It's been awhile, Winter has spend a lot of time in the underworld and a lot has changed and she knew that. One of those changes was Arculus temper and eyes. She always thought those two were connected. Most of the time when Arculus was angry his eyes turned red, however lately it has always been red eyes staring back at her.

She didn't say much about that because there was no need. It wasn't like he was killing every single person in his way. He just snapped, a lot of times. Winter tip toed around the palace. It became a habit to just wander around and see if everything was okay or to just explore the palace and see if she would find an other mysterious room. Everything seemed to be calm and quiet. The maids that usually walked around here were in the kitchen preparing food for her and only her because Arculus didn't eat human food. Just when she thought everything was okay she heard Arculus voice coming from his office. Winter made her way there to see if everything was okay.

"There are what at my borders?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"There are Angels king Arculus, they are waiting for your permission." The demon said as he was too afraid to look the king in his eyes.

"I do not like angels." He said under his breath but everyone heard. "What do they want?" He wondered out loud, annoyed already.

"They said something about a war." The demons said and Winter was surprised.

"Another one?" She asked taken back, not ready to think about all the deaths.

"Yes your majesty, but between humans." The demon answered.

"And why is that any of my concern?" Arculus asked genuinely confused.

"I'm not sure my King." One of the other demon's answered.

"Bring them in." Arculus said easily and it took winter only to blink her eyes a couple of times and there were two angels standing in the room.

She had never seen angels before. Unlike demons their wings were white. They also looked elegant but Winter already knew she was biased. As a human she was taught that angels were good and demons were bad but after all a demon brought her back to life and it was ancient angels that started a war with demons.

"Hello King Arculus-"

"Skip The introductions and just say what you want." Arculus said with his arms crossed looking at them as if he wasn't talking to his own kind.

"We need you to clear some rumours. Some of our resources say that there is a war about to start in a certain region-" arculus cut the angels off and chuckled lowly.

"Need?" Arculus asked to make sure he heard them right. "I'm not one of your friends, I can take your life with a snap of my fingers. You and your god or no match for me. So next them when you step inside of my kingdom and need something from me, you ask with respect. Get out of my damn sight." Arculus said as he continued with looking at documents send by his commanders.

"Our apologies King Arculus, we didn't mean to offend you. We jus-" Arculus eyes started glowing and Winter was alarmed.

"I said get out of my damn sight." He said lowly his claws appearing and Winter slowly made her way towards Arculus.

"They were wrong for giving you demands but they won't come all the way here if it wasn't important right? Shouldn't you at least hear what they have to tell you?" Winter said as she looked Arculus in his eyes and she could see how his eyes stopped glowing, indicating that the anger he felt earlier was gone.

Arculus stood up from his seat with his documents. "They can tell you, and you tell me. I have to talk to Amon." He said as he walked away.

Winter sat on the desk with her arms crossed. "My apologies he can have a temper sometimes." She said while she paid attention to the being in front of her. "Either way what did you want to tell him?"

"Well there isn't really a war more like an organisation trying to take over. No one has lost their lives so far but we came all the way here to ask if King Arculus could check it out." One of the angels answered and Winter found herself raising her eyebrows. Something she found herself doing when she spend too much time with Arculus.

"Not really war? You should be happy that it's me and not Arculus." She laughed amused as she took the crown off her head and placed it right next to her. "Arculus doesn't really like liars if I recall correctly." She told them while she looked at them in the eyes.

"And why can't you do it yourself? Or why can't the god of heaven check it out? Why do you need Arculus to go up there?" She wondered at loud confused.

"Because we don't know what it is. It's safer for The king to go since he is the strongest." Even if the angel did not want to admit it he still said it.

"Okay I'll ask him." Winter said with a smile on her face. Wondering why Arculus didn't like angels too much. They seemed nice Winter thought.

The guards came in and escorted the angels out. She wasn't sure were Amon was but she figured she would just wait for Arculus to show up. She walked out of the office, on her tippy toes. Carefully walking around as if it was actually dangerous for her to be walking there. It was one of winter habits. She always was trying to be quiet. She didn't like it when her foot steps could be heard form miles away. Probably also the reason why she walked around with her socks on.

She could hear raindrops again. Just like she did some weeks ago in the dark room. However she wasn't in the dark room, Winter was walking around in the hallway. So where was the sound coming from she wondered. Winter stood still and slowly turned around. Looking around expecting to see something and she did. The hallway was a long one, but she could see a shadow in the back right next to the office where she was a minute ago.

Winter hasn't told Arculus about what she has been seeing. Especially not when his eyes were always red. However even when she wasn't scared she was starting to wonder why the shadow was following her around as if its life depended on it. Wherever she was the shadow was there too. It didn't matter if she was with other people or if she was surrounded by demons. The shadow was always there no matter what.

"Why do you keep following me around?" She asked slightly annoyed but she still wanted to show some kindness.

"Why don't you want me to follow you around?" The shadow asked curious.

"Because it's weird to have a...shadow following me everywhere I go." She said keeping her distance.

"A shadow? Your majesty I'm offended. I'm not a shadow, I'm darkness." The voice corrected her but Winter was confused.

"So I suppose light can also talk to people?" She asked the creature and she could hear it chuckle.

"I'm not darkness it self, I'm the creature you can find in it." The creature answered and Winter shook her head.

"No." She told herself. "No, I am not doing this." She whispered to herself and ignored the creature behind her.

"Are you ignoring me?" She heard the creature ask but Winter did not answer.

"Fine, but you can't walk away from me." The creature said and this time Winter turned around to face the shadow, but it was gone.

Winter looked around the palace for Arculus but she couldn't find him anywhere. She looked in every room and all the kitchens however he was no where to be found.

"Your majesty are you looking for someone?" One of the guard asked after noticing that it was the fourth time the Queen passed them in less than 5 minutes.

"Yes Where is Arculus?" She asked confused to where he could be.

"The king is in the secret room, where most of the commanders can be found." The guard spoke up.

"Oh the dark room with the round table?" She asked and the guard nodded her head.

Winter sighed deeply, the same room where she first met the creature in the first place. She was hoping she won't see it again. She knocked on the door a couple of times and she could hear Amon say 'come in'.

"Hello is Arculus here?" She asked and Amon shook his head.

"Great I need to tell you something but you can't say a word to Arculus." Winter told Amon and Amon laughed.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" He asked genuinely curious.

"He won't harm you, you're basically one of his best friends." Winter spoke and sat besides Amon. "So there is this shadow following me everywhere." Winter explained but Amon grew concerned.

"Wi- your majesty if there was a shadow following you around I would be able to see it. Arculus would be able to see it, everyone would be able to see it." Amon explained to her.

"But He was with me the other day too when you and Zell were bickering again. You didn't feel his presence?" She wondered out loud confused.

"Are you sure its just a shadow?" He asked her worried.

"I mean it said something about being darkness or something. I walked away because-" Amon stood up from his seat and left the documents on the table.

"I have to report this to Arculus." Amon said His usually playful tone long gone. His eyes were red and glowing and Winter was confused.

"I just told you not to tell him." Winter said amused.

Amon sighed and looked Winter in the eyes. "Your majesty, your safety comes first." He said in a serious tone and grabbed Winter's hand before teleporting to Wherever Arculus was.

"I told you I was coming-" Arculus stooped midway his sentence when he saw the serious look On Amon's face.

"Whats the matter?" Arculus asked curious and Amon glanced at Winter.

Amon explained what Winter had told him and One thing was sure Arculus was not happy at all. At Least his eye wasn't glowing like it did with others when he was angry, but Arculus genuinely looked upset. A look on his face that Winter would rather not see at all.

"Can you leave us alone?" Arculus asked Amon and Amon nodded his head.

It was quiet in the room. Which was making Winter really uncomfortable. Arculus had his eyes closed, she could hear him breathing softly. He loosened the tie he had around his neck. After what felt like 10 hours but it actually was 3 minutes he finally opened his eyes. Staring at her like he had done so many times in the past. The same brown eyes that he would love to look at for the rest of eternity.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" He asked her softly, not raising his voice. Not any trace of anger to be seen on his face. Arculus seemed to be completely calm.

"I thought it wasn't a big deal, I mean it wasn't hurting me or anything. So I figured that it would be fine." Winter said in all honesty but Arculus glanced at her not really liking her answer but he did not show it.

"I'm trying my best to see things from your perspective and understand where you are coming from, however I don't like the way you were quiet about this. I told you I would never read your mind and I have and always will keep my word." Arculus explained to her calmly. "However how do you expect me to understand you if you aren't telling me anything?" He asked her confused.

"When we first met you seemed so fragile, so weak. I mean in the middle of the forest all alone with no protection. You never think things through. Never." He said slightly bothered but he didn't let it show too much.

"When we met I ran away from my stepfather." Winter tried to explain but Arculus shook his head.

"That was actually the second time we have met, the first time we have met was when you thought it would be a great idea to go in the forest in the middle of the night with your friends." Arculus reminded her, finally giving back the memory he took from her.

"Wait..-" Winter grew quiet when the memory she had been missing from so long finally came back to her. She was finally able to fill in the blank space.

"Why did you never say anything about that?" She wondered curious.

"Because I was supposed to be hidden, the forest spirit would have my neck if word got out about me." He told her not trying to show any signs of annoyance. However he would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly annoyed.

"What I'm trying to say is that on earth I tried my best to understand you and your actions. But I have told you before to tell me when something is wrong, and you Winter you promised." Arculus said his eyes softened as he looked at her in the eyes. Reminding himself he had lost her once.

"I'm sorry if I made you upset." She said as she looked him in the eyes. "I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I didn't feel threatened by the creature. Besides it felt familiar as if I have seen it before." She approached Arculus and sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer.

"It felt familiar you say?" He asked her carefully not really liking how this sounded.

"Yeah it also said something about you not wanting it to talk to me." She said turning around to have a better view of Arculus face. Looking in his red eyes and feeling her heart beating faster.

"I think there is something about this palace Arculus that both you and I don't know about." She told him and Arculus smiled amused.

"What do you want to do, explore every single part?" He asked her with raised eyebrows.

"No I want you to contact your mom or anyone that has been around long enough to remember when this palace was built." She told him serious and Arculus was taken back by her tone, it seemed as if she was demanding him instead of asking.

"Are you asking me?" He asked as he smiled at his bride.

"No more like commanding you." Winter said as she tried to stay serious but a smile found its way on her face.

"Fine." Arculus said amused. "I'll see if I can find anyone, but I think Zell can do the trick." Arculus answered with a smile on his face, but when Winter looked away his smile dropped. Not telling her that he could feel the presence of a creature every time he was with her. Not liking the fact a being was hiding itself from him but only showing itself to Winter.

Winter turned around and placed a kiss on Arculus lips. "I want to play with the dogs, see you later." She answered before walking away.

Arculus closed his eyes taking a deep breath, trying his hardest not to let his anger be shown. Zell stepped inside of his office right after Winter was gone. "You called for me good friend." Zell said playful until he saw Arculus red glowing eyes.

"What pissed you off this time?" Zell asked as he sat down.

"Winter is convinced that there is something in this palace that we don't know about, and I honestly think she is right. However following her around everywhere she goes is doing too much for me." Arculus answered angry. He was not overprotective, it was the fact that she was being stalked and he wasn't sure what he could do about it.

"What is she seeing?" Zell asked with raised eyebrows.

"A shadow that could be found in the darkness?" He said unsure.

"It's following her around?" Zell wondered and Arculus nodded his head.

Zell was quiet and he was deep in thought. There has always been rumours about a secret being roaming around the palace. Before Arculus was king it used to follow Queen Kezrha everywhere she went. However wasn't it supposed to be obsessed with Arculus and not Winter. Zell finally looked Arculus in the eyes.

"I don't think it's stalking her Arculus, I think it's protecting her." Zell was being carful with his words.

"Protecting her? I can do that perfectly fine." Arculus answered annoyed but Zell shook his head.

"There are some thing that both you and even I don't now. That creature has been here since Queen Kezrha has been Queen. I don't think it means any harm but I'm not sure what it really wants either." Zell spoke up and Arculus nodded his head.

He closed his eyes again and sighed. "I guess Winter has to keep talking to that being than." He wondered out loud and Zell nodded his head. Arculus really did not like the sound of that at all.