>> Times passes by...

Queen Juno shows slow and mild symptoms of weakness. Astarte, her daughter and the next to the throne queen, gives enthusiasm and prime on her age.

The princess’s coming right of age is about to approach. She will soon become a full-fledged adult demon.

Queen Juno couldn’t stand further of working longer hours; in behest of her works, her trusted confidants: Mashtema and Ifrit do the work.

It’s the mid-Winter Solstice. The cold winter seasoned the days of the people from the Kingdom. Piles of withered leaves from the branches scattered in the cobblestone road of the kingdom.

Forests withered, and snow starts to fall from the sky. The moonless night’s approaches leaving the once clear path to the lamps above the erected posts.

Longer nights are present than daytime.

People of the kingdom keep working and doing the daily lives they’ve been since. Inside the castle erected at the center, soldiers and guards are in keep from any hostile outsiders to infiltrate.

The Kingdom remains its serene days since the last king reigned and defeats the heroes from the human race.

In the tranquility, Queen Juno sometimes reminisces the times her husband and King, Mephistopheles were around. The once she loved, and adore more than anything.

To distract herself, Queen Juno does paper quilling together with the other servants serving her. Since she can’t work much long than before, the only thing distracts her attention is this mini project.

“Queen Juno, the princess is here to visit you...” a sudden call from Aeshma heeded by her. “Let her in.” Juno utters.

The servant bows as she quickly responds to open the door. “Mom...” Astarte called in as she enters inside the chamber. With her trot steps, she comes closer to see Juno.

Near the window, Juno sits as the rays of morning sunbeam lures over. Her appearance has been decimating constantly. The once beauty she possess now change.

On her hands is the rolled colored paper as she looked at the young princess. “Astarte...” she called out.

Astarte walked towards the queen as the servants stand up and bows to pay respect for the princess. On her lips is a smile shown up. “How are you doing, mom?”

“I’m fine; doing this paper quilling makes my boredom go away for a bit.” Juno utters as she look back at the image on the frame placing down the ground.

Astarte sits at the ground where the servants sit as well and gazes at the image made on the quill attached through. “It’s pretty,” she mumbled.

“This is for you. I’ve been spending more hours to do this.”

Juno shows a brimming smile as she replied. Astarte lifts her head and look at the queen. Her stature goes weaker, and she gets thinner. The once vigorous woman she looked up to vanished.

“Leave us for a moment, please?” turning her head to look at the servants, Astarte asked out.

The servants then stand up and bow to leave without saying anything. They quietly exit the chamber, leaving Astarte and Juno behind.

“Mom, have you been sleeping or eating properly? You’re getting paler and thinner...”

On her voice sounds the concern towards the case of the queen. Astarte stands and cups the face of Juno with her two hands. She felt the wrinkles attaching over her face.

“I am, worry not about me. What about you? You’re undergoing the rite of adulthood soon.” Telling that, she then gazes at the young princess. Luring through her sight is the prim woman, basking on the morning sunbeam.

The once baby she hold on her arms is now a proper lady. Her blonde hair, like a gold glimmering, and pair of emerald hue eyes full of life is glaring at her as well.

“My dear child, my next queen... my daughter, you grew up properly into fine, young woman...”

In her mind lures that thought as she smiles.

“Should I really need to turn into adult? I mean, I haven’t thought about the responsibility of being a queen.”

On the serene surroundings, Astarte let out those words. Through her eyes is the doubt and realization from the future bestow up to her.

Juno chuckles after hearing her complaint. “I know you’re afraid to take over the position I have, but there’s no one than you who can rule this Kingdom.”

“But mom—-“

“You will learn it soon. Because you are my daughter and I know you’re capable to do it.”

With lenient words, Juno lifts her hands and cup Astarte’s face. “You are the heir to the throne, and I believe you can rule this Kingdom with your power.”

Hearing her mother, Astarte nods in agreement, but her feelings remain in doubt. “But what about my King; you see, I haven’t found someone to rule beside me. A kingdom without King is...”

Once more, Juno chuckle from what her daughter thought while shaking her head in disagreement. “I’ve keep telling you about finding someone to be your king, but I never said to choose the one your heart desires.”

“What my heart desires?” Astarte repeated the same words with wonder on her voice. Juno nods to agree. “I met your father, the former King, Mephistopheles in the grand gala of this castle, when I was about your age.”

Juno loses her hands on Astarte and places it on her lap. “A time where I was about to be crowned as the next Queen; my mother, the former Queen Astarte, tell me same thing.”

“Queen Astarte, grandma’s name is my...” out of astonishment, Astarte blurted. “I named you after your grandmother’s name. It’s the old word on our language for the ‘queen’”

Juno replied and heaves a deep sigh. Her breathing starts to get ragged, but she doesn’t want Astarte to know about it.

“Your father was a little eccentric. He wasn’t socializing with anyone on the crowd.” Her lips form a smile as the vivid memory taunts her mind.

It seems like just yesterday. Juno still clearly recalls how she met Mephistopheles, the son of Duke Leviathan.

The grand gala comes up with the rite of adulthood of Juno. It is a celebration hold up to meet every noble in the kingdom and form a strong bond.

From there, the princess who is in the next throne to be the queen will have a right to choose the king she wanted to be with, to rule the kingdom together.

A tradition that has been passed since the Kingdom was founded. “I was greeted by every noble; taking turns to talk and sways my attention to them.”

Astarte remains silent as she listens. “.... And that made me pique an interest to see him. From the crowd, he’s just there, standing... drinking.”

Her eyes avert the young princess and view the distant sky from the window. “It was quite tough to escape from the nobles talking to me. I want at least to excuse myself to talk to him.”

“Then, what did you do?”

Juno lures her eyes once more to Astarte and smiles. “Well, my attendant, Aeshma sees that I’m quite in pinch so she made a way to bail me out from the crowd.”

Scoffing out, Juno sways her head sideways. Astarte nods in agreement from what her mother said.

“And then, I quickly trot towards him. Without thinking about anyone or anything, I just want to see him.”

That certain memory made her chest clumps tightly. “I came to see him and asked to bail out of the castle. He did agree without asking anything and we left.”

Astarte nods slightly as Juno continues. However, due to her short breathe, she starts to get paler. Beads of sweat drip on her forehead.

“..... I happen to know his father asked him to socialize with me. He didn’t even know I was the princess of the Kingdom at all.”

“Quite a fancy meeting you two had...” Astarte mumbled. “... Yeah. But the time, though it’s our first meeting. I feel that he’s the person I want to be with.”

“How, how did you know that dad was the one for you?”

Juno grins at Astarte as she heard the question. “When you feel that there’s something that urge you to know him. Whenever you are with him, there’s something unexplainable feeling arise inside you.”

“Huh...”

At the answer of Juno, that’s the only response she gave. It wasn’t really clear at all, but it’s the feelings she bore on that dream.

“... Astarte.”

Juno felt her body weakens. Her strength thaws out; Astarte then looks at her.

“Mom?” she called out.

“.... Your future,” Juno utters; her voice become hoarse as she grabbed onto the princess’s hands. “... I want you to see a happy future. Find what your heart yearns.....”

“I will, mom. I will... then, you will see the King I choose and...”

Astarte grabbed the hands of Juno and gripped it. Her fingers are thinner and full of wrinkles. “..... You will watch over me. You will tell me the things I need to know for being a good ruler. And... and your grandchildren...”

“... Yeah, I would love to see your ascension to the throne.”

Juno keeps her eyes locked to Astarte as she smiles. “Mom,” her eyes moistened after. “I’m happy to live long enough to see you grow a fine woman, my princess...”

“Mom,” Astarte called out. Her voice shakes as her grip tightened.

“... Astarte, I love you. I truly love you, my princess...”

Her breath slowly deepens after telling those words. In a moment, as the sky gets dim to the gray clouds, so as the eyes of Juno close.

“Mom...?” Astarte called out. The grip Juno once hold to her hand loose completely. “Mom...” she called out once more.

However, Juno didn’t reply. She just sits on the chair with a smile on her lips while facing her daughter.

The tranquility remains. In the once room filled with warmth suddenly turns cold. Astarte gripped her hand over Juno, but she didn’t respond to anything.

“Mom... Mom!” Astarte yelled. From the outside, the door slammed open as Aeshma enters inside. The sudden scene shunned her body, as Astarte wailed.

The face of the Queen shows lenience, like she’s just sleeping. “Queen Juno...?”

Aeshma stand petrified as she sees the scene. The once master she have been serving, now just smiles with peacefulness on her sleep. “Queen Juno...?”

She called out once more. Heavy stomped heard from the floor as she moves forward. “No way, my queen...”

Aeshma’s eyes moistened. Big tears fill her eyes and her chest clumps tight. Astarte’s wail echoed, only for her to realize that the downfall of the present queen happened.

“Mom! Please, wake up!” tears flood on her eyes. Astarte kneeled down as she lay her head down on her mother’s lap. Wail of grief and sorrow heard in the chamber of Juno.

To the people she left and on the only heir to the throne who’s now already orphaned to both of parents.

The news comes up right away, in a sudden shocking moment of the time when no one expected.

On the certain morning of Winter Solstice, the once ruler of the Tophet Kingdom of Demon Realm, Queen Juno, passed away.