The Emperor, Empress, physicians, and other guards arrived! Beatrix was so pale, trembling, and crying when she told them what happened. She even told them her failure to immediately realize that Prince Andrew could also be in danger! More people dived into the lake to look for Prince Andrew while the unconscious Prince Anders was sent to his courtyard after the physicians confirmed that he is now safe!

Beatrix is not afraid that the Emperor and Empress will blame and punish her! She is afraid that Prince Andrew drowned and he is now dead under the water! She felt more afraid now than earlier!

The Emperor and Empress are horrified and worried but they did not blame her. The Emperor is comforting the trembling and crying Empress... They are silently praying in their hearts that their other son is safe too... That he is not in the bottom of the lake... That he did not drown... That he is not dead!

Finally, the very pale, cold, unconscious, and non-breathing Prince Andrew was fetched out of the water! The physicians did their best to revive the first prince but after several failed attempts without any signs of life, they fearfully kneeled and declared that Prince Andrew is gone!

The Empress fainted and the attention of almost everyone was drawn to her! They suddenly forget the cold, pale, and dead Prince Andrew. Only Beatrix stayed by his side, crying wretchedly, feeling the severe pain and guilt inside her heart... She intertwined their fingers and embraced his wet, cold, and unresponsive body. She sobbed miserably as her heart was torn and shattered into several pieces! She felt severe cold and emptiness all over her body like her whole being suddenly died!

"Andrew, do not die... Come back... We need you... I need you... Please, come back... You cannot leave like this... Do not leave me alone..." She whispered to his ear the sincerest pleading in her mind, heart, and soul.

Prince Andrew woke up in the darkness. He could not see anything except pure darkness!

Where am I? I cannot see... It is too dark...

I remember that Imperial Brother pushed me to the lake but before I fell, I was able to grab his clothing and pull him down with me to the water so we both went down to the bottom of the lake...

We struggled and fought under the water! I am trying to step on his body to raise myself so I can breathe air and possibly get myself out of the water! I cannot swim so I intend to use him as my lifebuoy to survive since he was the one who pushed me to drown! I do not want to die but misfortune befalls me when my foot got stuck into a huge rock and underwater plants!

I am trapped and I cannot untangle myself while Anders and I continue to fight and struggle below, trying to defeat the opponent and use him as a stepping stone to reach the surface and breathe air!

Anders kicked me and tried to swim above the water to get some air... That was the time that I found out that unlike me, he knew how to swim all along and he planned long ago to kill me by drowning and make it appear as an accident!

I cannot allow it to succeed so I grabbed the hem of his clothes and pull him down again before he could reach the water surface and breathe air! I embraced him tightly like he is my most beloved brother that I cannot bear to let go! I faced him, hoping that he could read my face saying: If I will die, you are going with me, Imperial Brother!

I sneered as I saw him panic and struggle more... He probably read what was on my mind! He tried to fight back and struggle more but I embraced him tighter and stronger! His fear, panic, and struggle made him lose air faster than me... I smiled widely as he involuntarily gasped for air but breathed and gulped water instead! Soon, the imperial brother who pushed me to drown was the first one to drown and lost his consciousness!

After I am certain that he truly passed out, I let go of him and tried to untangle myself hoping that the water will be merciful enough to take me to the surface once I untangled myself successfully but before I could do that... I really cannot breathe anymore! And soon... I involuntarily closed my eyes...

That was the last thing, Prince Andrew remember before he arrived in the dark and desolate place!

Am I dead? Where exactly is this? Where is Imperial Brother? Did this mean that he survived and succeeded with his plan to kill me?

His heart felt so much pain when her face appeared in his mind followed by a familiar feeling in his heart! He cannot accept this fate!

I cannot die like this! Beatrix... I refused to be separated from you!

He could no longer control his sadness as bitter tears rolled down... He thought that ghost cannot shed tears but what is he doing now?!!

"Andrew! I am here!"

He heard Beatrix's voice and excitedly looked for its source...

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