She's your sister. Your twin sister of all beings. You of all beings know how sensitive she is yet you yelled at her?!"

"Mother, I wasn't yelling." My lips purse as I gulp fixing my eyes onto my lap. Is it safe to say something? "I only raised my voice a few degrees yet-"

"Do you know how intimidating you are? For a normal being, if you raised your voice even a tiny bit, they would be scared out of their wits." She pauses letting out a sigh. "Your sister is a sensitive soul. She's not like you."

"I know."

"You knew yet you raised your voice at her?"

My eyes meet hers as I pour myself a cup of water. "She made me chase her down around the palace. She interrupted my work and peace. She demanded that I go outside with her when I currently have tons of files to-"

"I have told you time and time again not to upset her yet you dare make her cry?"

"Please don't be upset, mother. It wasn't my intention to make her shed tears but she was the one who interrupted my work first."

The woman across from me sips her cup of water. "Regardless of who is right, you're the older one. The work you have to do can wait a few hours. Family comes first."

"But-"

"No buts." A clink fills my ears as she places the cup on the table. "She's right. You should spend more time outdoors. It will be beneficial for your eyes."

"My eyes are-"

"Nistro specifically said not to strain them. With all the work you've been doing, it's not going to help heal them anytime soon."

I stay quiet as a hand holds mine. "Astral,"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." My eyes roll. "I will apologize to her. No need for you to say it."

I shouldn't have lost my cool in the first place anyway.

The couch shifts as she sits besides me holding my hand. "Son, you usually never get angry at her. What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing. You don't need to worry."

"Honey,"

"I'm serious. It's nothing for you to be concerned about."

Kind golden eyes stare into mine as she lets out a breath. Her arms wrap around my shoulders pulling me into an embrace. Huh?

"Mother… what are you-"

"Don't 'Mother' me anymore." Her hands pat my back shutting her eyes resting her head in my shoulder. "What did I say about dropping the formalities?"

Oh.

I pat her back softly. "Mom."

"Much better."

"What brought this upon?" I voice after a few minutes of silence. "I thought you were angry with me."

"Can't I hug you? Do you view me as a stranger or something?"

My eyes immediately widen. "What? Of course not! How could I view you as a stranger? I just thought you were mad at me." Her tone was displeasing.

"You're not wrong." I knew it. "I expect you to apologize to Astrana and do whatever she wants."

"What?!"

She laughs. "What's the matter? I told you not to upset her, did I not?"

"Yeah but-"

"Don't view this as a negative thing. Going outside will give your eyes a chance to rest. Plus," My mother leans closer to my body. "Family comes first."

Fine. It was getting a tad boring analyzing the files anyway.

I let out a soft sigh patting her back. "Alright. I'll apologize to her and do whatever she wishes. Are you happy now?"

She pulls back pecking my cheek sporting a small smile. "Very."

My eyes widen as she embraces me once more. Huh… is there something she's upset about? "Uh… not to be weird or anything but why are you hugging me so much today?"

"What do you mean by much? I only hugged you two times so far."

And that's a lot.

"I-"

Gold eyes look up at me. "Are you saying you don't like my hug's anymore?" She lets out a breath. "Remember the time I slept beside your bed and nursed you back to health?"

I raise a brow. "Nursed me back to health? Correct me if I'm wrong but all you did was shove food down my throat."

"Shove food?" She waves an arm. "Such aggressive language. I did no such thing."

Right.

"I distinctly remember how you would force me to eat."

"That's only because you refused to put anything in your mouth. When you were around the age of 8 and a half, you thought we were trying to poison you."

Oh yeah…

"I had to try one of every dish then wait an hour for you to finally believe the food wasn't poisoned. Even after the hour, you were still hesitant." I chuckle nervously as she rolls her eyes. "I swear I gained roughly three pounds that year."

"No one forced you to eat though."

A hand smacks my shoulder gently as her brows furrow. "Oh really? I may have done it out of my own volition but if I haven't done that, you would've starved."

"Not true. If I got hungry, I would go and find something to eat."

"You believed we were trying to poison you." Her head lays against my shoulder. "Seriously, a part of me still wonders why you would think that of your own parents."

I shrug as she crosses her arms giving me an expectant stare. Honestly, I don't really know."It made sense why I was weary. After all, if a being wants you dead, wouldn't you be cautious as well?" Also, how could I trust you two back then after such a long time of not seeing you?

"But I'm your mother. I would never harm you."

"I know."

"Now you do." A mutter rings through my ears as her head rests on my shoulder once again. "You can be so cold towards me at times, you know that, right?"

I rub her back. "Ok. I'm sorry, mom but that's just my personality. If you want a more… warm… being then try my sister." Warm? Is that correct?

"Hey!" Her voice raises as her eyes pierce mine. "Who said you're not warm? You just tend to keep yourself at a distance that's all."

Actually… you know what? Never mind. She doesn't need to know how cold I can be with individuals.

"Yes, yes. Everything you say is correct."

Speaking of which… I glance at the wall clock as it ticks loudly. Yikes. I've been here for 45 minutes?! Time flies.

"Mother, I got to-"

"What did I say about addressing me as such?"

What's so different about mother and mom? Aren't they used to refer to the same individual?

"Mom, I got to do something-"

Her arms wrap tighter around my shoulders. "No. What could you possibly have to do that's more important than me?"

"Apologizing to Astrana."

She stays quiet for a minute then let's out a breath. "Let's stay like this for a bit longer."

"Why?" Isn't this long enough?

"You're too cruel." My mother whines sporting a pout. "So you're an adult who no longer needs his mommy huh?"

"Since when were you ever mommy to me?" I raise a brow as she opens her mouth then shuts it. "I called you mom until one or two then it was mother all throughout."

She frowns. "Thank goodness your sister was there to offset any pain." Huh? Pain? "At this rate, you're going to refer to me by my name like your father."

I blink at her words. She mutters underneath her breath rolling her eyes. Hm, "Well," Let's tease a bit. "Do you want me to call you by your name?"

Bright eyes widen as her jaw drops in horror. Hahaha! "You-"

"Ok, ok." I hold her close patting the side of her head. "I will say now. I won't refer to you by your name, mom." Unless that is you do something to push me over the edge like Eliphas did. "Or at least I hope that day never comes."

"You better remember what you said today." A finger points at my face. "It was hard enough to deal with you transitioning from mom to mother the first years of your life. You better spare me from the heartache and not call me by my first name."

I shake my head as my lips curve into a minuscule smile. "Alright, alright. I promise, mom."

Her expression suddenly switches as she pats my hair beaming. "Good boy!"

My face scrunches up as I try to remove her hand. "I'm no longer a little boy, mom. I'm married and-"

"Oh don't give me that." Her arms squeezes my back forcefully as a cough escapes my lips. "I don't care if you're married or 20 something years old. You are my son so that means you will always be my little man."

How wonderful.

"So even if I die, I would still be your precious baby?"

"Hey!" Gold eyes glare at me as she scowls. "How many times have I told you to not say those things?" A huff radiates from her lips. "At this rate, I'm considering in taping that mouth of yours shut."

"I know for a fact you can't do such a thing." This is a mother who talked to me everyday until I was out of my catatonic state. She sat beside my bed and told stories until I was finally able to respond and open my mouth. Although my reality was distorted back then, I could still remember seeing her every single day. Hm, "After all, wouldn't that make your efforts go to waste?"

"Huh?"

I should let her know this. It would make her happy.

"Have I ever told you what an incredible mother you are?"

She blinks raising a brow. "Is something going on?"

"You have always been there when I needed you the most." Besides the time I got kidnapped but I shouldn't be so petty right now. "You are truly amazing."

"I… Astral," A hand touches my forehead. "You're scaring me." Her hands cup my face staring into my eyes. "Are you feeling okay?"

Now why is she reacting like that? She acts as if I never say anything nice to her… oh wait…

I gently hold her hand. "You may not know this but I heard everything you said to me while I was catatonic." Her stunning eyes widen. "All the stories you told, the details about the new rules and regulations father passed, the fairytales you read to me each night before bed. I heard it all." Tears drip down her cheeks as I motion to wipe them with my fingers. "I remembered you used to hold my hand while resting on the edge of the bed. You were afraid of leaving me alone probably because you were scared I would harm myself in a way." I threw a vase and broke a cup. Of course she wouldn't leave me alone at night.

"Y-You remember?"

I nod as she tackles me into an embrace. My hands pat her back as sniffles ring through the room. "Why didn't you say anything back then? Why did you act as if you didn't remember anyone or anything that happened?"

"In my defense, my sense of reality was really damaged back then," I'm pretty sure it's still damaged as we speak. "So I wasn't sure if those things really happened or if I was experiencing a dream." But eventually, I realized those things really did happen.

I glance at my mother who is blinking the tears away rapidly. "Is… is there a reason why you're saying this now?"

(Flash):

"Be nice to Her Majesty."

I blink as I adjust my hold on her waist. "Am I not nice to my own mother?"

"You are but," Amethyst eyes look into mine. "You're always so cold. I bet you don't even give her a compliment."

I blink blankly at her once more as she sighs. "Mother has done a lot for us. Especially for you, honey. You're her son and I think you should be a lot nicer to her is all."

"Love," I pull her closer to my body. "I have been nothing but respectful-"

"You see? There it is." She shakes her head. "Respect is not love. Well, it can be love but with the way you're doing things…" Huh? "Ok. Point is you need to start complimenting her. Then, you can slowly work your way up."

(Flash)

Respect is not love?

My lips curve upwards as I wrap my arms firmly around her shoulders. "Because I wanted you to know how grateful I am to have you as a parental figure."

"That's the first time you ever complimented me." A sob escapes her lips as I knit my brows together. What? That can't be true. I compliment her occasionally… right?

"Are you sure?"

She nods hugging me tighter. "It's rare to get a compliment from you."

"You're making me into a bad son right now." I shut my eyes as I place my full body weight on her. "I'm pretty sure I complimented you before."

"That was around the age of two when you said I looked pretty in that dress."

"Still a compliment."

Silence flows through the room as her arms wrap around me tighter. "And you're making the people around you into bad beings."

"I'm sorry?" Did she just say… I tilt my head glancing towards her head. "What did you say?" I make the people around me into bad beings? What did she mean by that?

"Nothing. Don't think too much about it." My mother mutters as I blink. Don't think too much about it? "All that matters is that you're here beside me."

Mother…

"Hey mom?" I ask after a few minutes as I break the embrace. Her hands hold mine softly. "Can I ask you something?"

"You should know the answer to that now." Her lips curve upwards. "Ask me anything."

Hm…

"Don't freak out but this is a hypothetical, okay?"

"I don't know." She gazes to the side a bit. "It depends on what the hypothetical is."

How should I approach this?

My lips purse as I clear my throat. It's about time we had this talk. "Let's just say hypothetically I die-"

"Astral! What did I say about saying those-"

"Mom, mom," I grip her fingers firmly locking eyes with her. "It's just a hypothetical situation."

"I don't like it." A glare shoots in my direction. "I thought I told you to stop saying the d word. It's nothing but bad luck." A gasp escapes her lips as she clutches my shoulders. "Son. Be honest with me. Is there something going on that I'm not aware of?"

"No. I-"

"Are you thinking bad thoughts again?" Her eyes start to well up as she pulls me into her chest. My eyes widen as I feel a hand rub my back. "Mommy's here. Shh. I'm here."

W-What?

"Mom. It's not that. I'm fine."

"You always say that."

Why am I not surprised at this reaction?

"I'm seriously okay. There is nothing for you to be concerned about."

"Then why did you say that?"

"It's a hypothetical."

"Well, let me tell you what I will do in that situation." Her grip tightens as I try to turn my head to the side. "If you dare die on me, I'll resuscitate you. I don't care which lengths I have to go to but I will make it so you can breathe again. Then, when you are well and alive, I will strangle you so tight you wished you were dead for scaring me like that!"

Yikes. Even the sound of it sounds unappealing.

"So you would resuscitate me then kill me again?"

"Kill you?" A giggle rings through my ears. "Oh my precious baby," Fingers run through my hair. "How would I have the heart to kill you? I would just strangle you until you pass out then have the physician revive you again."

Gee… violent much? This is the behavior I expected from my wife not my mother… wait… A thought clicks in my head. There's an old saying you marry someone who is like your mother. The opposite is true for girls but I just realized something. The more I think about it, the more similar Lily and my mother are. Except for the sword fighting part plus my mother is the calmer of the two but that doesn't mean my wife's personality isn't compatible with her. If anything… All the color drains from my face. That old saying is somewhat true…

"But in all seriousness, you do know it's unfilial of you to die before your parents, right? So I swear Astral, You better not think along those lines or else I will never and I mean never forgive you."

"Yes mother." I let out a breath. "I know." I didn't even get to mention the second half yet she's already so freaked out. Oh well. "I apologize for saying those things."

"You should be." She holds my body tighter as my face heats up. Does she realize where my face is right now? "I don't get why you say such unlucky words all the time. Is it a habit of yours or something?"

"Mother, can you-"

"You're calling me mother again."

Ah right. "Can you loosen your hold?" I mumble as I shut my eyes.

"Am I hurting you?" A gasp rings from her mouth. "I'm sorry-"

"No, no." My lips purse as my cheeks grows warm. What am I thinking right now?! She is the one who gave birth to me. This should be natural… right? But why are my cheeks so warm? "It's just my face is um…"

"Your face hurts?"

"Not exactly but…" How do I go about this? "I don't know if you realized but my face is in your chest…"

…

Good going. Now I made things awkward.

A laugh rings through the room as the woman hugging me lets out a soft breath kissing the top of my head. "Are you embarrassed right now?"

Embarrassed? "Uh…"

"You are so adorable, you know that?" Her sudden movement pushes my head more towards her chest as my face grows even warmer. What is happening right now? "There's no need to be so shy."

"Mother-"

"See? I'm your mother. I'm the one who carried you for nine months in my stomach and brought you into this world yet you're embarrassed being so close to my chest?"

"It's not that-"

"Oh? Then what is it? Must I remind you that when you were little you drank milk from my-"

"Mother! Stop." My hands immediately cover my ears as my face burns. Oh gosh. "I don't need to know about this."

"But you do know about this. Your wife is pregnant and pretty soon-"

"No. Like, I don't need to know about what I did as a child."

"Haha, please. It's a completely natural and normal process. How else were you able to get milk?"

"Formula?"

"I wish. You may not remember it but you were insistent on me breastfeeding you."

"What?!" No way… she's lying!

"Mhm! I once warmed up a bottle of formula only to have you spit it out a second later. Your sister tolerated it but you preferred me."

I… really?!

Her hands rub my hair softly letting out a hum. "To think you're grown up and married alright makes me feel so old."

I let out a sigh. Eh. No need to make this more weird than it is. I'm her son after all.

"Say, how far along is your wife?"

"Mm, about 21 weeks? 22? Roughly around there."

"Five months?"

"I think."

Wow… I can't believe it's already been five months. It feels as if it was yesterday she announced the pregnancy news.

"I think it was around this time frame when I started to…" A mutter escapes her lips as a hand taps my head snapping me from my thoughts. "Honey, Lily might be experiencing some changes real soon."

Changes? "Do you mean hormonal and physical changes? Because don't worry. I got that all under control." I think I know all of her cravings. Some of them are quite odd though. S'mores dipped in strawberry ice cream. Sounds delicious and it is delicious but there's a thing as too much sweetness. And don't even get me started on the olives and pickles.

"What I mean is she may be craving for your attention more."

I blink as I stifle a laugh. "Have you met her?" As if she wasn't already touchy. "It'll be fine. So she gets even more needy. Big deal."Having a pregnant wife is going to be exhausting.

"No. Like," My mother pauses for a brief moment as I raise a brow. What is she trying to say? "Maybe it will be different but when I had you and your sister, I craved weird things."

"As in food?"

"No. Not really food per se…"

Then what?

I blink at her words. If she's not talking about food… "Are you trying to say she may crave my body?" That can't be possibly what she's trying to say… right?

"Hm," The woman holding me lets out a sigh. "I mean hormones and desires fluctuate every now and then." I can't believe it. She is talking about my… personal life… "Some days she may desire you and some days she may not. What's important is for you to-"

I clear my throat coughing as my face heats up. "Mother, we do not need to talk about this." I already know this and besides, why would she be talking about this with her married son? It sure is awkward. "I understand the concept of consent."

"I know you do but that's not what I'm trying to say."

It's not?

"Then what are you trying to say?" If it's not food, intimacy, or affection, what else could it possibly be?

"According to the books I read about this subject, females who are carrying twins are more likely to crave their spouse's… blood…"

My eyes widen as I bolt up from her arms. "What?!"

Blood? Did I hear her right? Is she going to turn to a vampire?

"It's a completely normal thing-"

"Normal?" I turn to her as my mouth parts. "You're telling me my wife is going to turn into a blood sucking vampire yet you say it's normal?" Is she going to drain my blood in my sleep? Should I be wearing garlic cloves? No. No, no, no. I'm overreacting. Considering how much she loves me, there's no way she could kill me by sucking my blood… right?

"Astral," A hand facepalms her face as she shakes her head. "She's not going to turn into a vampire."

"But you said-"

"This is what all pregnant women go through. During the second to third trimesters, the fetuses grow rapidly and needs nutrients."

"Yeah. Food."

"Yes but that is not enough." My mother holds my hands. "You know how we develop cores, right?" I nod. "Usually for a normal fetus, a fetus with one core, they will require a certain amount of the father's blood to help stabilize it."

"And… I'm guess without the blood, the fetus will not survive?"

"Eh, on occasions they will but they will be malnourished which could lead to complications."

Huh… "Was that why Sapphire's baby was…"

"Exactly. My guess was that Olivia didn't receive much or any of her father's blood so her core wasn't fully developed." And a core is basically an extension of the heart. Meaning if the core wasn't fully developed… Luckily she received a pint of my blood or else.

"Son," Her lips purse as gold eyes stare seriously into mine. "I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now. I want you to tell me if my suspicions are correct or not."

"What are you-"

"When I was carrying you and your sister, you almost didn't make it because for some odd reason, you had five cores."

"There wasn't enough nutrients to sustain my being. I know." To think I almost died in childbirth… wow.

"Right. Lily has two cores." Where is she…"Although she's an anomaly, you're an even rarer anomaly."

"Mother, don't call my wife an anomaly."

"It's true though." Her shoulders shrug. "Beings of this world are only supposed to have one core. It represents their power and energy. You have five and your wife has two. If that doesn't fascinate you, I don't know what will."

She does have a point. How is that I was born with five cores while my wife has two? How does that make sense? Wait a second…

"You're not saying what I think you're saying… are you?" If my hunch is right…

The woman in front of me holds a grave expression. "Son-"

"No. Don't say it." Don't you dare say it.

"Considering your five cores and the sheer amount of power from your body, is it possible maybe one of the unborn twins possesses that core?"

"No. Stop." I put up a hand. "Mother. Please, I don't want to hear-"

"If so," She bites her lip with a conflicted look. "Lily body's might not be able to handle-"

"I said to stop." I raise my voice a bit letting out a puff of air. Calm down. Calm yourself, Astral. "Mother, you gave birth to me. I have five cores yet you were still able to-"

"I nearly died." A mutter rings through my ears as my heart stops in its tracks.

"What…?"

Gold eyes shift downwards towards her lap. "That day was the day I nearly died. You were sucking up the majority of my power. Not to mention my body was already weak from the beginning."

"I…" I had no idea…

She holds my hands sporting a smile. "I'm not going trying to say the past will repeat itself but you have to be vigilant. You have five cores. Your wife has two. If you look at it that way, there might be a chance her body may not be enough to sustain the fetuses."

She's right. Childbirth is heavily taxing on a mother. The birth of a normal child is hard enough but twins? It's even more difficult plus… if one or two of them have multiple cores… or if they receive the forbidden power…My chest tightens as I gulp. If that's the case isn't it better to abort the babies? If the mother's life has to be compromised…

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

She pulls my into her chest wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "No one is aborting anything."

"But-"

"Son, do you really want to put an end to innocent lives? Not to mention the the lives of your children-"

"Of course not." I bite my lip. "That's the last thing I want to do but… if what you're saying is true…" I would rather save Lily's life than my children who I've never seen before.

"I was giving you the worse case scenario." A hand pats my back. "Don't worry. I have a feeling all three of them will be alright."

"How can you be sure? How can you be-"

"Because your blood can heal the toughest of wounds. Your blood can save beings from death." Gold eyes look into mine pecking my cheek. "Your blood is special, son."

"So," Let me get this straight. "If she drinks my blood, her body will be more equipped to birth the children?"

"Bingo." Hm… will she freak out if I hand her a cup of blood? Who am I kidding, of course she's not going to drink it. "Wait a few weeks. Judging by the time frame, it's getting really close." I should monitor her health just to be safe. Even if she doesn't get cravings, I'll force her to drink my blood if that's what it will take. "But don't worry too much. Whatever come will come."

I guess… A hand strokes my hair gently as I blink. But if I really have to pick between my wife and children… no matter what she says, no matter if she hates me, I will always pick her.

"Mother?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you for telling me this."

"No need to thank me, son."

A silence flows through us as the clock ticks away. "Oh, before I forget," My mother speaks up as she hands me a file. "You said you needed more information on the case you're working on, right?" How did she… I flip through the files blinking. Huh… but how did he… a stab wound and his carotid artery was cut. Who would do this?

"How did you…"

"I stole it from your father's office." A giggle run from her lips as I raise a brow.

"Aren't you going to get in trouble?"

"Not if you commit it all to memory." She winks holding out a hand. "Besides, even if he found out, what will he do? At the most, I will get a lecture but other than that," Her shoulders shrug. "It's all fine."

If she says so. Hm, My hand flip through the pages narrowing my eyes. How intriguing. According to the lacerations and swift movements… it was either he was jumped and beaten before he was killed or the murderer took their time. I'm willing to bet the first one. Could it be one of ladies he abused? No. They all committed suicide. Could it be their husbands?

"Anything?"

My lips purse as I close the file handing it back to her. "Thanks but just to be safe, I'll do some investigating on my own." Why do I have a feeling the investigators missed something? It doesn't add up.

"I knew you were going to say that." Her arms loosely wrap around my shoulders again.

"Mother, I really have to go-"

"Aw, come on." She whines holding me tighter. "Since when do I ever get to hug you this long? You owe me for all those years of not hugging me."

"I really have to-"

"Just stay like this a bit longer. Just a bit, my precious son."

I let out a sigh patting her back lightly. I guess this won't hurt.