“You should also play, Princy. This moment might not come again ever again.” She smiled hollowly, leaning on the railing and watching the kid play, laughing and grinned.
Children holding hopes, dreams, unaware of this world’s filth. All of them were playing tag.
“What… Do you mean?” I asked with a gulp, turning to her.
I hated how it sounded- never come again…
“Because all of you are children today as you grow, this will become a distant memory. A non-existent part because those who are playing together…”
Her beautiful expressions converted into seriousness, turning to me. Drying my throat when he looked dead into my eyes, declaring our future.
“Will kill each other tomorrow.”
I shivered from apprehension. I looked at them playing with smiles and then back to her, that thought hurt me.
“We are… going to kill.. Each other?” I asked, making a distressed face. My heart skipped a beat, lowering my gaze.
“This is the harsh reality of our life. This day will never come again.” She nodded.
“Soon you guys won’t be able to play like this anymore. That is why, don’t try to become a big boy when you are not. Yet.” She advised me softly.
At that point, I wanted to go and play too. I didn’t want to hold regret in my heart. Still I didn’t move and watched them play with urges evoking to go.
But I didn’t. And I regret it.
First Nathaniel caught Sebastian and then he was running after everyone, creating a ruckus but they were indulging, away from the worldly worries, lost in their own world.
‘Should I tell them what Valencia told me?’ I thought sorrowfully to myself but decided to remain silent.
As they were playing, Sebastian accidentally pushed Persephone, making her fall and cry.
"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you. Are- Are you okay?"
“Persephone!” I gasped and was about to rush to her side and help her but Valencia stopped me. I couldn’t watch her cry.
“It’s fine, Prince. Nathaniel is with her.” She sighed.
"Oh, it's fine. Let me get her." Nathaniel came, hugging his sister, wiping her tears.
"Persephone, Look. Bad boy. Don't hurt my baby sister." And she literally stopped.
"See?"
"Your eyes are adorable." Ruben said, glancing from his brother’s shoulder. My jaw dropped. How dare he talk about her like that? She is a child.
“Did you hear what he said to her?! How could he-”
I growled and was about to go to stop them but she held my shoulder with a chuckle.
“What?” I asked, frowning but then her expressions twisted into seriousness which made me worried.
“Prince.”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask something from you?” She asked firmly, turning to me and I was amazed and delighted to hear she wanted something from me.
“M-Me? What can I do for you? You have everything. If there is anything I can do for you I will happily do it.” I flashed a smile, nodding quickly, I was ready to do anything for her.
She was our ideal after all…
“If I ever die then please protect my daughters, keep them away from this criminal life.” She asked me out of the blue.
My jaw dropped, blinking to fathom if I heard her right or not. I was a kid too and to think she wanted me to protect her beloved daughter was astounding.
“Me? Protection? How? And Daughters? And what about Nathaniel?” I asked quickly, unable to perceive the depth of her words.
“Yes. I want you to be their guard. Nathaniel will have Walsh. He would grow well with De Villiers. And yes, daughters, I am planning to have another child with Silas, I have a feeling it would be a girl.” She chuckled, shaking her head.
“Why do you think I could do it?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion.
“I have a feeling that you will. That you are capable of it. Plus, I want you to become my son-in-law in future.” Then her notorious devilish smirk came to which I blushed, putting my hand in the air and shaking my head in denial.
“WHAT?! I am just a child!” I gasped.
“Hey, I am kidding. Of course you are too old my Persephone.” She chuckled, patting my head…
She would have killed me if she came to know I ended up marrying her youngest child.
“But, let’s see what the future holds but don’t give up on them. I am placing my trust on you, Prince.” She smiled sincerely and I utterly devoted myself to her.
I bowed before her and put my hand over my chest, making a promise I had begun to fulfill as my truest desire. Not as I promised her or my Father.
But because I wanted to… but only for Cinzel.
“I swear, I will die protecting your legacy.”
“Seems like we have a little knight with us.” Valencia’s most trusted man, Walsh came.
“He is my knight. Aren’t you Princy?” She smirked, patting my head but I scoffed.
“Hey, don’t call me that.”
“Anyways, call everyone, Walsh, it is time for the announcement.” She smirked, snapping her fingers to stop literally everything.
“Yes, My Lady.”
And in a moment, the sound of laughter and playing died down and a seriousness took over.
The day when she officially became a Queen.
"You are a monster. How could you do this? Why are you targeting our soft spots?" Sufiyan's Father hissed.
"I could do much worse if you would foolishly neglect my demands. Don't force me to smear your tiny world under my feet."
She ordered, demanding them to obey her shadows and I didn't know what she did or what happened. None of us did.
That was their era, their time, I knew nothing about it.
"Albert Stellios, Jafar Sheikh, Ahmed Eitzaz and Walsh. Work under my commands. Become the Aces of my world."
Holding her hand out, she assigned their positions which our generations razed by replacing it with boundaries and 'Ace'.
But, that was her world, her rules, her power.
Reflecting a devilish smirk, she proclaimed.
"From this moment onwards, I am your one and only leader. Valencia Alroy."