There would be those that would call his action rash. Many would be against it, accusing him of threatening lasting peace. Those loyal to him would openly support his decision but he knew secretly they too would be concerned. However most importantly of all, the Elders would not care and that was enough reason for him to go through with it. The meeting of the monarchs proved his marriage to her was not as welcomed in the south as he was led to believe. Antares wondered if the respite he spent with Faye was worth the treatment he had experienced. He thought of her, he thought of his conversation with Lady Tereza the night prior. And now on his journey to her, Reza also appeared in his minds eye. The Stygian King's patience had begun to falter and it was only the second day of the ceremony. It was time to put this farce to bed.

"Will you be upset with me for the rest of the day?"

Antares turned to look at the most complicated of his headaches. His ever beautiful companion had looked to make a conceited effort to always be the best dressed no matter where it was she went. From the royal green dress she wore when he first saw her, to the white gown she debuted at the celebrations the night before. Even the deep red Nephilim attire she wore now, Enrieta Zxyphor exuded class with a touch of malevolence. Today she had elected to have her hair straightened with a terrifying sharpness to it, the scent of lilac and vanilla hung around her like a veil.

She gazed at him with her lifeless eyes, attempting to feign some kind of concern but while her face and body reacted in kind, her eyes remained the same. There was no warmth, or anything that would resemble interest of any sort. All the same, Antares unintentionally had begun to find comfort in them. The rare times he allowed himself to forget that he was speaking to the sister of a man he, along with Typhon, Casspien and Nykolas, slaughtered. He found her pleasant to be around. Unfortunately her games during the meeting of the monarchs had left a sour taste in his mouth.

"I am not upset," he lied.

"Funny how often those who are, say they are not." Her voice carried a playful tone, "The meeting went well, I sought to simply lighten the mood."

"I was unaware the Nephilim have a different definition of 'well'." Antares turned his attention back towards the path ahead. "I fail to see how omitting my desire for the grimoires when you reported to your family, is beneficial in any way."

Enrieta moved over and stood in his way, her displeasure slightly visible. She towered over him with breathtaking beauty.

"Do not be boring King Antares, I dislike boring things." She moved his hair to the side, the softness of the texture, reminded her of silk. "My 'antics' as lesser people would call it, showed you three things."

Enrieta Zxyphor had enjoyed the gathering of the monarchs. Among seeing her brother and King Antares engage in exciting conversation, she was privy to the reactions or perhaps lack thereof among some of the rulers. It was the first time that they had all gathered and certainly for her it was a learning experience. She most was interested in observing her father and Saturn's reaction to the Stygian King's desire for the grimoires. Their response was satisfactory, her ever calm and collected brother showed the first signs of displeasure beyond his typical mood. Even Galahad who was known for his keen eye and restrained attitude was swept up. Roderika was no exception either, all of them came alive in the presence of King Antares Xerxes. She wanted to show them what she saw, he was no ordinary Stygian, far from it. So his comment annoyed her, for her own personal reasons were quite obvious to ascertain.

"Which are?" he asked, to her disappointment.

She raised a finger, "As I said in our first meeting, I am not beholden to my father. Once again I have proved it. The south is not privy to all of Vanaheimr nor does it influence ."

Antares studied her for a second before nodding along, "The second?"

"Everything has a price. Your hesitancy when I suggested you sell me Hightower for my grimoire was enough," she said enthusiastically. "Which means I am sure we can find common ground somewhere!"

He did not smile.

"Lastly, you quelled any doubt about your intentions with Reza." She stifled a genuine laugh, "Although I will say, I am impressed by the way you spoke about my sister. I had almost believed you cared for her."

Antares was aware of his many faults, chief among them being how he handled his younger brother Daimion. The Stygian King made no efforts to hide his love for his brother, or for his other siblings. To him, it was his duty, it was his responsibility as the firstborn, he would take care of them. Just as Hyperion had taught him the importance and value of family, he would uphold it no matter what may come, even if said family sought to cause him harm. He would save them, because that is what he was meant to do.

So as Enrieta confirmed that she had no concerns in using her own sister for a plot he was still trying to unravel. It hurt him in ways he was not entirely aware of. The Nephilim Queen's hatred for Stygians burned at an intensity so bright that it would consume everything around it. Even those who would be looked at as kin. He gazed into her soul and the constant violence that resonated within her. The King of Iliad dared to ask her where this unimaginable rage came from despite knowing the source, instead simply just smiled.

"You are indeed impressive Nephilim Queen," Antares acknowledged. "Though you are missing one crucial piece of information that came from your little game." He brushed past her.

Her brow narrowed, as she stared at the spot where he once stood.

"And what is that?"

"You are untrustworthy," the king reasoned.

His voice carried a cool certainty about it, one that sent shivers down her spine. It felt as though he whispered his words in her ear and she could feel the coldness of his breath on her neck. The corner of her lips curled into a menacing smile. He is aware, she thought. Since the first aftermath of their meeting, Enrieta had been intrigued to see his reaction to what Salok Yn had done–getting false news all the way into the royal courts of Castle Xerxes. She was pleased with how things had unfolded.

"I hope that is not a problem?" Enrieta turned and rejoined her companion.

"Not entirely, it gladdens me to know your family feels the same way." Antares smiled at her. "That being said, I have two more questions for you, Queen Enrieta."

The Queen bowed, allowing the Stygian King to proceed.

"How did you get false news of my potential betrothal to your sister into my noble courts?" Antares had been curious since the day he returned.

Enrieta shrugged, "I have no idea. It was done by my advisor and I refused to learn or ask how he did it."

Antares looked her over for any tells, but could find none. As far as he was concerned the woman next to him spoke the truth. However a new piece had been moved onto the board. The Nephilim Queen was assisted by another who was familiar with not only Akkad, but of Castle Xerxes itself. There were only a handful of Stygians throughout Aurum who could have entered his castle without alerting any of the guards, or Casspien for that matter. The castle defenses would need a complete overhaul, he had thought it an overreaction but now it seemed more of a necessity. Yet the more pressing issue was it was quite clear Enrieta had an utterly dangerous ally. It unnerved him greatly.

"Very well," the King of Iliad accepted.

"What is the other?"

Antares searched for the right tone to use, he wanted her to know his question was genuine.

"Do you hate me Enrieta?"

She was taken aback by the question. His expression was sincere, almost childlike in appearance. Enrieta turned her attention back to the path ahead, lost in thought. Together they walked, sharing in the silence.

"I was taught that the Lords of War are more akin to weapons of war than people. That they are the physical manifestation of the Will of all Stygians created to protect all Stygians, yes?"

"There is more to it but you are correct for the most part," Antares admitted. "Your knowledge of our ways is admirable, or should I say that of whoever taught you."

"I have a good advisor," a smile flashed across her face before it disappeared. She returned to her thoughts. "So it can be said that it was in fact the Will of all Stygians that my brother and his family die, yes?"

Antares looked on solemnly, "It was."

"And you are a Lord of War, that and also King of all Stygians. Both the aggressor and defender of that Will, yes?"

"I am."

"Then, there is your answer my friend." There was a predatory air of dread to her words, "I hate the Lords of War for killing my brother and his family, I hate the Will of All Stygians for deeming it so. I hate your Elders for letting it happen. But I do not hate the king that protects them, that is his duty."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Antares turned to look at her, she tilted her head slightly in return.

"I hate only half of you. The half of you that is bathed in their fanaticism and otherworldly authority to give and take as they see fit. However the other half the human side is…pleasing." Enrieta's Vanaheimr accent came on thicker than she intended.

Antares chuckled at the remark, he could not recall the last time someone desired to kill him that did not hate him completely. In many ways Enrieta's sentiments reminded him of how he felt about her. From the first moment he laid eyes on her he knew how threatening this woman was. She was like nothing he had ever seen before, her eccentricity coupled with her ungovernable attitude made her a dangerous opponent. Dueling with this woman would result in a hollow victory at best and at worst, the possible collapse of an entire realm. The Nephilim had always been a threat but to think they would produce a being like this was extraordinary. Antares allowed his thoughts to wander to the day he was given the order to hunt Adelard Zxyphor.

"As always you have entertaining answers," King Antares bowed.

"You ask entertaining questions," Queen Enrieta beckoned, "Come along, we have kept little Reza waiting."

The two monarchs were destined to cross blades in a bloody battle. Only one of them would emerge from the wreckage of their war reborn–remade as an icon to be worshipped and feared. They walked alongside each other, one day their road converging, until then, Antares and Enrieta would enjoy each other's company no matter how fleeting it would be. They both accepted and were resigned to the tragedy that would befall them because of their shared natures.

"He is late."

"He is a king, princess."

"Well he is a late king."

Princess Reza huffed in frustration as she sat within her fathers gardens. Her royal gown accentuated her features, it was a mixture of royal green and darker black. The princess was more inclined to go with a lighter tone, but her mother insisted that she wear an attire that held colors of both her fathers house and her future husband-to-be. Her mood dampened at the thought of marrying him. Their first meeting the night before was lackluster among worse things. His choice of electing to dance with Queen Freyja had embarrassed her more than she cared to admit. In many ways it was a blessing, for the talk of the night was about Faye and Antares. Not her, despite all of them being gathered there for her naming ceremony. Or so she thought.

"Are you alright?" Gawain caressed the side of her cheek. The warmth of her skin gave him life.

"I am," she forced a smile. "My mind wanders, that is all."

Gawain studied the woman he loved with concerned eyes. She looked regal in her clothes. The mark of a true monarch, deserving of the title of Queen. He knew how much Reza hated her wild hair, but he was captivated by it. The manner in which it flowed in the wind, like black tendrils curled out. The fullness of her dark hair was only matched by its luster. Her features were as captivating as always, a soft circular face brimming with energy; with a bosom that drew most eyes towards them. On her face rested blue orbs that contained the very ocean within. When she was happy they would be a deep sapphire only rivaled by the sea itself. However when she was angry, or troubled as she was now. They would freeze and icy azure, eyes similar to the King of Talterra's or the emperor's.

Gawain searched for the right words to say to her but could not bring himself to say anything. He did not know how to console her without embracing her, however his honor would not allow him. Reza was not to be his, it was a reminder that he battled with everyday. He looked her over once more and wondered how one could be so captivating by simply just sitting there looking annoyed.

"Where does it wander so that I may follow?" he asked.

Reza grabbed his hand with a smile, "It is a secret."

"Forgive the delays my princess."

Reza hurriedly rose to meet the burly knight that approached. Her and Gawain both flushed hoping he did not see how close it was they were together.

"S-Sir Isaachard! We did not hear you approach," she steadied herself.

"Please princess, Sir Isaac is more than enough." Isaac bowed low,

Sir Isaachard Isolta forced a warm smile when he met the princesses gaze again. As he was one of the oldest and tenured knights who served house Blackrose, he had expected most of his time during the naming ceremony to be spent leisurely accompanying nobles and royals alike as they feigned interest in the topics they discussed. It was a welcomed change of pace even if it meant that there was now a heightened level of attention given the arrival of the King of Iliad. But Sir Isaac had believed such things would not concern him, for he was near retirement. So one can imagine the shock of the old knight when he was told that for today he would accompany the Stygian King and his betrothed, the emperor's daughter, as they mingled and shared the day together.

Sir Isaac looked over the young princess again, there was an air of mischief about her attributed mostly to children. He turned his gaze towards Gawain; it was not difficult to see why the boy was drawn to her–any man would. She was the antithesis to order, she thrived in chaos, did as she pleased and spoke when the feeling took her. However most importantly, Princess Reza Altieri was also a witch that was enough to garner the desire of all men.

"Sir Isaac we were-"

"It is still Sir Isaachard to you boy," the old knight chided his squire.

Reza giggled, while Gawain embarrassingly stood at the ready.

"S-Sir Isaachard we were just waiting, that is all my lord." Gawain hoped he sounded far more confident than he felt in front of Reza.

"It is as Gawain says my lord." Reza turned in his direction, "But more importantly it is not you who must apologize, you are not late."

"He is a king, my princess."

Reza folded her arms, "So I keep being reminded."

Isaac did not blame the princess for feeling as she did. The girl had been raised in a castle for much of her life, and was unfamiliar with the millennia of history that sifted through the rivers of Aurum. If she had even the slightest idea of the magnitude of the meeting of the nine monarchs, she would not have felt as she did. It spoke to the level of excellence and care carried out by those who served House Blackrose that the soon-to-be Crown Princess was unaware of what was going on.

However for Isaac and many of the senior knights who were aware, the only hope was that the meeting would not spill any royal blood, especially that of the Stygian King's. The consequences could result in the loss of life not seen since the days of the mad emperor himself. The old knight rubbed his greying beard out of habit. The monarch's meeting had gone on for longer than he had expected, and he debated if it was a good fortune, or if tensions were just rising slower, waiting to burst.

"I see the bards forgot to mention that on top of being a kin killer, a drunk and a womanizer, King Antares is also often late." Gawain mumbled underneath his breath, although it was loud enough for Reza to laughed in acknowledgement.

Sir Isaac did not see the joy in the jab. He looked at his apprentice with a sharp expression, "Please forgive my squire princess, Gawain should know better than most, that what the bards sing is more akin to fairytales than fact."

"It cannot all be fairytale can it?" Reza asked, now intrigued.

"I say it all is, the things they say he did are impossible," Gawain declared. "Fighting two Storm Lords by himself? At nineteen at that."

"But is he not a Storm Lord as well?" the princess recalled the words of her teachers, "That is what I was told."

Gawain scoffed, "What proof is there? The bards always exaggerate these wars for greater effect. Are we also to believe the rumors of him slaughtering witches-" the boy caught himself as he realized his mistake.

Reza looked slightly taken aback by the new revelation about the man she was meant to marry. Gawain's words had illuminated something that she had tried her very best not to think about. Of the many rumors about King Antares from his conquests on the battlefield to his exploits in exile and what that entailed. Reza had a growing curiosity upon learning about the Stygians disdain for witches that rivaled other realms and in some cases exceeded it. This man that sought to make her his wife, his queen. She wondered if the same man had ever had a hand in putting people like her to the sword. It was a childish thought, she knew it. Nevertheless, she wanted to know, it would not change things, truthfully it would have no effect on the outcome of the marriage. All the same, Reza wanted to know. And Gawain may have given her, her answer.

"Reza, I mean Princess, it is all rumor-" Gawain was searching for the right words to say but could not find them.

"Gossip, it is the sweetest of fruits. We think it is always ripe." Sir Isaachard yawned loud, startling them. "Then we take the first bite and realize how truly bitter it is on the tongue. Is that not right Princess?" The smiling lines by his eyes wrinkled together in warmth.

Reza agreed with a nod and a smile.

"I have known your father for a long time, he would not soil you by accepting your hand to one who could ever be so foul." Sir Isaac almost believed what he said. However from Reza's relaxed expression he did not feel so guilty for lying to her.

The three of them spoke amongst themselves for a little while longer, when commotion near the castle began to stir. A large group of nobles emerged from the great door as they surrounded two entities. It did not take Reza long to ascertain that it was Enrieta that approached, along with King Antares. Her sister was as regal as ever, but her attention was grabbed by the man who walked beside her. His appearance, the way he carried himself and the air around him was unlike anything she had ever seen. Reza had never really managed to get a good look at him, but the closer he moved towards her the more she took in about him. From his starry hair, to his violet golden eyes, to his features that were a blend of the best both masculine and feminine traits. The only suitable word that she could use to describe him was perfect and yet despite that, it was not enough.

"Forgive me Princess Reza," Antares bowed as he kissed her hand. "My meeting with the monarchs was longer than anticipated."

"All is forgiven," she turned a sweet red shade, and did well to maintain her cool. "I learned that such a gathering is exceedingly rare, so I understand."

"I may have played a role in him taking so long," Enrieta let out a sly grin.

Reza embraced her with a laugh. They pleasantly conversed with Enrieta taking much of the lead, both Antares and Reza secretly hoped that the Nephilim monarch would find cause to join them in their time together. The familiar company of at least one would have helped to ease the tensions between them. Antares had already decided to call an end to the marriage proposal and Reza's heart was clamoring for another. However Queen Enrieta had no intention of spoiling the mood, she sought to leave them alone to their own devices. As she had more pressing matters to address. With that the Nephilim Queen took her leave, and alone stood Antares and Reza in a garden fit for an emperor. Sir Isaac and Gawain took their positions and monitored the area giving the royals privacy that they sorely did not want.

Seeing her again in the daylight, he was reminded of how much she looked like her mother. They had the same dark hair, although Lady Tereza's was fashioned straight. They also shared many facial features, as well as the same eyes and nose. Most importantly of all, they both shared the same expression when they were sad. Antares recalled the conversation he had with her mother and battled many thoughts and feelings. He did not want to soften on his decision about the marriage, Reza had proven nothing to him. And the meeting with her family had demonstrated to be nothing but an insight into the fear they held in their hearts. His union with this girl was meant to permanently establish the peace his father created, but his Akashic Eyes showed him nothing.

"Shall we be on our way?" it was Antares who sought to break the stalemate. "I am told you wanted to go to the sea?" he motioned for her towards the path leading to the ocean.

Reza nodded with enthusiasm, "Ah, yes I do." She took his lead and they walked along.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.