Note:

This chapter is dedicated to the lovely Maude Fluckiger for gifting a spacecraft and castle and many other gifts to this book today. I have run out of words to thank you, but I hope you know how much I am grateful and appreciate your support. xx

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"I said I met Lady Emmelyn in Summeria," Edgar repeated his words. "She fled Draec because she thought you were hunting her for a crime she didn't commit. I was very surprised when I saw her there..."

Mars went into a daze. He had asked Edgar to repeat his words, but when Edgar did, Mars' mind went into a shock. He couldn't process the information he just received.

Did Edgar really say he met Emmelyn in Summeria?

How was that possible?

Didn't Emmelyn die months ago?

Did she...

Oh, my gods...

Slowly realization dawned on him and the man covered his face with one hand, while his other hand hugged Harlow, trembling.

Did she fake her death again?

Mars couldn't help it when tears streamed down hard from both corners of his eyes. He didn't even make an effort to wipe them. He was feeling really emotional.

If Emmelyn was truly still alive... then, he would go and get her as soon as possible. He would clear all the misunderstandings.

He would beg her to forgive him for leaving her in the past and caused her to be exposed to so many threats and sufferings.

He would show her that even when she was not around, he did all he could to take care of Harlow and raised her to the best of his ability.

Mars would also tell her that when he thought she died, he remained faithful and never thought of getting another wife, even to help him raise their daughter or to get a male heir.

He was determined to raise Harlow and made sure she had a good life before he went to be with her.

"Edgar..." Mars's voice sounded choked. "Did you really see my wife? Alive?"

His reaction made Edgar surprised. Right at that moment, Edgar realized, he didn't yet know the whole story.

Why did Mars look so devastated upon hearing that Edgar saw Emmelyn in Summeria?

"Yes... she was alive when I saw her three weeks ago," Edgar replied.

Mars lowered his hand from his face and looked at Edgar with tears streaming down his eyes. "I thought she had died... Emmelyn left the capital months ago and even though I offered such a big reward for anyone who could find her and bring her back safely to me... I failed."

The king finally wiped his eyes and massaged his temple. He should have known that Emmelyn was very resilient and wasn't so easy to kill. If she could fake her death once, surely she could fake it twice.

This realization made Mars feel so stupid.

"My people found a body that looked like her and was wearing her wedding ring... I thought it was Emmelyn and she was killed." Mars sighed. "Her face was barely recognizable because the body was already decomposing, but I relied on that wedding ring... I really thought my wife died... and I have been mourning her death ever since..."

Edgar immediately connected the dots and he realized what actually happened to Emmelyn in Terra before she continued her journey to Summeria, and finally ended up in Castilse.

Gosh... now, Edgar felt like he wanted to raise his hat to salute that woman. She was so smart and resilient. Emmelyn managed to avoid so many knights for hire who were after her. Edgar couldn't think of many men who would be able to accomplish such things.

But... there were still some questions that remained...

For example... how did she end up with King Loriel Ashborn? Did his knights find her for him? King Loriel had been looking for Emmelyn for a long time. So, maybe his effort paid off?

"Your Majesty... I saw her in Summeria several weeks ago. She was healthy, so you can stop worrying about her," Edgar spoke to calm his friend down. "However, she looked very sad and, from what I gathered, she misunderstood your action. She thought you are just like other people who accused her of the murder."

Harlow opened her eyes in confusion when she felt her father's tears fell down to her cheeks. The baby pouted and batted her eyes in annoyance before she started crying her lungs out.

"Oh no..." Mars became panicked. He got up and rocked his baby in his arms back and forth. "I am sorry.. I am sorry, baby... I was just.. No, please don't cry...."

He was just feeling so overwhelmed by the fact that his wife was apparently still alive. This was such a beautiful day. Mars was in tears, but slowly a smile curved up on his lips.

As long as it was not death that separated him and Emmelyn, he could try to get his wife back. No matter what it took. Mars kept rocking Harlow and made cooing sounds to calm her down.

His heart was filled with joy and warmth to the brim. The change in his countenance immediately affected Harlow, and slowly the baby stopped crying.

Soon, they could only hear her faint sobs. Her lips still pouted and she stared at her father with her big round eyes, as if blaming him for giving her a scare.

"I am very sorry, sweetheart... I was just shocked to know that your beautiful mother is still alive..." Mars looked at Harlow dotingly and smiled. "Will you forgive me?"

Harlow still pouted but then she reached out her toe and tried to put it into her mouth. Mars quickly held her hand and put it back to her side.

"No chewing your toe today. Your mother will blame me if she saw your bad habit and think I didn't raise you properly."

Harlow pursed her lips and looked to the side. Her eyes caught sight of Edgar who was staring at her in awe. Edgar still couldn't believe his best friend was now a doting father and his baby was truly adorable.

"Your father is right," Edgar quickly came to his friend's defense. "A princess doesn't chew her toe."

Harlow rolled her eyes at his answer and snuck her head to her father's arm and bit it. She seemed eager to bite anything she could get her teeth into.

Mars looked at Edgar apologetically, "She is teething."

"Oh..." Edgar didn't understand what it was, but he didn't want to probe into it.

He thought he and Mars had something more urgent to talk about. For example, how were they going to get Emmelyn back? The threat of going into war with Summeria over her... and of course, bringing back Queen Ellena from the dead.

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From the author:

Awe... Harlow is soooo cute! I am feeling very excited about what is going to happen in the royal palace today.

I will publish two more chapters in the next few hours. Sorry, I couldn't publish earlier, I had to assist my clients in a virtual meeting today.

Appreciation post:

Thank you, dear Kelly Goodwin, for sending a dragon and many other gifts today! You are so kind. The Cursed Prince has been showered with so many gifts lately and I will make a separate post in later chapters to express my gratitude so this note wouldn't take the whole page. xx

PS: I made many videos and pictures for this book. Sadly I can't post them here. I can only publish the pictures in low resolution here.

I will also upload all of them to a Google Folder and send you the link to see/watch them when I am not uber busy.