*

Thus, a few days passed and Athanasia has successfully avoided her crisis-that being caught stealing goods because the Ruby Palace was under a thorough clean inspection. Together with Athanasé, both of them went to their sanctuary and hide their goods by burying them. Although tiring, she convinced herself that it was for their future's sake so it was worth it.

This morning, Athanasia run there again, but without Athanasé this time as he was too lazy. It was unfair! She run all the way to hide their goods while he freely tossing around. But, because Athanasé has accompanied her the last times, she forgave him.

But, the bushes wasn't her direction for today. She was curious with the building and decided to step inside once again. Athanasé wasn't here to forbid her from going inside, she wouldn't let this opportunity slip.

There was no one in sight as usual. When she passed the hallway, she come insight with a various cherubs' sculpture made out of pure gold.

She was ecstatic!

Fascinated, she blinked and then frantically reached towards one of the cherubs. She couldn't hide the growing happiness inside her. With so much sculptures, none will notice if she steal one, right?

She glibly bite into the cherub. Unaware of her surroundings. All of a sudden, she could feel the uptight ambience and a shadow looming above her.

A deep, velvety voice resonated in her ears. "What is this filthy bug doing in my Palace?"

She involuntary turned, there her pools of jewel eyes caught sight of another similar eyes. Stock-still, she was perplexed. She could recognize that face anywhere. He should be none other than Claude de Alger Obelia, The Emperor!

Questions about the abrupt change of plot grievously swarmed her mind that she ignored his snark comment. She scowled in her heart, it did not make sense!

When she gazed at him, there was a bristly, prickly, hands-off aura that hung about Claude, radiating menacingly past his skin. It automatically sent a message to people to stay away, and he carried it with him with little to no effort.

Athanasia had never seen a person so... enthralling. He stood as if he owned the place. He walked as if he took over the room. The ultra well-placed confidence, nearly bordering on arrogance, that he radiated made any other man seem small and boring. Even his stance when he stood-with his shoulder relaxed and his body angled upward-was pure provocation. He looked like someone who hated a challenge, but search for it anyway. Craved it, even.

Her breath caught as he raked her from head to toe with a slow, calculating look... then he was walking up to her, his stride unhurried and confident. He stop when he was only two steps away from her.

He kneel in front of her, lips curled into a vicious smirk. His slender finger reaching for her chin, ever so slightly tilting it upward.

"You seems like that wench dancer from Siodonna." His tone was enveloped in frost from ancient age. "And I think I remember what that wench named you. I believe it was Athanasia."

Her heart seemingly rise to her throat. Her soft body tremble continously.

"Back then you were a tiny bug that couldn't even lift its head. You've grown a lot."

Every each word that he spoke make her even more fearful. Wondering whether her fate would be the same regardless-killed in the hand of her own blood father.

And just when the atmosphere was austere, her goodie bag rolled on the floor, making a loud clattering sound on the otherwise silent place.

He glance at the ruby that clinked against his shoe. Mercilessly stepped on it, crushing it into powder. Then, the unthinkable happen. He scoop her up with his strong hands. She kept sweating, she could feel the wet cold sweat at her back.

"You're heavy." He stare at her intensely for a good five seconds. "You have really chubby cheeks, but I didn't expect you to be this heavy."

Athanasia mentally rolled her eyes. Like seriously, after ignoring her all this while, now he scoop her just to tell her that she is heavy!?

This bastard is damn colder than the mountain Titanic hit into.

"Now, what were you doing in my palace?"

Bewilderment whirl in her pool of royal blue jewel eyes. She didn't expect that this palace that seems more humble than the Ruby Palace are actually the Emperor's resident. What more, it was only a few distance away from her palace. Well, now she knew how the nine years old Athanasia entered the Emperor's Palace.

His fathomless eyes glance at the golden cherub behind her. One still has trace of her tiny teeth on its butt. She kept sweating bullets on her back, nervous for her fate.

"Maybe she thought it was a toy." The man who had flaming red hair said in her defense. His gray eyes assesing her.

Claude toss her to Felix with one hand. "Carry her. She must have wandered off during playtime."

"I should have some tea with my guest." He said as he walked briskly down the pathway with Felix trying to keep up with his pace.

*

Athanasé was visibly worried for his beloved sister. She had wander off to that abandoned palace they called their sanctuary, again. But it has been almost fifteen minutes, and she hasn't back yet.

Dark emotions forcibly swirl in his shrewd eyes. Unwilling to take any risk with his sister, he decided to go there. He arrived just in time to see his sister in some other man embrace while another man with blonde hair the exact same shade as his lead the way. His stance like that of a king.

He could see the man's blonde hair hanging around his face. His deathly pale skin would make a great canvas, while a cruel mouth, a straight blade of a nose, and fathomless blue eyes made him unnaturally and artistically handsome, his features otherwise schooled into amusement.

He stood blocking the man's pathway. He was aware of who this man was-both to him and to the country. But he wasn't just gonna stand by letting someone take his sister, even if it was his father.

To be continued.

For those who had been waiting for this story, I'm sorry for being unable to update for such a long time. I just suddenly lost my inspiratiom for this story and need to make it up by reading others' stories first.

Anyway, I would try to update regularly at least once a month or twice. Please be patient with me, and thanks for reading this story:)