_WHITE CASTLE, DALASTIA_

After getting face slapped by Athena, Katherine's Mother pulled her daughter inside her personal living. Making sure that the door was perfectly locked and no one could hear her words an ounce, she grabbed Katherine's arms harshly. Katherine squealed under her grip and mumbled unhappily,

" Mother.. why.. why are you venting out your rage on me.. It's that bitch who insulted.."

" Shut Up", Katherine's Mother yelled almost instantly and gave her a furious look. She definitely understood the meaning behind her anger but still pretended to be unknown.

Katherine immediately fell in silent, sucked her bottom lips and lowered her eyes down nervously. Katherine's Mother sobered up her temper a little and quired tugging on her arms roughly,

" Tell me, whose bastard that you are carrying on? "

Katherine's expression paled drastically. Memories of that shameful night quickly flashed across her vision brightly. She could only slap herself for committing this mistake. Katherine's Mother was loosing patience at her dense silence. She gritted her teeth together and repeated her question dangerously,

" WHOSE CHILD IS THIS? "

Katherine felt the wrath in her mother's voice. She no longer dared to keep quiet and revealed the truth nervously,

" I was drunk at that.. night..A..a guard from the castle helped me to get back inside my..room..Then...then.. According to his explaination, I forced myself on him and he.. he couldn't resist my proposal..So..we..we just slept together at that night.. Before sunrise..he..sneaked outside before anyone can find us..I..I just didn't expect that I will fall pregnant, mother..It wasn't really intentional, I swear on that."

Katherine's Mother felt her whole world tumbling down underneath her feet after hearing out the incident from Katherine's mouth.

Her daughter.. whom she wished to see as a queen had actually slept with a mere guard? What sins did she commit in previous life to receive this punishment?

Katherine's Mother instantly slapped on Katherine's cheeks hardly and shouted in rage,

" Bastard! You actually slept with a guard and now you have dared to frame Ethan with this useless child of yours? Have you thought about the consequences? What will happen to us when Queen Melinda will figure out the truth?"

Katherine started sobbing and assured while choking on her words,

" I..I just can't see brother Ethan marrying someone else except me, mother. You know that I have been secretly liking her since my childhood. You must believe on me, Mother. I will definitely make him loving me before this child is born. Once he becomes mine, I can get rid of this child easily."

Katherine's Mother seemed to have an extreme headache coming. She asked out coldly,

" What about that guard?"

Katherine stopped crying a bit and replied back anxiously,

" I have given him few sum of money to keep his mouth shut. He won't definitely dare to open up his mouth."

Katherine's Mother glared at her harshly and scoffed,

" He better be!"

Katherine wiped her tears and continued lowering her eyes down. Katherine's Mother sobered up a little at her daughter's pitiful face. After all, she was her beloved daughter. She sighed helplessly and spoke pulling Katherine in her embrace,

" All right! Don't shed your tears anymore. You know that how much I love you. Since you have made this mistake, we should use this rare opportunity to bind Ethan with you. Queen Melinda is already dreaming of her grandchild. We should take each steps cautiously and get rid of that Vampire bitch. You hear me? "

Katherine nodded from her mother's chest obediently and smiled cunningly.

Indeed her tears were the best weapon to snatch everyone on her side! Poor Athena! How longer can you hold him back on your side, I wonder!

••• TWO HOURS LATER •••

The sun had completely risen up in the blue sky of Dalastia heating the entire space naturally. After fooling around with Athena for another round, the new elected king was thrown out of the room mercilessly. Athena didn't let him stay any longer with her and kicked him out from her room.

Ethan could only go back to his own room and started to get prepared for his frist day of courting with the high fairies from Dalastia. The courtroom of Dalastia was pretty crowded today as the ministers all had to join together to greet their king.

Meanwhile, Esme had already reached on the border of Dalastia with her people already. Before passing through the border, she stood there silently looking around the corner. She still couldn't forget about the day when people called her slut in front of everyone. They almost dragged her out from her own world which was filled with her memories of whole life. Standing on the border side with so much emotions, she didn't notice when the pain from her heart crawled up into her eyes and invited tears.

She sucked a painful breathing and clasped the tiny hands in her grisp tightly. Ayra who happened to notice her mother's emotions suddenly blurted out coldly,

" Mommy, don't cry! If anyone bullies mommy, Ayra will fight with him."

Esme looked down, smiled proudly and complimented,

" My brave baby girl! Mommy will need you always."

Ron still seemed fearful as he asked nervously,

" Serena..you..you sure want to do that? We can actually continue living in Crimond without any troubles."

Esme shook her head lightly and answered,

" No Ron! We can't trouble you always like that. You have done enough for my family. It is time that I snatch back my authority proudly."

Ron didn't retort anymore and nodded with hesitation. Anna's admiration towards Esme once again boosted up as she offered gladly,

" I will accompany you towards the court, Princess."

Esme smiled without any objection and told to Ron nervously,

" Ron, Please wait over here with Ayra. Don't walk inside until I call you out. I don't want Ayra to witness such chaos."

Ron hummed in response and took Ayra's palm in his hand. Looking up at Esme slightly, he assured with a smile,

" Don't worry! I will safeguard her until you summon us."

Esme sighed heavily and didn't delay any longer. Accompanied by Anna, she directly walked in and started to head for white castle.

After few minutes of walking, they reached over the doorway of courtroom and looked inside the crowd coldly. Suddenly one of the high fairy noticed Esme's presence and cried out loudly,

" Dear God! Look.. look over there, everyone.. Isn't that the slut Princess? How did she come here? Someone call the king before this holly place get jinxed by her."

Esme remained nonbothered about their curses and waited there patiently for Ethan's arrival. Anna almost barged in to strangle their lives but was held back by Esme from behind. Katherine and her mother also noticed her presence from their seats.

Katherine exclaimed patting on her stomach dramatically to gain more attention,

" Damn it! What is this slut doing here? Mother, go and call queen Melinda over here. Only she can teach her good lesson. I don't want anymore bridges between us."

In a blink of eye, the whole courtroom was in uproar as they started to throw dirty comments on Esme continuously.

•••MARRIOT CASTLE•••

The butler who felt his mind becoming a pool of water after witnessing the harmonious scene between Isabella and Cedric smiled contentedly. The moment he turned around to leave,his track froze looking up at the sulky looked man astonishingly.

" Mi.. Milord...", the butler immediately had his head down towards Oscar whose eyes kept staring at his eldest daughter who was cautiously rocking Cedric.

Oscar didn't say any word and spent few moments on staring at them. The butler lifted his head up to see through his emotions nervously. Oscar looked like a body without soul who happened to walk out from his own grave.

After a lot of struggling, the butler questioned fearlessly in a soft voice,

" Milord..the Lady's body.."

" I have sent her back to her real familiy.", Oscar responded hoarsely, his voice leaped with pain while mentioning Jasmine. The butler had nothing to say anymore. He let out a soft sigh and offered Oscar nervously,

" Milord..do..do you want to take rest first or you are leaving again? "

Oscar didn't answer any of his question. Instead his blank eyes fell on his loyal butler and ordered briefly,

" Prepare a will for my kingdom! "

The butler frowned having some bad feelings and asked back immediately,

" Will? Will about what? "

Oscar blurted out without any hint of emotion,

" After my departure, Cedric Arnaldo Dixon will take the throne as the new ruler of Basarisk Kingdom."

The butler was so shocked that he forgot to take a blink of his eyes. Before he could react much, Oscar turned around to leave the doorway and started to head towards the direction of his own room.

The butler who had been utterly confused asked out loudly halting his track,

" Milord.. won't.. won't you visit the young prince for once?"

Oscar turned around silently and answered curling up his lips bitterly,

" I promised Jasmine that I won't hate him, butler. That doesn't include the fact that I will start loving him. To ensure his bright future, I am transferring my heritage on him. It is only because Jasmine made this sacrifice for him. I won't ever try to kill him anymore but he will never become my real son.NEVER! He will always be a cruel, pathetic demon with no love in my eyes. Keep my daughter stay away from him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eid Mubarak everyone! Today is the biggest festival of our country. So I might miss my update tonight. Please be patience and try to understand that I have my personal life to enjoy. Hope, you are enjoying the story so far! I have so much things to pen down in this story.