Prologue

"Your Highness, the queen is pregnant."

The King's hand stopped writing for a moment before he resumed his doing.

"You may go," he said, dismissing the doctor.

The door was closed slowly. King Arius raised his head and gazed at the small round pot that contained a Cast Iron plant. His lips curved upward.

'Quite a resisting one this time.'

He used to put various plants in his room, providing them only with water. Every day, he would look at them until they withered so he could change them to other species.

'Seeing them relieve a bit of my sorrow.'

Arius stood up and walked gracefully to his queen's chamber in the palace's east wing. As he entered without knocking, like he usually did, he saw Valery lying in her bed covered with a white blanket, her golden hair cascaded from the soft pillow to the side of the bed, her snow-coloured face matched her pink small lips and her eyelashes appeared long when she closed her eyes.

'Such a scene deserved to be portrayed.'

His queen was gorgeous.

He took a chair and sat beside the bed. "I know you are awake," he said.

"You were monitoring me, were you?" she said after a brief silence. She opened her eyes slowly and then fixed them with his as if she were begging for an answer.

Arius pressed his lips, refusing to tell anything. Her eyes never wavered from his face. She smiled mockingly, then gazed away. Maybe she had known that his silence meant a confirmation of her suspicions.

"I said no, why did you bring me HERE?" she said, looking at her lap. Her hair covered her cheeks. She looked more like a wronged child.

"Your place is here, not in some old and small house," he answered.

A chuckle rang in like a symphony, later it turned to a hysteric laugh. "Hilarious. You know, I never felt this much happiness like I did when I lived in that house for the past year. Arius, I gave you what you want. What do you need from me?" Valery shouted, she looked back at him with those eyes that sent flame to him.

He remained emotionless, pretending to be unaffected, but he felt a pang in his chest. 

"Take me back," she ordered.

"I can not. You will stay here." Arius moved his hand closer to hold hers, but she slapped his arm away.

"I am still the rightful ruler. With a snap of my fingers, you will be nothing more than an ex-husband who left his position as a king in vain," Valery said. Her red eyes shone in the darkness.

Arius curved his lips a little. He felt funny listening to her words. She was the rightful queen but he would never let her take the kingdom over again until he succeeded in his plan.

"I will let you calm down, then we will talk later," he said, standing up.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Who?" he asked with another question, feigning ignorance. "Are you talking about that man?" he said, tilting his head down. "Don't tire yourself thinking about him. He does not exist in this world anymore. Such a weak human trying to attack me-"

"I don't believe you," she said, interrupting him. Her lips trembled as a tear slowly dropped from her cherry-like eyes.

He said, "I never lied."

She moved her face fast, and her long fang moved near his neck. As she was about to bite him, he held her by her hair and forced her to face him.

"D*** you."

"My dear queen, you changed after living with lowly people." Arius's thumb caressed her pale cheek, "Besides, being too emotional is not good for the baby. Congratulations for giving me such great news."

Valery struggled to free herself from his grip, biting his right hand and distancing herself.

"I am overjoyed that we are going to be parents again. Wait till Celeste hears the news. She will be ecstatic knowing she will be a big sister soon," he said, eyeing the bite mark on his hand, but soon it healed.

Valery smiled mockingly, then looked away.

"Stay here to rest and do nothing reckless, or the baby will be hurt," he said, but she refused to look at him.

He sighed and then walked toward the door. His queen was a stubborn one. She would never succumb to his threats. But she was like a vampire without fangs since no one knew about her return from the one-year leave she took last year.

'I need to hurry things up.' 

"I will kick you out of the palace. You are nothing but an ex-husband. You do not have the right to rule this kingdom," her shout travelled through the empty hallway.

The numbness in his hand spread to his arm. Arius smiled and went towards the royal doctor.

She was feisty as ever.

His queen had returned. From now on, everything would change and his plan would start.