Thethia: Royal Palace, Queen's Bedchamber

• King of Thethia, Wynston •

Wynston turned in the direction where the voice a child sounded. What he witnessed stunned and rooted his feet to the ground. The girl who walked in resembled so much like Nadia, no, she looked exactly like Nadia. She had her eyes, sparkling in bright amber. Her hair was of a warmer brown but they curl in the same exact same way. The way this child carried herself held an air of confidence and playfulness that he saw in Nadia when they first met. 

She stood at the bedchamber's entrance looking fixedly towards Nadia for a moment too long before her eyes peered towards him, locking him down in her depths of gold. That child had purposefully addressed him formally, "Your Majesty."  

Her voice cut through the silence and snapped him out of his thoughts. He blinked a few times, clearing his mind while returning to his cold demeanour. Beside him, his wife gasped, horrified by the child's appearance. She quickly instructed, "Eli, don't come in, hurry leave the room!" 

Eli? So, that's who she was referring to all this while. Releasing his hold on Nadia, he strode across the room and reached the child who seemed too surprised to react and escape. Dark emotions pooled within him when he learned that his wife had named this child herself, against his rule. Stretching his arm out, he gripped hard on both of the child's arms. 

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• Elianna •

When the King first got hold of her, it made her jump. Her shoulders jerked, trying to free herself but it only caused him to tighten his clutch. His fingers dug into her skin, forcing a strangled cry out of her. Tears welled in her eyes and panic rose, causing her little heart to pound nervously. Regardless of how tough she was raised to be, she's irrevocably still a child.

She had always known that she had to be careful with the King since she noticed how alarmed and terrified Lylia would become whenever his guards or messenger would arrive at Heather Palace. Jason would also request for her to remain compliant as far as possible so as to keep her away from the King's scrutiny. Now, she also witnessed her mother's fear when she stared towards them with apprehension in her eyes. 

"Nadia, she's all you wanted, isn't it?" The King said from behind her.

"Don't you dare," Mother's eyes widened, hatred marred her expression. "If you lay a finger on her, I'll never forgive you!"

"Don't you ever try me," The King warned. "I'll break her neck right in this instant."

Elianna's heart lurched into her throat when she felt a hand wrapped around her slender neck. Her small hand instinctively shot up to grab on his wrist, but her strength could never compare to his. Her eyes shot towards her mother, pleading for help and she gave her a firm nod. 

The child swung her leg back with all the strength she had and aimed for the weakest point of the calf to take the King by surprise, causing him to drop her immediately. Seizing this chance, Elianna pushed herself forward, setting herself free as she ran towards Mother who had already opened her arms out wide. Mother took her in her embrace, squeezing her tightly as she leaned her head on her small shoulder. Then, Elianna's hands moved on their own as she wrapped her arms around Mother's neck and her small hands tangled in between her long hair. She didn't know how to react to this gesture, but when Mother spoke again, it made her heart ache. 

"My child, I finally got to hold you." 

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• Elizabeth •

Elizabeth stood right outside of the room, witnessing the whole scene. Her small hands clenched tightly into fists as she trembled in rage, envy and jealousy. 

When Father handed her to the maidservants, they were told to bring her back to Aster Palace. Yet, on the way up into her carriage, she overheard the guards saying that they were going to bring her sister here from Heather Palace. It piqued her curiosity because she had never met this rumoured sister and never knew much about her because Father was often quick to dismiss her whenever she raised a single question about her. She simply knew she had a sister but was never allowed to meet her. After hearing everything Mother said a while ago, Elizabeth needed to see her for herself. 

She hid behind her maidservant and watched when a girl of her age stepped towards the entrance to Mother's bedchamber. The first moment she had a glimpse of her face, she was taken aback by how they looked exactly alike. They were exactly identical except for their eyes, her sister didn't have brown eyes. Her eyes were amber-coloured and in the exact same shade as Mother's jewelled bright eyes that she wished she had taken after. 

After her sister entered, Elizabeth rushed forward to stop the guards from closing the door. The door was left ajar and she peeked from the outside. That was when she witnessed the whole incident and saw how Mother would call her sister endearingly while welcoming her in her arms. Her head dropped as she looked at herself, realising that she had never been hugged that way by Mother. Even more so, Mother had never paid as much attention and love as compared to the amount given to her sister. From where she stood, it was as though looking at them gave her a feeling of how it would've looked like if Mother loved actually loved her. 

Growing up, she always had what she desired for and she would do anything to gain possession. Father taught her to be ambitious and in order to be the strongest, she must hold power and be ruthless. She had wanted for Mother's love for herself, and she would have to get rid of all obstacles in her path. 

If Eli is gone, all that she had would be mine, isn't it?  

Closing her hands into fists, she turned away from the door and headed towards the carriage to be returned to her own palace. Beneath all the pain and upset that she felt close to her heart, something dark sparked within her.

Sister, all that you have is mine. One day, you will return all that you have taken.

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