My Father

"I hope you forgive your father." Iryz kissed her forehead, and left the room.

Stephanie woke up in the other world, only that this time, she was not scared. She walked towards the lake, where Inez sat, with the dragon. "Oh, Sister. You're here again."

"Why am I here?"

"So, you've found an answer to one of your questions." She ignored her question. Stephanie was quiet for a while. "Why are you wearing the same of my necklace?" She asked. They touched their pendants, almost immediately, and it suddenly glowed. Inez smiled, "remember what I told you. About the necklace." She said.

"Huh?" She looked confused.

'The one who would gift you a necklace with a scarlet dragon pendant is your father'

"Wait… Duke Lennon is…my fa…father?" She asked to confirm. She took Inez's silence as a 'yes'.

"Why? Why did he leave me?" Stephanie sat beside the lake, and cried. She couldn't believe her father was alive, all along. She always thought her parents had died, she longed to see her parents. "Stephanie, take it easy, please."

"Does Michael know this? Is that why he chose to marry me because I'm from your race?

"Yes" Inez said, bowing her head.

"So, if I'm his daughter, and he's red haired, which means he has powers, and you do, also, why don't I?" She asked.

"I… you…"

" You don't have to tell me. I'm different from all of you, that's why he abandoned me."

"Sister, wait, I—"

"No! I'm going." She stood up to leave.

"Please, listen to me," Inez begged.

"Goodbye. Sister!"

"Scarlett, what do we do? She needs to know the truth." She communicated, telepathically. Scarlett groaned, "yes, let's tell the queen. Let's go."

"Are you alright?" She opened her eyes to see Michael sitting beside her. "You've been asleep for a while now."

"Why did you marry me?" She asked out of the blue. Her gaze, so intense, could depict her angry soul. "What are you talking about? Is anything wrong?"

"So, you knew!"

She straightened her dress, and walked out, with Michael chasing her. She met Duke Lennon, and Bruce at the Royal Chamber, they were talking to the sorceress. "Please, wait." They turned their attention towards the duo, they could feel the intensity of the situation. It must be something serious, if not, why would the Prince be chasing after her. "Duke Lennon. Prince Michael. When were you two planning to tell me the truth?"she asked without wasting a second.

"You left me that night, in the rain. You didn't care about me, how I'd survive. Every night, I stain my pillow with tears, hoping and wishing you'd come back. Thinking you were dead. Do you know how I survived in the hands of my cruel stepmother and her daughter?" She yelled, as tears streamed down her eyes. "My dear—"

"Don't. Don't touch me!"

"Calm down, let's—" Michael tried to speak.

"And you! You married me for your selfish aim. I was the bait, you didn't care whether I had the power or not, as long as I came from the red haired race. I see why you're called the Devil." She spat. Michael never cared if anyone called him the devil, or said hurtful things to him. He felt broken, hearing the words come from her. His heart crushed into pieces, seeing her cry. In his life, he had never cared for anyone, like he cared for Stephanie.

"I do not belong here. I don't have any power, even with my red hair, that's why he abandoned me. The crescent season is in a couple of days, it's enough time to look for a wife. I am leaving." She ran as fast as she could. Michael stood rooted to his spot, his world was crumbling. "Prince Michael, please do something." Duke Lennon pleaded.

"We've searched the whole palace, but there are no traces of her." Max said. "Search every nook and cranny, do not return, until she is found." Michael ordered. He looked like someone who escaped the psychiatric hospital. He was going crazy. It's been two hours, since Stephanie left. "Mike, please take it easy. She hasn't gone far, right?" Bruce tried to calm him down. "Bruce, she is not safe. She doesn't have any weapon. I can't be alright, if she's still out there."

"What do we do now?" Lennon asked the sorceress. She closed her eyes, and touched the white ball. "I can't find her. Something is blocking my vision."

"When is her power awakening?" He asked. "I'm not sure of that, she is a frail creature, the power is too immense. She must be present during the awakening, but she was triggered already. I'm not certain, but her powers might be gone. Forever."

Lennon rushed to his chamber, he tried to summon the queen. That was one of the powers he had. "She is gone!"

"Prince Michael, sorry for interrupting. I have something important to say." Vanessa walked in. It's been six hours, and Stephanie was not found. "Speak." He was becoming impatient.

"I… I saw a vision. After the crescent season, there will be war. A war that will destroy Chester County, even the Prince will not be able to stop this war, alone."

The room was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. "How do we save the County?" Michael asked. "I… I'm sorry, but I couldn't see that part."

"Sorceress, anything?" He hoped she would have a solution. "I'm sorry, my Prince. My white ball isn't showing anything, something is blocking my vision."

"My Prince, King Amos is dead!" The spy announced. " What killed him?"

"I don't know, it was not ordinary. He was poisoned, with a rare poisonous fluid."

"What?"

"Paraquat Dichloride." They gasped because they knew how toxic the poison could be. One sip, and the victim is dead, there is no antidote. It was rare, and anyone who possessed such a poison, must be powerful.

"Who could've done this to him?" The sorceress asked.

"It can only be one person." Their gazes were fixed on the silhouette walking in.