Empires and foundations were never everlasting, similar to the movement of the sun god and moon goddess that sprinkled light on the mortal realm before disappearing,even the dynasties had predestined fates to fall and rise like tides in ocean. On one end of the Gaerin where mirth and joy prevailed as Princess Lyra gave birth to the pride and joy of Prince Vzeus the other end of Gaerin was immersed in darkness.

Imperial Concubine Diereze had just got married into the imperial palace to Emperor Fleunix. Her heart and soul that loved someone else was dejected brutally as she was forced to enter the palace looking at her parent's condition. All her life the woman only had feelings for the young Prime Minister of Gaerin who she was engaged to and that was her biggest flaw, Diereze looked at the simple yet beautiful courtyard of Prince Vzeus where if heard closely, one could hear cries of a baby followed by the infectious laughter of the Prince and Princess.

She had only wished for that.

To live happily

Was that too much to ask?

Prime Minister Artim was considered to the most noble man after Prince Vzeus in the kingdom of Gaerin but Diereze had truly understood what he was... a monster with godly aura. Just like the sirens sang a tune for the sailors to lure them in, Artim too had slowly yet steadily used her father's connections to rise in stature and just like after being enchanted by the sirens the sailors were dragged and drowned in oceanic waters, Direze too was manipulated in a way which made her feel death was better than living.

Artim had spent a night with her when she was intoxicated with wine and then the next day promised to marry her but that did not happened because six months later when the emperor expressed his desire to bring Direze into the inner palace as his concubine, Artim broke all engagement relations with her and instead proposed to her younger sister- Lady Yona.

And the result- Direze who had been secretly carrying a child, flesh and blood of Artim while hiding it away from the eyes of her family miscarried.

Devour one's heart, soul and existence, consume it so brutally so that to leave nothing that can be considered alive

Cruel and monstrous, a form of an demonic beast, seep that dark aura into your own

Yet remember that the goddess of justice shall come for you

The ones who are high in skies have their fall beneath the soil, until their bones are consumed and flesh mixed with earth

But even after death their is no rest

Such is the plight of the hellish souls

The woman turned around with tears gathering in her eyes realizing that the ones surviving in this Palace are sharper than sword and more darker than venom and those who are none would not survive at all.

______________________________________

"Her Highness Saintess Helixis" Court officials of Gaerin stood up gracefully bowing down to the woman when she crossed the threshold of the Imperial Court of Gaerin. The ruling mistress of Grevian Empire was like the enchanting moon, so beautiful that it rivalled Princess Lyra yet her aura dripping with lethal bloodthirst, making the men shudder as she passed them with slow elegant paces.

Snow fabric fluttering with her each movement was embellished with sapphires and azure jades while a man following her like a shadow had his face covered with only thunderous cerulean irises showing amidst of inky black clothing.

"This Saintess greets Empress Daphne of Gaerin, may the empire prosper and flourish." Despite Crown Prince Kyzm and his blooded brother Prince Ragel sitting right beside the Empress, Helixis did not had a care in the world to greet the two sons of the Empress.

If empress Daphne was earlier raged at the fact that Helixis had come to bless the daughter of those unworthy beings- Prince Vzeus and Princess Lyra then right now her heart was sprouting blood when the Saintess did not make an effort to acknowledge the crown prince as if saying-

'Its your honor and fortune of life that I am being benevolent, the mother you who is incomparable to this one so what makes you think that this saintess would take your sons who are like small pests into my consideration.'

In the empire of Gaerin which was heavily dependent on the powers of the high Saintess, an acknowledgement from Helixis meant more people supporting the accession to the throne of the said Prince.

"This Empress welcomes her majesty, the Saintess, yet one cannot fathom the reason of your gracious presence."

The question that although resonated like a genuine query yet was in turn saying-'why are you here uninvited, I believe that the saintess does not have enough manners to first inform and seek permission of the emperor before entering.'

Helixis laughed, a sound so pure and unrestrained making one feel like the entire ceremonial court was lit up with thousands of chandeliers.

"This Saintess had no such thoughts that the empress of Gaerin is such a meticulous and amicable person to joke with this one, isn't the empress aware that it was an imperial decree that was passed to make this one come here?

Although now that I think, there were no officials that came to receive this saintess, neither a carriage was sent, Emperor Fleunix wrote in the letter scroll that this one would be receiving a procession of thousand army soldiers throughout the capital, with a welcome so lavish such that this Saintess has never received previously, since its been five years that this one visted.

Indeed, this one has never received such a treatment."

If this Saintess did not make you lose face infront of the entire empire then I am not named Helixis.

Provoking me?

Alright! Then see the difference in your stature and mine.