The room was silent.

The air was still.

Only one seemed to be able to move.

Emilia, who gently held Anastasia, applied the tip of her finger that was emitting a soft pink light to the wound on the young princess’ forehead.

Slowly, the wound began to close.

The maids who were supposed to assist her were frozen stiff, not daring to move.

Lazarus stood there, disheveled, breathing heavily and looking at Veyron as if he’d seen a ghost. He tried to hold his breath. But he needed the air, and the more he wanted to still his breathing, the harder his breathing became.

Then-

“He attacked me!” Anastasia accused, pointing a finger at Lazarus before proceeding to wail. Lazarus flinched and felt his heart quicken as Veyron’s brow furrowed down. Lazarus’ could see how his annoyed expression slowly seized up and turned to one of fury.

Lazarus’ hair stood up.

“You-!”

“She attacked me! I just defended myself with the book! I swear!” Lazarus screamed, pointing at Anastasia as if his life depended on it.

This stopped Veyron. But his foot was already a step forward in Lazarus’ direction.

Veyron clenched and unclenched his fist as he glanced back and forth between Lazarus and Anastasia. The two were smart enough to stop yelling and infuriate him further. They both knew how noise would further infuriate the already seething King.

“And what about you three?” Said Veron turning his gaze to the three maids who flinched . On one hand, they didn’t want to offend Anastasia by telling the truth, on the other hand they couldn’t exactly lie to the infuriated King of the Twilight Kingdom, it would be the death of them.

“Well-...”

“Uhmm”

“We were a bit late when the incident had already occured.” Said the maid with a quicker wit. It was in fact the truth, they knew that Anastasia was going after Lazarus, but they didn’t see it so it wasn’t a lie.

“I see.” Muttered Veyron as he turned his gaze back to Emilia who had already fixed Anastasia. Though some blood stains remained, it had already dried and the wound had already closed.

“Dear…” Spoke Emilia softly, she knew he was going to discipline them but she dreaded the extent of the force he’ll use as this was the very first major offense of any of his children.

Just from hearing her words, Veyron seemed to stifle a bit of his blazing anger.

After glancing further back and forth between Anastasia who gulped and Lazarus who stiffened up, he decided.

Veyron gestured for Anastasia to come closer, and she meekly walked to him.

“Father dearest I-...”

*Whack!* A clap reverberated.

“Kyah!”

Anastasia was flung to the air with a backhand from Veyron and she ended up in the bed. Her cheeks were reddened as her eyes started to tear up, looking at Veyron with fear. Emilia’s eyes were simply widened from the shock. Even Lazarus was at a loss for words.

“You dare lie to me!?” Roared Veyron, “You think I'm a fool!? You are in this boy’s room yet you claimed he attacked you!? You-!”

“Eek!”

Anastasia scurried away as Veyron took a step forward. But he stopped, when he noticed Emilia’s concerned gaze. He clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, and said,

“Your mistake is not that you attacked this boy. It is that you chose to lie to me, I the King AND your father.”

Veyron heaved another sigh before pointing a finger to the door and turning to look at the three maids who immediately got the hint and scurried away as fast as they could.

Now that Anastasia had been disciplined, he once more turned his gaze towards her, making her jolt and clutch the bed, and he asked, “Why did you decide to attack him?”

She couldn’t lie - her instincts told her. She had already seen what would happen if she’d lie. But speaking seemed to be hard. Anastasia could feel her throat tighten from fear. When Veyron’s expression shifted and it looked like his face was seizing up, Anastasia quickly opened her mouth,

“He ruined the palace gardens! I was supposed to have a tea party with Trisha and Elise, but now I can’t I-Hic* “ Her tears began to flow, her voice crumbling as she continued, “I-it’s ruined! I ca *Hic* Ughh* I can’t have my tea party anymore! Uwaaaahhh!”

Unable to stop the rising ball in her throat, she began to wail even whilst knowing full well what might happen to her. It was uncontrollable.

It was Lazarus’ fault. It was all his fault! She thought, as she wailed. Anastasia seared deep in her mind that it always turned out this way because of Lazarus. Emilia’s affection and now Veyron’s ire. She was always the scapegoat of his idiocy.

“Waaahh!” Anastasia continued to wail from the frustration of how she couldn’t do anything. She wanted to strangle Lazarus to smack him. But she couldn’t. It was unfair.

After hearing her explanation, Veyron turned his viscious gaze on Lazarus. His chest seemed to puff-up and puff down. Perhaps he was trying to calm his breathing, but everyone could tell that Veyron seemed to be ready to explode.

“You did what to the Palace Garden!?”

Lazarus took a step back and Emilia immediately put herself between them, raising both of her arms as she said,

“Dear, please understand that Lazarus is still in pain, he-”

“SHUT IT.” He cut in, immediately silencing Emilia. “You have always seemed to spoil this child. I’ve let it go, but enough is enough! You hadn’t done the very same thing when I disciplined Anastasia just now, didn’t you??” He frowned, clenching his fist.

Anastasia stopped wailing and stared as she seemed to take in these words and look towards her mother thinking ‘Father’s right…’, she had only stood up for Lazarus. Anastasia clutched the bed sheet tighter.

Lazarus went behind Emilia and clung to her skirt, whilst Emilia simply had a look of shock while staring at Veyron. She turned to look at Anastasia, who was biting her lip, clenching the bed sheet and was looking at her with so much sorrow, longing and frustration.

Emilia felt her heart sunder in two. Veyron was indeed right. And she was well aware how much it hurt to have a mother choose a child, and that choice wasn’t you. But-

“Lazarus is just having a hard time.” She said to Veyron before turning to look at Anastasia, “Yet you still decided to attack him! I’ve told you that you should protect-”

“It is NOT the responsibility of others to protect yourself. Only YOU should protect yourself.” Cut in Veyron commandingly. Emilia protested once more with a ‘but’ however this simply served to anger Veyron more.

“Enough. From now on, you are to keep your distance from him.” He pointed to Lazarus, “If you truly believe that you should protect your children, then protect all of them EQUALLY. You have shown far too much favor for that child, it’s time you treat them fairly as a mother.”

“That’s-..”

“I said it before, you are a Queen before you are a mother. But it seems you are choosing to be a mother first. Therefore, BE a mother.”

Frustrated at having been cut-off, Emilia snapped back.

"But haven't you been treating Lazarus poorly compared to his other siblings!?"

“I CHOSE to be a King before I am a father! As such, I’ve focused my time and energy on those who have promise. That !” He pointed to Lazarus, “Has no promise. Not even as a political marriage. The noble whom we marry him to would instead think of it as being handed leftovers rather than it being a symbol of a union between the Valhearts, will they not!?”

“That’s not true!”

“It’s true and you know it!”

Emilia bit her lip in frustration as Veyron continued to shout,

“But YOU, you chose to be a mother as compared to I who chose to be a King. See for yourself what you’ve done.” Veyron pointed to Anastasia who was silently crying whilst trying to hold back her tears, gazing at Emilia with frustration, sorrow and yearning.

Emilia couldn’t say anything. Veyron was right. She once more gazed upon Anastasia and she felt her stomach drop. Anastasia continued to whimper. This was her fault… she realized.

Lazarus, who was weakly clutching on to her skirt, clung to her more.

Veyron looked at Lazarus once more and said, “You cling to your mother but have you not told her what you’ve done??”

“Huh?” Emilia muttered, confused. “Tell me what?”

“Father please don’t!”

“He had broken the Valencia heirloom. The very last thing your mother left you.”

Emilia froze. She felt like she couldn’t comprehend it.

It was then that Veyron gestured for Anastasia towards himself, and she immediately went to him still clutching her skirt in frustration.

It was easier to come closer to the father who hurt her physically just out of discipline, than the mother who kept on choosing Lazarus over her. The pain she felt in her heart far outweighs what she felt on her cheeks.

Veyron once again turned to look at Lazarus and said, “Consider this truth as your discipline for damaging the garden.” As he then turned and left, leaving only the shocked Emilia and the look of horror on Lazarus’ face.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A week had passed since the incident.

Lazarus still couldn’t get it out of his mind the way Emilia looked as she forced a smile and said ‘it was alright…’ and without even giving a chance for Lazarus to reply, she hurriedly exited his room.

Since then, Emilia had never once visited him in the mornings.

Lazarus had gotten used to Emilia leaving before for months on end. But this time it was different… Just yesterday, when he saw her in the palace gardens he hurriedly made his way over to apologize, but the moment she noticed him, she flinched and said,

“Ah! Lazarus, morning. I will have a maid deliver breakfast to your room as Lara isn’t here.” Then she forced a smile and it made his little heart tighten painfully. He could tell she wasn’t happy to see him.

“Mom I-..”

“Sorry, but I need to leave. I need to attend to Reisha.” She cut-in and quickly walked away, leaving Lazarus’ outstretched hand grasping the empty air.

Just remembering that made his heart tighten uncomfortably.

This loneliness was different from what he’d experience so far.

As a child, Lazarus couldn’t tell the difference between rejection and loneliness.

He wanted to meet her again, tell her he was sorry.

Sometimes he wanted to just tell her the truth that it wasn’t him who broke the vase. But he knew Lara would be fired, so he couldn’t do that.

He frowned.

Lazarus was told that Lara was out on an errand whenever he’d ask, but isn’t it too strange that she was always out on an errand? It has already been a couple of weeks and she hasn’t come to clean his room…

He realized he was fine for a week because Reisha was always there but ever since last week, when the incident with Emilia occured, Reisha hasn’t come to his room either.

“Why?” He couldn’t help but ask, but there was no one to respond.

The harrowing in his heart grew.

Lazarus couldn’t sit still and decided to go out. Maybe check the dining room and see if Reisha was there as he didn’t know where her room was. She had always visited him after all and he never had to visit her.

He still had time before a maid would deliver his meal after all so he quickly went out.

It didn’t take long before he arrived. He was about to grab the door knob but heard laughter and giggling in the room.

And it sounded like…

“Reisha?” He called out as he entered.

Everyone in the room all turned their heads to him.

Anastasia was there, looking at him as if she’d swallowed a mouth full of stink bugs.

Clovis was just looking at him with a brow raised.

And then-... Emilia who was just laughing a while ago when he entered, suddenly just looked away.

They were there having a meal without him?

Lazarus felt as if he was drowning even when there wasn’t any water. With each breath, it was painful. He felt a ball on his throat.

So this was where Emilia was for the past week when she wasn’t with him for breakfast…

Lazarus hurriedly closed the door. Just as he was about to sprint, a young girl was looking at him.

“Big brother Lazarus?” Reisha muttered softly.

Was she about to join them too? Was that where she was all this time too?

Just as dark emotions welled-up in Lazarus’ chest, Reisha rushed to him and-.

!

“Big brother!” Reisha said, hugging him whilst burying her face in his chest.

“R-Reisha what-?”

“Come join us!” She said, turning her head up to beam him a warm smile.

Hearing her words, Lazarus remembered everyone’s expression when he’d enter, they weren’t happy.

“Uhmm-.. I can’t. I-... I like to have breakfast in my room.”

“Muuh!” Reisha pouted, protesting “I haven’t been allowed go to your room because you didn’t want anyone to disturb you. I have respected that boundary far too long to bear…”

She really didn’t speak like a five year old child and her words always seemed to be far too articulate. Even Lazarus has trouble understanding her sometimes. But he catch one thing.

“Who told you I didn’t want to be disturbed?”

“Big sister Anastasia.”

Lazarus frowned.

Maybe due to their conversation just being outside, the door clicked open and Emilia looked towards them.

“Reisha…”

“Mother, may big brother Lazarus join us for a meal?” Reisha said, looking hopefully towards Emilia thinking she might be able to convince her dear older brother.

However-

“Uhmm I’m afraid-”

“Mooomm!” Called Anastasia from the room, prompting Emilia to say, “I’ll be right there.”

“So can he?”

Emilia kept looking between Reisha and Lazarus worryingly, and Lazarus realizing that he wasn’t wanted there simply forced a smile to Reisha and said,

“I want to eat it in my room. Sorry Reisha…” He pushed her off.

“”But I-..” She seemed to want to protest, but Emilia patted her head and said,

“Please do not be selfish Reisha.”

She looked down to the ground and bit her lip.

“But Reisha,” Said Lazarus, “I’m no longer busy, so please, feel free to come to my room.”

Reisha looked at him, smiled and then hugged him once more.

“I will!”

“Everyone else is waiting, please join them,” Said Emilia to Reisha who happily nodded and composed herself. Her demeanor seemed to change as she entered the room with both hands clasped together and she restrained her smile.

As soon as the door was closed, Emilia turned to look at Lazarus who was already about to walk away with a shadow looming over his eyes.

“Lazarus dear…” She said gently, putting her hand to his shoulder to stop him from going. “I’m sorry-... It’s just that, I wanted to spend some time with Anastasia and the two of you just fought so-...”

“So this wasn’t about the vase?” He said, trying to push the ball down his throat.

Emilia looked down. She knew she’d be lying if she denied it.

“It isn’t the entire reason, no. But after this week, I’ll be with you soon. Just-... not as much as before as I also want to get closer to the others as well.” Said Emilia, wanting to balance her time with everyone and not just focus her attention on Reisha and Lazarus. Just remembering Anastasia’s look made her feel guilty.

She felt like she might be overcompensating but it was also true that she spoiled Lazarus and Reisha too much. It’s just that Veyron saw no problem in spoiling Reisha as she was a prodigy while Lazarus was inept.

But, she also realized that as a mother she had to be fair. The vase just made it easier. Still, she still loved Lazarus so much and she was determined to let him know.

“I-..I see.” Said Lazarus still not looking at her.

He was in pain. Emilia knew this. And as much as she wanted to hold him now, she wanted him to get stronger too. If she held him now, perhaps it might just serve to weaken him… Perhaps…

“Please let me go.” Said Lazarus somberly

Emilia simply tightened her grip and said, “I love you. Lazarus.” before letting him go.

Lazarus’ eyes became teary as he said, “I love you too mom…” before walking away.