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"Amishta." The king looked at his daughter, thinking that as a king he can't even protect his precious daughter.
"Father," Amishta assured his father. She hugged his father as if nothing had happened. She just wanted to have a moment with his father because she knew that this was only starting; maybe there was more danger in the future.
Amishta may want the attention and pampering around her, but this time she wants them to look at her as a warrior and not a fragile princess who can only cry in the battle. She wants their protection, but if she is protected by them all the time, then she won't be able to make herself stronger.
"Father, I am fine. Father, can I involve myself in politics deeper?" The king looked at her in the eye as if trying to access her soul. He saw the determination that he never saw in her daughter. Her aura seems to be getting darker, which shocked the king, but he was quite happy because he knew that his daughter is not someone easy to bully.
"Father, I support my sister's decision. As a princess, she is entitled to be involved in politics. It was just a matter of time, so Father, why not make it now?" Crown Prince Axel smiled at his own father and sister. After what happened, he no longer wants to make his sister stay in this cage but rather to see the world.
Amishta was so touched by his brother. She actually felt that his second brother already didn't see her as a frail woman but as someone who can do more. He just said that he trusts her in their whole journey and just comforts her, saying that he is always there.
"Sure. As a princess, you ought to do something for our country. I am just quite sad because it is this early, but since you decided to do so, then I'll support you."
"Thank you, Father, but I am not yet fully ready. I want to learn. I need the best teachers for me to gain a better understanding of our country, and also someone who can train me with a sword."
"I will do as you request, my princess. For now, you take a rest. I will give you the best teachers tomorrow." Amishta nodded and curtsied to his father and second brother to rest.
"Father, we can't fight her destiny anymore. We are all worried about her, but the best thing we can do now is to prepare her for her fight she will face in the future." Axel sighed while trying to see his father in difficulty.
"Can't I just cage her for her safety?" King stated as he opened the secret compartment of his table. He unwrapped the paper and lovingly stared at the beautiful lady in the drawing that is the exact replica of Amishta, with the eye color as the difference, because Amishta's eyes were emerald green, the same as her father's.
"Amishta inherited our mother's bravery and compassion towards us and our country. Mother might be happy right now."
"You always knew that your mother died not because of giving birth but because of my fault; she sacrificed herself for us." The real reason for the death of the queen was not known to everyone because it was kept tight by the king. One day, if the time is right, her daughter would see how heroic his queen was.
...Flashback.....
"Baby, don't be naughty. Your mom will be in pain." King Philip lovingly touches Queen Bella's stomach.
"You can't be bad at her. She will be terrified with you," Queen amusedly states while smiling at her husband, who is looking at her big bumps. It is already her expected birth month.
Did she only stay at the king's place?
"Your majesty, sorry for the disturbance, but the Queen Dowager is looking for you." The eunuch was trembling, but he couldn't just neglect the Queen Dowager's order. Queen Bella raised her eyebrows and stared at her husband.
"I don't have an idea." King Philip sighed as his queen seemed to be in a bad mood. The Queen Dowager was not his biological mother but a consort that raised him when his queen birth mother died at an early age. He trusted her as his real mother, but Queen Bella has never liked her.
"Go." Queen Bella urged him and pushed him towards the door. King Philip just smiled at her and looked for his mother. Upon arriving at his mother's place, he notices her pale face. He runs towards her and holds her hand.
"Mother, are you okay? Do you need a doctor?---"
"No, I am just fine. I just want to see you. It has been a long time since you visited my place. If not for me calling you, maybe you wouldn't even want to see me." The queen dowager was obviously aged, but her posture and her manners are always sophisticated, which makes her look younger.
"Mother, don't say that. I was just busy because of lots of work, but it is also my fault for not being filial to you, Mother. Please forgive your son."
"I don't blame you, son. Here, drink this tonic that I made myself for you," she said, full of smiles while giving the bowl to his son. King Philip was thankful and drank it without hesitation.
"Thank you, Mother, but I hope you don't do it next time because I just don't want you to get tired---" He stopped talking as soon as he felt something was wrong with his body.
"Are you okay? Maybe you're tired from working. You just get a rest."
"Yes, mother---"
"Your Majesty!" King Philip totally blacked out after a glimpse of his consort, Zia.
"Greetings, Mother. I shall take care of His Majesty." Consort Zia smirked and asked her guard to carry King Philip.
"Just don't hurt him. I hope to get good news after this," the Queen Dowager stated.
Consort Zia laughed, making Queen Dowager look intensely at her. They both colluded to make the king sleep with the consort to have her baby and kill the queen.
The Queen Dowager loves her son very much, but she hates the Queen because she feels like she took away her son from her. Though Consort Zia is not as good as the Queen, she at least respects her. She just can't fight with the Queen because her family is the most powerful besides the royal family, so she just hated her to the bone.
"What is the meaning of this?" Queen Dowager gritted her teeth as she saw the guards coming inside her place by Consort Zia's instruction.
"You are just nothing but an old woman now. Thank you for giving the King to us because the new King is already arriving."
"You!!! Who are you?" The Dowager was taken aback and lost control of her body. She regretted it.
"Well, I am just no one but a tool to reinstate the Dragon Dynasty." She smirked and pulled the Dowager out of her seat.
"Hmmmp! You! Yeah, you're just a tool because you slut can never achieve something such as making my son look at you. Maybe even if you take off your clothes in front of him, it won't make him stare at you. Oh! I remember that you just did, but---"
"Shut up!!!" Consort Zia shouted, but it only made the Dowager laugh hard. The Dowager already knew how Consort Zia was obsessed with her son, thus wanting to agitate her.
"Well, the Queen is just above you and wont---" Consort Zia was so angry that she thrust a sword into the Dowager's stomach. The Dowager smirked at her until her last breath. Consort Zia makes her way out angrily.
"We must leave the palace at once. Jiro and Axel, you must be brave. You must not be captured by the enemy," the queen declares as soon as the knights report to her what had just happened. The Queen is not emotionally stable, but she must not give in.
"Yes, Mother." Prince Jiro and Axel are both worried, but seeing their mother carrying their princess but still trying to act calm makes them challenged.
"Good. Now go to your uncle Brix and state danger. He will know what to do just hearing that word. You must see him as soon as possible. Your knights will be with you. This is your first mission. Now go."
"But Mom, how about you and Baby?" Prince Jiro was in tears, but Queen Bella just comforted him.
"We will be fine. Axel, go with your older brother now." Axel was also on the verge of crying, but he tried not to and nodded. They bowed to their mother and ran towards the secret passage.
"Where is Philip?" asked the Queen.
"He is with Consort Zia."
"What is the situation in the whole palace?"
"Master, guards are already posted almost everywhere in the palace except in the inner palace. The real enemy is marching towards the capitol; it is just about two hours to enter the palace."
"Is everyone here?" The head knight was quite surprised because, aside from the Shadow Knights that solely belong to the King, the Dark Knights belong to the Queen. They might just be a hundred, but they are trained assassins to protect her with their lives.
"Yes, master."
"Gather everyone from our side. We need to rescue the king. We still have time; maybe my brother might be just on time."
"But master, you're pregnant. You can't risk your baby." She smiled.
"Baby, I will just exercise a bit, okay? Stay first in Mommy's tummy and play."
The guard was trembling because of the aura his master was giving off. Even before marrying the king, the queen is already a general who has been a hero in the eyes of the public. She never feared death, and her Dark Knights were the ones she was with in every battle she fought and won.