Chapter 2

''I have allowed you to see bits and pieces of the future you left behind as punishment, do better with the knowledge I have gifted you'' Lumina's voice rang loud in Delia's ear. Delia shot up from bed in shock; she was unsure of her surroundings. It looked like she was currently in her bedroom, the one she stayed in a while living in the bronze palace. ''Good morning, Your Highness, your bath is ready'' She looked at the maid who had walked in while she was taking in her surroundings. She could not remember her name. However, she did recognise her as the maid that had frequently served her while she was alive.

She wondered if the maid too had died; she immediately shook the thought because she felt cold. It then dawned on her, she could feel it. She began to pinch herself 'Pain, I can feel that!' she thought to herself gleefully. The maid watching here wondered if the queen had finally lost it after the emperor had sent her to the bronze palace.

Delia did not know what was going on, so she carefully inquired, ''Hey you, where am I right now??" she demanded in a commanding tone. She regretted it immediately. 'habits are difficult to break' she silently scolded herself. The maid wondered if the change in environment had made the queen insane, but she was careful with her response.

"We are currently in the bronze palace, Your Highness; it must be unfamiliar given that you just spent your first night here'', the maid carefully replied. 'The first night? I was sent here by Aiden after I attacked a noblewoman for saying the empress seat would never be mine because I have been queen for the last six years.

Delia recalled what had happened to land her where she was. She knew that she had died. However, all evidence proved that she was indeed alive. 'Durian', she immediately jumped out of bed, startling the maid. " what is your name?" she asked as politely as she could. ''I am Joset, Your Highness,'' she replied almost instantly.

''Joset, where is my son?? Where is Durian??'' she looked frantic. Delia was unsure what was happening, but all she wanted to do at the moment was hold her child. If this was indeed when she was sent to the bronze palace, Durian had just turned five years old. She grabbed her slippers and hastily made her way to the jade palace.

It was currently winter, and it was snowing outside but Delia did not care one bit. Before her death, she had no idea where her son's bedroom was located in the jade palace, but after years of watching him, she knew exactly where to go. In nothing but her pyjamas, robes and slippers, she made it to the jade palace and walked to her son's bedroom only to find it empty.

She panicked and looked around for him. It was still so early, and she wondered where he could be. ''Where is my son!!??'' she yelled at the guards and maids. ''Good morning, Your Highness,'' a slightly older woman greeted Delia. From the way she was dressed, Delia suspected her to be Durian's nanny. "I am looking for my son'', she stated with questioning eyes.

"He is at the training grounds, Your Highness; he has his sword lesson at the moment.'' The nanny responded, making Delia's heart sink. It was very early, and it was snowing outside, yet her five-year-old son must be out in the cold. She silently cursed at herself. She immediately headed towards the training grounds. At this time, about three different maids were running after Delia with winter coats. They could not comprehend what had gotten into Delia and were all almost convinced that she had gone insane.

At the same time, a messenger had gone to report to Aiden about Delia's strange behaviour making Aiden also head for the training grounds.

Upon her arrival, Delia saw her son swinging his sword rhythmically in the cold. His face was flushed, his hair was wet, his clothes looked damp. Durian felt cold and tired, but he knew his mother would get angry if he performed poorly in class. She always told him to become the best and make her proud. No matter his efforts, he was still ridiculed.

''Durian'' the moment her eyes fell on her son, a multitude of emotions overwhelmed her. She sprinted towards him, and Durian, who noticed his mother running at him, dropped his sword as he froze; he was unsure what he had done wrong this time. He realised he had let go of his sword and bent to pick it up quickly. But before he could do so, Delia enveloped Durian in a hug.

Durian froze in shock; he was unsure whether what he was experiencing was a dream or not. He had dreamt of Delia hugging him warmly, giving him kisses and even smiling at him. But she had never done any of that in reality. ''My poor baby, mommy is so sorry.'' Delia repeatedly apologised while holding her son.

Durian couldn't tell why but he too began to cry while also hugging his mother. The mother and son had cried together for a long time before Delia carried her son in her arms. ''His lessons are cancelled for this week; I will send out a new schedule starting next week,'' she said to the sword lesson teacher and headed inside with her son in her arms. 

''prepare a warm bath and warm clothing, also make sure there are snacks and warm drinks ready after,'' she commanded, still holding Durian. The maid scattered to make preparations. ''what is going on here?'' Aiden voice sounded from behind Delia, and she spun around. Aiden was unsure what to make of the sight in front of him. His wife was dressed in what looked like pyjamas and a robe while only wearing slippers. Her eyes looked puffy, and it seemed that she had been crying.

The most unusual thing, however, was that she was holding their son. He couldn't recall if he had ever seen his wife hold Durian. ''what are you planning this time'' The suspicion in his tone was evident. Delia did not expect to see him here, but she did not have the time to deal with him currently.

''Greetings, Your Majesty,'' she greeted Aiden '' As you can see, I am currently trying to take care of my son, he has been out in the snow sword training, and he could fall ill if I don't get him warm'' she said politely. To say Aiden was shocked would be an understatement.

In the time they have been married, Delia had never addressed him as your majesty. She always called him by his name. And she always made sure to emphasise that Durian was their son, never just hers. He was unsure how to deal with her.

''If Your Majesty permitted it, I would like to attend to my son first, and I shall send a letter requesting an audience with Your Majesty; there are a few things I would like to call your attention to'' Aiden was not sure how to reply. He was unsure if the woman standing in front of him was the same woman he had known for the past five years. He had to collect his thoughts; he nodded and retreated. He was unsure what Delia was scheming, and he knew she never did anything without an ulterior motive.

Delia felt Durian shivering in her arms and bit her lip, she looked at her son and he looked absolutely lovely, she felt her heart tug with both love and regret, she did not know how it happened, but she was alive, her son was alive, he was still young. He looked so fragile like he could break and she felt tears well up in her eyes. Durian was beyond confused, his mother never held him she had forbidden him to address her as a mother, a part of his etiquette training. 

''your majesty, did I do something wrong?'' he inquired in a low voice afraid to look at her 'Your majesty' that hurt Delia she kicked herself mentally hearing how Durian addressed her ''No Durian, you did nothing wrong'' she assured him ''it's mother who is in the wrong and for that I am so sorry'' she said as he looked up at her Durian looked a lot more like his father than he did her. She used to like that fact a lot but at that moment she wished he looked more like her. 

"Mother?" Durian asked confused again, Delia understood his confusion, "Durian, from now on I want you to address me however you feel the most comfortable'' she said trying her best to smile. That was something she stopped doing after entering the palace. 

Delia carried her son back to the bronze palace and had him bathed, she put him in warm clothing and ordered breakfast to be prepared for the both of them. Durian was like a statue his posture was stiff, it felt like if he breathed wrong Delia would scold him. Dalia noticed her son's demeanour and she did her best to soften her tone as she spoke to him "Durian I know you have yet to have breakfast as per your training schedule, but today is different, relax and eat'' she said to him. 

Durian looked at the spread in front of him, it looked delicious, he still felt uneasy, and he wondered why she was acting this way ''your majesty, you do not have to test me, I understand a knight must not fall to temptation'' he said with his head down. Delia could not believe her five-year-old son had said that to her. Durian had been born in the summer and she had named him. The emperor did not come to her when she was in labour and showed very little interest in Durian. 

Delia bit her lip and clenched her fists, she took a deep break and spoke ''Duri, look at me, from the day forward you no longer have to follow the schedule you currently have, you are far too young to have to do so already, I was wrong to make you do so and for that, I am very sorry'' she looked apologetic as she continued ''I want you to do whatever you like and have fun, you are still a child'' she concluded hoping he would believe her. 

Durian looked at his mother, he did not see her usual look of disapproval, she had a warm look on her face and at that moment he did not fear her ''Am I allowed to do that, Your Majesty?'' he asked her to be sure. Delia saw his shoulders relax a bit and she answered him, ''Of course you are'' His eyes lit up and she said as she patted his head and he froze, it was an unfamiliar sensation ''Oh I am sorry Duri, I did not know you would not like that'' she said ''no your majesty, I liked that you pat my head, it felt warm'' he immediately interjected. 

Delia's heart felt warm and she smiled at her son as they ate breakfast together. she took Durian back to the Jade palace after their meal and then sent a letter requesting an audience with the emperor which she received an immediate reply to. Her actions that morning had been reported to the emperor and he felt uneasy. Just a few days ago she had assaulted the wife of a Marquise during a ball and now she suddenly taken what seems like parental interest in their son. 

The reply she received was to go see the emperor in the Diamond Palace two days after she had sent her notice. She had spent all her free time journaling, she made sure to write down everything she could remember about her first go at life. '[what is the news with empress Belle?'' she had asked that question to the maids and they all looked perplexed ''Your majesty the empress seat has not been taken yet, the second queen Belle is residing at the Pearl place as you know'' she had spent seven years calling Belle empress and she had forgotten that Belle was not the empress yet. 

'that incident did not happen yet' she thought to herself. She was not a kind woman she knew that she was not as meek as Belle presented to the public and she did not want to be someone else, however, she knew Belle's true nature and now she would do everything in her power to get her removed. It was winter meaning there were about six months before Belle would be crowned empress. 

''Greetings to your majesty, sun of the empire, may Lumina's blessings and light be ever so abundant to you'' she greeted Aiden who was at a loss for words, she had stopped that greeting after he had brought Belle into the palace. "come, sit'' He gestured for her to enter and sit down. Delia looked at Aiden, she had fallen in love with him when she was sixteen right after her debut. 

When the time came for his wife to be chosen she had harassed all her opponents during the selection and made sure she was the only viable candidate as the daughter of the KIngdoms military commander's daughter. He looked a lot younger now he was currently twenty-eight years old and she was twenty-four. After she became his wife his coldness towards her was unbearable and her jealousy made her erratic. 

She, of course, did not blame him, she was not the type of woman he wanted and her cruelty did not help her character in his eyes, she had stopped chasing after his love and tried to secure her son's future to the best of her abilities, all that led to her death and her sons ruin. 'not in this lifetime'' she steeled her heart as she looked at Aiden. 

"I understand I still have a month to stay in the bronze palace as penance for my recent behaviour'' she stated firmly. ''I apologise for any embarrassment I may have caused due to how I acted'' she continued without missing a beat. She had never once apologised for her behaviour regardless of what she did and this shocked Aiden. 

''I understand'' he said ''Is that all?'' he added with a sceptical look "I want to pause Durian's royal studies for now, I have come to realise that the current schedule is too harsh for a child to follow, I want him to enjoy being a child for the time being'' Aiden raised his brow while looking at her '' when I mentioned the schedule was tedious, you insisted he follow it, why the sudden change of heart" He mocked her. 

She clenched her fists ''I no longer wish to hurt my son any more than I already have'' she did not say anything further but the look in her eyes was sincere, Aiden could barely believe his eyes, he had heard she was acting strangely and now he could see just how much. ''are you perhaps ill?'' he asked her. 

''I assure you I am not I'll, I just want to be a proper mother to my child'' there it was again 'my child' Aiden could not put his finger on it, but it seemed as though she was purposefully creating a distance from him when he had heard the news of her pregnancy, he was unhappy. He had requested contraceptive herbs to prevent the chances of her getting pregnant and that had somehow failed. 

He had thought of the possibility of the child not being his, but after his birth, it was evident the child was of royal blood, he was his exact copy. He vowed to never have another child with Belle, he had already broken one vow to only have one wife, and he was not going to purposefully break another one. 

''you want to spend your time with Durian is that all?'' He asked looking at the woman in front of him ''No there is more; I want us to get along better than before'' she said looking firm ''I am not asking for your love, I know you do not love me" she said ''However, I am still your wife, I hope we can be civil from now on, I give you my word I will no longer cause trouble unless I am provoked and I will also leave Belle alone I no longer need to be after her'' 

Aiden did not believe her ''why should I believe you?" he asked her, he could not hide his hatred for her, as the years went by his hatred for her only grew. ''I no longer need to be loved by you, therefore I feel no jealousy towards her'' she stated looking Aiden dead in the eyes ''As long as she does not provoke me I will leave her be" Aiden scoffed. 

''why would she ever provoke you?'' this question made Delia chuckle, it was true that she bullied Belle, but Belle had always provoked her and her jealousy did not help.