You are lying

"After all the things that my Queen and I did for you, is this your way of showing your gratitude... Millie and Hannah?"

Millie scoffed as she glared at Adis. Gone was the respect she once held on her face. "It's funny you're asking that, Your Majesty. Do you really not know or the bliss of being with your beloved made you forget the person you brutally killed?" She gnashed her teeth in absolute rage. Her tears fell uncontrollably while she continued her lament. "How could you be so happy after we lost our loved ones? How could the Queen still get pregnant while mine was gone forever? I abhor you and the entire Royal Family! I wish for Queen Haru to die a tragic death!"

SLAP!

A crisp and loud slap echoed throughout the cold walls of the dungeon and made the weeping maid stiffened from her own outburst. Millie's cheek burned and reddened, blood trickled from the corner of her lips.

"Even if you wish to exact revenge for your loss, you shouldn't have involved Haru. She treated you like a family." Adis stated after slapping the maid's face.

Hannah suddenly giggled as though she had long lost the will to live. "So what are you going to do now, Your Majesty? Ah, that's right! Just kill us now. Once the Queen finds out that we are dead, she will definitely weep until she miscarriage, then she will hate the person who killed us... You!" She tilted her head back and laughed triumphantly.

Adis chuckled in amusement, totally apathetic to their madness. "You are really overestimating yourselves. Are you saying that your pitiful lives are more important than this King's? Did you really think I will let your wicked plans to prevail? I already made sure that Haru can never abandon me. She has been cursed by me. Even if you kill my child, Haru will always be bound to me forever."

He turned around and left the place without looking back. His fists and jaws were tightly clenched while his strides were quick, desperately trying to escape the haunted memories of the past.

When Adis was finally gone, Camus calmly ordered the Ignis brothers to lock the women together in a prison cell and await Adis' further command.

As Millie and Hannah were dragged roughly by Graves and Drako, they softly heard Aquarius' words.

"It's not as if we have forgotten. Did you really think that my big brother doesn't have any idea about your true intentions?" Aquarius started as he slowly turned around to face the women. "And yet, despite the risk, he decided to entrust his 'life' to the both of you. Do you know why?"

The women were taken aback when they saw a teardrop fell on Aquarius' cheek while a sad smile was on his face. "My big brother has always believed that no matter how much you hate us, you will always act according to your husband's will, just like what my big brother has always done for the both of you. It was all because of Ilyas, your husband and Adis' one and only friend.

******************************

"Anais?" Haru's eyes widened at the surprise in front of her. She didn't expect to see the beautiful lamia waiting outside her bedchamber. She blinked her eyes to check whether she was hallucinating, but the warm smile of the lamia told her otherwise.

"Greetings to the venerable Queen of Umbra-- aah!"

Anais was unable to finish her words as Haru already squeezed her snake body in a tight hug. She blushed and her smile widened as she also hugged Haru back. She finally threw the useless formality to the wind and chuckled. "You're still as energetic as ever, Haru."

Haru giggled sheepishly and held Anais' hands. "And you have grown strong and beautiful. Oh, why are you here? Do you have a business in Atlantis?

The lamia shook her head gently and explained. "You've been taking a while to get back to Umbra and I couldn't wait to serve you. So I decided to go here and the King approved my request to start working immediately." Anais' smile became sweet laughter when she remembered something. "You can't imagine my shock when King Adis said that you're finally pregnant. I am so happy for you, Haru!"

"Thank you," Haru said as she caressed her still flat stomach. "I've been waiting for this blessing for so long. I am really excited to see him soon."

"Haru?"

The women's boisterous reunion was interrupted when Adis came out of the bedchamber and approached her.

"It's time for you and our child to have breakfast." Adis hugged her waist and kissed her hair. "Shall we go to the royal dining hall or would you like to have your meal here?"

Haru gently shook her head. "I heard that grandfather stayed here for the night. I'm sure he'll be having breakfast with Popo and Zen. Let us join them, too." She said and started to pull Adis' hands towards the dining hall. Then, she shifted her attention to her friend. "Anais, please join us for breakfast. Hannah's cooking is really good. You will love it."

She was so focused on chatting with Anais while walking towards the dining hall that she failed to see the complicated expression that flashed in Adis' eyes.

Haru saw that everyone had already gathered in the dining hall. Even Drako who normally stayed in Umbra to act as Adis' representative was also present and waiting for them to arrive.

Upon seeing Haru's arrival, Camus, who had his usual indifferent face, suddenly had a gentle expression only meant for his grandaughter-in-law. "Ah, my grandchild, I am glad you are finally here. How was your sleep? Did my great-grandchild give you trouble?"

"Grandfather," Haru squealed and hugged Camus tightly. She giggled then caressed her stomach again, it became her new habit these past few weeks. "My little devil is still behaving for now. But I noticed that I'm becoming more sleepy lately. When my sleepiness attacks, I will always end up dozing off anywhere in the palace."

Camus nodded as he dotingly patted her head. "It's okay to rest. According to Frost, it's normal for a pregnant woman. But be sure that when you sleep, you have Adis or either of the other Kings with you. If none of them is around, grandfather will look after you."

Haru obediently nodded. "Don't worry grandfather, Adis already warned me not to sleep alone."

While Haru was busy talking to their grandfather, the men were busy testing her food on the table. Frost was touching each tablewares that she would use to check for any chemical reaction, Fang was explaining the benefits of the food and who made it, while Adis was personally tasting them all. The security was over-the-top that Haru couldn't stop rolling her eyes for their exaggeration. But only because she still didn't have the slightest idea of what's happening around her.

When everyone sat down to start eating, Haru's head turned left and right, looking for the familiar presence of her two maids.

"Adis, have you seen Millie and Hannah? I haven't seen them this morning." Her question made the dining room fell silent and the beings around her stiffened. Haru blinked her eyes in confusion. "What's wrong?

The two younger Kings discreetly looked at each other while Camus continued on drinking his tea as though last night's event did not happen at all.

Adis cleared his throat before scooping a spoonful of soup and took it near her mouth, coaxing her to open her lips and start eating. "The court session for today might take longer than usual as some ambassadors from small countries in different realms came. Be good and eat your meal on time, okay?"

Haru creased her smooth forehead at his obvious evasion of her question. She gripped his wrist to stop him from what he was doing and stared into his eyes, demanding him to answer her.

The couple had a staring battle for a short moment while their audience cringed and held their breaths, preparing themselves for a disaster that might happen in the form of a beautiful pregnant woman.

Adis sighed heavily and put the bowl down. "I fired them," he simply declared.

"You what?!" Haru angrily stood up and bore her eyes on him with her piercing glares.

Everyone panicked at her sudden movement as if their hearts would leap out of their chests at any minute. Zen was unconsciously biting his nails off. Aquarius was vigorously fanning himself despite the cold wind in Atlantis. Frost readied all his apparatus on top of the table. And Camus... was still peacefully sipping his damn tea.

Adis held her hand as he looked at her. "Calm down, Haru--"

"Stop pouting nonsense! I am calm so you better speak up now. What did you do to my maids?!" She slapped his hand and snapped at him.

Adis furrowed his eyebrows, trying his best to calm his temper. "They have been mixing *rue on your meals. I let it go once, thinking that they might not be aware of what it could do to a pregnant woman... until it became a daily occurrence."

Haru looked at her husband like he had grown three heads. She was utterly stupefied. She suddenly staggered but Adis already anticipated her reaction. He moved fast to catch her body and made her sit on his lap.

Haru shook her head in disbelief. "You're lying. You are... lying," she breathed out, totally in denial of what she just heard.

"It doesn't make any sense. Why would they want to hurt my innocent child? Why would they hurt... me? Why?" Haru was at a loss while her tears were continuously falling out of her eyes.

Adis hugged her tightly. His face grimaced as though he was in pain. His eyes became clouded and distant before he shut it close. He swallowed a lump in his throat before he spoke in a hoarse voice. "It's not... your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It was... because of me.

When Haru heard the complicated emotion in his voice, she felt like someone poured cold water on her, waking her up from wallowing in self-pity. She cupped his face with her hands and look at him in the eyes. She almost drowned from the tormenting glimmer in it.

Adis leaned his cheek in her palm as his trembling hands grasped it. "It was a story of long ago. A story that I wish my mind and my heart can forget..."