New Chapter for Highest Tier (May 2021)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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"There were a lot of obstacles thrown on our way that went on for a long time."

"That sums up my connection with King Gwythyr, my dear." She flashed them an ironic smile before she stared down at her hands and avoided eye contact. "I was burned by his callousness many times and I kept forgiving him. Every time I do that, I lose a part of myself which ultimately kept me sane until the prison became a safe space for me. "

"The Palace of Scleranthus was the only place providing me with security that not even my mate could give. I collected the hurt he inflicted on me in thousand jars and all of them were full until I learn to detach Like you, King Apollyon, I also changed." Princess Ourania said bluntly, sharing her history without any resistance. This time, Apollyon was quiet. "King Gwythr had changed me."

For the worse.

How unfortunate!

These were the times where she could count herself lucky when she married Apollyon… and not some bastard like King Gwythyr, who wasn't willing to get off his high horse.

Well, Luna forgot she was still blood bonded to the Archdemon of Gluttony.

It would be difficult to compare the two since the other one was an Archdemon, but wouldn't it be similar?

"Problems kept on cropping up as if Fate was determined to keep us apart. But the mating bond made our connection stronger. We did not allow that to destroy us." Luna told her, thinking that this was the only way to console Empress Ourania from the suffering in King Gwythyr's hands.

A downturned mouth.

"The mating bond can't do anything to improve a relationship." She glanced at Luna with pity. "Not breaking free from the shackles is self-torture."

"No,Princess Ourania. We never gave up and parted ways even if I was determined to be free from Apollyon at that time." Luna said as she embellished the memory in her mind, "Looking back, I realized I was stupid. Why would I leave someone like him when all he did was love me in his own way? It might not be the right way for me. But Apollyon made some adjustments and it showed."

"Good for you that Apollyon caught on to the fact that you can't have someone wrapped around your finger forever." Empress Ourania said bitterly.

Luna clamped her lips together.

She knew Apollyon's mother had become jaded to the men in her previous life at the Vampire Realm.

She will not add to the hatred over Apollyon's male vampire ancestors.

She shook her head and replied, "It's a trial and error. Nothing is a perfect relationship because the people involved aren't perfect. Apollyon wasn't ashamed to let me feel how important I was to him. I saw courage in his vulnerability." It gave her so much strength and confidence to be real and open up more when she saw the sincerity in Apollyon's glowing eyes gazing at her. "I confess there were times where she felt unadulterated fear of feeling like a fool in front of him. That everything he told me was a lie."

Apollyon's large was gentle against her cheek as he cupped her face. "Beloved, you should trust me always."

"I'm learning, beloved, every single day." It was the hardest thing she had ever done—trusting a person after a series of betrayals. Even if everything in her shouted warnings not to pour all of her faith into him, Luna still tried her best not to let her fears hold her back. That trust made their relationship come this far. Honesty might hurt them, but it had set them free.

Apollyon had proven himself to earn her loyalty.

What else was there to prove?

"When it came to love, Apollyon and I… we both speak different languages. But we tried to understand them despite the confusion. We both lowered down our pride to make it work. It was hard." It was harder than they would have ever thought… "—-but Apollyon was willing to listen because he didn't want to lose me, either."

"Your father was very afraid to lose me, King Apollyon, but that didn't stop him from treating me like a priceless commodity."

"Being with Apollyon made me value communication." Through these challenges, they got to know things about each other. Both of them learned to understand themselves in this relationship. "Perhaps, King Gwythyr and you, Empress Ourania, are lacking in that area."

"It happened a long time ago, dear." She heaved a dramatic sigh. "He isn't going to materialize from his lost ashes anytime soon."

"Talking to each other have increased the intimacy between us and it continued to improve. We also rest the urge to worry, fret and rush into something we hadn't decided on as a couple. I learned how to decide things in consideration of his feelings. And him, as well." They never forget to take a moment to slow down to attend to their responsibilities in the relationship. Most of all, we didn't care about what other people would say about us. "We don't base on our love on pleasing others. I didn't force myself to stay. Sticking with Apollyon later became a decision of mine aside from this blood bond after he proved himself time and time again that he will be loyal to me."

Every fight felt like they were in the middle of the whirlwind—in the eye of the storm.

They have to be calm so that they would fix the underlying core of their issue.

"I want to talk to my wife while we watch the sunrise, bathing in the moonlight while we gaze at the stars as we sleep out in the open or strolling with her in the forest, watcheing the leaves changing color. Time stopped and worry seemed to slip away whenever I am with my Empress and I cherished every moment. We enjoy each other's company. I treat her like it was the last day I will ever see her again."