"Your Highness," Zhan said as he ran after Orion, who seemed like he was running a marathon.

"Your Highness, please stop." He said and Orion finally stopped, "I apologize..."

"I don't want your apology General, what I want is justice. Seventy percent tax will kill my people because of poverty and what will happen when my country collapses due to lack of money? The Queen will ask them to become her slave? Rather than that, it would be better than my people just die."

He said aggressively and Zhan can hear the sheer desperation and agony he feels for his people, "I understand your Highness, but please... just a few more days..."

Orion closed his eyes sighed, "Just a few more days! I trust you, General. You have the fate of my people in yours. Hands don't back. It was you and Princess Wen Qing that I chose. To trust if you two backed off now, then you both will never find peace."

"That will never happen." Wen Qing said as she came from behind him, Orion looked at her, "I understand your pain, King Orion, and hence I will not back off."

"But she is your mother you sure you won't have any second thoughts?"

Wen Qing smiled, "If I ever had those thoughts then General Zhan is here and you can kill me then and there."

Orion sighed and Wen Qing assured her, "Just a few more days."

Zhan looked at Orion and the second thoughts that he had vanished, now all he can hope that the rebellion can happen without much bloodshed.

However, they did not notice that they were under the watchful eyes of someone.

~~~~

"You were right your majesty. They do seem to be in something."

Cassandra had her eyes closed as she was receiving her massage from her maid as her knight Jax came in and told her everything that she saw.

Cassandra opened her eyes, "I want you to send out as many spies as you can and if possible bribe or torture use any method but find out if they are on something or not.

If they are not planning anything then we will leave them alone but if they are planning something then we have to annihilate them."

Jax nodded, "Yes, your majesty. I would like to add something here although I was not able to hear anything I can read their lips although not clearly I can make out that princess Wen Qing was saying something like, 'Just a few more days.' "

Cassandra opened her eyes when she heard and she smiled bitterly, "Wen Qing, my dearest daughter... looks like she has forgotten that it was I who gave life to her and she is trying to betray me?" Cassandra felt a pang on her heart.

Although she might not be a good human she loves all her children, she can never harm them she gave them all she can she might not be involved with their lives but she did keep them safe or tried her best to do that.

Cassandra sat straight, "Wen Qing... " she laughed, "Keep an eye on her as well, if they are planning something then..." she stopped as she felt sad.

Jax asked, "Are you going to annihilate princess as well Your majesty?"

Cassandra smiled, "How can I kill my children I will just hide her from this world that tainted her and keep her safe, in my little small place near my Lilith." 

~~~~~~~

"Simon." 

Simon rolled his eyes and sighed when he heard Aurelia's voice, she came into his room.

While he was reading Sean's book. He closed the book and sighed, "Yes mother."

Aurelia came forward and sat on the chair in front of him, "What are you doing?"

"Eating." Simon spoke sarcastically and Aurelia glared at him, "I have warned you so many times do not talk to me in that tone."

"Yeah right mother, what do you want?"

Aurelia spoke, "After the festival is over you have to come to the festival with me to the temple."

Simon looked at her and smiled, "Sure mother. But may I ask why?"

"Because the priest wants to meet you." She said and Simon nodded, however, Aurelia was not ready to leave for now, "Simon dear, the priest and the Queen really admire you a lot... and they can give you anything you want... you come with me Simon please."

She said with a pitiful expression and sad eyes but this was not going to work on him, not this time, he fell for her in his last life, she however continued, "Your father has done a lot of awful things to me.

He threw me out of the house after I gave birth to you, and even went as far as beating me when I was pregnant with you... but I forgive him." She said, "I know Simon I was late to come and get you but I had to gain Queen's favor get here to meet you my son again."

Simon resisted the urge to roll his eyes and nearly puke, he has heard this bullshit many times in his last life, and ever since Aurelia came here she has been saying the same things and Simon is going insane from hearing them again and again.

"Yes, mother I understand."

"Queen and Priest have done a huge favor to us by letting me meet you again my son... so we have to pay them back right?"

Simon smiled, "Yes mother, you are right we have to pay them back, I will personally go to them, I am sorry for all the atrocities my father has committed against you ."

Aurelia smiled, "So you are going to come with me right? you are going to help her majesty and the priest right?"

Simon smiled, "sure mother."

Aurelia smiled feeling content but then her eyes landed on the black book, that Simon always reads one time Aurelia tried to see what it was but Simon got angry and snatched the book from her.

After she never tried to touch, it's none of her business anyways, but sometimes she did get curious about this book.

Simon saw her staring at the book so he asked, "Is there anything else that you want mother?"

Aurelia smiled, "No."

"Then you can leave."

Aurelia said nothing she was about to leave but Simon stopped her to ask, "Mother..."

Aurelia stopped and looked at him, with a very tiny hope Simon asked, "Will you come to the competition? I am taking part in it?"

Even if he knows that he means nothing to Aurelia, he still hoped very little hope that Aurelia gives him one reason to save her.

Even after trying so hard, he can't really hate his mother and after he read her mind, that is how she was raised and forced to give birth to, if he was a failed experiment then Aurelia's value was like furniture.

Aurelia looked at him for some time and clenched her fists, she never likes when Simon looks at her with hope, she hates it when he expects her love when she sees the desire to be cared about by her.

She hates being a mother.

"I am afraid I can't Simon. I have some important work and..."

"I understand mother, "He interrupted her, "I understand you may leave."

Aurelia said nothing and left.

Author's note: What do you guys think about Aurelia?