Reality

"We both know why you gave the maids a feast" Anton teases from where he leans on the door frame, "And you do know that a mare maid servant won't be accepted by anyone right?" He finishes with a small laugh as Adder glares at him over the cup of tea he's been drinking slowly since the beginning of their time together. 

"Oh come on Anton, don't be a fun sponge" Andre nervously chuckles glancing at Adder before silently warning Anton.

"And does it look like I care if anyone accepts her or not? " Adder scoffs, taking another sip. He really didn't give two flying fucks  about whether or not anyone accepts emerald as his wife. And yes the fact that no one would be in support of his relationship with a servant is kind of disappointing but it's fine he didn't care. 

"Don't you think she should feel the same way?"  Anton asks tentatively after a couple seconds of silence. Adder exhales in annoyance glaring at Anton. Adder didn't like how interrogative Anton was being  about the matter.  It's a bit ridiculous to Adder. 

"It doesn't matter dear cous" He smiles widely  ignoring how Andre flinches slightly at the interaction. "You don't have to worry about anything" Adder pauses sipping some more while looking Anton dead in the eyes before pouring the rest of his tea slowly in front of Anton. The king leaves the room  quietly leaving just Andre and Anton alone.  The atmosphere in the room feels heavy as a thick tension hangs in  the air. It's suffocating, but they know they shouldn't talk about it. 

"Are we going to ignore the fact that Adder is getting obsessive?"  Anton asks, breaking the silence after a minute of uncomfortable silence. 

"What are you going to do then?" Andre sighs, running a hand through his hair  in frustration. "What Adder wants to do with the maid shouldn't concern us, she's just a servant after all"  He mutters under his breath in defeat. 

"Just a servant? She's someone's daughter"  Anton hisses, clenching his jaw  as his eyes burn into the ground in rage. "So what?" Andre retorts stubbornly "That doesn't mean that Adder will change his mind about her, Adder's always gotten every single thing he's ever wanted, and he's not stopping now" 

Athena matches with full speed and solar trying to catch up to her speed towards Adder's room but she bumps into the said man right in front of his room. Adder eyes her  wide in disgust. "You had breakfast with your concubines?" The queen's breath is cut short when Adder grabs her by the throat pushing her into the wall. Solar gasps falling on the ground. 

"I'd stay out of my business if I were you" Adder seethes glaring at her with murderous intent, making Athena gasp for air. His grip around her throat tightening painfully. His fingers digging into her skin. Athena struggles futilely but she can't get herself loose. "Adder.." She chokes out, choking on the word. 

"Dont appear before me again" Adder growls, squeezing harder and tighter, until her eyes begin to roll to the back of her head and a black haze clouds her vision, before everything goes black.  A loud thud rings in her ears as she crashes to the ground. She lays there unmoving. Her chest rises and falls shallow breaths that fill her lungs painfully slowly. Athena groans in pain and reaches a trembling hand to touch her throat.  She finds nothing there except for a large bruise blooming on her neck where Adder held her tightly. Her throat felt sore from the squeeze of the man's strong hands and she could taste blood on her tongue from the lack of oxygen that rushed out of her body due to the intense grip he had. Adder walks away without sparing a terrified solar a glance.  As soon as he's out of sight Solar rushes to Athena's side, helping her sit up and checking her pulse.

"I'm okay" She shoves Solar away roughly, wincing as she stands up slowly. Athena winces at the pain that radiates throughout her whole body and limbs to her room, ignoring the confused look on peoples faces. Once inside the privacy of her room, she collapses to her knees in a fit of tears, sobbing loudly in despair, and grief.  She wraps her arms around herself in desperation. After a few minutes of silence, she pulls herself together, composing her appearance and wipes off her cheeks with her sleeves and takes a deep inhale to steal her resolve. 

"Did you guys hear? Xandro is back" Aby whispers as a few maids gathered together to gossip in between duties.  There's a collective sound of excitement as they talk excitedly.

"Really? Whos that by the way?" Ida  asks with a curious look etched on her face. 

"Rumor has it he's the strongest and most handsome guard the palace has" 

"So where has he been all this while?" Agnes asks curiously, twirling a lock of blond hair around her finger with a smile."He went on an assignment somewhere else" Aby replies nonchalantly,"Apparently to slay dragons beyond devontae" 

"Aby you should have a podcast at this point i swear" Mary yells from a distance with an annoyed scowl.